——And that was where a rather grandiose monologue would have kicked in, which would have been about the point where the opening credits rolled, if this were some kind of game or something.
Anyway, the truth was, no matter how stunned I might have been, time marched on with mechanical indifference. Apparently I was the only one who'd been so captivated by the transfer student's smile that I thought time had stopped.
"Well then, I'm sure you all have plenty of questions for
"Ah, yes."
"The very last seat by the window, in the back — that's yours. For now, would you mind sitting there?"
Frederica-sensei addressed the transfer student — Emilia — and pointed toward the prime real estate in the back corner of the classroom by the windows. It was always obvious the transfer student would end up there, so this was the expected outcome, but— "Understood. I'll go sit there then—"
"——I OBJECT!"
"Wha—?!"
A single word halted Emilia, who had been about to follow Frederica-sensei's instructions.
The one who'd thrown a hand up and shouted it was the class's number-one KY — in other words, yours truly.
I glared at the stunned transfer student, felt my ears get a little hot so I looked away, then wagged my finger at Frederica-sensei, who was giving me her exasperated face.
"I'm afraid I've gotta disagree with you on this one, Frederica-sensei! Going soft on a transfer student right from the jump — that's no way to treat someone who just got here!"
"'Going soft' — I won't let that remark slide, Natsuki-kun. What exactly did I do to deserve such a评价?"
"You know exactly what! It's that — uh — whatchamacallit! The back-row window seat! You're just gonna hand that prime spot to the transfer student? What, did you take a bribe or something, Frederica-sensei? You're above bending to underhanded tactics!"
"There goes Barusu, spouting nonsense again."
My childhood friend in the seat ahead to the right was muttering something poisonous, but right now that was none of my business.
I was getting into a good rhythm, and I was fully prepared to barrel right through to the finish.
I pointed a finger at both the exasperated Frederica-sensei and Emilia, who was blinking in confusion, then turned to address the entire class.
"That back-row window seat is the position every student dreams of! If we just hand it over like that, it makes a mockery of everything we've done to earn our place in this class under Frederica-sensei! Right, guys?"
"Is it… though?"
No good — fewer people were nodding along than I'd expected. Was this my lack of preparation coming back to bite me? The majority of the class was tilting their heads in bewilderment.
This was bad. If I ended up just looking like an idiot, I'd be hurt on multiple levels.
"Hmm, there is a grain of truth to what that loud-mouthed fool is saying."
"Oh?"
"It is of no real consequence, but if a mere commoner were to be favored over me, then I expect due consideration to be shown. Otherwise, even idle talk of bribery might gain a semblance of credibility."
"No way — 'bribery' doesn't have any basis in reality, what are you even saying…"
Unexpected backup fire came in, and despite supposedly having gained an ally, I was taken aback. Priscilla shot me a sharp glare from behind those words. For the record, when I say "combat power" I'm not talking about athletic ability or anything like that — I mean, well, appearance. To be blunt, her "combat power" in terms of feminine attributes. Don't press me on that!
For the record, Krusch is quietly considered the class's runner-up in that department!
"I wouldn't go so far as to say
"Oh, Krusch-sama's profile when she's deep in thought is just gorgeous… But still, those two definitely don't have anything that deep going on."
"No, if they're bringing it up like this, there must be some decisive reason. It's different from when I went along with the crowd without thinking."
And then Krusch herself was giving me this strangely expectant look, but honestly? I was pretty much just riding the vibe! Priscilla's unnecessary support had only pushed me further in that direction!
"So, um… Subaru-kun, was it? What would you like to do?"
"————"
But the one who reached out to me, when I'd been backed into a corner, was — of all people — the very transfer student who'd been left out of the loop this whole time.
Seeing my surprise at being called by my first name so casually by a girl I'd just met, Emilia deepened the color of her purple-blue eyes and said: "If you want that seat, how about we swap? But then I'd be ignoring what that Priscilla lady said…"
"That — that wouldn't work. This isn't the kind of problem you solve that simply. And besides, my words naturally apply to me too. The honor of claiming that seat shouldn't be handed away, nor should it be obtained that easily."
"So then…?"
"You know the answer, don't you?"
In response to her question, I steered the conversation toward the conclusion I'd been frantically piecing together while talking.
Then, pointing a finger at the wide-eyed beauty, I declared: "Ta-ta-ta! It's time for the all-out 'Grand Seat Shuffle Showdown'—!!"
"——!?!"
When I thrust my fist into the air and made my proclamation, every single person in the room gasped.
A few seconds of pregnant silence followed — but then the stiffness broke, and— "Whoooooa! It's the seat shuffle!!"
—and they were swallowed up by a mysterious wave of fervor.
That's right. The seat shuffle. A mid-sized, spontaneous event in school life, completely different from any planned school function!
Unlike the sports festival or the cultural festival — those big-ticket events pre-scheduled well in advance — the odds of this mid-sized event occurring were heavily dependent on the homeroom teacher's mood.
It was like the natural disaster of a city-building simulation game: despite potentially shaping the rest of the school year, it was triggered on a whim.
But it was a gamble that could produce heaven or hell, and the perfect catalyst for students bored stiff with the monotony of daily life.
And in a class filled with natural-born festival-lovers and event-lovers like this one, its potential was on full display!
"With the transfer student joining the fray, who will claim the heaven of the back row and who will suffer the hell of the front?! No do-overs, no trades allowed — this is the very essence of the 'seat shuffle'!"
"Whooooo! Seat shuffle! Seat shuffle! Seat shuffle!"
"A death-game scenario where classmates who banded together against outside threats during the sports festival and cultural festival now become enemies fighting over each other's spots!"
"Window! Window! Window!"
The class's fervor showed no signs of cooling. Honestly, this crowd always saves me.
There's a world line out there where, if I'd ended up in any other class, I'd have been so fed up that I'd have dropped out!
And seeing all this, I expected the transfer student to be somewhat shaken — but.
"The seat shuffle… that sounds so much fun!"
She had her hands clasped together in front of her chest, her eyes sparkling.
She wasn't bothered at all — if anything, I was the surprised one.
Then, watching the class fully consumed by the seat shuffle fever, Frederica-sensei — our homeroom teacher and Period 1 English instructor — delivered one line: "How many times now has the first period been swallowed up by a seat shuffle like this?"
—Sorry. Since being placed in this class, that makes three so far.
△▼△▼△▼△ So in the end, what all that fuss was really about was simply this: I wanted to create an opportunity to talk to the transfer student and get a little closer. That was my ulterior motive.
