Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/2912051598917319858
[Hey, I managed to get some info on easy courses from a senior. Don’t you want to know, Rintaro?]
It was just before noon one day as my college entrance was drawing near.
I was in my room looking over the materials the university had sent when a message like this popped up on my phone.
The sender was Shino Aizawa.
She was a classmate from middle and high school, and a friend who was going to be entering the same university and department as me.
[Please, Shino-sama.]
Of course I’d answer that right away.
When it comes to navigating a normal college life, you can never have too much advance information.
Especially when it comes to course selection—I’ve heard that if you make the wrong choice at the start, you’ll suffer for years. So being able to get this info now is a huge blessing.
[No problem. Huh? You want to thank me? That’s not necessary. I wasn’t exactly planning on getting you to treat me to cake or anything…]
[You already said everything… but, fine. Consider it a fee for the information.]
[Seriously? Yay! So, getting right to it—are you free today?]
She’s still as shrewd as ever, this one.
But having known her for nearly six years, I understand. I know that Shino’s seemingly bold attitude is actually a form of kindness meant to put the other person at ease.
[I don’t have any plans today, so anytime is fine.]
[Then let’s meet around 2:00 PM at this café.]
[Got it.]
[If you’re late, that’s two pieces of cake, okay? ♡]
I ignored the last message and set my phone down.
It’s been like this with Shino since middle school.
She has no qualms about being direct, and I don’t feel the need to be overly polite either. We’ve gone out together before, but usually it’s only when there’s a specific reason, like this.
Like going to buy study guides, sharing info before a test, or talking about course registration like this time.
So I’d never really given much thought to the nature of my relationship with Shino.
At least, to me, she was that kind of easygoing friend.
As I left my room to quickly get ready, Elis, who was in the living room, called out to me.
“Rintaro, are you going out?”
“Yeah, I’m meeting up with a friend from high school. To get some info on college course registration.”
“A friend…”
Elis repeated the word as she swayed to her feet and approached me.
Her expression was cheerful, but maybe it was just my imagination—her eyes didn’t seem to be smiling at all.
“—A girl?”
“Well, yeah.”
“…Rintaro’s girlfriend?”
“No. Just a regular female friend.”
Since I had no reason to lie, I answered honestly.
Elis watched me answer her question like a detective facing a suspect.
It felt like I was being interrogated.
“……I see. So she’s Rintaro’s friend, huh?”
Perhaps satisfied with my answer, Elis didn’t ask any further questions.
Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being judged, and I started to feel uncomfortable.
“I don’t think I’ll be too late. I’ll be back before dinner.”
“Okay. Have a good time, Rintaro.”
Elis smiled and saw me off.
Though she did look a little dissatisfied.
That said, it would be strange to worry too much about it now.
I’m meeting a friend from high school to talk about college. It’s as ordinary an errand as it gets.
We probably won’t get so caught up in the conversation that I leave Elis alone for dinner, so there’s really nothing to worry about.
★ ☆ ★
I arrived at the station a little earlier than our agreed time, and Shino was already waiting in front of the ticket gate.
With her long black hair flowing beautifully down her back, Shino stood with her back straight, her eyes fixed on a paperback book.
Her posture, so quintessentially Japanese, perfectly embodied the word “serene.”
As always, when she’s quiet, she’s a picture.
That is, when she’s quiet.
“Shino, sorry to keep you waiting.”
When I called out to her, Shino looked up from her paperback.
The next moment, she effortlessly shed the refined air she’d had just a moment ago and flashed a boyish grin, showing her teeth.
“Oh, you’re here. I was waiting.”
“We were supposed to meet in ten minutes, though.”
“Isn’t keeping a girl waiting basically the same as being late?”
“What kind of ridiculous argument is that?”
As she said that, Shino burst out laughing.
Her demure aura from just a moment ago was nowhere to be seen.
On the surface, she was a beautiful, demure, traditional Japanese-style beauty.
But the moment she opened her mouth, this was the true Shino Aizawa.
Exchanging light-hearted banter, we entered a café near the station.
It was a place I’d visited a few times back in high school. It was close to the station, had plenty of seats, and you could stay as long as you wanted without getting scolded. It was perfect for spreading out my textbooks before exams or getting past exam questions out of Shino.
It was past lunchtime, so the place wasn’t too crowded, and we were shown to a two-seater by the window.
“I’ll have the cheesecake set. Treat me, please~”
“If it’s useless information, we’re splitting the bill.”
“Hey, hey, are you saying you don’t trust my info?”
After we ordered, Shino took a notebook out of her bag.
The cover was already covered with sticky notes.
“You’re taking this way more seriously than I expected.”
“Of course. The number one cause of death for first-year college students is messing up their course registration.”
“That’s strangely convincing.”
“I just heard it from a senior.”
Saying that with a mischievous smirk, Shino’s information was indeed useful.
“This professor is lenient on attendance. There are reports, but they’re short. You can bring notes to the test. On the other hand, this professor is a landmine. The class content is supposedly interesting, but there’s a short report every time. Plus, he’s stingy with grades.”
“I see. Then the first one is better—”
“And this is the one you should take during your first year. If you put it off, it’ll be a hassle in your second year.”
