Even from a distance, Shiki Natsu recognized her at once.
It was i-Yu Wang from Class 1-D — and a fellow countrywoman at that.
The girl was wearing a light blue knit cardigan today, layered over a pure white cotton skirt. It was, unmistakably, the exact outfit they had bought together the last ti they went shopping.
The simple, gentle color palette perfectly complented her quiet and reserved air. Her signature long dark blue hair was still tied in twin tails, swaying softly in the breeze — playful and adorable.
She was standing beneath a tree beside the dormitory building. Following the direction of her gaze, there was nothing there at all. She seed to be spacing out.
A smile touched Shiki Natsu's face. He walked up briskly.
"Good morning, i-chan."
At the sound of his voice, i-Yu Wang gave a small start. She turned around, and the mont she saw it was Shiki Natsu, a flash of delighted surprise crossed those violet-red eyes of hers.
Almost imdiately, a faint, shy smile blood on her delicate face.
"G-Good morning... Na... Natsu."
She had been about to say 'Shiki-san' out of habit, but caught herself in ti. Their manner of address had changed. She was supposed to call him Natsu now. It had been a while since she'd said his na to his face like that — not since the exchange student week ended.
Her voice was soft and sweet, pleasant to the ear.
"What are you doing out here so early?" Shiki Natsu glanced at the quiet, empty street around them and asked casually. "Waiting for Kikyou?"
The scene was sowhat similar to their last encounter — that ti, too, he had found i-Yu Wang standing alone, waiting for Kushida Kikyou. Now here she was again, by herself.
i-Yu Wang gave a small shake of her head, her twin tails swaying along with it.
"N-No. It's not that."
"Then?"
"I'm not waiting for anyone, either..."
She lowered her head with a touch of embarrassnt, her hands clasped lightly behind her back, one foot tracing small circles on the ground.
"It's just... I woke up a bit early this morning. I thought, since it's a rare weekend and the weather is so nice..." She paused. "I wanted to co out and get so fresh air. And maybe... take a little look at the school from here."
"Ah, I see," Shiki Natsu said, nodding in understanding.
He stepped forward, closing the distance between them just slightly.
"In that case..." He looked into her clear, bright eyes and asked with a smile, "Would you mind if I... borrowed a bit of your ti? I thought maybe we could chat a little, i-chan."
"I don't have anything going on either, and being alone is a little dull."
At those words, i-Yu Wang blinked in surprise. Then a look of flustered, overwheld delight spread across her cute face.
She nodded at once.
"O-Of course!"
"If Natsu would like to... I-I'd love that!"
She seed to realize she'd shown too much enthusiasm, because her cheeks imdiately flushed a light shade of pink. She glanced around and pointed at a nearby bench.
"Um... why don't we find sowhere to sit and talk?"
She thought to herself that if Shiki Natsu wanted to chat, the least she could do was make sure neither of them had to stand the whole ti.
"Sure."
Shiki Natsu agreed readily. The two walked over to the bench and sat down, leaving a gap of roughly one person's width between them.
Not so far as to feel cold and distant, but not so close as to put a shy girl under pressure. A safe, comfortable distance.
Once they sat, the atmosphere went briefly quiet. i-Yu Wang placed her hands on her knees, looking just a touch rigid and bashful, clearly not sure how to start a topic.
Noticing her nerves, Shiki Natsu took the lead with an easy smile.
"You know, chances like this — running into i-chan alone outside — really are rare."
"Aside from that one week during the exchange program, it's genuinely hard to cross paths at school."
i-Yu Wang nodded gently at that, her voice soft.
"That's true..."
"After all... Natsu and I aren't in the sa class."
"And..." She snuck a glance at him, a trace of admiration in her eyes. "Natsu is incredibly popular at school. Wherever you go, there are always people around you... It really is sothing to envy."
"I'm not that impressive, really," Shiki Natsu said with a wave of his hand.
"i-chan, you have a wonderful group of friends too, don't you? Kikyou and the others — I see you all hanging out together a lot. You're quite popular yourself."
"I-Is that so?" i-Yu Wang laughed softly at the complint, her cheeks tinting pink. "I've just been lucky to et everyone, that's all..."
"Of course it is," Shiki Natsu said with a firm nod. His gaze settled on her with quiet warmth as he looked her over.
"Oh, by the way — if I'm rembering right, the outfit you're wearing today... is the one we bought together last ti, isn't it?"
"Mm..." i-Yu Wang gave a small, shy tug at her skirt in acknowledgnt.
"It really suits you," Shiki Natsu said without hesitation, generous with his praise.
"On i-chan, it looks genuinely adorable."
Boom.
Hearing Shiki Natsu call her 'adorable' so directly and plainly, i-Yu Wang's face imdiately turned as red as a boiling kettle, wisps of steam practically rising from her ears.
