Dz‘—†•Ž‹‡ƒ‘˜‡”Ž›…‘’Ž‹…ƒ–‡† ‰ƒ‡Ǥdz I had no reason to either criticize or laud the model UN concept, so I simply voiced one of my opinions on the matter that did not lean either way. This time, Akiyoshi was the one to parrot, Dz‡‡–‡ƒƒ”‡’‡‡‰‡‡ǫdz Given the way that the conversation was going, it would be odd of me not to take my turn at explaining. I gave her a brief, simple, and objective as possible explanation of what a TTRPG, or tabletop roleplaying game, was. Dz‘ǡ›‡ƒŠǡ‹–ǯ•ƒŽ•‘–Š‡‹†‘ˆ‰ƒ‡where you play different roles, I –Š‹Ǥdz DzŠ‘ƒǨŠƒ–ǯ••‘…‘‘ŽǨ™‘—Ž††‡ˆ‹‹–‡Ž›™ƒ––‘’Žƒ›•‘‡–›’‡‘ˆ Š‡”‘Ǩdz She held her still curry-covered spoon out in front of her face, perhaps attempting to mime the wielding of a sword. Seeing this joyful reaction got a surprising stir out of me. Dz‰—‡••–Š‡‘†‡Ž”‡ƒŽŽ›‹•‹†‘ˆ–Š‡•ƒ‡Ǥƒƒ‰‘…Š‡…‹– ‘—–™‹–Š‡ǫˆ›‘—ǯ”‡—’–‘‹–Ǥdz DzŠǡƒŠǥ‘ǡ…ƒǯ–Ǥdz Whenever I had to refuse an invitation that came my way, I hated having any looks of disappointment cast on me, or having to do the same, or even someone being disappointed about it at all. Thus, though refusing this …ƒ•—ƒŽ‹˜‹–ƒ–‹‘‘ˆ‹›‘•Š‹ǯ•…‘ˆŽ‹…–‡†•Ž‹‰Š–Ž›™‹–Š›‘™’Š‹Ž‘•‘’Š‹‡•ǡ Akiyoshi, who had no idea that I was this way and smiled, clasping her Šƒ†•‹ˆ”‘–‘ˆŠ‡”…Š‡•–™‹–ŠƒǡDz‘ǡ‹–ǯ•…‘‘ŽǨ‘””›ˆ‘”‹’‘•‹‰‘›‘— •‘•—††‡Ž›ǤdzŠ‡ˆƒ…––Šƒ–•Š‡•‡‡‡†–‘”‡ƒŽ‹œ‡–Šƒ––Š‡”‡™‡”‡•‘‡ drawbacks to her own personality gave me a slightly more favorable impression of her. Just slightly. DzŠǡ‘ǡ‹–ǯ•‘ƒ›ǡ”‡ƒŽŽ›†‘ǯ–‹†‹–ǡdz•ƒ‹†Ǥ Dz‡ƒŽŽ›ǫǯ‰Žƒ†Ǥ‘™–Šƒ–…ƒ„‡ƒ„‹–—…Š•‘‡–‹‡•Ǥdz So I had gathered. I had assumed from her bubbly nature that she was not capable of such self-awareness, so I was surprised at this newfound calm of hers. It made me wonder if she was the sort of person who really only thrived within a small, close-knit group. Šƒ˜‡‘‹†‡ƒ™Š‡–Š‡”–‡ŽŽ‹‰Š‡”–Šƒ–†‹†ǯ–‹†Šƒ†‡”‡Ž› encouraged her, but her barrage of questions continued. I answered them as well as I could and learned more about her in return. She was born in Ibaraki, currently enrolled in school, lived alone, and had applied for a part- time job at a cram school. She liked shonen manga and was a fan of Asian