You’re Right, They’ll Expel Me if I Run into the Store with a Weapon!! - Chapter 63: There's No One Stronger Than Me

Believing that bringing two people with similar auras together could cultivate a good relationship, I attempted to invite Hazuki.

However, due to scheduling conflicts, she declined, so I turned my attention to the remaining two.

“Shiori… I still can’t bring myself to meet…”

The unwarranted dislike I had in the past has now turned into a heavy sense of guilt.

As a result, I couldn’t make up my mind to invite her.

“That leaves only Haruna…”

I’m a bit worried. But maybe, with her positive character, she could have a good influence on Suzuko.

Once he made up his mind, Hiroki’s fingers flew over his smartphone.

“Beep-beep-beep! Beep-beep-beep! Beep-beep-beep!”

…………

“Beep-beep-beep! Beep-beep-beep! Beep-beep-beep! Hmm~?”

“Maybe you were sleeping?”

After a few dozen seconds, a voice finally comes through, but it wavers sleepily.

“No, I was just zoning out~”

“You’re talking like a professor now.”

The tone of her voice droops at the end, a clear sign her consciousness wasn’t fully there.

“Are you free right now?”

“I’m at work right now~”

“I see, sorry for bothering you. Drink some coffee and hang in there.”

Deciding that Haruna was not in a good state to continue, Hiroki didn’t press further and ended the conversation.

“Eeh~ then~”

The call ended, and Hiroki put away his smartphone.

◆

A long corridor with a glass ceiling.

The sunlight illuminates a bright space blending white and orange hues.

This bustling place, filled with a variety of stores, is a shopping mall.

Instead of a round table, there are round chairs. Hiroki, holding his smartphone, was waiting for someone on one of these round chairs that could seat about ten people.

A few minutes had passed since he shared the meeting spot.

Despite its size meant for many, Hiroki found himself the sole occupant, starting to feel a slight embarrassment when he sensed someone’s gaze from somewhere.

“…………”

“For starters, about that outfit…”

A recluse. True to the word, the girl probably didn’t own any feminine clothing.

…But let me say this.

“What black market did you find that at?”

A hooded black parka.

A quality-looking black fabric stretching from the hood down to her thighs.

…But the design was odd.

“Why are you decked out like a game’s black market dealer?”

Suzuko and he played an online game, and she was wearing a coat reminiscent of a black market dealer from that game.

It was precisely what you’d expect of a middle schooler caught up in fantasy.

Suzuko had completely copied the design from another world and transformed it into a parka.

Naturally, it stood out. It was incredibly out of place.

“…This is all I have.”

“What did you say?”

“I don’t own anything else besides this. Under the parka is my uniform…”

This is all she has? Then why only that?

The reason she, a gamer, possessed that item.

“It was a prize from an event…”

Suzuko nodded her head.

Hiroki recognized the parka. It was a special prize from a game event held several months ago.

And he knew.

What it meant to have it.

“Congratulations again on making it into the world rankings.”

Among tens of thousands of players worldwide, only those who ranked highly received it. Suzuko was a true ranker.

“You’re mocking me, aren’t you?”

“Not at all, absolutely not. I’m genuinely impressed.”

“You’re definitely mocking me.”

Her cheeks puffed up in annoyance. But let me say this.

“Let’s get you something more appropriate.”

And so, their shopping trip finally began.

◆

Before eating, they realized it was already past one o’clock and they were starting to feel a bit hungry.

“Which one will you order? I’ll pay this time.”

“No, I’ll pay for Hiroki’s part as well.”

“No, that’s just weird.”

Could he really have a woman pay for him? Although they weren’t dating, Hiroki harbored the traditional belief that a man should cover a woman’s expenses.

But the girl had her own “idea” about it.

“It’s fine. I have more money than Hiroki, and societal views on men and women shouldn’t concern us. Hiroki just arrived at Combat College and doesn’t know the norms yet. I’ve been here longer. Even though we are classmates, I’m your senior at Combat College. Considering everything, I want to pay for Hiroki’s part as well. Come on, it’s okay, right?”