She ducked her head, unable to et his eyes, and said in a trembling voice:
"Th-Thank you so much for saying that, Natsu..."
"Um... your outfit today, Natsu... is also r-really handso!"
That was the honest truth. It was just casual clothes, but on soone with Shiki Natsu's natural physique — a born clothes hanger if there ever was one — they radiated a clean, bright, youthful energy.
"Then I'll gratefully accept the complint," Shiki Natsu said with a smile.
He smoothly shifted the conversation to sothing else.
"Speaking of which, I feel like I've been seeing i-chan with Horikita-san quite often lately."
"How is it? Are you getting along well with her?"
At the ntion of Horikita Suzune, sothing in i-Yu Wang's expression softened.
She looked up, her eyes sincere.
"Mm. At first I thought Suzune might be a bit hard to approach, but after spending ti with her... I found that she's actually a very kind, very earnest person."
"Being able to beco friends with Horikita-san... it genuinely makes happy."
Shiki Natsu smiled at the girl's wholehearted expression.
He had to hand it to her — he hadn't expected Horikita Suzune to actually pull it off. And not only that, but to leave a genuinely good impression on i-Yu Wang.
Though, that might have had sothing to do with who i-Yu Wang was as a person. If it had been Kushida Kikyou saying the exact sa words in the exact sa tone, Shiki Natsu would have seen straight through the lie without any difficulty. And besides — Horikita Suzune had absolutely no desire to befriend Kushida Kikyou in the first place.
"Is that right?" he said. "Having friends you can get along with genuinely... that really is a good thing."
"Knowing i-chan is comfortable, I can relax."
i-Yu Wang nodded firmly in agreent.
Sensing the mood was good, Shiki Natsu put forward another suggestion.
"Hey, i-chan."
"Since it's a rare occasion — just the two of us running into each other like this, and the weather being this lovely..."
"How would you feel about... going for a little walk sowhere together?"
"...?!"
The sudden proposal made i-Yu Wang freeze.
Those violet-red eyes went wide. Her mouth fell open slightly. Her face was a picture of pure surprise.
A boy and a girl... going for a walk... alone...
Wasn't that basically a date?!
Her heart imdiately kicked into overdrive, pounding so loudly it felt like the sound was echoing right in her ears.
Should she say yes? Or... should she turn it down?
But... it was Shiki Natsu asking...
She kind of wanted to go.
But then again... would agreeing so easily make her seem too forward?
Watching her tangle herself up in shy indecision, Shiki Natsu didn't push. Instead, he said considerately,
"If it's causing you trouble at all, don't worry about it. I only ntioned it on a whim — please don't feel obligated."
At those words, i-Yu Wang felt a jolt of panic.
If she turned him down now... a chance like this might never co again!
She lifted her head and gathered her courage.
"I-It's no trouble at all!"
"I... I'd really love to take a walk with you, Natsu!"
"Then that's settled." Shiki Natsu broke into a bright smile.
"So... where should we go?"
He thought for a mont and asked, "When you go out with Kikyou and everyone, what do you usually do?"
i-Yu Wang answered earnestly,
"Usually... we go to the coffee shop or a dessert place at Keyaki Mall..." She thought a little. "Everyone orders sothing they like and sits around chatting."
"Sotis we browse clothing stores, or go to karaoke and sing..."
Shiki Natsu nodded thoughtfully.
Chatting was sothing they were already doing. As for the rest...
He handed the decision over to her.
"Is there anywhere in particular you'd like to go, i-chan? Or sothing you feel like doing?"
The choice was now in her hands. The girl hesitated a mont, turning the options over in her mind.
If they went to a coffee shop or dessert place... knowing Shiki Natsu's generous nature, he would almost certainly insist on paying again, just like last ti. Spending several thousand points just like that... she really couldn't let him spend more money on her.
She had already received so much from him. It was too much.
Better to choose sowhere that didn't cost anything.
She looked up and asked tentatively,
"Um... Natsu."
"How about... we take a walk around the artificial lake by the dormitory area?"
"The scenery there is lovely, and the air in the morning is really fresh."
"The artificial lake?" Shiki Natsu blinked slightly.
That place...
His mind went automatically to Kushida Kikyou and her famous personal 'venting sanctuary.' He could only hope that the two-faced girl hadn't gotten up too early and gone there to unleash her fury at the railing.
If she had...
It would be the end of the 'little angel' persona she worked so hard to maintain.
That said — if he did happen to spot Kushida Kikyou going off in the distance, he would naturally find a smooth excuse to quietly redirect i-Yu Wang away from there before she noticed.
After all, he had promised Kushida Kikyou he would help keep her secret side from being exposed.
Besides, he was still looking forward to seeing Kushida Kikyou with long hair.
"Sure," he said, snapping back to the present with a smile and a nod. "Let's take a walk by the lake."
The two stood and set off side by side toward the artificial lake.
