The moment Haru stepped further into the classroom.
BAM.
A blur of motion slammed into him.
"HARU!"
A headbutt in the face hit him in the face like a whip as Chiyuri latched onto him with the force of a tornado.
"I was so worried! Why didn't you come to school!?"
Haru panicked internally.
(HELP I DON'T KNOW THIS CHILD)
(WHY IS SHE SQUEEZING ME??)
(IS THIS MURDER?)
(MOM, PLEASE DONT FORGET ME, YOUR SON IS GONNA DIE BECAUSE OF LOSING AIR AND NOT BREATHING)
Externally, Haru attempted to play it cool.
"O-Oh, uh… you know… life… things… oxygen… responsibilities…"
He immediately failed.
Chiyuri pulled back and stared at him with big, accusing eyes.
"You didn't even message me on the school chat! Did you forget your password again? Or did you forget your hands?"
She taps on his neuro-linker
Haru: …I might've actually forgotten my hands at this point.
Before he could formulate a normal-human response
She hugged him again, softer this time.
"I'm glad you're back, dummy."
Haru froze, unsure what to do with his arms.
Were they supposed to… pat? Flail? Transform?
His System answered instead.
[Random Quest: Make Chiyuri Smile]
Objective: Make Chiyuri laugh or smile genuinely.
Reward: +10 Permanent Luck
Failure: Awkward Relationship with chiyuri
Haru stared at the quest.
"Permanent luck…? That's like… rare gacha-tier stats…"
He cleared his throat.
"Uh… Chiyuri?"
She stepped back, suspicious.
"…What?"
Haru put on the fakest serious face he could manage.
"I regret to inform you that I've lost 92% of my brain cells."
She blinked.
"And I now only remember three things."
"…Okay, what three?"
"One: My name is Haru. Two: I think you're my friend. Three: I hate cardio."
Chiyuri stared.
Then
"Pfft—Hahaha!"
She burst into laughter, doubling over, clutching her stomach.
A bright pink smiley-face icon sparkled over her head in Haru's AR display.
[Bond Quest Complete!]
Reward Granted: +10 Permanent Luck
Haru blinked as his vision sparkled faintly.
Luck stat obtained.
Maybe he'd finally stop tripping over air.
Probably not.
Chiyuri wiped a tear from laughing too hard.
"You're so weird now, Haru. But… I kinda like it."
He smiled sheepishly.
"I'm trying my best not to, uh… be a disappointment to human society."
"You always were." She laughed
"…Thank you?", haru not knowing if that was a compliment or a jab at his former self.
She leaned closer, lowering her voice to a whisper.
"Oh, and Haru?"
"Yes?"
"Watch out for Araya."
Haru stiffened.
"…Araya?"
Chiyuri nodded gravely.
"The red-haired gorilla."
"…Pardon?"
"You know! The one who picks on small cute things."
"…"
"…Which includes you."
"…"
"Because you're small."
"…"
"AND cute.", Chiyuri Blushes
Haru's soul died slightly.
Then revived.
Then died again.
She pointed toward the back of the class.
Haru followed her gaze.
There sat a red-haired boy radiating pure boss-mob hostility
colored bright, flaming red in Haru's system overlay.
Araya.
The gorilla.
The king kong boss fight in third grade.
Chiyuri whispered dramatically:
"If he tries anything… scream. I'll kick him."
"…You can't just assault people."
"I can if it's for JUSTICE."
Haru suddenly understood why she was glowing green in his HUD.
And also why she was slightly terrifying