To be honest, when you're surrounded by beautiful girls in class and a new one gets added on top — how much would that stir your heart? Even I'd have trouble putting that into words.
Look, it's not like I can control the fluttering. It just happens.
Now, whether this constituted love at first sight — well, that was a different story entirely. As I've said, I'm no stranger to beautiful girls.
My childhood friends are twin beauties. My little sister, who wakes me up every morning, is a future beauty with loads of potential. I know that beauty's beautiful little friend too. I'm on good terms with the six beautiful sisters next door. And my classmates are a class full of beauties!
What even is this — am I going to die from an overdose of beautiful girls? Anyway, when it came to visual splendor and bliss, I'd been consistently spoiled.
Whether that girl had struck me as special — I wasn't entirely sure.
I wasn't sure, but the fact that I'd taken action to find out the answer to something I didn't understand — well, that ended up leading to the seat shuffle declaration, so apparently my thought processes were pretty inscrutable too.
Anyway, after all that convoluted buildup — what were the results of the seat shuffle I'd unleashed?
"This proves my luck stat is at rock bottom for getting the front row!!"
All I could do was clutch my head and scream.
There it was — the very front row, dead center, right in front of the teacher's podium. Unbelievable! There's a saying about a strategist drowning in their own schemes, and this time even the most generous praise would be hard to come by.
"I'd just secured a seat near the back in the last shuffle — sure, it was on the hallway side, but still — and now this happens…"
"You're one to talk when the rest of us got caught in your blast and ended up in the front row!?"
While I was feeling sorry for myself, Otto — who'd secured the seat next to me in the front row — was shouting in protest.
What was with this guy? How unlucky could he be? And blaming someone else for it — what a stand-up guy.
"Accept it. This is the result of your actions. God watches over your daily conduct, and this is the verdict. Repent!"
"That comeback hits so hard it's like a boomerang that takes your head off! Seriously, you were the one who started the whole seat shuffle thing and caused this! Ugh, this class!"
Otto was making a face like it was the end of the world, but other than him, the other distinguished casualties who'd drawn front-row seats were a motley crew whose daily conduct was all too apparent.
Of the six front rows, five had been claimed by boys. As for the last remaining spot — the seat to my right— "Well, I look forward to working with you again for a while, Subaru-kun."
"
"If I may borrow Subaru-kun's words — God watches over your daily conduct. In other words, perhaps God is cheering for Rem. All the more reason to put in extra effort."
She clenched her fists in front of her chest and puffed out her breath with determination, which was adorable. Well, adorable, yes, but that level of tenacity was terrifying. The moment her slip of paper was drawn and she realized she'd gotten the seat next to me, Rem had done a rare fist pump and let out a roar — I seriously wanted to have that recorded.
"Even for Rem-san, being in the front row is one thing, but the special perk of being next to Subaru-kun is what really matters… I'm completely demoralized."
"Otto-kun seems happy enough being next to Subaru-kun on his left. Honestly, Rem would be happy to trade places with you."
"What's the point of swapping seats left and right around Subaru-kun?"
"I've spent so much time looking at Subaru-kun's right side, I figured it might be refreshing to see his left for a change."
"This girl's thought process is getting way too intense!"
Otto was being cornered by Rem's usual brand of rhetoric, but from my perspective, she was actually going easy on him. Normally, Rem's pressure campaigns were far more relentless. She'd push even harder — so hard you couldn't even tell what was driving her.
Anyway, having familiar faces on both sides was a pretty good outcome for me. My condolences to those caught in the crossfire, but I didn't sleep in class anyway, so the front row didn't bother me. If anything, it was the teachers of each subject who'd have to deal with me.
"And the original purpose of the seat shuffle was…"
I leaned back in my chair until it creaked, then turned around to look at the seat behind me — well, two seats over — at the center of the class, where a silver-haired girl was sitting.
Whether she had good luck or bad, the transfer student Emilia had drawn the dead-center seat. Position-wise it was a mixed bag — uncomfortable to be left alone in the middle with no acquaintances nearby.
Now that I thought about it, maybe that was why Frederica-sensei had designated the back-row window seat in the first place — a bit of thoughtful consideration that gave me a cold sweat. Even so, that girl was lucky.
After all, look at the people surrounding her.
"Hey, transfer student… Emilia, was it?"
"Wha—!?"
Emilia let out a sound unbecoming of a delicate beauty at the voice from behind.
Given how enthusiastic she'd been about the seat shuffle, she might actually be surprisingly outgoing.
When the startled Emilia turned around, she was greeted by an overly cute smile topped with cat-ear headband. Felis — known for having the highest girl-power factor in the class, perhaps even the entire year — scooped up Emilia's silver hair from behind and ran her slender fingers through it, savoring the texture.
"Don't look so nervous — I won't eat you or anything, so relax. I'm Felis. Just call me Fel-chi!"
"Oh, thank you. Yeah, nice to meet you, Fel-chi."
"Wow, you accepted that so naturally — it's refreshing! This is gonna be fun… Right, Krusch-sama?"
"Mm, indeed."
At Felis's words, Krusch — seated to Emilia's right — nodded.
With her arms crossed, the beauty carried herself with an air of authority, glanced sideways at Emilia, then relaxed her lips into a gallant smile.
"I'm Krusch. I serve as student council president of this academy. Like Felis, please don't hesitate to come to us with anything."
"The student council president! I'm so surprised — it's a co-ed school, but the student council president is a woman…"
"Haha, judge by appearances and you may find your feet swept from under you. The world is full of all sorts of surprises. I may well be, despite how I look…"
"…Maybe so."
Krusch was being unusually playful, but the credibility of her statement was nonexistent given the hidden assets resting atop her crossed arms.
She probably intended it as a clever, subtly suggestive remark about Felis's gender, but since she couldn't objectively assess her own appeal, it came off as a total misfire. She was almost perfect in every way except that one thing.
"That's what makes Krusch-sama the cutest, though!"
"Don't read my mind without saying anything out loud!?"
I didn't know how much of my inner thoughts Felis had picked up on, but she bit back and it genuinely startled me.
Still, with the student council's top two right around Emilia, there shouldn't be any problems. They were good-natured people, and that girl wouldn't end up isolated.
"Well, at least there's that."
"My, what a condescending tone, Barusu. —Despite the fact that so many victims have been wounded in this seat shuffle."
The one who caught my mutter and narrowed her eyes in irritation was
"Look over there."
