"Alright, now's the chance. Tsugumi is away, so I've got some time to keep an eye on him and plan ahead."

Yuuna was muttering to herself in the hallway outside the classroom before homeroom. There was something in her mouth she was chewing, and she was spinning a pencil back and forth around her fingers while pacing.

"Knowing Tsugumi, she'll never make the first move. So, better leave it to me. If it looks like an accident, then she has no reason to turn away. Not that I've... ever dated any guys, but that's beside the point. You just walk up to 'em and say hi, right? Although, I guess that hasn't worked for me either. They either stand there like lemons or walk away. Whatever, guys are lame anyway. But Tsugumi likes this Shintaro guy, so I guess I'll make an exception."

I was letting Shintaro settle in next door, and kept an ear out in case anything went wrong. He was managing just fine, though. He sat quietly and nodded when spoken to, and answered simply. That was the algorithm we had developed that meant I didn't have to babysit him all the time, although he could always call me back telepathically if things got sour. Not that he ever did. Most of the time, I would have to fly back in a hurry because he'd responded in a characteristically non-human way and find some way to cover for it. Today was already a hassle. At risk of arriving at school late on yet another day, I had to using my flight to lift Shintaro over some fences and ponds to make the walk to school shorter.

"Didn't you say this was forbidden?" he asked at the time.

"I know, I know, a lot of what we're doing right now is forbidden. But I'd rather get caught by a stray camera and a video with the caption 'schoolkid jumps super high over fence' on some nobody's 50 follower Isshuten account than have you be late again. Miss Yawara only has so much patience."

"Yes... maybe I should explain what happened this morning to her?"

"No."

"Really?" he questioned again.

I envisioned Shintaro explaining in detail his attachment to Iwaizumi of AmePuri Kiss to his teacher with an earnest expression.

"Really."

Anyway, I was curious about why Yuuna was making such an unusual amount of noise outside, considering that she's usually straight-to-the-point with anything she says. It was her being flustered that brought me out here. I'm not being nosy. Just... concerned.

"What are you loitering for, Butou?"

Oh no...

Somehow, Shigenori had enough confidence to address Yuuna at all, let alone in that manner, and he slunk down the hallway toward class.

"Why? Is it any of your business, Shigenori?" she tossed back.

"I...I suppose not, no, sorry, Butou-san..." he whimpered.

Well, that lasted about as long as I expected.

"Although," she realised, turning back toward him, "you are Shintaro's friend, right?"

"Why yes, his trusted compatriot, in fact."

Yuuna shot him a low glare.

"Y-Yes, he's my friend," he corrected.

"Then you must know what kind of girls he likes, right?"

"Girls, you say?" he pondered. "...No, I can't say I recall him mentioning anything of the sort."

"Hm, damn it..." she mumbled. "You look not busy, though. How about setting him up with Tsugumi with me? He'll probably be more convinced if you're around."

You underestimate how little Shintaro notices this guy.

"I'm not sure how I feel being complicit in this. Shintaro is dear to me, and he should only make such decisions when the time is right for him..."

"I'll talk to the weird girl about getting you into the Occult Club," Yuuna interrupted flatly.

"Deal. When do we start?"

So much for camaraderie.

"After homeroom. I've got a couple of set ups in mind already. All I'd need you do to is get Shintaro in position each time and, should things turn out right, everything will flow from there."

"You seem oddly composed, Butou-san. Are you knowledgeable in this fie-" Shigenori caught a chill from her glare, "do you know a lot about romance?"

"No. Just read some trashy novels. Seems to work for them. You?"

"Not exactly..."

The copy of AmePuri Kiss: Sakura Sunset in your bedroom drawer begs to differ on that one.

"You'll be fine. Just do what I say, it's not like any of the actual romance stuff falls to you."

"And I will be properly repaid for this?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Now come on" she said, dragging Shigenori into class by the arm.

They entered the classroom together, with Tsugumi looking up from a book she was reading and adjusting her glasses. Her face remained placid but there was a twinge of satisfaction that came to seeing Yuuna enter the room, as if some current or future fears would be passively allayed by her presence.

"Good morning," she uttered to Yuuna.

Yuuna whispered something into Shigenori's ear, then approached her desk. "Mornin', bookworm."

"I'm so sorry that I actually take the time to study and read. Remind me what you got on your midterms again?" returned Tsugumi.

"...Touché, smartass," said Yuuna, her voice sinking. "Anyway, I have something I need you to do after homeroom..."

"I had a feeling you would have an agenda for me today."

Meanwhile, Shigenori, having seen how Yuuna and Tsugumi interacted, looked to Shintaro to see if he had noticed him walk into the classroom, an expectant gleam in his eye.

Though, Shintaro was completely ignoring him. He was also reading a book, but a much simpler one. On the outside was the cover of an 'Advanced Japanese Grammar for High School Final Examinations' textbook, but the inside content of the book itself was 'Learning Japanese with Yamada-Sensei: First Grade', complete with helpful and colourfully illustrated diagrams and large, bubbly text. This idea was courtesy of yours truly. Shintaro, blissfully unaware, actually regarded it with focus and attention, much akin to a middle-aged man reading the newspaper on the train.

'Ka Ki Ku Ke Ko... hm... this language actually follows quite a nice pattern. How com...compr...comprehensive," I heard him mutter to himself.

