New Comrade!

At that night after helping Tanaka to move and arrange her belongings packed in the boxes. I was at my place playing a gacha game in my PC. meanwhile, I'm so unlucky of pulling a character and all I got was a D tier item. I frowned and I began to lie to my bed while I was holding my phone. I set my alarm at 6 A.M in the morning to get ready going to school tomorrow.

My shirt became so sticky because of sweat helping Tanaka earlier. It's getting hotter even I turned my air conditioner temperature to low. Aside from that, Chisa haven't come here today which makes myself feel peace. it's not that I hate having her here in this place, she's just noisy that her voice penetrates in my headphones while I'm playing a game that makes me hear every single word from her.

Well, the apartment has applied soundproofs so it won't be a problem to bother neighbors or people who lived in same apartment. Now, being bored and lying on the bed are the things that will only happen in my everyday life.

I opened a social media app to watch some recommended videos and other pictures posted. Some contents I watched was irrelevant so I scrolled down to find some interesting contents and a moment later, there's one notification in friends tab, I saw a familiar person who followed my social media account. Apparently, I'm inactive about these stuffs and won't publish at least a single content. Adding me is insignificant.

The reason why I continued using social media is to wait for a new anime or gacha game announcement.

When I tried to check my friend requests. It was a girl who tried to add me. an unknown name but it feels like it's a girl. I wonder who she is, Tanaka or Nagase? Only the two of them are possible answer. I tried to stalk the person who wanted to add me by clicking her profile and gather some information. The moment I clicked her profile picture, my mouth was half opened like I met someone I know by coincidence.

"ah"

"Oh, I had a feeling that I met this girl from before"

It was an image of a Rich lady I've met yesterday in a bikini outfit inside a private resort. Her long slender limbs were totally exposed and I can see her cleavage. She's also wearing sunglasses that made her look like a celebrity. Not to mention, her hair looks so silky.

I cleared my throat and continued stalking her.

As i was stalking her by visiting her profile, I scrolled down and I made my eyes wide open like I saw something unexpected. a huge number appeared on her followers tab. What appeared in my line of sight was 6.9 million people who were following her.

There's already a huge gap between me and her and it's obvious for a gloomy person to say that. I remembered from the moment she went out of the car, People in the public were all surprised and began to talk about her approaching me.

I didn't expect that a popular person like her talked to me all of a sudden. I stopped scrolling down and I was thinking about the scene where the celebrity offered a ride to me. somehow, after staring at her image for so long I noticed something.

She had the same eye color and hair color like Tanaka-san and I have a feeling they both looked alike.

Somehow, i don't have any intentions to follow back, she's just a stranger to me no matter she's a businesswoman, politician nor a celebrity. My followers in social media are some fellow otakus, weebs and my family.

I decided to ignore her and I turned off my phone without hesitation. When I pressed the power button the screen is still awake. I pressed it many times and nothing changed, the screen is still awake. I tried to press the button again then hold it in a few seconds. However, my smartphone opened the camera instead of shutting it down. I lost my temper a little bit and I managed to throw my phone outside of the opened window.

The time is almost ten in the evening and I wonder if the mall or any nearby smartphone stores are still opening this time. I immediately leave my room to pick up my phone that has been thrown away earlier to take back my sim card. The phone was completely broken and destroyed then I started to go upstairs to go back to my room.

At that moment, I was about to go back to my room in a multiple step. The door beside my place was opened slowly and there's young woman who just went outside of her place.

""Ah""

"Ichinose-kun"

"Tanaka-san"

Our eyes met with our mouths half-opened and Tanaka glanced to the broken phone I'm holding that even the battery showed up because it's totally ripped. She must be thinking of what's going on.

"your smartphone is totally destroyed and I wonder what happened.?"

"well, I threw it through the window and this phone is so old, I bought this in the Philippines five years ago. now it's not functioning well so I got pissed and threw it.

I guess I have to buy a new phone tomorrow."

"that's a bit too far"

"..."

