Hachiman's Perspective
A week had passed since I promised Rice Shower we'd head out together. Today was finally the day. I'd purposely avoided scheduling it immediately after her race; I figured it was better to wait until the post-race adrenaline had faded and her training schedule had hit a natural lull.
The weather was on our side. No snow, no rain, and the wind was barely a whisper against a backdrop of uncharacteristic warmth. It was, by all accounts, a perfect day for an outing. Our meeting time was fast approaching, so Rice would likely be appearing any minute now.
--- Five minutes later ---
"Five minutes..." I muttered to the empty air. Well, they do say women take their time getting ready. A small delay like this was only to be expected.
--- Fifteen minutes later ---
"...She's late. Did she oversleep?"
Fifteen minutes was pushing it. A flicker of genuine concern brushed past my usual apathy. Had something happened? No, if there were trouble, the Academy would be in an uproar by now. I sighed, pulled out my phone, and dialed her number.
Ring... ring... ring...
No answer. I was just about to pull the phone away when—
"H-H-Hello?! Big Brother?!"
"Whoa, Rice. Good mor—"
"I-I-I-I'm so sorry! Rice completely overslept!"
"Easy now. Steady," I said, trying to project a calmness I didn't entirely feel. "Take a breath and tell me what happened. Slow is fine."
"Um... well... you see..." her voice was small and trembling. "Last night, I was trying to get everything ready for today, and I ended up staying up way too late... I went to sleep as soon as I finished, but I guess I only just woke up..."
"Right. I get it." I couldn't help a small, wry smile. "It's fine. I'll walk over and wait in front of your dorm. Take your time getting ready. No need to rush, okay? Just be careful."
"O-Okay... See you soon."
My hunch had been spot on. She'd stayed up late preparing for our "date"—a reason so cliché it felt like something straight out of a shoujo manga.
"Guess I'll head over to the Miho Dorm, then."
--- The Miho Dorm ---
"Ah, Trainer!"
"Oh, Robroy. Morning."
Zenno Robroy offered a polite bow. "G-Good morning! Rice-san should be out in just a few more minutes."
"I see. Thanks for letting me know. You probably have places to be, so don't let me keep you. I'll pick up a book for you later as a thank-you. Any particular genre you're into lately?"
Robroy's eyes widened. "Oh! No, please, you don't have to do that! It was nothing!"
"Hmm... How about a heroic epic with a Horse Girl lead?"
The change was instantaneous. Her posture straightened, and her eyes sparkled with a sudden, scholarly intensity. "A-Are there really books like that?! I've never heard of such a thing! I'm very interested!"
Good grief, I thought. Talk about a total personality 180.
"Glad to hear it. Let's call that your reward, then. Sound good?"
"Y-Yes! Please! But I'll pay you back for it!"
"That would defeat the purpose of a 'thank-you,' wouldn't it?"
"Big Brother!"
I turned to see a frantic Rice Shower hurrying toward us. "There she is."
"Rice-san! You're all ready!" Robroy called out.
"U-Um, yes! Sorry to keep you, Robroy-san... and I'm so, so sorry, Big Brother!"
"Don't sweat it," I said, waving off her apology. "Honestly, I'm just glad you're okay. I was worried you'd gotten caught up in something messy. Compared to that, oversleeping is a relief."
"Auu..." she whimpered, looking down at her shoes in embarrassment.
"Well, shall we? Thanks again, Robroy."
"You're very welcome! Have a wonderful time, you two!"
With Robroy heading toward the Academy and us toward the shopping district, our day finally began.
"Now, I've been debating where to go, but let's start with a bite to eat," I said. "I'm betting you haven't even touched your dorm breakfast, right?"
"N-No..." Rice admitted. "When Big Brother's call woke me up and I saw the time, I panicked so hard I forgot about food entirely."
"Thought so. In that case... let's try a little place I know. They serve healthy, light meals."
--- The Small Bistro ---
"Wow... I didn't know a place like this existed."
"It's a little hidden gem. I come here from time to time."
As we stepped inside, the proprietress greeted us warmly. "Welcome, Trainer... Oh! My goodness! If it isn't Rice Shower-chan! I'd recognize that face anywhere!"
Rice blinked, startled. "Huh? Y-You know who Rice is?"
"Rice," I interjected, "you really need to realize how famous you are. You won the Hopeful Stakes last week with a performance that can only be described as dominant. People are already talking about you as a top-tier talent on par with Mihono Bourbon."
"I... I didn't know..." she whispered, her cheeks tinting pink.
"Do your best in the next one, Rice-chan!" the owner cheered. "We're all rooting for you!"
"T-Thank you very much!"
"Tell you what, I'll give you two a little extra service today! Pick any seat you like!"
"Much appreciated," I said.
Rice followed behind me, a tiny, genuine smile playing on her lips. She looked happy—truly happy. This place was a quiet koryouri-ya, specializing in traditional Japanese home cooking: nikujaga, grilled fish, that sort of thing. They had Western options too, so it was safe for anyone, but since this was Rice's first meal of the day, I didn't want anything too heavy. I wasn't particularly hungry myself, so something light suited us both.
"Everything looks so delicious..." Rice murmured. (I usually have bread for breakfast, but this all looks so good, I can't decide...)
As I watched her scan the menu with wide, curious eyes, I realized that despite the rocky start, the day was turning out just fine.
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 40 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
Here's the link:
[pat*eon*com/DaoistRoeoNQ]
Thank you so much for your support!!!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"