Chapter 19
The day after Mizuho got brutally rejected.
I came to college thinking Mizuho might be feeling down, and was determined to treat her to ice cream on the way home.
But first thing in the morning, I learned my concern had been unnecessary.
"That's why it was a fateful encounter!!!"
"Mizuho, that's the fifth time today~"
"Aren't you telling the same story to everyone?"
Along with a few friends from our club, I was listening to Mizuho's lovestruck (?) story for who knew how many times today.
She'd been telling it to every different friend who came by since morning, so I'd already heard it countless times, having been there from the start.
"Man, fate really does exist! You never know what life has in store!"
"Yeah, yeah. But it's not like you're guaranteed to see him again, right?"
"No way, I'm going to look! I'm going on a quest for him across three thousand ri! I'll search anywhere, all the way to the other side of the world!"
"Mizuho, do you know how many meters are in one ri?"
"...Huh? ...About 100 meters?"
Mizuho stuck out her tongue playfully. Adorable.
Mizuho giggled, and the others laughed along with her.
Well, I'm glad she's feeling better.
Honestly, right after that confession, it was so painful I couldn't bear to watch. ...Though it was my fault for sneaking over to watch...
"Well, we're headed this way next! See ya~!"
"Later! Oh, let me know if you find my destined one!"
"With information that vague, there's no way to find him..."
Mizuho gave them a sharp salute, and her friends smiled awkwardly.
Mizuho and I had our next class in the same classroom.
We walked along the connecting corridor. The sunlight streaming through the windows felt nice.
Mizuho walked beside me in high spirits, humming.
"But I'm glad. This is the first time you've found someone you might actually fall for, isn't it, Mizuho?"
"Well, you are so right~. So this is what it means to fall in love, huh? Just kidding~!"
"Honestly..."
I'd heard the whole story more than enough times first thing this morning.
Apparently, she'd dropped a contact lens, and he helped her look for it, then returned it on a handkerchief.
A ring, maybe?
Honestly, if he was that kind, you'd think he'd already have a girlfriend or two...
But saying that to Mizuho in her current state would be pretty tactless.
"So, Watson..."
"Who's Watson?"
"Never mind that! Watson, I want you to help me find my destined one!"
"I don't mind... but even if he's a freshman at our university, there are about two thousand candidates, you know?"
According to Mizuho, the ballpoint pen he dropped was one distributed to this year's new students at our university, so he was probably a freshman.
I think we have a little over ten thousand new students... and our university has a few more guys, if I remember right, so maybe around two thousand.
Narrowing it down from there would be pretty tough.
On top of that, Mizuho had lost her contact and been crying, so she could barely remember what he looked like.
I felt like our social circles alone wouldn't be enough.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk... Once you give up, that's where the game ends, you know?"
"Why am I the one getting scolded here...?"
Mizuho looked completely confident.
Did she have some sort of plan?
"I'll remember as soon as I see him! He had slicked-back hair!"
"His hairstyle, huh..."
According to Mizuho, the boy had the kind of slicked-back hair held in place with gel.
I guess that is kind of unusual?
But it's not like he'd wear it like that every day...
"I'm going to return this handkerchief... and say, 'I'm the crane you saved back then! I've come to repay you!'"
"We're getting into folktales now~"
The handkerchief she was clutching so dearly was apparently something she'd borrowed from him. He'd told her she didn't need to return it, but Mizuho was determined to meet him and give it back.
Just then.
Ping.
A notification popped up on my phone.
Masato: "Yeah, that's true lol"
Masato: "Koiumi, think you'll be able to take third period with me today?"
Ah... right. Third period was a class I'd been taking with Masato lately.
Until now, I'd taken it with Masato, even though I felt bad for Mizuho... but...
(Until now, I'd kept my friends at a distance because Masato was so handsome I worried they'd fall for him... but Mizuho should be fine now, right?)
Needless to say, Mizuho, walking beside me in high spirits, was completely absorbed in that so-called destined person.
I'd felt bad that Masato didn't seem to have any college friends besides me... and this could be a good opportunity, couldn't it?
"Hey, Mizuho. If you don't mind... want to take the next class with Masato and me?"
"Huh? Really?! Man, I've been wanting to meet and talk to Koiumi's boo!"
"I told you he's not my boyfriend...! Don't say anything weird when you meet him, okay?"
"I won't, I promise~! I'll be your personal PR ambassador and tell him all your good points. Leave it to me!"
Mizuho thumped her chest.
It was even cuter because she had almost no chest at all.
"But why? What brought on this change of heart?"
"Well, Mizuho, you're totally into this destined person right now, aren't you? You need to be interested in someone else to be safe around Masato. He's so unbelievably handsome, you could fall for him after talking for thirty minutes!"