Even on a response, I still don't know what to say when I have a conversation to this cute girl. however, Tanaka, who was the one who started to talk to me, walks towards my direction to say something to me and smiled a little.

"Hmm… Kenji-kun, are you free this time?"

"well yeah, I'm bored being all by myself and I have nothing to do this time."

"shall we have a walk this night?"

"eh?!….."

She said those words with a straightforward face. Looking closer at her image, she really looked similar to that popular girl who recently followed me in the social media. Unlike her, Tanaka is more adorable than that girl I've encountered yesterday. It's just my opinion so never mind. I immediately put my broken phone into my pocket then opened my mouth slowly. I guess I'll tag along with her to waste some time rather than lying on the bed.

"yes"

We were having a walk on the streets alone. the place was silent that I cannot hear any sound of a vehicle nor a person. While walking she began to ask me like how's the life after I traveled here. she also talked to me about light novels and manga. It's been two years, since I don't usually talk to other back then. And so on, she began to say something strange.

"hey, have you ever dated someone in the past?"

"e?"

I dropped my jaw at moment I heard her asking me something like that. I lost my interest in girls after I had my heart broken back in the Philippines. The images of my parents making a disappointed face, the figures of people who held a grudge against me appeared in my mind. The past that I don't want to remember. I replied with my face turning down like I was staring at the ants crawling on the soil.

"Well….no, I haven't dated with someone yet."

"oh…."

"Anyways, let's go there!"

I cut off the conversation as if I don't want to think about my romantic life in the past. I lied again, I'm such a bad guy.

The place we were about to go was a kid's playground. We both sat on each swing and resumed the conversation with another topic.

…..

We had a talk for a couple of minutes and after that she stood up as if her butt is getting painful for sitting there for a long time. She slowly opened her mouth and said something. in this clear night, she faced above as if there's a plane passing through the sky, then she took a glance to me before she was about to say.

"the moon is beautiful, isn't it?"

At that moment, our eyes intersect directions just we exchanged our stares. Her beautiful blue eyes, get brighter just like the moon above us. i can see her face clearly even I wore my glasses. I replied without showing expressions.

"well, yeah it is."

Somehow, I don't understand some phrase like Tanaka recently said. I hate to admit it but I'm a clueless guy.

"Ichinose-kun, you're such a good person, I don't know more about you yet but I can tell that you're a good person"

"I see"

Those words are the things I don't understand so all I need to say is to agree. Moreover, I need to go back to my place to sleep early for tomorrow classes. Apparently, Tanaka is also on her way to go back to her place and she began to walk slowly with her cheeks getting slightly red.

I also stood up because my butt hurts then followed Tanaka on the way to the apartment. On the streets, which is described like a ghost town at this late night, i suddenly stop to take some drink from the vending machine nearby. My pocket had some few banknote or money or a thousand yen to be exact.

She also stops walking then glanced at me. it seems like she will wait for me for no reason. Anyways, there's no need for me to think about that. I wonder if she wanted one so maybe I'll try to ask her.

"what kind of drink do you want?"

"well, I want an orange juice"

"alright"

The orange juice was bought first then I gave it to her and she walked away first. At the moment I received my coffee, I drank a bit and I was starting to vomit in a few seconds later.

"bleh!"

I was surprised of its bitterness and it's getting normal later on after I drank a half of it. a sweat appeared in my forehead like I was eating a spicy food. My heart palpitates and I felt discomfort in my abdomen. Drinking a black coffee without eating a lunch nor dinner and I only eat a small bread in the morning. I supposed to eat lunch back when I was helping her moving her belongings to the apartment.

She invited me for a lunch when we finished to move all her belongings. However, I refused just because I'm not in a mood to eat and now I got karma for not eating well this day. While walking holding a can of black coffee the pain in my stomach gets worse. My spine bent backward like I got punched on my stomach.