Morning sunlight spilled along the path. The leaves on either side rustled gently in the breeze. It was peaceful and pleasant.
After a while, Shiki Natsu spoke up.
"Co to think of it — how long have you been in this country, i-chan?"
He knew she was a fellow Chinese, but they'd never actually talked about this before. Now seed like a good ti.
"Mm..." i-Yu Wang thought for a mont and answered softly.
"Since... my first year of middle school. My father's work was transferred, so I moved here with him."
"Middle school, huh." Shiki Natsu let out a quiet sound of understanding.
"That must have been tough, coming here at that age. Language barriers, an unfamiliar environnt, having to get used to a new school and new classmates..."
At his words, i-Yu Wang's eyes dimd slightly for a mont. Then a faint, bittersweet smile crossed her face.
"It was..." she said quietly. "It really was quite hard when I first arrived."
"I barely understood the language — only a few basic greetings."
"And I didn't know anyone, didn't know how to talk to people properly."
"So in middle school... I basically didn't make any friends, if I'm honest."
She paused there. Then she lifted her head and looked at Shiki Natsu, and the shadows in her eyes cleared entirely.
"But... fortunately, when I ca to Tokyo tropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School, I t wonderful people."
"Kikyou, Suzune, and you, Natsu... everyone here has been so kind. No one pushed away — they accepted . I think that counts as a kind of luck."
Shiki Natsu looked at the peaceful, unburdened smile on her face, and said gently:
"That's because you're a genuinely kind person yourself, i-chan."
"Birds of a feather flock together, as they say. It's precisely because you are good and warm-hearted that kind people are naturally drawn to you and end up at your side."
"That's not luck — that's sothing you earned."
Hearing those warm words, i-Yu Wang felt sothing soft and glowing bloom inside her chest.
A gentle smile settled on her face as she looked at him, curiosity bright in her eyes.
"Then... what about you, Natsu?"
"What were you like before? I feel like you must have always been soone exceptional and kind from the very beginning."
Shiki Natsu let out a quiet laugh. His 'before' was actually two separate things — the ti before he crossed over, and the ti before he enrolled at this school. The transmigration was obviously not sothing he could ntion.
He smiled and kept it casual.
"?"
"Honestly... I'm just an ordinary student. My past isn't much different from anyone else's. My parents are regular working people. Nothing particularly dramatic to tell."
"?"
i-Yu Wang clearly wasn't buying a single word of it.
She shook her head, those violet-red eyes fixing on him with earnest conviction.
"Natsu, you're being way too modest."
"You are absolutely not as simple as you're making yourself sound!"
She began listing things off on her fingers.
"Natsu's crane ga skills are incredible! When I was there with Kikyou, we were both completely stunned — you cleared out an entire crane machine. That was amazing."
"And Natsu's cooking is unbelievably delicious!"
"And I heard your tennis is phenonal too — apparently even the Tennis Club's starting players couldn't beat you."
"And your singing voice... I've heard that's beautiful as well!"
The more she listed, the more animated she got, her eyes practically sparkling with little stars.
"In short... Natsu is an incredibly exceptional, incredibly well-rounded person!"
"And on top of all that..."
Her voice softened. A shy flush rose to her cheeks, and a sweet smile curved her lips.
"Natsu is also... a really kind person."
As the words left her mouth, the girl kept her eyes on his face, her thoughts drifting back through every mont she had spent with Shiki Natsu. He really was almost impossibly perfect — the kind of boy who could be any girl's dream, and she would not be wrong to say so. i-Yu Wang found herself completely swept away in her own feelings.
And that was precisely why she wasn't watching where she was going.
Too absorbed in talking, she completely failed to notice a small, unremarkable pebble jutting up from the path.
"Ah—!"
Her toe caught it.
Her balance vanished in an instant. Her body lurched forward, entirely out of her control, pitching toward the hard concrete below.
i-Yu Wang squeezed her eyes shut.
Oh no... I'm going to embarrass myself in front of him...
But the pain she braced herself for never ca.
Instead.
She felt a strong arm wrap firmly around her waist.
The sick, falling weightlessness vanished in an instant.
In its place — warmth. Solid, broad, carrying a faint, clean scent. She had fallen into an embrace.
"Careful."
That familiar voice sounded right beside her ear.
i-Yu Wang's eyelashes trembled. She slowly opened her eyes.
And what she saw, right there before her — close enough to fill her entire vision — was Shiki Natsu's face, inches from hers, looking down at her with unmistakable concern.
They were so close. Close enough that she could feel the warmth of his breath on her face.
"Are you alright?"
His voice was gentle.
Boom.
i-Yu Wang's mind went completely, utterly blank.
Her cheeks flushed red at a speed visible to the naked eye. Sothing between shock and disbelief and an emotion she couldn't quite na was written all over her face.
What... what just happened? Did Shiki Natsu just... catch her? Is he holding her right now?
____
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