After school, I finish updating the chapters for today and I head to the washroom. As I'm about to enter, I hear a ping from my phone.
"The chapter was very interesting today! I couldn't stop laughing when Maika-chan got mad at Ryousuke-Kun under the bamboo plant by his house. Thank you so much, author!"
Nira-san left a comment.
"Hahahaha."
I let out a laugh, it's just as Rin said, Nira-san still hasn't abandoned me yet. Even though I didn't post my chapter during my regular time, Nira-san still is the first one to leave a comment. That wasn't the only reason I was so happy. I keep reading his comment.
"PS: I was worried when you didn't post a chapter this morning (I was also a bit sad lol). Please remember to take care of yourself! Anyways, continue doing your best."
How could I not be happy when reading this? It's no wonder I couldn't stop smiling. I really am thankful to Nira-san for being such a supportive reader. I swear an oath within myself to never skip a day ever again.
I go back to the library and I see Rin sitting in the seat next to mine. She's sitting straight up, reading a small paperback book. There's a cover on it, so I'm not sure what she's reading. The spectacle before my eyes, that being the beautiful girl Rin reading a book, has a certain mystique to it. It's almost picturesque. Yep, Rin really is cute.
"You look like a melted pylon, what disgusting things are you thinking of?"
"I'm getting deja-vu from hearing that phrase."
I sit down in my own seat. The moment Rin notices me, she starts hurling words at me. Then, an image of the past comes into my head.
"This situation, I remember something like this in the past."
"What exactly? You holding some cheap charm and praying in front of the convenience store ATM?"
"In what world line would I do that?"
"One that isn't in a dystopia after World War III, you know, a peaceful world."
"That's not what I mean. I mean when we first met, I was at the library writing, then I went to the washroom and I came back and you were there."
"Ah..."
Rin peels her eyes away from her book and stares at the ceiling. Her expression seems to give away the fact that she's reminiscing about the past.
"Ah yes, that did happen."
A small whisper leaks from her lips, as if she's speaking to herself.
"Oh yeah!"
I almost forgot, there's one more thing I wanted to tell Rin.
"Thank you so much, Rin."
"Huh? What for?"
While she has a composed expression, she tilts her head in confusion.
"You know, for lunch."
"Ah, it's nothing. Just like how there's always a small chance the knight in shining armor could fall off his horse when he's saving the princess, I just did what I did base on that same probability."
"Are you saying my luck caused the knight to fall off his horse?"
"Is that how you want to interpret that Tohru-kun? You'll make enemies of every shoujo manga reader, you know."
"Well, it doesn't matter too much to me, otherwise I wouldn't have got a lunch out of it!"
With a clap, I continue.
"Just like you said at lunch, that one reader did leave a comment after I uploaded the chapters."
"Is that so? Well, that's great."
Almost immediately, Rin gives me a blunt reply.
"No really, it's like you said Rin. I owe you a lot."
"Please don't praise me so much."
"Huh, why"
Rin covers her mouth with her book and gives me fleeting glances.
"It's embarrassing..."
I can hear her voice shaking, sounding all nervous and high-pitched. Holy shit, she's so damn cute. I impulsively reach out my hand.
"If you stroke me now, I won't make you lunch tomorrow."
"Yeah sorry, I got too caught up in thi- wait what!?"
Are my ears deceiving me? This isn't a dream yeah? I pinch both my cheeks.
"What are you? Some isekai protagonist who just got transported to another world? Please stop acting so weird."
"You'll... make me lunch tomorrow too?"
Even with Rin's sharp words, I still need to confirm that with her.
With that, Rin closes her book. With an impish smile, she looks directly at me. Her normally cool and calm smile is now replaced with a much more mischievous one. I can feel my breath getting caught in my throat. She lets out a small laugh. It's rare for Rin to be this mocking.
"Well, well, what should I do?"
This time, I hope that the shining knight does fall off his horse. If it means I'm able to get Rin's handmade lunch, I don't care if every shoujo manga reader hates me.
These strong feelings I sense within myself, it's without a doubt a rekindling of my love for Rin. I recall bits of the conversation we just had, the feeling of nostalgia wells up within me.
The day I first met Rin.
That was the day I first fell in love with her.
Even now, I love her.
On that day, Rin was my shining knight.