The week after the entrance ceremony, on the first weekend, I found myself facing Renji-san in the training hall of the Shimotsuki family estate.
"How's school going, Itsuki-kun?" Renji-san asked with a friendly smile.
"We're studying hiragana right now."
"Is it fun?"
"Yeah! It's a lot of fun!"
"That's good to hear. It's important to enjoy what you're doing, no matter what it is," Renji-san said, his smile broadening. The vertical scar running down his face became more pronounced as he did, a stark reminder of the many battles he'd fought. Despite his tough appearance, he was one of the kindest and most encouraging people I knew. It was easy to forget how intimidating he could look, especially since, without the scar, he could easily pass as a young college student.
By the way, Aya-chan wasn't around today. She had gone shopping with Momoka-san to pick up some last-minute supplies for school.
