The Energetic College Girl Is Introduced

Summer is finally arriving, and lately the heat has been waking me up more and more often.

As usual, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, lazily wolfed down a late breakfast-slash-lunch, and got ready to head to campus.

I have class with Koiumi during third period today, so I should get there early.

I feel bad making her save me a seat every time.

Just as I was stuffing my things into my bag, the doorbell suddenly rang.

"Hey, is Masato home?"

Oh, it's Aika-san.

Aika-san has been like a guardian to me for quite some time now.

She even makes dinner for me sometimes, and I still can't thank her enough.

"Coming! Good morning!"

"Oh, morning. Looks like some stuff came from the facility you used to live at. Here. Everything in this box is yours."

"Oh, thanks a lot."

Honestly, I don't know what kind of life the version of me in this world had lived up until now.

I guess the me from my old world and the me from this one somehow switched places... or something. I'm no good with sci-fi. I don't really get it.

It seems I didn't have parents in either my old world or this one. At least that part hasn't changed.

I was an only child, and I barely had any relatives, so I had nowhere else to go and lived in a place like an orphanage. Then, when I graduated high school, I left the facility, too. I was just about to go to college on a scholarship when I was transported here.

I hope the me in this world met someone like Aika-san in my old world, too. I guess things can't work out that perfectly.

Aika-san took the e-cigarette from her lips and exhaled toward the sky.

"...Well, I've decided I'll look after you, no matter what kind of past you're carrying. But if you ever want to go back to the facility, just tell me."

"No! I wouldn't want that at all. I'm nothing but grateful to you, Aika-san. Once I graduate college, I'll definitely repay you."

"Hee-hee. I'll look forward to it. For now, just enjoy college. You can figure out what comes after when the time comes."

"Yes!"

Waving lightly, Aika-san headed home.

I'm really lucky... I seriously need to repay her for everything.

...But does that mean I have to become the number one guy at Festa to repay her...? That's a pretty high bar for me...

I carried the box back inside.

"Heave-ho."

I used a box cutter to open the flaps.

The box was packed with all sorts of things.

"Some of this stuff feels nostalgic, but some of it I've never seen before..."

I guess that's one of the differences caused by being transported here.

My old, beat-up basketball shoes are the same, so they bring back memories, but a lot of the letters—or what look like letters—are unfamiliar. Did I really get these?

Even though I'd lived in a facility, I still went to school. I wonder how my friends are doing.

"Hm...?"

Most of the box was filled with letters and reference books I didn't recognize.

As I rummaged through them, something familiar caught my eye.

A small baseball glove and a soft rubber ball.

"Whoa, this takes me back! I used to play catch all the time..."

Then, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.

I definitely remember playing catch at the park a lot when I was little.

But who did I used to play catch with in the first place?

"Hmm...? Oh, crap! I'm going to be late!"

Part of me wanted to stay lost in the nostalgia, but at this rate, I'd be late for college.

I carefully closed the box again and put it away in the closet.

"Masato! Morning!"

"Morning, Koiumi! Sorry you always save me a seat."

"Not at all! I get here for second period, so it's no problem!"

When I got to campus, Koiumi was there to greet me.

Today, Koiumi was wearing a square-neck T-shirt with a light lace overshirt, along with white shorts.

I see Koiumi pretty often, but judging by how she puts together a different outfit every day, she must care a lot about fashion.

Apparently, she was going to introduce me to one of her friends today.

Since she'd been taking classes with me so often lately, I'd been worried she might be neglecting her other friendships.

So I figured the best thing would be for me to get along with Koiumi's friends, too. I was all for it.

"I'm glad, though. I was worried you hadn't been having fun with your friends lately."

"Oh, come on! Don't talk like you're my mom!"

"No, that's not what I meant! Anyway, I'll do my best to get along with your friends, too."

If they ended up disliking me, that would defeat the whole point... I'd have to be careful.

Koiumi spun around, turning her back to me.

"...Though I'd be a little worried if you two got too close..."

"Hm? Did you say something?"

"Nope! Nothing!"

I thought I heard her mutter something, but I couldn't make it out.

I followed Koiumi into the classroom as she headed in ahead of me.