"You knew what would happen."
What Ram indicated with her gaze was the last seat on the hallway side.
She'd been the first to draw in the lottery and had gotten a wonderful start — the back row. But her elation had lasted only a moment. Why?
"Hey, Felt. I'm glad I'm next to you again."
"God died in front of me."
Just as I'd feared at the shoe lockers, Reinhardt had drawn the seat right next to Felt.
Like Rem, the results of seat shuffles tended to be heavily influenced by sheer stubbornness. I couldn't really take Felt's side or Reinhardt's side on this one, so I planned to just fondly observe their chase from the sidelines.
Incidentally — just incidentally— The window-side back-row seat that had started this whole seat shuffle — well, it ended up with the person who deserved to have it, or something like that.
"This world was indeed made to suit my convenience."
And there, looking thoroughly pleased in the back-row seat, was the one and only Priscilla.
It was an impressive draw — she'd snagged a seat that had remained available almost until the very end. Even her grandiose delusions seemed justified this time.
"Oh, so you're sayin' it's a lucky break that me and you ended up right next to each other?"
The one making that provocative remark beside Priscilla was Anastasia. The two were notoriously at odds, and the seats that had been one apart front-to-back before the shuffle were now side by side — their sparks were sure to fly even hotter.
"Hmm… the vixen is being awfully mouthy. To think you'd go so far as to offend me — I didn't expect that level of spite."
"Don't go actin' like I deliberately chose this seat! You drew yours after I drew mine. If you don't like it, that's your own problem."
"What a sore loser."
Priscilla dismissed Anastasia with few words, but this time at least, it was probably a toss-up.
Julius, who might have served as the referee for this futile argument, was unfortunately sitting too far away to intervene. One could only hope for the two to exercise some self-restraint.
"And with that, the seat shuffle is officially complete. It didn't turn out exactly as I'd planned, but you sure pulled it off with style as always, Frederica-sensei."
"Don't phrase it like I was the one who initiated this shuffle! More importantly, it ate into class time again, didn't it?"
"Don't worry about it. Even if we fall behind, our class has plenty of self-starters who can climb to the top through independent study. Plus, your make-up lessons are really easy to follow, Frederica-sensei!"
"The idea that skipping the make-up lesson would be best is what worries me."
Frederica-sensei massaged the bridge of her brow with a troubled look. She was still young, but if she kept making gestures like that, it would become a habit.
"Rem, you agree, right?"
"Yes, absolutely. This way, even if Subaru-kun dozes off during class, Rem is perfectly positioned to wipe away his drool."
"That definitely, absolutely does not match what we were just talking about!"
And so, as was the custom, we wrapped things up with that.
Otto was a little too convenient for that role, though.
△▼△▼△▼△ So, with class over, break time brought the usual question-and-answer session.
When it came to transfer students, being peppered with questions during break was the tradition. And when the transfer student was a beautiful girl, prying into whether she had a boyfriend or her romantic history was practically mandatory!
"Oh, so Emilia transferred from that Pritella Girls' Academy?"
"Yeah, that's right. My family situation changed, so we moved over here… I don't have a uniform yet, so this is still my old school's uniform. I was really worried it might stand out too much."
"Mmm, don't worry. It looks great on you — so cute, so cute. But you know, a uniform like that would suit Krusch-sama nicely too…"
"Krusch would look good in it, sure, but wouldn't it suit Fel-chi even better?"
"Really!? Then let's try swapping later!"
I'd wanted to rush over and join the interrogation, but this was an impenetrable student council duo. They smoothly deflected the other classmates' questions while guiding the whole exchange without a hitch. They were so efficient that I almost forgot to comment on the Felis-and-Emilia-uniform-swap idea.
Of course, I knew Felis had no ulterior motive. Felis would never use that appearance to cast lecherous eyes on girls. Felis's gaze was always fixed on Krusch beside her — though how Felis maintained that relationship despite whatever was going on internally was beyond me. Truly beyond me.
"But coming from a girls' academy means… this might be your first time at a co-ed school? Are you finding it unfamiliar?"
"Oh, actually, yes. Hmm…?"
"
And just like that, without an ounce of hesitation, in came our Reinhardt.
With a freshness so bright it made a gentle breeze flinch, Reinhardt dissolved right into the girls' gathering — though technically it wasn't purely a girls' gathering since Felis was there.
"Got it, Reinhard. But how did you know it was my first co-ed school?"
"Pritella Girls' Academy has integrated education from elementary through high school. It's possible you've never even shared a classroom with a boy before. That's what I figured."
"That's right, but how do you know so much?"
"I attend a school in the same district, and I've been approached by their students from time to time."
The idea that a girl from a girls' academy with no immunity to guys was actually the one doing the approaching — Reinhardt really was something else.
Emilia looked surprised too, so apparently that level of initiative from female students wasn't that common after all. Hm, so that's what a handsome guy could do.
"I understand how you feel, but you shouldn't bombard her with questions. Rather, if Emilia has any concerns, we should ask her. Anything you'd like to know?"
"Um, then I'd like to ask about clubs. At my previous school, I was part of something like a handicrafts club, and I was hoping to continue here…"
"——Handicrafts club, huh."
Krusch narrowed her eyes slightly at Emilia's question.
When Emilia looked worried by that reaction, Krusch shook her head, saying "my apologies," and continued: "It just struck me as oddly fitting that the handicrafts club would come up here. Though I suppose it might be better than being called the home economics club."
"Oh, home economics is fine too! I just wanted to be involved with something like that…"
"Now hold on, hold on, young lady.——You can't lump the handicrafts club and the home economics club together like that!"
I clapped my hands loudly to grab attention and strode in with style.
Who? Me, of course.
Emilia flinched. Krusch and Felis exchanged a glance. Reinhardt, in his usual manner, raised a hand.
"It's true — Subaru would be the best person to explain the history of those two clubs."
"Indeed, because my very existence is an indispensable factor in the long history of conflict between those two clubs…"
"Indispensable… factor…"
Emilia repeated the unfamiliar foreign-sounding phrase with uncertain pronunciation, but I plowed ahead anyway. For the handicrafts club topic to come up — the heavens were smiling on me.
Because, you see — I'm a member of the handicrafts club!!
"The handicrafts club here is run by our homeroom teacher, Frederica-sensei — that's the teacher with the scary face and kind eyes I mentioned earlier."
"That's a rude way to put it… But I suppose it makes her easier to talk about. Thanks."
