"Go talk to a guy in your department." Hayashi had made a truly ridiculous demand. In all my life, I had almost never spent a moment lamenting my lack of friends. Even now, I wasn't exactly looking for any.
Well, I could more or less understand her motivation.
Between sheltering her from her ex-boyfriend and the recent trip back to her parents' house, I’d managed to put her quite a bit in my debt over the last month. She probably wanted to repay that favor, even if only a little.
In the course of our conversation, my lack of friends had become a point of mutual understanding, so she likely figured she’d help me solve the problem. Honestly, it was a classic meddling-mother move, very much like Hayashi.
But what was I supposed to do about this motherly meddling?
...To be honest.
To be perfectly honest.
...I absolutely hated the idea.
Talk to a guy in my department? The guys in my department... she meant those guys, right? The ones who never shut up during lectures. Honestly, I’d lost count of how many times I’d wished they would just be quiet and study. Why on earth did I have to become friends with people like that now?
Granted, there were a few who weren't noisy, but they were usually either staring at their smartphones under their desks or staring at their smartphones on top of their desks. Aside from them, there were the ones who did nothing but play games.
Wait a second. Was it possible that my entire department was full of good-for-nothings?
Then again, it had been a while since they’d started university life away from their parents. They were probably just finally getting into the swing of the campus experience. Still, I didn't think it was right to go off the rails the moment summer vacation ended, fellow students.
"Dammit, what am I going to do?"
I ground my teeth as I walked toward the university.
If I didn't do something, my cleaning tools would be sold off. From Hayashi’s perspective, they were probably no better than junk.
But...
But they were like my own children to me!
Having those precious items sold away was practically like seeing my own family stolen from me. The mere thought was enough to destroy my sanity. I absolutely could not allow it!
Yet, what was I supposed to do?
Hayashi had said all I had to do was talk to a guy.
But I wondered.
Couldn't I just... lie and say I talked to someone?
I hated lying.
In my entire life, I could probably count the number of lies I’d told on one hand—if you excluded the game of Doubt. Since someone like me was seriously agonizing over whether to lie, I really wanted people to understand the gravity of the situation.
...Still, Hayashi was right.
It was a simple thing.
She hadn't specified what I had to talk about. She hadn't even said I had to successfully make a friend and come home with one.
She just told me to go talk to someone.
That certainly wasn't a particularly difficult request.
...But I really didn't want friends right now. That was the truth.
I’d just been disparaging the guys in my department in my head, but that wasn't the only reason I felt I didn't need friends. I simply enjoyed being alone more than being with people.
Watching TV alone, reading books alone, cleaning... and more cleaning.
I loved those moments.
I had no desire to change my lifestyle now. That was why I didn't want friends.
...It couldn't be helped.
When I got home today, I would tell Hayashi.
"I don't want friends right now. So, I didn't fulfill your request today."
If she was going to sell my cleaning tools, then she would just have to sell them. But at the very end... I’d ask her to let me take one last photo of them.
I would ask for that much, even if I had to get down on my knees and beg.
Even though I had finally reached the university and my lectures were about to start, my mood was pitch black.
I crossed past several research buildings, entered the hall where my first period lecture was being held, and headed toward the classroom.
That was when it happened.
A miracle occurred.
"Ah, er... Yamagiwa-kun?"
The moment I stepped into the lecture room, a guy called out to someone named Yamagiwa. I recognized his face. He was one of the guys from the noisy group I’d been mentally cursing just moments ago.
I felt a flash of pity for this "Yamagiwa" person for being targeted by such a guy.
But I quickly realized something was wrong.
The guy wasn't moving. He was standing right in front of me.
I pulled out my earphones.
...I had no memory of the name Yamagiwa.
"Are you talking to me?" I asked, figuring there was no way he actually meant me.
"Yeah, you."
"I'm Yamamoto."
"Ah, sorry! Yamamoto-kun."
His voice was light, carrying no real sense of apology.
However, I realized something immediately. This brown-haired guy from my department had just initiated a conversation with me.
In other words, I had just completed Hayashi’s mission.
"Thank you," I said.
"Eh? For what?"
"Thanks to you, I was able to protect something more precious than my life."
"Heh, that's great!"
I smiled and nodded. Yes, yes. It was great indeed.
"So, hey, Yamamoto-kun, could you do me a quick favor?"
"Sure. We're in this together when someone's in trouble, after all."
"Whoa, Yamamoto-kun, you're so nice! Then I'll see you tonight."
"Leave it to me."
"It's a mixer, by the way."
"Got it."
A long silence followed.
"Wait, what!?" I blurted out.
"Everyone! Yamamoto-kun said he’s in!"
"For real!?"
"Yamamoto-paisen is a beast!"
Wait, wait, wait.
Right now... the one thing I considered even more unnecessary than a friend was a lover.
And I was going to a mixer?
No, this was a problem!
...Ah, but wait. Am I just a filler to make up the numbers?
...Well, in that case.
I guess... it couldn't be helped?
Considering the atmosphere made it impossible to refuse now, I let out a long, heavy sigh to myself.
Before the lecture began, I sent a message to Hayashi.
"Talked to a guy already."
"That was fast. Just how much do you want to keep those tools?"
"Got plans for tonight because of it."
"Are you going somewhere?"
"A mixer."
I thought about it after I hit send, but was it really a good idea to tell Hayashi I was going to a mixer?
No reply came back from her.