On the streets of Tokyo, two shadowy figures huddled together. The taller one seemed to be talking incessantly, while the shorter one was diligently taking notes.
With the rain still pouring, they decided to share an umbrella, freeing the shorter person's hands to jot down observations.
"So that's how it is, Kasuga-san! You're right, they really do look like a couple just starting to date!" Eriri exclaimed, her voice a bit too loud as she excitedly waved a small fist.
The young couple who Kasuga-san had pointed out earlier blushed even deeper.
The girl realized her behavior was a little inappropriate and quickly pulled her hat lower, using her free hand to cover her mouth.
Seeing Eriri's adorable reaction, Kasuga-san couldn't help but chuckle. He deliberately lowered the umbrella, shielding the girl from any awkward stares.
"Izumi-san, can you tell me what you see from those people over there?" The boy asked, pointing to a group of office workers in another direction.
This was his assessment of the girl's observations from this morning, the final step of their day's activities.
If Eriri could offer some insights, it would mean his effort and investment today had paid off.
The girl understood this was her upcoming stage test, so she perked up, squinting her eyes as she looked in the direction Kasuga-san pointed.
The normally cute and petite girl seemed exceptionally fierce when she squinted. Her eye corners tilted upwards, her eyes narrowed into slits, giving her an extremely sharp look.
For some reason, Kasuga-san suddenly thought of a hunting eagle. Could these ferocious birds observe their prey with the same intensity?
But only Eriri knew how much she struggled internally.
To present the perfect image, she chose not to wear her usual black-framed glasses when sketching. However, her mild nearsightedness wasn't enough for her to see distant targets clearly.
Moreover, it was raining today. While the spring rain wasn't heavy, it was very fine and dense. Looking through the fine rain curtain blurred her vision even further.
"Ugh, I knew I should have worn contact lenses!" The girl berated herself silently. She knew she was out to observe life's various scenes, but hadn't prepared beforehand.
Eriri, you really are a little fool.
Kasuga-san thought the girl was deep in thought, so he didn't say anything. He patiently waited for Eriri's response.
More than a minute passed, the office workers had disappeared around a street corner, yet the girl still held her gaze fixed in the distance.
"Ahem, Izumi-san, can you share your answer with me?" The impatient boy finally repeated his question.
After a few seconds, the girl gave her answer. "Although the distance was too far, I couldn't see their expressions clearly, but I noticed their clothing. If I'm not mistaken, they're wearing the IBC brand, which is under the ONWARDCROSSET label. This brand focuses on high-end apparel for OLs, so these people should be working women in the Ginza business district. They're likely in high-end industries, I'd guess finance, which pays relatively high salaries. It's enough to support them in buying more luxurious clothing. And at this time, seeing finance professionals outside their office area for business reasons also makes sense, don't you think?"
Eriri finished her deductions in one breath, then lifted her small head, looking like a student waiting for praise from their teacher.
"Well... that's very... on point..." Kasuga-san was speechless.
Had she been squinting for so long, only to misinterpret the target completely?
The office workers he had pointed out were three men. Based on their attire, he assumed they were salespersons, possibly in the business field.
But after all that squinting, Eriri had somehow fixated on a group of OLs who were much farther away.
He had been constantly observing those salespersons while the girl analyzed, otherwise, he would have been caught in a humiliating situation in front of Eriri.
This out-of-the-blue, completely unexpected strategy left him utterly dumbfounded.
Kasuga-san could only give Eriri a reluctant affirmation, along with a wave of self-deprecating contempt for his naive thoughts.
He had known Eriri for ten days now. When had any of her actions ever resembled those of a normal person?
Not to mention this morning's Bentley ride to Ginza. Was that something you do with an ordinary friend?
He had never seen Eriri be this ostentatious in school. Not even ordinary cars, let alone a luxury vehicle like a Bentley. He had only met her a few times at the school gate, and she always walked there.
Why was her behavior so out of character today?
"Hee hee, Kasuga-san's method really works! I suddenly feel like I'll discover even more details when I go out sketching in the future!" Eriri jumped in excitement after receiving confirmation.
Then her hair got caught on the umbrella rib.
This silly girl forgot it was still raining.
If Kasuga-san hadn't been holding the umbrella, they would have both been drenched.
Although Kasuga-san was significantly taller than her, he still shifted the umbrella slightly towards Eriri out of some unknown sense of gentlemanly conduct.
As a result, the girl's jump led to disaster.
Her smooth, golden hair got tangled in the umbrella rib. As her body descended, the pull made her eyes well up with tears.
"Waaah, it hurts!" If her hair wasn't still caught on the umbrella rib, Eriri would have curled up in the fetal position.
Besides the pain, she could only pretend to be an ostrich, hoping to ease her inner embarrassment.
Just as Kasuga-san had thought, her inner voice now screamed, "Why do I always do these inexplicable things whenever I'm around Kasuga-san?"
Her words were garbled, her actions incoherent, and now this stupid incident.
"Oh no, Kasuga-san must think I'm a complete idiot!"
Kasuga-san suppressed his laughter and gently untangled her hair from the umbrella rib.
He had to admit, the girl's carefully maintained hair was as smooth and soft as silk, making him feel strangely reluctant to let go.
But Kasuga-san wasn't some kind of pervert. He wouldn't have made such an intimate gesture if the situation hadn't been so sudden.
To anyone else witnessing their current state, they would look exactly like the couple Eriri had startled earlier.
Two people sharing an umbrella, the boy gently touching the girl's hair. Because of some unavoidable circumstances, and the limited space under the umbrella, they were pressed close to each other.
Such a scenario would make anyone believe they were dating.
This included Kato Megumi, who happened to pass by and catch a glimpse of the scene.