After three solid days of work, I finished all the moving and I’m now settled in our new house where I live there alone.

Finally our first preliminary exams are done. I got really tensed because I have never held a textbook for two years, so I ended up studying and catching up to all the lessons I missed. I was too scared to fail so I went for an all-nighter to study. But I got too absorbed, and finished studying all the textbooks in two nights. If not for the fast processing of my brain, I may just be in a slump.

▪ ▪ ▪

“Woah, seriously?! In our class, you ranked seventh on the exams?!”

After the students dispersed, the six of us went to the bulletin board because the results are posted there. In every subject, all of the names of the fourth years are all there.

I noticed that the names are all ordered alphabetically per class and even though a student failed, the ink used for their scored were not in red. I felt satisfied because of the reason that I don’t really like ranking systems.

But my friends thoroughly scanned the results and ranked them from highest to lowest.

“You used to be at below top ten last year but now you’re seventh!”

“You had some tricks up your sleeve aren’t you, Gin~?”

“I got too carried away when I was studying because I missed a lot of lessons, right?”

Rin poked my shoulder and then I looked at her. I tilted my head close to her because I felt that she wants to whisper something.

“So you really studied for the whole night that one day?”

“Ah, yes. So you noticed, huh?”

Now that I think about it. I think the reason why she whispered it to me instead of just normally saying it is because she probably noticed that the rest of our group didn’t know where we both live and I just moved out recently.

I don’t want them to just barge in to our family house since there is no place for them to breath there. But at least they can all fit to the living room of my place.

“If you didn’t file an absence, you could probably ace the exams. I took a peek on your exam in English when it was left lying on the teacher’s table. The majority of your mistakes were in the parts you missed.”

“Too bad, huh…”

▪ ▪ ▪

We all went to the rooftop because it is a vacant time in the afternoon. Mato-sen permitted us to use the rooftop as a second place to conduct club activities since no one really enters the rooftop aside from us after the misunderstandings.

They still think we are merciless murderers, but thankfully, we don’t stand out anymore.

“Say… Don’t you think it’s getting a bit colder?”

“Probably. And it’s supposed to be rainy season but there is only one typhoon that hovered near us this month.”

“The average typhoons that enter every month are 3-6, I think.”

“I guess it’s not that bad because we can use the rooftop from time to time. I can also sleep on top whenever I have lack of sleep. Thankfully Kiiro-sen keeps us awake every Math class.”

“Listless as always, Gin.”

I heard a noise under my chair. One of my pencils fell down from my lap.

“You dropped your pencil Gin. I’ll get it for you.”

“Ah, don’t bother. I will just get it myself.”

***

I reached down on his pencil that is on the floor but our fingers met as Gin also attempted to get the pencil. I was the first to take it and I gave it to him without leaning back up.

Then I realized we are face to face and our eyes met.

***

“Here.”

“Thanks.

What’s up with this cliché?”

I really don’t get Rin. Just when she was helping me move, she always gets red and flustered. But now she acts normal towards me again. She never gets flustered anymore even like when something like that happens. Besides, I don’t get flustered too. But she talks to me a lot more than usual at school, though. It’s not really unusual, actually.

Us introverts don’t really talk to other people nor open up a topic. But when someone befriended us, they will realize that we are not hard to talk to.

But it’s a different case when one introvert talks to another. They both open up topics, talk normally, but it’s as if we are creating our own world separate from Earth.

In our case, Rin and I usually get carried away especially when we are talking about anime and other things to the point that she even hits me on my shoulder whenever I tell her spoilers out of nowhere. We don’t really worry about it because whenever someone talks to me, their exposure disappears. I guess my Minimal Exposure can be considered a disease.

~ ~ ~

After school.

“I’m making a light ramen for dinner later. Want me to pass some on your window later?”

“Sure, thank you.

I think this is the first time I’ll eat one.”

“Then look forward to it later! I’ll make it extra special.

One bowl?”

“One bowl.”

“Alright, then.”

After a delicious dinner, another day ended.

▪ ▪ ▪

The next morning.

I woke up early with my body feeling very heavy and I can barely open my eyes. My throat also hurts a lot and it feels so cold that I’m shivering. The blanket is pretty much useless.

