Chapter 3: The Warmth of Small Things

‘A glance, a smile, a helping hand—little things that change everything’

The sound of my phone alarm pulled me out of sleep. 

I reached over, turned it off, and lay still for a moment—just long enough to let my mind catch up to the morning. Sunlight slipped through the curtains, spilling faintly across the sheets. I could hear the quiet rustle of the town—the hum of engines, the faint chatter of people beginning their day.

I sat up, stretched, and smiled to myself. It was already the third day of the conference. Somehow, the days had passed faster than I expected—quietly, naturally, almost like a pleasant dream.

Usually, I only showed up for the first and last days: registration and closing. That was enough for formality’s sake. But this time felt different.

Maybe it was because I had someone—a companion of sorts. The thought made me laugh quietly. It was strange how that simple connection made the idea of attending less of a burden, and more of… something to look forward to.

I changed into something simple but still neat enough for the day, then checked my phone again. The store wasn’t open yet—an hour to go.

So I opened the game. Just for a bit.

The familiar loading screen faded in, and I slipped into the quiet world of colors and background music. I did a few quick daily quests, then opened my friend list out of habit.

His name was still there—
‘Last online: 12 hours ago.’

“So he hasn’t logged in since last night…” I murmured softly to myself, the corner of my lips curling in a faint smile.

Continuing my game, time slipped by without me noticing. Then, a message slid across the in-game chat box.

「起きてる？」
(“Are you awake?”)

I smiled faintly at the screen and typed back.
“Nope..”

Almost immediately, his reply came—a surprised emoji, followed by a laughing one. I couldn’t help but laugh quietly myself.

“I’m heading out now,” I typed, and logged off right after sending it.

I slipped my phone into my bag and stepped outside. The morning air was filled with the scent of fresh coffee from a nearby café. Just as I started walking, my phone buzzed again. A text this time.

「どこに行くの？ そこで会うね。」
(“Where are you going? I’ll meet you there.”)

I stopped mid-step, staring at the screen in disbelief.

“…Eh?” I muttered under my breath.

For a moment, I hesitated—half wondering if he was joking. Then I sighed and sent him the location of the store I was heading to. Almost immediately, his reply appeared.

 「じゃ、またね。」
(“See you soon.”)

I stared at the words for a long second, the corner of my lips twitching between confusion and amusement. 

Doesn’t he have duties at the venue? It’s not even lunch hour yet…

Did he—ditch work?

The thought made me laugh quietly, but at the same time, my heart felt strangely light. I adjusted the strap of my bag and kept walking, letting my thoughts drift with each step.

Arriving at the café, I slowed my steps. Through the door, I spotted a familiar figure already there—standing by the counter, casually chatting with the store clerk.

It was him.

The server noticed me and greeted me with a polite smile.
「いらっしゃいませ。何人ですか？」
(“Welcome. How many people?”)

Before I could open my mouth, Ren turned toward me and answered smoothly.
「二人で。彼女と一緒です。」
(“For two. I’m with her.”)

I blinked at him for a moment, then gave a small nod to confirm it with the server. 

The server led us to an empty table, and the two of them slipped easily back into conversation along the way. Their words flew so fast, bouncing back and forth in a casual rhythm, that I didn’t even bother trying to follow.

‘It’s still too early for me to understand alien languages…’ I muttered the thought to myself, letting the current of their words wash right over me.

He laughed at something the clerk said, his tone bright and familiar. I tilted my head, a little amused at how naturally he fit in here, while I quietly floated outside their world. Then suddenly, as if remembering I existed, they both snapped out.

The server turned toward me, smiling politely, voice clear enough for me to recognize at least one line.
「それでは、何になさいますか？」
(“So then, what will you have?”) he handed me a menu pamphlet.

「これをお願いします。」
(“This one please.”) I replied quickly, pointing to a picture on the menu before the conversation could whirl away again.

He gave a small nod, as if confirming my meal choice.

‘Okay. That’s one thing done — the food. Now for the drink…’

I flipped through the pages, my eyes scanning slowly over the list. Some words I recognized, most I didn’t. The silence stretched.

Across from me, Ren shifted. He tilted his head slightly, lowering his gaze until it aligned with mine, as if trying to catch my eyes beneath the shadow of my lashes.

「大丈夫ですか？」
(“Are you okay?”) his voice was soft, lowered to just between us.

I looked up, caught his eyes, and gave a small, embarrassed smile.
“Umm… I can’t read,” I admitted hesitantly.

For a moment, he stared at me in disbelief, his lips parting as if he wasn’t sure he heard correctly.  Then he blinked, a short pause, before reaching forward. He took the menu from my hands, turning it slowly so the page faced him. 

He scanned it, then leaned forward a little, lowering his voice as if to keep the words just between us.

「じゃあ、えっとね… 煎茶。ふつうのお茶、いちばんよく飲まれてるやつ。さっぱりしてて、飲みやすいよ」

Tapping the first line with his finger. He glanced at me briefly before continuing. 

“This one… Sencha. Normal green tea. Very… how to say… light. Easy taste. Everyday tea.”

He slid his finger down. 

「それから…ほうじ茶。これはね、ちょっと焙じてあるから、香ばしくて落ち着く味。カフェインも少なめで、やさしいよ」

He paused for a moment before switching the language again. 

“This one is… Houjicha. Same tea, but roasted. More… warm? Smells good, a little bit like… nut? Very calm taste. Less caffeine.” 

He glanced up briefly to check if I followed. Then continue.

「玄米茶。お米が入ってる。香ばしい匂いがして、なんか…ほっとする感じ？」

His tone carried a softness, like he was recommending it for me personally. 

 “Genmaicha. Green tea… with rice. So the smell is… roasted rice. Unique, but… relax feeling. Comfort.”

Then he tilted his head, a small smile forming as he read the next.

「…麦茶。これはね、夏によく飲む。麦を焙煎してあって、ノンカフェイン。冷たいのもあるけど…ここは、あったかいのかな」

He looked at her, momentarily thinking of the words.

“Mugicha. This one is not a tea leaf. It’s… barley tea. Summer drink in Japan. No caffeine. Good for body.”

Finally, he tapped the last one on the page, 

「抹茶ラテ。ちょっと甘くて、ミルク入り。デザートみたいに楽しめるよ」

His lips curled into a small grin. 

“Matcha latte. Sweet, with milk. Like… dessert drink. Girls like this one, I think.”

When he looked up from the menu, his eyes met mine gently. 

“So… which one do you want?”

I kept my eyes on the menu for a moment, though I wasn’t really reading it anymore.  When he paused, waiting for my answer, I lifted my head and smiled faintly.
“The first one…” I said, my voice careful as I repeated the word.

His eyes softened, and he gave a small nod of approval. 

He turned to the server, with ease, repeating my order before adding his own. His words flowed quickly, confident and natural, and I caught only fragments of them—but somehow, just hearing him speak like that, calmly taking care of things, put me at ease.

As he handed back the menu and thanked the server, I leaned back slightly, letting the soft clatter of dishes over me. Normally, I prided myself on doing things alone—figuring things out, fumbling through until I managed on my own. That was how I’d always been. 

Independence was my armor. My little shield.

But now, sitting here with him across from me, listening to the way he’d guided me through something so simple as a drink menu, I felt a warmth I couldn’t quite shake. It was embarrassing, almost unsettling, to realize how comfortable it felt to lean into his help.

He tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing with a kind of quiet concern. He might have caught the way my smile faltered, or maybe the way I fidgeted my finger around.

I blinked, startled that he’d noticed so quickly. 

He studied me for another heartbeat, then leaned back with a small smile, letting it go. The way he didn’t push, the way he left space for me—it only deepened the strange warmth in my chest. 

I let out a slow breath, forcing a lighter smile this time.

“Thank you…” I said at last, my voice quieter than I intended.

His eyes softened, and he chuckled faintly. 

After lunch, we walked back to the conference venue together. A few people glanced our way, whispering among themselves as if seeing something unusual.  

I could feel their eyes on us, though I tried not to mind.

One of them finally approached, stopping beside Ren. They exchanged a few words I didn’t bother trying to follow—whatever it was, it didn’t seem important to me. He then reached into his pocket, pulled out his lanyard, and slipped it over his neck. 

Turning toward me, he grinned, amusement flickering in his eyes.
“It’s lunch time now,” he said with a light laugh, clearly teasing.

I looked at him, unsure what he expected me to say.
“Then… I’ll wait somewhere,” I replied quietly.

“Then…” he murmured, taking a step as if to follow me. Before he could say more, I turned to him.

 “Are you not on duty today?” I asked, half curious, half teasing.

He met my gaze with a small grin. 

“It’s lunch time,” he said simply.

I gave him a doubtful look. 

“Then where were you a few hours ago?” my tone carried a hint of mock accusation.

He chuckled, the sound light and easy. 

“I had someone cover for me.”

He continued walking beside me, answering every question with cheerful ease, as if the world itself couldn’t weigh him down. He seemed in a good mood—though, come to think of it, he always did. My steps led us to a small garden, just a few doors away from the main venue. 

I stopped by the fence, stretching a little as I breathed in the air. Behind me, he stood quietly, his hands folded behind his back, watching me with a calm, unreadable expression.

The air between us grew still, the only sound was the faint rustle of leaves carried by the afternoon breeze.  For a while, neither of us said anything. The silence wasn’t awkward—just... there. Comfortable in its own quiet weight.

Then his voice came, breaking through softly.

“I saw you here..” he began softly. “on the first day.”

My brow furrowed, though I didn’t turn around. I kept my gaze on the flowers swaying lazily in the sunlight, listening instead.

“I saw you arrive early, you came here — to the garden. Just waiting around, killing time maybe. I wanted to ask if you needed help, or why you were here so early, but…” he went on, his tone light but careful. 

He let out a small breath, almost a laugh. 

“You looked so peaceful that I didn’t dare to bother you.”

That made me turn to face him. He wasn’t looking at me anymore—his gaze had shifted toward the open sky, as though the memory itself embarrassed him. A faint smile tugged at the corner of my lips. I could almost picture it from his view—me, standing here, quietly killing time, pretending to be calm while nerves tangled inside.

“Then you came back inside, after the hall was filled with people. You handed me your registration form, and showed me your details,” he continued, still avoiding my gaze.

“My details?…” I repeated his words unintentionally, letting out a quiet chuckle.

Finally, he looked at me again, a warmth flickering in his eyes. His smile was soft, almost shy, but full of sincerity.

“Thank you, for accepting me,” he said.

His words lingered in the air, pulling my thoughts back to that first day—the shy, awkward boy who had gone out of his way to approach me, fumbling through words, trying so hard to share the same world I was in.  The one who’d joined my game just to talk, just to find a way to stay connected.

“Tomorrow is already the last day of the conference,” he said after a moment, his voice quieter now.  There was a trace of melancholy in it, something soft and unspoken.