"A guard mission for the nearby highway... and the duration is only one day, huh?"
"Exactly! And don't you think the pay is a pretty great deal!?"
Yugo looked over the request form, a complicated expression crossing his face as he stared at the figures in the reward column.
To be honest, he didn’t have a firm grasp on this world’s cost of living or the value of its currency yet. But if Melt said it was a good deal, it probably was.
He would likely be relying on this request system to survive from now on, so it seemed like a good idea to take a job just to see how it worked.
"Alright. I'll take the job with you. Glad to be working with you."
"Thank you! The deadline for sign-ups is tomorrow. If I hadn't found a partner, I would’ve had to pass on it. You really saved me!"
Once he agreed to team up for the request, Melt grabbed Yugo’s hand and pumped it vigorously up and down to show her gratitude.
Yugo gave a wry smile at her behavior—she was incredibly straightforward and easy to read, for better or worse. Just as he was wondering how to get her to let go...
"Brother? Who is that?"
"O-Oh, Fee. This is, uh..."
Fee had returned to the table with his meal tickets in hand. Faced with his brother's question, Yugo found himself at a loss for words.
Given his status as the most hated person in school, he worried it might be a bit presumptuous to call someone he’d met only minutes ago a "friend." As he agonized over how to introduce her, Melt completely bypassed his concerns and made a bold declaration to Fee.
"Nice to meet you! I’m Melt Epee! I’m your brother’s friend!"
"A friend...? Brother, is that true?"
"Ah... yeah. Well, something like that."
Fee couldn't hide his shock. Melt stood there with a beaming smile, puffing out her chest with pride as she claimed the title of Yugo's friend. When Fee turned to his brother for confirmation, Yugo saw no reason to deny it, even if he was a bit bewildered.
The moment Yugo confirmed her words, Fee’s face lit up. He rushed forward and took Melt’s hand, offering his own greeting.
"N-Nice to meet you! I'm Fee Clay! It's a pleasure!"
"Oh! What an energetic kid! The pleasure's mine!"
"Ugh...! To think my brother actually made a friend... it feels like a dream! I’m so happy for you!"
"...Hey, Fee? That actually kind of hurts. Are you making fun of me or something?"
Yugo felt a slight pang of annoyance seeing Fee moved to tears just by the fact that he’d made a friend.
Still, considering his current situation—labeled the academy's biggest piece of trash, kicked out of his home, and having lost everything—there was no denying that making a friend was a genuine cause for celebration.
Yugo told himself that Fee was simply that worried about him, but he still kept his face set in a flat, unimpressed line. Melt watched their interaction with a cheerful laugh.
"He really loves you, doesn't he? I thought so when I saw you two earlier, but you really are nothing like the person the rumors describe."
"Ah... well, like I said, I’ve got amnesia. My personality probably changed because of it."
"That might be true, but a truly bad person wouldn't be loved this much by his brother. Have some confidence! I don't think you're nearly as bad as you seem to think."
Melt gave him a brilliant, encouraging smile.
It had been a long time—a very long time—since anyone besides Fee had praised him. Her words and that smile filled Yugo with an indescribable sense of joy.
I feel like one of those evil executives from a magical girl show who gets moved by the hero's heart...
It was a classic development often seen in the anime programs broadcast on Sunday mornings.
The frozen heart of a villain is melted by a soul of shining justice and love, marking the first step toward them standing side-by-side as fellow magical girls. As he thanked her, he couldn't help but think that if he’d been reincarnated as a villainess instead, this would have been a very moving yuri scene.
"Thanks. Uh... sorry, what should I call you?"
"Just Melt is fine! See? Being considerate about stuff like that just proves you aren't a bad guy, Yugo! I'm glad you're my first friend here!"
Melt held out her hand again, and Yugo took it, shaking it properly this time.
Looking at her—bright, direct, and possessed of a mysterious charm that seemed to make everyone around her smile—Yugo reached a conclusion.
She’s definitely the protagonist type if this were a Pu○cure show. Being a transfer student is a classic first-episode trope, and even her hair color fits the part.
With her high social energy, bright personality, and the carefree nature that allowed her to make friends instantly, Melt had all the hallmarks of a Sunday morning magical girl lead.
Thinking that he, as her first friend, was perhaps the red or orange-coded best friend character, Yugo let out a small smile, savoring the profound joy of making his first friend since coming to this world.