A New Acquaintance

I decided to take a break and head to the cafeteria to grab a bite to eat. Mina, still chatting with me, walked alongside me. "You know, I think I'm going to go get some food too," she said, her eyes scanning the cafeteria. As we approached the entrance, Mina suddenly stopped and called out, "You guys can come out now!" A group of boys, who had been hiding behind a nearby pillar, sheepishly emerged, their faces flushing red as they caught my eye. Mina grinned mischievously and whispered to them, "Get out, you're not fooling anyone." The boys quickly scurried away, still blushing, and I couldn't help but wonder what that was all about. Shrugging it off, I entered the cafeteria and joined the line to grab a meal. As I waited, I noticed a shy-looking boy sitting alone at a table, nursing a bowl of food. He seemed out of place, and I felt a pang of sympathy for him. After getting my food, I decided to take a chance and approach him. "Hi, I'm Vesper," I said, trying to sound friendly. The boy looked up, startled, and introduced himself in a soft voice, "I'm Amajiki." I smiled and sat down next to him, trying to put him at ease. "It's nice to meet you, Amajiki. What's your favorite subject?" Amajiki's eyes lit up slightly, and he began to talk about his love for literature. As we chatted, he led me to his table, where two other students were sitting. One was a bright and cheerful boy with a messy mop of hair, who introduced himself as Mirio. The other was a pretty girl with a sweet smile, who went by Nejire. The three of them welcomed me warmly, and we started talking. Nejire complimented me on my hair, saying I had a pretty style, and Mirio began asking me about my interests. Amajiki, still a bit shy, smiled occasionally, seeming to enjoy the conversation. As we chatted, Nejire started calling me "Little Kouhai," which I didn't mind at all. In fact, I found it endearing. We talked for a bit, exchanging stories and laughter. I was surprised by how easily I connected with these new acquaintances. As we finished our meals, I realized I had been smiling a lot, feeling more at ease than I had in a while. As we parted ways, Amajiki, Mirio, and Nejire invited me to sit with them during lunch again tomorrow. I agreed, feeling grateful for the new friendships. As I left the cafeteria, I couldn't help but feel a sense of belonging, and I looked forward to getting to know them better.