Since I have experienced this in the past, I figured that this is a very high fever.

I managed to stand up and took the thermometer.

“42 degrees huh…”

If you think about it, 42 degrees as a body temperature is really frightening. But I figured that this was a side effect of me entering the Void. When I lost my mind three times inside, I felt that I am burning with fever afterwards. This is the first time that it happened to me outside of the Room, but I didn’t lose my sanity like last time.

I decided to call Hiro immediately because I need him to check up on me since this is “Void related.”

“Hello, Gin?”

“Sorry for calling early, Hiro… but what are you doing right now?”

“Just chilling in my place. I’m taking a rest from work yesterday. Sean will be in charge of the restaurant today. Wait, why is your voice so raspy?”

“So Sean will open the restaurant, huh. You’re more than enough, but you can also notify him.”

“What happened?”

“It’s a bit of an emergency. If you notify Sean, just let him stay put in the resto. It’s not that big of a deal, though.

Remember when I told you that I had some really bad cold inside the Room? It happened again. It’s 42 degrees.”

“Half of poaching temperature?! Did you take some medicine already?!”

“I did. I already had breakfast. But of course I didn’t cook. I’m lying on my bed right now at the second floor.”

“Second floor? What are you talking about?!”

“Ah, sorry I forgot to tell you. I recently moved. Actually, I started moving out when I helped at the restaurant.”

“What?! You moved out?!”

“Yeah. But go to our house first. I called Mom already. She’ll lend you a duplicate key for my place. Mom will also tell where I live now.”

“Oh… okay. Well, the doctors will freak out if you are to be sent to a hospital. Good thinking even when you have a cold.”

“Thanks.

I’ll hang up now, then. I need to rest a bit more. I won’t be going to school today.”

“Bye, then.”

~ ~ ~

*knock knock*

“Hiro?”

“Can I come in?”

“Hai.”

“What on earth… Your place is just a few blocks away to your family house?!”

“Hahahaha... You would be surprised as expected.”

“Just how strong is your will… You can still tease me even if you are sick?

40 degrees… it went down by two.”

“I guess the medicine kicked in. I also drank some ginger tea to soothe my throat so it’s a bit better now.”

“Wow, so prepared…

Can you stand?”

“I don’t think I can move an inch.”

“I see…

You really are different from other people, Gin.”

“How?”

“Others tend to lie just like when they are sick. You’re honest, that’s why you are different.”

“Hmm…

I see the point on why they lie when their health condition is not good, for example—because they don’t want to make others worried.

But telling them ‘I am fine,’ will just get you to worse situations. Besides, worrying is part of our life. If someone is being honest, those around him or her will worry, but not that long since they will support you.

Also, saying ‘I am fine’ is just a façade to cover someone’s pain. I have decided not to escape anymore.

Well, I feel like I’m about to pass out, to be honest.”

“You’ve really matured, huh…”

“I guess.”

While he is sitting on the chair in front of my bedside table, he started looking around the room.

“This house is really good. Your mother said that your family bought this. This looks expensive.”

“Actually, it’s dead cheap because of the insane depreciation in just five months after being built. It’s because the technology is so unmodern that’s why no one bought this.

I included my share when we bought this, too. So I’m almost broke.

I’m actually planning on working in the side company of my dad from time to time so I can help them and earn for myself. But the required age is 16 and above. Since I’m 17, I can work there already.

That is why I asked you that favor.”

“So that’s how it is.

Actually, the process is already done, so you are officially 17 as of today.”

“I also need to inform the principal not to change his age at the school log too for the time being.”

“Wait a second, the Beef Shigureni you made was really good. Did you steal the recipe from our menu?”

“Huh?

No, I just made it like I usually do. I made a lot of dishes when I was in the base that’s why I knew how to make it.”

“Hehh…

Then I have a proposition. If you have free time once you are fine, I can land you an application to Giotto’s.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.

We’re currently looking for a sous chef right now-“

“A sous chef?! Me?!

*cough*

Ow, my throat hurts…”

“That is… if you can satisfy the crew. We will temporary close the restaurant and make the crew taste your dishes.

