***
After the results were announced, seeing Kanzaki Sou’s rather rare expression in the Library at noon inexplicably lifted Xiao Chun Miura’s mood.
This feeling lasted throughout the entire afternoon, all the way until the end of the school day.
“……Ah, it’s here.”
After finishing her Library Committee work and saying goodbye to Kanzaki Sou, Xiao Chun Miura took out her phone at the entrance of the Library and saw a message pop up from LIME.
“I sent you the shop name and location! Let’s meet at the School Gate!”
The message came with a lively profile picture, and the tone was so cheerful it felt like she could see the sender’s face.
It was from Yui Hori, her classmate who had added her account earlier.
By the time Xiao Chun Miura arrived at the School Gate, Yui Hori, with her crisp short hair, and two other classmates—whose faces seemed familiar but whose names she couldn’t recall—were already there.
The group of girls were chatting and laughing, their voices spilling over with phrases like “Eh, really?”, “No way, that’s tough~”, “I also heard—”.
Their conversation was so loud that Xiao Chun Miura could hear them from over ten meters away.
Naturally, a few other students nearby also glanced over at the lively group from time to time.
Noticing these gazes, Xiao Chun Miura’s steps slowed as she walked toward them.
She realized just how conspicuous they were.
Being introverted by nature, Xiao Chun Miura felt a bit uneasy.
But at this point, it was too late to change her mind.
“——Ah, Xiao Chun’s here, Xiao Chun!”
As soon as Xiao Chun Miura appeared, Yui Hori—who had been happily chatting away—immediately waved at her.
——Not good.
“……”
Once she was called over, there was no excuse to leave.
Xiao Chun Miura had no choice but to brace herself and walk up to them.
“Um, sorry… Did I keep everyone waiting?”
After joining the group, Xiao Chun Miura apologized a bit awkwardly.
“It’s fine, we didn’t wait long.”
Yui Hori replied generously, and the other two girls nodded as well.
“Let’s head out then!”
“Ah, yeah, okay.”
Yui Hori’s enthusiasm was impossible to resist.
Xiao Chun Miura was swept up by their energy, with no room to turn back.
……As expected of the most popular person in the class.
She could set the mood anywhere she went.
As she walked through the streets with the girls toward their destination, Xiao Chun Miura couldn’t help but think so.
The place they went to with Yui Hori and the others was a Crepe Shop on the commercial street near School that had recently become popular.
After sitting down in the shop together, Yui Hori pushed the menu toward Xiao Chun Miura.
“Take a look and see what you want to eat! The Strawberry Cream and Chocolate Banana here are their specialties!”
Not only did she ask Xiao Chun Miura what she wanted first, but along the way, Yui Hori and the other girls had also taken good care of her.
Xiao Chun Miura could feel that they were genuinely being friendly.
“Then… I’ll have the Chocolate Banana.”
With that, she relaxed a little.
Her original intention had been to “try experiencing a typical high school girl’s social life” so she could act more naturally around Kanzaki Sou as just another girl her age.
So when she accepted Yui Hori’s invitation before, it wasn’t just a spur-of-the-moment reaction to kindness.
Now, though, she was truly feeling the warmth of their friendliness.
……Since she was out with them, she might as well go with the flow.
Thinking this, Xiao Chun Miura let her shoulders drop as she placed her order.
Soon, Yui Hori and the other two girls also chose their desserts.
Once the server took the menu away, the girls in their matching school uniforms started laughing and chatting again.
The air was filled with the sweet aroma of desserts and the bright, carefree laughter of youth.
Xiao Chun Miura also found herself talking and laughing comfortably in this atmosphere.
……This was the first time since coming to this world that Xiao Chun Miura had truly socialized as a high school girl with other girls after school.
Before, she’d only exchanged a few words in the classroom about school topics.
In truth, Xiao Chun Miura didn’t know what girls like Yui Hori usually talked about with friends, nor did she know what “Xiao Chun Miura” would talk about in other people’s eyes.
So at first, Xiao Chun Miura was a little stiff.
She didn’t know what to say, so she nibbled on her crepe while listening to their conversation.
But gradually, she realized that their topics weren’t so different from those she used to hear among high school students.
They complained about midterm grades, imitated teachers’ catchphrases and quirks, and even talked about anime, manga, and idols.
Bit by bit, Xiao Chun Miura joined in.
If these were the topics, she could take part, too.
Thinking that, Xiao Chun Miura took the first step—and it went well.
The girls listened to her earnestly, agreed with her opinions, and laughed together when she made a joke.
Everything was so real and vivid that Xiao Chun Miura felt a little dazed.
“Speaking of which, Xiao Chun,”
As the group moved on to gossip about things they’d heard around School lately, Yui Hori suddenly turned the conversation toward Xiao Chun Miura.
“——How are things going with Kanzaki-kun these days?”
A gossipy smile spread across the short-haired girl’s face.
“Pfft—cough cough!?”
Xiao Chun Miura had just taken a bite of cream when the direct question nearly made her choke.
“Ah, slow down!”
The girl to her right quickly handed her a glass of water and gently patted her back.
But she didn’t let the topic go, teasing Xiao Chun Miura as she spoke.
“Yui, honestly, that was so straightforward.”
“Eh~ I don’t think so——”
Yui Hori seemed quite confident, as if she had evidence to back up her claim.
“Xiao Chun definitely knows best herself!”
With that, Yui Hori looked at Xiao Chun Miura, whose expression had turned complicated.
“The things between you two have already spread far just from what we’ve heard!”
“Come on, are you two always sitting together in the Study Group?”
“Cough… cough um——n-no, it’s not like that…”
Still struggling to recover from her coughing fit, Xiao Chun Miura’s cheeks turned bright red.
“It’s just… sometimes we ask each other questions…”
“‘Sometimes’?”
Another girl exaggerated, imitating her.
“Ah, sometimes~”
“We heard from Class 2 that Kanzaki-kun is super patient when explaining things to you!”
“Also, during the Study Group, didn’t Kondo Haruka from Class 1 keep staring at you two the whole time…?”
“Is it a battlefield of love? If so, please let us watch the scene unfold!”
“And, and——”
“……”
Bombarded by rapid-fire questions from her left, right, and center, Xiao Chun Miura was completely stunned.
How do they know so much?
Although there were a few small inaccuracies, most of it was true…
The information network of high school girls is terrifying!