It has already been a full year since I left the White Room.

I messed up during my initial self-introduction, but somehow I managed to make some normal friends.

One of them is the man named Futaro Uesugi, who is currently sitting next to me in the cafeteria placing an extremely unusual order.

Futaro: "Grilled meat set, without the grilled meat."

Kiyotaka: 'Why would you remove the grilled meat?'

My meeting with Futaro was completely ordinary, unlike how strange he is.

He happened to see me solving past University of Tokyo entrance exam prep books that were being sold at a bookstore as a way to kill time, and that’s how we started talking.

He’s quite good at studying, and he gradually began talking to me more often.

As we casually chatted back and forth, before we knew it, since we were both loners, we ended up only talking to each other.

Today is the first time we’ve decided to eat lunch together.

Kiyotaka: 'Does he always order like this?'

Futaro: "There’s a seat I always use. Let’s eat there."

Kiyotaka: "Alright."

Just as Futaro was about to place his tray on the table, a woman simultaneously placed her tray down from the right.

???: "I was here first. There’s an open seat next to you, so please move."

Futaro: "I sit here every day. You’re the one who should move."

???: "That’s irrelevant. First come, first served."

Kiyotaka: 'Why are they competing like this when there are open seats available? This is pointless. They both seem like the troublesome type when it comes to arguments.'

I could sit in the open seat next to them, but it would be annoying if they thought I was giving it up on my own, so I decide to wait and see what happens.

Then suddenly, Futaro sat down in the chair.

Futaro: "Then I sat down first! Yep, my seat."

It’s a childish exchange, but it looks like we’ll finally get seats.

Well, it’s not something you get to experience very often.

As I try to sit down as well, for some reason the woman from earlier sits down in the seat across from Futaro.

Futaro: "My seat..."

???: "The chair was open! I walked around the school all morning, so my legs are at their limit."

Kiyotaka: 'My seat... wait, are they acting like I don’t exist?'

The people around us look toward Futaro and the others.

Mob: "Uesugi’s eating with a girl...", "Th-This is bad."

Even Futaro seems a little embarrassed, while the girl sitting across from him has turned red.

FuuKiyo (Futaro and Kiyotaka): 'Don’t force yourself.'

For now, I sit beside them and observe their argument.

Also, her lunch costs over 1,000 yen...

???: "That’s bad manners."

She says this to Futaro, who is studying vocabulary while eating his lunch.

Futaro: "What? Ninomiya Kinjiro is praised for it, but I get scolded?"

???: "The situation is different."

Futaro: "I’m reviewing for a test. Leave me alone."

???: "Studying during a meal... You must have been really cornered. What score did you get?"

She snatches the test paper and looks at the score.

Futaro: "Don’t look!"

???: "Let’s see, Futaro Uesugi’s score is... 100 points.”

Futaro: “Ah, how embarrassing."

They both have quite the personalities.

???: "I’m frustrated to admit it, but I’m not good at studying, so I’m jealous... Actually, I just thought of something good. Since we’re sharing a table anyway, teach me how to study."

Futaro: "Thanks for the meal. Kiyotaka, let’s go."

Kiyotaka: "Wait a second, I’ll finish eating soon."

???: "Eh! You eat fast... Is that really enough for lunch? Should I give you some of mine?"

Futaro: "I’m full, so I’m fine. If anything, you ordered too much. You’ll get fat."

???: "Fa—! You there, are you good at studying?"

Kiyotaka: "Me? Well, I’m about average..."

???: "Then!"

Kiyotaka: "I refuse. I do think he went too far earlier, but for an average woman, you’re clearly eating too much. I recommend reducing the portion a bit."

???: "Eating too mu—! I’ve never met such rude people. I’m not giving you anything anymore."

I suppose we’ll head back to the classroom like this.

Purururu.

Futaro: "Ah, that’s my phone. I’ll go talk for a bit."

Since tomorrow is my first day at my part-time job, I might as well practice my self-introduction.

* * *

Classroom

Kiyotaka: "What is it, Futaro?"

Futaro: "Actually, I’m going to be a tutor for a student who recently moved here and is transferring into this school."

Hm? I’m starting a tutoring part-time job too.

Kiyotaka: "I’m taking on a similar job. Is it a student transferring into this school?"

Futaro: "Yeah. But it might not be the same student."

Kiyotaka: "That’s true. If I remember correctly, the name was..."

* * *

Transfer Student: "Itsuki Nakano. It’s nice to meet you."

FuuKiyo: 'I know this person.'

She was exactly the female student we met earlier.

Mob: "She’s a girl", "She’s cute...", "Isn’t that uniform from Kurobara Girls’?", "She must be loaded."

A transfer student, clearly wealthy, and most likely the student I’m supposed to tutor for my part-time job.

More importantly, the name matches.

Now then, her favorability toward me is probably at rock bottom.

How should I win her trust?