Chapter 6

Well, that's how I made a friend.

My first friend after becoming a high school student was a beauty so out of this world that I thought she and I had no connection at all.

"Well, this won't do. I got so caught up in our conversation that it's already this late... It's almost dark, and it might be very dangerous for a girl to walk alone at this hour. By the way, what do you think, Nakayama-kun?"

"W-What do I think?"

"I'm asking if it's okay for me to go home alone at a time like this. By the way, will the convenient boy Nakayama-kun, who just became my friend a moment ago, leave the beautiful me, thanks to my parents' genes, and go home by himself?"

"...I'll see you home."

Honestly, I couldn't ignore such an obvious request to be escorted.

"But, wouldn't you be bothered if someone saw us walking together?"

For someone like me, a mere side character, it wouldn't match up with the cute Shizukaze, who seems like a proper heroine. But apparently, she doesn't care about such things.

"I can't understand why you think it's bothersome. Why are you so negative about just wanting to go home with a friend? Could it be that you want to be comforted? There, there, good boy, let's go home together, okay?"

Shizukaze stretched up to pat my head.

No, wait a moment... I didn't mean it like that.

And, by the way.

She seemed to dislike being touched by Ryuzaki, but is it okay for her to touch herself... No, that's not it. It's not that she dislikes being touched; she just doesn't like Ryuzaki touching her.

This girl seems to have a problem with Ryuzaki.

A childhood friend heroine who rejects the popular and harem-prone protagonist feels kind of rare.

Usually, I'd think she'd be the first to join the harem.

"Come on, let's go? Hehe, I've always dreamed of going home with a friend. It feels so student-like and wonderful... So, what do you want to talk about? I may look like it, but I'm actually quite multifaceted. Games, anime, TV, anything is fine. Oh, but not manga or novels. I'm not good with reading."

As she walked, leading the way, she continued to speak rapidly.

I'm not sure if this can be called a conversation, but it was interesting to hear about Shizukaze's interests.

Surprisingly, she seems to like subculture. Well, maybe it's not so surprising. Hobbies that were once called otaku have become more mainstream recently.

"Oh, but before that, you know what? It's a bit sad to be so formal with a friend, calling you 'Nakayama-kun'... I think it would be more convenient to have a nickname. Hmm, what would be good? Do you have any recommendations, Nakayama-kun?"

And Shizukaze seems to be particular about nicknames.

To her, a friend means someone who calls each other by a special nickname.

"Hmm, I don't know..."

We walked out of the school gate and down the road.

By the way, where does Shizukaze live? I don't know the location, but since I said I'd see her home, I have to go all the way to her house, so it doesn't matter where it is.

Besides, I'll be alone at home anyway.

There's no need to worry about the time.

"I think anything is fine."

"That's not fine. Honestly, Nakayama-kun, you're so unemotional... You're just like me when Ryuzaki-kun is around. If you become such a boring person, that's no good. Meh."

"...If that's the case, wouldn't that make you a boring person, Shizukaze? Is that okay?"

"That's right. I'm so boring in front of Ryuzaki-kun, but I think it's a bit strange that he talks to me so much. He's so unfriendly and doesn't talk at all, so what does he see in a girl like me? Is it my face? If that's the case, he should thank my parents for their genes instead of me."

I feel like the topic has shifted a bit.

And she might have a condition where she can't stop talking. She talked non-stop on the way home. I only nodded occasionally, but she continued to talk happily, which was quite surprising.

But Shizukaze seems to just like talking; she's not particularly good at it.

The conversation has strayed so much that we haven't even discussed the main topic. In the end, we didn't decide on a nickname either.

"Oh? We're already at my house... Hehe, talking with a friend is so much fun. The boring way home was over in no time, and I got a bit excited. Thank you for keeping me company, Nakayama-kun?"

She smiled and shook my hand at the end.

It seems she has a very close relationship with her friends. I was taken by surprise and felt a bit flustered.

"See you tomorrow, then."

"Yeah, sure. See you tomorrow..."

She waved and went into her house.

The Shizukaze family's house was an ordinary single-family home. Given her otherworldly appearance, I thought she might come from a wealthy family, but it seems to be quite normal.

"...I'll head home."

Shizukaze's house was quite close to the school.

It's only about fifteen minutes, and the direction is the same as my house, so I can walk straight home from here.

It's a familiar route for going home alone.

But today, thanks to Shizukaze... my steps felt lighter than usual.