"I was looking for you," she said in an indifferent tone.
"Huh?"
I couldn't help but be caught off guard.
Did I do something that would make someone like her come looking for me?
Hmm… nothing worth remembering comes to mind.
Maybe I'd met her before?
I shook my head internally.
Even though I tend to forget strangers or people I've only interacted with once, there's no way I'd forget a girl like this—blonde hair, striking figure, and a commanding presence. She's the kind of person who leaves a mark for life.
So trying to figure out why she's looking for me feels pointless.
Aside from her, I noticed the other guys in my class had their eyes glued to me, like they were wondering why a girl of her caliber would be asking about me.
I'm not exactly the type who stands out, but I'm not one of those weirdos people avoid either. In short—just normal, I guess. Or at least, that's what I like to believe.
"Let's go somewhere else," she said, turning around, clearly expecting me to follow.
Normally, I would've ignored her, but part of me was curious to know why she was looking for me. Besides, there was this nagging feeling that I'd met her before. I wanted answers.
I'm a curious person by nature.
With no other way to find out, I followed her. More than anything, her attitude told me she wouldn't take no for an answer.
Needless to say, I could feel the jealous stares of the guys around me. So before leaving the classroom, I shot them a smug, mocking grin.
We walked up to the stairs that led to the rooftop.
Ah, memories. I had lunch here last week.
Once there, she leaned against the wall.
"This spot's fine."
Alright, so how should I handle this?
This girl's demeanor screams queen—projecting superiority with just a few words and subtle expressions.
So the best move is to act the way I always do. If I play too submissive, it only shows I can't handle someone like her. On the other hand, if I act overly arrogant and brash, it turns into a clash.
"So, what's so important that you had to bring me all the way out here?" I asked in a calm but serious tone.
"I wanted to talk to you," she replied, staring at me like she was trying to intimidate me.
"I'm sure you could've done that back in the classroom," I answered, meeting her gaze.
"You seem like the type who prefers secluded spots for conversations."
"Am I that easy to read?"
Coincidence—or does she actually know me?
"I know a little about you," she said with a smile.
Hmm… some kind of stalker? I doubt it. I would've noticed if that were the case. More questions than answers keep piling up…
"Well then, I suppose we should introduce ourselves properly. And since I'm a gentleman, I'll let you go first," I said, gesturing with my hands.
"Gentleman, huh?" She chuckled. "You're right, we haven't introduced ourselves yet." She cleared her throat. "I'm Miura Yumiko."
That name… it fits her.
"I'm Tsurumi Raiden."
Again, there's that strange sense of familiarity.
"Tsurumi Raiden…" she repeated softly. "I'll remember that!"
Why does she look a little happy to know that?
"Well then, now that we both know each other's names, what business do you have with me?" I asked, raising a brow.
"Wait a second."
With that, she walked past me and slowly disappeared from sight.
Saying I'm confused would be an understatement—I have no idea what her reasons are for doing this.
Even so, I feel like I know Miura Yumiko from somewhere. Now that I've talked to her more, her voice sounds familiar.
I started thinking about the few people I've exchanged words with, and only one person came to mind—but it doesn't make sense. They're way too different.
I mocked my own poor deductive skills.
"Here!"
By reflex, I reached out and caught the can Yumiko had thrown at me.
"Now we're even," she said with a playful smirk.
Looking at the can, I noticed it was Max Caffe.
This whole "stalker" theory of mine is starting to make more sense… should I run?
Yumiko leaned against the wall, staring at me curiously, as if waiting for something.
Even? That's what really confused me.
Only one person comes to mind to whom I recently gave Max Caffe—the same one I had dismissed earlier for looking nothing like her. That girl had brown hair and jade-green eyes. Looking at Miura Yumiko in front of me, the only thing that matches are her eyes.
Could it really be her?
Her attitude and personality are like night and day, but…
"You're that girl, aren't you?" I asked, a bit uncertain.
It might sound stupid, but during all our conversations, we never exchanged personal information.
"You're so slow," Yumiko said with a sigh.
My eyes widened in surprise. I know people can change, but this is a huge shift. Even though she had just admitted it, I still couldn't believe it.
"I know people can change, but this is way too much." I stared at her.
She raised an eyebrow, as if I had just insulted her.
"Is something wrong with me?"
She spun around once, almost like she was showing off.
"More than that, it's such a drastic change that I simply didn't recognize you." I gave a small nod.
After what happened on Friday, we had talked comfortably on our way out of school, so chatting with her now wasn't a problem.
"I thought you'd recognize me just by looking, but I see you're slow." She gave me a look full of pity.
Now I get why she spoke to me the way she did from the start—there was already some familiarity between us.
"It's asking too much for me to recognize you. Even your attitude is completely different."
I won't deny that I like this new side of her more. Someone brimming with confidence is better than someone with no self-esteem.
