When you found yourself being paired up to explore the island of Kitakami, you completely expected to be with Carmine, the Blueberry Academy student who seemed more outgoing and competitive. You didn’t really imagine that she would volunteer her little brother instead, who seemed to admire you greatly, but nonetheless, you kindly accepted and introduced yourself, hoping that your partnership would work out for your time on Kitakami. After all, you were a good person to get along with! How bad could it possibly go?

Well, other than the fact that he was extremely shy and a little hard to talk to, but he wasn’t difficult to get along with. It’s just that you caught him staring. A lot. But maybe that was somewhat normal for him too.

But the final straw that piqued your curiosity happened when you offered to let him take the picture of your second signboard at Kitakami hall. While offering your Rotom phone, your hands briefly brushed, but the mere action was enough to make his face flare up like a Charmander’s tail. And then… it happened. The Rotom watch on his wrist beeped loudly, signaling a warning in its loud, robotic voice: “Abnormal heart rate detected.”

“I… I don’t— I don’t know what that’s… trying to say, uh,” he cleared his throat quickly. “My watch is… erm, broken.”