I (30), Who Works for a Black Company and Died While Regretting My Gloomy Life, Started Over From High School!
Chapter 111: Tea Party for the Girls

【A Little Back in Time – Just Before a Near Miss Between Niihama and Haruka】

I, Shijouin Haruka, along with my close friends Mitsuki-san and Mai-san, were sitting around a table at a certain café.

On this Saturday afternoon, free from the shackles of schoolwork, the weather was splendid, and the sunlight streaming through the café’s glass walls sparkled beautifully.

Amidst the lively ambiance of the café, there was a sense of tranquility that was very pleasant. My heart was dancing with joy.

“Alright then! Let’s start the 4th edition of the ‘Let’s Do Something Like High School Girls’ Club’!”

“Yes! I’ve been looking forward to this!”

I enthusiastically applauded Mai-san’s always energetic declaration.

This gathering of girls, a tea party of sorts, had now reached its fourth meeting. While its official purpose was to “enjoy being high school girls over tea and delicious treats,” it often ended up as more of a casual chat, starting from the first meeting which had originally been intended for serious discussions about our worries.

(But that’s fine! This casual chit-chat with these ordinary friends is exactly what I’ve been longing for!)

“Um, Haruka, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but do you really need to tear up every time?” Mai-san said, looking somewhat troubled.

“Uh, sorry. I’m just so happy all the time…”

Mai-san’s comment made me blush slightly. I was aware that I tend to get overly excited, but after years of not having any friends, this happiness was simply uncontrollable.

“Phew, both you and Mai are really energetic. As for me, my summer break is over and I’m feeling so drained. And now that the second term has started, we’re having more guidance sessions for future career choices…”

Mitsuki-san, who always looked good in glasses, complained.

She was referring to the career guidance sessions that began in the second term of our second year. It was a preparation for deciding our paths after high school graduation. Although we were contemplating university admission, the idea of becoming a working adult and choosing a career path seemed so distant and abstract.

“Oh, it’s such a hassle, isn’t it? They suddenly start asking about our future career preferences, but how are we supposed to know what we want to be? We’re still like middle school students in our hearts, and even if they talk about entering society, it doesn’t really hit home!” Mai-san exclaimed, her head in her hands.

Both Mitsuki-san and I nodded in agreement. It was genuinely relatable. While we might have vague thoughts about university, the idea of our future careers felt distant and uncertain.

“Well, I’m also struggling with that… I do have aspirations for further education, but I don’t really know what kind of job I want in the future. I ended up choosing a university without really knowing what work is like, and I’m wondering if that’s okay…”

I used to not have a specific job in mind, just thinking that I’d do my best wherever I ended up. But then, Shinichirou-kun had passionately warned me, “With that kind of mindset, you’re heading straight for a black company!” So now, I’m trying to make a well-informed decision for my future career.

But the truth is, I’m still just a kid, and I have no understanding of work or how the world operates. I’m keenly aware that I lack the experience to make a decision about my future.

“That’s why I’m thinking of getting more active towards my future. Researching different professions, attending career experience events…”

“Wow, you’re really diligent… Haruka, you’re giving this a lot of thought,” Mai-san said.

“Haha, I’m just vaguely considering things. Shin… I mean, Niihama-kun’s meticulously planned future is on a whole other level.”

While thinking about Shinichirou-kun, I nearly slipped and called him by his first name. He’s been working so diligently toward his future, and even his father was surprised by the thoroughness of his plans.

“Yeah, well, even though I’m not sure what he’s up to, lately he seems to be in a rush all the time, doesn’t he?”

“Yeah, yeah! He’s been leaving quickly after school a lot lately.”

Mitsuki-san and Mai-san were right; Shinichirou-kun did seem unusually busy these days. He frequently checked his schedule and sometimes rushed home after school.

“Yes, it seems he has a lot to do for a while. He even apologized the other day for being slow to reply to messages because he had periods when he couldn’t check his phone…”

Of course, people have their own reasons, and I reassured them that it’s not a big deal. However, I didn’t ask for the specifics about why he was so busy.

“Oh, that sounds suspiciously secretive. He hasn’t even told you? Haruka, aren’t you curious about what Niihama-kun is up to?”

“Well…”

Mitsuki-san had a mischievous smile as she asked, and it was true. Although Shinichirou-kun had said he was doing something private when I asked him what he was up to after school, he had a slightly flustered expression and wanted to keep it a secret.

Seeing his embarrassed face, I thought it probably wasn’t a major issue or trouble, just something he wanted to keep to himself.

“That’s why, if Niihama-kun wants to keep it a secret, I want to respect that. I’m sure he’s working hard on something right now, and I want to support him.”

Expressing my honest feelings, I naturally found myself smiling.

Not too long ago, I had been quite anxious about the parts of Shinichirou-kun that I didn’t know, but now I could say that with complete certainty.

“…”

“Um, what’s going on with you two? Your faces seem a bit red…”

“Well, you see… It’s just that your calm demeanor and composure, like that of a legal wife, made me a bit flustered… I mean, it’s a hundred times better than Haruka getting all anxious like before.”

“Huh?”

Confused by their words, I raised a question mark, while my friends took sips from their iced teas as if trying to cool down their flushed faces.

I didn’t think I had said anything strange…

“Phew, finally my face has cooled down. But seriously… Did something happen between Haruka and Niihama-kun? I mean, after avoiding each other when he returned from the sea, suddenly you seem even closer now! There must be something we don’t know, right!?”

“Um, well, that’s…”

I found myself at a loss for words.

The change in our relationship, of course, referred to the fact that we had started calling each other by our first names.

I was happy about this step forward in our friendship with Shinichirou-kun, but when I mentioned it at school, the reactions from the other students were like lightning striking. It drew so much attention to both me and Shinichirou-kun.

So, although we had decided to continue addressing each other by our last names (“Niihama-kun” and “Shijouin-san”) in public, especially at school, I had reservations about sharing it with my friends.

(Is it okay to tell these two? Why is it that just calling each other by our first names as friends has such a huge impact on everyone? I really lack experience in handling human relationships…)

Being cautioned by Shinichirou-kun, I was hesitant to share, and I realized it might not be wise even with my friends.

As I pondered what to say, the sweets we had ordered arrived right at that moment.

“Sorry to keep you waiting! Here’s the three-color macaron parfait—”

“Yes, thank you very much—”

Mid-sentence, I turned towards the voice of a male server of our age, and my words caught in surprise.

There was nothing strange about the scene before me.

The waiter, dressed in the café’s uniform, had just brought us the macaron parfait we had ordered.

Except for one thing – this server was someone we all knew quite well.

The person I had exchanged the most words with over the past few months at school.

A young man who, unlike before, had a strikingly mature demeanor, his eyes filled with determination. A truly respectable young man.

Although he always complimented my appearance, I secretly thought that he, with his friendly and adorable face, was much cuter and more approachable, somewhat like an Akita dog. (TLN: Is this supposed to be a compliment?)

“Ha, Haruka!? Wh-why are you here!?”

“Sh-Shinichirou-kun!? What’s with that outfit…!?”

Our astonished voices escaped our lips as we both caught sight of each other—

“Hoho… ‘Haruka,’ huh.”

“Hmm… So it’s ‘Shinichirou-kun.'”

Breaking our momentary stupor, we heard Mitsuki-san and Mai-san’s amused voices.