Volume 1
Chapter 5: "Love" is Just So Complicated (Part 2)
●○●The Energetic College Girl Gets Introduced●○●
With summer just around the corner, the mornings have been getting so hot that I’m often woken up by the heat.
As usual, I rub my sleepy eyes, lazily munch on a late breakfast-slash-lunch, and get ready to head to university.
Today’s third period is a class I’m taking with Koumi, so I’d better get there early.
I feel bad always making her save me a seat.
Bag
As I’m stuffing my things into my bag, the intercom suddenly buzzes loudly.
“Yo, Masato, you in there?”
“Oh, it’s Aika-san.”
Aika-san, who’s basically been my unofficial guardian for a while now.
She even cooks dinner for me sometimes, so I’m forever indebted to her.
“Hey, hey! Good morning!”
“Morning! Looks like some stuff got sent over from the facility you used to live at. Here ya go. Everything’s in this cardboard box.”
“Whoa, thanks!”
Honestly, I don’t know much about the life this world’s Masato has lived so far.
It’s probably something like... the me from the old world and the me from this world swapped places or something? I’m not great with sci-fi, so it’s all a bit fuzzy.
In both the old world and this one, it seems I don’t have parents. That part’s the same, at least.
I was an only child with barely any relatives, so I had no family to speak of and lived in a foster care facility. I left the facility when I graduated high school, planning to go to university on a scholarship, but then I got transported here.
I hope the me in the old world got to meet someone like Aika-san. Though, knowing my luck, that’s probably too much to hope for.
Aika-san pulls the e-cigarette from her mouth and exhales a puff into the air.
“...Look, I don’t care what kind of past you’re carrying. I’ve decided to look after you. But if you ever feel like going back to the facility, just say so, okay?”
“No way! That’s not happening. Seriously, Aika-san, I’m so grateful for everything. Once I graduate, I’ll definitely pay you back!”
“Heh. I’ll hold you to that. For now, just enjoy university life. You can worry about the rest when the time comes.”
“Got it!”
With a casual wave, Aika-san heads off.
Man, I’m so lucky to have her... I’ve gotta find a way to repay her.
...Wait, does repaying her mean becoming number one at Festa? That’s, uh, a pretty high bar for me...
Carrying the cardboard box, I head back into my room.
“Here we go.”
I slice open the box with a cutter. Inside, it’s packed with all sorts of random stuff.
“Some of this feels nostalgic, but there’s also a bunch of stuff I’ve never seen before...”
Guess that’s the difference from being transported to another world.
The worn-out basketball shoes I used to wear are familiar and bring back memories, but there are letters—handwritten ones?—that I don’t recognize at all. Did I ever get letters like these?
Even though I lived in a facility, I still went to school. I wonder how my friends are doing.
“Hm...?”
Most of it’s unfamiliar—letters, textbooks, old stationery I must’ve used. There’s also a beat-up set of baseball gear, two pairs’ worth.
“Man, this takes me back... Oh, crap, the time!”
I’d love to keep reminiscing, but I’ll be late for university if I don’t hurry.
I carefully close the box and stash it in the closet.
“Masato! Morning!”
“Hey, Koumi, morning! Sorry for always making you save me a seat.”
“Nah, it’s all good! I’m here from the second period anyway, so it’s no big deal!”
When I get to campus, Koumi’s there to greet me.
Today, she’s rocking a square-neck T-shirt with a sheer lace cardigan and white shorts. Even though I see-inator with Koumi pretty often, she always switches up her outfits, so she must put a lot of thought into her fashion.
Apparently, she’s introducing me to one of her friends today.
Since we’ve been attending lectures together a lot lately, I was kinda worried that Koumi might be neglecting her other friendships.
If I can get along with her friend, it’d be the best of both worlds, so I’m totally on board.
“But, like, I’m glad. I was worried you weren’t hanging out with your friends enough lately, Koumi.”
“Ugh, what’s that supposed to mean? Stop sounding like my mom!”
“No, no, that’s not what I meant! But I’ll do my best to get along with your friend, promise.”
If I mess this up and they hate me, it’ll ruin everything, so I’ve gotta be careful.
Koumi spins around, turning her back to me.
“...If you get too close, though, I might get a little jealous...”
“Hm? Did you say something?”
