Chapter 10

Kenta whispered back to me, his face constricted. I grinned and kept whispering. “If you drop your wallet on the ground, maybe she’ll pick it up and give you a bird’s-eye view.” “Stop it, King! Don’t say stuff like that!” Yuuko tilted her head curiously as she observed us both. “What’s up?” ““Ahem!”” Frowning, Yuuko continued with what she’d been saying. “Well, I was about to say that if you go changing any more, Kentacchi, you’ll lose all your Kenta-ness! I won’t be able to pick you out of a crowd!” “Huh?” I slapped Kenta on the shoulder. “Well, that’s why we’re here. To give Kenta a new style. And with his diet starting to take effect, it should be easy to spruce him up and make him presentable, at the very least.” “For me, dressing up is about as difficult as making conversation… But I brought all of my savings with me today! I didn’t end up using any of my New Year’s gift money this year, what with being stuck in the house and all.” Kenta whipped out his wallet, which was attached to his pants with a chain. It was covered in studs, with what looked like the design of a cross. Time (and money) was of the essence today, so I decided to just pretend I hadn’t seen it. “Today we’ll be buying new glasses, some tops, pants, shoes, and a bag… The whole set from head to toe. Yuuko, where should we start?” “Hmm, I think glasses first. It takes time to have them made up, and once we’ve got the right look for his face, that’ll guide us when choosing the rest of the outfit!” “Okay, let’s start there.” We headed into JINS, the eyewear store, and we all started looking through the selection for some glasses that would suit Kenta. “Personally, I feel most comfortable in this style of glasses…” ““No.”” Yuuko and I were unanimous. The glasses Kenta had picked out were similar to the ones he was already wearing. They had thin metal frames. “Those kinds of glasses are the standard type, but few people are actually suited for them. Maybe a really hot actor or a smart businessman in a nice suit could pull them off, but they’re too severe for your face. They just make you look geeky. Look, try them.” Kenta put on the glasses and stared at himself in the store’s mirror. “Oh yeah, I see what you mean,” he mumbled. “See? It’s obvious, isn’t it?” Then I took the glasses off Kenta and put them on my own face. “…Man, I really am hot. I look cool and studious in these.” I took them off again and passed them to Yuuko. “Man, I really am cute. I look like a hot teacher!” “You two are messing with me.” Kenta put his selection back, then accepted the pair Yuuko was holding out. “If you want to look like a cool guy, you should go for a thicker black-plastic frame, I think! Here, try this Wellington model.” “Hmm, I don’t know… They do look cool, but I feel like they look better on guys with more masculine faces…like, with some stubble. Kenta’s got pretty subtle features, so these might stand out too much. I think the Boston model would be better.” “King, what’s Wellington? What’s Boston?” “In layman’s terms, the ones that have more of a squarish shape are the Wellingtons. The ones that are more rounded off are the Bostons. Your old glasses are more square, I’d say. Anyway, try the ones Yuuko picked out, and let’s see.” ““Nah…”” “Wow, that was fast!” Kenta tried on the Bostons, too, but those didn’t have that winning quality, either. “You’re right, Saku, the glasses stand out way too much. They say, ‘I’m trying to stop being such an otaku, so I just bought black frames to look cooler.’” “Right? Well, there’s only so much that can be done. But those won’t look good on me, either. My facial features are too delicate.” I took the glasses from Kenta and tried them on as I spoke. “…I take it back. They look good. Damn, I’m so hot I can pull off anything. I look like some tortured, genius artist.” I took off the glasses and handed them to Yuuko. “Ooh! They look cute on me, too! I look like a young actress, secretly carrying on a clandestine relationship with you, Saku!” “Can you two please stop?!” Kenta sighed, replacing the glasses Yuuko chose. “Look, I’ve been wanting to ask… Is there some reason I can’t just wear contacts? Usually guys who are trying to cast off their otaku pasts just switch to contacts…” Kenta took off his old glasses and looked at us expectantly with his bare face. “You know, I thought about it, too, but your face really needs some oomph to it. Glasses actually work in your favor. They’re a must-have fashion item, I’d say, at least in your case. They draw the eye, and the right frames