Kapitel 18: Megumi Kato: Do You Like Lap Pillows?
"Whose hat is this?"
Izumi Kotomi held the white beret in her hand, looking around. For some reason, the hat seemed familiar.
At that moment, a light, almost imperceptible voice came from behind her, "Excuse me, did the hat hit you? It was sitting on my head just fine, but then the wind blew it off."
The light and somewhat faint voice sent a small shock through Kotomi. She turned to see a girl running towards her.
The girl had short black hair and deep, captivating black eyes, though one wouldn't notice their depth and allure without careful observation. She was wearing the same Sobu High School uniform as Kotomi, and her clear, bright skin was evident with every movement.
If she had to describe her in one sentence, it would be: where she should be curvy, she was curvy; where she should be slim, she was slim—a very cute type.
The moment Kotomi saw her, she immediately recognized the owner of the white beret—Megumi Kato.
"It's fine, it's just a hat. There's no way it could have hurt me," Kotomi said with a smile, handing the beret back to Megumi Kato.
Megumi Kato took the hat with both hands and bowed several times in thanks.
"Thank you."
This was the third time Megumi Kato had thanked her.
Kotomi waved her hand dismissively, thinking that if she didn't stop her, Megumi Kato might continue thanking her indefinitely. "No problem, it was just a small favor. Kato-san..."
Megumi Kato looked at Kotomi with a puzzled expression and asked, "How did you know my last name is Kato?"
Kotomi inwardly berated herself for letting that slip and then awkwardly smiled, "You're right, it's strange, isn't it? Even though this is our first meeting, it feels like there's a subconscious urge in my mind to call you Kato-san."
Darn it, I'm really bad at making up excuses, Kotomi thought to herself.
Megumi Kato was momentarily surprised, then she gave a beautiful smile. "You're quite an interesting person."
Seeing her smile up close, Kotomi couldn't help but marvel at how someone with such a lovely smile could have such a weak presence, like a background character.
Perhaps that was part of her charm.
"My name is Izumi Kotomi. It's nice to meet you, Kato-san," Kotomi introduced herself formally, her eyes inadvertently drawn to Megumi Kato's white, slender hands holding the beret.
Hmm... If possible, I'd really like to shake hands with Megumi Kato!
"Then I'll call you Izumi-san? Since you already know my last name, I'll tell you my first name. It's Megumi."
"Megumi Kato."
Kotomi parted her lips and said the name of the beautiful yet seemingly ordinary girl standing before her.
After hearing Kotomi say her name, Megumi Kato's lips curled into a faint smile. "Izumi-san, are you also a first-year student at Sobu High School?"
"Yes, that's right," Kotomi nodded.
"Oh? What a coincidence. I'm also a first-year student at Sobu High School. Although we won't know our class placements until after the opening ceremony, maybe we'll end up in the same class," Megumi Kato said calmly.
"If that's the case, I look forward to it, Kato-san."
"Mhm. I'd be happy if we were in the same class, Izumi-san."
"Oh? Why?" Kotomi asked, a bit excited.
Could it be that Megumi Kato's affection for me is maxed out from the start?
Megumi Kato's response quickly dispelled that notion. She put the beret back on her head and smiled as if it were the most natural thing in the world, "Because, like me, Izumi-san also has short hair. Seeing a girl with the same hairstyle always brings a sense of familiarity, right?"
"Uh, does it?" Kotomi responded with an awkward laugh, mentally chastising herself. What was I even hoping for just now? There's no way someone's affection for me would be maxed out from the start. Even if that were possible, it's not guaranteed to happen to me.
But do girls really feel a sense of familiarity when they see someone with the same hairstyle?
Kotomi didn't quite understand.
Meanwhile, the God-Level Heroine System, like a sports commentator, chimed in:
[Alright! We can see Megumi Kato's smooth maneuver here, firmly taking the initiative and control of the conversation. And Ko, our protagonist, is left floundering like prey in the clutches of a skilled hunter!]
"What are you even talking about? And who's Ko? Are you referring to me?!" Kotomi couldn't help but retort.
[Yep, it's a nickname I made from the 'Kotomi' in your name. Ko, my dear Kotomi.]
Kotomi suddenly felt that one of her daily tasks was engaging in intense debates with the God-Level Heroine System.
"Izumi-san, you're about to walk past the entrance," Megumi Kato gently reminded her.
Kotomi snapped back to reality. She was supposed to turn right into Sobu High School's gate, but she had been so caught up in mentally arguing with the system that she had kept walking straight.
Luckily, Megumi Kato noticed and reminded her; otherwise, she might have walked right past the entrance.
"Thanks, Kato-san. I was just lost in thought..." Kotomi said with an embarrassed smile.
"It's nothing."
The two of them entered the Sobu High School campus and headed toward the school auditorium.
At Sobu High School, every semester's opening ceremony was held in the auditorium.
Though the ceremony was lengthy, the routine was always the same.
First, the principal gave a speech, welcoming the new students to Sobu High School. Then, the grade director spoke, introducing the school's various rules and regulations. Finally, the student council president and student representatives took turns giving speeches.
Kotomi found herself nodding off after just a few minutes.
"Izumi-san, are you falling asleep?" Megumi Kato asked softly from beside her.
Kotomi nodded without thinking.
"If you're tired, you can rest your head on my lap," Megumi Kato suggested seriously, before smiling, "Just kidding."
"Thanks for the joke, Kato-san. I feel much more awake now," Kotomi said, rubbing her eyes and smiling.
After enduring several more minutes, the principal finally wrapped up his closing remarks, and the lengthy opening ceremony ended amidst applause from students and teachers alike.
As the first-year students left the auditorium, they gathered around the notice board by the school building to find out which class they had been assigned to.
Kotomi stretched up on her tiptoes to look at the board.
One of the most inconvenient things about being reincarnated was being shorter than before!
How short? Even with shoes on, she barely reached 160 centimeters.
This left Kotomi wondering more than once why, during her prime growth years, she ended up so short.
She hadn't skimped on meals...
Could it be that all the nutrition went to her chest?!
"Izumi-san, you're in Class 1-F," Megumi Kato said, pointing to a spot on the list.
Kotomi followed Megumi Kato's direction and saw her name there.
Class 1-F: Izumi Kotomi.
Three names below hers was another name.
Class 1-F: Megumi Kato.
"Kato-san, it looks like we're in the same class."
"Yes, Izumi-san, what a coincidence. Do you think we might end up as desk mates?" Megumi Kato asked, her serene smile exuding a calming presence.
"Probably not; I think the homeroom teacher assigns seats. By the way, who's our homeroom teacher?"
"The other list has it written down. The homeroom teacher's name is Shizuka Hiratsuka."
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein