Meeting Old Friends

As the bell rang, signaling the end of class, Akemi Yuriko gathered her belongings and headed out of the classroom. Her high heels clicked against the floor as she made her way towards the teacher's room, where she was tasked with ensuring that the school regulations and rules were followed.

"Hey, Sora Kuun~, want to grab lunch together?" Suri asked with a friendly smile.

Sora was well aware that Mitsuri was a popular figure at school, surrounded by a close-knit group of friends. But he was eager to catch up with her and thought that this could be a good opportunity to do so.

"Yo, Sora-cchi, want to eat in the canteen?"

They both asked at the same time and looked at each other.

"Sure, I'd love to," Sora replied with a grin.

Nakeno, who had been observing the exchange, spoke up. "If you don't mind, can I come along too?" he asked, his tone awkward as he looked away from mitsuri, despite his confidence, he hadn't really interacted with girls that much.

"Of course, the more the merrier." Sora replied mischievously, happy to have the company of his new friend, and his beautiful classmate.

"Am I disturbing you two?" Asked Nakeno, as Sora smirked playfully.

"No, you came right on time" Sora said as he looked at Izayoi.

Izayoi pretended like he wanted to cry as he saw Sora's evil smile, and after joking he stretched out his hand and asked to shake hands.

"Hello nice to meet you, I'm Izayoi Nakeno, we'll be classmates from now on, and since your Sora-cchi's friend, just call me Nakeno." Nakeno said with a smile.

"Likewise, my name is Ayane mitsuri, let's get along well from now on." Mitsuri said with a kind smile.

'As expected, Sora Kuun~ is amazing, he can makes friends with anyone, he was like that before as well.' As she thought inwardly.

'What is she thinking with that weird smile on her face, her emotions are rolling off of her body, why is it wrapping around me' Sora thought as he looked at them talk.

"Hmmmm? Ayane-San…?"

Nakeno was confused by Ayane, who zoned out out of nowhere.

"Ah, I'm sorry. I just zoned out there, are we going to the canteen."

"Since your introduction's are over, let's head over to the cafeteria."

Sora stood up and said, as he waled to the exit.

Ayane hurriedly chased after Sora, wanting to catch up with Sora. Nakeno saw this, and he was even more curious about the relationship between the two of them.

"Hey, don't leave me alone."

Nakeno immediately rushed to follow them.

The three of them made their way to the school canteen, excited for a relaxing and enjoyable lunch break.

…

At the canteen.

Sora ordered curry rice, and a Bottle of mineral water. Ayane ordered tonkatsu, and a carton of milk. Meanwhile, Nakeno ordered chicken tonkatsu, and iced tea.

Finding an empty table, the three of them sat down, and started eating the food.

"Ittadakimasu."

Putting their palms together, the three of them wished a good meal, and began to eat. Each of them finding the food satisfying.

"By the way, Sora-cchi, why are you calling Ayane-san by the nickname Suri? You guys are pretty close right."

Nakeno said pretty frankly, he didn't like talking behind other peoples backs, why is why he immediately expressed his doubts.

Sora's right hand, which was about to put a spoon of rice curry in his mouth, stopped and turned to Izayoi, as he said helplessly.

"You really are straight forward, Nakeno…"

"A lot of people have told me that, but what can I do it's part of my personality." Nakeno wasn't shy at all as said this.

"Hmmm… like you said, the nickname Came from when we were kids, and I've remembered it till this day."

Sora glanced at Ayane, who was eating silently, as she reminisced when they played together, and seeing her unfazed, he told Nakeno the truth.

"We met each other in elementary school, and found out that we live pretty close to each other. She was playing by herself all alone, and no one one was playing with her, which Is why I asked her to be my friend, and we got to know each other."

"I call her Suri because were pretty close to each other, and have known each other for so long, I guess it's just natural." Said Sora as he explained their past.

"So that's what happened… So Ayane-san, may I also call you Suri?"

Nakeno turned to Ayane, who was sitting next to Sora, and asked.

"No, that's reserved only for Sora Kuun~, and nobody else can call me that." Said Ayane as she turned her head and refused.

Ayane felt that he was too presumptuous, they had not even known each for a long time, yet he wanted to call her by first name, Only Sora and her close girl friends could call her that.

Nakeno thought she didn't like him being to familiar with her, as he saw her expression.

"We don't really know each other well, so it would be inappropriate to call each other by nicknames." Ayane said as she looked up to see Nakeno.

