When I started High School, My Childhood Friend, who had suddenly become distant and cold, was harassed by a stranger. I stepped in to help, and as a result, from the following day, My Childhood Friend's behavior became unusual. - Chapter 13

“Natsuki, thanks so much for the other day.”

As they walked to school in the morning, nearing the gate, Shizune’s sudden words caught Natsuki by surprise. He glanced at her, confused.

“Thanks? For what?” he asked, puzzled. He couldn’t recall doing anything recently that would warrant such gratitude.
“When I told you about my trouble with men and how it made me uncomfortable. You listened to me and helped,” she explained, her voice soft but clear.

“Oh, that,” Natsuki said, the memory surfacing.

“Yeah. I wanted you to know that it’s gotten better now, so you don’t have to be as cautious. You’ve been really considerate, especially on the train and such. I just wanted to say thank you for everything.”

“O-Oh, sure. Don’t mention it,” he replied, turning his gaze away to hide the slight embarrassment that crept up his face. Shizune’s straightforward gratitude had a way of making him feel unexpectedly shy.

“But… can we still walk to school together?” she continued, her tone gentle and hopeful.

“Of course. It’s safer that way, after all.”

“That’s true, but that’s not really it. I just genuinely enjoy walking to school with you,” Shizune admitted, her cheeks tinged with a soft blush as she looked up at him with a smile that made his heart skip.

The sincerity in her eyes made his chest tighten, and for a moment, he couldn’t find the words to respond. His mind scrambled to form a coherent thought.

“It’s not… a problem, is it?” she asked, a hint of nervousness in her voice.

“N-No, it’s fine,” he managed to say, his heart pounding against his ribcage.

“Great! And just so you know, it’s nothing serious, okay? It’s just fun to chat with you while walking,” she added, trying to cover her previous earnestness with a casual laugh.

“Yeah… I enjoy talking to you too,” Natsuki said, the words slipping out more honestly than he intended.

A quiet settled between them as they walked, but it wasn’t awkward. Instead, it was warm, filled with an unspoken understanding. Lately, Natsuki found himself noticing the little things about Shizune more—the way her laughter bubbled up, the small gestures she made, even the way her hair framed her face. Each one made his pulse quicken in a way he hadn’t felt in a long time.

(What’s going on with me lately?)

His mind spun with thoughts he didn’t have the answer to, the heat rising in his chest.

“Natsuki, there’s something I wanted to—”

Before she could finish, a voice called out from the side.
“Hey, Shizune! Morning!”

“Oh, good morning… Hojo-kun,” Shizune replied, her smile shifting slightly, less personal now.

The boy, Hojo, turned his attention to Natsuki and nodded. Natsuki returned the nod, recognizing him as one of Shizune’s classmates. Before long, a few more of her friends joined them, chatting easily as if they’d done so a thousand times. Natsuki lingered for a moment, feeling the distance widen between them as the conversation carried on without him. He decided to slip away, heading to the school building alone.

During lunch, instead of his usual spot in the cafeteria, Natsuki found himself waiting in line at the school’s snack counter. Kato had asked him to eat together in the classroom, so he was grabbing something quick.

Homemade lunches weren’t an option for him. His parents were too busy with work to make one, and he had no desire to cook for himself. Occasionally, his sister would make him a lunch, but it was often filled with the things she knew he disliked—a subtle form of teasing that Natsuki found more trouble than it was worth.

He glanced at the menu, taking note of the fried chicken, rice balls, burgers, and the assortment of pastries and ice cream. It had been a while since he’d last come here, and the variety seemed better than he remembered.

As he counted the coins in his wallet, a ten-yen piece slipped from his fingers and clattered to the floor.

“Here, this is yours.”

Before he could reach down, someone behind him had already picked it up and handed it to him. Natsuki looked up, offering a quick “thanks” before registering the face of the person helping him. It was Hojo, the boy who’d greeted Shizune that morning.
Hojo smiled, his demeanor friendly. Natsuki assumed they recognized each other’s faces, though they’d never spoken before. Just as he was about to turn away and let the moment pass, Hojo spoke up.

“You’re the guy who was with Shizune this morning, right?”

“Uh, yeah. That’s me.”

“What’s your name?”

“Natsuki Sawatori.”

“Natsuki, huh? How’s that written?”

“‘Natsu’ as in ‘summer’ and ‘ki’ as in ‘century.’”

“Got it. I’m Masato Hojo. ‘Masato’ as in ‘general’ and ‘person.’ Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too,” Natsuki replied, assuming this would be the extent of their interaction. But Hojo seemed genuinely outgoing, the type who was comfortable talking to anyone.
“So, are you and Shizune close? I’ve seen you two together before, in the mornings and after school.”

“Oh, yeah… we’re childhood friends.”

“She mentioned that once. Are you two dating?”

“No, not at all. We’re just friends.”

“Really? Huh, I thought you might be. That’s a relief.”

“A relief?” Natsuki echoed, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh, nothing! Just mumbling to myself. Looks like they still have fried chicken,” Hojo said, changing the topic smoothly.
Natsuki’s turn came, and he ordered his food, said a brief goodbye to Hojo, and made his way back to the classroom.