"Sister Shizuka is so charming. Why does she always end up meeting such strange men?"
"Right?!"
For some reason, Shizuka Hiratsuka felt like she and this junior were getting along unusually well.
"Always running into weird men… that kind of bad luck is really unbearable."
Looking at Nohara Shin Chan, Hiratsuka Shizuka suddenly had the urge to drag him out for ramen and drinks until they both collapsed.
When you meet a true confidant, a thousand cups are too few. When you don't, even half a sentence is too much.
Maybe it was because Shin Chan didn't feel like a playboy, or maybe because his calm listening allowed her to finally vent all the frustration she'd been bottling up inside.
Right now, Hiratsuka Shizuka was in an excellent mood, and Shin Chan looked increasingly pleasing to the eye.
If it weren't for the sudden phone call that interrupted her, she genuinely planned to invite him out for ramen—and maybe a few drinks at an izakaya afterward.
"Mhm… mhm… the student lists are out? I'll head over right away. Got it."
After hanging up, Hiratsuka Shizuka let out a regretful sigh.
With Soubu High School merging with Shuchiin Academy and the school term about to begin, her workload had increased dramatically.
"Shin Chan, let's exchange LINE IDs. Next time I'm free, I'll treat you to ramen."
"Sure!"
Shin Chan's original goal had only been to get her contact information. He already had plans with the Kasukabe Defense Force, so if she really dragged him out for ramen tonight, it would've been a genuine headache.
On one side were his childhood friends; on the other was a system mission.
Either way, it wouldn't have been easy to choose.
"I'll head out first. I need to deal with work right away."
Hiratsuka Shizuka acted decisively, without the slightest hesitation. She waved her phone at Shin Chan, signaling him to contact her on LINE later, then turned and left.
Once she was gone, Shin Chan returned to Toru Kazama and A-Dai.
"Damn it, Shin Chan! You're way too skilled!"
Kazama looked utterly pained. Shin Chan was just too smooth.
Most of Kazama's time was spent on tutoring and extracurricular classes.
Although he appeared popular and composed at school, that calm image was completely fabricated—he was still a pure-hearted boy who hadn't even held a girl's hand before.
"Hahaha, she just looked a bit troubled, so I chatted with her for a bit."
"You…"
Kazama wanted to say more, but in the end, he just shook his head. Shin Chan had always been like this—unchanged.
"Still, be careful. I saw her car keys. That's a luxury car—she might be from a powerful family."
Shin Chan nodded but didn't continue the topic. After talking with Hiratsuka Shizuka, he already had a rough idea of her background.
"Nene and Masao have arrived."
A-Dai glanced at his phone and smoothly changed the subject.
Hearing that, Kazama checked his phone as well.
Sure enough, Nene Sakurada and Masao Sato had arrived at the agreed location and were on their way to the café.
"Let's sit here for a bit, then go eat dinner!"
The gathering was organized by Kazama, and the restaurant he chose had a nice atmosphere with reasonable prices. After all, they were still students with limited allowance.
Nene and Masao arrived quickly. Compared to everyone else, their changes weren't very dramatic—but among the Kasukabe Defense Force, Shin Chan had changed the most.
Nene now had long red hair and wore a pink dress, looking like a cute young lady. But Shin Chan, who knew her too well, was fully aware that her personality was far from sweet.
Masao, standing beside her, was the shortest of the boys and had gained quite a bit of weight compared to kindergarten. He looked like a classic otaku.
That said, Masao was still devoted to manga and continued practicing his drawing skills. Whether he'd actually succeed as a manga artist was another matter entirely.
"Shin, you're seriously this tall now?!"
Both Nene and Masao were shocked when they saw Shin Chan's height. Teenagers grew fast during puberty—but Shin Chan's growth was downright excessive.
"I didn't expect you to turn into such a handsome guy either."
Handsome came in many forms. Shin Chan's appeal was bright and athletic.
His physique far surpassed that of ordinary people, and every movement radiated healthy confidence—something especially striking to young girls.
But because they were too familiar with him, Nene, who knew exactly what kind of person Shin Chan really was, couldn't possibly develop any romantic feelings.
The closer childhood friends are, the easier it is for them to become "non-options." That saying existed for a reason.
"I really didn't expect Shin Chan to grow into a sporty hottie… while Kazama turned into an otaku."
"What?!"
Even though Nene muttered it quietly, Kazama still heard her.
"I am not an otaku!"
In Japan, "otaku" wasn't exactly a flattering term. Many so-called Heisei good-for-nothings were labeled otaku—people who didn't work, didn't socialize, and lived off their parents.
At the very least, Kazama believed that someone who ranked at the top of his class and was well-liked at school couldn't possibly be considered one.
"Yes, yes, yes, of course…"
Nene, who knew Kazama's private hobbies all too well, wisely chose not to comment further.
"Everyone finally got together. Don't start arguing already!"
Masao, still as gentle—and timid—as ever, quickly stepped in to stop things from escalating.
But in truth, being able to bicker like this the moment they reunited was proof of just how close they still were.
"Everyone's still the same. It's just a shame we can't attend the same high school."
Shin Chan wasn't particularly social. He didn't like cliques or small circles. A handful of close friends was more than enough for him.
"Your high school is way too ridiculous anyway. Our grades just aren't good enough!"
Nene's grades were slightly better than Masao's, but even then, getting into Soubu High School was unrealistic—especially after it merged with Shuchiin Academy.
As they chatted in the café, there was no awkwardness at all. Even after years apart during middle school, their bond hadn't faded in the slightest.
Afterward, they headed to the restaurant Kazama had arranged. As they ate, the conversation naturally drifted toward the future.
"I still want to become a manga artist!"
Masao clenched his fists, his expression filled with determination.
"Most otaku dreams are like that," Shin Chan said casually. "Either becoming a manga artist or a novelist—jobs where you can make money without leaving home."
Masao's expression stiffened.
"But most of the time, those dreams are just fantasies. The talent needed for manga artists and novelists is extremely rare.
Most people don't have it. The end result is getting lost in dreams and turning into someone who lives off their parents."
Masao froze, his face going completely pale, as if all the energy had been sucked out of him.
"Shin is right," Nene added mercilessly. "If Masao keeps clinging to unrealistic fantasies, he's very likely to end up living off his parents."
That final blow pierced Masao straight through the heart.