In a warm café, the atmosphere was filled with the aroma of fresh coffee and the sound of bustling conversations. Three figures sat in a cozy corner, surrounded by the soft glow of small hanging lights. Kazuki and Rin sat side by side, while Lena, a new girl they both helped, sat in front of them.
"Feel free to order anything you want, I'll pay for it as a thank you," Lena said with a sincere smile, her eyes sparkling.
After that, the three of them ordered the same drinks, and light conversation began to flow. Lena lifted her glass and savored her drink with delight. "Ahh, this is so good! I haven't enjoyed this drink in this city for a long time," she said with a beaming smile...
"By the way, are you two dating?" Lena asked, breaking the comfortable silence. Kazuki and Rin exchanged glances, then replied in unison, "Yes, we are dating."
However, Lena seemed doubtful about their words. "Hmm, but I don't feel like you two are really dating. How should I put it... you look more like friends than a couple?"
Kazuki looked at her with a flat expression. "We're newly dating, so it makes sense if it looks that way. What can I say?"
Lena nodded in understanding. "So do you live in the same house?"
"More or less. And why are you suddenly curious about that?" Kazuki asked, eyeing Lena suspiciously.
"Ehh... it's because I don't know what to talk about with you two. I don't have friends here or outside of town. I really don't know how to converse," Lena replied, her face starting to flush with embarrassment.
"So, you invited us to this café because you wanted to make friends?" Kazuki asked, his voice sounding skeptical.
"Yes, you're right. So, do you want to be friends with me?"
"To be honest, I'm not interested in making friends," Kazuki replied firmly, without looking at Lena.
Lena's face suddenly fell, disappointment clouding her expression. "Is that so..."
Rin, who had been silent all along, felt the need to intervene. "Hey Kazuki, aren't you being too quick to reject her?" she whispered, her voice gentle but firm.
"Why should I? From the beginning, I didn't care about this. Whether she's sad or not, that's not my concern," Kazuki replied, maintaining his flat expression.
Rin looked annoyed by Kazuki's cold demeanor. "It seems what your mother said isn't entirely true. She must not know about this side of you..."
Kazuki was confused. "What do you mean?"
"Hah!!! How about I be your friend instead?" Rin offered.
"Do you really want to be my friend?!" Lena asked, her eyes sparkling.
"Of course! Besides, it looks like you really want to make friends," Rin replied with a smile.
Lena was touched. "I'm so happy that you want to be my friend." She held Rin's hands tightly, as if she didn't want to let go.
"Then, may I ask for your phone number?" Lena asked.
After they exchanged phone numbers, the atmosphere in the café became warm again. Kazuki observed Rin, thinking to himself, *Is this Rin's true nature? She seems so kind, but her kindness might lead to disappointment in the future. I hope she won't be discouraged by that...*
"Alright then, let's head home now," Kazuki said as he started to stand up and tidy his school uniform.
"Yes, you're right. We've been here too long," Rin agreed, and they both got up from their seats.
As they exited the café, the day had started to darken, and the night atmosphere replaced the warmth of the day. After that, they parted ways, and Kazuki glanced back, seeing Lena walking home.
"Kazuki: What kind of person is Lena really? I can't read her thoughts at all."
"Lena: Kazuki, she seems like a very interesting person. I can't figure out anything about her."
"Kazuki: What is this strange feeling?"
"Lena: What is this strange feeling?"
Kazuki and Rin walked side by side, the atmosphere between them feeling slightly different than usual.
"Hey Kazuki, why do you look like you dislike her? She seems beautiful and cute. Why are you being so cold? Besides, I think she really wants to be friends with you," Rin asked, curious about Kazuki's attitude.
"I'm not the type to be interested just because she's pretty. And you're being too nice to someone you just met. My advice is, don't be too nice to someone you just met," Kazuki replied, with his usual flat expression.
"Don't talk like that. I'm sure she's a good person," Rin defended, smiling cheerfully. "You know, sometimes we need to give people a chance to show who they really are."
"By the way, are you worried about me? Are you afraid she's one of them?"
Kazuki fell silent, staring at Rin's bright smiling face. He felt warmth within her that made him hesitate to reject her outright.
"You don't have to think like that. I don't sense any evil aura in her like those people. So I'm really sure she's not one of them. Although her behavior is a bit strange..."
"Don't think about that. Let's go home now!" Rin pulled Kazuki's hand, as if wanting to distract him from the doubts troubling his mind.
"What made you change, Rin? Where's the cold demeanor you always showed me? Have you changed because I helped you?"
"I can only say one thing. I'm not as good as you think. I'm very different from what's in your heart. So, please realize quickly that I'm very different from what's in your heart."
Kazuki could only look at Rin's smiling face, keeping his expression flat...
The two of them walked home, Rin holding his hand, her smile still adorning her lips. This moment felt sweet, even though in Kazuki's heart there was a sense of doubt that was hard to express.