make your bland face look ten times more interesting. But you’re lucky. You don’t have to jazz up your school uniform to look cool; you can get the same effect with a single piece of eyewear.” “…I see. I’ve been wearing glasses since elementary school, but I’ve always hated them just ’cause they’re a sign that my eyesight is bad…” “Then that’s all the more reason you should stick with glasses. They’re like one of your features now. I bet you’ve never even thought of them as a fashion accessory before, have you?” As I was talking, I picked up a pair of glasses I’d noticed earlier. “These are the ones I recommend. Round frames. See how circular they are?” “What? No way… That’s totally out of his range! It makes him look like he’s trying too hard to be fashionable!” Yuuko’s reaction was immediately negative, which rubbed off on Kenta. “Er, are those even fashionable, though? They look like the ones worn by old literary masters…” “Nope, unlike your weird cowboy-wannabe check-lined denim, these are what people with actual fashion sense wear. You’re not a hot, cool guy, unfortunately. You’re neither hot nor cool.” “You don’t have to repeat yourself!” “But you’ve fixed your hair and started to slim down, so there’s still hope for you. Your face is kind of plain, but it’s not unpleasant to look at. And I have more good news for you. These days, there’s such a thing as having ‘hot-guy aura.’” “I thought that was, like, ironic. Like a joke.” “Hmm, sometimes it can be used as an insult. But you see it all the time these days… A guy whose face is kinda ‘eh,’ but for some reason the girls all go crazy. Like those actors and musicians who other guys would call mediocre-looking, but they have girls going nuts over them. Let me give you a few examples…” I proceeded to reel off a list of currently popular male celebrities. “…Oh yeah, I’ve wondered why some of them are popular with girls. It’s like, with that face? Seriously? …It’s like if they had one bad haircut, they’d look like a total dork.” Yuuko was offended. “Hey! I like all those guys! I don’t know what you’re talking about, either? Every one of them is handsome!” “See, even a girl of Yuuko’s caliber is into them. I don’t get it personally, but eh. Anyway, what I’m saying is that we need to work on getting you to project a hot-guy aura.” Kenta still didn’t look fully convinced. “…And I need round glasses? For a hot-guy aura?” “Precisely. If Yuuko and I, with our gorgeous faces, were to wear these glasses, it would be almost obnoxious. Like, look at us! We’re beautiful! We can wear dorky glasses just for the fun of it! But if a guy with plain features like you wears them, it looks kinda endearing. It’s also why I chose that hairstyle for you, with the unruly curls on top.” I put the round-framed glasses on myself. “…Ah, darn it! I’ve done it again! These look great on me, too! I look like an old literary master! Old-school cool! They should pay me to model these!” I took off the glasses and handed them to Yuuko. “…Whoa! It’s like, why? Why doesn’t this store just hire Saku and me for its promotional posters already? If we were the models, its profits would skyrocket!” “You sure were right about it being obnoxious. I think we’re done here, thanks!” All jokes aside, I returned the glasses to Kenta. “Go on, try them on.” Nervously, Kenta put on the glasses. I noticed Yuuko’s eyebrows shooting up. “Hmm… I’m not sure about this, you guys…” I ignored him and spoke to Yuuko. “What’s the verdict?” “…These work! These really work on you, Kentacchi! I actually had to do a little double take just then! Wow, Saku, you have the best eye for this kind of thing!” Well, yeah. I had already been on the store’s website before coming so I could familiarize myself with their product lineup. Roundish, thin frames so as not to erase the benefits of his neutral features. But with a subtle tortoiseshell pattern to add a pop of style. How could Kenta fail to be won over after being praised on his looks by the prettiest girl in the school? Still, he hesitated, shifting back and forth. “King…are these really okay?” “Yeah. At least, better than your old ones.” I gave Kenta my best “I’m hot and I know it” grin. “Seriously? You’ve gotten hooked on walking, and you want to start night running now? You’re choosing neon rainbow? You want to make sure you stand out in the dark? All right, Rudolph, why don’t you guide the sleigh tonight, then? All the other reindeer won’t be laughing now! Why don’t you go stand on the shore so passing ships can use your glow to navigate? You’ll