Then I spotted a girl sitting toward the back of the room.

Is that her friend over there?

Koiumi and I made our way over to her.

"Okay! So, this is my best friend, Tonosaki Mizuho! And this is, um... m-my friend, Katari Masato!"

The girl—Mizuho-chan—was still seated, staring at me with a puzzled expression.

Her eyes were big and bright, and her low twin tails went perfectly with her youthful features.

She was a cute girl who still had a touch of girlish innocence about her, I thought.

"Hi! I've heard about you from Koiumi now and then. Nice to meet you!"

"..."

...Huh? Did my first impression go badly??

Did I mess up my greeting or something?

"Mizuho?"

Perhaps she found it strange, because Koiumi spoke to Mizuho, too.

"Ooh! Pardon me! So you're Masato! I've heard all about you from Koiumi-dono!"

"Oh, uh, you have?"

"Of course, of course! Wow, though, I'm surprised! You really are quite the handsome fellow..."

"Mizuho, you really understood what I said just now, right...?"

"Ooh, scary! I said I was sorry!"

Oh, good. She's a pretty cheerful type.

Mizuho nodded emphatically and reached out her hand toward me.

"As you've just heard, I am Tonosaki Mizuho... I hope you'll remember me from now on."

"Hahaha. You're funny. I'm Katari Masato. You can just call me Masato."

I took the hand she offered and shook it.

Her hand was delicate. Maybe I thought so because she was a size or two smaller than Koiumi, too.

"Masato, if you try to keep up with Mizuho's energy, you won't last the day. Just humor her, okay?"

"Gaaah! Koiumi, is that really how you see me?! That's so hurtful, it is!"

Even as Koiumi said that, she had a bright smile on her face.

She'd told me about Mizuho before, and they really did seem close.

Mm-hmm. That's a good thing.

The bell signaling the start of class rang, so we took our seats.

I wonder if the three of us will be taking classes together more often from now on.

Fifth period was over.

Since meeting Mizuho, we'd had all our classes together as a group of three.

"Man, I'm exhausted! That pop quiz in our last lecture came out of nowhere!"

"If I hadn't had the notes you took pictures of for me, I would've been in trouble..."

We left the classroom and started heading home. The sun was already getting low in the sky.

The area was filled with the hubbub of students streaming out for the day.

"Oh, crap."

"Hm? What's up, Koiumi?"

Koiumi had stopped while looking at her phone, so Mizuho-chan and I stopped, too.

"I think I left something in the classroom... I'll go grab it, so you two can head home without me!"

I see. But we'd only just left the classroom building, and our fifth-period classroom was on the second floor, so it wouldn't take her long to get back.

"I'm in no hurry, so I'll wait. Here, give me your bag. I'll hold it for you. What about you, Mizuho-chan?"

"I'm totally fine too! I'll wait!"

Mizuho-chan flashed a cheerful peace sign.

Every little movement she made was so lively, and somehow she made it all look good.

"Sorry! Thanks! I'll be right back!"

She handed me her tote bag and headed back toward the classroom building, pushing against the stream of students coming our way.

"Well, let's wait for her on one of the benches over there."

"Indeed! Still, Masato-dono, you are such a kind man!"

"Come on, waiting for her is the least I can do, right?"

"No, I have just glimpsed the kindness sleeping deep within you, Masato-dono..."

"You're making it sound like a big deal."

We sat on a bench and waited for Koiumi.

The sunset was dazzling, but it looked like the sun would be setting soon.

The stream of students leaving class had died down, and the area in front of the university was relatively quiet now.

A moment of silence fell between us. That's when it happened.

"By the way, Masato-dono..."

"Hm?"

Mizuho-chan, who had sat down a moment ago, sprang to her feet.

She stood directly in front of me and pulled the navy-blue sailor cap in her hand down over her head.

"There is something I must tell you, Masato-dono!"

"...Yeah?"

Her tone was as teasing as ever, but...

Her deep orange eyes were fixed straight on me.

With the setting sun behind her, she looked so striking that the whole scene seemed almost dreamlike.

Her bewitching smile made my heart skip a beat.

"The truth is—"