We reached the school, continuing to chat about various little things.
The conversation jumped from one topic to another by itself.
Mio talked about her latest training sessions.
Ayaka occasionally teased her.
Yuki sometimes quietly added something, but almost immediately fell silent in embarrassment.
Hayato somehow managed to keep the conversation going with everyone at once.
I involuntarily watched from the side.
“Interesting…”
All this time, the girls kept trying to attract exactly his attention.
Mio laughed the loudest at his jokes.
Ayaka constantly made sarcastic remarks, but addressed him first.
Even Amano-san…
Whenever she decided to say something, she first looked exactly at Sakurai-san.
And only then at the others.
And that’s precisely why small jabs occasionally appeared between the girls.
Like today.
Ayaka teased Yuki for her love of anime.
Mio teased Ayaka back.
Yuki just…
Smiled awkwardly.
She was completely unable to argue.
And almost always lost such verbal exchanges.
“So far…”
“Everything is going almost exactly like in the game.”
We stopped by the lockers.
I habitually inserted the key.
Click.
The door opened.
And in the next second, a stack of envelopes literally spilled out of the locker.
Some fell at my feet.
Several scattered across the floor.
Silence hung.
Mio was the first to widen her eyes.
“Wow…”
Hayato looked first at the letters, then at me in surprise.
“All this… for you?”
I calmly picked up a few envelopes.
“Looks like it.”
Yuki quietly gasped.
“There are… so many of them…”
Even Ayaka looked genuinely surprised.
“How many are there…”
At that moment, footsteps sounded from the direction of the stairs.
“Good morning, everyone.”
Rin approached us.
She smiled at the group, then noticed the scattered letters.
Surprise immediately appeared on her face.
“Wow…”
She picked up one of the envelopes.
“Kurisaki-kun.
It seems you get even more letters than we girls usually get.”
Mio quietly whistled.
“This is already some kind of record…”
I just shrugged.
“The quantity doesn’t change anything.”
Rin looked at me questioningly.
“What do you mean?”
I calmly gathered the last envelopes and put them back in the locker.
“I still won’t be able to reciprocate these girls’ feelings.”
Hayato tilted his head in surprise.
“You won’t even read them?”
I shook my head.
“I will read them.
But I won’t give them false hope.
A person’s feelings are not a toy.
If I can’t reciprocate, it’s better to refuse right away.
Than to make someone wait.”
Silence fell for a few seconds.
Mio was the first to break it.
“Hm…
I didn’t expect to hear something like that from you.”
Ayaka smirked.
“And I thought jocks in general don’t know how to think.
It turns out sometimes they do.”
“Hey.”
Mio immediately elbowed her.
“That was actually a compliment.”
“Hmph.”
Rin only smiled softly.
“That’s a very mature approach, Kurisaki-kun.”
I shrugged.
“I just don’t want to hurt people.”
Yuki had been silent all this time.
She was looking at the closed locker.
And then…
She smiled almost imperceptibly.
The first lesson flew by unnoticed.
Honestly…
I expected that after so many years it would be difficult to sit at a school desk again.
But Kurisaki’s body memory turned out to be impressively good.
The moment the teacher started explaining a new topic, the information literally organized itself on the shelves.
I remembered most of the material even before the teacher finished the sentence.
“Not a bad head.”
“Lucky…”
The bell rang.
The whole class immediately came to life.
Someone took out their phone.
Someone ran into the corridor.
I calmly left the classroom.
As expected…
A familiar group was already gathering in the center of the corridor.
Hayato stood by the window.
Mio approached him first.
Rin appeared almost immediately.
Ayaka followed.
Amano-san was here too.
But…
As usual, she stood a little to the side.
Every time the other girls gathered, she seemed to be gently pushed back.
Not on purpose.
Just…
Mio spoke the loudest.
Rin easily supported the conversation.
Ayaka constantly made sarcastic remarks.
And while they were talking…
Amano-san gradually ended up farther and farther from Sakurai-san.
“Again…”
I calmly approached the group.
Mio noticed me first.
“Oh, Kurisaki-kun!”
I nodded in response.
Then, without unnecessary words, I took one more step.
I lightly touched Amano-san’s elbow.
She looked at me in surprise.
I gently pushed her forward.
I myself took a place between Mio and Ayaka, as if it was completely natural.
No one even had time to say anything.
Now Amano-san was standing almost next to Hayato.
I shifted my gaze to him.
“Sakurai-san.
You play Fate/Grand Order with Sakamoto-san and Amano-san together, if I’m not mistaken?”
Yuki’s eyes immediately lit up.
“Y-Yes?”