be the star everyone’s wishing on now!” “King…please, calm down…” Once we put in our order at JINS, we were told that we were in luck. They had the right item in stock, so we only had to wait an hour to have them made up. In the meantime, we were at the shoe store, choosing new shoes for Kenta. This time, Yuuko and I both remained silent at first and let Kenta choose whichever shoes he thought were cool. But once we saw what monstrosities he’d picked out, I hadn’t been able to stop myself from giving him a severe roasting. “Don’t even think about buying something like that unless you’ve got the natural style needed to pull it off! No! Bad!” “But I thought… I thought that might be good to have a little pizzazz… Mix things up a bit…” Kenta looked down at the sneakers in his hands, crestfallen. “Those are too much for someone like you who’s a total newbie at fashion. I’ll explain this in detail while we’re picking clothes, but don’t fall into the trap of thinking that flashy equals fashionable. You need to rein it in, dude; you need to rein it all the way in.” “But if I go too plain, won’t I just look dorky still?” “No. Plain is good. For sneakers, you should go for some Adidas Stan Smiths, like the ones I’m wearing. Or the Adidas Superstars. You could also go for some Nike Air Force 1s, some Converse All Stars, or Converse One Stars. Or some New Balance 996s or Vans Authentics… All these are classics; they’ve been popular for decades for a reason. People have been wearing them for years, not just because of the brand name, but because they’ve stood the test of time. Try to memorize this advice. It goes for shoes, clothes, bags, wallets, watches, and all other accessories, too. Always go classic.” “I’ve got so many pairs of All Stars, in different colors! They’re all the same design, just the colors and patterns are different. Today, my outfit is kinda showy, so I went neutral on the shoes. See? High-tops in off-white!” Yuuko hiked her leg up in the air to show Kenta her sneakers. “Yeah, and I’m on my third pair of Stan Smiths in a row. And I’ve got a few pairs of Authentics, in different colors and patterns, too.” Kenta looked at our feet, his expression solemn. “Oh, I see. Yes, now that you mention it, King, Yuuko, all your stuff seems to be brand staples… Can I have a few more minutes to browse?” Kenta went off for a bit, then came back with a pair of New Balance M996s in navy. I nodded in approval. Kenta changed into his new shoes on the spot, and we picked up his completed glasses. Next, we headed to MUJI to pick out some tops and pants. “Are you sure MUJI is the right place to go for clothes? I never really saw it as a clothing store…” “Uniqlo might have worked, too. But Uniqlo has too much stuff with patterns and mascots. I don’t want to have to roast you again, dude. MUJI’s safer.” “Is this related to what you said earlier, about flashy not always being fashionable?” “You’re getting it, you’re getting it.” I picked up a plain white-linen button-down shirt. “Kenta, what do you think this is?” “It looks like an organic cotton type of white shirt.” “What do you think of it?” “Uh… It’s nice. Simple. It’s not super cool or anything, but it definitely doesn’t look dorky at all.” “So why not wear something like this? It’s already a million times better than your own dorky clothes.” “Yeah, I know… But are you sure that’s the kind of thing I need?” “That mindset of yours stems from fear. Fear of true fashion.” I put the shirt back and went over to take a seat on one of the store’s display sofas. Yuuko sat down on my right, and Kenta sat down on my left. “Fashion’s just another hobby, like hiking, cycling, reading, or video games. But if it doesn’t appeal to you, it doesn’t appeal. Can you ever see yourself getting excited about clothes in the same way as light novels or anime? No. Does hearing a hiker rave about the splendor of the mountains make you immediately want to become a hiker? No.” “You’re right. I can’t see myself getting into fashion anytime soon.” “Yuuko and Kazuki, now, they live for fashion. That’s where they spend their money, and they spend their time keeping up with all the latest trends. Yuuko, can you ever see yourself spending money on mobile games or anime merchandise like Kenta does?” “Nope, no way!” “…See? Your light novels make it sound like you’ve got to become a fashion maniac just to get a girl to look at you, but nothing could be further from the truth. I mean, yeah, fashionable guys tend to get extra points with the girls. But that’s just one