‹Rin›

It has been a few days that I feel that something is up… especially with Gin.

Lately, he has been always caught up with something and his ears are always on his phone, talking to someone.

Being with Gin, I've learned a lot on how to look at a person by observing them, and not even the one I learned that from was an exception.

Just by looking and listening, he does look like happy every time he's over the phone. I have concluded that he was talking to the same unknown person over and over, and it seems that that person needs help or assistance.

But what bugs me is that he looks like he is enjoying himself every time I see him on the call.

Alright, alright. I will admit that I am getting jealous for something that I don't have much basis. Let's be real. I don't even know if it was a girl or not. He even keeps the contact without a name, leaving the info in calls with just the phone number.

But then, I don't really see him doing something like meeting with some other person. He said it himself, he is a blockhead when it comes to this things. It's either he is just being dense, or he doesn't know what he is doing.

Wait, that's technically the same, right?

Anyway, it's not a very good thing to be jumping to conclusions. I can't be up and make a misunderstanding. But still, I'm worried with his carelessness.

▪ ▪ ▪

"Hello? Yes. Do you need some help again?

Ah, it's okay. You don't need to be bothered by something like that. I can't say that I'm always available for help, but I will try my best.

Oh… I don't think I can answer that, sorry. If anything, I would suggest you talk about it with others since I haven't exp-

What I mean is, it already happened to me but it's quite a different situation.

Is that so. I guess that's to be expected. I will try to be there if there is anything you need help… but then, you haven't given your address, huh.

Oh, I see. Sorry I'm really not good with this kind of thing.

Ah, yes. Bye, then."

*beep*

Still, I remained silent even after a few days.

Until one day.

▪ ▪ ▪

"In the afternoon? Sure, I'm free anyways.

Yeah. It's nice to have a chat. It's been a while since we last talked. Actually, we haven't really talked a lot even aside from calls, huh? Haha.

Well, I look forward to see you again.

Bye."

And at 3pm of the same day, I am at Gin's house like always. I was just observing him and it seems that he was about to go out, although at his typical summer clothes (that just looks like his house clothes).

"Going somewhere, Gin?"

"Ah, yeah. I'm meeting with a girl."

"Oh, I see. Take care."

"Yeah."

…

"HOOOOOLD UP, POTATO-KUN~????? What did you just say?"

As if my arm extended, I grabbed his shoulder.

"Ahahaha… I expect this to happen."

~ ~ ~

As it seems that I took over his house, I made Gin sat on the floor as I am sat on the couch with Haku beside me. I thought that he (Haku) will cooperate with me but he just slept on my lap.

"So… I've been keeping myself from asking you for a few days now, but I'm really getting a bit suspicious on the past phone calls you've had."

"S-Sorry… I wasn't really paying attention at first."

"Alright, then, who was the girl you're always calling, and now you're meeting up with?"

"Hmmmm…

I think it's best if you join me."

"Huh? Is that okay? I'm not even dressed well and besides, you're supposed to meet right now."

"Nah. You're good. We're always going out on flip-flops anyway. And you'd be happy to see her too."

"…

Geez… You're being vague again."

"Well, let's go now. Haku ate already so he's good."

"'Kay…"

~ ~ ~

Strange. Even though I didn't ask Gin where we are going, I feel like I just simply know. Seeing where we walked, I had a hint.

And yes, my guess is right.

"Uhh… Gin."

"Yep. This is where we had our first date."

We are in front of the camping-styled restaurant we went on our first date. It does look like it changed a lot seeing that it follows a seasonal theme, which is summer.

"W-Why here…?"

"Storytelling first, I guess.

I met her when I was waiting for you at that time when we went out after hanging out with Nagi. I gave her a card and the address of this restaurant if ever she needed help since she was very conflicted."

"…

That's it?"

"Yeah."

I sulked, but we entered the restaurant with me not knowing who that girl is.

"Welcome~"

"He~y, Gin! It's been a while."

"Hi, Marty. I'm looking for an occupied table. Don't mind if I do."

"Sure thing. But order at least."

Basing off with what he has told so far, I eliminated any table with two or more people. Thus, I counted four tables with quick glances and individually analyzed.

Getting a look at the third table, I suddenly felt the urge of punching Gin in the face for making me jealous for no reason.

But on the other note, I am actually very glad and very surprised to see that girl.

"…!

Ai-san?!"

…

‹Gin›

Yes, it was Ai Hikari that I met last chapter. We just got to meet for the first time for real after that unexpected contact. Regarding her being in our country, I do not know anything about it. I have a few obvious guesses which might just be right.

Now knowing that, I hope that Rin will stop sulking.

"Stahp."

…

"That'll be 363 Laxes, all in all."

"Got it."

"Ah, Sakato-senpai. Please let me pay later."

"It's okay. You don't need to."

"I'm budgeting, though."

"You went all the way here to meet me, so I want to at least do this. This came from my pay, anyway."

"Hmm… Well, if you insist.