"However! The home economics club, led by Mr. Krind the math teacher, is in a state of absolute opposition to Frederica-sensei's handicrafts club! The long-standing rivalry between these two — described as oil and water — has raged so fiercely that it's redrawn the power map of every cultural club in the school!"
"R-really…? But why is that a problem? If the clubs don't get along, that's one thing, but as long as you choose one…"
"The choice of which one you pick can directly affect your treatment, based on naked personal bias."
"They let personal feelings influence their decisions!?"
Emilia's eyes went wide at the shockingly petty verdict.
Indeed — Frederica-sensei and Krind-sensei were normally caring, stand-up teachers. But the moment they were pitted against each other, they transformed.
If anyone was caught siding with the other, they would use every ounce of their power to crush them.
"Isn't that a problem?"
"Of course it is. A huge one. But both teachers have more than enough professional competence to offset it. So they've been allowed to continue — well, maybe not fully endorsed, but there are established workarounds."
"To be honest, I, Natsuki Subaru, am one such practitioner of that workaround."
The "Tiger-Hawk Problem" between Frederica the Golden Tiger and Krind the Night Hawk was an unavoidable issue for anyone attending Lugunica Academy. That was why the countermeasures had been formalized.
The method was simple — because I was also a member of the home economics club!
"So, um, what does that mean exactly?"
"If you side with one, you'll offend the other, so you join both and play it safe."
"…And that works?"
"As long as you're genuinely involved in both, there's no problem. They won't even complain if you focus more on handicrafts during display events, and being versatile in clothing, food, and shelter skills actually looks better on a résumé than being a one-trick pony."
"Clothing, food, and shelter — how exactly does that break down?"
Mending, cooking, and cleaning, probably.
Anyway, that was how you deftly dodge the issue. New students especially needed to be warned about this, since failing to do so would result in misery.
"Well, the best approach is to prepare two application forms — one for each club. As a dual member of both the handicrafts club and the home economics club, I welcome new members."
"Oh, Subaru-kun, you're in both clubs? That's… um, unexpected?"
"You picked your words very carefully there. Fel-chi, don't let him get down about it!"
"Shut up."
Felis was grinning and poking my shoulder, so I pushed her forehead away.
I was self-aware that my hobbies didn't match my image, so at this point being prodded about it didn't faze me — seriously. What mattered more was that the beautiful transfer student might join the same club.
"In this class, Rem's the only one who shares my clubs."
"With Rem-san, it seems she doesn't even need to join clubs at school — she's already mastered all sorts of skills."
"That's because she… Look, don't say it since you clearly already figured it out."
I warned Reinhardt, who was being needlessly perceptive, and he shrugged in that Western-movie way of his, which looked infuriatingly cool.
Behind him, Krusch and Felis leaned close together.
"What a hopeless person. If he just got beat up once, maybe he'd learn."
"Don't say that, Felis. If the student council, which exists to protect the peace of students' daily lives, stooped to that level, it would compromise our very essence. Ram would be happy to speak on our behalf, I imagine."
"Truly, Krusch-sama — a master strategist…!"
Shut up, you damn brats.
There were the chummy student council pair and me with my bitter face. Meanwhile, Emilia — who'd been left somewhat outside the usual class dynamic — wore a troubled expression.
Reflecting that I hadn't exactly been welcoming to the transfer student, I had a sudden thought.
"Oh, right — the club stuff aside, how about I give you a tour of the school? Actually, I'll just do it. What am I saying — I'm doing it!"
A transfer student school tour! That was another one of those classic tropes!
A transfer student bombarded with questions during break, and a transfer student given a school tour after class. Sure, it's not like a tour is really necessary — this isn't some massive campus! — but all of that was beside the point.
"You'll give me a tour?"
"Yeah, of course! I want to! I'd actually be asking you if I could! I want to give you a school tour! That's why I came to this school today!"
"Sorry, I have no idea what you're saying."
She'd seemed willing, so I'd tried pushing with confidence — and got steamrolled.
But I wouldn't give up. I'd find some way to make it work.
"Wait, Subaru. There's no point forcing it."
"Oh, so you're cutting in, Reinhardt? You're not going to offer to go in my place, are you? Because honestly, if you said that, I'd have no comeback and I'd have to concede."
"I wouldn't mind escorting you, but I actually have plans this afternoon. In that case, wouldn't it be more natural for a girl to show you around?"
"Well, there's something to that…"
At Reinhardt's suggestion, I withdrew gracefully. In principle, Reinhardt only ever acted out of genuine kindness, and he pressed his points with unassailable logic, making him hard to argue against.
A girl giving the tour — I couldn't really object to that.
Seeing me step back, Reinhardt gave me a knowing wink and said: "Then, Felt — would you be willing?"
"How the hell would I know—!!"
The girl who'd had absolutely zero presence in this conversation and had been face-down on her desk, planning to sleep through until the next period, was suddenly dragged into it.
She'd appeared to be asleep, but apparently some foreboding had kept her from actually dozing off. Felt glared at Reinhardt with an annoyed expression.
"How would I know!? What does this have to do with me!? I had a bad feeling, and sure enough — this is it! You really never do anything decent!"
"Don't say something so cold. We're going to be classmates learning together, aren't we? Besides, Felt, have you forgotten that you're this class's class representative?"
"That was decided by me and
Reinhardt laid out his case methodically, and Felt's anger showed no signs of subsiding.
For the record, Felt being class representative was a fact. Since Krusch served as student council president, in practice Krusch handled most of the duties, but in title, Felt was the class's official head.
"And you were the one who stubbornly pushed that role onto me! What the hell is wrong with you!?"
"I only did it because I believed in you. Sure, you find a lot of things troublesome, but give you the right position and you'll shine… I truly believe that."
"That's way too much meddling! Are you my parent or something!?"
"If I could, I wouldn't mind forging a bond even deeper than family."
"Drop dead!"
Being so intensely desired by the most handsome guy in the school — perhaps even the district — and reacting like that. I was amazed by Felt's iron will, but equally impressed by Reinhardt's refusal to be deterred.
"Unfortunately, Felt turned me down. But please don't misunderstand her — she's actually a very considerate person. She's just in a bit of a mood today."
"I-I see… Yeah, okay. Thanks."
I'd never once witnessed an event where Felt showed warm consideration toward Reinhardt, but Emilia wisely chose not to press the point.
Emilia turned back toward Krusch and the others with a troubled expression: "So that's how it is. What about you two after school? Are you free?"
