03-03-Not an apology, not the usual poison

　In recent years, club activities among high school students have not been as active as in the past.

This is because it is now possible for high school students to participate in Arcadia, and it seems that the students’ spirits are not at rest when it comes to academics, club activities, and Arcadia.

Currently, the participation rate of high school students in the Arcadia system nationwide is about 10%.

However, Hou Gakuen High School is said to be the “founder” of the link between Arcadia and reality, and the participation rate in Arcadia exceeds 50%.

In particular, Class A, which includes my class 1-A, is called the Arcadia Advanced Class, and has a 100% participation rate.

So, of course, I have no intention to join such a troublesome club activity. When I say “troublesome,” it has nothing to do with Arcadia.

However, you only live once in high school, so you have to enjoy your youth to the fullest! (Laughs) Some of them join club activities while going to Arcadia.

I respect them a little for doing it so well, as I pass through the school gate after school by myself.

There is school, they sweat in their club activities, get exhausted, take a bath, eat a meal, and sleep like mud. And club activities are held on Saturdays and Sundays, too, you know.

Of course it’s fun and fulfilling! Some people may be able to think of it as a “good thing”. I honestly think it’s amazing. But I can’t.

I mean, I need time for myself, don’t I?

By 5pm, I’m back at home …… by 6pm at the latest, playing games, listening to cool metal music, and cruising novel sites. That’s my Justice.

And today is the release day of the new Monster Hunting (Monster Hunting) game, XXX (Triple Cross). My feet were light as I headed for the store in front of the station where I had made my reservation.

“Thanks for the purchase~~”

I was fed up with the flirtatious customer service as I received the bag of games. Don’t raise the intonation of your words. I think their form is questionable. I don’t know if you are thanking me properly, do I?

I still don’t like to deal with people. I usually buy games by downloading them, and I never buy them at this kind of store. However, the data capacity of the software was so large that it exceeded the capacity of my SD card, so I had no choice but to come here to buy it.

Mail order?　　Those of you who have done so know what I am talking about. That one doesn’t arrive on the day it’s released.

Anyway, my business is done. Now I’ll go home and do something ……. Shall I eat a quick meal, take a bath, and change into my night clothes already? Or shall I play the game before anything else?

I feel like humming and skipping, which is rare for me.

“Fujima!”

My happy mood was interrupted by a voice I’ve been hearing a lot lately.

Ah, my stupidity. I should have ignored it, but I turned my head in response to the voice.

It was Starbucks. A blonde gal – Asami Takagi – is waving at me from the Starbucks terrace.

There were also Kedoin, Akari, and Suzuhara at their seats with large cups of drinks on the table.

What is this, Starbucks at the first grade of high school? Top caste students have tea at Starbucks?　　After-school tea time, huh? You should be practicing light music instead of doing that.

I bailed out once and turned toward home…

“Ah!　Don’t ignore me! Here, here!　Fujima!　Huh?　Was I right with Fujima?　Yuma, his full name!　……Toru Fujima!　Hey, that’s right, it’s Fujima!”

I was struck by the real name play and changed my course to a terrace that smelt like perfumes.

“What’s going on with you, yelling my real name in traffic? I didn’t ignore you, did I?　　I bowed to you, didn’t I?　Like this.”

“No, it’s normal to come over”

“I’m not coming. What’s normal  ……. The other three are laughing too.”

“Why don’t you order something?”

“I’ve never been in a Starbucks, but Starbucks is expensive, right?　　You have to cast a spell, don’t you?”

“Spell? What’s that?”

Takagi’s question. However, Kedoin, Akari, and Suzuhara are also looking at my face with interest.

“Ah, no, that’s it? Hazelnut chocolate syrup, if you don’t like it, it’s Furappucino! Jajan!”

“Pu …! Ahahahaha! That’s not true! Ahahahaha!”

Takagi and Suzuhara laughed at me.

Akari covered her face with both hands and shook.

Kedoin spewed out a mouthful of drink in a heaping gulp.

“Damn it … you don’t have to laugh so much …. I’m going home.”

“Ahahahaha! Wait, wait, I’m sorry Fujima! Buwahahaha!”

“If you want to apologize, stop laughing  …”

Even if a girl isn’t supposed to laugh like that, she laughs so hard that you want to return the laugh with a swear word.

“So, what?”

Takagi, who is still laughing, Kedoin, who is busy dealing with the aftermath of spewing out his drink, and Akari, who is following up on that. Suzuhara, the only one back to normal, opened her mouth as the representative.

“I’m sorry, okay?　We were wondering if you would like to join us for tea, Fujima-kun. You don’t need any spells or anything, okay?　　Just point to the menu and say, ‘I’ll have this,’ and it will come out.”

“Is that so … but isn’t it expensive?”

“It’s so good it’s worth it, okay?”

The difference between me and these guys can be seen in this.

Coffee and cans are enough for me, and I drink expensive coffee with sugar and milk in the first place. …… coffee lovers are going to be pissed off, right?

“Um Fujima-kun, do you like sweets ……?”

Akari, who had finished following up with Kedoin, asks in a slightly superior tone.

