During class, we were told to break into our groups and assign roles.
We sat facing one another around a table in the library.
Every single person wore a completely different expression.
Masanori looked cool and composed,
Amanatsu was flustered and acting thoroughly suspicious,
Shinonome kept her head down, looking awkward,
Katsurama trailed Shinonome with his eyes,
and Hiiragi... was beaming, looking entirely cheerful.
Why is she the only one operating in normal mode?
"Well then, let's start by picking a leader. It's an important role—overseeing the group, checking in with the teachers at departure and arrival, and making final calls if any trouble comes up."
As Masanori read from the handout, I caught the blonde gyaru out of the corner of my eye about to raise her hand. I spoke up without missing a beat.
"I think Masanori should do it. He's got everyone's respect, after all."
The other members didn't seem to object, nodding in agreement.
Only Hiiragi clenched her fists, looking utterly vexed.
Considering Hiiragi was an undeniable troublemaker and completely unfit for the job, preempting her was the right move.
"...All right. I'll do it. Next up is the sub-leader and timekeeper—"
Hiiragi's face instantly lit up.
However, Masanori placed a hand on my shoulder where I sat beside him.
"I think Hatsukade would be a good fit. He seems like the type to keep things strictly on schedule."
"...Well, fine by me."
I was the one who nominated Masanori for leader, so I might as well accept it gracefully.
"Gnnnh!"
Hiiragi shot me a glare practically crackling with bare rivalry.
Why does she get so worked up over something like this?
After that, the remaining roles were settled smoothly.
Amanatsu was the navigator, Hiiragi was the health and safety officer, Katsurama was the record-keeper in charge of photos, and Shinonome was the life logistics officer, handling spare snacks during the trek and managing luggage at our lodging.
Once we reported our assignments to our homeroom teacher, everyone went off to do preliminary research or receive duty-specific instructions.
Even during that time, Katsurama kept finding excuses to talk to Shinonome.
She put on a polite smile to avoid showing any overt discomfort, but it was obvious she was annoyed.
If Katsurama liked her, you'd think he'd have the sense to read the room, but they really do say love is blind.
"Hey, Katsurama. If you've got time to kill, give me a hand over here."
"Huh? Oh... sure."
We'd never get anything done at this rate.
I kept Katsurama by my side and got our timetable for the trip organized.
◇
"Haaah... This is so awkward. Grouping us like this makes no sense at all."
Amanatsu groaned, slouching over the table in the clubroom after school.
She fiddled with her elaborately manicured nails, sulking.
"Isn't this literally the most awkward combination in the entire galaxy?"
"Is it? I don't really feel anything about it."
"Ugh, I was an idiot for asking you, Hatsukade-kun."
Saying that indirectly calls me an idiot, you know.
"Exactly! Nakina, you're just worrying way too much!"
Hiiragi, munching on a rice cracker, patted Amanatsu on the back.
Why is she hanging around here like it's the most natural thing in the world?
Apparently sharing my sentiment, Amanatsu stared at her with a twitching expression.
"Ah! If the atmosphere is that bad, want me to go lay down the law for you? I'll tell them Nakina isn't mad at Shii-chan, and tell Katsurama he has zero chance so he should just give up!"
"Sakura, I am begging you, please do not do anything!"
A rice cracker was shoved right into Amanatsu's open, screaming mouth.
As Amanatsu reflexively took a bite and began crunching away, Hiiragi laughed brightly. "Fine, I won't then! It might turn into a repeat of last time, after all!"
Is that really the attitude of someone reflecting on what she did?
I seriously cannot stand her.
Also, it seemed Katsurama's crush on Shinonome was common knowledge within their group.
With how blatantly obvious he was, anyone who wasn't totally dense would notice.
"Oh, I forgot to mention! I figured since we're here, I'd invite you along, Nakina!"
"To what?"
"My parents actually invest in stocks, you see. So we have some leftover shareholder discount coupons for a shop that sells trekking gear. Let's all use them! Don't you want cute clothes and shoes since we're going anyway?"
"I mean... I kinda do."
"Right? Let's go sometime after school next week. And. Of. Course..."
Pausing there, Hiiragi flashed a sly smirk in my direction.
"Hatsukade is coming too!"
"Pass."
"Whaaat?! W-Why?!"
That should be obvious.
It was glaringly clear that Hiiragi was scheming to play matchmaker between me and Amanatsu.
She really hasn't learned a thing.
