Not much happens at school, from what I've observed. After classes, my schedule is clear for the rest of the day. I typically spend the time reading, wandering around, or browsing the internet on my phone.

But none of these activities seem to hold my attention for long. I'd much rather have Sakuno around, but it's always a gamble whether I'll run into him after classes. It seems I rolled the wrong side of the dice today.

So, I ended up walking around the campus, hoping to stumble upon something that might interest me. More often than not, it's a fruitless endeavor, but at least it keeps me occupied.

"Um... Excuse me..." someone called for me from behind.

I turned around to see three girls standing there while holding their phones to their chests. Their eyes of anticipation were indicative that they were expecting something from me, but what could it possibly be?

"Hello," I greeted them with a bow. "What can I do for you?"

"Ah... U-um... C-can we have your Line ID?!" she shouted unnecessarily.

All three of them held out their phones to me.

"My... Line ID?" I repeated.

"Yeah. You know... The messaging app. On your phone."

I pulled out my phone and looked around. The only applications I saw were all the default ones that came with it when Watcher gave it to me. When I typed 'Line' into the search bar, nothing popped up.

"Sorry, it doesn't look like I have it," I said.

"Oh, okay. Then... sorry to bother you."

The three of them quickly scurried off, leaving me dazed and questioning what had just happened. Did I say something wrong? I don't think so, but I feel slightly guilty for some reason.

"Couldn't have entertained them just a little bit?" yet another voice asked, but this was one that I was familiar with.

"What do you want?" I sighed.

"Hah! You didn't even look, yet you knew it was me. Am I that special? I know. My voice is just so~ memorable that you'd recognize it instantly, right? Ah... Maybe you're feeling a little bit of something deep down that you're trying to deny.

"Not a chance."

When I attempted to walk away, Taiyori jumped up in front of me with a confident smirk. She gently pushed the back of her hand against her cheek and tilted her head.

"Well?" she asked.

"What?"

"You still think there isn't a chance that you might unknowingly like me? I won't blame you if you say yes. You wouldn't be the first."

It's hard to believe that someone with her mindset actually exists in this world. Not that I'd ever openly admit it, but she is pretty. Still, I've never been one to judge someone based on appearances.

Out in the field, we're trained to recognize that no matter how someone looks, there's always an underlying attribute that can't be seen by the naked eye. In Taiyori's case, she's a lunatic who uses her looks to fuel her popularity.

"Are you trying to make yourself feel better by having me validate your assumptions?" I asked. "If so, then you're wasting your time."

"Hmf, you really are a strange one," she muttered. "I even struck a pose for you, but you didn't even react, just like how you coldly turned down those girls who were simply asking for your Line ID."

"Sorry to break it to you, but I have no idea what a Line ID is."

"...Eh...? W-what do you mean you don't know?"

"Exactly as it sounds. It hasn't been long since I came back to Tokyo, so all of these terms you're throwing around make very little sense to me."

While she stood there, dumbfounded and appalled, I was thinking to myself what this 'Line ID' could possibly be. Perhaps it's a secret line only accessible by specific people to avoid being tracked and followed. That's why an ID is needed for verification.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized how insanely ridiculous that sounded. This is the normal world, not the underworld. In order to properly adjust, I need to think like a normal person does. However... I'm far from normal.

"Are you being serious right now? You... really don't know?" she mumbled.

"If that wasn't clear before, then yes. I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Like... Actually? There's no way you're that much of a hermit."

"Do I need to repeat myself?"

Taiyori scoffed and pinched her chin as if thinking to herself. I wonder what's on her mind this time. She then pointed her open hand at me while I stared at it.

"What?" I asked.

"Your phone. Give it to me. I'm gonna download Line for you."

"There's no need for that. I don't even know what it is."

"It's a messaging app. The first step to every friendship is exchanging Line IDs, now come on. Hand it over."

"I refuse."

"Quit being so difficult. At this point, you're gonna be a loner for the rest of your life."

"That sounds pretty nice actually."

"Tch... Give me the goddamn phone."

I let out an exhausted sigh as I handed the phone to her. For a moment, she kept her attention fixed on the screen. For all I know, she could be installing a virus, but I'm sure she doesn't hate me enough to do that. Hopefully...

Taiyori then took out her phone and held it over the screen of my phone. What's she doing now?

"There," she said as she handed it back. "Watch this."

A sudden ring sounded from my phone and out popped a small notification box at the top of the screen. I pressed it, and it redirected me to an app called Line. On the screen was an empty space followed by a single text bubble.

Taiyori: "Loser."

"What is this...?"

"Welcome to Line," she smiled proudly. "You're welcome, Tsuki. A lot of guys have asked for my Line ID, but I turned down every single one of them. You're one of the few boys to ever receive mine."

"Am I supposed to be grateful?"

"Why wouldn't you be? A beautiful girl just gave you her Line ID."

"I don't even know what that means, nor did I ask for it."

"Too bad. Flaunt it all you want. I won't mind. Anyway, I'm off now. Try not to spam me too much, hm?"

With that, she walked off. I took one last look at my phone before turning it off and slipping it back into my pocket.

What was that all about? And this... 'Line' thing. She mentioned something about rejecting every guy who has asked for her ID, so why did she give it to me?

Suddenly, Taiyori was met with a boy who fell on his knees with a bouquet of flowers. After staring at him for a few seconds, she took the bouquet and dropped it on the ground.

"Don't ever show your face in front of me again," she said with a cruel smile.

And just like that, she took off once more. What a strange girl. No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to figure her out.