"I'd love to, but the student council business is piled up. If you don't mind a bit of a wait, it's possible, but we might end up getting out late."
"And three girls walking home in the dark is a little scary anyway."
"Three girls" — she said that awfully casually, but the momentum was clearly swinging my way. Emilia let her shoulders drop, looking disappointed.
"Then I guess I'll give up on the school tour today…"
"Wait wait wait wait! I'm here! I'll do it! I said I'll do it!"
Why was I suddenly out of the running!?
I was stunned at being so thoroughly ignored, but when I threw my hat in the ring, Emilia looked over at me with a bewildered expression.
"Huh, Subaru-kun, you'd give me a tour?"
"I was literally just talking about that! What, am I so forgettable that I get erased from the conversation mid-exchange?"
That evaluation stung. I'd always thought I had a knack for leaving a lasting, if somewhat unwelcome, impression on people!
"No, that's not what I meant…"
Seeing me fluster, Emilia furrowed her brows thoughtfully.
As expected, even when a beautiful girl looked troubled, it was like a painting — but I was no stranger to beauty, so that much didn't throw me. After all, Rem sometimes let her guard down in even more startling ways.
"Yeah. Okay then — I'll leave it to you, Subaru-kun. Please show me around after school."
With a little bow that practically had a "bow" sound effect, Emilia dipped her head politely toward me. I, naturally, accepted with delight.
"————"
Something about Emilia's expression struck me as oddly solemn — why was that?
△▼△▼▼△ "After school, I have a promise with my sister, so I really… really can't come along, but you must make sure you don't treat Emilia-san disrespectfully, Subaru-kun! You can't just be your usual self — Rem and Otto-kun won't be there. So please, please…!"
"You don't need to look at me like a panicked dog off its leash — I'm fine!"
The moment I mentioned the after-school tour with Emilia, Rem came at me with this desperate plea, and all I could do was laugh ruefully.
Apparently, Rem had plans to help Ram after school — cleaning and such at the home of Roswaal, the novelist. Incidentally, this had come up in passing conversation before, but Rem's domestic skills in cooking, sewing, cleaning, and laundry were already at a level well beyond what was needed for the life of a housewife.
In the home economics club, Rem was the only one who'd earned Krind-sensei's full certification across every category. In a single specialty she might lose to specialists, but as an all-rounder, Rem's abilities were known throughout the school.
Given all this, Ram — a sister who thought nothing of calling on her little sister's talents — requesting cooperation to help make a good impression on her crush was only natural.
"I'm not worried about Barusu going into heat or whatever, but if you make Rem cry, I won't forgive you."
"Stop treating me like a dog in heat with no self-control!"
"Barusu of all people, talking back — how noisy."
"Ngh—!"
A devastating low kick sent me reeling, and Ram walked off dragging Rem with her.
Even at the very end, Rem kept glancing back at me with concern. I waved her off through a sheen of cold sweat, and she finally left, looking back over her shoulder one last time.
"Ow ow ow, Ram's kick is brutal…! She nails the back of the knee perfectly every time. Is her lower body built differently or something!?"
Despite her dainty demeanor, Ram was surprisingly agile. In terms of girl-power metrics she fell completely short of Rem, so she must have channeled her energy into developing a different skill set.
Among girls she boasted one of the top athletic ratings in the district and served as a frequent ringer for various club activities. Those well-trained legs delivered devastating kicks.
"Seriously, I have a feeling I'd lose in a fistfight. …Well, I'd already be losing as a man if it came to a fistfight with a girl."
"Who's fistfighting whom?"
"No, I mean girls and guys going at it— whaah!?"
I'd been muttering to myself when a beautiful girl snuck up from behind and startled me. I whipped around to find Emilia looking just as startled.
She had her large eyes round as saucers, one hand pressed to her chest.
"Oh, you — you gave me such a fright!"
"'Fright'? I've never heard that expression before…"
She had this habit of slipping in archaic phrases now and then.
Whether she noticed my lukewarm gaze or not, Emilia placed a hand on her hip, puffed out her cheeks cutely, and said: "Don't startle someone just because you're talking to them."
"Sorry, I was just lost in thought."
"Lost in thought…? Were you thinking about something disturbing?"
"Not at all! Nothing disturbing at all. Just — Ram's lower body."
"…Okay."
I had a feeling I'd picked my words badly.
The source of my foreboding was Emilia stepping back and the temperature dropping in her eyes.
As a side note, the seat shuffle had basically served as a round of self-introductions for the whole class, so depending on Emilia's memory, she'd have the faces and names of every classmate down — meaning she'd figured out that Ram was a girl's name, obviously.
"However, what meaning that would hold for the future, the two of them — who had only just met — had no way of knowing…"
"Sorry, I have no idea what you're saying."
At that, Emilia let out an exasperated sigh.
What was it with the people I talked to and their reactions?
"Subaru-kun, are you always like this?"
"I dunno. I think today-me has his charm, yesterday-me has his charm, and tomorrow-me will too. By delivering a different me every day, I want to keep giving everyone a fresh impression."
"So, since we're at it — can you start the tour from the handicrafts club room?"
"Being completely ignored like this… it's not half bad, actually."
The fact that Rem engaged earnestly with everything, or that Otto overreacted to everything, had its own beauty — but this had its own appeal too.
Anyway, since I'd been asked, I'd deliver.
"All right then, let's head to the handicrafts club room… the activity room — starting from the sewing room."
And so began Emilia's exploration of the school, guided by yours truly.
That said, there were no incidents or accidents along the way, nor did Frederica-sensei and Krind-sensei happen to clash, sparking the "Tiger-Hawk War."
Sticking to the basics, I showed her the various special classrooms, the cafeteria, the gymnasium, the library, and the old school building, completing the mission smoothly.
"So from here on is the old school building. The new building is stone, but the old one still has some wooden sections, giving it a slightly retro Showa-era vibe — great for cooling off."
"Cooling off — you mean like ghost stories?"
"Actually, the Lugunica Academy Seven Mysteries are a thing — a classic, you know. The old building's got its age and the creaky wooden floors, so when sports clubs stay overnight during summer camp, you hear about supernatural experiences pretty frequently. It's fun."
"Huh, so you believe in ghosts?"
"I thought you'd be more scared, honestly."
By now, this escort had taken less than an hour, and from our conversations I'd gathered that Emilia had a somewhat childlike side.
Her appearance gave off a pure, almost big-sister vibe, but the childish personality inside created a strangely alluring contrast. Absolutely charming.