While Tanaka-san was walking in front of me, the sound of a falling canned coffee went inside through Tanaka's ear. She immediately looks back to see what happened. Then later on, she saw me flinching with my right hand placed on my abdomen. I was making a distorted face because of the pain in my abdomen. However, Kara suddenly rushed to me and place her hand on my shoulders asking if I am okay. I actually don't want her to help me because of my stupidity for not eating properly.

"I'm fine, there's nothing to worry about"

"Ahh… Okay"

Somehow, I managed to endure the pain and the pain that swells in my abdomen went away. We were on our way back to the apartment without our mouths closed. Apparent Kara, who was walking she slowly opened her mouth to say something.

"I just found out that today had classes but why are you at your place at that time and helped me instead of going to school"

"?"

I overslept and I had a feeling that it's too late for me to go to school. The timing is great, I met you again moving in the same apartment alone so had nothing to do but to help her.

"that's because I overslept ehehe."

I said that with a dry and later on, we finally reached our destination and we looked at each other to go to our own place. meanwhile, me, who doesn't know what to say at this situation, I started to say anything.

"I must take a sleep for tomorrow classes, see ya"

I can't talk properly for the two years have passed, my communication skills are still weak.

"sleep well and good night"

"uh… good night"

Tanaka-san smiled and slowly open the door at her place. I entered my room and rushed immediately to my PC just to play a game and watching late night anime. Well, old habits, die hard so It can't be helped. I decided to play a video game in a few minutes then go to sleep after playing.

After deciding to play a gacha game in just a few minutes, I ended up playing a game in an hour.

Several hours have passed.

What appeared in my half-opened eyes was the ceiling I usually see every time I wake up. an image of a ceiling in every normal apartment. my shirt was so sticky because of sweat that I didn't wipe yesterday. At least my body odor isn't bad.

I went to the bathroom to take a shower and going to eat my breakfast after that. I saw myself on the mirror with few changes, my appearance has gotten better than before. I wore my uniform, took my bag and I was on my way to the school.

I turned off the air conditioner and I slowly leave the room. When I went out, I took a glance at the next door where Tanaka lived and I went downstairs to go to school without bringing a smartphone and without wearing computer glasses.

There are Mangas that I haven't read in my smartphone yet and it's unfortunate that my phone is no longer alive. I've even saved some cultured pictures and ended up being erased. Not to mention, I was too lazy to put those in the back up files.

Maybe I should buy some expensive smartphone after school.

I walked down the streets having a feeling of discomfort. A feeling that makes you want to isolate yourself from the society. I can sense some strangers paying attention to me while I was walking. It was the same feeling as last time I went back home late.

Back then, I was disliked by many people in the Philippines because of the rumor. It was a view that I shouldn't have to save it in my mind. I'm aware about my appearance but that doesn't mean I'm good enough to be a fine character. I moved faster while making a gloomy face and arrived at the school in a few minutes later.

At the front gate of the school, some female students are staring at me. I changed my shoes in the locker and I'm on my way to the classroom. I haven't joined any club yet I must think if I can join if I there's something I could be interested.

I opened the door slowly like it was my first day of class. Entered the classroom and my classmates went silent after I entered the classroom with a surprised face. I took a glance at my classmates after I took a seat, they are all quite talkative having a conversation early this morning. Somehow, I was envious of them because they had friends to have a chat with.

Their reaction is the same from the people outside of the school. This is a problem, maybe I should return back to my gloomy self.

""ah""

Nagase-san was already on the classroom reading a book huh, she's quite a punctual person and at the first day, she literally paid attention to class. She noticed my gaze and our eyes met then I unintentionally made a drowsy expression. She responds like she didn't know me. while, me, who's bad at interacting, slowly opened his mouth to say something.

"Good Morning, Nagase-san"

"Uh…. Good morning"

"...…."

"uhm, who are you?"

A sound of a crack appeared in my head and it's like an anime character being rejected and ignored. Hearing that makes me feel disappointed a little but I don't actually care about it. I guess I have to tell her who I am.

