I Don't Want To Be A Heroine!

Extras 1 - Rika Haruta

From: Kou-senpai 😍
Subj: none

I like you.

Received: 20:22
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Rika hugged her phone close to her aching chest. Her chest hurt not because of excitement from receiving the text, but from the fact that she knows that this wasn't for her.

To: Kou-senpai 😍
Subj: none

Too subtle, I think.

Sent: 20:25
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On Rika's first high school festival, she got really busy with balancing her time between her duties in her class and her role in the play that will be presented by the Drama club. Her Yui-senpai, whom she had recently talked into joining the said club, will be there as well, being the understudy of the main actress.

Being still a first year, Rika wasn't given a lead role yet. But all the Drama club members were enthralled by her talent. Their president, Aika Yoshida, even joked that maybe she'll be the next president by her second year. But Rika's role in this year's play was still one of the main characters; the close friend of the princess (played by their club president).

"We'll have the Soccer Club boys help us with setting up the stage," announced Aika. "Lifting, painting, and others. Make sure we explain things to them properly, okay?"

"Osu." Rika replied along with the other club members. As if on cue, tall, sweaty boys came bustling in, gathering behind Aika. One guy came up and hugged her, making the drama club members blush and the soccer club boys whoop and roar in laughter.

"Shut up or I'll make you run a hundred laps tomorrow morning." Warned the guy. "Hello, I'm Arata Midoriyama, captain of the soccer team. I hope my boys and I will be of some help!" and then they all bowed.

About half of the soccer boys helped with the stage set up, hanging the curtains, positioning the lights, and putting up the props. The others with steady hands helped with painting, some even sewing the costumes. Rika was sitting at the far end of the stage, her feet dangling while she memorized some of her lines.

"Um," she scanned the room. The doors of the gym opened at the same time, another guy— still wearing his soccer jersey— came panting in.

"Rika-chan, did you need any help?" said Momoko, a second year member, also the vice president, of the drama club.

"Oh, I, uh, just needed someone to practice the lines with."

"Oi, Kou! Go ask Aika or Momoko if there's something you could help with," said Arata.

"Good timing! Kou, right? You look like you just ran a hundred laps around the campus so, uh, could you help Rika-chan practice her lines?" Momoko introduced Rika and Kou to each other then left.

Kou was surprisingly good at acting himself, he mentioned that he wanted to be a voice actor someday and this was a good opportunity to hone his acting skills. Rika thought he was a good guy and felt at ease almost immediately. He was easy to act with.

After they called it a day, Rika went straight home since she knew her brother, Riku, will be worried sick.

"I'm home," she said as she removed her shoes. "Onii-chan?"