Raku walked slowly down the school hallway. The break time atmosphere filled the corridors with the sounds of students joking, talking to each other, and some running toward the cafeteria. His steps were steady, though his eyes occasionally glanced around—every corner of the school felt new to him.
Finally, he reached the front of the classroom. Calmly, Raku pulled the sliding door, the sound of wood scraping quietly. As soon as the door opened, a few students turned to look.
"Oh, you're back," Shu greeted with his characteristic cheerful smile. "You're probably heading to the cafeteria for lunch, right? And… it seems like you don't know where it is?"
Raku paused for a moment, then nodded. "How did you know?"
"Hahaha!" Shu laughed freely while raising his hand. "I could already guess. That confused expression of yours is so typical."
Before Raku could respond, Ruri stepped forward with an annoyed face. Without hesitation, she clenched her fist and punched Shu on the head.
"Ouch!" Shu held his head, grimacing.
"You really made me angry!" Ruri said firmly, her eyes glancing at Raku. "Raku-kun has amnesia, don't just guess whatever you want."
Raku gave a slight smile watching that interaction, then let out a sigh. "Then… could you guys take me to the cafeteria? I'm already hungry, and…" he turned to Chitoge who was tidying her books, "Chitoge, would you like to come?"
Chitoge was surprised, her eyes widening. "Eh? M-me?" her cheeks slightly blushed.
Before she could answer further, Shu had already given a thumbs-up. "Of course! Let's all go, it'll be more fun."
Onodera, who had been sitting quietly with her head down, slowly stood up. She held the hem of her skirt, her face slightly nervous. But there was determination in her eyes, as if she was preparing something for later.
They finally left the classroom together: Raku, Shu, Ruri, Chitoge, and Onodera.
As they walked down the hallway, Shu began acting as a tour guide. He pointed in several directions while explaining in a know-it-all style.
"That's the music club room, usually busy practicing in the afternoons. Next to it is the art club room, if you like drawing. Oh, and upstairs there's the rooftop, a favorite place for many to have lunch or take a nap."
Raku just listened attentively, his eyes following the directions Shu pointed out. In his mind, he absorbed every piece of information, as if his brain were an empty vessel easily filled.
Ruri glanced at Raku several times, surprised by the seriousness of his face. "You're really listening, huh?"
Raku turned briefly and gave a slight smile. "Of course. All this information is valuable to me."
Eventually, they reached the cafeteria. The aroma of food wafted, making his stomach growl even more. The cafeteria was already full of students queuing in front of the food counter.
They joined the line, slowly moving forward. When it was his turn, Raku took a tray. He chose many dishes: fried chicken, stir-fried vegetables, croquettes, even an extra boiled egg. He didn't forget to pile a generous amount of rice until the plate was nearly full.
Shu, standing behind him, gawked. "Seriously? You're eating that much?"
Raku looked back with a smile, his face calm. "I'm very hungry. Don't worry, I can finish it all."
Chitoge and Onodera exchanged glances, both equally surprised but also a little awkward. Ruri just sighed, while Shu still looked in disbelief, shaking his head.
With the tray full of food in his hands, Raku walked slowly to find an empty table. His gaze scanned the noisy cafeteria, full of students joking, laughter, and the clinking of cutlery.
"There's an empty table over there," Ruri said, pointing to a corner near the window, slightly away from the crowd.
They all moved toward it. Raku sat first, carefully placing his tray down, then the others followed: Shu beside him, Ruri across, Chitoge and Onodera sitting side by side on the other side, slightly awkward.
Once seated, Shu immediately nudged Raku's arm. "I can't wait to see you finish all that. Don't pass out at the table, okay."
Raku just gave a slight smile, then picked up his chopsticks. "Don't worry, I can really eat it all."
Without further ado, he began to eat the rice quickly but neatly, mixing it with fried chicken and vegetables. His way of eating was not gluttonous, but natural, as if his body was used to processing large amounts of energy.
Chitoge watched him with slight amazement. "You… eat so fast."
Onodera, who had been silent until then, mustered the courage to speak. "U-um… Ichijou-kun, is the food here to your taste?"
Raku turned, his smile gentle. "Yes. It's simple, but delicious. Thank you for asking."
Onodera immediately blushed, hurriedly lowering her gaze while stirring her miso soup. Chitoge glanced at her briefly, then pretended to be busy with her own meal.
Ruri just stared at the two of them, letting out a small sigh. "Huff, the atmosphere has become strange."
Meanwhile, Shu raised his eyebrows, watching Raku who had almost finished half of his portion. "Amazing… not only can you eat a lot, but also fast. Is this an effect of amnesia too? Your body's like a food-processing machine."
