[Yare yare, school again. It was fine at first, but little by little, I've slowly started not wanting to go.]
"Saiki-kun, good morning!" Just like always, Shiraishi was waiting in that same spot and greeted him.
[Good morning.]
Unknowingly, bit by bit, Saiki had grown used to walking to school with Shiraishi, used to this routine.
"How was Golden Week for you?"
[Just stayed home like usual.]
"So, did you read that 'Sword and Magic' book I lent you, Saiki-kun? What did you think?"
[It was okay. Definitely the kind of thing you'd like.]
Since he had nothing better to do, Saiki had read the 'Sword and Magic' that Shiraishi recommended during Golden Week. Although he had already finished reading it once, the later parts had actually been spoiled for him through telepathy by other people in the bookstore, so it wasn't as enjoyable.
"Ah! What a coincidence, Saiki-kun, Shiraishi-kun."
Kubo Nagisa suddenly poked her head out and greeted them.
"Good morning." Shiraishi, startled at first, quickly returned the greeting once he recovered.
[Good morning.]
"Wow, what a coincidence running into you again. Then let's walk to school together!"
Kubo Nagisa clapped her hands and tilted her head.
A coincidence? Saiki didn't think so. Last time at the bookstore, Kubo Nagisa had used the excuse of wanting to borrow a book, followed him home without knowing where he lived, then used the excuse of being "on the way" to come in and drink several cups of tea before finally leaving.
Kubo Nagisa [As expected, he didn't notice.]
(Notice what? Don't tell me it's perfume or something?)
Kubo Nagisa [Well, whatever. Leaving ten minutes earlier today really makes a difference.]
(Ah, I can guess. Someone has done this before.)
After that, the three of them walked toward school. Along the way, Shiraishi looked at Saiki and couldn't help but think to himself.
Shiraishi [I never thought I'd gradually get used to going to school with someone. Ever since elementary school, I've always gone alone.
Even though it's probably because of Kubo-san, but going to school with others really feels completely different from going alone. Well, not that it changes anything major.]
(Yare yare, what's so bad about going to school alone? I used to do it all the time.)
"Sorry, Saiki-kun, I'm going to buy some breakfast." Shiraishi pointed at the convenience store ahead.
[You'll be fine on your own? Want me to come with you?]
"It's okay, I'll be quick." With that, Shiraishi headed over.
"I'm a little worried about Shiraishi-kun going alone," Kubo Nagisa said while watching him walk into the convenience store.
"There's still some time. Shall we sit and chat for a bit, Saiki-kun?"
[Where?]
"Right here is fine." Kubo Nagisa patted the seat beside her on what looked like a very classic "fate bench."
"Saiki-kun, aren't you going to sit?"
Saiki glanced in Shiraishi's direction, then sat down.
The atmosphere became very quiet. Neither of them spoke.
Just as Saiki was starting to enjoy the peace and quiet, Kubo Nagisa finally spoke up: "Saiki-kun, did you finish reading the book Shiraishi-kun lent you last time?"
[I finished it. It was pretty interesting.]
(If it hadn't been spoiled.)
"Ah, then after school, can I come over to your place for tea—cough cough, to borrow a book?"
(What were you about to say just now?)
[Forget it. Exams are coming up. Let's wait until after the exams to borrow anything.]
"Ehh, come on! It's no big deal! My grades are really good, you know."
[Better than mine?]
Kubo Nagisa: ...
"Saiki-kun is bullying me ᵟຶᴖ ᵟຶ"
"Saiki-kun, do you usually like eating sweets?"
[They're okay, I guess. Nothing special.] Saiki answered insincerely.
"Eh? Really?" Kubo Nagisa gave him a half-smiling, half-knowing look. [Saiki-kun is lying again. Last time I clearly saw him eating sweets with a blissful look on his face.]
Saiki gave Kubo Nagisa a complicated glance. (Yare yare, since you already know, there's no need to ask me.)
She stretched lazily. "Mmm~ Getting up early really does bring good things."
(This can't really be called a good thing.)
"Nagisa, good morning!"
"Kubo, Yozuki, good morning!"
Kubo Nagisa turned around and saw her two close friends, so she greeted them back. "Good morning."
Taira Tamao was panting. "Seriously, I put my socks on inside-out. This is so embarrassing."
Then she noticed Saiki was there too. "No way, Saiki-kun, you're here too?"
[Hello.]
Taira Tamao covered her face. [This is way too embarrassing. The embarrassment of saying something embarrassing out loud just got witnessed by someone else.]
Kubo Nagisa tilted her head toward Saiki. "We usually meet up here every morning."
Kudo Yozuki looked at Kubo Nagisa and Saiki. "That's unexpected. Kubo, you actually got up this early? And you're the first one here. Don't tell me you made plans with Saiki-kun?"
Kubo Nagisa quickly stood up and explained: "No, no! We just… ran into each other by chance, right, Saiki-kun?"
[That's not wrong. I was walking to school with Shiraishi and just happened to "run into" Kubo-san.]
"Shiraishi?" Kudo Yozuki and Taira Tamao looked left and right, searching for someone.
"Where is he?"
Shiraishi quietly and weakly raised his hand from behind them. "Hello!"
Taira Tamao jumped in surprise. "No way, Shiraishi-kun, when did you get behind us?"
"Just now."
[You finished buying everything? Then let's go.]
Saiki stood up and started walking toward school.
"Oh, okay." Shiraishi hurried to catch up.
The three girls watched their backs for a while before Kudo Yozuki spoke: "It's kind of amazing that Saiki-kun can find Shiraishi-kun. But it seems like they walk to school together a lot."
Kubo Nagisa: "Yeah."
Taira Tamao smiled and said: "Today's luck might be pretty good. Even though it's because of Saiki-kun that we found Shiraishi-kun, should we go draw a card?"
"Kubo, you and Shiraishi are like geniuses. You can find him so easily, just like Saiki-kun."
Kubo Nagisa shook her head. "Even if I don't look for where Shiraishi-kun is, as long as I pay attention to Saiki-kun, I can easily find him. After all, he's always paying attention to Shiraishi-kun."
Kudo Yozuki covered her mouth and giggled lightly: "So in other words, our Kubo has been paying attention to Saiki-kun all along."
"You… what are you saying?"
...
Shiraishi [Even though I occasionally get to walk to school with others, my daily life won't really change. No one will come looking for me, I won't easily make eye contact with others, and no one will really notice me.]
(Your way of thinking is still so tragic, Shiraishi.)
Shiraishi [Another day just like this ends.]
Shiraishi was walking home when a passerby coming the opposite way didn't notice him at all. He stepped to the side to let them pass.
Shiraishi [Same as always…]
Then a car drove by on the side of the road. It passed right through a puddle in front of Shiraishi, sending a huge splash of water flying toward him.
Shiraishi [Seems a little different today.]
Splash!!
[Yare yare, what are you doing?]
Saiki grabbed Shiraishi and pulled him out of the way, avoiding the splash completely.
"Thank you, Saiki-kun." Once he realized what happened, Shiraishi thanked him.
Shiraishi [Ever since I met him, Saiki-kun is clearly someone who doesn't notice me very often like normal people do, but he's completely different. He can show up at the exact right moment to help me.]
(Yare yare, I'm just a normal person too, okay.)