13-in-1? 5-in-1?

Inside a supermarket common to the Advanced Nurturing High School, U Amakusa was busy picking out his daily necessities.

It was just that his posture while doing so looked a bit disheveled.

Of course, before entering, U Amakusa had confirmed the absence of a certain long-haired girl; she was not in this particular store.

"Sigh... that violent girl, I told her not to hit the face, my handsome face..."

U Amakusa clutched his aching eye, sighing as he picked up items from the counter and placed them into his cart.

"Um..."

"Hm?"

The voice from behind made U Amakusa turn around instinctively. What met his eyes was...

Well, it was a very ordinary-looking boy, though his physique seemed somewhat sturdy.

That was a stupid thought; he should have known it was a boy just by the voice.

U Amakusa wasn't expecting a romantic encounter, absolutely not.

"It really is you, Amakusa-kun, what a coincidence." The boy looked down at U Amakusa's cart and pulled an item from his own.

"It seems Amakusa-kun is also here for toiletries and such. In that case, I recommend this."

No, no, no, who are you? Do we know each other?

Of course they didn't know each other, but the boy knew U Amakusa. Despite the internal monologue, U Amakusa had a rough idea of where he might have seen him before.

U Amakusa looked at the item he recommended; it was a shampoo, but not entirely a shampoo.

13-in-1?

Are you telling me this thing is usable? Didn't you see the label below saying it can be used as gasoline? You dare use this to wash your hair?

"This classmate, although I don't recall your name, I think it's better not to use the one in your hand."

Having said that, U Amakusa took his own selection out of his cart to show the boy, lifting his chin proudly.

"...Amakusa-kun, if I may be blunt, yours won't do." The boy shook his head, extending his index finger and waving it side to side.

"Ha? Why?"

What kind of nonsense is this? At least it's better than your gasoline shampoo!

U Amakusa asked indignantly, holding up his own shampoo: "Then tell me, what's wrong with mine? This classmate."

"Amakusa-kun, isn't yours the same as mine? A 5-in-1 is obviously inferior to a 13-in-1. Isn't it common sense that 13 is better than 5?"

Naoki Shimizu shook his head with disdain, the motion even more exaggerated than before.

"What do you know? It's about utility, not just quantity. Mine can wash hair, body, clothes, act as toothpaste, and facial cleanser—that's enough. Are you really planning to use yours as gasoline? This classmate."

"Everything you mentioned, mine can do too, and it has other uses. Mine is clearly better; you should just admit it, Amakusa-kun."

"Also, one more thing, Amakusa-kun. My name isn't 'this classmate.' You didn't listen carefully during introductions, did you? My name is Naoki Shimizu, remember it."

Seeing that Naoki Shimizu was the type to get familiar quickly, U Amakusa began to loosen up, as he was the same way.

"Aren't introductions just events meant for remembering the beautiful girls in class, so that various coincidences can occur and lead to a harem?"

U Amakusa said this with an expression of absolute certainty, as if he truly believed it.

Hearing this, Naoki Shimizu let his hair cover half his face, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking, but the next second, he grabbed U Amakusa's hand firmly.

"Amakusa, so you are my brother from another mother!"

"?????"

Naoki Shimizu didn't even bother with the "classmate" suffix anymore, his eyes sparkling as he looked at U Amakusa.

"A kindred spirit! Amakusa, I think the same way, and you've already managed to secure one, which makes me incredibly envious. Could you teach me a trick or two?"

U Amakusa's expression was identical to the one he had toward Kamuro not long ago—one of utter disgust.

Breaking free from Naoki Shimizu's grip, U Amakusa placed his 5-in-1 shampoo back into the cart.

"When did I secure anyone? Don't talk nonsense, I'm still a pure, good boy, alright?"

"Kamuro-san, didn't you two walk out of the classroom so intimately? It was like you and Kamuro-san were staking a claim on each other, telling everyone else in class not to make a move on him."

What the hell, when did I do that?? Is that what it looked like?

Which bastard started that rumor! A violent girl like Kamuro was sent to the cold palace by me ages ago!

"I didn't, I wasn't, don't spread rumors."

Naoki Shimizu quickly chimed in: "Ah, yes, yes, just teach me a couple of moves, Amakusa."

...It seems there's no explaining this...

U Amakusa helplessly brushed him off: "Fine, fine, I'll tell you. Shimizu, you just need to start with Super Armor Rasengan, then use a substitution and a summoning to connect into a Flying Thunder God, and you'll secure the win."

"???"

"Isn't that how Shimizu plays?"

"?????"

Seeing Naoki Shimizu's bewildered expression as he struggled to respond, U Amakusa immediately felt his mood improve significantly.

U Amakusa patted Naoki Shimizu on the shoulder. "It's good that you don't understand. I was talking about the playstyle of a game character; as for what you were saying..."

U Amakusa stopped at the perfect moment, meeting the gaze of the expectant Naoki Shimizu, his eyes gradually turning pitying.

"Sigh, Shimizu, you can't learn this. This sort of thing depends on talent."

"Huh? Why!?" Shimizu grabbed U Amakusa anxiously, looking as if he were determined to get an answer.

"There are some things you're better off not knowing."

"Huh? What on earth does that mean?!"

"What he means is that you aren't handsome enough. You... you look too ordinary, probably stuck right around the average mark."

Naoki Shimizu and U Amakusa both turned their heads in unison to look to the side, where someone stood whose profile alone made it clear how handsome he was.

Not only did Naoki Shimizu know this person, but U Amakusa did as well, having taken note of him during introductions because he had been mentioned in the original work.

He was—Satoshi Satonaka.

That's right, the very same Satoshi Satonaka who ranked first on the handsome guy list compiled by the first-year girls in the original story.

Sigh, this is troublesome.

Why did he have to be so blunt? That's going to hurt poor Shimizu's feelings. Leave a path for others, and you'll have an easier time meeting again in the future.

Are they going to get into a fight? Should I make a run for it?

U Amakusa even considered bolting; boys in their prime were prone to losing their heads.

"Being handsome is all that great, huh? You bastard!" Naoki Shimizu clenched his fists, looking like he was about to cry.

"Hmph, sorry, but being handsome means I can do whatever I want."

Satoshi Satonaka's lips curled upward as he swept his right hand back through his hair, clearly trying to flaunt his good looks.

Watching the two interact, U Amakusa abandoned the idea of running away; in his view, the expressions on their faces didn't suggest a conflict was brewing.

Huh, it seems like these two actually get along quite well.

"By the way, what's up with your eye?"

Chuunibyou?

Satoshi Satonaka guessed silently to himself.

Meeting Satoshi Satonaka's gaze, U Amakusa realized he was still wearing the eyepatch—the symbol of the punishment he'd received from that violent girl.

"Hey, Satonaka, isn't it a bit rude to ask so directly?"

Naoki Shimizu had noticed it when he first started talking to U Amakusa, but he had chosen not to point it out or ask about it.

After all, the two had only just met; although it wasn't their first time seeing each other, it was their first time actually speaking.