Ugh, wasn't the Awakening System supposed to make me the main character?

Forget it, I won't think about that kind of thing anymore.

After a day of reflection, I've finally gotten over last night's blow.

Let's go home now. Although I wanted to see the sunset again, Mochizuki Sakiko and I were going the same way. I didn't see her on the last bus. Maybe she'll jump off the bus and take me home, which would be a bit of a loss...

But then again, this is the first time in a while that I've gone home alone after get off work. I don't have anything to worry about, so I feel much more relaxed.

I walked home with light steps.

Just then, a figure appeared in the distance directly in front of me.

The girl was pulling a suitcase and looked a little disheveled.

As I looked at that face, even with a weariness I'd never seen before, a sense of familiarity welled up inside me.

Could it be...

Familiar memories flooded my mind; they were memories from a very, very long time ago.

Haha, what am I thinking? How could it be her?

I chuckled to myself inwardly, then shook my head.

When I came to my senses, the girl had vanished without a trace, and I emerged from my reverie.

They probably just happen to look alike, right?

After all, I'm standing so far away, I might have misjudged it.

With that thought in mind, I quickened my pace and headed home.

But I don't know why, even though it happened a long time ago, thinking about it now still bothers me, so much so that my mood, which was originally very good, has inexplicably turned sour.

Soon, I arrived at the front of the building. At that moment, I heard heavy footsteps coming from above, as if someone was hurrying downstairs. The sound seemed to indicate that they were not far away.

To avoid bumping into people rushing downstairs, I chose to stand to the side and wait for them to come down before going up.

At first glance, the person rushing down was Shirakawa Haruka.

"Guiye! You're back!"

Before I could even speak, she greeted me excitedly, waving her little hand high, her blue hair fluttering lightly behind her.

Seeing Shirakawa Haruka's energetic appearance, I felt as if I had been healed, and the gloom in my heart was swept away.

"Yeah, just got off work. What are you doing? You seem really happy?" I asked her.

"Let's go eat! If you're not enthusiastic about eating, you're out of your mind! Planning to eat out tonight, wanna come?"

"What? Are you treating us?"

"AA!! But if you're willing to call me godfather, I can treat you to a meal."

The silly little girl crossed her arms and looked smug.

"Pfft!"

Seeing the adorable appearance of this silly little girl, I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Forget it, I won't mess with this idiot here.

"Okay, let's split the bill then, let's go!"

After saying that, just like when I was a boy, I put my arm around her shoulder, and the two little girls walked out of the community together like that.

……

"Guiye, what are you thinking about? You seemed distracted when we were walking on the street."

Shirakawa Haruka shook my body and stared at me with her big, blinking eyes.

"Ah? What's wrong?"

It was only after Shirakawa Haruka jolted me back to my senses that I snapped out of it.

"Nothing, I just noticed you seemed a bit distracted and wanted to ask what you were thinking about," Shirakawa Haruka repeated her question.

"Me? Me?"

When asked this question by Shirakawa Haruka, I hesitated for a moment.

Actually, all I could think about was the figure I saw on the way back, but should I tell Shirakawa Haruka about it?

After hesitating for a while, I decided to speak up.

"I just met someone who looks a lot like her."

Just as I was about to continue speaking, a familiar voice interrupted me and Shirakawa Haruka.

"Young ladies, there are no other seats available in this shop. Would it be alright if I sat down here?"

Upon hearing that voice, I froze instantly and for a moment forgot to reply.

"May I sit down?"

The girl repeated her question again, and only then did I look up and see the same face I had seen not long ago.

The girl was smiling at me and Shirakawa Haruka, her smile seemingly possessing some kind of magic, shimmering with dazzling light, just like the one in my memory.

It's easy to tell from the fact that she called me "little sister" that I don't know her, so it's even less likely that she's the person I remember.

As for why my smile looks so dazzling, I guess it's because of my subjective feelings. I resemble that person a lot, so I like everything about them because of that person.

Before I could answer, Shirakawa Haruka moved closer to me and made room for me.

"Sure, you can sit here."

Shirakawa Haruka and I are currently at a barbecue restaurant at the entrance of our residential area. It's lunchtime and after-get off work hours, which is also one of the busiest times for this place.

However, due to the small size of the store, things are often very rushed inside, so requests like those made by young girls to share a table are actually quite common.

But for some reason, I was somewhat dissatisfied with Shirakawa Haruka's hasty agreement to the other party's request, perhaps because of the girl's face.

But we can't blame Shirakawa Haruka for that, because I didn't know her at the time, so naturally she didn't know either.

Seeing the girl sit down, I put on a gloomy face, grabbed Shirakawa Haruka's hand, and tried to leave.

"Shirakawa Haruka, shall we go to another store?"

"Huh? We've waited so long, our food should be served soon, right?" Shirakawa Haruka's tone was somewhat regretful.

The girl who had just sat down seemed to realize something and hurriedly got up from her seat.

Is it because I'm doing this that you're unhappy?

I looked at her, hesitated for a few seconds, and then shook my head.

"No, it's just that I suddenly feel there are so many people here, and it's so noisy, that I don't really want to eat here anymore."

"Oh, that."

The girl nodded, her expression slightly embarrassed.

I couldn't be bothered with her, so I grabbed Shirakawa Haruka's hand and headed straight for the shop entrance.

It's just that it looks very similar, so why did I react this way? I don't know myself...

250. First love?

"Guiye, what's going on? You used to be able to eat even when there were so many people around, why are you saying you want to leave this time?"

Luckily, the owner hadn't started preparing our food yet, so we could cancel the order; otherwise, it would have been such a waste.

"I suddenly don't feel like eating anymore, so come with me somewhere else."

I forced a smile at Shirakawa Haruka and pulled her along as we continued walking.

"Well……"

Shirakawa Haruka followed behind me, her gaze fixed on my face, as if she had noticed something on it.

"Guiye, what's wrong? You don't look well..."

Shirakawa Haruka cautiously guessed. Seeing my current state, she also became cautious, looking apprehensive as if she was afraid of saying something wrong and making me angry.

Seeing Shirakawa Haruka like this, I knew that those were things of the past and had nothing to do with Shirakawa Haruka. No matter what, they shouldn't affect my relationship with her.

"What happened? Did I do something to upset you?"

Seeing that I still didn't speak, Shirakawa Haruka asked tentatively in her soft voice.

I didn't want to tell her at first, but seeing how scared Shirakawa Haruka looked, I thought I'd better explain it to her.

"Remember what I said in the store before? I met someone who looks a lot like her. That girl in the store just now, she must be the one I met before, she looks a lot like Shi Yihe..."

"Shi Yihe?"

Shirakawa Haruka repeated the name, and it took her a few seconds to respond.

"Is it the first girlfriend you mentioned before, the one who suddenly dumped you and disappeared?"

"Hmm..." I nodded.

Just as Shirakawa Haruka said, Shi Yihe, that is the name of my first love.

At that time, I was at the age when I was just beginning to experience romantic feelings, and I was full of longing for love. That's why I got together with Shi Yihe.