"So it's an old classmate… I didn't expect that move…"
After hearing Goto Doku's rough explanation, Sakiko lowered her gaze and muttered softly—quiet enough that only she could hear.
She truly hadn't expected her "sure-win" setup to get sniped like this.
But the other party's decisiveness was terrifying. They even used a viciously targeted move like visiting his parents—she didn't even know where his family lived. Losing to that wasn't exactly shameful.
Sigh.
Heroes really were as common as fish crossing a river.
She'd been overconfident. As a Toyokawa—and as her senior's junior—she still had plenty to polish.
Sakiko accepted that she'd simply been outplayed by one move.
Sure, she was frustrated, and it stung.
But she wasn't a child who threw tantrums the moment she lost. After adjusting her emotions, she showed Goto Doku the same gentle smile as always.
"Then, Senior Goto, please leave early today. I'll handle closing up afterward. Don't worry—go to your meeting."
Before Goto Doku could say anything, Sakiko spoke first, blocking the words he'd been about to say.
"When I first started working here, didn't you help me with closing too? More than once. So don't be polite with me. I told you—if it's something that helps you, I'm happy to do it."
Facing Sakiko's calm gaze, Goto Doku felt as if his junior had sprouted wings. In just a few sentences, she shook off the shackles of mere mortality and ascended into a pure, beautiful angel.
Guh…
Cloth… wash…
How could there be a child this considerate in the world…?
Goto Doku covered his eyes reflexively. He didn't know how to thank her, so he could only bow again and again, swearing he'd treat her to a meal later.
The moment she heard she'd be able to meet Goto Doku privately later…
Sakiko's amber eyes lit up, as if cute cat ears had popped out of her head. Her gloom vanished instantly.
She knew it—being gracious was the right choice.
Instead of sulking, it was better to accept defeat openly and do what she could.
But Goto Doku misunderstood the reason for her sudden brightness.
He thought his kind junior probably didn't get to eat anything good most of the time, so the idea of a meal made her that excited.
And when he looked at her smile, he only found it heartbreakingly pitiful.
He made a quiet vow:
From now on, he'd bring his junior more food.
…
[Pocket White Dragon]: Um… I'm off work now.
[Pocket White Dragon]: I'm really sorry it's kind of late. I don't know if it's still convenient on your end… I'm at an M-place in Shimokitazawa. The exact location is here.
[Pocket White Dragon]: (Location shared)
[Pocket White Dragon]: I didn't know your preferences, so I picked a fast-food place. I'm really sorry… If you have a better recommendation, or if it's too far from you, I can go to your area instead.
[KitaKita]: No, no! The timing is perfect! And I love Mc—especially the fries! I used to go all the time with friends. You picked an amazing place, Goto-san!
[KitaKita]: Please wait about ten minutes! I'm nearby—I'll be right there!
[KitaKita]: cat meme.jpg
Inside the fast-food restaurant.
Goto Doku sat alone in a secluded corner.
He'd chosen a window seat far from the busiest area.
The table was completely empty—he hadn't ordered anything yet. He felt it would be rude to order first or order for the other person without asking, so he planned to wait and order together once they arrived.
But the waiting felt endless.
More precisely—it felt like torture.
Goto Doku couldn't even count how many times he'd pulled out his phone to reread the chat log with that "Kita" classmate.
Every time, he analyzed his own messages word by word, wondering if anything sounded off, or if there was a cleaner, more pleasant way he could've phrased it.
But the more he thought…
The more he felt it was useless.
They were about to arrive. He'd have to talk face-to-face.
Even if he somehow performed perfectly online and acted like a radiant extrovert, the moment they saw him in person, it would be obvious immediately.
Maybe they'd even think they'd found the wrong person, apologize, and keep looking.
And the worst part?
He didn't have the courage to say, No, you didn't get the wrong person—I'm just a loner pretending to be outgoing…
Ah… hahaha.
Hahahahahahahaha—
Maybe I should just go home.
Goto Doku covered his face.
How could something as simple as meeting offline be such a terrifying punishment?
And it was worse because they were his old classmate.
That was beyond a mere meetup—it was approaching the horror level of a class reunion…!
At the end of the day, he remembered nothing about them.
Not what they looked like. Not their gender. Not their personality.
The only thing he knew was their name:
Kita Ikuyo.