“Well, as much as anyone else. Sometimes I buy cream puffs at a convenience store.”

“Light”?　　Rich?”

“If you’re going to eat something sweet, you might as well eat something rich.”

When I said this, the four of them began whispering to each other. What is it?

“Fujima-kun, do you like matcha?”

“I can’t eat the bitter ones, but I can eat the ones that are sweetened like ice cream.”

“Yosh, I got it. Yes, Fujima, this way!”

Takagi pushes me back and I rush from the terrace to the Starbucks. Takagi orders a Starbucks for me from the extremely friendly female waitress, as if it were a matter of course.

“A tall Matcha Cream Frappuccino. Change to breve milk and add more matcha powder.”

“Yes, mam.”

Oh, what’s this all about?

The cashier is showing almost 600 yen for just a drink. I guess they are casting a spell after all.

“Fujima, let’s play. Take the drink and see if it’s worth this money. If you decide it’s not worth it, I’ll pay for you.”

Takagi raises the corners of her mouth as she says this. How much does she love to win?

Takagi took out a thousand-yen bill from her wallet, which looked surprisingly well-used, and holding it between her index and middle fingers, she generously offered it to the waiter.

____

When I returned to the terrace, there were more chairs between Kedoin and Akari, and Kedoin motioned me to one of them, saying, “This way, Fujima-kun.”

“Fujima-kun, can I take a picture?”

“Me too.”

“Wow, me too ……!”

A frozen drink, a mixture of green and white, somewhere between solid and liquid. On top of it, fresh cream was placed fiercely like a roll of guso. I don’t know why they want to photograph this. I have no talent for food reportage.

The three of them take pictures without hesitation. Hey, Akari, isn’t the angle wrong?　　You’re not taking a picture of the green tea drink and me in the background at the same time, are you?

I looked away, feeling self-conscious, but when I looked back at her, she was already beaming with satisfaction.

After the photo shoot was over, I finally sipped at the straw.

Sorry, Takagi. No matter how good the food is, there is no way that I, who prioritize quantity over quality, would consider a drink to be worth 600 yen.

Sip……..

…………!?

“Damn you Takagi ……! How dare you teach me Luxury ……!?”

“Yes, 600 yen thanks for the business!”

It was unbelievably delicious.

The most concentrated sweetness and rich milk I’ve ever had. The matcha is a fine flavor without bitterness, and it keeps this sweet-sounding drink from being just sweet.

If this was the only thing, I wouldn’t mind admitting defeat.

This drink makes my stomach swell ……?

I’m not a big eater, and when I was less than halfway through the drink, I thought, “Oh, I don’t need dinner. That meant that the 600 yen included the cost of dinner.

“It’s delicious right …….”

It was aggravating to see Takagi be so happy and triumphant, but I had to admit defeat.

“Are you guys always this extravagant?”

“Of course not. I don’t have enough money. To be honest, it’s not like I have any income over there.”

“I can’t wait to start making money ‘over there.”

The “over there” that Takagi and Suzuhara refer to is, of course, Arcadia. As I’ve said before, money in Arcadia can be exchanged for money in reality. The source of the money is the state. …… Well, let’s leave aside the details of why that’s the case.

The market price is roughly 1 copper= 10 yen and 1 silver 1000 yen. The gear shows your status in Arcadia and the amount of money you have, and if you select the exchange item from there, the money will be transferred to your account immediately.

“I exchanged only 1 silver, but now I regret it so much. I should have used that 1 silver to buy skills.”

“Already, Asami-chan, I told you so. ……”

“Because, you know. At first, I thought that spending money over there was like paying for a game.”

“Haaha, Asami-chan, you never pay for anything, do you?”

“Once I do it, I don’t think I’ll be able to stop. But once I looked at it differently, spending money over there is an investment in order to earn money. I regretted it once i realized that.”

From what I hear, at least Takagi and Suzuhara were not longing for Arcadia like me and Ashima.

They are only participating as a means of earning money, in other words, as a part-time job.

Everyone has his or her own values, and most people are like that. I don’t really have a problem with that.

“So, you know. They really irritate me. Why don’t they just buy armor and skills instead of relying on Reina all the time? “

It’s kind of amazing.

Paripi is ……, or rather, Takagi, talking all the time. Aren’t they tired?

Just when I was thinking the conversation was interrupted. I wasn’t trying to connect the conversation or show off some technique to advanced for me.

When Takagi reached out for a drink, I said,

“About Arcadia. …… I’m really sorry for the trouble I caused you guys yesterday. Thanks to you, I’ve got a summoned monster, in case you were wondering.”

The medicinal bath sold to Lydia. The sand used to make the bottles included a portion that these guys collected for me.

“Really?　You did it,  Fujima kun!”

…… also.

Kedoin is pleased with himself again, like it was his win also .

Trust …… okay, me?

“I mean, it’s ……. Uh,…… its, you know,……”

Words that need to be said.

It is not an apology, not the usual poison.

“Fujima-kun, do your best.”

　Akari, who smiles gently, pushes my back with words.

“Ah, thanks,” he said. “You  really helped.”

I was really twisted and not really cute, but I squeezed and twisted and somehow, I finally managed to thank these guys.

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