Chapter 7, (Meeting Shikimori) the plot is wrong?

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1700 words

Try reading jjk x sl too.

Enjoy

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Both returned home as dusk settled in, the sky fading into shades of deep blue and orange. Ai warmly invited Shijo to join them for dinner after he had a chance to change his clothes.

Agreeing with a nod, Shijo retreated into his house and resumed writing, focused on completing the remaining pages of his work.

Hours passed in quiet determination until Ai's voice called out for dinner. Setting aside his writing, Shijo made his way to join them at the table. The aroma of a home-cooked meal greeted him, filling the air with warmth and comfort.

As they ate together, conversation flowed easily, touching on various topics from literature to daily life. Shijo found himself enjoying the company, feeling a sense of camaraderie that he hadn't experienced in a long time.

Ai and her family welcomed him warmly, making him feel at ease despite the novelty of the situation.

After dinner, Shijo helped with clearing the table, expressing his gratitude for the meal and the evening. As he prepared to leave, Ai thanked him for joining them, expressing her excitement about his upcoming publishing journey.

Shijo smiled, appreciating the support and camaraderie he had found in this unexpected friendship.

Returning to his own home, Shijo reflected on the day's events with a sense of contentment.

He knew that his decision to pursue publishing was the right one, and he looked forward to what the future held. With renewed determination, he returned to his writing desk, ready to continue crafting stories that would captivate readers and fulfill his dreams.

Three days had swiftly passed, and now it was Monday morning. Shijo woke early, his routine well-practiced: brushing his teeth, going for a jog to invigorate himself, and then bathing before dressing up for his new school. As he opened the door, he was pleasantly surprised to find Ai waiting for him.

"Good morning, Ai-san," he greeted warmly.

"Morning, Shijo-kun. Shall we go?" she replied with a smile.

"Yes," he nodded in agreement.

Together, they set off down the road towards the school, the morning air crisp and refreshing around them.

It is the first day for Shijo to join school. Ai and Shijo walked together on the sidewalk, making their way towards the school.

Midway there, Shijo's attention was caught by a peculiar sight. A girl was trying to climb a tree to help a boy who seemed to be in a bit of a predicament. Shijo recognized them instantly—Shikimori and Izumi, the main characters from the anime "Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie."

"Eh, isn't this scene supposed to happen before the entrance exams of high school? What's going on?" Shijo wondered aloud.

It had only been a month since the school year started, so they weren't dating yet. Then it hit him: this was the scene where Shikimori and Izumi first met. But why was there a time difference?

"Is something wrong, Shijo-kun?" Ai asked, noticing his distracted expression.

"Uh, nothing. Just thought I saw something familiar," Shijo replied, shaking his head slightly.

He decided to observe the situation a bit longer. As Shikimori climbed the tree, her determination evident, Izumi looked up at her with a mix of awe and embarrassment. This was indeed their first encounter, and Shijo couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu.

"Should we help them?" Ai suggested, seeing the potential danger in Shikimori's climb.

Shijo didn't hesitate. He walked over to offer help, but by the time he reached them, Shikimori had already climbed the tree and retrieved the paper. She handed it to Izumi with a smile, who looked up at her with admiration and relief.

"Are you guys okay?" Shijo asked, his curiosity piqued by the situation.

Shikimori turned to him, her cool demeanor intact. "Yeah, we're fine. Just a little mishap with this," she said, holding up the paper.

Izumi nodded, still looking a bit flustered. "Thanks for checking, though," he added, his voice grateful.

"You're welcome," Shijo replied, studying them both. He wanted to make sure everything was as it should be, even if the timing seemed off.

Ai, who had followed Shijo, smiled at the two. "Good job getting that down, Shikimori-san. Trees can be tricky."

Shikimori chuckled. "Yeah, they can be. But it's all good now."

Shijo, puzzled, asked, "Do you two know each other?"

Both Ai and Shikimori replied in unison, "We're classmates. Not in the same class, but we're in the same club."

"Volleyball, huh?" Shijo thought to himself. He then looked at Izumi and asked, "And you?"

Izumi scratched his head and replied, "I'm just going to start attending school today

Eh? Why?" Shijo asked, bewildered.

Izumi sighed and explained, "Before the entrance exams, I got hit by an ambulance. There weren't any serious injuries, so I still managed to take the exam. But after talking with the teachers, they gave me some time to recover before starting school."

Shijo's eyes widened in surprise. "Wow, that's... quite an ordeal. Glad you're okay now."

