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“Rintaro, what are we having for lunch today?”
“Class ended a little early, so let’s just go to the cafeteria.”
“Okay!”
A few days had passed since I revealed that Ellis and I were childhood friends.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say I became the talk of the entire university, but just being the childhood friend of a beautiful exchange student from Germany, I was prepared to be the subject of curious stares for a while.
But in reality, my daily life didn’t change all that much.
Iwami and the others grilled me with questions, and others who’d heard the rumors even scolded me, asking, “Why did you keep such juicy info to yourself?”
Still, that didn’t mean I became the center of attention wherever I went or got stuck with some weird nickname—nothing like that happened.
If I had to measure the extent of change in my surroundings, the temperature swings over the past few days were far more dramatic.
Normally, I don’t really pay that much attention to other people’s business.
After a few days, even unusual topics blend into everyday life.
Even though my old “normal” had been shattered, a new “normal” had simply taken its place.
But there was one thing that had clearly changed—
“Rintaro”
As I stood in line at the ticket machine, a voice suddenly called out from the side.
When I looked in the direction of the voice, there was Ellis, smiling broadly and waving her hand slightly.
She was standing in line at the cafeteria with two other girls from the same department.
“Ellis, are you eating at the cafeteria today too?”
“Yeah, we’re all eating together.”
“I see… Have you already saved a table?”
“Nope, we’re trying to find some.”
“Ah, well then—”
Just as I started to say that, I glanced over at Iwami.
Iwami didn’t say a word; with a straight face, he was nodding rapidly. What’s more, his gaze kept drifting away from Ellis and toward the two girls standing next to her.
“Dude, you’re way too obvious.”
“I didn’t say anything, did I?”
“It’s all written all over your face.”
After giving him a quiet warning, I turned back toward Ellis and the others.
“Shino saved us some seats, so if you’d like, why don’t we eat together? I’m not sure if there’ll be enough seats, though.”
“Is that okay?”
“Well, I’ll have to check with Shino first.”
Ellis turned her gaze toward the two people next to her.
“Rintaro and the others seem to have a table. Is it okay if we join them?”
“Oh, really? Then I guess we’ll tag along.”
“It’s tough to find a seat at this time of day, after all.”
“Alright, let’s eat together.”
The matter was settled quickly.
When I looked at Iwami, he had his eyes closed, seemingly overcome with emotion.
“That’s way too nice of you, Rintaro…! I’ll never forget this favor…”
“So, should I treat you today, Iwami?”
“If you’re going to show those girls my good side, sure.”
“I’ll consider it if they have Kobe beef at the cafeteria.”
“Huh? Does it cost that much?”
While whispering back and forth like that, we bought our meal tickets and headed toward the table Shino had saved for us.
It was a table near the window at the back of the cafeteria.
Shino was already staked out there, and when she spotted us, she waved one hand at us.
“Oh, here you are. I saved you a seat!”
“That’s a lifesaver.”
“You should be grateful. I’m Shino Aizawa—the girl who can secure a seat in the cafeteria during lunch break.”
“Isn’t that a bit of a weak title for a self-introduction?”
As we approached, Shino noticed Ellis and the others standing behind us.
“Look, it’s Ellis and the others too.”
“Thanks, Shino.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. For Ellis’s sake, one or two seats are no big deal.”
I guess I have to say, that’s Shino for you.
It seems she’s completely warmed up to Ellis, who tends to be shy around new people—apparently, the two of them even talked on the phone the other day. I can only pray that my personal information wasn’t being bought and sold during that call.
Lunchtime passed peacefully just like that.
I was with Shino, Iwami, and the rest of the German class.
Ellis was with her friends from the same department.
We were basically talking separately, but every now and then we’d pass the conversation back and forth and chat together.
It was just the right distance—neither too close nor too far.
As for Ellis, even while talking with her friends, she’d glance over at us whenever the conversation paused. Whenever our eyes met, she’d smile slightly, as if pleased, and every time that happened, I’d feel a little flustered.
In the past, I think I would have pretended not to notice glances like that, but now it’s different.
Talking to Ellis in public and eating lunch at nearby tables are gradually becoming part of my daily routine.
“Rintaro, can we meet up for a bit after our afternoon classes end?”
“I have class until the fifth period today, so it’ll be late.”
“Oh, right. Well, I’ll head home with my friends first today.”
“Yeah. Be careful on your way home.”
“Okay.”
Even in such a casual conversation, Ellis seemed to be savoring the joy.
The emotionless Ellis I’d seen sitting alone in class not long ago was no longer there.
If that’s the case, then taking action must have been worth it after all.
The “normal” that I thought I’d shattered was beginning to take on a new form more easily than I’d expected. It felt a little strange, but I thought it wasn’t so bad after all.
★ ☆ ★
After lunch, Ellis headed to her next class with two friends.
Iwami and the others stepped away for a bit, leaving only Shino and me behind.
Just as I was about to stand up to start cleaning up, Shino asked in a casual tone.
“Rintaro, are you free this coming break?”
“I’m free, but… are you going to ask me to treat you to something again in exchange for the info?”
When I braced myself slightly, Shino’s expression hardened into a pout.
“Rintaro, what do you actually think of me?”
“Someone I can rely on, but a long-standing, troublesome connection from middle school where I get a little scared of the aftermath if I lean on you too much.”
“That’s pretty accurate, and it really pisses me off…”
Shino laughed in exasperation.
Of course, she doesn’t really mean it.
I know full well that the reason Shino always asks for something in return is her way of making sure I don’t feel like I owe her one-sidedly.
The number of favors we’ve exchanged might be about the same, but the amount is nowhere near balanced.
Of course, I’m the one who owes her.
She’s not only a close friend but also my savior.
That’s who Shino Aizawa is to me.
“It’s not like that this time, though. How about we just go out, the two of us?”
“…Just the two of us?”
“Yep, let’s just go out and have some fun.”
Going out with just Shino isn’t unusual in itself.
It’s just that there’s usually some kind of reason behind it.
So going out just to hang out felt like it strayed a little from my idea of “normal.”
“What’s with that reaction? Are you speechless with honor?”
“No, it’s not that. I was just a little surprised.”
“So, what do you say?”
“I’m free this weekend.”
“All right, then it’s settled!”
With that, Shino flashed a wide grin, showing her teeth.
It was Shino’s usual laugh.
It was uninhibited, cheerful—a boyish, innocent laugh you wouldn’t expect from her demure appearance.
And yet, something about it bothered me just a little.
It felt like she was somehow different from the Shino I usually knew…?
I thought about it for a while, but since I couldn’t figure out exactly what was bothering me, I decided it must just be my imagination and stopped thinking about it.
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