{“A Wonderful Promise Between Us“ 1}

“Wh-what… Class is canceled!?”

I couldn’t help but blurt it out.

I had left home early to prepare for my university classes and stopped by a café near campus for lunch before my third period. I had checked for class cancellations before I left, so I wasn’t expecting this at all. But after getting a message from a friend who was in the same class, I double-checked the university website and there it was, clearly marked: class canceled.

I checked again and again, but no matter how many times I looked, it still said the same thing: class canceled.

“Ugh…”

I slumped over, sighing in frustration.

It’s not anyone’s fault—professors have their reasons too—but it would have been nice to know a little earlier. I had already left home and even sat down in a café. If I’d known just an hour ago, I could have taken it easy at home.

If I’d known I’d be free until fifth period, I could have gotten a lot done.

It’s starting to get warmer, so I had planned to swap out my seasonal clothes. I wanted to get the air conditioner, which I’ve only tested since moving in, running regularly, and I was thinking about taking out the fan as well. Plus, I wanted to clean those hard-to-reach spots and reorganize the fridge. Maybe even make some preserved food… Granted, my “to-do” list sounds like it’s full of mundane chores, but they’re all important. If I did them, it would make her happy, too. I’d even get a chance to be praised by her for getting things done.

Still, going back home now felt like too much trouble. But killing time until fifth period would be hard, too. I didn’t have work or club activities today, so maybe I should just hole up in the library and live up to the student role for a change.

As I was thinking about this, I stared blankly out the café window.

The sky was clear without a single cloud, and the wind that had been around earlier in the spring had softened considerably. The news said today’s high would be 22 degrees—perfect weather for spending time outside.

I glanced at the clock.

It was now 11:10. A sudden idea popped into my head.

“Excuse me, something urgent just came up.”

Apologizing to the café staff, I left without ordering anything. I felt a bit bad, but it wasn’t like I was lying.

I quickly sent a message to Miu.

“My class got canceled, and I’m free until the evening. Want to have lunch together today?”

She had mentioned before that there was a park near her workplace, and she had said she’d love to have lunch together there sometime. I’d never tried one of the bento boxes sold at her company before, nor had I visited the place where she worked.

So, I thought it would be the perfect chance to do both.

Luckily, the weather was great today, so there wouldn’t be any problem eating lunch outside. The only question was whether our schedules would line up. If it turned out she couldn’t take her lunch break or bring her bento outside, I figured I could at least check out her workplace. That would be enough for me.

Without waiting for her reply, I hopped on a bus and headed for the station.

I transferred to a train, bound for the office district where she worked. I had passed through that station countless times before, but today was the first time I had a real purpose for getting off.

By the time I reached my stop, it was already past 11:30. I still hadn’t heard back from Miu, which suggested she wasn’t on an early lunch break today.

Not wanting to just sit around doing nothing, but also unsure what to do next, I went into a coffee stand at the station. The place smelled of freshly baked bread, but I resisted the temptation and only ordered an iced coffee.

One seat at the counter was open, so I slipped into it.

Everyone else in the shop was wearing black, gray, or navy suits, busy sipping coffee while looking over documents or tapping away on laptops.

Even outside the coffee stand, everyone walking through the station was dressed in suits too. The only variation was whether they were wearing their jackets or carrying them.

I was the only one in a casual student outfit: a spring knit top with three-quarter sleeves and black skinny jeans. It felt a bit awkward, but no one seemed to notice or care about the random college student in their midst, which was a relief.