"I believe I mentioned this before, but I’ve spotted you and that young girl together several times on your way to school. It was always near the convenience store at the intersection. Do you pass through there every morning?"
She was likely referring to the convenience store where I stopped every day. It was true that I always ran into Mio-chan right around that spot.
"Yeah, I usually meet up with Mio-chan right around there."
"My route to school takes me toward that same intersection from the station side. If that’s the case... assuming you don’t mind, Takanashi-san, would you like to start meeting up there?"
"Eh!? I-I mean, I'm fine with that, but..."
I hadn't expected an invitation like that from Senpai. It meant we would be walking to school together every single morning.
Whoa... am I burning through a lifetime's worth of luck in one short burst here?
"That way, we can greet each other every morning without any hindrances getting in the way."
"Um... are you really sure it's okay?"
Walking to school with the Goddess every morning—what kind of divine reward was this? This wasn't a dream, was it? If Yuji were here, he’d pinch my cheek... actually, he’d probably just deck me with everything he had.
"Yes. Natsumi often walks to school with me as well, so it will usually be the three of us. If you’re alright with that, I would very much like for you to join us."
Ah, so Natsumi-san would be there too.
Well, three people would probably be less awkward anyway. Jumping straight to just the two of us would have been a bit much. More importantly... right, Natsumi-san. I was fairly certain she was the person I was thinking of. I’d kept things vague until now without ever confirming it, but it was about time I asked.
"I understand. By the way, Natsumi-san is the friend in your class, right? The one who came up to the rooftop the other day..."
"Oh... I am so sorry! You’re right, I haven’t given her a proper introduction yet!"
Senpai looked genuinely surprised, as if the realization had just hit her. To be honest, we’d been communicating with a sort of unspoken understanding until now.
"I’ve already told Natsumi about you... but all the more reason for us to walk to school together. I really want to introduce Natsumi to you, and I’d like to properly introduce you to Natsumi as well."
I knew she just meant she wanted to introduce her friends to one another, but was I the only one who felt like it carried a deeper meaning? Regardless, I didn't mind a formal introduction; I was curious to see what kind of person Senpai's best friend was.
"Got it. Then I’d love to join you. But are you sure you don’t need to check with her first?"
Since we would be walking together almost every day, it felt wrong to decide everything without her input.
"Natsumi knows about the situation between us, so I’m sure it will be fine. She’s sociable and easy to get along with, so I’m certain you’ll hit it off right away."
"Understood. Then, please let your friend know, and let’s confirm the time over RAIN tonight."
"Yes. Hehe... I’m so happy. Tomorrow is going to be wonderful."
As she spoke, Senpai gave me a radiant, joyful smile.
Starting tomorrow, we’d see each other every morning... I was thrilled that the things I had to look forward to were steadily increasing. If I hadn't met Senpai, I wondered what my high school life would have looked like.
"I’ve taken up quite a bit of your time. Let’s hurry and finish the watering."
"Yes. If we do it together, we'll have plenty of time even without rushing. I'll be in your care today as well."
We began our daily routine of watering and weeding. It was the first time in a few days that we’d worked together, but I realized that I only found the labor enjoyable because Senpai was by my side.
Even after we finished cleaning up, we still had a little time left to catch our breath. Just as she’d predicted, working in a pair had given us a buffer. Senpai gathered her things from the bench and began preparing to head back.
"Well then, I shall return to my classroom."
"Right, I’m heading back too. Senpai, thank you for the meal today. It was delicious."
"Thank you. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I’ll message you tonight."
With a final smile, Senpai headed back toward her building. I stayed behind, as I usually did, to kill time until the last possible second. I wanted to minimize the time I spent in my classroom.
I sat on the bench, scrolling aimlessly through my phone to pass the minutes. Between the pleasant company and the delicious food, I felt a bit dazed. I just hoped I wouldn't fall asleep during my next class. Better give it my best effort.
I went home, finished my assignments, ate dinner, and played some games—the usual daily routine. I didn't have any major hobbies, so my nights were mostly the same.
Senpai usually had Student Council duties after school, so we almost never saw each other then. That meant the walk home was always a solo trip. But now that I’d be seeing her in the morning as well, I felt like asking for anything more would be nothing short of greedy.
I’d been alone for such a long time, yet now I finally had a new friend—and my first female friend other than Yuzuha. I was happy on two different levels... and when I remembered that the friend in question was the Goddess herself, it felt like even more than that.
Ping.
A RAIN notification chimed, and I opened my messages with Senpai.
『Good evening, Takanashi-san.』
『Good evening, Senpai. Thanks again for lunch today.』
『Not at all. I was just happy to hear you liked it.』
『No, really, it was great. I'm already looking forward to the next one.』
『I'll do my best. About tomorrow morning—Natsumi said she has no problem with it, so let’s meet up as we discussed.』
『Got it. What time works for you? I can adjust my schedule to match yours.』
『Well, based on when Natsumi and I usually meet, I think we'll arrive at the convenience store around 7:30.』
『That works perfectly for me. Shall we say 7:30, then?』
『If that’s alright with you, Takanashi-san.』
『It’s a plan. See you tomorrow at 7:30.』
『Yes, I look forward to it. Good night.』
『Good night, Senpai.』
Exchanging RAIN messages with a girl at night—and with the Goddess, of all people—felt surreal. It just wouldn't sink in. But the messages staring back at me from the screen were undeniable proof that this was my reality.
Alright, I should get to bed early. I absolutely cannot afford to be late tomorrow.