"I'm Ichinose Kenji, your seatmate who you called me a creep"

"EHHHHHHHH!!!!!! You!!! That lame nerd!!! That was you?"

She has the same reaction as my little sister. Only Tanaka-san was the one who's not really surprised about me changing. But somehow, Nagase-san's reaction is worse than I expected.

"aren't you so rude to say something like that in front of me?"

"ahh…. Sorry"

"It's fine, I don't mind after all, but don't say something like that to others again"

I felt that someone is staring at me with an unpleasant expression. I took a glance at my fellow students who were in the same class as me while that thicc teacher haven't arrived yet. A blonde man appeared in my sight. He is talking to his female seatmates and his friends. He sat on the second row and he's near a wall. Somehow, he looked like a homo, he waved his right hand when we exchanged our stares. Well, I afford to judge him by his looks so I can't claim that he's gay. I sighed and managed to look away but not like a tsundere act that you have imagined.

On the other hand, Nagase, who just stopped reading a book, slowly opened her mouth.

"what's wrong?"

"Nothing"

I leaned at my desk just to refresh my mind and later on, i heard a sound of a sliding door and noticed that someone just came here inside the classroom. I slowly took a glance to find out who is that person, what appeared in my sight are my classmate who went silent and slowly returned to their seats. there's a woman in front of a chalkboard wearing a teacher's uniform. A red-haired woman with a voluptuous body, her charisma is the one that both male and female students adore her. she slowly opened her mouth to say something.

"I know this is all of a sudden but I want to tell you guys that there's another student to transfer here"

My classmates are murmuring about the images of the transferee and it's like they want to meet that person. For me, it would be great that there's another student seating in the back row. Somehow, I don't actually care about the transferee and all I have to do is to focus on study like I was such a study freak.

I was facing at the window putting my right hand on my chin as if was bored and I wanted to go home.

"you can come in now"

The door opens slowly and there's a brown short-haired girl appeared in my line of sight. A short hair that barely reaches her shoulders and her looks seems familiar. At that moment I took a glance at her, I can see her full image and I have my eyes wide opened with a surprised expression.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Tanaka Kara, I hope we'll get along"

I can hear the voices of male classmates saying as some compliment words such as "she's cute" or "she's like an angel" something like that. well, I have the same reaction back then when I met her at the airport but my expression back then is a bit stiff.

""AH""

We exchanged our stares and she smiled a little when she found out that I'm her classmate from now on. Somehow, I was surprised that we've encountered so much coincidence happening between us.

is this what they call "red strings of fate"? I've been watching countless of romcom anime and most of the anime mentioned that.

"you can take a seat at the vacant chair on the back row."

She walked slowly towards the direction of the vacant seat beside Nagase. She sat down and greeted Nagase san.

"Nice to meet you!"

"uh, nice to meet you"

"now let's start the class"

The class has begun and it's another day for me to wait for going home. I don't understand at least a single lesson in a single subject. i almost forgot, I passed the test at the first day of class and there's a chance that I will fail at the mid-term exams.

I guess I have to study a little bit to catch up with my classmates. Being at the bottom would make me feel disappointed. Math class is done, the worst subject for me has finally ended. Now there are no teacher inside the classroom to watch, there are few classmates who approached to Tanaka asking questions about her like she's getting interviewed. It seems like they wanted to make friends with her. Nagase took a nap while leaning on the desk.

Meanwhile, me, who have nothing to do but to stare at them. In front of me was a male classmate using his smartphone inside a classroom, what's his name/ Kurata? Muratata?. I'm still a person who still don't remember a classmates' name. well, never mind.

I did the same thing as Nagase san, I leaned on the desk with my eyes closed. Apparently, there's a familiar sound went inside of my ear. I listened to the sound and I found out that it's a song theme of an Adventure game. The voice lines, the sound effects and background music are all familiar.

I stood up and I sat on the desk. Paying attention to the smartphone, at the top left corner of the game lobby, I found his currency it too high and somehow it feels like he's spending money on that game just like me. the weapons, the artifacts, the characters are all SS+ tier but his gameplay sucks and it makes me feel that I wanted to puke. I guess I have to give him advice, his gameplay is so disappointing.

