"Everyone knows, right? We're having a shortened school day today. There's a staff meeting this afternoon. Once it's over, don't go wandering off somewhere — head straight home."
"Yeaaah!!!"
"Yamada. Quiet down."
"Yes, sir."
Morning homeroom.
At Yukio's announcement, bright smiles spread across the students' faces.
I, however, quietly clicked my tongue at the wave of disappointment washing over me.
*The afternoon Japanese literature class…*
The Tosa Diary I'd read ahead during self-study had been more impressive than I'd expected.
So I'd been quietly looking forward to hearing how Yukio would interpret the work.
Unfortunately, that would have to wait for another time.
*Too bad. Maybe I'll just dive into Japanese lit on my own?*
We were getting out early, so I'd have time to spare.
Spending the whole day buried in Japanese lit wasn't a bad idea—
—*buzz.*
Just then, my phone gave a small vibration.
Wondering what it was, I checked the screen. A message had come in through Raine.
[Arisu (3)]
It was Arisu, sitting in her seat far across the room.
▷ heyheyheyheyhey
▷ heyyyyyyyyy
▷ heyyyy
◁ what
▷ omg texting in class?? delinquent behavior delinquent behavior
◁ you texted first
▷ lolololololol
I felt a vaguely strange sensation.
Up until now, most of my texts with anyone had been purely for exchanging information.
Trading messages just to chat about nothing in particular — this was, practically speaking, a first.
◁ so what do you want
▷ you doing anything after school today?
▷ nothing right?
▷ if you're free give me some of your time
I couldn't help but shake my head at the rapid-fire messages.
Not yet fully used to typing in Japanese, I had no confidence I could keep up with that speed.
Still — she wanted me to give her some time.
◁ what for
Every time Arisu had come to me with something, it had been to pry out my study secrets.
I wondered what it was this time, and cautiously asked.
▷ i'm bored! ᐠ( ᐢ ᵕ ᐢ )ᐟ
A simple reason.
And an adorable little emoticon.
Without thinking, a small laugh slipped out of me.
When I glanced over at Arisu, she had her phone lowered beneath her desk, grinning to herself.
Judging by her reaction, it really did seem like she'd texted just because she was bored.
I sent a message as a joke.
◁ no thanks. i'm going to study
The moment I sent it, Arisu's expression crumpled instantly.
She really does wear every emotion right on her face.
▷ awwww whyyyy ㅠㅜㅜ
▷ (っ ´߹ᯅ߹)っ
Even though it was just a text, I could practically hear a whining voice in my ears.
I didn't laugh, of course.
If I laughed, the teacher would catch me.
I had no interest in getting embarrassed for no reason.
◁ what would we even do
▷ just hang out, you know
▷ gotta buy Snowy some toys too
▷ don't you have something you personally want to buy? let's go shopping
Something I want to buy… there is something.
A workbook.
Something I'd been going back and forth on, always giving up in the end because I needed to save money.
◁ sorry. i need to save money
I was even cutting back on food.
I didn't have the luxury of shopping for fun.
I wanted to, though.
I sent the refusal.
For a while, no reply came back.
Wondering if something had happened, I turned my head toward Arisu.
She had a look of deep contemplation on her face.
Her fingers moved busily, then stopped, then moved again — it looked like she was typing something and deleting it.
Before long, a reply arrived.
▷ it's okay! this big sis has tons of money okay? i'll lend it to you
▷ i'll lend it to you so pay me back later when you have some breathing room
I'm not particularly fond of borrowing money from people.
In my past life, the people who called themselves my parents had borrowed money, and I'd been the one left to shoulder all the consequences.
So I'd made up my mind — no matter how small the amount, I wouldn't borrow from others, and I wouldn't lend either.
◁ well if you're offering, i'm grateful
But as if that resolve meant nothing, I readily sent back an affirmative.
It was a small amount, after all.
And seeing a friend upset over it was something I liked even less—
*…Can I even call Arisu a friend?*
It had been so long since I'd made a friend that the concept didn't feel entirely real to me.
We'd only been on speaking terms for a few weeks.
What if I was the only one thinking of her as a friend, and she didn't see it that way at all?
Would she be bothered by that?
▷ for real?
▷ no take-backs okay!?
▷ (ง ᵕ⚰︎ᵕ)ว♪
A flurry of excited messages came tumbling in.
I stole a glance over.
Arisu was beaming, eyes sparkling.
"Arisu."
"Y-yes!?"
"What are you looking at with that big grin on your face?"
Oh no.
Yukio had caught her red-handed.
"Pick it up after school."
"Yes, sir…"
Arisu, her phone confiscated by the teacher.
She stood there looking thoroughly deflated, lips jutting out in a pout.
Then, by chance, her eyes met mine.
She blinked a few times, then broke into a small grin and mouthed the words silently.
*Don't forget. You promised.*
A promise.
Going out to have fun with someone — that was a first as an adult.
I'd always been too busy working, and I'd never had friends to hang out with in the first place.
I gave a small nod.
Then I turned to look out the window.
How long had it been since I'd felt anticipation for something other than studying?
As if reflecting my mood, the sky outside was impossibly blue.
***
A blue sky.
Bright, cheerful sunlight.
Perfect weather for going out.
Or rather.
It had been perfect weather.
—*Shhhhhh……*
"…It's raining."
"……"
In front of the shoe lockers.
The two of us stood there, blankly staring up at the sky as rain poured down.
