Chapter 5.2: Do We Know Each Other Now?
Before long, she turned around and looked at him again.
This time, their eyes met and they both fell into a prolonged silence, like they were playing a game to see who would look away first.
Shi Hai felt awkward, not knowing why she was staring at him.
But as they continued to stare, Shi Hai had a chance to observe her more closely.
She was quite cute and had a distinctive look.
Her unique appearance was mainly due to the medical eye patch she wore.
Her bangs were long enough to cover her right eye, and that eye was further concealed by the eye patch.
The double layer of concealment gave her a mysterious vibe.
But why the eye patch? Did she have an eye condition?
Or was she… a chunibyo?
Recently, Shi Hai had read a light novel called “Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai!” and had seen news of its upcoming anime adaptation.
This girl resembled the main character from that novel a bit.
Although she didn’t have a hair antenna and her hair wasn’t tied up, she would make a great cosplay of Rikka.
Lost in these thoughts, Shi Hai was relieved when she finally turned around and stopped staring.
Today had been overwhelming, from receiving a love letter to encountering two beautiful girls, leaving him feeling exhausted.
It wasn’t that Shi Hai was being overly sensitive, but it was genuinely a lot to take in.
It was like someone on a strict diet suddenly being taken to a gourmet restaurant and seeing two top-grade steaks, creating a mix of desire and confusion.
But the immediate concern was getting the love letter back.
His best bet was to return to the old dormitory rooftop after class and hope to meet Tian Shui again.
After the class ended at three, Shi Hai prepared to leave when the girl in front suddenly turned around and called out to him.
“Um, excuse me!”
“Yes, me?”
“Yes, you, uh… um… I… uh…”
She seemed incredibly nervous, her breath quickening and her words stumbling.
Seeing her so flustered, Shi Hai calmed down and said, “Take your time. I’m not in a rush. I’ll listen to whatever you need to say.”
“…Okay.”
Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself down.
“Phew… thank you…”
“It’s nothing. So, what do you need?”
She nodded and then hesitantly asked, “Uh… do we… know each other ‘now’?”
What kind of question was that?
And why emphasize “now”?
Shi Hai figured she meant something like “Have we met before?”
Since he had just gone through the mental list of girls he knew earlier, he quickly had an answer.
“I don’t think we do.”
“Oh, I see…”
She lowered her head, visibly disappointed.
Shi Hai felt like he could see imaginary cat ears drooping in dismay.
But then she looked up and asked, “Can we get to know each other?”
Though phrased as a question, it was more of a request, almost a plea to get acquainted.
It felt like a standard conversation starter, but Shi Hai was the one being approached, giving him a sense of disorientation.
“Oh, of course. I’m Shi Hai, a second-year computer science major.”
“Yes! I’m Jian Sichun! Jian as in simple, Si as in longing, Chun as in spring!”
It wasn’t strange for her to introduce herself, but spelling out each character of her name was unusual.
Both Tian Shui and Jian Sichun had done the same, making a strong impression on Shi Hai.
So next, they should exchange contact information, right? Ask for a phone number or add each other on social media…
But Jian Sichun didn’t follow the usual script.
“You don’t have any more classes this afternoon, right?”
“No, I’m done for the day…”
“Can I come to your place?”
Shi Hai was shocked.
Are girls this forward nowadays?