Izumi smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, thanks. I'm just hoping to start fresh and not have any more accidents."

Shijo grinned. "Don't worry, I'm also starting school today. Mine is a bit different, though. I didn't get hit by an ambulance, but I am a transfer student. Let's get along and make the best of it."

Izumi's face lit up. "Really? That's great! It'll be nice to have someone else who's new too."

Ai smiled, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, it'll be good for both of you to have each other. Starting something new can be tough, but with friends, it gets easier."

Shikimori just kept quiet, a small smile playing on her lips.

As they continued to walk together, Ai and Shikimori chatted quietly, while Shijo and Izumi walked side by side.

"So, what's your name? Mine is Aki Shijo. Aki is my given name, Shijo is my family name," Shijo introduced himself.

"Um, Shijo-san, I'm Yuuki Izumi. Nice to meet you," Izumi replied with a friendly smile.

"Same to you," Shijo responded. He glanced over at Shikimori and Ai, who were deep in conversation.

*****

When they reached the school, Izumi and Shijo were scheduled to meet their teacher. Shikimori began to walk away, but Shijo called out to her.

"Shikimori-san, you were really cool back there."

Hearing this, she blushed. "What's cool about climbing a tree?" she shouted, flustered.

"Back there when I saw you climbing the tree, I thought the branch might break and you might fall, so I was worried and tried to help. But you still climbed it. Seeing you do that, I thought you were really beautiful and strong at that moment," Shijo said with a bright smile.

As Ai and Izumi are honest and caring people, they didn't think much of Shijo's words, believing Shikimori deserved such a compliment.

Izumi stepped forward and apologized, "I'm sorry for wasting your time, Shikimori-san. Thank you so much for helping me."

Ai smiled warmly and added, "Yes, thank you, Shikimori-san. You were really impressive ."

Shikimori's blush returned, but she managed a small, appreciative smile. "It's no problem at all. I'm glad I could help.

Shikimori's blush deepened. "Th-thanks," she muttered, looking away but unable to hide her small smile. She turned to join Ai, and together, they headed to their respective classes, leaving Shijo and Izumi to meet their teacher.

*******

Shikimori pov-_-

Shikimori sat in her class, her mind replaying the morning's incident. She felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her as she thought about how she'd awkwardly climbed the tree in front of not just one but two boys and her friend Ai.

Her original intention was just to help Izumi, but she hadn't expected to be seen in such an uncute situation. She sighed, recalling how embarrassed she had felt walking beside them after that. Nevertheless, she had decided to assist Ai in guiding the new students, Aki Shijo and Izumi, around the school.

When they reached the teacher's room, Shikimori was ready to part ways, hoping to put the embarrassing moment behind her. But then, Aki Shijo had suddenly complimented her.

You were really cool back there," he had said.

His words made her cheeks flush. Cool? She hadn't felt cool at all; she had felt clumsy and exposed. But Shijo's genuine smile and kind words had surprised her, making her feel a mix of emotions she couldn't quite place.

Ai and Izumi's reactions had been equally unexpected. Izumi had looked at her with sincere gratitude and said, "Thank you for helping me. I'm sorry for wasting your time." His apology was genuine, but it made her feel appreciated rather than embarrassed.

Ai had chimed in with praise, "You were amazing, Shikimori-san. Not everyone could have climbed that tree so effortlessly."

"Cool, huh?" Shikimori muttered to herself, still processing the unexpected compliment. She remembered the moment vividly, but then another part of Shijo's words came back to her, making her cheeks flush even more.

"When I saw you climbing the tree, I thought the branch might break and you might fall, so I was worried and tried to help. But you still climbed it. Seeing you do that, I thought you were really beautiful and strong at that time."

Beautiful and strong. Those words echoed in her mind, making her heart race. She had never been described that way before, especially not by a boy she had just met. It was flattering and a bit overwhelming. She had always strived to be more than just cute, but hearing someone acknowledge her strength and beauty in such a genuine manner was entirely new.

Shikimori found herself smiling, despite the lingering embarrassment. She felt a strange sense of pride and validation. Maybe she could be seen as both cute and strong. The thought was comforting, and it gave her a little boost of confidence as she prepared to face the rest of the school day.

As she sat in her class, her mind wandered back to the encounter. She wondered what kind of person Shijo was, and why his words had such an impact on her. She decided that perhaps getting to know him and Izumi better wouldn't be such a bad idea after all.

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Any mistake?

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