"...Love is blind, huh."
"Oh, are you making fun of me?"
Mizuho gave me a look like she was watching something adorable.
No, really, Masato is devastatingly charming. I don't know any other guy who's that perfect. The only one I can think of is the person I used to like—wait, that's not important.
"Don't worry. Right now, I'm busy searching for that destined one! I'll sing your praises to Masato-kun, so just go ahead and confess already."
"Ugh, that's none of your business!!"
I worried she might actually say something unnecessary. Was this going to be okay?
For now, I replied to Masato.
Koiumi: "Morning!"
Koiumi: "I can take it with you! My best friend has that class with us too, so if you're okay with it, want the three of us to take it together?"
Maybe because he was on campus, he replied before I'd even put my phone away.
Masato: "Oh, thanks! Definitely!"
It came with a sticker of a cat bowing politely.
It's unfair how cute Masato is even on social media...
"Masato says okay. Let's take third period together, then."
"Yay! I'll get to gaze upon the handsome one... namu namu..."
"Come on, seriously, don't mess around too much, okay?"
I'd be happy if the person I liked and my best friend got along, too.
I had a feeling college life was about to get even more fun!
♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢♦♢
Would you believe it? I get to meet the guy Koiumi's head over heels for!
Koiumi's so cautious. She was worried I'd accidentally fall for this Masato-kun, so she hadn't introduced us...
Well, it just shows how much she likes him. Yeah, yeah. That's a good thing!
But no worries! I'm busy gathering information right now!
You think it's hasty to conclude he's at the same university based on a ballpoint pen alone? Heh. Even so, as long as there's a clue, I won't give up!
I mean, wouldn't it be wonderful to see him again? Just thinking that is enough for me.
I took the handkerchief out of my pocket once more.
It had a simple navy-blue design, with red and black stripes at the corners.
I clenched it tightly.
Someday, someday, I'll return this handkerchief to him. And then I'll tell him how I feel.
"Oh, there are still plenty of seats. Let's save three."
"Roger that!"
I carefully folded the handkerchief and put it away in my bag.
Koiumi and I secured seats at the back of the classroom.
Claiming seats at college is survival of the fittest... Sorry, everyone still eating lunch... Reality is cruel. Sob...
"Masato should be here soon, so I'm going to meet him outside the classroom."
"Aye aye! Off you go!"
I watched Koiumi leave the classroom, then took out the ballpoint pen.
"Could he not be a freshman?"
This design was only first distributed this year, as far as I knew.
So most of the people who had one were probably freshmen, but if you went to the buildings where faculty and staff worked, it didn't seem impossible to get one.
So he could be one or two years older... or maybe three?
He seemed older, too.
Well, to be honest, his age didn't matter.
I thought back to what happened then.
'Excuse me! I'm looking for my contact lens!'
'Sure. Be careful.'
'Oh, you don't have to return this handkerchief. Bye!'
I remembered that dazzling smile.
(He was so cool...)
Anyone would've fallen for him after something like that.
I couldn't see his face very well, but I didn't care about his face anymore.
After experiencing that kindness and smile, his looks didn't matter.
(I wish I'd been able to etch his face into my memory... sob...)
I slumped over the desk.
If I hadn't been crying... no, but then I wouldn't have lost my contact... or something.
Just thinking about it made my heart flutter.
(Yeah. I really do want to see him properly one more time. Thank him, and then...)
What would I do if I saw him?
If I said I liked him right away, he'd probably think I was suspicious...
Start as friends? That would make it seem like I had ulterior motives.
More than anything, I wanted to thank him.
To tell him, 'Thanks to you, I was saved from rock bottom.'
...Maybe that's a little heavy?
But that's how grateful I am... and I really admire him.
So I hope he'll forgive me if I'm just a little intense.
"Hehehe..."
This is bad. I might be making a really goofy face.
It'd be so sad if Koiumi's 'favorite' thought I was weird when I met him!
Maybe he could even help me find my destined one through the guys' network... First impressions are important!
About ten minutes before class started.
Koiumi came into the classroom. A boy was behind her.
Aww, Koiumi's got the full lovestruck-girl look on her face. And he really does seem handsome...? He's pretty tall, too.
The girls around the classroom turned to look when he walked in.
No wonder Koiumi was worried.
Before long, Koiumi and the boy reached where I was sitting.
"Okay! So, this is my best friend, Tonosaki Mizuho! And this is, um... my, my friend, Katari Masato!"
From behind Koiumi,
the handsome guy popped his head out.
"Hi! I've heard about you from Koiumi now and then. Nice to meet you!"
...Huh?