So, I'm assuming that you have something to talk about? But first, I hope you can tell us how you came to be in this country, Ai-san."

"Ah, it's a bit of a story…

I didn't really know where we were moving to initially, but I was told later on that we were moving in this country.

In truth, I was kind of opposed about moving out but I was just being immature. At that time, I wasn't thinking about the environment that my parents were under so I didn't think of it and I didn't know where we were moving to.

And apparently, my sister is always telling my parents about work and so they decided to tell me that we're actually moving in Orio, which was originally planned even before we started working.

But my stand changed with our moving and now, we are here for good."

"Oohhh…"

"Though, it seems coincidental that Ai-san lives in Cotona which is where we both live too."

"Rin has a point."

"The reason for that is mainly for our education."

"Oh, Blue Ink, huh? If you're in your fourth year, I guess Anna and Naru (Nagi's sister) will have a new friend.

By the way, are you around here at 527?"

"W-W-What…? Wait!"

"Hm? Ai-san? What's wrong?"

"How did you know, Sakato-senpai?"

"How? Blue Ink is simply popular around North and it is the only school in Cotona that accepts exchange students."

"I myself don't even know the exchange students bit, Gin." Rin expressed her ignorance.

"Did some research about the school since we're out of the loop for a month (and we still are). I think it all started last year with a surprising transfer of five Japanese students."

"So you're really going to study in Blue Ink, Ai-san?"

"I… have been enrolled already."

"That's good to hear!"

"Thinking of it, I haven't been enrolled and more so take a look at the school.

Ai-san? Have you seen the school already?"

"Umm… A bit, senpai. There is still construction that is happening, though."

"Hmm… I guess I'll say hi to the office at some time, then."

"Is your problem connected with the school, Ai-san? Something you're bothered about, maybe?"

"There is… a problem but I'm not bothered by anything, Akanami-senpai. It's just that I want to…"

Another principle of mine: Gin, you shut up when your mouth is not needed.

Harsh as it may sound, it helped me quite a lot. I have enhanced my perception and insight through a lot of experiences and as you may have known already, I tend to conclude what the speaker is telling if, only if I am definitely certain with it.

But in this case, I can't do that of course. At any situation where our comment or attention is not needed, we ought to stay silent. It might hurt other's feelings, and generally, it might cause a domino effect or maybe a double-edged sword.

Even if I have a good hint of what Ai-san wants to say, all I can do is observe as she fidget and roll her eyes everywhere.

"It's just that I want to surprise Jin…"

Guessed it.

"Ooohhhhh…?"

"Now this is exciting. Isn't it, Rin?"

"Ye~p."

"S-Senpai…?"

"Can you tell us more, Ai-san?"

"Uhhh… Jin… I want to surprise him… because…

It's actually hard to tell others…"

Her head smoked.

"Ai-san… do you like Jean?"

Don't get so straightforward, Rin.

"A-A-A-A-A-Ah! I-I-I-I-It's…!"

Seeing Ai-san multiply her hands reminds me of Rin when we weren't dating yet. Hasn't been that long yet, but oh, the nostalgia.

"I know what you're thinking about, Potato."

"Uhuhuhu… How cute…" I mumbled with an extremely fawned face as I stare on air.

…

"Y-Yes… I do like Jin…"

"Ha-hmm… Youth…"

"Gin, you're starting to talk weirdly."

"So, with where this is going… I will have to assume that Jean does not know that you are here in Orio and about the fact that you will attend our high school."

"That's right, senpai."

"And you want to surprise him at some point?"

"Y-Yes…"

"Potato, I can have this."

"You're a girl after all. I'll leave it to you, then."

…

"I've come up with something just by listening. So Jean doesn't know your being here in Orio and in school. Which probably means that he thinks that you moved somewhere in Japan.

If that's the case, why don't you surprise him at school? It will be dull if it happened exactly at the first day, so why don't we delay it maybe for a few days? It's like hitting a bird with two stones!"

"H-Huh… S-Senpai…? Shouldn't that be-"

"Well, that's quite a derivation of the idiom, I'd say."

"I do hope the bird won't dodge."

I really had to add that.

My guess is that it's Rin's way of saying that she doesn't really get what she herself said. It probably came from me because of my Ginfluence-

I really should've made Rin punch Akira at that time… (NoFutsuu, Chapter 26)

"Well, I can at least imagine how Jean will react. Though, I'm sparing some space in case he does something beyond our imagination. This sure is going to be fun."

"Senpai? What do you mean?"

"First, I'll ask. It does seem like you two are very close even back at the North, Ai-san. And I do see that he has a bit of a different behavior when he's with you.

Say, does Jean likes you too?"

It made her flinch, but nevertheless, she answered with clarity.

"Actually… we've already admitted to ourselves that our feelings are mutual."

"Oh… Now that it got clear, I suppose you were really happy to be in this country then, Ai-san?"

"Y-Yes… I'm overjoyed…"

Seeing her, it reminded of the times when I was away from my family and friends. I was a great mess, but soon after two years of my disappearance, I probably felt the way Ai-san feels right now.

