In this crossover anime, I've been bound to two systems.

"Click."

Click?

Hearing the strange sound, Suzumiya Chisato slowly peeked out and looked inside.

The familiar pink hair, the familiar back view, and the familiar taste in clothing—tucking a pair of outdated sweatpants under a pleated skirt.

It's the girl who inexplicably fainted here yesterday and was taken to the infirmary by me; her name is Goto Ichiri.

She is currently kneeling with her back to Suzumiya Senri, facing inwards, and eating lunch while wearing headphones.

The "crunch" sound just now was the sound of her biting into the fried food in her bento box.

Suzumiya Chisato took another step forward.

Tempura shrimp, croquettes, broccoli, and octopus sausage; the rice even includes corn kernels and green peas.

Although she is an autistic girl with social anxiety tendencies, the food is actually quite good.

Upon comparison, and looking at the utterly monotonous plum-flavored rice ball in his hand, Ryougu Senri's resentment deepened. He could have bought a lunch with meat, provided the original owner hadn't given virtual gifts to the virtual streamer.

Goto Ichiri was listening to music and eating her meal when she suddenly noticed that the light around her had dimmed.

Will it rain today? The weather forecast clearly said it would be sunny all day.

She turned around and looked back, and a figure that was both familiar and frightening stood in front of her.

Her neck stiffened, her eyes widened in panic, and she quickly braced her feet against the ground, using the reaction force to push herself backward and create distance between them.

However, because the space under the stairs was too narrow, she didn't get far before the back of her head was hit by the corner of an abandoned table and chair.

"Hmm~——"

She covered her head with both hands and let out a painful whimper, like a puppy in pain.

"..."

Suzumiya Chisato slowly lowered her hand, which she had raised halfway.

He had originally intended to greet her in a friendly and normal manner, but seeing her reaction, he stood there dumbfounded, unsure of how to respond.

Seeing the pain on her face, it would be better to show her some concern now, wouldn't it?

"Are you OK?"

Suzumiya Chisato put on what she thought was a kind smile.

But the girl, who was covering her head, didn't dare to look up at him at all. She just huddled up in a ball, covering her head and kept bowing her head in apology.

"I'm... so sorry!"

That's why you have to apologize as soon as you meet someone.

Looking at the girl in front of him, Suzumiya Chisato sighed silently in his heart.

Both being troubled girls, on the surface, he felt that Goto Ichiri's problems seemed much more serious than Touma Kazusa's.

Although Touma Kazusa has an aloof attitude and seems to dislike everyone, she can at least communicate with others to a basic level, so there's no need to worry about that.

As for Goto Ichiri...

Suzumiya Chisato thought of the text message exchange she saw on her phone yesterday, and a feeling of sadness welled up inside her again—a feeling of sympathy.

"Why are you apologizing?"

Instead of standing, he slowly squatted down, revealing a harmless expression to Goto Ichiri.

It was only after the camera zoomed in that he realized that although Goto Ichiri's school uniform was worn very conservatively, judging from the obvious bulge in her chest as she curled up, she did have a good figure. No wonder she was rated as a high-quality woman by the Pure Love System.

"Because...because I didn't add you on LINE to thank you as you asked..."

Goto Ichiri's heart pounded. She only glanced briefly in the direction of Suzumiya Chisato before hurriedly lowering her head again.

Their bodies were trembling, and they dared not look them in the eye. They even used honorifics like "you" to show absolute respect. They were clearly second-year students. Were they really that scary?

Chisato Suzumiya didn't understand what the other person was thinking, but she felt that a gentle and natural response shouldn't be a problem.

"Don't be so polite with 'you' (formal). We're peers. And the meaning of the note I left should be quite clear, right? I just want to be friends with you."

"Yes……"

The other person's words and tone reassured Goto Ichiri somewhat. After replying weakly, she cautiously looked up at Suzumiya Chisato again, and this time she successfully met the other person's eyes.

The boy's eyes seemed to possess a magical power; deep within his brown pupils lay an incredible brilliance. Even though he was facing away from the light source, they still shone brightly. From a distance of more than a meter, she felt as if she had been struck by lightning, her consciousness momentarily frozen, and she stood there stunned in disbelief.

"……classmate?"

"I'm so sorry!"

After recovering from her daze, Goto Ichiri offered another very sincere apology, this time even banging her hands and head on the floor.

"Being stared at by someone like me must have disgusted you, right? I was so sorry for being so oblivious!"

Just because of something as trivial as staring at someone, they didn't even bother to join the transfer group: 849; 414, 96?5

"No... it's not disgusting, and there's no need to apologize. Also, can you please lift your head and talk to me?"

