It's been around a week since Saito-san started working here for his part-time job. For a couple of years, it was just me and my father who was working here, but age has caught up with him, and he isn't as energetic and as strong as before, so he decided to hire someone to help. Frankly, it brings me a bit of relief that he finally decided he needed some help. Luckily, he was able to hire Saito-san, who seems to be a kind person.

Speaking of Saito-san, I acted impulsively in front of him yesterday, causing him to apologize for something that was my fault. Saito-san mentioned that he has some classes this afternoon, so I expect him to arrive later in the day. I plan on apologizing to him myself when he comes to work. As it is Saturday today, I have no classes to attend, and I usually spend my weekends assisting at the cafe.

As I walked into the staff room to leave my bag and other belongings, I noticed that one of the cupboards was slightly open with some papers peeking out. Curious, I went to take a closer look.

"Wait, these papers are Saito-san's! This small notebook is his logbook, and these must be his papers. He must have forgotten about them yesterday. The due date on one of them seems to be today! Oh no, it's all my fault. If I didn't act weird, he would have never felt awkward and left immediately. I need to return these papers to him quickly!"

Despite the long line of customers waiting by the entrance, I left my father for a while to return Saito-san's papers.

"Dad, I'm sorry for leaving, but I urgently need to give these papers back to Saito-san. I promise I'll be quick."

"No problem at all. Take all the time you need."

"Sorry, I'll be back soon."

I quickly ran off towards Akiren University, which fortunately wasn't too far from the cafe, but it was still exhausting to sprint all the way there.

◇◇◇

Gasping for air from all the exertion, I finally arrived at Akiren University. After taking a few deep breaths, I went to the security office to register as a visitor. It took a bit longer than I had anticipated, but I was eventually able to enter the campus. After asking for directions, I made my way to the Pharmaceutical Faculty in search of Saito-san.

As I navigated the unfamiliar halls of the Pharmaceutical Faculty, I couldn't help but notice a strikingly beautiful girl. Her golden hair shone like the sun, and her eyes were a deep blue, sparkling like the sea. I couldn't remember ever seeing anyone so beautiful before. I was captivated by her presence, and for a moment, I forgot all about my search for Saito-san.

As I scanned my surroundings, I noticed that other students were also captivated by her allure. It was as if she exuded an aura of royalty that left everyone in awe. However, despite the attention, she walked with a confident grace and seemed to be oblivious to the gazes of those around her. She did not stop or acknowledge the people staring at her and continued on her way. I couldn't help but feel a sense of envy.

◇◇◇

After searching through the hallways and peeking into several classrooms, I finally caught a glimpse of Saito-san's unmistakable figure. He was sitting in the front row of a large lecture hall, with a small window on the door offering a clear view of the inside. I could see his back as he intently listened to the professor's lecture, his posture was straight and attentive.

I stood there, waiting patiently for the class to end, taking in the atmosphere of the university. The lecture hall was grand and imposing, with rows upon rows of seats stretching all the way up to the ceiling. The walls were lined with posters and charts, and the sound of students furiously scribbling notes filled the air. I couldn't help but feel a bit envious of Saito-san, being able to attend such a prestigious university.

I noticed their professor left the room. Anticipating Saito-san's exit from the classroom, I waited eagerly by the door. Shortly, I spotted Saito-san exiting the room. Eagerly, I called out his name, my voice echoing through the hallway. He looked confused, scanning the area before his eyes finally met mine. Without a second thought, he grabbed my wrist and led me to a quieter corner. I was surprised by his sudden action.

"Shiori-san?! What are you doing here?"

"I came to return your papers. You left them at the cafe," I explained, holding out the papers for him to take.

"Wait, papers?"

Saito-san gently took the papers from my hand, and his fingers grazed mine briefly as he did so. He studied them carefully, flipping through each page with a look of concentration. As he read, I couldn't help but feel a sense of nervousness. Had I made any mistakes? Was there something wrong with the papers? Finally, a smile of relief spread across his face, and I let out a sigh of relief.

