Chapter 14: High School Life Begins!

I finished getting ready for school and choked down my breakfast. Just as I was about to step out the door, the intercom buzzed.

"...Who the hell is it this early?"

7:40 AM. A weirdly specific, inconvenient time.

I couldn't think of a single person who’d bother me at an hour like this... actually, scratch that. I knew exactly one.

Assuming it was her anyway, I checked the monitor. Sure enough, a familiar face was staring back at me—a girl with white hair and red eyes who looked vaguely like a rabbit.

"Morning, Ayane. What do you need?"

"We’re going to the same school, so let’s walk together, okay?"

"...I’ll pass."

"—Wait, why?"

I’d turned her down without a second thought, and she was clearly reeling from the instant rejection.

My reasoning was simple: after yesterday, I finally understood the sheer weight of the influence held by Dungeon Streamers—or rather, Adventurers. Ayane was an S-Rank, the absolute peak of that world. Walking to school with her was a one-way ticket to being the center of attention, and I wanted no part of it.

...But I couldn't exactly tell her that, so I had to pivot to an excuse.

"It’d just be awkward, wouldn't it? Walking to school with a guy who has no memories."

"Reima is Reima. You haven't changed a bit. Besides, I don't care."

"Well, I care. I'm the one who feels awkward."

"Muu... just get used to it."

Don't be ridiculous, I thought. But while we were going back and forth, the clock was ticking. Based on my research, the commute to my new high school took about twenty minutes. I’d wanted to leave with time to spare, and if I didn't move soon, I was going to be late.

However, if her personality was anything like the version of her from my world...

"By the way, Reima, do you even know where the school is?"

"...Mostly? I looked it up, at least."

I knew it. Even if this was a different world, as long as I was Reima and she was the childhood friend who’d spent every waking moment with me, she was going to go for the jugular.

"Hmm. But you've never actually been there, right? Do you really know the way?"

"...............What are you getting at?"

"Soya-san told me. You went for a walk the other day and got lost, didn't you?"

"...Dad, why the hell are you leaking my secrets?"

I felt the need to defend myself, if only for my own pride.

The layout of this neighborhood was technically the same as my original world, but because of the whole "fantasy merger" thing, certain landmarks were different from my memories. Fine, I’ll concede that I have a bit of a poor sense of direction, but it’s not like I’m that hopeless... though, to be honest, I had zero confidence I’d actually find the school on my own.

That was why I’d prepared early. I wanted a margin for error.

But as I weighed the options—walking with Ayane versus being late on my very first day—I found myself genuinely hesitating.

"...What do you want from me?"

"Let's go together."

"............N-fine."

I reached the grim conclusion that being marked as a problem student by the teachers on day one would be a bigger pain in the ass than walking with her. A garbled mess of a syllable—somewhere between a "no" and an "okay"—escaped my throat.

We set off through the residential district toward the high school. I kept pace with her to make sure I didn't get separated, but I made a conscious effort to avoid eye contact.

"Hehe. It’s been so long since we walked to school together."

"...Good for you."

She was in a strangely good mood. I understood why, technically, but was it really something to be this happy about?

In my original world, we’d walked to school together every day until the end of middle school. I wasn't sure how things worked on this side, but for this Ayane, it clearly felt like a long-overdue reunion.

"............Hey, Ayane. What kind of guy was the 'old' me?"

"...You want to know?"

"...A little."

"Let's see. You were a clumsy dungeon geek with no sense of direction. You'd sulk the second you were in a bad mood, you were an idiot in the weirdest ways, and you were just a bit of an eccentric kid."

"—Wait, is that really me? Are you sure you aren't just messing with me?"

Everything coming out of her mouth was negative. I couldn't detect a single "good" memory in that description. What was I in this world? A complete moron? What did I even do to her? My mind raced as I tried to process the character assassination, but Ayane sounded like she was having the time of her life.

"Fufu... yeah. That’s definitely Reima."

"Great... so I haven't changed at all, then?"

"Hmm... well, you are Reima, after all. But you know—"

She picked up her pace, walking a few steps ahead of me. She looked up at the sky as she continued.

"The way you match your stride to mine when we walk... the way you’re strangely considerate even though you’re dense as a brick... the way you put up with my selfishness... Most of all, your kindness. That hasn't changed."

Satisfied with her little speech, she slowed down to rejoin my side.

It was embarrassing. I didn't know how I was supposed to respond to something like that. I didn't know the history between the Reima of this world and her. After all, I was...

"Ehehe. To be honest, I was scared. When I heard you had amnesia, and you wouldn't really talk to me... you seemed so awkward that I didn't know how to approach you. But walking together like this... it makes me feel relieved. You really are the same Reima."

"————Sorry."

"Wait, why are you apologizing?"

"No reason..."

"See? That hasn't changed either. Apologizing is a bad habit of yours. Anyway, this is the start of our new school life. I'll be in your care starting today."

"I guess so. Yeah... I'll be in your care too, Ayane."

"Yes! I look forward to it... fufu, this is a little embarrassing, isn't it?"

...No kidding.

I finally turned to look at her. Her eyes were as striking as ever. She kept her expression relatively neutral, but her cheeks were dusted with a faint, telltale pink.

"............I'll have to pay you back for that eventually."

"Hm? Did you say something?"

"Nothing. Just wondering what school is going to be like."

"It'll be fun."

"Then I'll look forward to it."

I kept walking toward the school with her by my side. It was only later that I would realize my initial instinct had been right: walking to school with her on the very first day was a massive mistake.