Chapter 12: I Am Hitori's Reliable Friend
The next day, since Anon wouldn't report until Monday, Ren could only accompany Hinata part of the way before arriving at school alone.
As usual, Gabriel was sleeping face down on the desk, and Hitori hadn't arrived yet. Before Ren could even take out his phone, Mafuyu called him to the office.
"These are yesterday's assignments. Don't fall behind in your studies even when taking leave. This year's scholarship is significantly higher than previous years."
Mafuyu's expression remained as cold as ice. Since Ren had just transferred in and no one could bring him the textbooks, she had thoughtfully compiled materials for him.
She was well aware of Ren's family situation, so she didn't press for details about his leave reason, assuming the most logical explanation was that he had been looking for part-time work to make ends meet.
Toyosaki High had no strict policies about this, students were free to seek employment if they wished. Considering both Ren's family circumstances and teenage pride, Mafuyu didn't immediately offer him job recommendations, instead choosing to encourage his studies through different means.
Aiming for the scholarship was a win-win situation, it could temporarily solve basic living needs while ensuring better opportunities for higher education and future employment.
"Thank you, teacher. I'll pay attention to this."
Ren accepted the study materials and thanked Mafuyu. He understood his current situation well, others didn't know about his special advantages, so such concern shouldn't be taken lightly. Mafuyu's hint about the high scholarship was likely encouraging him to strive for it.
"There will be an assessment test at the end of the month. Prepare well."
Without saying more, Mafuyu offered this final reminder before letting Ren leave.
After leaving the office, Ren became thoughtful. Mafuyu's voice somewhat resembled that of the Japanese girl he met online last night, but he couldn't imagine her playing FPS games. The mental image was too incongruous, so he didn't dwell on it.
Meanwhile, Mafuyu also felt somewhat puzzled. Ren's equipment seemed better than hers, voices came through more clearly when he spoke in-game.
However, she didn't connect the random player she encountered during last night's gaming session with her student. Ren's family circumstances probably couldn't afford him a computer, so she didn't investigate further either.
When Ren returned to the classroom, Hitori had already arrived, carrying her guitar on her back.
"Good morning, Hitori."
After taking his seat, Ren greeted Hitori.
"G-good morning..."
Hitori's body trembled slightly when addressed, struggling nervously to return the greeting. Despite the difficulty, she managed it.
"Can you play it today?"
Watching her reaction, Ren smiled gently. Hitori's flustered appearance made her seem incredibly easy to tease, but also evoked protective instincts.
"I-I don't know."
Mentioning this made Hitori even more nervous.
That day, she mustered the courage to bring her guitar to school, intending to show off her guitar skills to Ren, but she couldn't bring herself to play. Later, after school, Ijichi Nijika dragged her off to play in a band, and before she knew it, she had joined their group.
Hitori still hadn't fully processed this reality. She now had the friends and band she had always dreamed of, but instead of feeling happy, she was somewhat panicked.
Because her performance that day had been terrible—she lacked the courage to play in front of Ren, and even after being pulled away by Nijika and made to wear a cardboard box, she managed to play, but it was awful.
This made her feel as if she deserved to die a thousand deaths. For the past two days, she had been living under a heavy burden of guilt, almost suffocating from it.
"No rush, just let me know whenever you're ready."
Ren could tell that Hitori seemed under a lot of pressure, so he didn't push her. Going from being unable to play to having the courage to do so was a major breakthrough in their relationship.
This time, Hitori didn't reply. She just kept her head down and hunched over until lunch break, when she returned to her cozy little spot and finally let out a long sigh of relief.
"Gabriel, want to grab lunch at the cafeteria?"
As soon as the lunch bell rang, Hitori dashed off with her guitar on her back. Looking at it this way, her stamina seemed better than that of most girls. Then again, carrying her guitar to and from school every day and practicing frequently—if she didn't have some skill, she probably wouldn't be able to keep it up.
So, Ren struck up a conversation with Gabriel, who sat in front of him. She was an angel, though she bore none of the saintly qualities described in any records. Ren thought this was perfectly normal.
"Don't want to, and I'm broke."
After glancing around to make sure no one was paying attention to her, Gabriel reached into her clothes and scratched herself without a care for her image. She was already exuding a slightly grimy vibe, looking as if she hadn't bathed for at least two days.
"Aren't you an angel? Shouldn't you have plenty of money?"
Ren asked curiously. He thought Gabriel shouldn't be short on cash—was Heaven really that poor?
"Who said angels have to be rich? My living expenses are enough, but I need to spend on in-game purchases. If I don't, I'll get kicked out of the top tier."
Gabriel grumbled indignantly, shattering Ren's last bit of idealized perception of angels.
Good thing I have hacks, or I'd be starving after spending on games.
Ren didn't offer to buy Gabriel lunch. He had a feeling that if he paid, she would latch onto him—not just for meals but also to borrow money for her gaming habits. This angel's sense of integrity had hit rock bottom.
Gabriel didn't mind. She got up to mooch a bento off Vignette, making Ren momentarily unsure who was the angel and who was the demon.
Soon, the day came to an end. As school let out in the afternoon, Hitori tugged on the hem of Ren's shirt.
"What's up?"
Ren, who had been planning to head straight home, asked in confusion.
"N-no, it's nothing..." Hitori opened her mouth but didn't dare voice what was on her mind.
"It's fine, go ahead. We're friends, aren't we?" Seeing her conflicted expression and her unusually nervous behavior today, Ren grew slightly more serious. He suspected Hitori might be getting bullied but was too afraid to speak up.
However, Hitori showed no signs of physical distress, so bullying probably wasn't the case.
"Actually... two days ago I joined a band. They invited me to practice today, but I'm a bit scared. Ren, if you have time, could you come with me?" It took Hitori nearly two full minutes to get this sentence out. Ren was quite surprised after hearing it.
Hitori joined a band?
Due to certain influences from the rap scene, Ren's first impression of bands wasn't particularly positive. If someone like Hitori joined the wrong kind of band, she might end up smoking, drinking, and getting taken advantage of.
This was serious. Whether it was his responsibility to protect Hitori from harm when he had the ability, or simply because he currently found her interesting, Ren decided to check things out and help Hitori assess the situation.
So he agreed to accompany Hitori to Shimokitazawa.