And for Emilia of all people, not being fazed by ghost stories was surprising. I wouldn't say I expected her to cover her ears and flee to the new building — but.
"…Is it a problem if I'm not scared?"
"Well, 'problem' is a strong word. If this were a haunted house and I was playing the ghost while you were the customer, then yeah, I'd want you to be scared."
Besides, when it came to supernatural experiences, the women I knew had built up way too much resistance for it to be fun.
The only one in my circle who'd genuinely be scared by a ghost story was probably
"And actually, Ram too."
"Huh?"
"No, this is between us. If she found out I told anyone, she'd probably kill me."
Surprisingly, the one who couldn't handle supernatural experiences at all — the one whose composure could be shaken by such things — was Ram. Conversely, Rem was totally fine with ghost-related stuff — she could watch splatter movies while eating hamburgers.
Going to see a romantic movie with her sister and having Ram cling to me for two hours in between — that was probably a deeply humiliating memory for Ram.
"She made me swear to forget and then beat me senseless…"
I'd kept the memory buried, but if she found out I still remembered, my life could be in danger.
Spilling Ram's weakness to others was bad enough as a childhood friend.
"Well, I doubt anything will happen at the old building. And after school, the entrance is probably locked anyway."
"Oh, you're right. It's already locked."
From the new building, the old building was connected by a single covered walkway.
As I watched Emilia's silver hair sway while she reached for the sliding door, bathed in the late-spring breeze, I caught myself staring.
"Oh! That won't do."
"——?"
My daze was broken when Emilia suddenly turned around and startled me.
She stood with her back to the door, giving me a slightly wary look. But I was the one who felt odd, so all I could do was tilt my head.
"What's wrong?"
"…N-nothing. Nothing at all, right?"
"No, I'm the one asking. —And—"
Sensing something off about her reaction, I looked up.
What I heard, slipping into my ears as if from above, was a cascade of sound falling from the upper floors of the new building — in less fancy terms, a melody.
"Wa, whose performance is that?"
She'd caught the melody too, just like me. Emilia looked up at the ceiling without reservation, one hand holding her hair in the breeze, listening intently — a picture-perfect scene.
I snuck a glance at her and said: "That's Liliana-sensei, our music teacher. After school, she roams through the light music and wind instrument clubs she supervises."
"Huh, a music teacher… Liliana-sensei?"
"Because her appearance and demeanor don't carry much authority, every student watches over her with a kind of amused affection — like a pet."
People called her "a genius who, were it not for music, would have ended up as nothing more than a fool."
In word, deed, attitude, and lifestyle, she showed extraordinary carelessness in everything — someone who would have certainly died in a gutter without her exceptional musical talent.
"She freeloads meals off students. She's late to class. She fishes in the principal's koi pond. She comes to school in the same tracksuit for five days straight… That's the kind of person she is."
"B-but, this performance is really good?"
"That's right. And that's why she's allowed to exist."
"To call it 'allowed to exist'!?"
For Emilia, who hadn't seen Liliana in person yet, the true magnitude of that existence might not be clear.
But honestly, she was literally just a small animal whose only saving graces were her face, her singing, and her performances. Without that talent, she might have been treated as a pest ravaging the crops.
"There was talk of no one wanting to take her in, but recently she apparently charmed some rich kid while wrecking some music festival somewhere… Everyone figures that's how a genius survives — on talent alone."
"Isn't that… a wonderful story? Look — she kept doing what she loved, and she found happiness! Right?"
"I guess?"
Honestly, I wasn't sure about that either. Whenever I tried to press Liliana on the matter, she'd run off — and if I made a wrong move, she'd drag me into a song.
And those songs turned out absurdly good. If a song using my name started playing all over town, I'd die of shame.
"Anyway, enough about Liliana — I think we've seen all the highlights."
"…Yeah."
Still listening to the distant melody, Emilia murmured with a strangely forlorn tone.
That tone only deepened my confusion.
Because a minute ago she'd been slightly on guard around me, and now that the tour was almost over, she suddenly looked lonely.
Women's hearts are like autumn skies — but that didn't begin to cover it. This was too hard.
Something was off. I thought I had decent experience with beautiful girls, but more encounters didn't necessarily mean more data.
'Big brother, stop treating me like a child already!' 'Rem is truly impressed. Subaru-kun is wonderful.' 'Barusu, I'll give you three minutes.' A mental beauty-fighting tournament played out in my head, but the results were inconclusive.
I couldn't figure out the cause of Emilia's melancholy expression, so I scratched my head trying to think of what to do — and then it hit me.
"There's still somewhere I haven't shown you."
Right — a place in this school that could be called a kind of "sanctuary."
That place was—.
△▼△▼▼△ "This is one of Lugunica Academy's hidden gems — the 'Demon's Garden.'"
"Wha—ah."
The instant she saw it, Emilia's face lit up.
Her eyes, which had been cast down with a distant, ephemeral quality, completely transformed — her gaze was stolen by the vista before her.
Behind the school building, in the gathering dusk, spread an impressively large flower bed.
Honestly, "flower field" was more accurate than "flower bed." It wasn't anything as elaborate as a greenhouse operation, but setting aside this much space for flowers was quite the luxury.
And right now, that flower bed was ablaze with vibrant, colorful blooms in full riot.
The warm spring weather over the past few days had done its work. The flowers, having reached their peak bloom, swayed gently in the breeze as if welcoming us.
"I've seasoned it with a touch of sunset crimson for a slightly romantic presentation."
Standing beside the speechless Emilia, I struck an exaggeratedly gallant bow.
For the record, I was imitating the gesture of the most pretentious man I knew. For what it was worth, I thought I'd pulled off a decent trace.
"————"
Without a word, Emilia slowly turned toward me.
I kept my head bowed from the bow and peeked at her through one eye. Honestly, if she didn't give me something to react to, my pretentious circuits were going to hit critical and burn out.
A fierce battle raged between my sense of shame and my self-consciousness, and it was about to explode— "——Thank you, Subaru-kun."
"Oh."
She smiled, and said that to me.
The setting sun caught her silver hair, sending it glittering — I was transfixed.
Her smile. The flower field in the sunset. A beautiful girl.
It was more than enough to set my heart racing with some inexplicable impulse.
And then— "So then, let's begin."
"Huh?"
In front of my frozen expression, Emilia's face suddenly turned serious.
She slowly raised both hands, which she'd had clasped behind her back, into a clearly recognizable fighting pose.
