Nazuna (Amulet-chan) Volume 8 SS

                                                           That 1st Year Boy



That meeting took place while I was on my way back to the cafeteria from the toilet.
"Hmm?".
When I passed by that boy, I heard that voice. Could it be that he's talking to me?
As I pondered over whether or not to stop walking, that boy called out to me.

"Ahh, I'm sorry. I just thought I've seen that amulet before a while back. Please don't mind me".
That boy said such a thing. Just as I thought I'd seen him before somewhere, he turned out to be the 1st year that Miyabi talked to a while back.
If I recall, he fought well against Horikita-senpai during the relay.
A pitiful boy who attracted attention because of that, was the impression I somehow had of him.

"This amulet isn't in stock at the school anymore though".
I doubt this is the case but could he be hitting on me while putting on that naive face of his?
"Is that so? By any chance, did you happen to drop this amulet somewhere a while back?".

"Could it be.......you're the one who picked up my amulet?".
"I wonder. I picked it up on my way back during the winter vacation though.....".
I had dropped my amulet somewhere and had given up on it. I felt grateful towards the person who picked it up and so I felt ashamed of having imagined something rude.

"I don't believe I'm mistaken. I see, so it was you".
I went up to the boy and showed him my amulet.
Perhaps it's because he immediately handed it over, since he hadn't realized it.

"This amulet is something I bought in this school. So it's not like I have any strong attachment in particular to it. It's just, how should I put it, it's like my mental support? When I have this in hand I feel really at peace. That's why when I lose it, it feels like an omen that bad things are going to happen and that makes me anxious. That's why I was really happy knowing someone picked it up and handed it over".

Unconsciously, I ended up talking about unrelated things but this should be enough.
"To think the person who picked it up would be you".
This too, might be called a strange, chance meeting. Or more like, it may be something along the lines of destiny.

This amulet protects its owner and at the same time, is the harbinger of destiny.
It's not just about romance but also brings people together.
Perhaps there might just be a meaningful destiny both he and I share.
Maybe that's why I happened to drop the amulet.

Thinking that, I began to feel like cherishing this bizarre and precious destiny.
That's right.
For me, this was how I met Ayanokouji Kiyotaka-kun. The day destiny reared its head.