Kita Ikuyo…
Kita Ikuyo…
Wait.
Do people actually have names like that?
It sounded like some kind of tongue twister…
So casual… so offhand…
Then again, I'm not exactly qualified to judge—my name is "Doku," and I really am alone…
No, no—my brain's wandering again!
Focus, Goto Doku. You promised you'd help Bocchi. You can't stay like you used to!
If you keep being this timid, you'll betray your promise to Bocchi—and you'll betray Toyokawa's kindness too!
No matter what, you have to make this meeting go well. Even if it doesn't work out, it's fine—just treat it as experience for tutoring!
A fierce fire roared up inside him.
And right then, a hesitant voice came from behind.
"Um, sorry to bother you—"
Goto Doku turned his head reflexively.
Before he even processed the sight, a faint fragrance reached him first.
Maybe she was wearing a little perfume. It was gentle—not overpowering at all. If anything, it felt refreshing.
Carried by that pleasant first impression, Goto Doku lifted his gaze—
And saw a girl in a knitted cardigan, brimming with youthful energy.
She wore a thin layer of foundation; her highlights and contour were placed just right. She was clearly wearing makeup, and the technique was professional—natural, beautiful, perfectly fitted to her face.
Honestly, even without any makeup, her features were already so striking you could only describe them as exquisitely carved.
At first glance, the thought that rose uncontrollably in his mind was—
She's so cute.
"It really is Goto-san!"
The girl smiled with open delight, like a squirrel finding a nut.
"Thank goodness—I didn't mistake you. Before I came in, I was worried I wouldn't be able to find you, and that would've been so rude… But I spotted you right away. I'm really glad."
As she spoke, she gently handed him a bag she'd brought with her.
"This is a small gift for meeting you! I heard from your uncle and aunt that you really like Takizawa-sensei. My dad is also a fan of Takizawa-sensei. I don't really understand it myself, but my dad said this is a gift you'll definitely like—so please accept it!"
In truth, the girl had slipped in a tiny lie.
Her father really was a fan of Takizawa Satoru—but he didn't know Goto Doku. Even if he did, he would never have given him a gift.
The items in the bag were actually something her father had given her in the past.
But she wasn't interested in them, so they'd sat untouched in a cabinet.
Only after she returned from Goto Doku's parents' house—after successfully learning that Goto Doku liked a celebrity named Takizawa Satoru—did she suddenly get a burst of inspiration.
Goto Doku-san might actually like this!
So she happily decided to give it to him, solving a headache of her own in the process.
She'd been agonizing for ages over what kind of gift she should bring.
Goto Doku, of course, had no idea about any of that.
He was completely stunned.
Her appearance was so unexpected that he was totally unprepared—caught flat-footed.
And her looks were so overwhelmingly "authoritative," like the sun itself, that it only made things worse.
Her smile was flawless. The youthful glow pouring out of her hit Goto Doku head-on—someone who'd lived his whole life identifying as a gloomy loner.
If he had to describe it…
She was the legendary Hero.
And he was just a disposable grunt in the Demon King's army—instantly defeated the moment he laid eyes on her.
It took him a while to piece it together.
This radiant girl must be the "Kita" classmate from LINE.
S-so Kita-san is this dazzling…?
I thought "Ikuyo" sounded kind of old-fashioned… I even wondered if it might be a gloomy boy like me…
No—this is too bright.
She's like some kind of ultimate popular extrovert…
I'm going to be swallowed by her light…
"Um, Goto-kun… your face looks a little pale. Are you feeling sick? If you need it, I can take you to the hospital…"
"N-no… I'm fine…"
Goto Doku shook his head quickly. He wanted to say more, but his voice wouldn't come out smoothly.
This had to be a side effect of being exposed to Kita's unconscious "Kita Light."
Creatures that lived in the dark naturally struggled when suddenly hit by strong light. If he just held on for a minute, he'd probably recover.
He swallowed, forced himself to steady up, and spoke through sheer willpower.
"Um… Kita-san… thank you for the gift. I'm really sorry—I didn't prepare anything for you… N-next time I'll bring you a gift too!"
"Y-you'll give me a gift, Goto-san…?"
Kita Ikuyo blinked, surprised by the sudden development. Then her eyes lit up like they were full of stars, and she said with pure excitement:
"I'll wait for that day with tremendous anticipation!!"