Hayato smiled widely.
“Of course!
You play too?”
I nodded calmly.
“Sometimes.”
Rin also looked at me in surprise.
“I didn’t expect that.
I thought you were more into sports.”
“One doesn’t interfere with the other.”
Yuki finally grew bolder.
“Have you… completed the latest chapter?”
Hayato immediately perked up.
“Of course!
The final battle turned out to be much more difficult than I expected.”
Yuki nodded joyfully.
“Especially if you didn’t have the right Servant…
It took me almost an hour…”
They started discussing tactics, favorite characters, and the latest game events.
Rin occasionally added her comments.
It was clear that she played much more calmly.
More for pleasure.
Mio shifted her gaze from one to the other.
Then she pouted in displeasure.
“I don’t understand anything at all…”
Ayaka also crossed her arms over her chest.
“What Servants?
What are they even talking about?”
I took out my phone.
“Then it’s easier to show once.”
Mio looked at me in surprise.
“Are you serious?”
“Of course.
The game is free.
Try it.”
A minute later, both were already downloading the app.
Hayato was distracted for a second.
“First, choose a starting character…”
I smiled slightly.
“Don’t rush.
At the beginning, the main thing is to just complete the tutorial.
Don’t spend all your currency at once.
And don’t try to get everyone in a row.
It’s better to save up for a truly strong banner.”
Mio listened attentively.
“Ah…
So first save up?”
“Exactly.”
Ayaka also nodded silently.
“Got it…”
Meanwhile, Hayato and Yuki enthusiastically returned to discussing the latest update.
Yuki was laughing.
Quietly, of course.
But she was laughing.
And for the first time all morning, she didn’t have to fight for the opportunity to say at least a word.
I smiled imperceptibly.
“This is much better.”
“Sometimes it’s enough to just…”
“Slightly change the arrangement of people.”
The second break passed noticeably calmer.
This time I deliberately didn’t steer the conversation toward anime, manga, or games.
The topics changed one after another.
Someone discussed the test.
Then the school festival.
Then the conversation unexpectedly turned to new cafes near the station.
Amano-san tried to say something several times.
I noticed it.
She took a small breath.
Opened her mouth.
But…
While she was gathering her thoughts, Mio had already started a new topic.
Or Ayaka inserted another sarcastic remark.
Or Rin calmly continued the conversation.
No one tried to interrupt her.
Just…
She didn’t have time to join the conversation.
As a result, Amano-san once again just smiled quietly and listened to the others.
“I see…”
“She doesn’t lack attention.
But confidence.”
The bell for the last break rang.
Rin was the first to look in my direction.
“Kurisaki-kun.
Don’t forget.
We have filming after school today.”
I nodded.
“I won’t forget.
I think everything will go without problems.
Especially since the company belongs to your family.”
Everyone immediately looked at Rin.
Ayaka immediately narrowed her eyes.
“I knew it!”
She pointed her finger at Rin.
“You’re using family connections!”
Mio immediately picked it up.
“There they are…
Rich people.
Handing out advertising with one phone call.”
Rin just sighed heavily.
Then she looked at me.
Her gaze read:
“This is your doing.”
I smiled almost imperceptibly.
“Sorry.
I couldn’t resist.”
She shook her head.
A smile appeared on her lips.
“It seems…
Before the next filming, we’ll have to add a new clause to the contract.”
I made a surprised face.
“What clause?”
“Before starting work, Kurisaki-kun is required to run a marathon.
So he doesn’t joke about the client.”
I immediately folded my hands together.
“Boss…
Just not that.
Don’t take away my last money.”
This time the whole group burst out laughing.
Even Rin couldn’t hold back.
And it was at that moment that Hayato slapped his forehead.
“By the way!
We’re going to the mall after school today.”
He looked at the girls.
“Is everyone coming?”
“Of course!” Mio answered first.
“I decided this morning that I’d buy new sneakers.”
Ayaka shrugged theatrically.
“I need a few things too.”
Rin smiled guiltily.
“Sorry…
I won’t be able to today.
We already have filming scheduled.”
Ayaka dramatically spread her hands.
“Well, perfect!”
She smirked.
“That means today ordinary mortals can finally calmly walk around normal stores.”
Mio laughed even louder.
“Without boutiques where the price tags are scarier than our PE teacher!”
“Hey!” Rin protested, laughing along with everyone. “I never drag you there!”
“Of course, of course,” Ayaka replied with a smile. “We just somehow miraculously end up there every time.”
The group laughed together again.
I, on the other hand, glanced sideways at Amano-san.
She was also smiling quietly.
But, as always…
She didn’t say anything.