The Sign of Becoming a Normie

However, amidst the calm, a feeling crept into my senses – a feeling of being watched or followed. It might sound strange, but I had a knack for sensing such things.

I slowed my pace, turning around to see who might be trailing me. To my mild surprise, it was just one of the teachers.

"What's the matter?" the elderly teacher inquired, his voice carrying a hint of concern.

I shook my head. "It's nothing, Sensei. Have a good day."

"Take care on your way home," he replied as he continued on his path, leaving me standing there.

I took a deep breath and resumed my walk, heading down the stairs and out of the school building. The feeling of being watched persisted, much to my annoyance. It was becoming increasingly bothersome.

I let out another sigh as I reached a more secluded area – an empty alleyway. Swiftly and silently, I scaled the wall, positioning myself where I could observe anyone who might be following me.

Sure enough, not long after, Aya, the student council president, entered the alleyway.

"He disappeared...?" she muttered to herself, seemingly unaware that I was now behind her.

With a silent drop to the ground, I stood before her, causing her to startle and turn around. "Eh?! Ryo-kun?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Senpai, what brings you here?"

"E-Erm, I was just taking a shortcut home!" she stammered, her gaze avoiding mine as she laughed nervously.

"A shortcut through an alleyway? That's an interesting choice."

She continued her awkward laughter, clearly struggling to come up with a convincing response. "Haha! Well, you know... sometimes it's faster this way!"

I regarded her with a steady look. "You're not fooling anyone with that explanation."

"I-I don't know what you mean~ Ahahaha~"

I sighed, growing slightly exasperated. "Alright then, I'm heading home." Turning on my heel, I started walking away, and, true to form, I could hear her hurried footsteps following closely behind.

"Senpai, isn't your home in the opposite direction?"

"N-No, it's not!"

I spun around, facing her directly. "Can you just tell me the real reason you were following me?"

Her expression wavered, caught off guard by my direct question. Her cheeks flushed a faint pink, adding an unexpected touch of vulnerability to her usually composed demeanor.

I raised an eyebrow, curious about her sudden change in demeanor. "Senpai, what's going on?"

She sighed, her gaze shifting slightly away from mine. "Well, truth be told..."

As she struggled to find the right words, her blush deepened. It was a sight that I hadn't quite expected from the usually confident student council president.

My curiosity grew, but before I could press further, she blurted out, "I actually wanted to invite you to a family restaurant!"

I blinked, surprised by her sudden confession. "Eh?"

"W-What?" Her voice wavered, and her cheeks turned an even brighter shade of red.

I couldn't help but find this situation rather amusing. "Can't you just say it like a normal person?"

"Eh?! I mean, it's my first time doing something like this!"

A chuckle escaped my lips. "Alright, alright. A family restaurant sounds good."

"R-Really?" Her astonishment was palpable.

"Yeah."

"Then shall we go now?"

I nodded.

"Alright!" She took my hand, and we began walking together along the sidewalk, heading toward the family restaurant.

A rush of thoughts filled my mind as we walked hand in hand. Her touch was surprisingly gentle, and her hand felt soft and warm.

I couldn't help but notice how pleasant her scent was, but I had to be careful not to come across as creepy by overthinking it.

This is quite a big step for me... Holding hands, walking with a girl... Is this how it feels to be in a relationship? I mean, we're just going to a restaurant, right? But still, my heart is racing, and I'm trying my best not to let my nervousness show.

"Senpai, I appreciate the invitation," I said, trying to sound casual despite the whirlwind of thoughts in my mind.

Her cheeks were lightly flushed, but she smiled back at me, seemingly understanding my mixed feelings. "You're welcome, Ryo-kun. I thought it would be nice to spend some time outside of school."

Gah, Senpai is so cute...!

Just then, we entered the family restaurant and took a seat near the window.

"Oh~ You picked a good view!"

"Really? I'm glad you like the view."

The warm ambiance of the restaurant, the chatter of people around us, and the soft sunlight filtering through the window created a cozy atmosphere. It was a far cry from the usual intensity of my daily life.

As we settled into our seats, a waitress approached our table with a friendly smile.

"Good afternoon! Welcome to our restaurant. My name is Mika, and I'll be your server today. Can I start you off with some drinks?"

Senpai and I exchanged a quick look before I turned my attention back to the waitress. "Water, please."

"Water for me as well, please," Senpai added with a smile.

"Of course! I'll be right back with your drinks." Mika nodded before heading off to fulfill our order.

Senpai and I shared a moment of comfortable silence, taking in the surroundings. I stole a quick glance at her, noticing the way the soft lighting accentuated her features. She caught me looking and grinned.

"Is something on my face, Ryo-kun?"

I felt my cheeks warm up slightly, and I quickly shook my head. "N-No, nothing like that."

She chuckled softly. "You're cute when you're flustered."

My heart skipped a beat at her words, and I tried to play it cool. "I-I'm not flustered?!"

Senpai just laughed, clearly enjoying my embarrassment.

Ahh... This is what I wanted... a normal life with a normal girlfriend...

I stared at her, lost in the moment, until my attention was abruptly torn away by a suspicious individual entering the restaurant. The air shifted, becoming tense and charged. Then, in an instant, chaos erupted as a gunshot rang out. Panic ensued as one of the newcomers brandished a gun and fired it into the ceiling twice.

"EVERYBODY GET DOWN!"

The once jovial atmosphere turned into a scene of fear and confusion. People shouted, some dropping to the floor immediately.

"Don't yell, Don't call for help! Everyone, give me all your belongings and we won't hurt you!"

The commanding voice cut through the chaos, sending shivers down my spine. My heart raced as my mind struggled to comprehend the situation.

Just then, a guy with disheveled blonde hair and a shabby appearance advanced toward us. "Hey... What are you looking at? Drop your shit or I'll kill you."

I gritted my teeth, a rush of anger mixing with my fear. I placed my bag on the floor, followed by Senpai. The guy's attention shifted to her, his lecherous gaze sending a surge of protectiveness through me.

"Oh? Aren't you quite a beauty~"

Shit... Senpai is in danger...!

I mean... what are the chances of armed robbers robbing a family restaurant? This is not how I expected our outing to turn out.