“Suzuko?”

Hiroki felt a slight change in the atmosphere, a small discomfort.

“Please.”

“…Let’s split the bill, split it!”

Hiroki suggested, avoiding Suzuko’s gaze.

“I’ll pay for everything.”

“As a man, I can’t just let a girl pay. It would be like trampling over my pride.”

Her eyes, not fully convinced, closed as he firmly stated his case.

“Then choose whatever you like. I’ll tell the waiter.”

“…Okay, understood.”

Suzuko shifted her gaze to the menu, and Hiroki looked back at her. Then,

“Why don’t you take off the hood now?”

At that question, Suzuko touched her hood and pulled it down deeper.

“If I don’t wear this, everyone will go ‘Wow.'”

“Wow?”

“Everyone will go crazy over my appearance… probably.”

“Are you an idol or something?”

His response was a baffled shrug.

“Take it off. It’s rude to wear it while eating.”

“Just for today, let it be. I genuinely believe I’ll elicit a ‘Wow’ if I show my face.”

“For a recluse, that’s ridiculous. Just take it off.”

“No wayyy!”

Suzuko recoiled and resisted as Hiroki reached to take off her hood.

Though it was commendable to try to avoid drawing attention with a quiet voice of resistance, this could have been easily resolved by not wearing the hood from the start.

Yet, her voice was clear.

“Don’t resist like that, Suzuko. You’re making me look like a criminal.”

“Hiroki, demanding a girl to strip is practically criminal.”

“It’s the hood! Just take it off. We’re attracting attention… there are customers who are appalled.”

Their seat had a somewhat high partition, making them invisible to the customers seated before and behind them, except for the corridor.

However, it was true that a handsome man with black hair sitting diagonally behind them across the corridor was staring.

…Wait, isn’t Suzuko invisible now?

“Aren’t they appalled by your actions? My voice might also contribute to the problem. Are you still going on?”

She threatened him while stating clear facts.

“You’ve grown quite bold, haven’t you? When we first met, you were a bit more timid.”

“I’ve decided to change. From now on, I’ll be ‘New Suzuko’ and enjoy my new life.”

“Nothing starts unless you take off the hood, gamer. I know you’re just shy.”

It’s understandable to feel embarrassed. Being a recluse for so long, the possibility of encountering acquaintances might indeed make one want to hide their face. But…

“You can’t say you’ve changed if you keep hiding your face… actually,”

He realized just then.

“There’s a partition, and no one is sitting at the next table, so it’s okay to take it off…”

“…The staff might recognize me.”

“Sigh… This is hopeless.”

Resigning himself, Hiroki sighed, and Suzuko smiled with satisfaction from within her hood.

“You’re smiling, but the fact that you haven’t changed is real. Will you live your life always hiding your face outside?”

“No, that’s not it.”

Her reaction suggested she was already deep in thought, just by showing a face that seemed unsure.

“When that time comes, take off the hood.”

“What time?”

“When you regret your past self.”

◆

“Why are you grinning at some other seat? It’s creepy.”

“Hm? Oh, I just spotted something interesting.”

The black-haired handsome man shifted his gaze away from the individuals seated diagonally behind him to the right, taking a sip of his juice.

“Touka-chan, what’s your take on a multi-talented individual and the ninth-ranked going on a date together?”

“Is that just fantasy? A dream, perhaps? The idea of the ninth-ranked going out for anything other than research, let alone on a date, is hard to imagine.”

As she said this, Touka lifted herself slightly from her seat and turned to look behind her.

“If it were true…”

Touka fell silent, while the handsome man continued to smile.

“The one sitting across from him is wearing a hood, but I was surprised to see her face when she sat down. I wonder why she’s with him.”

Hearing Amano’s words, Touka was almost ready to scream in disbelief.

“The ninth-ranked, Suzuko Uchimoriya-chan.”