Coincidences do exist, no doubt. But they're fickle things, striking without warning and choosing their targets at random. Yet when a coincidence occurs, it might just feel like fate.
Subaru's plan to hang out with Amy and others on her day off was nothing more than a casual arrangement. She never imagined it would alter the course of her life.
"Sorry! I'll make it up to you, promise!" Amy's voice crackled through the call.
"Seriously… canceling at the last minute like this puts me in a bind," Subaru grumbled.
"I said I'm sorry! Something came up out of nowhere."
"Fine, fine. I'm holding you to that make-up plan, got it?"
"No worries! I keep my promises!"
Amy's baseless confidence made Subaru chuckle despite herself.
"Alright, I'll wander around a bit. Call me when you're free again," Subaru said.
"Got it. Later!"
Cutting the call, Subaru set off to kill time aimlessly.
"Running into someone I know by chance? That's the kind of thing that only happens in novels or dramas," she muttered to herself.
"Satomi?" a voice called from behind.
"Huh?" Subaru turned, recognizing the voice instantly.
"Shiba-kun?" she said, surprised.
"Talk about a coincidence," Tatsuya remarked.
"What are you doing in a place like this? Doesn't seem like your kind of spot," Subaru said, eyeing him curiously.
"Had some errands. Buying a gift for someone I owe a lot to," Tatsuya explained.
"Oh? A girlfriend?" Subaru teased.
As one of the athletes whose CAD Tatsuya had tuned during the Nine Schools Competition, Subaru knew he didn't have a girlfriend. Her question was pure mischief.
"You think I'd have one?" Tatsuya shot back. "Sorry to disappoint."
"I know, I know. After all, you've got Miyuki," Subaru said with a grin.
"How do Miyuki and I seem to you, Satomi?" Tatsuya asked, his tone neutral.
"Hmm… maybe siblings who are a bit too close?" she replied playfully.
"Not entirely wrong," Tatsuya said with a wry smile.
His expression, surprisingly unguarded, caught Subaru off guard. She was well aware of her popularity among girls, but as a teenage girl herself, it wasn't odd for her to notice a guy's mannerisms or expressions.
"Satomi, you okay?" Tatsuya asked, noticing her pause.
"Huh? Oh, nothing!" she said quickly.
"You sure? You looked like you froze for a second."
"Just your imagination. Oh, and call me Subaru. Both names feel kinda like first names, so it doesn't matter much, right?"
"If you say so. I'll go with Subaru, then," Tatsuya agreed.
"By the way, Tatsuya, you free?" Subaru asked, dropping the formalities as he'd suggested.
"My errands are done, so yeah. And you can call me Tatsuya, too. Helps avoid confusion with Miyuki," he added.
Subaru nodded, accepting the suggestion.
"So, Subaru, what's up?" Tatsuya asked.
"Since you're free, wanna hang out? Amy bailed on me at the last second," Subaru explained.
"Sure, I don't mind. Miyuki's off with Shizuku and Honoka anyway," Tatsuya said.
"You two do split up sometimes, huh?" Subaru noted.
"You sound like the president or the chairman," Tatsuya said, his tone carrying a hint of accusation.
Subaru averted her gaze, dodging his pointed look. "How about that place?" she said, pointing to a café that seemed packed with couples.
"You serious?" Tatsuya asked, raising an eyebrow.
It felt like an awkward choice for two classmates who were just friends.
"Uh, never mind. Let's skip that," Subaru said quickly, backtracking.
"Appreciate it. A regular café's fine for tea, right?" Tatsuya suggested.
As he started walking, Subaru hurried to follow, her cheeks faintly flushed. She wasn't used to trailing behind a guy like this.
"So, Subaru, what'll you have?" Tatsuya asked as they settled into a less conspicuous café.
"I'll take a latte," she said.
"Got it. Excuse me, one latte and one black coffee," Tatsuya ordered.
Glancing out the window, he noticed a few girls pausing to stare at Subaru, then blushing when they saw him.
"…Maybe this was a bad spot," Tatsuya muttered.
"No big deal. I'm used to it," Subaru said with a shrug.
Her boyish style and less pronounced figure often led people to mistake her for a guy, especially with her androgynous clothing.
"You're a bit like the chairman in that way," Tatsuya observed.
"Really? I'll take that as a compliment," Subaru said, grinning.
"Of course. But what's it like being so popular with girls?" Tatsuya asked, genuinely curious.
He didn't have many close male friends. He talked with classmates, but none were as close as Leo or Mikihiko for deeper conversations.
"Let's just say there are things you can do because they're the same gender," Subaru replied cryptically.
"That's… vague," Tatsuya said, raising an eyebrow.
Their drinks arrived, breaking the conversation. The waitress blushed as she glanced at Subaru, likely mistaking her for a boy.
"What about you, Tatsuya-kun? Seems like you're a hit with the opposite sex," Subaru teased.
"No idea," Tatsuya said flatly. "I don't really get it."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Subaru pressed.
Unaware of Tatsuya's circumstances, Subaru had once wondered if his lack of reaction to female attention meant he might not be into girls.
"I was in a magic accident a while back. Lost most of my emotions," Tatsuya said, his tone as casual as if discussing the weather.
"What…" Subaru faltered, stunned by the weight of his words.
It was no surprise she was at a loss. Such a revelation was heavy for any high school girl to process.
"Can it… be fixed?" she asked hesitantly.
"Who knows? I've got some emotions left, but one's so faint I'm not sure it's even there or if it'll ever come back," he said.
"Which emotion?" Subaru leaned forward, her voice urgent.
"The diagnosis says it's romantic feelings, but I've never confirmed it myself," Tatsuya replied.
"Not even for Miyuki?" Subaru asked.
"For Miyuki, it's a different emotion. Besides, she's my sister," he said matter-of-factly.
Tatsuya settled the bill and stood. "Well, it might not have been the most fun time, but it killed some hours, right? I'm heading out."
Subaru watched him leave the café, then scrambled to follow. "Wait!"
"Something else?" Tatsuya asked, pausing but not turning around.
"Don't you want to find out if that emotion's really there?" Subaru pressed.
"No way for me to check on my own," he said.
"Then let me help. Be my boyfriend, and I'll find out if you've really got those feelings," Subaru declared.
She was certain of it now. Meeting Tatsuya here wasn't just chance—it was fate. The feelings stirring in her heart were inevitable, natural, meant to be.
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