"Ah..." The unknown student brought his canned green tea to his lips and gulped its content. It didn't take him more than a few seconds to empty the can.
"That's refreshing. I do have to say that the bitterness jolts my mind awake. Kind of like how someone punches you right in the solar plexus. Oh, you don't know what's a solar plexus? I didn't send you to school for you to daydream, you know."
"...Huh?"
Freda was dumbfounded. Who was this person anyway? Why was he talking to her like they were the best of friends? If she had to put the guy's intrusive demeanor into words, it would have to be 'annoying'.
Any sane person knew it would be awkward to walk up to a complete stranger as if he had known her for a long time. This guy was utterly bereft of manners.
"...Who are you? What are you talking about?"
Freda distanced herself from him out of instinct. She couldn't trust that person. Who would?
The girl's image reflected in his blue eyes as he held his gaze. Then, he scratched his head and produced an awkward smile. "Ah, my habit took control of me for a second. Of course, you won't be able to recognize me at first glance in this world."
"This world?" These two words caught Freda's attention.
"Sorry, Freda. I forgot to introduce myself." The male student cleared his throat and straightened his posture. "I'm known as Tsuji Toshio in this world. You might not know, but I'm the President of the Student Council at the Yokoyama Ichi Academy. We're quite near to each other when you think about it."
"Tsuji Toshio..." It went without saying that she recognized that name.
The eccentric second-year student of the Yokoyama Ichi Academy was popular even among her academic peers. His outstanding looks aside, Tsuji Toshio had gained numerous achievements in his two years of high school.
Toshio was the President of the Manga Club. His Manga Club had the most members compared to other clubs available for participation at the school. While Freda hadn't heard anything outstanding regarding Toshio's academics, he was not below average in that regard either.
Tsuji Toshio was a talented student, cherished by those around him. Furthermore, by standing in front of him like this, Freda could see how he attracted capable people to follow him with that air of maturity.
"Yeah, I go by that name in this world," Tsuji Toshio repeated with a thin smile. "But still, I would be lying if I say that I'm not hurt by you not recognizing me the first time our eyes met."
"What are you implying here?" Freda couldn't help but feel like Toshio was giving her time to respond with words he wanted to hear. That beguiling smile of his solidified the girl's sentiment, albeit by a bit.
"Have you read the letter I sent you?" Toshio decided to stop beating around the bush.
"...It was you who sent that letter!?"
"Yup," he replied with a broad smile.
Turning back time a few weeks ago, Freda stumbled upon a plain letter in her shoe locker. The sender was someone who claimed to be her father in her past life. Of course, she believed that the letter was a part of a prank at first and threw it away.
She wasn't wrong to bear such an assumption. Anyone with common sense would share her sentiment. Though at this point, she had already claimed her Crown and was quite aware of her circumstances.
She was one of the reincarnated individuals. That was an undisputable fact. However, to accept that abnormal reality proved to put a toll on her.
Freda hated that she was reincarnated. Every night, she had to deal with the Draugrs, and she hated that with every fiber of her being.
So, she did not deign to fight those vile creatures ever since she had claimed her Crown.
"..." Freda clenched her fist. "Are you trying to pull me back?"
"...?"
"I don't want to be involved with anything related to my past life! I like where I am right now!"
Freda voiced her statement for everyone in the vicinity to hear. Passersby, who saw her, stopped in their tracks to ascertain the situation. Was that guy harassing her? Were they a couple at the brink of a breakup?
Regardless of the public's interpretation of the scene unfolding before them, Freda didn't wish to cease her ramblings.
"I am what I am right now because I want to. If you were my dad, then you'd understand just how scared I was when those things came and attacked. I didn't know what to do, but to survive, I pushed myself, and this is the result. I persevered until now."
Freda did nothing wrong. She wished for her reality to favor her, and there was nothing inherently wrong with that craving.
"But in this day and age, nothing comes without a price," said Freda as she placed a hand over her chest. "I chose this option, and I don't intend to stray away from the path it had led me to."
"...Dad," she added in the end.
"..."
Tsuji Toshio snuck a glance at the crowd who'd gathered around him and Freda. His lips pressed together to form a thin smile. He wanted to hear the rest of Freda's fervent soliloquy, so he chose to retreat to a more private space in mind.
"Freda." Toshio placed a hand on her shoulder. The middle schooler didn't catch his movement at all until the very last second. "Let's take this conversation someplace else. I'm sure it'd benefit you as well to let it all out in an enclosed space, so to speak."
The sing-song voice of the student pulled her attention taut. She could've sworn his words were imbued with sorcery, for it managed to placate her hostility in mere seconds.
"What is your answer, my daughter Freda?" Toshio whispered these words into her right ear.
"..." Freda watched as the high school student who claimed himself as her father in the past life walked ahead. She was reluctant to follow him, to say the least. After some time, she stole a quick glance at the cyber cafe where Arai Naoto and his friends were.
"I'll text him that I'm going home early," was the answer Freda chose in the end. Her eyes looked straight ahead.