The Sudden Appearance of Ichinose

Time came to Friday, the last school day of the week.

Perhaps because the weekend was near, the sunlight outside the window felt tinged with warmth.

The school bell rang as punctually as ever.

Kazehara Tetsu didn't join any of the groups heading home.

He packed his things, left the teaching building alone, and walked to a cafe on the second floor of Beech Tree Shopping Mall.

Pushing open the cafe's glass door, the rich aroma of coffee hit him.

He picked a window-facing corner seat, where the light was good and he could see the pedestrians coming and going outside.

He pulled a mystery novel from his bag, ordered an iced Americano, and immersed himself in the book.

Time ticked by, people came and went in the cafe.

Outside, the sky shifted from pale blue to a deepening orange.

Just then, the wind chime at the door let out a crisp "ding."

Kazehara Tetsu didn't pause in turning his page, but his peripheral vision had already caught a figure steadily approaching him.

Ichinose Honami.

She seemed to be trying to act like she was just passing by, drawn in by the shop's atmosphere.

But her line of sight had long since locked onto the quietly reading figure in the corner.

She stepped forward, heading toward Kazehara Tetsu.

Her footsteps stopped by his table, her shadow falling across his book page.

Only then did Kazehara Tetsu, as if disturbed, slowly look up from his book.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, studying the girl with the bright smile before him, his face showing confusion, as if trying to place a stranger.

"Hello, um... can I help you? If you need a seat, the one next to me is free."

Ichinose Honami's smile froze for a moment.

She blinked those bright big eyes, looking at Kazehara Tetsu with disbelief.

"Huh? Um... classmate, you don't remember me?"

She pointed at her own face, her tone tinged with uncertainty.

Kazehara Tetsu's brow furrowed slightly as he scrutinized Ichinose carefully.

Finally, he shook his head, a apologetic expression on his face.

"Very sorry, my memory might not be great. Have we... met before? You're quite cute—if we had, I think I'd remember."

His words were polite but carried a sense of distance, and that "quite cute" comment was like a sugar-coated bullet, impossible to get angry at.

Ichinose was completely stunned.

These past few days, she'd often thought back to that first day of school, the boy she'd bumped into at the gate, whose words and actions were a bit frivolous yet somehow interesting.

She'd even been wondering when to follow through on that "compensation" promise.

And now, he'd forgotten her entirely?

After a brief shock, Ichinose's cheeks puffed up slightly, like an angry little hamster.

She put her hands on her hips, leaned forward, and got close to Kazehara Tetsu, speaking in a tone that was both exasperated and amused. "Kagihara! You're too much! First day of school, at the gate, you got knocked down by a 'dangerous' girl, said you almost had 'internal bleeding,' forced me to give you my contact info, and even demanded I treat you to coffee as a settlement for the 'accident'... You forgot all of that?!"

She practically recited his exact words from that day. The teasing "moon weapon" part she was too embarrassed to say aloud, but the emphasized "dangerous" was hint enough.

Seeing her adorable, huffy expression, Kazehara Tetsu's "confused" act finally cracked, and he let out a laugh.

"Ah, I remember now—so it's Miss 'Moon Weapon.' Sorry, sorry, been busy lately, didn't click right away."

He put down his book, leaned back in his chair, a playful smile on his face, his gaze once again sweeping unashamedly over her full figure. "But, Honami, it's only been a few days, and your 'danger' level seems to have gone up again."

"You, you guy... you remembered all along!"

Ichinose's face flushed bright red, spreading from her cheeks to her slender neck.

She instinctively straightened up, crossing her arms over her chest as if protesting his unabashed stare.

This guy was just as direct and improper as the first time they met!

"Alright, alright, don't be mad. I was joking." Kazehara Tetsu smiled and pointed to the seat across from him. "Since we ran into each other so coincidentally, don't just stand there. Perfect timing—this 'victim' should settle the compensation issue with the 'perpetrator.'"

These words successfully made Ichinose forget her embarrassment.

She sat down in the seat across from Kazehara Tetsu.

"I didn't forget! It's you, Kagihara, who said you wanted to settle compensation but never came to find me until now." She muttered quietly.

"Looks like you really can't stop thinking about our first meeting."

His voice carried a hint of laughter, deliberately stressing the words "first meeting." "Since you're so eager to remind me, if I don't make a move, wouldn't that make me seem completely clueless?"

"I, I am not hung up on it!"

Ichinose almost instinctively retorted, but even as the words left her mouth, she knew she didn't sound convincing.

"Yes, yes, you didn't."

Kazehara Tetsu went along with her words.

He tilted his chin toward the counter. "So, isn't it about time you made good on that promise? I've been holding off on trying this place's signature drinks just to wait for this compensation from you."

This shameless remark left Ichinose completely at a loss.

She had no choice but to sigh helplessly and stand up from her seat. "Fine, fine! Wait here, I'll go buy it for you!"

"I want the most expensive signature drink,"

Kazehara Tetsu leaned back against the chair back, ordering like some old boss. "After all, my 'internal injuries' are pretty serious."

"You guy..."

Ichinose turned back to glare at him, but there was no bite in her eyes—it looked more like a girl acting spoiled.

She walked to the counter and studied the menu seriously, her troubled expression over what to order making Kazehara Tetsu's smile deepen.

Soon, Ichinose returned carrying two drinks.

One was the steaming Caramel Macchiato she'd ordered for him, topped with a beautiful love heart drawn in milk foam.

The other was a Strawberry Smoothie she'd gotten for herself.

She set the Caramel Macchiato down in front of Kazehara Tetsu with a thump, a hint of emotion in the gesture, making the love heart on the foam stagger.

"Here, Kagihara, your most expensive signature drink! After you drink this, our 'accident' is settled!"

Kazehara Tetsu picked up the cup, looked at the delicate latte art, then glanced at Ichinose on the opposite side, who was scooping small spoonfuls of her smoothie while sneaking glances his way.