Kasumi was still dragging yesterday with her. The transfer student crying in front of the school store while eating curry bread. Tsutsumi-sensei saying in homeroom, "I'll announce the transfer student buddy system tomorrow during HR." The buddy system—a unique initiative at Kazamiya High School where the class president provides one-on-one life guidance to transfer students for one week. In other words, it was already decided that Kasumi, this year's class president, would be the one chosen. (I knew. I knew, but...) Kasumi sighed and brushed her light blue hair back with her hand. Her vivid emerald green eyes looked toward the classroom door. Morning HR hadn't started yet. The girl in the next seat whispered to her. "Hey Kasumi, did you hear? They're doing the buddy system again this year. You're definitely gonna be that transfer student's buddy." "[serious]...Yeah." "That's rough. His self-introduction yesterday was pretty weird." Another girl laughed quietly. "Something about aiming to be a Pokémon Master, right? I mean, that's not normal." Kasumi didn't respond. She just placed her textbook on the desk and opened her notebook. That's when the classroom door slid open. "Good morning!" Satoshi came in. Black, unruly hair, bright brown eyes. He was wearing the standard uniform—white shirt and navy pants—but somehow he had the vibe of a traveler. With the same carefree expression as yesterday, he looked around the classroom and his eyes met Kasumi's. He smiled brightly. "[excited]Oh, the person next to the store lady from yesterday...no wait, um—" "[cold]Kirishima. Kirishima Kasumi. I told you that yesterday." Satoshi clapped his hands together. "[excited]That's it! Kasumi! That's a nice name. It's like the Kasumi I know. That Kasumi is a water-type—" "[angry]What are you talking about? You're such an idiot!" She cut him off sharply. A few classmates giggled. Satoshi blinked for a moment, then tilted his head apologetically. "[surprised]Huh? Sorry. Did I make you mad?" "..." Mad, or whatever. Kasumi pressed her lips into a line and sat back down in her chair. "[cold]It's nothing. Just take your seat. HR's about to start." "[gentle]Yeah, got it. Thanks, Kasumi." Kasumi turned away. For some reason, her ears felt a little warm. It was nothing. --- Tsutsumi-sensei came into the classroom a few minutes later. Tsutsumi-sensei—a 35-year-old Japanese teacher with a soft demeanor. The kind of person who would just smile and say "I see, how unique" even at Satoshi's "I'm aiming to be a Pokémon Master" declaration yesterday. "Good morning. So, for today's homeroom—" After attendance, Tsutsumi-sensei waved a piece of paper. "[serious]I'll confirm details about our school's transfer student buddy system. At Kazamiya High, when a transfer student arrives, the class president provides one-on-one life guidance and school orientation for one week. This time, the student is Miyamoto Satoshi, who transferred yesterday. The class president of Year 2, Class 3 is—Kirishima-san." All eyes in the class turned to Kasumi. "[serious]Yes. I accept." She answered without hesitation. It was the class president's job, after all. When she looked at Satoshi, he was looking around saying things like "Buddy means friend?" under his breath. After afternoon HR, a classmate talked to her in the hallway. "Kasumi, that's rough. Taking care of that weird transfer student for a week—" "[angry]It's not rough! It's just my job as class president!" She realized her voice had gotten too loud. A boy passing by muttered "She seems mad." Kasumi pretended not to hear. --- After two periods of morning classes, Kasumi finished distributing handouts in the hallway. That's when. "...Um, where is this...?" A voice. Kasumi turned around. In the middle of the connecting corridor between the main building and the south building, Satoshi was there. Walking back and forth, completely lost, looking confused. "[surprised]What are you doing?" "[scared]Kasumi! Perfect timing. Which way should I go? I'm looking for the bathroom, but no matter which way I walk, I end up back on the same corridor..." Kasumi looked down the connecting corridor. The main building and south building did have similar structures, so it was confusing at first glance. But a normal person could figure it out in a day. (He said something about there being a map at the Pokémon Center) Satoshi had said yesterday that he'd be fine if there was a map. Which meant without one, he wasn't fine. Kasumi silently grabbed Satoshi's arm and started walking. "[cold]This way. The boys' bathroom is at the back of the south building." "[excited]Thanks! You're really reliable, Kasumi!" "[sarcastic]It's my job as your transfer buddy. Don't thank me." She led him to the bathroom and let go of his arm. "[cold]When you come out, turn right and go up the stairs. That's Class 3. If you get lost, just stop and wait. I'll come get you. That's what this week is for." Satoshi stared at Kasumi intently. "[gentle]You're kind, Kasumi." "[angry]I'm not kind! It's my job!" Why did her voice always get louder when she talked to this guy? Kasumi walked quickly back down the hallway. --- Lunch break, she moved to the library. South Building, second floor—a school library with over 10,000 books and eight study spaces. Librarian Miyano-sensei was at her computer in the back. Kasumi brought Satoshi here to teach him. Tsutsumi-sensei had quietly told her yesterday that "Miyamoto needs a pre-transfer academic assessment." Apparently his Japanese and math were especially questionable. "[serious]Sit down. Today we're doing basics in Japanese and math. Get your textbook out." "[gentle]Yeah!" Satoshi rummaged through his bag obediently. He pulled out what looked like the Japanese textbook—except he opened