"Well, I'm heading home."
Turning my back on Hiiragi, who was frozen in shock, and Amanatsu, who was pouting, I left school for the day.
◇
Saturday, 2:41 PM.
On this particular day, this exact time was special to me.
I changed into my shoes in the entryway and headed for the nearest station.
After arriving on the platform, I boarded the train that pulled up with down-to-the-second precision.
Getting off at my stop and passing through the ticket gate, I squinted against the hot sunlight filtering through the gaps between low-rise buildings.
Passing the scattered shops spread out in front of the station, I finally reached my destination.
Looking up, a massive red sign leapt boldly into view.
"Menya Karakarado"
My stomach grumbled loudly for a late lunch, demanding noodles immediately, and I swallowed the saliva pooling in my mouth.
Sliding open the old-fashioned wooden door, the stimulating aroma of spices pierced right through my nose and straight to my brain.
Unable to contain my excitement, I quickly scanned the room—there were no other customers.
...Perfect.
A flawlessly calculated, meticulous piece of timekeeping.
Sniping the quiet hours like a marksman, yet taking a seat thirty minutes before closing so as not to cause the shop any trouble.
"Welcome! What can I getcha, kid?"
"Tantanmen with a seasoned boiled egg topping. Mild spice, please."
"Right away, thanks for the order!"
The master's booming voice would have been deafening in normal conversation, but here it felt completely natural and comforting. Even this waiting time was something to savor.
This was my third time visiting Menya Karakarado.
From the moment I stumbled across it and took my first bite, I had become entirely captive to this shop.
To be honest, I had been restlessly anticipating this since Friday.
Ah, so this is what they call happiness.
Waiting in my seat, a faint smile crossed my face.
Just then.
"Hey! Stop slacking off and come help clean up the shop!"
The master shouted toward the back of the kitchen.
This place was what you'd call a combined storefront and residence.
The second floor was likely their home.
"All right, all right, Dad! I'm coming right now!"
I paused.
That voice sounded remarkably familiar.
Then, a petite girl emerged from the back of the shop—and froze the moment she laid eyes on me.
"H-Hatsukade..."
It was our group's life logistics officer, Emiri Shinonome.
◇
Shinonome stood stock-still on the kitchen side, her eyes wide.
Noticing her reaction, the master looked up.
"Oh? What, you two classmates or something?"
"Yes, she's in my class."
When I answered, the master broke into a delighted grin.
"Well what'd'ya know! You should've said so sooner! Emiri, forget the chores, go sit next to the young man."
"Wait, Dad, hold on?!"
"What's your name, kid?"
"Subaru Hatsukade."
"Subaru, eh? Be good to my Emiri! Today, I'm tossing in five extra slices of chashu on the house!"
"Ohh..."
The tantanmen was placed on the table, and unable to hold back, I snapped my disposable chopsticks apart.
"Thanks for the food!"
A single slurp sent a criminally delicious sensation numbing through my entire body.
"So good..."
"...How can you eat so happily in a situation like this?"
Having been forced to sit next to me, Shinonome muttered with her mouth agape.
"Normally, it'd be so awkward you wouldn't even be able to taste it."
"I was surprised, but I don't feel a single millimeter of awkwardness."
"Seriously, what is wrong with your mental fortitude...?"
Even if she asked me that, compared to this exquisite bowl of tantanmen, my concern for Shinonome was mere dust.
Haaah, holding out was totally worth it. It's way too delicious!
"You actually smile, Hatsukade."
"...What did you take me for?"
"I mean, you always have a sullen look on your face in class."
"That's probably just because everyone around me is boring."
"Don't spit venom while eating ramen."
In the blink of an eye, I finished the whole thing.
I even drank the soup down to the very last drop, but any sense of guilt was powerless before this culinary bliss.
Pressing my hands together, I bowed to the master.
"That was delicious. Thank you for the meal."
"Heheh, glad you liked it! If you're Emiri's friend, it's on the house."
"No, I can't do that. I want to pay proper respect to your craft, sir."
"Hah, listen to you, Subaru!"
Our eyes met, and both of our faces broke into matching grins.
Shinonome slumped her shoulders, muttering, "What is with guys..."
"Subaru, how's my Emiri doing in high school lately? She's been looking pretty down at home too, ya know."
"Dad, stop it?!"
Shinonome yelled, her face bright red, but the master didn't seem to care in the slightest as he smiled at me.