"These days, I decided I should change." Her expression shifted to a melancholy one. "I want to be able to face any negative emotions, so the first step I took was abandoning my old appearance. I want to look like someone who wouldn't hesitate to take the first step against her problems, to grow as a person. I didn't want to keep being that girl who just sat there, doing nothing in the face of uncertainty." Her expression hardened, determined. "I don't need someone else to give meaning to my life, because I'm the one steering it." In the end, she flashed a dazzling smile. "That's something I learned from someone who helped me when I needed it."
"I guess that guy must be pretty amazing." A little self-praise never hurts.
Still, I don't think what happened on Friday alone was enough for her to change. She had seemed comfortable walking home with me that day—maybe willing to adjust her attitude a little, to stop being so submissive, but not to go through a complete transformation. Which means that, in these past few days, something else must have happened. Something strong enough to make her reevaluate herself entirely.
Everyone has their own problems. It's not really my concern. Still, that change is for the better.
Her blonde hair, jade-green eyes, graceful figure, and queen-like aura… it really suits her.
"I agree. He's someone amazing, someone who helped me and knew exactly what to say." She showed me a beautiful smile.
If she keeps giving me compliments, she'll seriously make my ego skyrocket.
This was unexpected, but not something I really need to worry about.
"Well then, Miura, it was a pleasure talking with you." Time to head back.
Now that she had this look and queen-like aura, I was sure she'd form her own group of friends. Wanting to talk to me was probably just her way of thanking me.
I turned to leave, but her words stopped me.
"Call me Yumiko! After all, we're friends now!" she declared with a serious tone, as if telling me I had no right to refuse.
"That's a strange way to become friends with someone."
Her words caught me off guard, mostly because I thought that after this, we wouldn't interact the same way anymore. I mean, just looking at her makes it obvious.
"We talked for a week, had lunch together, ran into some issues, you gave me advice, and even walked me home on Friday. No matter how you look at it, that's what friends do!" she declared with conviction.
She had a valid point. What she described is exactly what friends do.
"I never did any of that to get closer to you. It was just one of life's coincidences."
Life's little coincidences can either hurt you or work in your favor.
Even so, part of me feels that if we actually become friends, the rest of middle school will change completely. I'll have to say goodbye to my peaceful days. I can already tell from her new attitude—she's going to be a headache.
"And that's exactly why. You helped me without asking for anything in return. That's something only a true friend does," Yumiko said with unwavering confidence.
Why is she tearing apart every single argument I make?
"Hanging around me won't do you any good. If you're trying to show others a different side of yourself, I'm sure you'd rather avoid those kinds of comments."
It was the most natural thing for someone who wanted to stand out and be popular. She probably wanted to avoid that kind of situation. And honestly, I'd rather avoid it too. I like my life simple and quiet.
"I don't care about being popular, so I don't care what people say about me. Besides, why should I take seriously the words of people who mean nothing to me?"
Well, I'm out of excuses. I feel like an idiot.
If she can turn my own words against me, then she's definitely not the same girl she used to be.
Never would I have imagined that Miura Yumiko—the beautiful, queenlike girl standing before me—was someone who'd been bullied since elementary school. It feels almost unreal.
"I give up." I raised my hands with a deep sigh.
"Raiden, why are you saying it like being my friend is such a bad thing?!" Yumiko said, sounding a little irritated.
The Japanese have certain customs—for example, only calling someone by their given name if you're close to them. Apparently, Miura Yumiko has already given me that option, and she herself used my name without hesitation. Do I even get a say in this?
I don't really mind calling her by her name, since it was normal in my past life…
…Well, whatever. If I can't even follow my own words, then what's the point of giving them as advice to someone else?
"I just think you'll be annoying." The thought slipped out on its own.
"You're way too honest!"
"I know." I nodded.
"That's why I like you."
This girl really won't leave me alone.
Even if I tried to change my attitude toward her, it wouldn't work. She already knows how I normally act, and she'd see right through any half-hearted act I put on just to avoid her.
In the end, I brought this on myself by getting involved in someone else's problems. From the very start, I should've just stayed out of it…
"Fine, fine. There's no point resisting since you'll crush any argument I come up with. So, Yumiko, let's get along."
Am I giving up too easily? Well, it's not like having a beautiful girl as a friend is such a bad thing.
I don't think this friendship will last beyond graduation, which is only a few months away anyway. I guess I can handle my days being a little more hectic until then.
Besides… she really is pleasant to look at. Her beautiful blonde hair, jade-green eyes, and slender, well-proportioned figure—her uniform only makes her features stand out more. On that front, I have no complaints.
"Likewise, Raiden!" Yumiko said with her usual air of superiority and arrogance.
Her attitude might be annoying and exhausting to put up with, but it's still much better than the old her.
After everything, it seems I've made my first friend—and with that, my peaceful days are officially over...