"Shiori-san, thank you for coming all the way out here to give me these. I thought I lost them somewhere. You're a lifesaver!"

Saito-san's face lit up with an expression of relief and joy as he scanned through the papers I handed him. His fingers trembled slightly with excitement, and his eyes sparkled with gratitude. I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction in seeing the joy on his face, but my elation was short-lived as I realized that it was my mistake that had caused him to misplace the papers in the first place. A twinge of guilt washed over me, and I shifted uncomfortably on my feet.

"Uhm... Saito-san, I'm sorry. If I hadn't asked you those questions yesterday, you wouldn't have felt the need to leave in a hurry. You might have had the chance to check if you had left anything behind."

I could feel my face turning red as I spoke, and I nervously fidgeted with my fingers. Saito-san looked up from the papers, his eyes meeting mine. A smile formed on his lips, and he shook his head gently.

"Don't worry, this is no fault of yours. To be honest, I wasn't bothered by the questions you asked me yesterday. I was just feeling a little overwhelmed and confused at the time. I hope I didn't give off the wrong impression."

As his words washed over me, I could feel the weight of guilt lifting off my shoulders. His gentle voice and kind demeanour soothed my nerves, and I felt a sense of relief spreading through me like a warm embrace. It was as if his words had the power to wipe away any negative feelings I had been harbouring, and I found myself smiling in gratitude.

"Oh, that's right. A while ago, I passed by someone with blonde hair. She loo---"

"Blonde hair!? Shiori-san, where did you see her?"

My heart skipped a beat as Saito-san's gentle and relaxed expression abruptly shifted to a serious one. His eyes seemed to bore into mine, and for a moment, I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread wash over me.

I nervously answered his question, my heart pounding so loudly I was sure he could hear it. I felt like I was backed into a corner, being interrogated by an authority figure.

"I-I... passed by her several minutes ago in the opposite building."

"Thanks."

With an almost robotic voice, Saito spoke just one word before turning and walking away in the direction of the blonde girl I had noticed earlier. As I watched him go, a sense of fear crept up inside me. It was as if he had suddenly become someone else entirely, his previous gentle demeanour replaced by an unnerving coldness. I couldn't help but feel curious about what was going on, but at the same time, I was scared to follow him and find out.

Lost in thought, I wandered back to the cafe, my mind racing with confusion and questions. What had just happened? I knew there was something significant in Saito-san's sudden change in demeanour, but I had no idea what it could be. Was he in trouble? Was that blonde girl somehow involved? My thoughts swirled with possibilities, and I couldn't help but wonder if there was more to Saito-san than I had initially thought. But no matter how many questions I asked myself, I couldn't find a single answer, leaving me with an overwhelming feeling of frustration and confusion.

With those questions unanswered, I had to focus on the task at hand -- helping out in the cafe. But my thoughts kept wandering, wondering if Saito-san would even show up. And if he did, how should I act? Should I pretend that nothing happened? It didn't feel right to ask questions.

I tried to push those thoughts aside and concentrate on the customers. But every so often, my mind would drift back to the incident. It was like a nagging itch that I couldn't scratch. The more I tried to ignore it, the more intense it became until it was all I could think about.

Despite plenty of questions, I couldn't help but feel hurt as Saito-san brushed me off a while ago, despite going all the way to return his papers. His dismissal stung, even though I tried to convince myself that it didn't matter. Being cast off still hurts a bit. Saito-san, just what are you hiding?

[Illustrator note]:

Hello, I will be doing the illustrations for this webnovel. I will use this as an opportunity to develop my skills seeing that I have less than a year of experience. So, you might expect some changes in the physical features of the characters such as the face and body of the characters. If you want to see the colored version of my illustrations, please consider following my twitter account @akimuramn, thank you.