"T-tremendous…?!"
That much anticipation will kill me!!
My heart is fragile—I can't handle people's expectations…!
Goto Doku hadn't even caught his breath before Kita suddenly leaned closer—instantly pushing him into "phase two."
His facial features practically began to fly off his face. He was seconds away from hallucinating.
But Kita was considerate.
When she saw him return to that near-death state from earlier, she immediately guessed he wasn't comfortable with close personal distance.
So she pulled back and sat across from him, observing his condition.
As expected, his complexion improved.
Kita Ikuyo blinked in mild surprise.
She hadn't expected Goto Doku to be this shy.
It didn't match the image she'd had of him at all.
In her memory, Goto Doku was cool, silent, someone who almost never initiated conversations.
Yet he'd been wildly popular at school—so popular that people had even organized a fan club for him.
Someone distant. Someone out of reach.
A lot of students—herself included—used to go watch him perform.
But now…
Maybe Goto-san wasn't cold or aloof at all.
Maybe he was more like…
…socially anxious?
Kita rested her cheek on one hand and stared at him, gradually spacing out.
If Goto-san really is socially anxious…
Then how much courage did it take for him back then… to step in and help me?
A moment later, Kita finally realized what she was doing.
She'd been staring straight at him the whole time.
Her gaze instantly turned chaotic. Even her earlobes flushed a vivid red. She hurriedly grabbed her phone, scanned the QR code on the table, and forced herself to sound calm.
"Y-you haven't ordered yet, right? I'll order first—then you can use my phone to pick what you want!"
"Ah… o-okay."
Goto Doku nodded stiffly.
Compared to his earlier "facial features flying everywhere" state, he was much more stable now. At least he could think normally again.
As Kita ordered, he decided to check what was inside the gift bag.
He looked down at the refined bag resting on his lap. Just from the packaging, he could tell how much effort she'd put in—she even chose a fashionable bag. Her "trendiness" level was high…
She'd said her father was also a fan of "Little White Dragon," and that he'd surely like this gift.
So it was probably some kind of Little White Dragon merch.
If it was just that, then fine.
Though it felt rude to say so, as a long-time fan, he already owned everything he'd wanted.
If the gift was too expensive, it would be hard to return a gift of equal weight.
Gift-giving was a battlefield.
Too expensive, and misunderstandings formed.
Too cheap, and it looked like disrespect.
Finding the right balance—that was the key.
Goto Doku had no real experience, but he was a theory-heavy veteran.
He planned to use Kita's gift as a reference and later give her something in a similar "tier," ideally matching her tastes.
He had a good impression of Kita Ikuyo. He didn't want to ruin the relationship with such a pretty, cute girl over something as basic as gift etiquette.
He inhaled.
After gathering his resolve, he carefully opened the bag to see what was inside.
But the instant it opened even slightly—
It was as if a brilliant beam of light burst out and shot straight into the heavens.
Goto Doku was shocked to his core. How could such a small bag produce such a phenomenon?!
He forced himself to look inside under the overwhelming aura—
And was instantly hit with internal injury.
N-no way…!
His throat tightened. He nearly coughed up blood.
His eyes widened in disbelief. He thought it had to be a hallucination—but no matter how many times he rubbed his eyes, he wasn't seeing it wrong.
Inside the bag was…
The Blu-ray set of Jet-Black Reincarnation Fantasy—the debut work Little White Dragon voiced back when they were still a rookie in the voice acting world…!
And also the legendary Silver Descent Fantasy—the spinoff game series that publicly "bullied" Little White Dragon into wishing the earth would swallow them during a promo event, a collector's item only true veterans possessed…!
Goto Doku's hands began shaking violently.
He blankly lifted his head.
His gaze landed on Kita Ikuyo, still ordering food.
Something this precious…
Was she really giving it to him?
Kita noticed his look. She thought maybe her makeup turned out especially well today, and that Goto Doku liked it.
So she smiled brightly and confidently met his eyes.
…
Kita-san…
I never imagined you'd treat me with such kindness…
Not only hiring me as a guitar tutor…
But giving me a gift this expensive…
Goto Doku lowered his gaze in silence.
He used to not understand what people meant by "they gave too much, so I couldn't refuse."
Now he understood completely.
Kita-san's kindness…
I'll never be able to repay it.
-------
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