The following Monday began like any other. Or, it should have.
Except now, the seat beside me—the one that had once been the shrine of solitude—was no longer empty. It was permanently occupied by Ayato Yamada.
Bright. Cheerful. Impossible to ignore.
"Good morning, Ichikawa-kun!"
She greeted me the second I walked in, like I was the first person she'd waited for all morning.
I blinked, nodded, and slid into my seat.
"Morning…" I muttered.
She beamed. I swear, her smiles had levels. That one was at least a Level 7 on the 'danger to introverts' scale.
"Look what I brought today," she whispered, carefully opening her bag. A hint of red cloth peeked through.
A bento box.
Again.
"I made extra. So you can try some later," she said proudly.
I stared at it like it was a ticking bomb.
She wanted me to eat with her. Again.
I had survived last time by sheer mental fortitude, and here she was, casually throwing me into another boss battle.
And yet… I didn't say no.
---
By fourth period, whispers had already started.
"Hey… is Ichikawa-kun talking to the new girl?"
"I didn't even know he could talk."
"Isn't he that otaku guy? The one who never goes to group events?"
My ears burned as I pretended not to hear any of it.
Ayato, of course, didn't seem to care.
In fact, during lunch, she dragged her desk next to mine without asking.
It screeched across the floor, drawing eyes from half the classroom.
"You don't mind, right?" she asked sweetly.
I minded. I definitely minded.
But I just shook my head.
She opened her bento and handed me a pair of chopsticks she had clearly brought just for me.
"Try the tamagoyaki today! I finally made them fluffy!"
I took a bite.
…Sweet. Soft. Just the right texture.
"They're… good," I admitted.
She lit up like a Christmas tree.
"I knew it!"
After a few bites, I realized something strange.
People were still staring at us. Not discreetly. Openly. Blatantly.
Some looked amused. Some looked shocked.
And some—especially a group of boys near the back—looked like they were dying inside.
I recognized a few of them. They were from the soccer club. Loud, athletic, and the kind who got confessions on Valentine's Day. They'd tried to talk to Ayato on her first day. She hadn't responded the way they expected.
But now she was here, sharing a lunch with the class introvert.
Me.
"Are you okay?" Ayato asked, tilting her head.
"Huh?"
"You're frowning."
I hadn't even noticed.
"I'm fine," I said quickly.
She leaned a little closer, her voice low.
"Don't worry about what they think. I like eating with you."
There it was again. That warm, calm voice. Like a gentle wind in early spring.
I looked away.
I wasn't used to kindness that didn't come with a punchline.
---
After lunch, we had self-study. Normally, I'd use this time to finish homework or reread some manga panels I had printed out and tucked into my math book.
But Ayato, curious as ever, leaned over.
"What are you reading?"
"N-Nothing," I said a little too fast and slammed the book shut.
"Hmm…" She pouted. "Is it a secret?"
I sighed. It was inevitable.
"…Manga."
Her eyes sparkled.
"Really?! What genre? Romance? Action? Sci-fi? Or is it something weird?"
I almost choked.
"It's a fantasy adventure series," I muttered, trying to hide my embarrassment.
"That's so cool! I like manga too."
I blinked. "You… do?"
"Yup. My brother has a huge shelf of old shonen manga. I used to steal them when he wasn't home."
The image of a younger Ayato sneaking into her brother's room to read battle manga was… oddly adorable.
"I'll show you my collection sometime," she offered with a grin.
That smile again.
Level 8 this time.
I looked back at my desk, pretending to be absorbed in my book.
But my heart was beating too loud to focus.
After school, I tried my usual trick—wait until the classroom clears out, then sneak home quietly.
It almost worked.
Until I heard footsteps right behind me.
"Hey, Ichikawa-kun, wait up!"
I froze.
Ayato jogged up beside me, adjusting her bag over one shoulder.
"You're heading home already?"
"Yeah."
"Mind if I walk with you?"
I hesitated.
We lived in the same direction. I had no logical excuse to say no. But still…
"…If you want."
She smiled again, triumphant. "Great!"
We walked together, side by side, along the narrow road behind the school. A light breeze rustled the trees. The sun cast long shadows.
For a few minutes, we didn't talk.
Surprisingly, it wasn't awkward.
Then Ayato broke the silence.
"Do you like being alone, Ichikawa-kun?"
I blinked. "What?"
"You always seem… comfortable by yourself. Like, you don't need anyone."
I thought for a second before answering.
"…It's easier that way."
She nodded. "Yeah. I get that."
I glanced at her. "You do?"
Ayato was the kind of girl who could make friends with a wall. I couldn't imagine her ever being alone.
"I transferred a lot when I was younger," she said. "Made friends, lost them, made new ones… Eventually I stopped trying. It was easier not to get attached."
Her voice was softer now. No smile.
I didn't know what to say.
So I said the only thing I could.
"…You're not alone now."
She looked up at me.
And for once, her smile wasn't energetic or teasing.
It was quiet.
Gentle.
"…Thanks."
---
By the time we reached the station, the sky had turned orange.
She stopped at the gate and turned to me.
"Oh, before I forget…"
She reached into her bag and pulled out a folded piece of paper.
"What's this?" I asked.
"A list."
"…Of?"
"Manga recommendations. You said you liked fantasy, right? These are some of my favorites."
I stared at the list.
The handwriting was round, a little messy, but cute.
Ayato smiled and turned to go. "See you tomorrow, Ichikawa-kun!"
I watched her leave, list still in hand.
---
That night, I didn't watch anime.
I didn't read manga.
I just stared at the paper she gave me, rereading the titles.
And smiling.
Just a little.
The next morning, I got to school earlier than usual.
The classroom was half-empty. I opened my bag, pulled out one of the manga from Ayato's list—Skybound Legend—and started reading.
To my surprise, it was good. Great, actually.
It had this feeling I hadn't had in a long time—like the first time I ever read Guardian Nexus, the manga that made me fall in love with fantasy worlds in the first place.
"Good taste," a voice said.
I looked up.
Ayato was standing there, her bag still slung over one shoulder, grinning.
"You tried it?" she asked.
I nodded. "It's good."
She sat down, clearly pleased with herself. "Told you. You're going to love the arc starting in volume 2."
"You've read it all?"
"Twice."
That caught me off guard. "Twice?"
She laughed. "Told you I'm a manga nerd too."
Maybe she really was.
"Here," she said, placing a box on my desk. Another bento. Red this time, with a cute cat sticker on the lid.
"Why?"
"No reason. Just… wanted to," she said, playing with her bangs.
I stared at it for a second, then quietly said, "Thanks."
For some reason, that made her blush. Just a little.
---
Lunch came again, and as we sat side by side sharing food and manga talk, something hit me.
This—this strange daily life with someone beside me—wasn't bad.
Actually, it was kind of nice.
Even if I didn't really understand why Ayato was trying so hard to be close to me…
Even if her smile made my chest feel weird in a way I couldn't explain…
For the first time, I didn't feel like an NPC in someone else's story.
I felt… noticed.
Important.
Real.
---
After school, we parted ways again at the station. As Ayato waved goodbye, she said one last thing:
"Tomorrow… I'll bring something special. So get excited, okay?"
I raised an eyebrow. "What kind of special?"
She just winked. "Secret!"
I watched her leave again, feeling that same quiet warmth settle in my chest.
And for the first time in a long time…
…I was looking forward to tomorrow.