Amaya Yuu had to admire his mother’s eye for choosing gifts.
The steak, pan-seared in premium olive oil from Shodoshima, was incredibly fragrant, and the exceptional quality of the meat itself almost made him want to swallow the plate along with it.
“Of course, the chef’s skill is also crucial!” He was clearly very proud of himself for being able to prepare such a perfect meal.
Misumi Uika was also very satisfied with the steak, and her relaxed, contented expression after the meal was the most vivid and beautiful look he had seen since meeting her.
Seeing Amaya Yuu get up to clear the table, Misumi Uika quickly spoke up, “Please leave the kitchen cleaning to me.”
“It’s fine, it’s no trouble at all.” Amaya Yuu didn’t think much of it and continued walking toward the kitchen with the plates.
However, as he passed by her, he felt his shirt hem being tugged gently.
Looking back, he saw Misumi Uika pinching the hem of his T-shirt with her fingers.
“Please, let me do it!” She said with a firm tone, as if it were a non-negotiable matter of principle.
“You have already done so much for me tonight; please let me handle this small task!”
“O-okay then.” Amaya Yuu had no choice but to put the plates down.
Suddenly having nothing to do left him feeling a bit at a loss in the room.
Late at night, the two of them were alone in the room, and the atmosphere became subtly awkward.
Amaya Yuu gave a light cough and said, “Well…
if there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.”
Misumi Uika stood in front of the sink, slightly stunned, only then realizing her previous behavior, and her cheeks couldn’t help but flush slightly.
She walked Amaya Yuu to the door, and for a moment, they were silent, with a faint sense of awkwardness lingering in the air.
Amaya Yuu stepped outside, turned around, pressed his palms together, and said sincerely, “I’m sorry for the intrusion tonight.
I didn’t expect this gift to cause you trouble instead.”
Misumi Uika shook her head quickly.
“I should be the one thanking Amaya-kun for the meal; this is the most delicious dinner I’ve had in a long time.”
As she finished speaking, both of them bowed slightly in unison.
Discovering that their movements were so synchronized, Misumi Uika couldn’t help but cover her mouth and chuckle, “Amaya-kun really is ‘polite’ indeed.”
Hearing Uika’s slightly teasing tone, Amaya Yuu waved his hands in embarrassment.
“Thanks for having me, I’ll head back now.
Good night!”
“Good night!”
He turned to leave, but after taking just two steps, he heard Misumi Uika’s slightly hurried voice from behind, “Wait!”
Amaya Yuu turned back to see Misumi Uika pursing her lips slightly, and after a moment of hesitation, she asked softly, “Are we…
considered friends now?”
“Of course!” Amaya Yuu smiled.
“I look forward to your continued friendship.”
“I look forward to yours as well!” Misumi Uika’s voice carried a clear sense of excitement.
Just as he turned away again, he suddenly remembered something.
“Oh no!
I almost forgot to test that skill!”
He hurriedly turned back, and while Misumi Uika hadn’t fully closed the door yet, he silently recited in his heart, “Insight!”
A translucent panel instantly unfolded before his eyes:
『Character: Misumi Uika』
『Charm: 10 (Appearance-oriented)』
『Intelligence: 6』
『Constitution: 6』
『Strength: 6』
『Status: Feeling ongoing distress over her own background.
』
“Ten, ten points of Charm?!” Amaya Yuu gasped at the number on the panel.
“This is practically a goddess descending to the mortal world…
Oh my god, Lady Uika.”
He had thought his own Charm stat of 8 was high enough; at least until meeting Misumi Uika, there hadn’t been anyone in reality who could rival his looks.
“As expected of Tokyo, the big city is full of hidden talents…
but what does the text in parentheses behind the Charm stat mean?”
Unable to figure it out and having no hints or tutorials, Amaya Yuu decided not to dwell on it.
Back at home, Amaya Yuu discovered that the 『Task』 module seemed to be accessible, so he quickly pulled it up.
『Task: The Beautiful Girl with Perfect Looks and Layers of Mystery』
『Task Duration: Three Months』
『Task Content: Investigate Misumi Uika’s background.
』
『Task Reward: 1 Attribute Point, Guitar Playing Technique (Master), Vocal Technique (Master)』
The generous rewards made his breath hitch.
However, this task didn’t look like the type that could be easily completed; digging into someone’s background in three months—what a joke!
He wasn’t some big shot with far-reaching connections.
“Forget it, I’d better just wash up and go to sleep; I have to report to the new school tomorrow morning.”
This apartment had a small loft above the living room, a design Amaya Yuu was very fond of.
He didn’t choose the master bedroom; instead, he set up his bed in the loft, feeling it offered more of a sense of security.
Lying on the bed in the loft, he stared at the ceiling and began to drift off to sleep but suddenly remembered something and slapped his forehead in frustration, as if he had lost ten million yen.
“Ah—!
I knew I forgot something!
I actually forgot to drink soda while eating steak!”
Amaya Yuu secretly vowed to the dim ceiling: from now on, whenever he ate steak, it had to be paired with soda, and it definitely had to be the kind in the red can!
With such chaotic thoughts, he slowly drifted into dreamland.
The next day, urged by his alarm clock, Amaya Yuu immediately left his bed; he didn’t have the habit of sleeping in.
“The first step to becoming a Kamen Rider is to stop sleeping in!” That was how he admonished himself, which was why he never slept in.
Of course, he had also never watched Kamen Rider.
Back in elementary school, he heard this phrase from a classmate and thought it was cool, so he fabricated his own version and had stuck with it ever since, which made him feel even cooler.
Amaya Yuu liked to take a shower after waking up in the morning; it kept him energized for the whole day.
He walked into the bathroom and took a quick, efficient shower; the whole process usually took no more than five minutes, like completing an established routine.
Afterward, he used a towel to dry his hair until it was damp but not dripping, then skillfully put on a white shirt in front of the mirror, tied his tie, slipped on his new, standard suit jacket, and finally, from top to bottom, carefully buttoned every button that needed to be fastened.
Amaya Yuu let out a long yawn and walked out the door carrying his school bag.
He really disliked yawning in the morning, but it was, after all, a physiological human reaction that simply couldn’t be overcome by being a “Kamen Rider.”
Today’s morning was calm; there was no “fated encounter” in the hallway like yesterday, and he smoothly boarded the train, finally arriving near the school after a half-hour shaky and crowded commute.
Amaya Yuu walked toward the campus along the path at a leisurely pace.
The school gate was crowded with students who had just gotten off the train, streaming into the school in groups of twos and threes while chatting and laughing, brimming with the unique vitality of a school morning.
The morning sun was brilliant, passing through the branches and leaves of the cherry trees by the school gate, casting fine, dancing spots of light on the path and illuminating the clear school name beside the gate:
Haneoka Academy!