"change your main DPS, use a ranged character that has a high defense rate with a medium damage. The enemy is melee type with a burst fire skill. To avoid being hit, use that sexy archer or that cute mage to immobilize the target.

The CD of the crowd control skill is low thanks to your SS+ tier weapon, you can spam it and deal a burst damage when there's an opportunity for you to defeat him."

Looks like I went too far to give him advice, anyways, it looks like he doesn't have ears to listen to his classmates when he's playing. I wanted to play too but I don't have smart phone, I planned to buy an expensive phone today so I can't wait to have one.

"That's a great strategy and I'll try your advice after this fight."

He replied while having his eyes set to his smartphone without taking a glance at me.

I kept watching his gameplay and he failed to defeat the enemy. The enemy is also annoying, it dodges and its shield is slowing a player down. The fight also has a time limit or a countdown which makes it difficult. However, he is still on the floor 7th in the abyss while I reached 21th floor. At the moment he failed, he frowned and it's the face of failing the challenge again and again.

Somehow, I understand what feels but it's more painful when you get a D-Tier item in a banner.

"damn it!"

[calm down]

Now he tried to follow my advice and lately, he managed to defeat the annoying enemy in a minute. He seemed so happy. He praised me for recommending him a good team and tactics.

"thanks, I got a hard time fighting that boss. Anyways, just who are you"

"I'm Ichinose Kenji, I'm just a casual Gacha gamer."

"I already know about your name but I was surprised that there's a gamer here in the class."

"..."

Murata Ren, He's a tall guy and he looked like a strong guy, judging by his appearance. He looked like a delinquent with no tattoos nor earrings but he's actually a Gacha gamer like me.

"if you won't mind, I want to play with you and I'm just a newbie in this game who suddenly got addicted and spent most of my money to get special items"

Spending more money on a Gacha game will lead you to depression, just like me, who spent hundreds of dollars and received nothing but shits in gacha roll. Well, it's his life so there's no need for me to bother him.

"sure"

I told him my ID number about the game, he searched the Id number I gave and later on, his widens his eyes and have his mouth half-opened. A player who is ranked one in Dark abyss in the entire Asia sever, a high ranked solo player and his username, Ieyadesuu. and that player was me. in every seasonal vacation, I always spent my time on that game rather than hanging out with my friends in the Philippines. Oh, I forgot, I have no friends back then.

The gacha game also have a ranking system which makes it feels like a competitive game. Precisely, that game is an RPG with a gacha rolling system and you can also create a Clan/Party. I don't really understand this game at first look but the moment I tried it, I was addicted to this game until now.

I took a peek at his smartphone with a game lobby that was displayed on the screen.

Rentarou, huh, that quite a good nickname. His game profile states that he's new to the game. His level is so low, for a veteran like me but it's understandable though. He also completed few hard achievements in the game. He's an interesting player and I've decided to make a guild with him, At first, I thought he's a guy who like fighting but I was wrong.

"I didn't expect that a pro player was actually my classmate."

"that's a bit exaggerating"

I responded with a dry laugh and he suddenly asked me in a wrong timing.

"let's play together?"

"Too bad, I don't have a smartphone, I destroyed mine yesterday and now, I was planning to buy a new one today."

"I see, that's unfortunate. We can play next time then."

I nodded and I slowly returned back to my seat. Tanaka must be having a hard time being approached by her female classmates. Nagase just pulled out her face from the desk and I slowly opened my mouth.

"good morning"

"I'm not sleeping, idiot!"

Watching her showing her tsundere act is so cute and it makes me wanted to tease her sometimes. Somehow, I noticed that my gloomy side of me is slowly fading away. I managed to start a short conversation with my fellow gacha gamer. Forgetting the past and moving forward surely is great. I only talk with my seatmate a little and become alone after that. in the end, I'm a loner and an introverted person.