"This is my way of atoning for my sins! And... I'll give you the thank-you money and the friend's fee for taking me to the infirmary soon, so... please spare my life!"

Thank you money and a friend's fee? What are you talking about?!

Chisato Suzumiya felt a little confused.

"Wait a minute, when did I ask you for money?"

Goto Ichiri cautiously raised her head, and then cautiously opened her mouth.

"Well, you specifically left your LINE account, wasn't that so I could add you as a friend and then transfer the money to you..."

"...I've already said, I just want to be your friend."

"Yes, I want to be your friend and then give you a friend's fee... I understand that I can't write it so obviously on the note because the school nurse can't know about this."

Suzumiya Senri closed her eyes and gently pinched the space between her eyebrows.

The bitter feeling that had arisen at this time yesterday surged back into his heart.

To think that such a twisted idea could come to mind... what kind of life has this guy been living all this time?

"I... I've run out of pocket money, so I plan to transfer the money to you in a few days. I absolutely don't mean to renege on the debt... So, please give me a few more days. This is the down payment..."

As Goto Ichiri spoke, he shakily took out a small wallet from his pocket, and then shakily took out a 500 yen coin from it. After looking at them with considerable reluctance, he placed them in the middle of his palm and handed them over.

Her posture evoked in Chisato Suzumiya a sense of helplessness and despair, like that of an impoverished old woman being extorted by gangsters.

Suzumiya Chisato remained silent for a while.

"...Didn't you say you weren't getting any pocket money anymore?"

"This isn't pocket money; I slowly pulled it out of my piggy bank using a hair clip..."

"..."

Suzumiya Chisato raised an eyebrow and gave up on saying anything.

He finished the remaining rice balls in a few bites, then took the 500 yen coin handed to him by Goto Ichiri, and put it in his wallet.

Goto Ichiri's delicate face, which was lowered, showed a complex mix of disappointment and relief.

She was disappointed at losing five hundred yuan, but relieved because the other party accepted her apology, which meant he should be satisfied and wouldn't bother her for the time being.

"I did receive the thank-you money and friend's fee for taking you to the infirmary. Five hundred yuan is enough, so you don't need to give me any more money later."

Eh?

What Suzumiya Senri said was something Goto Ichiri had never expected.

But he didn't give Goto Ichiri any more time to overthink. He took out another 1,000 yen bill from his wallet and handed it to Goto Ichiri.

"And this is a friend's fee for wanting to be friends with you, please accept it."

Based on her interactions with Goto Ichiri, Suzumiya Chisato has learned that the girl is extremely socially anxious, withdrawn, and lacks self-confidence.

He thought of his past life, the various unpleasant events he suffered as an orphan when he was very young. Although those were all in the past, he still couldn't help but feel negative and pessimistic whenever he thought about them.

He vaguely saw a reflection of his childhood self in Goto Ichiri. His initial utilitarian intention to approach her simply to gain points gradually faded away, replaced by a genuine concern for her.

She is now detached from normal campus life due to extreme inferiority complex, and is even unable to have normal conversations with others. She habitually spends her lunch break in a dark corner under the stairs where no one passes by, which also shows how serious her condition is.

Since there's no way to change her thinking back to normal in a short time, it's simple: I just need to change my own thinking to cater to her.

It's not about making her leave her familiar place, but about taking the initiative to step into her territory.

First, I need to eliminate Goto Ichiri's wariness and fear. Only when she truly accepts and acknowledges me can I possibly get her to open up and gradually influence and eliminate her unhealthy way of thinking and her tendency to apologize at the drop of a hat.

"Don't just stand there, catch it!"

After saying this in an extremely matter-of-fact tone, Chisato Suzumiya handed the banknotes closer.

Looking at the brand-new banknotes right in front of him, Goto Ichiri's emotions, which had been gradually calming down, were now stirred up into a raging storm.

She was terrified. Could someone like her ever receive a friend's fee from someone else?

Suzumiya Chisato seemed to read her mind, and without much hesitation, stepped forward and slapped the banknotes into her palm.

"I'm just like you, I don't have many friends either. It's only natural for two people with few friends to give each other friend fees to make friends."

Oh, I see. So this is just a matter of course?

"Even so, you don't need to give so much!"

Convinced by the other party's words, Goto Ichiri spoke much louder than before, whether out of happiness or nervousness.

"It's common sense that guys should give girls twice as much as they would for friendship."

Suzumiya Chisato spoke with a straight face about rules that didn't exist in this society.

Oh, I see. So this is common sense.

I never knew this before, but I've learned something new.

Goto Ichiri stared blankly at the outstretched hand, hesitated for a moment, then slowly raised her hand to shake his.

"In short, from now on we're friends, for... a very, very long time. Please take good care of me from now on."

"Yes……"

Friends!