Location: Classroom
During lunchtime, I pondered my meal options, thinking, "Hmmm, I wonder what I should eat." A vivid image of pudding danced in my mind, and with a playful grin, I decided, "Well, pudding it is, hehe." As I stood up from my chair, contemplating my sweet choice, a girl caught my attention, slowly approaching my desk.
Turning my head toward her, I casually greeted her, "Hello, how can I help you?" Observing her, I mused, "So far so good." However, the girl seemed a bit reserved, only murmuring, "Hi? Hello!!??" I waved and attempted to strike up a conversation, saying, "Um yeah, nice meeting you." As I walked toward the door, I felt a sudden grip on my hand.
Turning around, I found the girl holding my hand tightly, breathing heavily. She smiled, apologizing for acting strangely, explaining, "It's just that I've never expected to be in the same classroom as one of the siblings of the school's pride geniuses." Grinning, I replied, "Umm, haha, thanks! I'm Shiriku, by the way," my smiling face portraying a mix of surprise and friendliness.
Now, shifting to Sachi's perspective, she internally exclaimed, "Oh, I know..." Recovering, she introduced herself, "I mean, I'm Sachiko Koizumi. You can call me Sachi, and you can always ask me anything." With a low-tone voice, I responded, "Umm, okay." Trying to break the ice, I continued, "Hey Sachi, since you mentioned during our introduction that you're an old student here, can you show me where the cafeteria is? And if you still haven't had your lunch yet, we can have lunch together," a confident expression on my face.
Observing Sachi's dimpled smile and sparkling eyes, I waited for her response. With enthusiasm, Sachi replied, "I'd love to," setting the stage for a new connection and the possibility of a shared lunchtime adventure.
Location: Cafeteria
During lunchtime, I initiated a conversation with Sachi, asking, "So... Sachi, what do you want to eat?" Contemplating her preferences, she responded, "Hmmm... I don't really know, maybe something easy to chew?" I suggested, "Okay then, how about pudding?" Sachi's face lit up with a big smile as she exclaimed, "Pudding sounds nice!"
After placing our orders, Sachi and I settled at a table, enjoying each other's company. While savoring the moment, I noticed a crowd forming in the distance. Intrigued, I pointed it out to Sachi, saying, "Hey Sachi, look over there, there's a crowd forming." Sachi, with a grin on her face, remarked, "Yup, it's the same as last year."
Curious, I questioned her, "Same as last year?" In response, Sachi jumped onto the table, assuming a pirate's lookout position. The unexpected gesture caught my attention, and I couldn't help but think, "Well, this girl is interesting, haha..."
Stepping into the scene, I stood up on my chair, gently poking Sachi. "Umm, Sachi? Can you get down from the table?" I said, feeling a bit embarrassed. Sachi, in her lookout pose, turned towards me. When our eyes met, her face immediately turned red ⁄(⁄ ⁄•⁄-⁄•⁄ ⁄)⁄ I pointed it out, saying, "Sachi, your face is turning red! Are you okay?"
Realizing her embarrassment, Sachi slapped her cheeks with both hands and stammered, "Y-yeah, I'm fine." Acknowledging her response, I suggested, "Well, since you're fine, we really should get down from here. Everyone is staring at us."
As Sachi and I settled down, curiosity got the better of me, prompting me to ask her about the cryptic statement, "It's just like last year." Sachi explained, "You notice that crowd over there, right?" I nodded, prompting her to continue. "If you ever see a crowded place like that, with a bunch of boys, it's most likely to be 'Her.'"
Perplexed, I inquired, "Who?" Sachi leaned in, adding a touch of mystery to her explanation. "In our school, there are these two girls whose beauty is gorgeously stunning, at the same time dazzling and mysterious." Grinning, I remarked, "Interesting, it seems my family name isn't the only big thing here."
Sachi proceeded to elaborate on the two girls, beginning with the introduction of Ayaka Kazahana. "The first girl's name is Ayaka Kazahana, with her short hair having two colors as bright as snow mix with blue, her charming smile, and beauty that can melt everyone's heart. To top it off, she's also one of our school's pride because of her intellect."
In response to Ayaka's description, my inner thoughts meandered into the realm of anime scenarios. "Short hair, eh? If this is an anime, I'm sure even if she's that beautiful, she will definitely lose in a love battle," my inner dialogue playfully mused. Lost in my thoughts, Sachi's snaps and calls brought me back to reality. "Heyyyy, Riku-san? Hello???" I snapped out of my musings, apologizing with a sheepish smile, "Oh, sorry about that. Please continue." The information about Ayaka's charm and intellect intrigued me, and I was eager to hear about the second mysterious girl.
As Sachi continued her explanation, she introduced the second girl as Fuyumi Shimizu. The name rang a bell, prompting me to remark, "Fuyumi Shimizu? Sounds familiar." Sachi confirmed, "Yes, her name is familiar because she's one of our classmates!" Her pleased expression indicated a sense of camaraderie within the class.
However, my mood took a downturn, and I interrupted with a despondent face, saying, "Stop right there, Sachi. You don't have to tell me about her. Based on how she acted during our introduction this morning, I already know her attitude, so don't bother. I hate those kinds of people who think they're better than everyone." Sachi, undeterred, asserted, "Y-yeah, but even she's like that, she's actually nice once you get to know her." My response was a resigned "Okayyyy..." accompanied by a despondent expression. Sachi's inner dialogue reflected my annoyance with Fuyumi's presence.
Speak of the devil, Fuyumi approached with Sachi's enthusiastic wave and shout, "Fuyu-chan!!" I greeted her with an annoyed face, correcting her on my name. Fuyumi, seemingly oblivious, engaged in conversation. "Oh, hello Sachi and... who are you again?" Irritated, I snapped, "It's SHIRIKU!" Fuyumi then brought up my siblings, stating, "Oh, Shiriku... your siblings are the geniuses of the higher graders, right? Well, I hope you're just like your siblings."
Annoyed, I questioned, "And what's that supposed to mean?" Fuyumi, with a sly smile, remarked, "Oh, I don't know. The way you answered the questions wrong in our class seems suspicious for you to be siblings with the geniuses." My inner dialogue expressed frustration, "This... okay, Riku, calm down." Attempting to defend myself, I claimed, "Oh, that? I was just nervous because of the pressure."
Fuyumi, undeterred, continued with a fierce expression, "Hmm, if you say so. Sachi, after the class ends, come see me because it's that time of the month again." Sachi replied with a starstruck face, "Okay dokie Fuyu-chan ~ (✯ᴗ✯)," adding a touch of whimsy to the tense exchange.