Raku was silent for a moment, then looked at his tray. "I don't know. Since I woke up in the hospital, I've often felt hungry. Maybe it's because my body is adjusting to something I myself don't yet understand."
Shu and Ruri exchanged glances. There was seriousness behind that answer, as if it wasn't just about food.
However, before the atmosphere turned heavy, a loud noise came from another table. A group of students laughed loudly, making the cafeteria livelier. Raku lowered his head again, continuing to eat calmly, as if undisturbed.
Chitoge looked at him again. Raku's face was calm, but his eyes were distant, as if thinking about something else while gazing out the nearby window.
Onodera gripped her spoon tightly, unsure whether to speak again. Inside her heart, curiosity about who Raku really was after losing his memory was growing.
Shu finally clapped on the table. "Alright! After this, I'll personally show you all the cool places in school. If Ruri-chan doesn't want to come, I'll be your tour guide!"
Ruri immediately punched her arm again. "Don't embarrass yourself!"
The atmosphere softened again with small laughter from their table, though in silence, Raku still held a big question about himself.
After finishing lunch, Raku put down his chopsticks and let out a relieved sigh. His tray was completely empty, only the soup bowl remained, emptied to the last drop. Shu clapped lightly while laughing.
"Amazing, Raku. You really finished everything. I'm more convinced you have a stomach from another dimension."
Ruri sighed. "Shu, don't talk nonsense. That's just a normal appetite."
"But still… normally, who can eat like that?" Shu pointed at Raku's previously full tray, then at his own tray, which had half less portion.
Raku just gave a faint smile, giving no further comment. He felt no need to explain, because even in his heart he was confused why his body seemed to require more energy than others.
When they stood up from the table, Shu immediately patted Raku on the shoulder. "Come on, I promise to show you all the cool spots in Sobu. Consider it a private tour from me, your school tour guide."
Ruri folded her arms. "I'll come too. If you're the guide, many things will be mispronounced."
As they exited the cafeteria, a cheerful voice came from behind. "Eh? A school tour? Sounds fun! I'll join~"
They all turned, and it was Iroha Isshiki standing there, hugging her notebook. Her face wore a mischievous smile.
"Iroha?" Shu raised an eyebrow. "Why do you suddenly want to join?"
"Because I'm curious, of course," Iroha replied, glancing at Raku. "Besides, this is a rare opportunity. A new student with amnesia must have an interesting story, right?"
Ruri let out a sigh. "I think you just want to skip class for a bit."
Iroha covered her mouth, pretending to be offended. "Ehh, Ruri-chan, that's so mean."
Raku just nodded calmly. "It doesn't matter. If many people join, it will be easier for me to get to know this school."
They then began walking down the crowded school hallway. Shu, with full confidence, pointed out various rooms.
"On the right is the Home Economics room, or the cooking room. If you like cooking, usually someone tries various dishes here. On the left, the conference room. It can be used for various activities like athletics or cultural festivals."
Raku listened carefully, his gaze serious, as if every piece of information he heard was instantly stored in his mind. Occasionally he glanced at the bulletin board or room signs, trying to connect them with Shu's words.
Iroha walked casually beside Raku, slightly leaning closer. "Hey, Raku-kun. You really don't remember anything? Not even hobbies or small things?"
Raku lowered his head slightly before answering. "Nothing. Empty. But… I feel like every new piece of information is stored easily. As if my brain is waiting to be filled."
Iroha paused for a moment, then smiled softly. "Hm… that sounds cool but also scary."
They then reached the sports field. From a distance, a few students were practicing basketball. Shu posed like a professional tour guide.
"And this is the school's energy center—the field. If you want to play basketball, soccer, or just sit around, this is the place most used."
"The energy center, huh…" Ruri snorted lightly.
Raku stared at the field for a long time, as if a strange feeling arose. Sweat, shouts of enthusiasm, the sound of shoes hitting the floor—all of it felt familiar to him even though he didn't know why.
"Something wrong?" Iroha asked softly.
Raku just shook his head. "I don't know. I feel like I've seen a scene like this before, but very vaguely."
Shu patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, sooner or later your memories will come back. And even if not, you still have us."
His words made the atmosphere a little warmer, though Ruri looked at Shu with a half-annoyed expression. "Don't be so wise, you yourself always have grades on the edge."
Shu just chuckled. "Eh, but I'm a good friend, right?"
They continued walking, passing the club rooms. From the sports club to cultural clubs, Shu enthusiastically gave explanations, while Iroha more often gave mischievous comments.
Raku remained silent, listening, storing every detail. But deep inside, there was an increasing emptiness—as if every corner of the school he saw reminded him of something that once existed, but had already been erased.