She pointed toward a cafe just off-campus. Hachiman, thinking it was a sound idea, nodded.
"Thanks. I'll do that."
"Follow me, then."
Karen reached out and took Hachiman by the hand, leading him toward the cafe. Hachiman was slightly taken aback, having intended to go alone, but he figured she might be thirsty herself. He decided he'd buy her a drink as a thank-you and allowed himself to be led inside.
In truth, Karen wasn't thirsty at all. She simply felt that letting the encounter end in silence would be a waste, and for the first time in her life, she had acted on such a bold impulse. It wasn't until they were inside the shop that she realized what she had done. Her face turned a deep crimson as she let go.
"Ah! S-sorry! I just... I grabbed your hand without thinking..."
"Don't worry about it. Since we're here, why don't you join me? It's my treat, consider it thanks for the directions."
"Oh... um... o-okay."
Because of her height, Karen had always felt somewhat shunned or avoided by men. This was the first time she'd ever experienced anything even remotely resembling a date. She was stiff with nerves, a fact that didn't escape Hachiman's notice. To put her at ease, he brought up a familiar subject: Miyu.
"So, Kohiruimaki-san... you and Fuka—I mean, Miyu—have known each other for a long time, right?"
"Um... 'Kohiruimaki' is a bit of a mouthful, isn't it? Y-you can just call me Karen. And... you don't have to be so formal with me."
Karen had never said such a thing to a man before. Perhaps it was a lingering trace of competitive spirit—knowing Miyu was already on a first-name basis with him—that gave her the courage to speak up.
"Got it, Karen. You can call me Hachiman, then. And I'll drop the formalities."
"O-okay... Hachiman-kun."
She murmured his name shyly. If Miyu had been there to witness the scene, she likely would have screeched, "Hey, Kohie! No fair getting a head start! No fair!"
Relaxing slightly, Karen steered the conversation back.
"Fukajiro was actually the name of a dog Miyu used to have. He passed away last year."
"I see... I'm glad you told me. I might have upset her if I'd made light of the name without knowing. Thanks for the heads-up."
Karen felt a warm spark of affection for his sincerity and changed the subject.
"By the way, what game did you meet Miyu in?"
"ALO, I think."
"Wait... then that 'incredible leader' Miyu was talking about... is that you, Hachiman-kun?"
"She said that? Well, I suppose that's technically accurate."
"Miyu was so fired up about joining a... 'guild'? She called me the other day, sounding so happy, saying she finally made the cut."
Karen beamed with genuine happiness for her friend.
"She really worked for it," Hachiman noted. "I remember once in combat, I took her arm off, and she just gritted her teeth, grabbed her weapon with her other hand, and kept swinging."
"Whoa... that doesn't sound like the Miyu I know at all."
Hachiman then recalled something Rika had mentioned at school.
"Now that I think about it, she's coming down here this Saturday, right?"
"Ah, yes. She mentioned there was someone she really wanted to see."
"So Rika was right. She's serious, then."
"Wait... could the person Miyu wants to see be...?"
"The very same."
"I... I see..."
Karen felt a strange, murky fluttering in her chest. She didn't yet realize what that feeling was. Just then, Saki and the others emerged from the gym. Seeing them, Hachiman stood up.
"Looks like practice is over."
"Yeah, earlier than I expected. Oh... those girls..."
Karen's expression clouded with hesitation. She recognized those six; they were the group that always seemed to stare at her whenever they passed each other. In reality, Saki and her friends only stared because they thought Karen looked "cool," but Karen—perpetually insecure about her height—had a habit of interpreting every gaze as malicious.
Sensing her discomfort, Hachiman spoke softly.
"Karen. For what it's worth, I don't think those girls have a single bad thought about you."
"Eh? H-how could you know that?"
"Well... I used to be a bit oversensitive to how people looked at me, too."
Hachiman scratched his head and pulled out a business card, handing it to her.
"If you decide it's okay for Miyu to meet me, use the info on there to get in touch. But if her 'carnivorous' side is on full display that day, feel free to veto the whole thing."
He said it with a wry, joking grin.
"I'll take care of the bill here, so feel free to take your time. I'm sure we'll run into each other again. If we're lucky, maybe we can talk like this again—though it might be as early as Saturday."
Karen looked at him, blinking in surprise.
"Wait... I can come along too?"
Hachiman made a theatrical face of pure dread.
"If I'm left alone with her, she'll definitely try to hunt me down. She's a predator, through and through. I mean, I'd have to defend myself, but still..."
"Pfft—yeah, Miyu might actually do that."
They shared a laugh.
-------------------------
If you enjoy this story, you can read 70+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
Webnovel will keep getting 1 new chapter every day but Patreon readers can stay far ahead.
Maybe it's not a big deal now… maybe it will be later.
[email protected]/Greyhounds
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"