factor, like being good at sports or being super well-read. To be frank, if you don’t see yourself getting into it as a hobby, then there’s no reason to focus on it that much.” “B-but hold on… I’m confused. Didn’t you bring me shopping today to make me fashionable?” I got up off the sofa and turned to face Kenta. Then I pointed my finger right between his eyes, like a home tutor imparting a very important lesson. “Let’s break it down. In this world, you have your Yuukos, who love keeping up with the hottest clothes, bags, what have you, and planning outfit combinations. Then, you have your Kentas, who dress badly because they simply don’t care and don’t put any thought into their outfit combinations or even how well their clothes fit.” Kenta nodded obediently. “Now, it’s impossible to make one into the other. But what we can do is meet halfway. We can make you into someone who cares about his appearance and wants to show off a little personality without becoming a fashion slave or even having to spend that much time or money. Now, Kenta, take a good look at what I’m wearing and tell me what you see.” Kenta looked me up and down. I know I told him to, but it sort of gave me the creeps to have him scrutinizing me this way. “Huh. You’re actually not as fashionable as I thought…?” “…Watch it, Kenta. For a second there, your head looked like a soccer ball just begging me to kick it. But you’re right. The truth is: I don’t care about clothes or fashion at all.” Yuuko frowned, piping up. “He’s right. Saku never ever agrees to come shopping with me. He’s always like, ‘You look cute in anything, so just pick whatever.’ No interest whatsoever!” …Oh, she already figured me out. Incidentally, let’s discuss my outfit today. I was wearing my Adidas Stan Smiths, Gramicci jeans, a white Champion T-shirt with a chest pocket, and my G-SHOCK GWM5610 wristwatch with the black-and-white display. Plus, the same silver necklace and ring that I always wore. And my backpack, which I also used for school, the black Gregory one. That was all. “And I didn’t dress down today for your benefit, Kenta. This is what I always wear, all year-round. Whatever the season, I usually wear some kind of hiking wear for pants, with a plain shirt or T-shirt or polo shirt and maybe a parka on top. My watch and jewelry are the only ones I own. And I didn’t choose them to look cool; I just happen to like silver accessories. Even if gold is more in fashion these days. See?” “Huh. You wear your clothes like they’re super fashionable, so I just assumed they were… So you’re telling me I could dress like you, too?” “Yes. All you have to do is pick out some basic pants and shirts. Look at me. Do I look dorky to you?” “No, no, you look like a king… In fact, you’re so confident you just come off as being super well-dressed…” “Ah yes, good answer, Kenta, good answer! You’ve summed up my aesthetic nicely. My goal is to make whatever I’m wearing look good, rather than relying on it to make me look good, if you follow me.” I put my hands on my hips and puffed out my chest. “So you don’t need to worry about choosing ‘cool’ or ‘stylish’ items of clothing. Just stick with a look you like. And since planning outfits doesn’t excite you, just pick basic, staple pieces that can all be mixed and matched to work together. If you pick classic pieces, then you can always buy the same ones again if they wear out, and stores will be less likely to stop selling them as fashion trends move on. I also recommend choosing good quality accessories that you can use for a long time and make them into your personal touchstones. That’s why it’s better to save your money for a really decent bag, wallet, and what have you.” “I like that! I like that a lot! So I can look like a man of taste, right?” “Right, right. What do you think, Yuuko?” “Uh, I’m not sure… I’m not like you at all, Saku. I always want to be wearing something different. And I want to be the first one to wear all the new trends! I feel like every time I buy a new bag or shoes, I’m discovering a new side of myself. And I love spending ages getting dressed up to see you, Saku… Choosing something super cute and a little bit sexy, you know? But then I also love experimenting with more boyish, casual, cool styles when I hang out with Ucchi!” That was Yuuko to a T. “Right, well, that’s the thing about clothes. As Yuuko points out, they tell a story about who you are and who you want the world to see you as. There’s this fashion genre that’s super popular lately called normcore.” Kenta furrowed his brow. “Normcore?” “Yeah. You know how Steve Jobs was known for always wearing the same outfit? New Balance M992s, Levi’s 501s, and an Issey Miyake black turtleneck. And then there’s Mark Zuckerberg, who created Facebook. He always wears the same gray T-shirt. Those guys didn’t want to have to think about what to wear every day, so they gave themselves a uniform to free up thinking space for more important stuff. Kinda cool, right?” “…Yeah, that does sound kinda cool.” “Normcore is a portmanteau of the words normal and hardcore. It involves consciously choosing clothes that are functional and undistinguished. Now, I’m not saying you have to devote yourself to pursuing whatever the definition of ‘normal’ is…” Like, yeah, sometimes a majority of people feel the same about something, but if you ask a bunch of people what normal is, you’ll get a ton of different answers. “Personally, I like to stick to basic, staple pieces, but I also like mixing in relaxed athletic wear and cool accessories, too. And Yuuko’s style is influenced by her personality. To get a bit more extreme, if you really feel like punk is your personal style, Kenta, then I don’t have an issue with that. You need to decide for yourself what feels the most natural.” “I see…” “But you don’t have to have it all figured out from the beginning. Just tell me, what kind of clothes would you like to wear?” Kenta looked back and forth between Yuuko and me in silence. I could practically see the gears turning in his head. “Honestly, I don’t really want to stand out in the crowd. I’d prefer to look polished, rather than sloppy. Only, I don’t want it to be too obvious that I just walked into a store and picked up only white shirts and brown chino pants.” “All right, Yuuko. Shall we do this, then?” Yuuko bounced up off the sofa. “All righty! I think I’ve got a good mental picture of what we’re aiming for! Do you feel comfortable leaving it up to us?” “Y-yes. Thank you…” Kenta stood up, facing Yuuko and nodding his head politely to her. “Let’s go with button-down shirts. They’ll look good with the round frames Saku chose for you. They’ll make you look individualistic, like a liberal arts student! But we don’t want anything that wrinkles easily or looks too synthetic. Let’s go with organic cotton shirts. Maybe in navy, to match your sneakers.” “Right, I wanted to ask about…how to choose colors?” “Uh, if you stick with complementing colors, you should be okay. You don’t like anything too bright, right?” “Nope. I can’t really see myself wearing anything red or, like, yellow…” “Okay, then let’s stick to black, white, and navy. Any combination of those would look okay! You can’t go wrong with those. Oh, but no white pants. That will only make you look like a playboy. Anyway, Kentacchi, since your sneakers are navy, we can’t go with navy pants. We need some balance. Maybe black pants would be better?” “Hold on a sec,” Kenta said, tapping down everything Yuuko was saying into the Notes app on his phone. “But just remember not to wear the same color on the top and bottom. If you buy black, navy, and white tops, then the bottoms should be brown or khaki. We should probably start by choosing the pants, since our options there are limited.” “I’ll leave the order up to you, Yuuko, but should I choose slim-fit pants or baggy ones?” “Hmm… I think some looser pants, and maybe a more fitted top? Something with some stretch, for easy movement and a low-key kinda vibe. If you don’t have any specific preferences, I recommend pants that are tapered at the ankle. Shall we go see if we can find some?” Yuuko led Kenta over to the pants section. I followed along behind. “See, what about some of these?” Yuuko picked up several pairs of pants off the rack and thrust them at Kenta. “I think I like…the brown, the black, or the gray…” “Oh, gray would be good! They’ll go nicely with your navy sneakers. And gray is so much more chill than white. And not many people go for gray pants, so your selection will look like a deliberate fashion choice! Now, what about shirts?” Kenta went back over the notes he’d written in his phone. “Er…maybe those organic-cotton button-down shirts you mentioned earlier? In navy!” Yuuko nodded and went to grab some shirts. “Okay, now it’s time to try them on!” “What? No, I don’t think I need to do that. It’s kind of embarrassing.” “Don’t be silly! You can maybe get away with buying tops without trying them, but pants absolutely must be tried on first! Now, hop to it!” Yuuko grabbed Kenta’s hand and dragged him to the fitting rooms. Kenta had