The logical part of Shinjiro’s brain is screaming at him that this is a bad idea. The whole of it. He shouldn’t be getting this close to you. It’s a bad, bad idea.

And yet, he can’t help it, because you’re just like Akihiko, and he seems to have a talent for needing to watch over people like you and Aki. You’re both stubborn, headstrong, and determined. It would be admirable if it didn’t get you into such stupidly dangerous situations.

“Just leave it,” he says to you, with a half-sigh, and grabs you by the collar of your school shirt. The fabric of Gekkoukan High’s uniform is crisp in his callused grasp as he tugs you back, away from the corner store.

“No way! Lemme go!” you say back, ticked off.

The cashier at the store had given Shinjiro the wrong change back, leaving Shinji with 100 yen less than needed. Shinji didn’t particularly care, but when he’d made a small remark about it on the way out you’d gone full justice-warrior on him like Akihiko would have.

“It’s a hundred yen. Can’t even buy anything with it,” Shinji mumbles, trying to ignore how friendly you’ve been to him since he joined back.

You seem to be like this towards everyone. You’ve quickly become the pillar for S.E.E.S. aside from their leader Makoto. Everyone gets along with you. You’re a genuinely kind soul, selfless, too.

Shinji just doesn’t feel deserving of such kindness. He can watch out for himself.