Glad he's having a nice time of it. Maybe he'll be able to write his name soon. So proud of him.

Shigenori waddles over to his desk and plonks his bag down on the table, jostling glances over at Shintaro with each movement to see if he's caught his attention. He hasn't. He then clears he throat, which stuns Shintaro into dropping his book onto the table. I swiftly fly over and slap it shut. It may not be embarrassing for him, but it would be for me.

"Ahem, Shintaro, my compeer. Are you occupied today? Perhaps you would like to accompany today, for some... leisure, of some sort."

Shintaro sat there in silence, reaching for his book again.

"Sh-Shintaro?"

"Oh, yes?" he responded, realising it was directed at him.

"...Ahem, well, I will assume that you are, aside from the Occult Club meeting, otherwise unoccupied. If you could meet me by the corner of the hallway that leads to the faculty office after class, then that would be... nice."

"The corner of the hallway that leads to the faculty office..."

"Correct."

Before Shintaro had a chance to ask any further, Miss Yawara strutted into the classroom.

"Alright, you ruffians. Let's take stock."

...and homeroom began.

---

Shigenori snatched his bag under his arm and dashed out of the classroom as soon as it ended, earning a faint, confused look from Shintaro. He also rose from his seat, and turned to me.

("Nare, where is this 'faculty office' and which hallway leads to it? The human with the eye injury requested me.")

(It's left out from the classroom then the first right. Also, it's not an injury, he just wears it.)

("...Why?")

("Don't ask.")

("I see...")

I can't tell Shintaro about what's actually going on. Well, I could, but it might ruin the moment. Shintaro wanted to earn this on his own, and I'm here to help him achieve it, but I'm not going to level skip if I can afford it. Besides, this is a story. It won't exactly be fulfilling if we ignore all of the progress that leads to the payoff.

I had spotted Shigenori and Yuuna hiding behind a door at the far end of the hallway as well, waiting. I had to keep my answers short.

Soon, both by sensing her and Yuuna shuffling around from her hiding spot, I recognised that Tsugumi was coming around the corner. She was carrying a tall stack of papers for the printer.

Ah... now I see.

I nudged Shintaro. (Go on then, he's probably waiting.)

("I will go, then.") He started toward the corner, and they were on course for the collision that Yuuna had been hoping for.

Then, he leapt backward like a startled cat.

(W-What are you doing?)

("Someone is approaching from around the corner.")

(How do you know?)

("My proximity sense.")

Of course he has one of those...

A mere second later, Tsugumi appeared. It took her a moment to register that it was Shintaro, who was in a sort of readied crouch position on the floor. Her reaction was a mix of embarrassed blush to have run into him unexpectedly, and bewilderment.

"Oh, um, hello, Shintaro."

"Hello, huma-"

I was about to slap him.

("What is this human's name?")

("Tsugumi")

"Tsumugi. Hello Tsumugi." Shintaro paused, then corrected himself: "...Tsugumi."

A ripple fluttered up along Tsugumi's body, as if she were pleased he remembered her name. She pursed her lips to hold herself back.

"I-I'd like to talk, but I have to take these papers to the reprographics room," she sputtered, her eyes darting all over the place.  "I'll... see you later."

She darted down the hallway as fast as she could without dropping the papers. Shintaro righted himself again and wiped his brow, no doubt an action he'd copied from somewhere.

("That was close. It would have posed a problem if she had dropped those papers. Not an inconvenience Shintaro would want either, yes?")

(You're telling me...)

---

Yuuna and Shigenori gathered themselves together in their hiding spot at the far end of the hall.

"Nngh... we need more drastic measures. We can't bet all our chips on luck alone."

You ever played poker, Yuuna?

"I see what you mean," contemplated Shigenori. "Although, there may be a way around that."

"And what'd that be?"

"Well, we obviously cannot involve Shintaro, lest the plan be foiled. However, there is no harm in Otonashi-san contributing to her own goals, surely?"

Yuuna pressed her fingers against her chin. "You might be right, actually. Never thought I'd hear myself say that. We don't have to get her to do everything, there's no way she'd be down for that. But just having her join in wouldn't hurt."

Without much prompting, Yuuna strolled off to the reprographics room in pursuit of Tsugumi. So rapid was her approach that she arrived at the door just as Tsugumi did.

"Tsugumin-!" exclaimed Yuuna.

"Huh? Oh, hi, Yuuna. Did you come to help me with the printer?" Tsugumi wondered, struggling to open the door with both of her hands full.

"What? No. Look, forget the printer. You saw Shintaro earlier, right?"

"I-I did. Hold on, how do you know that?"

"I can just tell. Your face gives it away."

"There's no need to point that out..."

"Anyway, I bet I have a way I can get you two talking."

"You... do?"

"Yep. It'll be easy. And, we can put it into place during next class."

"Next class? Isn't that a bit... soon?"

"Soon schmoon, you want to talk to him or not?"

"Well... I... Uh... Yes... Wait... Maybe... Um..."

"There was a yes in there somewhere, so I'll take it. Now hurry up with that printer crap and we'll plan before class."

Yuuna departed just as quickly as she'd appeared.

"But... you asked me to help with the printer," bemoaned Tsugumi, looking as if she was at the point of collapse from the weight of the paper.