It seemed Shino had more than just one or two sources for this information, so it appeared quite reliable. She said it was to make things easier, but I thought it was admirable that she was willing to put this much effort into it for that reason.
“You’re still good at this kind of thing, aren’t you?”
“Well, yeah. I’m not only competent, but I’m also quite the lady.”
“I didn’t say that.”
Shino sipped her tea with a composed expression.
If she’d just kept quiet, she’d have been a picture of perfection, but then she goes and says something like that.
That said, Shino isn’t exactly self-conscious.
In fact, I know that back in middle and high school, because she was so approachable, several boys mistook her attitude for interest and ended up getting their hearts broken.
I think the reason I’ve been able to get along so well with Shino is that I never misinterpreted her attitude. Logically speaking, there’s no way a popular girl like Shino would fall for an ordinary guy like me.
“You’re being cold. Is it that hard for you to admit I’m cute?”
“If I did, you’d get a big head and become a pain in the ass.”
“Well, what if I promise not to get a big head?”
“You don’t need to ask me that.”
Here we go again—Shino’s playful teasing.
But having known her for so long, I know better.
Since this is going to drag on, I might as well just answer honestly without getting all self-conscious.
So, I spoke my mind.
“—Anyone can see you’re cute.”
When I said that, Shino froze for a moment.
“You, you know…”
Shino cupped her teacup with both hands and looked away slightly.
For once, she was at a loss for words.
“You should stop saying things like that so casually.”
“You’re the one who told me to compliment you, Shino.”
“Ugh, no way. He’s always been like this…”
How unreasonable.
If I don’t compliment her, she complains; if I do, she still complains.
A woman’s heart is a difficult thing.
After that, I listened to Shino’s explanations while narrowing down my course registration options.
Required courses, lectures likely to be lottery-based, and classes I should check out during the first session.
I certainly don’t plan to take everything at face value, but it’s much better than choosing blindly.
“I think that’s about it.”
“You saved me. That was really helpful.”
Since we’d finished talking, I got up to pay the bill.
Since I’d switched from an allowance to getting money sent from home, my wallet was feeling pretty full.
That said, this is for living expenses. Once I settle in after starting school, I’ll have to start a part-time job.
“You could treat me to another bowl of ramen.”
“Don’t get too cocky, okay?”
“Tch.”
She clicked her tongue.
Perhaps surprised by the gap between her appearance and her behavior, the waiter blinked in surprise.
“…Hey, what’s that?”
Suddenly, Shino’s gaze stopped at my wrist.
She was looking at the silver bracelet I’d gotten from Elis.
“Oh, I got this as a gift.”
“From who?”
“An acquaintance… or rather, a childhood friend?”
“Hmm… It suits you, though.”
Shino didn’t ask any further, but she kept glancing at my wrist a few times with a slightly different look in her eyes than before.
It was a subtle way of putting it, but if she wasn’t going to say it was too flashy, then I guess it wasn’t so bad.
As promised, I paid the bill.
I’d gotten plenty of information in exchange for the cake set, so I had no complaints.
When we left the shop, it was still a little early for evening.
“Once college starts, let’s hang out again.”
“Yeah. Same here.”
“If you look like you’re about to end up alone, I’ll pick you up.”
“Don’t say such unlucky things.”
Shino gave a light laugh and waved her hand flutteringly.
“Well, see you at the entrance ceremony.”
“See you.”
We parted ways with the same carefree ease as in high school.
Talking to Shino for the first time in a while made me feel a little more at ease.
Changing environments is still nerve-wracking, but just knowing there’s someone I know there makes me feel a lot better.
I took out my phone and sent Elis a message saying I was heading home.
It was marked as read almost immediately.
[Welcome home. I’ll be waiting.]
Maybe I’ll pick up some snacks at the convenience store on the way back as a little gift.
I thought that, without really meaning to.
★ ☆ ★
Even after Rintaro’s back disappeared from view, I, Shino Aizawa, stood there for a while.
It wasn’t like anything had changed drastically.
His way of speaking, his reactions—he was the same old Rintaro.
But he was just a little different.
The bracelet on his wrist.
There was a subtle pause when he said it was a gift.
He glanced down at his phone more often than before during our conversation.
When we parted ways, he didn’t look back at me even once.
“……Hmm.”
Back in middle school, Rintaro—who had lived abroad—stood out a bit in class. Because of that experience, in high school, Rintaro made sure not to let anything unnecessary into his life.
Things that stood out. Things that might spark rumors. Things that strayed from the norm.
He was good at avoiding those kinds of things.
And yet, that same Rintaro was wearing something like that on his wrist.
And he seemed to treasure it, too.
I took out my phone and opened the chat screen with Rintaro.
I typed a short sentence, then paused my finger just before hitting send.
I stared at the message for a moment, then deleted it all.
Even if I asked him now, I knew Rintaro would deny it.
He’d say it wasn’t like that, that they were just ordinary childhood friends. Something like that.
“…Did you get a girlfriend?”
Instead of sending it, I muttered it to myself.
My voice came out lower than I expected, and I surprised even myself.
No, no.
I’m just an ordinary female friend to Rintaro.
For now, at least.
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