They haven't even met yet, right? Why do they seem like enemies already? I have to do something to break the silence before it suffocates me!

"Uehara-san, which department are you in? I never got the chance to ask." The tension was finally broken by me, which almost made me slump to the table with how much brighter the atmosphere became.

"I'm part of the Musician Department as well, Rank B. I specialise in string instruments and I've done various covers of your songs." Uehara was all smiles, seeming to be smug about something. "I'd talk to you about music all day if it weren't for an outsider. Musicians must stick together after all."

What outsider? Was she talking about Okita? She was in a different department and ths only other person here.

Okita's puppy-like face went sour and she turned to look at me. "Yes, yes. Outsiders should know when to get lost. After all, our shopping date is coming up soon, right, Saito-chan?"

Uehara looked like she had been struck by thunder, her eye twitching somewhat. Now she looked ticked off. "S-shopping date?"

Before Okita could reply, I cut in again. "I've been interested in getting earrings recently and Okita-san recommended a store to me. We're going together this weekend. Uehara-san is welcome to join us if she has time. Right, Okita-san?"

"Of course. The more the merrier!" Okita's voice worked faster than her brain and she had already replied in the way I wanted her too. It was also too late for her to change her mind. As soon as she realized this, her face took on the expression of a scolded puppy. It was honestly quite cute.

Uehara regained her prideful, cat-like bearing and puffed out her chest. "Well, I wouldn't mind joining the two of you on this excursion! After all, I treat my people quite well!"

When did I become one of her people? Whatever. It doesn't matter anyway.

"We should exchange numbers then. It'll be easier to contact each other then."

Uehara got the same excited look on her face as Takata did when we exchanged phone numbers. Was exchanging numbers really that great? I didn't understand it, but to each their own. My phone was returned to me and I checked the contacts in my phone once again.

Parents, grandparents, Okita, and Uehara. The only phone number I don't have of people I've met in this world is the protagonist's.

Actually, where is the protagonist?

"Okita-san, have you seen Ichikawa-san today?" I asked, picking up my chopsticks once again. I didn't want to seem eager to figure out where the trash man was, but I was genuinely curious. Wasn't skipping the first day of school a bit much.

Okita's forehead scrunched up. "Actually, I haven't seen him today. You don't think that he slept through the afternoon, do you?" She looked genuinely worried. So she didn't know either?

"Ichikawa-san?" Uehara questioned. "Who's that?"

"Okita-san's boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend! He's my childhood friend. Neighborhood buddy." Okita clarified, face a bit red. "He didn't show up today, so I'm a bit worried."

Uehara was about to say something else before a commotion from within the cafeteria. Near the entrance there seemed to be a scuffle happening, causing some crashes here and there. The cafeteria actually had three floors, our little group having occupied a table on the second floor. I peered over the second floor balcony to get a better look at what was happening before becoming stupefied.

Wasn't that Ichikawa punching someone? What happened?!

But that was exactly who it was. Ichikawa, in all his protagonist glory, had gotten into a fight on his first day of school in the middle of the cafeteria with the entire school to watch. Not to mention the guy he punched was a third-year student! What the actual hell happened?! How?!

Author, this measly bystander does not understand this plot development! Please explain!

"Okita-san, isn't that Ichikawa-san down there?! How did he get into a fight?!"

Okita's face paled as she scrambled to peak at the first floor over me, her brown eyes going wide in terror. "Hajime, the hell-" The girl wasted no time jumping from her seat and running to and down the second floor stairs to get to the ground floor.

I stared at Uehara and she stared back at me before I sighed. I shoved the last bits of my lunchbox into my mouth before running after Okita. If anything, she'd probably get herself hurt trying to stop the fight that had somehow turned into a brawl.

"Saito-san! Please wait up!" Uehara came running after me, practically on my heels as we both reached the first floor to bare witness to Ichikawa's fighting prowess. Luckily, Okita was standing near the bottom of the stairs instead of being in the middle of the fighting. That brought me some semblance of relief. However...

Was the protagonist supposed to be this good at fighting? 

Ichikawa had not even a scratch upon his being, despite his uniform being a bit dirty and missing the jacket that was supposed to go over the button-up shirt. His opponents, on the other hand, were looking fucked up. I quickly noticed that most of, if not all of them, were third year students. Why was he fighting a couple third year students? What had happened outside of my first-person view?

"Hajime, stop! They're already on the ground!" Okita cried out, moving away from the staircase. I grabbed her arm to pull her back before she did something stupid. Hajime seemed to not have heard her pleas as he continued to punch the life out of one of his assailants, who was beginning to look less and less human.

"Ichikawa!" This was an entirely new voice, the voice of an older person. A teacher. Thank god! What took you so damn long?!

Thankfully with the assistance of school security, the one-sided fight was finally broken up. Ichikawa was dragged off to somewhere by a teacher without a struggle, like he had completely run out of energy.

Wasn't he supposed to be a gentle giant or something? Why was he so brutal during that fight? What even lead to it? I was more confused in this moment than I was anything.

"I have to go talk to him!" Okita looked frantic as she ripped her arm from my hold and ran off. Uehara and I were left in the dust.

"Okita-san!" I called out to her multiple times but she was already long gone. I turned to look at Uehara and she looked just as out of it as I did. I could only let out a deep sigh as I realized other students were looking at us.

It seems that I really can't just enjoy a quiet lunch.