There's a high chance Akira won't survive until the next sunset.Poor guy—he just wanted to be normal.So what's stopping him?Well… probably himself.
"Hey, System."
Still bummed out about his earlier failure, Akira called out.This time, though, his voice was drier—reluctant.
"I've never been one to skip steps, but… I guess there's no other way."
[Huh? Out with it already—don't drag it out.]
Great, the system just killed the emotional vibe again.
"Fine."
Taking a deep breath, Akira spoke again.
"Don't you have any kind of solution? Something to fix my social problems once and for all?"
[What happened to all that motivation from before? Did it go down the drain?]
"It's not that, System," he sighed. "I just wish I could give back to my friends properly. It must've been weird for Mahiru when I went completely silent… or froze up when someone spoke to me."
"I want to get better, I really do—but I don't know how long I can keep putting myself through all these awkward situations."
[Sigh You're hopeless.]
Did the system… just sigh?
Before Akira could ask what that meant, the system interrupted.
[Fine. Consider this the quest of your life.]
[Emergency Mission: You Desperately Need Help!]
Even the system can't handle someone as unstable as you anymore.But where's the fun in fixing everything at once?
Complete the objectives to earn rewards:
Make 3 friends – Improves your condition by 15%
Make 5 friends – Improves your condition by 25%
Make 10 friends – Improves your condition by 50%
Make 15 friends – Improves your condition by 75%
Total friends: 2
BONUS: Get a girlfriend – Full recovery.
[Satisfied now?]
"System… where would I be without you?"
[Just another failure.]
Can you not say things like that so harshly?
Still, the goals sound simple… but to me, they're massive milestones.
"I already have two friends. I'm so close to the first goal…"
"Hey, System, so if I get a girlfriend, I don't need to make all those friends, right?"
[That's basic reading comprehension. Even you can manage that.]
Looks like the system is still mad.
Not my fault… wait, maybe it is… but whatever. I'm not stressing over small stuff right now.
Let's go. No backing down. Today is the restart of my restart!
After finishing the rest of the morning classes, Akira headed straight to the place he and Mahiru agreed to meet.
Under the shade of a tree, where the breeze swayed gently through the leaves, stood a girl so picturesque, it felt like something out of a world-famous painting.
"Shiina-san, I'm sorry about earlier. I'm not really used to… all that attention."
"Don't worry, Kurosawa-kun. I understand you're not great with crowds. I'm the one who should apologize."
Not giving him a chance to insist it was his fault, Mahiru changed the subject quickly.
"Did you bring your bento? I brought mine! Let's swap and try each other's food!"
Like a dog seeing his owner pick up their favorite toy, Akira instantly lit up.Who wouldn't? A top-tier chef offering you food? No one in their right mind would say no.
"Of course! Here it is!"
They each began tasting what the other made.
To Akira, everything was perfect.To Mahiru? Well… not quite.
The food wasn't bad—far from it. It was very good.But what really bothered her was something else entirely: even though she had been giving him tips, his skill was improving too fast.At this rate, he'd catch up to her—and surpass her—in no time!
"What kind of absurd talent is this…?" she thought, stunned.
She gave a few small tips, but overall, Mahiru looked proud.She was genuinely happy with his progress.
"Kurosawa-kun, sorry, but I can't stay too long today. I have to head off."
"No problem. See you later."
It was abrupt, sure. But everyone has their own responsibilities.
"Now what should I do with this free time?"
"Guess I'll just go back to class…"
Yeah. A classic loner decision.
Heading down the hallway that connects to the school courtyard, Akira spotted a crowd.
"Yikes. Better avoid that."
Smart move—especially considering who was at the center of attention:The ever-energetic Marin Kitagawa.
Akira quietly detoured through a hallway few students ever used.
But just as he turned the corner… he heard something unexpected.
A guitar.
Wait—was that a guitar?
Could it be... her?