"Nooo… I didn't bring an umbrella."
Arisu murmured, eyes trembling. I watched her for a moment, then reached into my bag and pulled out a folding umbrella.
"Oh, Ryuzaki, you came prepared. Thank goodness."
"It's become a habit."
A habit ingrained since my past life.
On days I forgot my umbrella, I'd have to buy an overpriced disposable one from a convenience store.
With my weak constitution, getting caught in the rain meant catching a cold without fail.
And catching a cold meant I couldn't work properly.
An umbrella was a necessity for me.
"Arisu."
"Hm?"
"The weather's like this today, so how about we push the outing to another time?"
"No!"
Arisu cut down my suggestion without a second's hesitation.
"If it's not a short day, who knows when I'll get to go out. I don't have time normally because of tutoring."
She really was determined to have her fun.
Well, honestly, I didn't particularly mind the rain itself.
I'd only said it out of consideration for Arisu.
I held the umbrella out to her.
"Then take this and run to the convenience store. Just buy one umbrella."
Arisu looked down at the umbrella for a moment, then quietly took it.
She opened it up — then grabbed my arm and pulled me right under it with her.
The cold air fell away.
Arisu's warmth spread across my arm.
"Why? We can just go together."
She said it with a smile.
Faced with her expression up close like that, some nameless sensation bloomed inside me.
A faint, electric flutter in my chest.
Something I'd never experienced before.
"Why aren't you saying anything?"
"……"
"Did your heart skip a beat?"
"Who knows."
"You're not denying it."
"You're free to imagine whatever you like."
"What's that supposed to mean? No fun at all."
I matched my stride to hers as she walked ahead.
My shoulder, sticking out past the edge of the umbrella, quickly grew damp.
I glanced at Arisu — her shoulder was getting wet too.
Without a word, I tilted the umbrella slightly toward her.
She paused for a moment, then tilted it back toward me.
"You'll get wet."
"So will you, Ryuzaki."
"Unlike some people, I'm sturdy. I'll be fine."
"I don't want that. I'd rather we both get wet."
As we walked, the gazes around us naturally drifted our way.
Of course they did.
The genius girl beloved by everyone.
And the delinquent feared by everyone.
Two people like that, sharing a single umbrella side by side — there was no way eyes wouldn't follow.
But as if those stares didn't exist, Arisu kept on smiling and chattering away.
"Let's buy an umbrella and go get lunch!"
"Sure. What do you want to eat? Pasta, steak, something like that?"
"I actually love that stuff — how did you know?"
"You said you liked Western food before."
For a moment, Arisu's footsteps stopped.
Then, as if nothing had happened, she started walking again and said quietly:
"…You remembered."
She held a small smile for a moment, then added:
"Still, today's fine. You said you're not that into Western food, Ryuzaki."
"No. I just said eating it all the time gets old — having it once in a while is fine by me."
"Then great. I know a place that does pasta really well."
Walking half-soaked in the rain.
It was exactly the kind of situation that would have irritated me on any normal day, yet strangely, I didn't feel bad at all.
Suddenly, Arisu shook the umbrella.
Droplets of rain splattered across my face.
"……"
"Pfft."
"What was that for."
"Hmm, no reason?"
"Are you in elementary school?"
"Do I look that young to you?"
"You're out of your mind."
Walking side by side with someone like this.
An ordinary conversation, without a care in the world.
It wasn't as good as studying, but this kind of time wasn't so bad either.
Though studying was still a little better, of course.
Just then.
"Ryuzaki, you—!"
Someone stepped into our path.
At first I thought it was some delinquent with a grudge against me.
But he looked far too ordinary.
Average build.
Average looks.
And eyes that held an unusually fierce resolve.
A familiar face.
A face I hadn't seen once since being reborn in this world.
Yet one I couldn't help but recognize.
"…Hirose?"
Hirose Yuto.
The protagonist of this world had stepped into my way.
At this point in the story, Hirose and Ryuzaki would already know each other.
Because not even a week after enrollment, there had been an incident where Ryuzaki had harassed Hirose's childhood friend.
I'd known about that, which was why I'd been deliberately avoiding him and his childhood friend.
It wasn't something I'd done, but if we crossed paths and trouble broke out, it would only be a headache.
Still — I hadn't expected him to come looking for me like this.
"Stop it. Right now."
"Stop what?"
"You couldn't get to Yuka, so now you're going after Arisu too?"
Hirose clenched his teeth.
"You're… honestly hopeless."
"……"
"It's obvious. You must have found something to hold over Arisu and threatened her into going around with you. Am I wrong?"
"Pretty wrong, actually. Quite a bit."
I had a rough grasp of the situation.
He seemed to be operating under a spectacular misunderstanding.
The frustrating part was that I could see where he was coming from.
If I were in his position — a delinquent who'd been harassing my childhood friend until recently suddenly showing up side by side with the most popular girl in school — I'd probably have had similar suspicions.
Of course, suspecting was one thing. Actually planting yourself in the middle of the street and blocking someone's path was something I wouldn't have thought to do.
Truly, not just anyone can be a rom-com protagonist.
That was when it happened.
"…Ha."
Arisu let out a small sigh.
"Arisu, don't worry. This guy—"
"Hey."
Arisu cut Hirose off, and her voice came out cold.
"Who are you? Do I know you?"
Silence fell.
"What's with the familiarity?"
It was a tone I had never once heard from her before. Utterly frigid.