"Care for a drink?"

"Ah, thank you."

We find ourselves at a children's park, situated in an unknown location, catching our breath after all the running. I took a brief break from the heroine to fetch some refreshments. Emiko settled on an empty bench, so I joined her. Up close, she truly is a beautiful person, deserves the 'main heroine' title.

"So, um, I wasn't sure what you'd like to drink, but I opted for tea, the safest choice," I offered, passing her the tea bottle.

"Oh, no, you really shouldn't have gone through that trouble for me."

I almost asked her what she was doing out there, but I held back. Then, silence enveloped us for a moment. Seemingly not wanting to make it more awkward, Emiko breaks the silence.

"Um, earlier, I wanted to express my gratitude for helping me back there. If you hadn't intervened, I..." she trailed off, gazing at me.

"Well, you're welcome. And please, promise me one thing: don't venture into such situations alone, alright?"

"Mm..."

And now here we are, deep in yet another uncomfortable situation. I looked around us, silence broken only by the sound of leaves rustling in the occasional winds. Right now, the temperature is dropping, and I can't help but feel chilly all over my body.

"Well, I should head off now. It's getting late." I said, rising as I prepare myself to leave when suddenly, she suddenly grabbed my hand.

"Wait, could I at least know the person who saved me?" she asked, holding my hand with both of hers.

"Um, you're probably better off not knowing me." I told her this, and as I did, she gave me a sad-looking gaze. If you were to pull a face like that, it makes me feel like that I had done something wrong to you, I thought.

"Alright. But I must warn you, you might regret this." I gave in and took off my mask, my glasses, everything, revealing my identity.

"Amano Ryosuke..."She gives me a look of bewilderment as she looks at me.

"So, you know who I am. You must be disappointed."

"Mm. A troubled student, rumored to have a bad attitude and to be involved with many girls. I must admit, I am a bit disappointed." she stated.

I had a feeling she might say that.

"But," she stood up to face me, "I'm grateful for your help earlier. Without your courage, who knows what would've happened to me. That's what truly matters to me."

For some reason, warmth spread through my chest. Is this what being thanked feels like?

"Well, you're welcome. Then, shall we head home now? It's getting late, and we still have classes tomorrow." I suggested, leading us back to where we had come from. Thankfully, there's a nearby train station that leads to Emiko's home. A we've arrived, we bid each other farewell and went our separate ways.

---

The Following Day

"Why do classes always have to start so early in the morning?"

Yesterday's events were too much for me to process. The result? I couldn't sleep a wink all night.

"Yawn. I just want to crawl back into bed."

As I approached my supposed classroom, someone tapped me on the back.

"Hey, Ryo. What's up, buddy?"

"Oh, it's just you, Kazama."

Ikeda Kazama. My only male friend since our first year. When we first met, he was just as troubled as me. He's also the reason I got into the habit of chasing after girls, but for some reason, we've stuck together. In the game, he only appears when I'm at school, like your average side character.

"So, how was the girl I introduced you to? Pretty hot, huh?"

The girl? Did he mean Reina-san?

"Ah, yeah. She's pretty, cool, and knows her way around." I replied.

"Heh, really? I guess my scouting wasn't in vain. In return, you better let me copy your homework for a month."

"Sure, no problem."

As Kazama and I chatted, the noise level among the students increased.

"Look, it's Kurokawa-san!"

"She's so stunning!"

"I feel lucky every time I see Kurokawa-san. Maybe I should try my luck."

The source of the commotion was none other than Emiko herself.

"Heh, must be nice being in the same class as the Top Beauty," Kazama remarked.

"Yeah. We're pretty lucky to see her all the time," I agreed.

Kurokawa Emiko. The only daughter of a renowned company president. Not only is she beautiful, but she's also academically gifted and excels in volleyball. In academics, she always ranks at the top, a consistent feat since our first year. In sports, particularly volleyball, she's exceptional, leading her team to victory in the national tournament. Her title as a heroine isn't just for show. No wonder the old me had drawn to the popular heroine.

"Well, it'd be nice if she were more easy to reach you know what I mean," Kazama commented.

"Forget it, man. She's the kind of girl who is beyond our league, like a flower on top of a mountain. You have to go the hardest route, and even then, there's no guarantee that she'll go along with us."

As she walked down the corridor, she glanced in my direction, offering a small smile.

"Look, look, Emiko just smiled at me!"

"No, you idiot, it was for me! I'm sure of it!"

"I shall etch what I just saw into my memory."

The commotion grew louder as everyone assumed the smile was directed at them, but I knew deep inside it was aimed at me. Please, Emiko, I'm still trying to process what happened yesterday.

"You don't see that every day." Kazama remarked beside me.

"Really? Maybe something good happened to her." I respond, feigning ignorance of the events that occurred between us yesterday.

Suddenly, the school bell rang, signaling the start of classes. All the students filed into the classroom just as our teacher arrived. This is gonna be one heck of a boring day.