The 'Item Box' That Only I Can Use Is Bugged - Chapter 19: The Red Hair Is Here Again

“Hey, don’t get in the way!”

After using the shower room provided in the dojo to wash off the sweat, I got ready to go home, and just as I was leaving the dojo, I heard a child screaming from the entrance.

Nakuru and Tsutae hadn’t come out of the shower yet.

Wondering what was going on, I looked from a distance towards the entrance and saw a child facing Nakuru’s father, Shuuichirou.

Shuuichirou looks troubled, but still stands in the way, preventing the child from going in, and the child angrily tells him to get out of the way.

At that moment, Nakuru approached from behind, asking, “What’s wrong?”

Then Okinaga pointed towards the entrance and grasped the situation.

“Wh–why is Dad arguing with a kid?”

I wanted to know that too. I couldn’t imagine Shuichiro doing anything to upset a child.

Then, it hit me.

(Wait a minute, that kid… I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before…)

The child had striking red hair and a remarkably well-defined face, something that didn’t look Japanese.

His arrogant demeanor also rang a bell.

“Hey, Nakuru, isn’t that the kid who approached you that time?”

“Huh? …Oh!”

Nakuru’s eyes widened as she remembered.

This red-haired boy was the one we encountered when I first met Nakuru, the one who claimed Nakuru was going to be one of his wives.

What’s more, he tried to hit me without listening to what I had to say, so I had no choice but to push him into a pitfall.

(That guy said he was the chosen main character, but did he really follow Nakuru all the way here? …That’s scary.)

Nakuru, seemingly recalling his “wife” statement, turned pale and began to tremble, gripping Okinaga’s arm tightly.

And to make matters worse, the boy in question noticed us.

“Oh, Nakuru! I finally found you! Hey, you, the mob character! Why the hell are you with Nakuru?”

His anger quickly turned towards Okinaga, and he started to stomp his way in, but Shuichiro blocked him again.

“Wait. I told you, you can’t just enter someone else’s house.”

“Shut up! Just because you’re Nakuru’s dad doesn’t mean you can stop me! I’m her future husband!”

He declared this with utter confidence.

Even if they were mutually in love, this was no way to speak to her father.

“Your story as the main character is over! It’s Nakuru’s turn now, so don’t stick your nose in!”

(What is he talking about? A story that’s over?)

I feel something is off about what the boy is saying.

If you put it that way, it’s as if the story begins with Shuuichirou as the main character, and then the story of his child, Nakuru, begins…

It’s like saying part one of a manga ends, and part two has begun.

But this is reality and what he’s saying doesn’t apply.

Everyone has their own life and is the protagonist of their own story.

The end only comes with death, and Shuichiro is still alive, so his story continues.

(And what does he mean by Nakuru’s turn?)

As I tried to make sense of it, the boy kept glaring at me, yelling, “Get away from Nakuru, mob character!”

Shuichiro’s expression tightened, and an aura of anger emanated from him, causing me to hold my breath.

“Enough is enough. If you continue to act selfishly, I won’t forgive you.”

Despite his back to us, Shuichiro’s overwhelming presence was palpable, even from a distance.

The boy, directly facing Shuichiro’s wrath, turned pale and fell on his backside.

“Eek!”

“Well, that kid really did something foolish by angering Shuichiro,” Tsutae commented.

As she spoke, Tsutae approached me.

Perhaps because she had just taken a shower, her cheeks were flushed and she looked somewhat sexy.

I was captivated by her gaze, but then I was brought back to my senses by the sound of a child screaming.

“Dammit, I won’t give up!”

Like a small-time villain fleeing in defeat, the boy dashed away.

As he left, my mother, Aoi, appeared.

“Um… I’m here to pick up my son…”

Shuichiro greeted her warmly, his demeanor entirely different from a moment ago.

“Welcome, Mrs. Okinaga. Please come in.”

All traces of tension vanished, replaced by his usual kind and warm smile.

Shuuichirou suggests that everyone come and have tea together, and Okinaga and the others are shown to the guest room, where the topic of the boy from earlier comes up.

Apparently, the boy had suddenly shown up, demanding to see Nakuru.

Naturally, Shuuichirou asked questions such as whether he knew Nakuru, but he was arrogant and insisted that Nakuru be brought out, and the conversation went nowhere.

When Shuichiro tried to turn him away, the boy attempted to force his way in, leading to the confrontation.

“Kids these days sure are forward,” my mother mused.

I was exasperated by her reaction.

While the boy’s actions could be seen as forward, they bordered on stalking.

“Ugh… Oki-kun, I’m scared…”

Nakuru clung to my arm, trembling.

I wanted to comfort her, but I wasn’t sure how to handle the situation on my own.