Public trains are a feature of the nation of Neon, often associated with unseemly words, suffocating crowds, and endless noise.
But this impression mostly comes from movie needs or unconscious exaggeration in rumors.
Under the massive, bloated rail network, except for peak commute times for salarymen, truly crowded carriages are rarer than imagined.
At least, the one Reina and the others were on wasn't like that.
It was only afternoon, and the train was almost empty.
It took a moment to recover from the awkwardness; by the time Reina jogged into the carriage, the doors hissed shut behind her.
She grabbed a handrail to steady herself, looked up, and saw that familiar face, as quiet as snow.
She didn't think of "stalking" like the bullet chat did.
Reina just thought, what a coincidence.
...Just as rumors are mentioned, the shadow is cast right then.
She complained silently to herself.
But this was fine too.
An apology in person is more sincere than text on a screen.
Just... how should she start?
The train swayed steadily.
Reina's gaze fell on her clenched fingers on her lap, then moved to her blurred reflection in the window, then away again.
She opened her mouth, then closed it.
Her hesitation was too obvious, like a flying insect testing a closed window but never finding the entrance.
[Still fumbling over how to apologize?]
[Silly kid, run!]
...Is that right?
Rin caught the translucent subtitles at the edge of her vision and curled her lip slightly in her mind.
She didn't remember doing anything out of line to Reina; why did these viewers see her as a dangerous presence to be wary of?
But she didn't dwell on it.
Her attention remained quietly on the pink-haired girl beside her, who was looking down and twisting her bag strap again.
Thinking about how to start?
This guess, supported by keywords like "apology" and "silly kid" in the bullet chat, required little reasoning to confirm.
The other's conflicted posture, practically screaming "I have something on my mind," was just too obvious.
So obvious that even Rin felt a bit anxious for her.
Looking at her, she probably wouldn't think of a proper, natural way to apologize anytime soon.
Based on her understanding of Reina, she'd likely keep it in her heart, chewing on it over and over, overthinking and self-torturing.
Then, at the most inappropriate moment, like in class next week, she'd suddenly shout "I'm sorry" at a volume that would shock the whole class.
...Better let me give her a hand.
"How's it going?"
So, Rin turned her head, her azure eyes calmly looking at Reina, who was still wrestling with herself, breaking the brief silence.
"Ah! I'm sorry—"
Reina blurted out almost reflexively, her voice sounding particularly abrupt in the quiet carriage.
Startled by her own overreaction, she quickly lowered her voice and stammered, "Uh, no... I mean, it's nothing!"
"?"
Rin blinked and pointed a confused index finger at herself.
The movement was small, carrying a silent question: "Are you talking to me?"
Slap.
Reina looked despairing, lightly slapping her own unreliable mouth with her palm.
It's over, completely over... I'm going to be seen as a weirdo with a broken brain...
[LOL, baited the ult with a basic attack.]
[Couldn't hold it in, classic slip of the tongue. Does blurting out your inner thoughts when startled really happen in real life?]
[Maybe? Anyway, I usually just use the National Essence.]
...Is the pressure that high?
Rin felt a hint of amusement.
Similar to the viewers in the bullet chat, she also felt a sense of "this girl is really..." helplessness.
However, she didn't let any of that emotion show on her face.
She just kept her head tilted, the confusion in her clear azure eyes seemingly deepening a bit.
"..."
Seeing Rin completely out of the loop yet waiting for an explanation because she was so calm, Reina suddenly felt a strong urge to vanish from the train instantly.
She felt she was perfectly suited for a diving competition with fish—just keep diving until no one could see her.
But unfortunately, her feet were nailed to the train floor.
Since it's come to this... I might as well just say it.
Clap.
A crisp sound of palms joining rang out between the two.
Reina bowed her head sharply, her pink hair sliding down to hide her blushing cheeks.
Her tone was more nervous than ever, carrying a desperate resolve and a sincere prayer for forgiveness.
"I'm very sorry! For certain reasons... I lied at noon and refused to go to the cafeteria with you... Actually, my family didn't prepare a bento for me at all today!"
Perhaps because she was too excited, or perhaps she wanted to use a louder volume to suppress that sense of shame, Reina almost shouted those words.
The voice echoed in the relatively empty carriage, causing several nearby passengers to look over.
Reina stayed in her bowing position, not even daring to look at Rin's expression.
So embarrassing.
If there were a crack in the ground just big enough for one person, she'd move in right now and stay until retirement.
However...
After saying it, she did feel much lighter.
Like a heavy stone had been moved from her heart.
But that wasn't the point...
She kept her hands joined, her fingertips trembling slightly from nervousness.
The point was... how would Rin respond?
Would she find it inexplicable? Or think she really was weird? Or maybe she didn't care about noon at all, and Reina was making a mountain out of a molehill?
Reina carefully lifted her eyelids.
"Is that what it's about?"
Rin's voice sounded calm, with a hint of indifference, then she fell silent for a moment as if recalling some trivial matter.
"It's okay." She said those three words softly, as if stating a long-concluded fact.
"If it were me, I would have done the same."
"Eh?"
Reina looked up sharply, staring at Rin in shock.
The other's expression was still calm, showing no deliberate comfort or polite pretense.
"I mean."
Rin paused for half a beat, her emotionless eyes looking at Reina, then used the exact same words Reina had just said to brush it off:
"It's nothing."
"..."