Chapter 42: The Agreement Between Friends
With Nadeshiko joining them, the dinner Ren had prepared was visibly disappearing at an astonishing speed—she truly had a remarkable appetite.
Rather than annoying Ren, this actually made him quite happy. For a cook, having someone enjoy their food so enthusiastically was a genuinely gratifying experience.
"Are you all camping here?"
After finishing her meal, Nadeshiko contentedly patted her stomach and then turned to ask Ren and the others.
"Yes. What are your plans next? It's almost eight o'clock—are you going to rest for a bit and then head back?"
Though they had only just met, Ren had a favorable impression of Nadeshiko. She was a lively girl whose mere presence brought joy to those around her.
"I'd like to go back too, but there are no streetlights on the way, so I'm a little scared."
Nadeshiko said with a troubled expression. The road back home had no lighting, and since she had come by bicycle, returning now seemed difficult and dangerous. She looked at Ren and the others with a pitiful expression.
"I can give you a ride home. I have a car."
This wasn't a problem for Ren. Once again, the advantage of having a car came in handy. Since he had already helped this far, he figured he might as well see it through. Meeting like this felt like fate, and the fact that Nadeshiko had cycled here meant she probably didn't live too far away.
"Really? Oh, I don't even know how to thank you! You gave me food and now you're offering me a ride home. Ren, let's exchange LINE contacts!"
Nadeshiko was deeply moved, so excited she didn't know how else to express her gratitude. In the end, she even switched to using a nickname for Ren.
If it weren't for Ren and the others' kindness, she might have had to push her bicycle home hungry, tired, and frightened.
"..."
Was she the only one among her peers who struggled with social interactions!?
Watching Nadeshiko's effortlessly sociable demeanor, Hitori was stunned, followed by a wave of insecurity and anxiety. The more pink-haired girls Ren encountered, the more she encountered by extension.
And every pink-haired girl seemed to serve as a mirror for her—but each reflection only made Hitori realize she might be the most inadequate one. The pressure instantly made her feel suffocated and deeply insecure.
"Sure."
Ren nodded. Nadeshiko seemed like a good kid too, so sharing his LINE contact was no big deal.
"Mmhmm! Hitori, Yuno, let's exchange contacts too!"
Nadeshiko didn't just want Ren's LINE—she also asked for Yuno and Hitori's contacts. Having recently moved to the area, she had few friends. This chance encounter was a perfect opportunity to make new ones.
Yuno smiled faintly and added her as a friend, while Hitori was somewhat hesitant and nervous. Ren watched from the sidelines without interfering—this was, after all, part of Hitori's necessary growth.
After exchanging contacts, Nadeshiko helped clean up the trash and wash the dishes. During their break, she chatted with Ren and the others about camping.
She really enjoyed the feeling of eating, drinking, and having fun around a stove with friends in the quiet wilderness. This experience sparked a strong interest in camping for her.
Although Ren and the others were beginners, so their exchange didn't yield much practical knowledge—relying mostly on intuition—this didn't discourage Nadeshiko. Instead, it made her even happier, as it became a shared topic they could all bond over.
Occasionally going camping or developing it into a hobby wasn't entirely out of the question for consideration, especially since Ren now did whatever he pleased.
So they chatted for a long time, and during this period, even Hitori was able to join the conversation. After the initial awkwardness of meeting new people faded, she realized that Nadeshiko, Nijika, and Anon were all the same kind of people—very gentle souls.
Just like that, time flew by until 9:30 PM. Ren and the others were still chatting happily when Nadeshiko's charging phone rang.
"It's my sister."
Nadeshiko picked it up and, noticing the time was already 9:30, panicked. She quickly answered the call, followed by a flurry of apologies and explanations.
She had been out alone so late without returning home and, having gotten too caught up in the fun, had forgotten to send a message. Her family was worried that something might have happened to her.
"My sister is urging me to go home. I have to head back now."
After hanging up, Nadeshiko said regretfully. She had been tempted to stay and camp with them—lying in a tent, continuing their conversations, and falling asleep to the sound of her friends' breathing sounded incredibly comforting.
"Alright, I'll walk you back. Bocchi-chan, Yuno, could you please keep an eye on the campsite? Is that okay?"
Ren planned to escort Nadeshiko home and intentionally left Hitori behind. When they exchanged contact info earlier, he had also added Yuno as a friend. He intended to message her later and ask her to befriend Hitori—he trusted Yuno enough for that.
"I... I can handle it."
Hitori hesitated for a moment but ultimately accepted the task. Truthfully, she wanted to leave with Ren, but what if she found herself alone with Yuno or others in the future? She couldn't keep running away forever.
So, despite her fear of Yuno, Hitori chose to stay and face her anxieties.
"Take care on your way back."
Yuno had no objections. While playing on her phone, she had already anticipated something like this would happen.
"Let's go."
Ren nodded, stood up, and went with Nadeshiko to retrieve her bicycle.
After getting the bicycle and loading it into the trunk at the parking lot, Ren drove Nadeshiko home, following the address and directions she provided.
...
...
"Wait for me a moment, Ren."
After getting out of the car, Nadeshiko leaned against the window, asking Ren to wait for her. She then hurriedly pushed her bicycle toward the house, only to find herself patting her pockets and coming up empty-handed at the front door.
"Eh!?"
Letting out a distressed cry, Nadeshiko realized she had forgotten her keys when she left home. In the end, she had no choice but to knock on the door with a crestfallen expression.
After a short while, a tall, stern-looking woman with long purple hair and a cold expression opened the door for Nadeshiko. From a distance, Ren couldn't hear what was being said, but he saw Nadeshiko repeatedly clasping her hands together—likely being scolded for coming home so late.
Then, Nadeshiko slipped past the woman and went inside. The woman turned her gaze toward Ren, her eyes sharpening noticeably upon seeing a handsome young man with a car. Nevertheless, she gave him a slight nod.
Ren nodded in acknowledgment, then Nadeshiko came running back, slightly out of breath.
"Ren, here—thank you! We absolutely have to go camping together sometime," she said cheerfully, though with a hint of reluctance as she handed Ren a 10,000-yen bill and a bag of dango snacks—the promised reward.
"I will if there's a chance. Goodbye," Ren replied. Not wanting Nadeshiko to feel awkward, he didn't refuse the payment. After making the promise with her, he drove away.
"Who was that? What are you planning to do together next time?"
Once Nadeshiko returned home, her sister Sakura Kagamihara—who had come to pick her up—asked with an unchanged expression, though a flicker of concern showed in her eyes.
"He's a friend I just met. If he hadn't helped me, I might have had to trouble you to come get me instead," Nadeshiko explained as they walked into the house together, telling Sakura about how she had met Ren and the others.