Though as she looked at Nakeno's downtrodden face, she thought she might have taken things too far, by saying that.

When she looked at Sora for advice, he only smiled at her and patted her back to comforts her, yes she was right, she only cared for Sora after all.

Sora was glad at how she was able to refuse someone with a relative strong personality, there were a lot of perverts nowadays and not everyone was as nice as Nakeno.

With a gentle smile, he looked at her in the eyes, and said in a soothing voice, Sora said :

"It's fine to reject those with bad intentions, but Nakeno is a good person, why don't you get know each other first before calling each other by nickname's."

Nakeno's eyes lit up, as he regained his cheery spirit with the encouragement he received from Sora, his courage jumped, and agreed, and said :

"Don't worry, there's no rush, Sora-cchi's right, we haven't known each other for too long, I was too hasty, I'm sorry."

Nakeno apologised as he knew he was in the wrong.

"Humph, fine, I'll give you another chance, because Sora said so but you Better not do it again." Ayane said as she forgave him, but also warned him as she didn't know his character to well, but hearing Sora's words gave him a chance.

"Of course, of course I won't do it again without your permission, hehe."

Nakeno agreed hastily to avoid the problem, and continue eating as his food was getting cold.

"You can call me Ayane-san for now…" ayane said as she looked at Nakeno in the eyes with a weary gaze.

"Is that alright? Thank god, I thought I was in big trouble there, thank you for giving me a other chance, I won't waste it."

"Also, call me Nakeno or Izayoi, I don't mind." Nakeno said it lightly.

"I'll call you Izayoi-Kun for now, thank you." As she stuck to her polite way of speaking.

"Nice to meet you, and please help me in the future, Ayane-san." Nakeno nodded and continued eating.

Mitsuri looked at Sora with reluctance in her eyes. She couldn't get used to people who were over friendly without knowing anything about them, she was just cautious that's all.

She didn't have another male friend beside Sora, as all of her friends were female, Izayoi was the first boy other than Sora to interact with her, but based off of first impressions she didn't have that good of an opinion of him.

"It's good to have you as a new friend, Ayane-san." Sora playfully hid his smirk, as he looked at them but outwardly gave them a thumbs up.

"I'm only being nice to him because he's your friend, he better not think too much." Mitsuri whispered in a low voice that was barely audible.

Sora just smiled, and did not reply.

"Can I sit next to you?"

When the three of them were eating and chatting, more precisely only Sora and Nakeno were speaking, while Mitsuri was just listening. Suddenly, someone approached Sora, and asked if she could sit next to him.

"Sure, please sit down, Aiko Senpai."

Sora didn't mind letting this pretty girl sit next to him. After all, chairs and a dining table are common school facilities that everyone could use, and besides, this girl is an old acquaintance.

"Thank you, Sora Kuun~."

The girl put the tray on the table, smoothed out her skirt, and sat next to Sora without feeling awkward.

"Whistle~ You are amazing, Sora-cchi… Just the first day of school, you've got a girl on your left, and your right." Nakeno winked mischievously, as he made fun of Sora.

"Don't say that, Nakeno. Your words can cause others to misunderstand, and my reputation will become bad." Sora said as he was mildly annoyed.

Ayane turned her head to glare at Izayoi, as he was already causing trouble for Sora, she looked at him with a scary face, something he remained oblivious too.

"You are afraid of rumours? With the student council president next to you, who would dare to find trouble with you." Nakeno said as he was both amazed and jealous of his new friends luck with girls.

"Ahem, my name is Hitomi aiko, I'm a second year student, and also Serve as the student council president. Since your Sora kun's friends, just tell me if you get into trouble at school."

"I'm Izayoi Nakeno, Sora-cchi's classmate, and Ayane-san. Pleased to meet you."

Aiko and Nakeno shook hands.

"Ayane-san?"

Aiko watched the girl, who also looked back at her and recognised her straight away, she just noticed another of her acquaintance's but she looked more mature compared to before.

"So it's Ayane-san, long time no see, you've changed a lot since the last I saw you, how have you been?" Aiko asked kindly, she didn't have that much of a close relationship with the other party, because of the difference in class, and age.

She only recognised her because she used see her a lot around Sora.

"Nice to meet you too senpai, it has been a while, thank you Aiko Senpai, for asking."

Mitsuri spoke in calm and clear voice, with no discrepancies, unlike with Nakeno.

"So, Sora-cchi, how do you and the student Council president know each other?" Nakeno was thirsty for some gossip, as he asked and changed the subject.