And then, with an incredibly determined face, she faced me: "C-come at me! I won't lose!"
She was, for some reason, challenging me to an actual fight.
"————"
Her reaction wasn't just "unexpected" — it didn't even rise to that level. This wasn't about being surprised or caught off guard; where had the foreshadowing for this been?
Was this girl a brawler?!
"I mean — what, how, why — who wanted this to happen and why!?!"
I was sure there was some kind of misunderstanding, but I couldn't figure out the cause at all. All I could do was rage at the invisible force of fate and stamp my feet in frustration.
Far off in the sky, Liliana's melody could still be faintly heard…
△▼△▼▼△ After listening to Emilia explain her battle-ready stance, it turned out this was the gist: "Um, during homeroom, right? You started talking about the seat shuffle, you kept interrupting me from taking my seat, and then after that you tried to scare me with the club stuff… So I assumed Subaru-kun didn't like me very much."
"And so you invited me out here with the roundabout plan of burning me?! My kindness was seen that way!?"
"I did think it was a little strange! You were angry but still gave me a proper tour, and the conversation was fun, but then it seemed like the story was heading toward a fight to the finish…"
"So that's what that grim determination was about! There were so many unbelievable things in our interactions that I'm overwhelmed!"
You could sum it up as: she was a sheltered girl from a girls' academy, so she didn't know any better?
If anything, the idea that a girls' academy girl would steel herself to fight a boy and accept an invitation to the back garden — that was way darker conceptually! How did it even come to this?
"And you said something about a fistfight with a girl named Ram…"
"Right! I did! That one was on me! My fault! This guy! This guy!"
I smacked the part of my leg where Ram had kicked me, reflecting on my careless words.
Looking back, there were probably parts of my behavior that encouraged misunderstandings. Maybe.
"Could that also explain the Seven Mysteries thing?"
"…You were trying to scare me to gain the upper hand?"
"The laws of girls' academies inside me are in chaos. What, is there an environment so cutthroat that you need a warrior's mentality just to survive, even for a princess?"
If that was the case, then I needed to be extremely careful about where Beatrice went to school. I wanted Beatrice to grow up happy and carefree. I didn't need a little girl developing that kind of fighting spirit — it would make things awkward at home.
"Anyway! I had no intention of doing any of that. Seriously, just a tour."
"…But then why did you insist so hard on showing me around?"
"Mm, that's because of… the 'under-mind.'"
"——?"
I force-translated it as "ulterior motive," but even I wasn't sure how much of that was sincere. Of course, wanting to get closer to a cute girl was genuine, but— More simply, when I first saw Emilia, I'd felt something move inside me. I just wanted to confirm what that feeling really was.
And whether this escort had confirmed it — well, that was a complicated question.
"To sum it up — I wanted to become friends with you. I wanted to get to know what kind of person you are, and I wanted you to get to know me. That's all."
"————"
"Did I not sum it up well?"
There was no reply from Emilia, so I asked, worried. I'd never been good at concise summaries — I always had a habit of talking through my thoughts while talking, so the conclusion was always a bit murky.
"…Yeah, I understand."
"Good, you get it."
"That I was incredibly stupid, and that Subaru-kun is quite a bit of a dummy too."
"If we start talking about my dummy moments, the list of things I need to reflect on is pretty long."
What counted as my biggest failing — discussing that alone would spark endless debate.
As I scratched my head, Emilia burst out laughing. It was a natural laugh, completely different from every guarded expression she'd worn so far.
Well, she'd come prepared for the possibility of an actual fight, so who knew how many natural smiles she'd had in her.
"Well, all things considered, I'm glad you're satisfied."
"Yes, I'm very satisfied. Thank you for everything, Subaru-kun."
"Don't mention it. …Now, how about we leave soon?"
"Huh?"
I'd gotten Emilia's smile, so I was ready to call it a day — but Emilia looked surprised. She seemed a little reluctant as she gazed at the flower bed beside her.
"Um, could I look a little longer? Just a bit?"
"That plea almost made me fold right there, but my inner alarm bells are ringing — not because I'm being mean! There's a real reason. Because this is the 'hidden gem' — that's the reason."
"Oh, not the public gem — the hidden gem."
Indeed, things had a front and a back, and whatever clung to the back tended to be darker.
And with this "Lugunica Academy hidden gem," it was no different.
"You mean there's something a little scary about this flower garden too?"
"Not quite — it's nothing to do with the Seven Mysteries. Well, in a sense it might be terrifying. But before I explain, let's leave this place—"
Right as I was about to guide Emilia away— A voice came from directly behind us, arriving without warning.
"Oh my — students lingering after school like this is unusual."
"————"
That deep, world-worn voice sent cold sweat racing down my spine.
Behind us — that voice had come from behind me, meaning in front of Emilia. She could see the speaker's face. Emilia was already locked onto by this person. And she, of all things, directed a smile at them: "Oh, Principal. Are you here to see the flower garden too?"
She addressed him.
Principal
"And you are — yes, Emilia, the transfer student. Today was your first day, wasn't it? How are you finding the school?"
"It was wonderful — there were so many interesting things to discover. And Subaru-kun over there gave me a tour of the school too."
"Oh ho, how wonderful."
My name slipped from Emilia's friendly mouth.
From behind me, a broad, firm palm came to rest gently on my shoulder. And beside me appeared the face of a familiar elderly man — no, the principal.
"Being kind to women and children — that is what makes a man."
"Ha — ha, it was nothing, sir. Really. So, um, it's getting late, so we should probably be heading—"
"Principal, do you know who takes care of this flower garden? I was so moved that I just had to find out!"
"Emilia-san!?!"
I nearly blurted out the honorific in my panic — that choice was the worst possible one.
Emilia startled at my outburst, but the principal smiled bashfully and said: "Oh, it's nothing so grand. Just a little hobby garden I started with my amateur knowledge. It's an honor to hear you say that."
"You take care of it!? Wow, that's amazing!"
The principal looked even more bashful at Emilia's awed expression. That much, at least, was heartwarming. Yes, it was certainly a heartwarming scene.
But the trouble started now.
"In truth, gardening is less my hobby than my wife's."
"Your wife likes flowers?"
"Yes, she's an absolute flower enthusiast. As for me, I've never really had any hobbies. One day, my wife took pity on me and suggested I try growing flowers at school. And this is the result."
"What a lovely story…"
Emilia was rapt, listening to the principal's tale of the "Origin of the Back Garden Flower Bed."
Once it had reached this point, I had already resigned myself to my fate.