You will be cooking five dishes of your choice from the menu and the whole team will taste it. If you manage to satisfy ‘all’ of them, you’re in.”

“That’s quite a challenge.”

“If you get accepted, even though you will be the only sous chef, you will only work if you are contacted. It will be from time to time and you will be paid fairly, unless you decide to be the regular sous chef. You wouldn’t want to think that you have special treatment right?”

“Of course not.

I’ll call you once I sort out a schedule.”

“Right.

Hm?”

He noticed something more in my room.

“I noticed that the walls are white in this room. It’s different from the subtly toned white walls in the other ones. It feels as if this is the Room of Reality. I’ve already seen the room before you showed up but I didn’t enter it. It’s so big and white.”

“It was intended to be like that. When I was moving, I painted the walls in pure white to remember the Room.”

“Then what is up with the big table?”

“I will be using it as a desk. I’ll soon put a PC for work there and as a workstation whenever I go drawing.

I won’t be placing a PC in front of the window because it will block the view. I plan on dividing the desk to three so the center will be in front of the window for natural light.”

“Well, the natural light is not the only reason.”

“You sure are talkative even when ill.

…

I’ll be going now. Will you be okay?”

“I will see you off. I can stand now.”

~ ~ ~

“Thanks for looking after me and please give back the key to Mom.”

“Sure.

Huh?”

As Hiro stepped outside of the house, he saw a student running on the way to school from the house next to mine.

“Did I just see Ms. Ringo?”

“Oh… I forgot to tell her I won’t be attending school today.

Good thing I didn’t promise a ride today.”

“So you’re neighbors? I didn’t know that.”

“I realized soon enough before we bought the house.”

“Hehh~

I heard you mumbling just now. You’re so smooth.”

“As much as I don’t want to think that, it’s unavoidable.”

“So she-“

“Not sure though. When she’s helping me with moving, she always get flustered but now, she talks to me normally. But I think there’s more to the ‘normally’, like something changed.”

“In your case, your process of elimination may just land to that.

But I’ll ask in advance, how do you feel about her?“

“Well, I did experience extreme loneliness already, and I felt happy whenever she pokes out of her window… That’s not a good reason though.

Actually, an hour before the door opened in the Room, I was so bored that I need to occupy my head. So I started to think random things. But I ended up just thinking about her and her name kept echoing in my head. Thus, I learned my own feelings.

I guess if that happened… Nah, I’ll stop talking.”

“You’re amazing, Gin. You are still being honest, talkative, and sick all at the same time.

I wouldn’t force you to tell me because—“

We looked as though there is a camera pointing to us and in unison, we said seriously:

“So this story is about romance too…”

“Now I can agree with you that the author really is unpredictable…

Anyways, I’m going now, Gin. Get well soon.”

“Yeah, thanks. I will.”

▪ ▪ ▪

Morning break, at the school rooftop.

“It seems that Gin is absent today because of a cold.

Gin’s mother told me that he will not be around.”

“Yeah, we asked Kiiro-sen and he said the same thing.”

“We didn’t know his house, though. I want us to visit him, at least.”

“Did Ringo say, Gin’s mother?”

“Huh? Ah, yeah she did!”

“Do you know her mother by any chance?”

“Ahaha…

I was surprised from the start that you didn’t know where his place at. That’s what I thought. I realized that he hasn’t said anything about their place for some reason I don’t really know.”

“…?”

“First, I’ll tell all of you where I live. My place is just in the street of the school so it’s near here. I just take a walk whenever I go to school.

And then, I actually know where he lives.”

…

“Ehhhhhhh?!”

“I don’t know if it’s just by accident that I found out where he lives and vice versa, although he never said anything that I should keep it a secret.”

(!)

“Wait, my phone is vibrating. I’ll just answer this and I’ll be right back.”

It was a lie.

It’s just an excuse for me to call Gin if we can visit.

I went inside and shut the door to call him. I don’t know if he can answer phone calls today, though.

“Hello? Rin? What’s up?

Oh, sorry for not telling you that I’m sick today.”

“Gin… I heard from Aunt that you caught a cold today. Can all of us visit you today after school?”

