...
Outside the Auditorium…
Nene: "I know you like looking cool, but please warn me next time you do that. My head spins every time, you know?"
Said a somewhat dizzy Nene, clearly annoyed.
Tadano: "Hehe, my bad…" the young man said, slightly embarrassed.
Nene: "Hmph… it's good you understand. Now, let's go…" the girl said as she pulled him along.
Tadano: "Eh? Where to?"
Nene: "Moh～ you already forgot?"
Tadano: "Oh! Right, the hamburgers…"
Nene: "Good thing you remember…" said the girl, satisfied, as she clung to one of his arms.
Tadano and Nene wandered through the streets looking for a good place to eat.
In the end, Nene chose to grab a burger from the WAC chain and eat it while they walked. This amused Tadano, mainly because of Nene's unique way of eating—she ate like a squirrel.
Next to her, Tadano had already finished his burger and was occasionally picking at his fries. They walked aimlessly, at Nene's request.
A while later, in a secluded park.
Tadano sat on a swing with Nene seated on his lap. She used the young man's arms like a seatbelt as they gently rocked back and forth.
Tadano: "Is this really enough for you? I could…"
He tried to say before being stopped by the slender jade-like finger of the girl.
Nene: "This is more than enough. I know you have work, and there are other girls besides me waiting for your attention. So, these moments are more than enough…" said the girl with loving eyes.
Tadano: "Nene…"
The girl found his expression amusing and took one of Tadano's hands, shaking it. As she did, an iced coffee appeared close to the hand she was holding. She happily took it from him and started drinking.
Nene: "Besides, I have my own free drink dispenser, what more could I ask for?" she said with a playful smile as she waved the can in her hand.
The young man couldn't resist the sweetness of this charming girl and hugged her even tighter. Nene was startled by the sudden embrace and almost dropped her drink.
Nene: "Hey! Be careful, I almost spilled my drink and… Hmmm…"
In the middle of her complaint, the girl was interrupted by the young man, who overwhelmed her with a passionate kiss.
After a lovely moment of exchanging words, they pulled apart.
Tadano: "Nene, I…"
Nene: "Let's stop here for now… I can't today," she said with a slightly sad look.
Tadano: "But I can use…"
Nene: "Someone told me that last time, and I had to run out for a morning-after pill the next day," she said with a reproachful tone and rolling eyes.
Tadano couldn't argue and avoided the girl's somewhat piercing gaze.
Nene: "What we had today is enough. Instead, how about you make it up to me when you have some free time?"
Tadano: "I'll definitely do that!" he exclaimed.
Nene: "Hehe, that's my guy. Now, big guy, how about you take me home? It's already dark, and if I'm late, my mom will probably have my head…" she said jokingly.
Tadano looked up at the sky and realized she was right. Between the audition and their walk, quite some time had passed, and it was already nighttime.
With that in mind, he picked the girl up in a princess carry and walked off into the distance. As he stood up, he didn't notice that the phone he had in his pants pocket had fallen out.
Not long after they left, a small figure peeked out from the bushes not far from the swings. It was pink and seemed a bit gloomy.
When the moonlight fully illuminated her, it turned out to be a girl with long pink hair, with a small lock tied with a hairband that had a pair of yellow and blue cube-shaped charms. Her skin was as pale as milk, and her eyes were a deep ocean blue. She wore a pink sports jacket, a black skirt, matching knee-high socks, and brown school loafers.
Her name was Gotou Hitori, a self-proclaimed inferior slug and aspiring guitarist.
Today, after once again failing to speak to anyone in her class, she had come to her favorite park seeking to soothe the loneliness in her heart. However, not long after she arrived, a couple had shown up.
The little inferior slug suffered from autism, making it very difficult for her to talk to strangers. And since she was the only one there, a small conversation would have inevitably started, which she couldn't handle. So, she quickly hid and only came out now that the couple had left.
This communication issue was also the reason why she had so much trouble connecting with others.
However, that young man left a good impression on the small slug, so she approached the spot where they had been.
She noticed the phone on the ground. Out of curiosity, she picked it up and turned it on. Naturally, it had a pattern lock, but she could still see the wallpaper. It was a group photo of that young man surrounded by a group of people. She couldn't help but feel a little envious.
Then she looked at the back of the phone.
Attached to the phone case was a train card with the young man's name and school on it.
Hitori: "Tadano Hitohito…" she murmured.
Then she gasped as she saw the school name.
"That's my school!" she thought, feeling a bit excited.
...
Author's Note: "Here's the chapter! I know I took a long time this time, but I've been dealing with creative block, so it took me a while. That said, remember to drink plenty of water and that I love you all. Sincerely, your favorite depressed author."
------------------------- nwnr.