I was trapped.
"I thought it would be simple at first, but gardening turns out to be surprisingly deep. Every flower has a different temperament — not just by species, but by individual bloom. My wife tells me to tend to them with the same care I'd use to manage my own mood."
"You have such a wonderful wife."
"Yes — she's far too good for me. When I bring her here on days off, she frolics like she's young again. It's quite the spectacle…"
Whether it was because Emilia was such an attentive listener or because the principal's enthusiasm was simply unstoppable, the conversation rolled on.
Rolled on — more like, his passion for his wife had become unstoppable.
"Oh, yes — when I think back—"
"That wife of mine…"
"I was still young myself back then…"
"But even those things about her were charming…"
△▼△▼▼△ "The sun's completely set…"
"Yeah… I figured it would."
We walked side by side down the dark road home, the school looming behind us.
From the encounter with the principal in the back garden, about three hours had passed. Emilia looked apologetic, glancing at my exhausted face.
"Um, I'm sorry? I kept the principal talking for so long…"
"No, it's fine. Once we ran into the principal there, that fate was unavoidable. His love stories about his wife are the biggest reason that gorgeous garden can't be opened to the public as a 'hidden gem.'"
Endlessly, ceaselessly flowing tales of wedded bliss.
People called it the "Golden Time Lover's Requiem." Or at least, I did.
In short, Principal Wilhelm — the devoted husband he was — had cultivated that flower garden lovingly for his wife.
When clubs came to the school on weekends, you'd sometimes run into the principal and his wife enjoying a happy afternoon there.
"Just be warned — the wife is an even bigger threat. She's twice — no, three times as powerful a love-story narrator as the principal."
"And it's a two-pronged attack…"
"That's exactly it."
Emilia was nodding with a serious expression, having grasped the true danger.
The principal and his wife weren't bad people at all — not in the slightest — but their mutual world contained only each other, so the heartburn was unreal.
In the end, we'd been detained longer than any club member, and now we were walking home together in the dark.
"Saying 'escorting a lady home is a man's duty' — what a guy."
"You'll actually walk me home?"
"If you're okay with me knowing where you live."
"That's fine. You're not going to try to hit me, are you, Subaru-kun?"
"I can't guarantee I won't crack a joke or two. That's about the only level of threat I've learned to gauge from our few after-school hours together."
Given that she'd been placed in Frederica-sensei's class, her eccentricity was already considerable. If she could survive that intensity without losing herself, she'd be a fine Lugunica Academy student.
"But… heheh, aha — that was fun."
As I nodded with a teacherly air, Emilia beside me laughed radiantly and said: She swung her bag, looked up at the stars that had begun to dot the sky, and continued: "I've never been out this late before, and I didn't know any of this — everything was so new and exciting."
"Just so you know, 'novel' and 'fresh' are different things — mix those up and you're in trouble."
"Aren't they the same thing?"
"Fresh is fresh, but novel sometimes means press."
Being overwhelmed by novelty wasn't guaranteed to end well. The fact that Emilia wasn't — since we'd gotten along so well, I was happy about that.
"At any rate, if you'll just say 'see you tomorrow' with a smile, that's enough. And — maybe you could get a little extra-close with just me."
"Extra-close?"
"Yeah… Take our relationship to the next level, starting with how we address each other."
Human relationships were strange — change the relationship and the way you addressed each other changed too.
Get closer, and the formalities gradually eroded. Not quite rudeness, but a state where formality became unnecessary — that was how relationships progressed.
"————"
Emilia thought for a moment about what I meant.
Then, seemingly grasping my intent, she spoke: "Then, well—"
She hesitated slightly, stopped in the middle of the road, and looked at me.
I slowed to a stop and turned to face her.
And Emilia steeled herself: "——From now on, let's get along, Natsuki."
"Huh!? Dropping the surname makes it sound like we're pulling away rather than closer!?"
"Eh?"
The atmosphere had been building toward something nice, and I was genuinely taken aback.
Emilia looked just as startled.
We stared at each other, both going "Huh?" and tilting our heads.
"Be-because, you said changing how we address each other was a sign of getting closer… didn't you?"
"Yeah, but I'd already moved past the '-kun' honorific stage, so I was thinking you'd just drop my first name without the surname—"
"So I did drop the surname. —Wait!"
As we tried to reconcile our intentions, Emilia suddenly choked.
She went wide-eyed, pointed at me, and exclaimed: "Don't tell me — 'Natsuki Subaru' — Subaru is the first name!?"
"Yeah!? Didn't I ever mention that!?"
"B-because, some people don't have a family name — like me! And with most people's names, the first name comes first, so I just assumed—!"
At Emilia's flustered explanation, I finally understood.
So she'd thought my name was "Natsuki." And when she'd boldly tried to call me by my first name without honorifics, she'd bungled it.
"So in your mind, you were planning to call me Natsuki-kun? In a way, that changes how today's been feeling."
"W-well, in my defense…"
The revelation that I'd been called by my first name by a girl I'd just met — that mysterious sense of superiority was based on a misunderstanding, and I felt a pang of disappointment.
But my disappointment didn't last — Emilia was the one who was flustered now. Her face was bright red, her eyes slightly moist as she looked at me: "Ca-calling a boy you just met by his first name right away… Th-that's embarrassing!"
"————"
"St-stop! Don't look at me! My face is totally red right now…!"
Emilia pressed both hands to her cheeks, trying to hide her blush.
I couldn't look away.
The slight dejection I'd felt moments ago was gone, overwritten by a new surge of surprise and emotion.
Because— "You're cute, Emilia-tan."
"What…!? Ehh!? Where did '-tan' come from!?"
"It's a change in address. See? Once you get a cute nickname, doesn't it feel more adorable?"
"Is that even a cute nickname!? You're lying — you're definitely just teasing me!"
Still red-faced, Emilia patted my arm repeatedly.
Light. Way too light. Compared to Ram, it didn't hurt at all. She wasn't trying to hurt me, obviously, but somehow it made me laugh.
"Ahahaha—!"
"Enough already, you idiot Subaru! I don't even care!"
We walked home through the evening streets, one of us laughing like an idiot, the other muttering in petulance.
The address had changed without either of us really commenting on it.
But I had a feeling that starting tomorrow, school was going to feel a little different.
Without understanding what I'd felt for the girl walking beside me, I simply let myself be carried by the urge to laugh, perfectly content with how this day had ended.
<<School Re:Zero! Continues in Period 3!>>