The first meeting between Shin and Hajime was... awkward, to say the least. Even on the first day they spent time together, a strange, hesitant air hung between them.
Shin had wandered into the library early and noticed Hajime reading something alone near the window. Out of silent curiosity, he glanced at the book cover.
"Zero no *****ma, huh…" Shin muttered flatly.
Hajime jumped a little, startled that someone had spoken to him. "Y-Yes… I like rereading the older titles sometimes."
Shin didn't say anything for a moment. He sat beside Hajime without asking and continued glancing at the book over his shoulder.
"…A high school boy summoned by a pink-haired girl," Shin read quietly. "Then the girl was mocked for not being able to use magic properly."
Hajime blinked, unsure how to respond. "I-I suppose the premise is… a bit overused now…"
"It's absurd," Shin said, still staring blankly at the page.
Hajime's face slightly stiffened. "O-Oh… I see."
"…But," Shin continued after a pause, "if you had powers like that... teleporting, controlling elements… it'd be convenient."
Hajime looked at him in surprise, then chuckled softly. "You think so?"
Shin gave a slow nod. "Cooking would be easier if I could use fire magic."
Hajime let out a small, honest laugh. "That's… surprisingly practical."
Their awkwardness began to fade a little as their conversation drifted toward other stories—different light novels, favorite tropes, and the endless discussions of whether magic could ever exist in the real world.
"You don't believe in it?" Hajime asked at one point, lowering his voice like he was sharing a secret.
"I didn't say that," Shin replied simply. "I just haven't seen proof."
"I see… I suppose I'd like it to be real, even if just a little."
Shin looked up, his tone calm. "You'd want that kind of power in this world?"
Hajime smiled sheepishly. "Ah—well, maybe not all of it. But… maybe just enough to make life more exciting."
Shin responded without expression. "The world would become chaotic."
"...You're probably right," Hajime laughed again.
Their discussion continued like that—slow, awkward, with lots of pauses—but there was a subtle warmth growing beneath it. When the bell rang for the next class, both boys stood.
"Shall we go?" Hajime offered politely.
Shin nodded, slipping his hands into his pockets. "Mm."
They walked together, silently at first, but a little more comfortable than when they had started.
____________________________
Weeks passed since their first conversation.
Hajime, once known as the quiet loner of the class, had begun to change—not drastically, but noticeably. He no longer dragged his feet in the morning. Instead, he left the house early, sometimes with a slight smile on his face. His parents noticed the shift.
"You're... surprisingly lively in the mornings lately," his mother remarked one day."Ah—really? I suppose… it's not bad, going to school," Hajime replied, almost embarrassed.
It was all thanks to Shin.
At school, the two had fallen into an unspoken routine. They read during breaks, shared thoughts about isekai stories, and speculated—half-seriously—about the existence of magic in the real world.
"Teleportation still seems the most practical," Shin said one afternoon while flipping through a light novel.
"Y-You always say that. Isn't it cheating if you never have to walk again?" Hajime chuckled, tapping his own book. "Personally, I'd like something that lets me talk to animals."
Shin raised an eyebrow slightly."Hm. Wouldn't that just make dinner conversations awkward?"
"…I didn't think of that."
"I did," Shin said flatly, then turned a page. "Which is why I'd rather not."
They both laughed quietly.
Perhaps because of Shin's presence, the bullying Hajime had suffered quietly since first year stopped. The three usual offenders no longer approached him. Maybe they were just bored. Or maybe they didn't want to bother someone who now always had someone by his side—someone who never looked like he'd back down.
In P.E. class, where Hajime had often been left out when choosing partners, Shin always paired up with him.
"Shin, you don't have to always—"
"I know," Shin interrupted. "But I want to. No one else wants to pair with you."
"That's… blunt."
"Is it wrong?" Shin asked, tying the strings of his gym uniform.
"…No. But still, thank you."
Though Hajime enjoyed their time, he also began to notice a subtle shift in how others treated Shin. A few classmates who used to speak to him casually now avoided him.
"Hey, Shin," Hajime said one afternoon. "Are they… avoiding you because of me?"
Shin didn't look up from his lunch."Probably."
"I'm sorry. If you want to keep distance, I'll—"
"No need," Shin interrupted again, expression unreadable. "I wasn't that close to them anyway."
"But…"
"I don't care much about them," Shin said simply, eyes still on his food."Mixing ingredients that you already know don't complement each other will always result in a mediocre dish.""Thus, keeping pleasantries on people you don't care is tiring if you do it every day."
That response made Hajime go quiet. Then, he smiled faintly though the analog is cooking he get the message.
"...Thank you."
From that day on, something changed. Not just between them—but within Hajime. They weren't just reading buddies anymore. They were friends.
Rumors spread around the class: "Those two are weird," "otaku," "delusional," "obsessed with anime."
Shin, as always, didn't respond. When asked directly, he only blinked and said,"I like what I like."
And Hajime? At first, those words would've hurt. But now?
He looked over at Shin, who was quietly inspecting his bento—rice, karaage, and a few pickles neatly arranged, made by a younger orphan currently being taught by Shin.
Shin picked up a piece of karaage, took a small bite, and murmured under his breath,"Too much flour… but crispy enough."Then, poking at the pickles, he added,"Pickles overpower the rice. Overall, barely passable."
Hajime said nothing—just watched as Shin, with a blank expression, continued eating, each bite met with silent judgment. Yet despite the critique, he didn't stop eating.
Hajime smiled softly to himself, pretending not to hear.
"…My friend's weird," Hajime muttered. "But he has my back."
And for once, that was enough.