Ever since arriving in this world, Hikari Aoi had never properly explored Nagazora City.
Now that Raiden Mei had taken the initiative—
It worked out perfectly.
At night, Senba Academy was quiet.
But once they stepped outside—
The city was lively.
As a newly rising metropolis, it was bustling with people and traffic.
When Hikari Aoi used to travel between Tachikawa Academy and Senba Academy, he deliberately chose quieter side streets, balancing distance and foot traffic.
After all—
In this Honkai world, men were rare.
Young men even rarer.
If he walked along main streets—
He would constantly be approached by women asking for his contact information—
Or even directly inviting him out for coffee.
It wasn't that Hikari Aoi found it annoying.
But—
He simply didn't have time to waste on strangers.
Nearly ten days had passed since his arrival.
And so far—
He only had one Selena (Top).
To be honest—
He was starting to feel anxious.
If his interface had a recharge option—
He would have already spent heavily without hesitation.
But now—
With Mei beside him—
Hikari Aoi suppressed all those negative emotions.
And instead of taking the usual quiet route—
He chose a bustling street.
As women passed by, they would notice Hikari Aoi—
Their eyes lighting up.
But soon—
They would spot Raiden Mei walking beside him.
After silently comparing themselves—
And realizing they had no advantage in appearance or figure—
They could only sigh softly and continue on their own paths.
Mei, who had once been the young lady of ME Corp, was already accustomed to being the center of attention.
And after everything she had gone through—
Her temperament had matured even further.
So now—
Walking beside Hikari Aoi under countless gazes—
She remained calm and composed.
"By the way, you made strawberry daifuku for me earlier… Did you prepare anything for yourself?"
Even though he wasn't familiar with this street—
As a man, Hikari Aoi couldn't just let Mei lead everything.
So he naturally took the initiative to speak.
Fortunately—
The shop signs were clear, and with his enhanced eyesight from the Stigmata—
He wasn't at a loss.
Even though Mei had said this wasn't a date—
Hikari Aoi still treated it like one.
At the very least—
Things like paying for the meal—
He should handle.
After all—
Mei's father, Raiden Ryoma, had been imprisoned a year ago.
Her mother had already passed away.
He didn't know how much money she currently had at her disposal—
But even if she wasn't struggling—
She certainly wasn't living comfortably.
In a short span of time—
Hikari Aoi had already thought through all of this.
He couldn't just wander aimlessly with Mei.
Hearing his question—
Mei paused slightly.
Then answered honestly.
"No… I didn't. I didn't have enough time…"
Strawberry daifuku wasn't overly complicated—
But it still required time.
And since she didn't want Hikari Aoi to wait too long—
Even with the half-hour delay—
She had no chance to prepare anything for herself.
Like Hikari Aoi—
She usually didn't eat at the school cafeteria.
But unlike him—
It wasn't about saving time.
She simply wasn't used to the atmosphere.
Everyone else ate together in groups—
Laughing and chatting.
While she—
Was always alone.
In that kind of lively environment—
The loneliness only became more apparent.
"So you made something for me while going hungry yourself… That's really touching."
Hikari Aoi smiled lightly.
"Then as a return, what would you like for dinner? My treat—please don't hold back."
Even if he planned to quit his internship at ME Corp—
The money in his bank account was still more than enough.
And even if he ran out—
He could easily tutor students or work as a part-time fitness coach.
Money—
Wasn't something he needed to worry about.
Hikari Aoi appeared generous.
But Mei—
Was still Mei.
In the end—
She chose a very ordinary restaurant.
Of course—
In a street like this—
Even an "ordinary" restaurant wasn't truly ordinary.
The interior had warm-toned decor.
The space wasn't large, with a U-shaped counter.
The owner moved within the counter, taking orders and serving dishes—
While customers sat on the outside.
This layout alone wasn't special.
The real appeal of the restaurant—
Was likely its good quality and reasonable prices.
A glance at the wooden menu boards on the wall confirmed Hikari Aoi's guess.
If the place were full—
It would feel cramped.
Strangers would have to sit very close to each other—
Which could be awkward.
Fortunately—
It wasn't crowded now.
There were empty seats beside both Hikari Aoi and Mei.
Still—
Given the gender ratio in this world—
Hikari Aoi felt that even if it were packed, he wouldn't be at a disadvantage.
He might even receive some "benefits."
…A bit of a pity.
Mei ordered a simple tonkatsu set meal.
Hikari Aoi, who had long since stopped caring much about food due to his intense training—
Didn't bother choosing anything else.
He ordered the same.
A man and a woman eating together—
Was, after all, a somewhat intimate situation.
On the street earlier, Mei had remained calm.
But now—
She finally showed a hint of shyness.
Fortunately—
The skilled owner quickly brought their meals.
With something to focus on—
Mei relaxed a little.
And immediately lowered her head to eat.
But—
Because of her flustered state—
She overestimated herself.
Taking a large bite all at once—
She choked.
The meal had meat, vegetables, and rice—
But crucially—
No water or soup.
Raiden Mei—
Had encountered a crisis.