Outside the game shop, Kobayashi Tetsu spotted Kozakawa from a distance. She was standing there, head bowed, hands clasped behind her back, gently tapping her toes on the ground, causing her collar to flutter up and down.
Just as he was about to approach, he noticed she wasn't alone. Behind her stood the short-haired girl, Ezaki Nene, wearing a polite, composed smile as she waited.
"Wōcháo!"
Kobayashi jumped, instinctively turning to leave—but he quickly forced himself to stop.
He reminded himself:
What's there to be afraid of? This is pure, innocent, just a friendship.
He wasn't dating anyone! No dating, no complications.
Even if ten or eight high school girls swarmed him, he, Kobayashi Tetsu, a fine young man, had nothing to fear!
With a clear conscience, he strode over confidently.
"Funny coincidence, all of you standing outside here."
Kozakawa lifted her head to look at him, feeling a little irritated.
Coincidence? She'd been waiting here on purpose!
Behind her, Ezaki Nene suddenly spoke.
"So Kozakawa-san has been waiting for you, Tetsu-kun."
Kobayashi's heart skipped a beat.
Kozakawa had just responded earlier, then suddenly sensed something unusual.
"You two know each other?"
Before Kobayashi could answer, Nene clasped her hands and smiled.
"Yes, we often see each other at the restaurant where we work part-time."
Kobayashi relaxed.
Kozakawa, too, breathed a sigh of relief.
So it was just a casual acquaintance—nothing to worry about.
In Japan, the world isn't that big, but it's not that small either. Sometimes you bump into people you know, and it leaves an inexplicable sense of coincidence.
With that thought, she suddenly raised what she had been hiding behind her back and handed it to Kobayashi.
"Chocolate." She looked up at him seriously. "Just giri-choco, though."
"Oh?"
Kobayashi took it, naturally, but couldn't resist sneaking a glance at Nene. Luckily, she merely stood there quietly, showing no special expression.
"It's nothing," Kobayashi reassured himself. "It's just a casual acquaintance. Nothing's started yet. If anything happens suddenly, that'd be weird."
He comforted himself, unwrapped a piece, and tried it.
Homemade chocolate might not match the professional quality from a restaurant, but the taste was quite good.
"Want to play some games?" he casually invited. "There are plenty to choose from."
Kozakawa nodded, though a little complaint slipped out.
"Why haven't you been showing up recently, Tetsu-kun?"
Kobayashi shrugged. "Busy. I'm working with some friends in a garage. Not much free time, but I do come by sometimes."
Nene suddenly chimed in. "Yeah, sometimes I go there to help deliver meals. Everyone looks really tired."
Kozakawa's eyes shot up.
What garage? What is this garage?
Why had she never been there?
Kobayashi was quick to respond: "You never asked me!"
Seeing her momentarily flustered, he added, "If you have time today, why not visit? No one will be there right now, so you won't disturb anyone. If you're looking for me, I'm usually there."
"No." Kozakawa lowered her head, repeating, "Not interested."
But then she quickly added, "Liar."
Kobayashi looked down at her anxious eyes.
"Liar… I want to go. I want to go right now."
Very, extremely, especially, absolutely want to go.
…
…
So Kobayashi took them to the house in Setagaya.
The garage door opened, revealing the studio in its entirety. The whiteboard was clean, making it hard to tell exactly what kind of work was done there. Various gaming consoles and scattered equipment filled the room.
Most of the items in the small soundproof room were unfamiliar to Kobayashi, so he couldn't explain them.
"This is it: computers and other equipment for electronic software work. That corner is for music synthesis. Over there is the restroom. Behind this door… is where the owner lives."
Which, in fact, was where Kobayashi lived.
Both girls wisely stopped, sensing that this area was off-limits from his vague explanation.
Kozakawa looked around. Even though she recognized almost nothing, she couldn't hide her curiosity and interest.
"So this is where you're usually busy, Tetsu-kun."
"Yeah," he said. "Most of the time, I'm here."
He quickly pointed to the TV and gaming consoles along the wall.
"The Famicom and game cartridges I brought from the Nintendo store across the street, and some SEGA consoles… not the newest ones. For new games, you'll still want to check Shimaori Game Shop. Come on, try some."
He gently nudged Kozakawa to kneel and sit down, starting the game.
Behind them, Nene sat on a cushion, quietly observing the gameplay.
She didn't fully understand games, but watching Kobayashi and Kozakawa interact gave her a strange, uneasy feeling.
By evening, considering the traffic, Kobayashi escorted them home. Only once he saw them safely on the train did he return to the studio.
At least he got a bag of chocolate.
Kobayashi was satisfied.
On the train, Kozakawa held onto a rail, a quiet, contemplative expression after the day's events.
Nene stood beside her, carrying her bag.
Amid the steady hum of the train, Nene suddenly said, "Kozakawa-san, you like that boy, don't you?"
Kozakawa's head shot up, her voice stammering.
"N-No! How could I!! It's just… normal, that kind of…"
Realizing that attitude would convince no one, she finally lowered her head and muttered reluctantly:
"Yeah… I guess so."
"No good. Acting like that won't win anyone's favor. You need to be a bit more proactive." Nene tilted her head slightly, looking into Kozakawa's eyes with a faint, subtle smile.
"So I'll help you. Like when we made chocolate together, I'll help you learn how to approach someone you like."
The train moved steadily. Streetlights cast shifting shadows between them, splitting their reflections on the floor.
Kozakawa lifted her head, meeting Nene's gaze, and nodded firmly.
Alright!
"Start with what you're good at. Find common interests, then use your talents. It's not that hard."
Kozakawa thought for a moment.
What was she good at?
As the library manager at school, she had read many books and occasionally wrote things herself. That had to count as her strength.
A slightly bold idea sprouted in her mind.
Maybe… she could try submitting something to a gaming magazine. If it succeeded, who knew what could happen!
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