The next day, Monday.
At the subway station entrance.
Luo Shu followed behind Utaha Kasumigaoka, carrying a plastic bag containing the train tickets she'd just bought and a 220-yen rice ball from the convenience store.
Incidentally, the bag also held a 1080-yen pork cutlet bento, two 170-yen cartons of fresh milk, and a 220-yen tuna salad - though the salad and a milk were actually Utaha's lunch.
"Expecting anything from breakfast or lunch bento was far too naive of me."
Hearing Luo Shu's comment, Utaha glanced back over her shoulder with a smile:
"Please don't harbour unrealistic expectations about modern Japanese women's cooking skills."
"But don't schools have home economics classes?" Luo Shu offered a weak protest.
Utaha turned fully around, her feminine schoolbag swaying behind her back:
"Skipping class is a privilege of honour students, Senior Luo."
"..."
This remark made Luo Shu deeply lament the failures of Japan's education system as they entered the subway.
Their destination was Toyogasaki High School, a prestigious private high school in Chiyoda Ward, located thirty minutes by subway, followed by a fifteen-minute walk. Thanks to Japan's late 8:30 a.m. school start, their 7 a.m. departure left ample time.
However, before boarding, Luo Shu observed through the windows the near-capacity crowding and sighed at Tokyo's bustle. He then stepped ahead of Utaha to enter first.
This sudden queue-jumping puzzled Utaha until she saw Luo Shu carve out a window-side standing space for her in the packed carriage.
"Protecting a girl you've known for less than 24 hours? Senior, you really do have issues, don't you?"
Facing Utaha, who leaned against the carriage wall with an amused smirk, Luo Shu sighed, recognising this as her 'revenge' for last night's comment about her being too trusting.
"Just say you want to get groped by perverts next time."
At his complaint, Utaha curled her lips mockingly:
"Compared to those men desperately keeping both hands on the handrails, I think Senior Luo seems more dangerous."
Following her gaze, Luo Shu turned to see every male passenger holding overhead rails with both hands - even middle-aged bald men biting their briefcases to keep their hands free, all carefully avoiding proximity to female passengers.
"This..." Luo Shu was stunned. Where were Japan's infamous train molesters? This situation felt completely wrong?
At that moment, Utaha Kasumigaoka said quietly, "If a girl shouts 'sexual harassment' inside a train carriage, the police will automatically assume the man is guilty."
As she spoke, Utaha ran a finger lightly across Luo Shu's wrist.
The sudden contact caused Luo Shu's expression to gradually blank.
However, before Luo Shu could grow irritated, Utaha suddenly said, "Want my phone?"
Luo Shu blinked in surprise at this, looking puzzled at Utaha, who was handing him her phone.
Then Utaha added, "If you change how I've listed you in Line to something more intimate, you'll at least have an excuse even if the police take you away."
"Hah?" Luo Shu stared blankly at the phone screen being offered to him, seeing his name, 'Luo Shu', at the top of the contact list. He couldn't help but say in astonishment:
"Miss Utaha, you didn't happen to bump your head when you woke up this morning, did you?"
"No, I just wanted to remind you to look to the right side of the carriage," Utaha replied nonchalantly.
Hearing this, Luo Shu turned his head and spotted a girl in a Toyogasaki High uniform holding up her phone pointed in their direction.
Just as Luo Shu looked over, he saw the flash of the phone's camera go off.
In Japan, phone cameras were forcibly set to flash when taking photos... Remembering this, Luo Shu couldn't help but frown.
At that moment, Utaha said calmly, "That girl's thinking: 'Now I've got something to gossip about with friends today.'"
Hearing this, Luo Shu raised an eyebrow. "You used your awakened Mind Reading ability?"
"Indeed." Utaha pinched the bridge of her nose, looking slightly frustrated as she explained, "I was just testing 'Mind Reading'."
"Based on current observations, I can maintain it for about three minutes. When activated, I involuntarily pick up thoughts from people nearby. To lock onto a specific target, I need visual 'lock-on'."
Here, Utaha paused and glanced at Luo Shu: "By the way, Mind Reading doesn't work on you, so no need to worry."
Hearing this, Luo Shu sighed in relief while remarking, "Still, is it really okay to let a schoolmate take photos like that?"
"It's just some idle gossip at most. The worst that could happen is rumours spreading at school about you and me."
Utaha closed her eyes, leaning against the wall to relieve mental strain as she added:
"Of course, if Senior Luo doesn't mind being harassed by random people, I wouldn't mind pretending to be your girlfriend."
"Only one day in..."
Luo Shu muttered this under his breath, then took Utaha's phone and added a 'heart' symbol next to his contact name before handing it back. He then asked:
"Speaking of which, how do you plan to get Eriri Sawamura to meet us?"
"I'm preparing a method. For someone like Sawamura-kun who's always cutting it fine with attendance, I think this should suffice." Utaha smiled as she opened her bag and produced a white envelope.
Seeing the letter, Luo Shu's expression turned peculiar.
...
Toyogasaki High School, first floor of the school building.
Eriri Sawamura, who had rushed over on her bicycle just in time, dashed into the school building with bread in her mouth and schoolbag in hand after parking. She hurried to the shoe lockers for indoor shoes.
With a clack, Eriri opened the locker, grabbed her shoes and turned to leave.
But at that moment, she froze as she stared at the white envelope that had been pulled out along with her shoes, her expression instantly turning resigned.
"Another love letter..."