this look of awe on his face, as if he was thinking, I’ll never wash this hand again! ““Wow!”” Yuuko and I both gasped as Kenta emerged from the fitting room. “What do you think?” Kenta had the same nervous energy as a hamster that had been taken out of its cage. He looked himself up and down in the mirror, chewing his lip. “Before we give our opinion, what do you think?” “I feel…awkward. But I think I look kinda cool? Like, I could go to Starbucks in this outfit.” “Yeah. All you need to do is lose a few more pounds, and you’ll have that hot-guy aura we’re after.” “Wow, Kentacchi! You look totally cool! I’m not just saying that, either! You’re bound to find a nice girl now!” Yuuko seemed really excited, for some reason. “Oh, you’ve gotta wear it home! Excuse me! Staff person! He wants to wear this home! Can you ring us up? Oh, and can we get a bag for his school uniform?” Yuuko marched over to the cash register, ignoring Kenta, who was still standing there looking awkward. “All right, the only thing left is the bag. You’ve got that dumb junior high schooler bag with the long strap that hangs down to your butt. You still have money?” “I was expecting us to buy more expensive stuff, so I actually still have around thirty thousand yen.” “That should do it. If you like shoulder bags, though, you should go for something canvas. I think that would suit the hot-guy aura style you’re going for.” I tapped around on my phone before showing Kenta a few pics I found online. “They look good, but I was thinking of mixing it up a little…” “In that case, why not choose athletic wear like me? It won’t look too dressy, so it’ll be a good match for your casual clothes. Plus, they’re practical and will last you a good while. For backpacks, I recommend the Arro by Arc’teryx, and if you want a combination backpack/shoulder bag, you should go for the Mystery Ranch’s Invader or the Outsider.” I showed Kenta some more pics. “Hmm. They all look good… But what’s this one with the little bird-type logo?” “That’s the Arc’teryx symbol, the archaeopteryx. So you like that one? Let’s go and buy it after this, then.” While we were talking, Yuuko finished paying with the money in Kenta’s ridiculous wallet. Somehow, she made that awful thing look stylish in her hand, like a studded Gucci purse. She handed the wallet to Kenta and jumped right into our conversation, like she’d been listening to us. “Hey, let’s go to Starbucks first! Why not? This is where you’ll be meeting your old friends again, right? Let’s go and do a practice run!” “Sounds good. We can role-play, see how it might go.” By the way, I know Starbucks is just another coffee chain in the big cities, but in Fukui, Starbucks is the place for high school kids to gather and flex on each other. Things have relaxed a bit recently, but not so long ago, it was the kind of place where only popular kids had the required level of social privilege to be seen drinking coffee there. “Oh, then let me buy you both coffees, to say thanks.” Kenta jumped right in with the offer. “There’s no need to thank us. I’m doing this for my good-guy optics.” “He’s right, Kentacchi. Today was fun! You don’t need to make up for anything!” “Oh…you guys…” “But since you offered, I’ll have a matcha Frappuccino, with extra chocolate chips and extra whip cream. And an apple crumble pie.” “And I’ll have a Starbucks latte with an extra shot of espresso and a clubhouse sandwich. You got enough to cover that, Kenta?” “…Is it too late for me to rescind my offer?” “Hey, you wanted to thank us, right? Consider us thanked!” “Right, right!” “You guys are always bustin’ my balls!!!” At the counter, Kenta flubbed his words and asked for a “ground” latte instead of a grande. I offered to take over and order everything myself with his wallet, but Kenta blanched at that. Eventually, we made it to a table with our food and coffees. “So have you made any plans to meet your old friends yet?” “Yes. Saturday, two weeks from now. The first day of Golden Week vacation. But…to be honest…I’m scared. Until I met you guys, they were the most popular kids I’d ever spent any time with. Look, this is what happened when I messaged Miki on LINE…” Kenta opened up his LINE app chat to show us. Huh? I thought you left our group when I turned you down? So you couldn’t make any other friends and came crawling back, huh? Still, whatever, sounds fun. I’ll invite Ren and Hayato, too. I see, I see. Not a very nice response, now, was it? “I’m already feeling down about the prospect of meeting them… By the way, Ren is Miki’s boyfriend. And Hayato’s the other guy in the group. I’d really prefer to meet Miki alone, but I guess they all want to have a good laugh at me…” Ren and Hayato. They already sounded like good-looking guys. I pictured them outperforming Kenta in every way. Yuuko slurped down some of her matcha Frappuccino with her straw. “I don’t really know the situation, but what do you want to do, Kentacchi? Do you wanna walk in there and give them all a good slap in the face?” “Of course not! Nothing so dramatic. I just want Miki to think to herself…you know…‘Maybe I made a mistake.’ That’s all. If I could just make her regret how she treated me, that would be more than enough…” “Oh really? I thought you were going to invite Miki to duke it out on the banks of the riverbed. Mano a mano, y’know?” I remembered someone saying something like that recently… “If all you want to do is make Miki regret her words, then that should be easy! Excuse me! Barista? Would you mind taking a photo for us?” Yuuko flagged down a passing barista and handed over her phone. Then she went to stand behind Kenta, who was on the other side of the table. I went to go sit down next to him, immediately figuring out what she was up to. I hunched down a bit and put my arm around Kenta, and Yuuko put her hands on Kenta’s head, before placing her chin on top of her hands. “…Wh-whoa! A photo?” Kenta was taken aback and hadn’t processed what was going on yet. “Just relax! Okay, we’re ready!” Flash, flash. Yuuko asked the barista to take two shots, just in case. Then she retrieved her phone and scrutinized the photos. “All good. Thanks so much!” The barista smiled and walked off. “Look, look, Kentacchi!” Yuuko put her arms around Kenta’s head from behind to show him her phone screen. I was prepared to jam my straw right up his nostril if he dared take advantage of this and lean his head back. “Is this…really me?” “Yep, it’s you, Kentacchi! What do you think?” “I hope you guys don’t get offended if I say this, but…I look kinda like I actually…belong? With you?” “You know, when we first met you, you were sooo snotty and mean to us both! I thought you were a total stain on society, a lazy pig who—” “Yuuko, stop. I know, I know. I admit to it all. But please don’t say any more… I’ll be crushed if you do.” “But now…you really do look like one of our group. You should work on your smile, though, and you still need to keep up your diet. But you could totally be the plain-looking guy in the popular group who has the hot-guy aura!” Yuuko threw him a peace sign. “Anyway, yep, you really do look like you belong standing alongside Saku and me! So no problem. But you know, our support can only take you so far. You’re gonna have to do the rest yourself.” Then Yuuko patted Kenta’s head. “But…I had no idea changing would be this easy. I’ve barely done anything except come back to school…” “That’s not true at all.” I shook my head. “You made the decision to come back to school, and you worked hard to get along with everyone and keep up your diet. Now you’ve even got new hair and a whole new wardrobe. Of course, this isn’t enough to become truly popular. But you’ve made great steps, Kenta. The future looks bright.” “Do…do you really think so?” I grinned. “Listen, Kenta. What’s the most important thing when it comes to making a change?” “Er…having friends to rely on, like you and Yuuko?” “That’s only one part of it. The answer I was looking for is: ‘willpower.’ You’ve got to have that determination to do it, no matter what setbacks come your way. And never give up. You approach it like that, and success is assured, no matter how long it takes. Skills come with practice, but motivation is something you have to find for yourself.” “I think I’m starting to understand. I guess I just have to keep doing my best, right?” I grinned wider. “Right. If you keep going, you’ll become who you want to be at some point. That’s all there is to it… Simple, right?” Kenta nodded vigorously. “I’ll keep running every day, for the next two weeks! I’ll make sure to rise above those jerks in my otaku group! I’ll do it for you, King…and you, Yuuko…and for Uchida, and Mizushino, and Asano, and Nanase, and Aomi…to honor your assistance! And because…because…” Kenta trailed off, seemingly having difficulty getting the words out. He took a deep breath, then whispered it. “Because you’re my friends.” “If you’re gonna say it, then say it. Otherwise, it’s just weird.” “Yeah, that was very lame of you, Kentacchi!” “Sorry, sorry; forget I said anything!” Ah, I love messing with him.