“Nope! Nothing at all!”
I think she mumbled something under her breath, but I didn’t catch it. I follow her lead as we head into the classroom.
In the back corner, I spot a girl sitting by herself.
That must be her friend, right?
Koumi and I make our way over to her.
“Here we go! So, this is my best friend, Mizuho Tonozaki! And this is, uh... my friend, Masato Katari!”
Mizuho, still seated, looks up at us with a slightly confused expression.
Her big, bright eyes and low twin-tails suit her youthful, almost childlike features perfectly.
She’s the kind of cute that still has a hint of innocence, I think.
“Hey there! I’ve heard a bit about you from Koumi. Nice to meet you!”
“...”
...Uh-oh. Did I botch the first impression?
Was my greeting off or something?
“Mizuho?” Koumi asks, sounding puzzled.
“Oh, my bad! So you’re Masato-san! Koumi’s told me all about you!”
“Oh, uh, she has?”
“Totally! Wow, I’m kinda shocked! You’re definitely as good-looking as she said...”
“Mizuho, you better remember what we talked about...”
“Eek, sorry, my bad!”
Phew, she’s super energetic. Definitely a lively one.
Mizuho nods enthusiastically and stretches out her hand toward me.
“As introduced, I’m Mizuho Tonozaki. Pleased to make your acquaintance!”
“Haha, you’re a character, huh? I’m Masato Katari. Just call me Masato.”
I take her hand and shake it.
Her hand’s delicate. She’s maybe a size or two smaller than Koumi, which might be why she feels so petite.
“Masato, if you try to keep up with Mizuho’s energy, you’ll burn out in a day, so feel free to just brush her off sometimes.”
“Gah! Koumi, is that what you think of me?! I’m hurt!”
Koumi says it with a grin, though, and I’ve heard about their friendship before, so they must be really close.
Yup, that’s a good thing.
The bell rings, signaling the start of the lecture, so we take our seats.
Guess we’ll be attending classes as a trio from now on?
Fifth period wraps up.
Since meeting Mizuho, we’ve had a few classes together, so the three of us have been hanging out all day.
“Man, I’m wiped! That pop quiz in the last lecture came outta nowhere.”
“If I hadn’t snapped a pic of Koumi’s notes, I’d have been toast...”
We leave the classroom and start heading home. The sun’s already dipping low.
The campus is buzzing with students heading out, creating a lively commotion.
“Oh, shoot.”
“What’s up, Koumi?”
Koumi, who’d been rummaging through her tote bag, stops in her tracks, so Mizuho and I pause too.
“I think I forgot something in the classroom... I’ll run back and grab it, so you two can head home!”
Got it. We’re still just outside the lecture building, and the fifth-period classroom is on the second floor, so it’s not far.
“No rush here, so I’ll wait. Here, gimme your bag. I’ll hold it. Mizuho, you cool with waiting?”
“No prob at all! I’ll stick around!”
Mizuho flashes a peace sign with a big grin.
Her exaggerated gestures are so animated, it’s like she’s straight out of a comic.
“Sorry! Thanks, guys! I’ll be right back!”
Koumi hands me her tote bag and weaves through the crowd of students, heading back to the lecture building.
“Alright, let’s chill on a bench nearby.”
“Sounds good! Man, Masato-dono, you’re such a gentleman~”
“Nah, waiting’s no big deal, is it?”
“I’m telling ya, I just caught a glimpse of the deep kindness lurking within you...”
“You’re so dramatic!”
We plop down on a bench to wait for Koumi.
The sunset’s dazzling, but it’ll probably dip below the horizon soon.
The wave of students leaving class has died down, and the area in front of the university is pretty quiet now.
A brief silence falls between us.
That’s when it happens.
“So, Masato-dono.”
“Hm?”
Mizuho, who’d been sitting, suddenly springs to her feet with a burst of energy.
She steps right in front of me, pulling her navy-blue baseball cap down low.
“There’s something I have to tell you!”
“...Uh, what’s that?”
Her tone’s still playful, as usual.
But her sky-blue eyes are locked onto mine, unwavering.
With the sunset glowing behind her, she looks almost ethereal, creating a dreamlike moment.
Her captivating smile catches me off guard, making my heart skip a beat.
“Here’s the thing—”
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