the biology textbook instead. "[serious]That's biology." "[surprised]Oh, really? But this is amazing. So many insect photos—oh!" His hand stopped. Satoshi was staring at the rhinoceros beetle page in the textbook like it would burn a hole through it. "[excited]This one...looks like Kabuto! But the color's different. This one's horns are shorter. Wait, there's another one here—" He started flipping through pages. Stag beetles, Hercules beetles, jewel beetles. Looking at each one, muttering something under his breath. The textbook had completely become an insect photo guide. "[angry]Hey! The next page in biology! Japanese! Over here!" She pressed her finger on the page. Satoshi finally came back to himself and looked up at her. "[excited]Kasumi, do you know the names of all these insects?" Kasumi sighed. "[serious]...Not all of them, but I know some species." The moment she said it, she regretted it. Satoshi's eyes sparkled. "[excited]Then what about this one?" "Rhinoceros beetle. Japanese name is kabuto-mushi, scientific name is Allomyrina dichotoma—no wait! Japanese textbook!" "[excited]What about that big one?" "Hercules beetle, native to Central and South America—that's why! We're studying now!" For the next fifteen minutes, the two of them confirmed insect names. No studying happened at all. As Kasumi was leaving, she noticed her mouth was smiling. She hurriedly straightened her face and turned toward the bookshelves. She thought Miyano-sensei glanced over, but she decided it was her imagination. --- Afternoon PE was dodgeball. The gymnasium—two basketball courts' worth of space. The PE teacher's loud voice echoed. The class split into two teams, and red rubber balls started flying. The first few minutes were normal. Ball flies, someone gets hit, goes to the sideline. Until it was Satoshi's turn. Bang! A sharp sound. The opposing team threw a fastball, and Satoshi caught it one-handed. "...Huh?" Someone's voice. For a moment, the gymnasium went quiet. Satoshi's face was completely unfazed. He spun the ball in his hand and surveyed the opposing court. The next instant, his arm moved. Whoosh. With a sharp sound, the ball flew and hit a boy at the edge of the court like it was magnetized. "Out!" The PE teacher raised his flag. The opposing team shouted "What?! That was too fast!" From there, it didn't stop. Every time Satoshi moved, he caught the ball. Every time he threw, someone got hit. He was running from one end of the court to the other without even breathing hard. He wasn't getting hit—like he could see every incoming ball. While the opposing team screamed "What is this guy?! Too fast!" Satoshi just laughed happily. "[laughing]Pokémon battles are slower than this! Easy!" The entire class gasped. Boys shouted "That's amazing!!" and swarmed him right after the game. "Where did you train?!" "Do you do any sports clubs?" "You gotta run relay with us at the sports festival!" Satoshi tilted his head and answered seriously. "[serious]Pokémon battle training." The classroom air went silent. The boys exchanged glances. Kasumi stood at the edge of the court with her arms crossed. "[sarcastic]At least you're athletic." She said it coolly. She thought her own voice sounded too soft. But she couldn't stop watching him. Sweating, running around, laughing like it was nothing. (...He's actually pretty amazing) That's all she thought before looking away. --- After school, Kasumi came up from the pool. Swimming club practice—swimming 50 meters multiple times, checking form, recording times. Her body was trembling slightly, which was normal, and Kasumi headed to the equipment rack where she'd left her bike by the pool. The way home was along Akitsu River. A river cutting through Minatohara City east to west—about 15 meters wide. An 800-meter jogging course ran along the embankment, and a few people were running in the evening. Today was clear autumn weather, and the river surface glowed orange. Kasumi pushed her bike along the embankment. That's where she saw him. Satoshi was on the embankment. He'd picked up a stick of some thickness from the riverbed and was silently doing sword practice, holding it in both hands. His form was solid, his arm movements efficient. But doing it on an evening embankment, in his school uniform, with a stick— "[surprised]...What are you doing? In a place like this?" Satoshi turned around. His sweaty face was slightly orange from the sunset. "[gentle]Kasumi. Did swimming club end?" "Yeah. What about you?" Satoshi lowered the stick. He looked toward the river for a moment, then turned his straight gaze to Kasumi. "[serious]I don't have Pokémon, so I have to train my own body." There was no playfulness in his tone. No Pokémon. That one phrase contained so much. Loneliness for somewhere that wasn't here, the fact that he wouldn't stop anyway, all of it. Kasumi tried to say something but couldn't. Her chest tightened. For a while, the two of them just watched the river. Cosmos flowers bloomed below the embankment, swaying with each breeze. The sound of the river continued endlessly. Kasumi spoke first. "[cold]...You're alone here after the pool. You're a weird guy." "[excited]You're also going home alone? Then let's go partway together!" His voice was carefree. There was no deeper meaning. He was just suggesting it. Kasumi gripped her bike's handlebars again for a moment. "[cold]...It doesn't matter. We're going the same way anyway." She turned away and started walking. Satoshi placed the stick in the grass and walked alongside her. Their footsteps mixed with the evening riverside. Together with the river's sound and the swaying of cosmos flowers. (He's an idiot, but...) That's what Kasumi thought. She still hadn't realized why she couldn't leave him alone.