"She's been like this the whole time. Never tells me a thing, ever since she was little. Hear her out sometime, will ya, Subaru?"
"Well..."
"Oh, I know! Emiri, why don't you walk Subaru back while taking Pii-chan out?"
"Whaaat?! W-Why should I? It'd just bother Hatsukade too, right?! Wouldn't it?!"
"What's a Pii-chan?"
To my question, the master answered casually.
"Our dog."
"What breed?"
"A Samoyed."
"A Samoyed... A Samoyed, huh..."
Standing up from my seat, I paid the bill and turned back to Shinonome.
"What are you doing? Let's get going."
◇
Shinonome and I walked together along the short path toward the station.
At the end of the leash she held was a gigantic, fluffy white dog.
Looking up at me with large, perfectly round eyes, Pii-chan flashed a cheerful smile.
S-So cute...
"Isn't that leash a bit loose? It looks pretty old, too."
"True, I probably need to buy a replacement soon... Wait, why am I just casually having a conversation and walking with you, Hatsukade?"
Pii-chan nestled up against my leg, making me flinch involuntarily.
"...You said you wanted to walk him, so don't get scared."
"I can't help it. I was bitten badly by a dog in the past, so I have some trauma."
"Then you should've just said no."
"I like dogs. You don't get to see a Samoyed every day, so I didn't want to miss the chance."
"Then why don't you pet him?"
Taking her up on the offer, I thoroughly enjoyed the soft fur, prompting Shinonome to murmur quietly.
"Haaah... Hatsukade found out my family runs a ramen shop, the group assignments were the absolute worst... Everything lately has been a complete disaster."
"A ramen shop is great, isn't it?"
"It's not great! People are definitely going to make fun of me for being plain. I haven't even told Sakura and the others."
If my family ran such a wonderful shop, I'd be weeping tears of joy.
To me, it just sounded like a champagne problem.
"Is getting dumped by Masanori really that awkward for you?"
"Whose fault do you think that is?"
"You brought it on yourself, didn't you?"
"Ugh... Yeah, that's right, it's all my fault. You happy now?!"
"Not yet. I haven't gotten an apology from you yet."
Shinonome glared at me with pure resentment.
Unlike the polite smiles she fabricated in the classroom, her true emotions were written clearly across her face.
"Seriously, what is your deal? It's not like apologizing now is going to change anything. What, if I bow my head, you want to make up and be friends?"
"As if."
"Figures. And it's not just you, Hatsukade—everyone's the same. My old life isn't ever coming back... Being at school isn't fun, and I don't even have the right to complain about it. Did you know? That video of me crying like an idiot and getting rejected by Masanori-kun is circulating on social media, and everyone's laughing at me. Even the people at school acting friendly, telling me not to worry and just forget about it, are laughing behind my back. But even if I tell them to stop, who am I to talk? Even if I apologize, it's already over for me..."
Rambling with desperate, self-destructive words as if sinking into a dark abyss of her own making, Shinonome's eyes were dull and clouded.
Panting heavily, Pii-chan looked up at her with concern.
The good-natured master's smiling face crossed my mind.
...And though it had nothing to do with this, the expressions on that girl and her parents' faces when we parted ways flashed through my head once more.
"I just want to drop out of high school already."
A genuinely disheartened, defeatist remark slipped through her lips.
"Stop playing the victim. Reflect on what you did. It was only fine because the target this time happened to be me, but if things had gone wrong, it could have turned into a massive problem. I don't know what kind of explanation you got from Amanatsu, but your actions were the main reason she couldn't come to school for days."
"..."
"Both she and I have families. The person involved isn't the only one who gets hurt and worried. Did you think that far ahead?"
"..."
Looking at her silence, I let out an exasperated sigh.
"Listen. Every human being makes mistakes."
"...?"
"Sure, there are sins that can never be forgiven once committed. But in most cases, you can start over depending on how much you reflect on it."
Shinonome gave me a dubious look.
"What's that supposed to mean...? Are you hitting on me by trying to encourage me while I'm down?"
Looking straight at her, I answered plainly.
"I'm not hitting on you. But I am encouraging you."
"...Kh."
Shinonome's cheeks flushed faintly red, and she took a step back.
"Geez, seriously, what is with you?"
"Well, this is far enough for seeing me off. Thanks to you too, Pii-chan."
"Woof!"
Giving Pii-chan's head one last pat, I turned and started walking toward the station.
I figure that was enough to settle the score for those five slices of chashu.