“Yeah, sure. You could all come here. Thankfully, I cleaned before getting ill and Hiro borrowed the kitchen earlier so you can eat here if you want.”

“Hiroomi?”

“Well, it’s actually a coincidence (nope) because he knocked on my door earlier. We even saw you leave for school earlier because I saw him off.”

“They’ll probably be surprised once they see where you live and that you live alone.”

“Oh, I forgot Rin. You still have it with you right?”

“Ah! Yes. I should probably give-“

“You can have it.”

“Eh?”

“It’s also when there is an emergency. I lost the strength to go downstairs so you can just shout or call me if you’re already here later.

Tell them that it will be self-service if they want to eat. I can’t really move around today because my fever is a bit bad.”

“Alright. Your voice is a little hoarse so I won’t disturb your rest much longer. Take care and see you after school.”

“Thank you.”

*beep*

After I helped him on moving out, I managed to sort out myself mentally and I don’t get red or get nervous when I’m with him after that.

On the contrary, I feel calmer when I talk or just be around him. It feels like I caught his calmness even in the midst of pressure and panic.

After I realized how I feel, instead of getting more uneased, I felt like it’s just like normal when I’m with him.

~ ~ ~

“Sorry, you waited long. I also called him after my phone call and he said that we can go to his place. I’ll show you where he lives later.

He said we can go after school. He had food that we can eat, but it will be self-service since he can’t move around much.”

“…

Is it really okay? It sounds like his fever is a little bad.”

“He said it’s fine but we should at least be quiet when we are there.”

“Understood.”

“Let’s go back to the classroom, it’s almost time, guys.”

“Ah, right.”

▪ ▪ ▪

After school.

“Let’s go now.”

Everyone followed Rin as they walk on the quiet street. Akira seems to be a little uneasy and started fidgeting.

“So… you two both walk the same road everyday?”

“Not really everyday, but it’s like that.”

“I’m starting to feel scared because of the silence. It’s piercing my ears~”

“Are we near now, Ringo?”

It seems as though Rin didn’t hear Nagi’s question and quickly ran inside their house to drop her bag.

“Mom, I’m going to visit Gin because he’s sick. I’m with friends today.”

“Ok, don’t be late.”

After that, Rin went out and returned emptyhanded after dropping her bag off. She took her purse from her pocket and took a key.

“Oh, so this is where you live, Ringo?”

“Yes. Let’s go to Gin’s now.”

“So Ringo’s house is near to where Gin lives?”

“We’re here.”

“Huh?”

All of them became silent while they took their eyes off Rin, who is smiling wryly and turned their gazes to the house in front of them.

“Next door?!”

“Ehhhhhhh?!”

“Neighbors…”

“He said we could just enter. He can’t go downstairs right now.”

“…”

“Actually, how will we enter?”

“What is that key for, Ringo?”

“For his front door.”

“What?!”

“You have a duplicate key in their house?!”

As they looked silently at Rin who already opened the locked door with a key, they all thought:

“Are they a married couple?!”

“I ship it.”

“I totally ship it.”

~ ~ ~

“What the in the world happened to you Gin?! Your temperature records are above 40 degrees!”

“Well, at least it went to 38 now. You’re quite in a pinch, huh?”

“How come you didn’t go to the hospital today?”

“I do know a doctor that I called earlier when you’re all at school. If I also went to the hospital, they will just panic because of my burning fever.

By the way Rin, the ramen last night has nothing to do with my cold.”

“Ramen?”

“That has nothing to do with you, Nagi.”

“Ahahaha… If it’s the cause, then I should also be lying out cold now.”

“Huh?”

“Ah, also, once I recover, mind if I pass a dish to you again? I will be applying to him soon.”

“Oh… I’ll just ask the position if you got accepted.”

“Let’s stop the conversation about it. They’re looking at us like we’re making our own dimension again.”

“What the… Can you read minds?”

“Nope. It’s all written in your face. That’s all.”

“Nani…?”

The four of them looked at each other like they are about to scheme something.

“Actually, you said that it’s self-service right? We’ll just get food downstairs okay~?”

“…”

“Those guys…”

They went up with food with them after some time but they looked disappointed for some reason.