Arrival at the Hero Association

A young man and woman sat together on the bus, their presence drawing the attention of the other passengers.

"They must be a couple." someone remarked.

Hearing the whispers and speculations about their relationship, both of their faces suddenly flushed red.

Feeling somewhat awkward, Nora stammered:

"N-No, that's not it. She's just my friend."

"That's right, we're just friends." Alice nodded in agreement.

Of course, what they said aloud and what they truly thought were two separate matters.

.....

Thirty minutes later, the bus finally arrived near the Hero Association. From there, they had to walk a short distance to reach their destination.

As they walked, Alice turned to him and asked:

"So? Are you feeling nervous?"

Nora looked up at the sky, scratching his chin before replying:

"I suppose I should be. After all, this is my first time applying for a hero certification."

Alice chuckled: