I met Miyoko a year ago...at a club in college.
"Whoa! Look at the time..."
"They've probably already started their activities..."
"I'll head to the club room anyway."
"What room was it again?"
My first day at club activity. Unexpected matters had caused me to be extremely late. In the end, by the time I had reached the club room, it was two hours past assembly time.
(I'm sure it's already finished...)
(Just in case, I might as well check...)
I open the sliding door hoping for the worst.
In the club room I had expected to be empty, but one girl remained.
The girl seem to have noticed me.
"Hey! You must be the new photography club member!"
"Ah, Y-yes, I am."
"I'm Miyoko Neyane, I'm in my second year, Nice to meet you!"
That was the moment I first met her, but for some reason it felt like I'd knew her for a long time.
"Ms.Neyane, umm..."
"No need to be formal, you can call me Miyoko."
"A-alright, Ms. Miyoko..."
"Drop the Miss, I'd appreciate it if you do," she smiled sweetly.
"R-right, anyway I'm sorry I'm late. My name is Minamino Kitagami, I'm a freshman.
"Minamino, nice to meet you!"
(Minamino?)
"Alright! Well, I'll start with an explanation about our club,"
"Oh, W-what about the other club members?"
"They've taken the other freshmen our drinking already!"
"I thought maybe there might be some new members running late..."
"So I let them go ahead, while I stayed behind."
"Y-you went out of your way to wait?!"
"Why?"
"Well, you went out of your way to show interest in our club. It wouldn't be nice if no one was here when you came."
She smile, as she said those words, left a strong impression on me.
That was my first meeting with Miyoko Neyane.
That day was the trigger of our friendship, we began hanging out often and went downhill from there.
She often play practical jokes at me, makes fun at me but I don't mind it since she's the first friend I had in this university she had her moments though.
"Minamino, what's with the luggage you're carrying?"
"The professor asked me to carry it in the laboratory..."
"Well, I'll hold half."
"I'm not going to pay for this later now am I ?"
"I'll think about it." She smirked.
"That being said, freshies seem to ask you favours quite often."
"I don't."
"It's because you're Minamino."
"What's that supposed to mean."
After we got to know each other, she often helped me out, but most of the times she played her jokes on me.
And yet...
It was undeniable that she had a clumsy side to her.
"Mina, it'll be quicker if we crossed the courtyard to the laboratory."
"Alright, let's go that way then..."
A while later.
"Hm? It seems like we can't pass this way.
"What? Why...."
"Oh right, I forgot this way was blocked off due to renovation..."
"Right...does that mean we have to go all the way back?"
"Well...seems that way."
Such incidences occurred occasionally.
Perhaps due to this, in time I began to support her whenever she made a mistake.
"Ah, I forgot to bring it!"
"Here, this right?"
"Ah, way to go, Minamino! You seem to understand me quite well."
Such occasions became a regular occurrences.
Of course, she also helped me countless times.
Our relationship seemed to blossom from that of a prankster and her victim.
And then one day,
"Hey, Minamino. From now on, can I just call you Mina?"
"W-well, that's out of the blue..."
"Well, you've been calling me by my first name."
"Should I address you as Miyo then?"
"Miyoko's just fine."
And so it went.
At first it had felt strange, but I start playing the straight man with her, and in time, Miyoko and I became as best friends.
"Mina."
"What?"
(That gave me a fright.)
While I had been reminiscing on my first meeting with her. Raika has been replace by Miyoko herself.
"What are you doing all spaced out?"
"Don't tell me you're still worried about Yuu?"
"N-no..."
Then suddenly.
In a rare moment, Miyoko loses her smile and somewhat serious looks crosses her face.
"I'm telling you, it's alright, Mina."
"Huh?"
"Mina, you're a good guy, I know everyone will understand that."
As if to cheer me up, she slaps me on the shoulder.
"Hehehe."
It seems she can see right through into what's worrying me.
(She's right, there's no use in worrying too much.)
(I guess I just need to slowly get to know them...)