Suruga-Ya SS: A Little Scheming and... Worry?

"So, Sou-chan, what's your opinion on Fujimiya-kun?" Ayaka asked suddenly, casually waltzing into Souji's room in the midst of one of his exercises. Souji himself was used to Ayaka barging into his room without notice—in fact, he had allowed her, so he paid it no mind. Still, Souji was slightly baffled by her sudden question. Only slightly, as he had gotten used to Ayaka's tendency to bring up abrupt topics.

"Not sure what to say, honestly… He's a pretty chill guy to be around, I guess."

She probably means as his coworker, Souji guessed.

Amane was both a classmate and friend of Ayaka's, but she was the one who had invited him to the job, so it seemed she was concerned about how things were progressing on that end.

Souji had no bad impressions of Amane, his new colleague at work and a fellow schoolmate. Although Amane was surrounded by lively people, Ayaka included, he himself tended to be rather calm and unassuming. He was more reserved than outgoing, and he had a gentle demeanor. Souji considered him sensible and found his company neither uncomfortable nor burdensome, even in silence.

Based on this, Souji neither had any qualms or issues with Amane. However, a smirk strangely began to creep onto Ayaka's face as she heard his response.

"I see, I see," she said in a light tone. "What's with the grin?" Souji returned.

"Hmm? Sou-chan, you haven't realized that you actually like him a lot, have you?"

Souji blinked several times at her comment, seeing Ayaka's face loosen up in amusement more and more each time. "…Fujimiya isn't annoying. That's all," he responded

"After all, you don't like annoying people, do you?" "Yeah. Though you can also be annoying at times, Ayaka." "Does that mean you actually hate me!?"

"No. What bugs me are people who lack common sense, consideration, and an on-off switch. Ayaka, you might be a social butterfly outside but you're actually the type who gets quietly absorbed in your own hobbies."

"Exactly, like how I'm getting absorbed in you!"

"Right, right. Don't casually try to cop a feel of my abs."

As Ayaka playfully ran her hands over his stomach as he did sit-ups, Souji narrowed his eyes at her. She murmured, "Surely it won't do any harm…" sounding a bit dissatisfied, yet she gracefully stepped back, knowing she was getting in the way.

Usually, Ayaka would watch Souji work out with a cheerful smile, but today, there was a sense of relief in her expression, a smile of contentment that seemed to say she was pleased.

"But, I gotcha. If that's the case, I'm glad. It was worth introducing you two," she murmured more to convince herself than to converse with Souji, who then quietly sighed and sat up.

"Ayaka, you might've been worried because I don't have many friends at school, but it never really bothered me," he explained.

Souji tended to get along better with older people than those of his own age.

He was neither out of place in his class nor closely associated with any particular group. He maintained a stance of not getting too involved, and he didn't find this situation bothersome. However, it seemed that Ayaka had been worried about this aspect of Souji's social interactions.

"I do have people I'm close to, and I also have you, Ayaka. No complaints from me," Souji reassured her.

He wanted to convey that his current situation in his class was simply a matter of personal choice, and there was no need for her to feel concerned. However, Ayaka replied with a nonsensical remark, saying, "Sou-chan, you don't realize that your looks can scare people to death. Maybe that's why you get along with Fujimiya-kun." Hearing this, Souji could only tilt his head in bewilderment.