"That's really good to hear. It's fortunate that it won't be very long until you two meet once again and see the face of each other.

To tell you the truth, we've been keeping quiet from the start because Jean already told me about you two. I just wanted to know your side of things regarding your current relationship with Jean.

…

Look, it may just be a month that you won't see each other, and so I want to tell you my wish, Ai-san."

"W-What is it, senpai?"

"I wish for you two to have a truthful relationship, now and to the future.

As someone that can be put to your shoes, what I can advise is that the sincerity, trust and honesty will keep you together, amidst of any situation that risks your relationship. It is always fun being with a significant other, but sometimes it is of course difficult as we are faced by challenges.

Keep in mind, Ai-san. The rays of hope will always pierce through to the clouded despair. Whatever pain that is, there's always a way to resolve it."

"Ai-san, it does seem that Gin has already asked Jean, but I will ask you 'probably' the same thing.

What are you going to do for this point forward, Ai-san?"

For us, seeing the girl with a little troubled expression is new. But I do feel that behind that is strength and a will that she holds. Thus, he raised her head and looked without any wavering.

"We, Jin and I have already decided to take one step at a time. Even though I have feelings for him, and the same on his side, we will continue to be what we are now and stay like this until a time when things will change."

Hearing those, we stared at each other with awe.

"Ahahaha… We're really talking big are we, Rin?"

"Hahaha. Yeah, we really do."

Ai-san's expression suddenly changed and asked us with confusion and curiosity read in her eyes.

"…?

By the way, can I ask you two on how your relationship became?"

"Hmm?"

"Eh?"

"Gee… that's something that is very embarrassing, you know?"

"Indeed, indeed! Let's not talk about that, Potato."

…

"Well, Rin transferred to Blue Ink last school year and became part of the Art Club eventually. I'd say that the flag to this all started from when Rin painted a silver apple, and I overacted after seeing it."

"And what's more is that we were actually neighbors as our houses were just a few blocks away at that time. But Gin suddenly disappeared for a week which probably opened my feeling wide."

"I was so busy at that time that I didn't even get to contact them. And I even ended up hurting myself a lot. You know, the accidents that I was talking about earlier in the resto.

Then I came back and my parents asked if I can move out, just after a few days when I got back. Well, what I didn't realize that the house I moved in to was pretty much close to our family house."

"And coincidentally, it is next to our house."

"Yep, yep. I live alone in a house that is not suited for only one person.

I got a cat, got sick, made a ramen party with friends, and confessed to Rin. It was a longer story but everything went fine after some drama I initiated.

To be honest I don't know when I actually fell for Rin, and the same goes for her too. I did realize that I love her at some point, but I felt like it was longer than my realization. It's a feeling that you are unconscious of, but is seen through your acts. At least, that's how I can explain it."

"Even though it's still just a few months, we've gone through a lot. We even broke up! But for good reasons.

I promised Gin to always support him when he is troubled, as there are a lot of times where he was always alone. Your love for someone drives you to something that you want to do for him.

Someday, there will be a time where you two will be a pair of chopsticks."

"…"

As thought, she didn't get what Rin said, and it might even cause a misleading statement. Though, I can be no different for being so vague at my words.

"C-C-Ch-Chopsticks… T-T-Turning t-to chopsticks…"

Ai-san got frightened.

"Ah! N-No! Of course I didn't mean it literally! It's like… umm…"

"Analogical."

"Yep. Analogical, it is! Haha!"

"Then… what does that mean, Akanami-senpai…?"

"Hmm…

I guess I'll leave it to you for a little homework. Try to understand what it means. But I'll give you a hint: You will not get the whole of the answer if you only think over it."

"Understood, Akanami-senpai."

Is Rin still a senpai as a 'senior' or a love adviser?

"And, please just call us by our names, Ai-san."

"Then please just call me-"

"That will work for Rin, but not me. Even though you will be living in this country for good, you are still from the North. Even if Orio does not apply the northern culture, it does to me.

And besides, Jean will surely chase me with his knife if I call you anything more than that. He's a good man, and he has started to show more resilience. I know that you two will be okay."

"Regarding the plan we made up, we'll make sure to inform Anna about this."

"Anna, she's my younger sister which will also be on her fourth year next month. She's more of an otaku than me so you'll probably get along with her along with another friend's sister."

"I'll keep that in mind, senpai. Let's do our best for the new school year."

"I'll try, hahaha.

…

Ah, if it's okay with you, why not join us for dinner? That is, if it's also okay with your parents."

"I think it will be okay. I'll have to call them first, though."

"That's better than nothing."

▪ ▪ ▪

And so, a handful of weeks passed and another sunrise has come up for all the eternity of the world.

I reached out to wherever my phone is as my alarm rings forth.

"Where is it… where is it…

…"

I found the phone with my eyes still half closed and looked at the time and a reminder in the screen.

6:30AM, June 13, 2018, Wednesday.

Event name - UGH

"…

Ugh…

School…"