"Alright, Hastings, from now on, whenever you're bored, just co down to the cafe and order a drink."
While I was flustered by Mrs. Lewis and Leonard's antics, the first custor walked in.
Ding-
"Welco!"
We all got up from our seats and greeted the custor at once.
But the students walking into the cafe seed familiar.
"Ah? It's them."
It was the 2nd-year F class students.
They were the sa students who kept their distance from and wouldn't let near them.
The students awkwardly sat down at the table. # Nоvеlight # I glanced at Leonard.
He shrugged his shoulders and was busy wiping the dishes, showing no intention of taking orders.
Reluctantly, I approached the table where my classmates were sitting, pulled out a notebook and pen from my apron, and asked, "Would you like to order?"
"Uh..."
The students trailed off, glancing at . It seed like they had sothing to say.
I tilted my head in confusion.
Then, one of the students pulled out a gift box from under the table and placed it in front of .
What is this?
"Thanks for all the hard work during cricket training."
"Sorry for avoiding you all this ti."
"It's a, a gift!"
The students shouted that and quickly stood up from their seats, dashing out of the cafe.
"No, wait...!"
I couldn't get a word out before I was left staring at their backs in bewildernt.
Leonard, who had been watching the situation with a side glance, approached and looked at the gift box.
"I saw them in the village yesterday. They seed to be picking out a gift, so I guess it’s for you."
"Do you know what the gift is?"
"Open it and see."
I tilted my head, puzzled, and opened the gift box.
Inside the box were na tags. They were made of very fine fabric with nas embroidered in golden thread.
[Sorry for everything until now.
2nd-year F class]
Although I had felt a little hurt by my classmates, they had never really tornted or been rude to , so I hadn't paid much attention to it.
But it seed my classmates had been feeling quite guilty and had been thinking a lot about .
"...But why na tags?"
That was the question, as it was an unexpected gift. They weren't even my na tags, but the na tags of the 2nd-year F class students who had given the gift.
"Wow. You got na tags as a gift?"
Having finished cleaning the dishes, Leonard ca over with a smile.
"Yeah. But why na tags?"
"Oh. You don’t know? At our school, when you beco a ‘real friend,’ you exchange na tags."
I was tidying up the supplies with Leonard while he explained.
"I heard that in the past, people gave away their own na tags, but over ti, it changed to symbolize sothing else. Now, when they exchange na tags, they go down to the village to have them made with high-quality fabric and thread. They choose colors that suit the other person."
The students here seed to have a bit of romance to them.
"I guess I should go and order my na tag on the way back to the dorm today."
When I responded, Leonard laughed.
"Yeah. If you turn into the second alley after the plaza, you'll find Hans' tailor shop. Go there. They've traditionally made na tags."
I nodded and fiddled with the box that held the na tags.
This is bad. It seems like school life is going to get a lot better.
Monday morning.
Erika, seeing the box of na tags on my desk, raised an eyebrow.
"lody, where did you get these na tags?"
"Oh, the F class students gave them to . I thought I should exchange na tags too. I went to Hans' tailor shop yesterday to order mine."
At my answer, Erika was shocked as though she had just heard the worst news.
"I can't believe I forgot! I should've been the first to exchange na tags with you...!"
Erika collapsed onto the sofa and started stomping her feet in frustration.
It was the first ti I'd seen her act like this. She must have really been disappointed.
I took out the na tag I had received from Hans' shop and handed it to Erika.
It was my na tag.
"Then I'll give you mine as the first one."
Erika froze in place.
Her eyes widened as she looked at , and a bright smile spread across her face.
"Really? This is the first ti I've exchanged a na tag with a friend!"
She shouted this, but soon seed embarrassed and covered her mouth with her hand, trying to make a cold expression.
"...Ahem. You should be honored that I’m exchanging na tags with you. I’ll accept it because you asked like that."
Of course, her lips were twitching, so it was hard to hide her smile.
Once again, Erika doesn't seem to be very honest with her feelings.
"By the way, you were also close with Lady Airose, right? I guess you didn’t exchange na tags with her?"
"I liked Lady Airose, but her father, Count Airose, and my father didn’t get along too well... It was hard to get closer than that."
It seems nobles have complicated relationships. I nodded and placed the na tags for my classmates in my bag.
"So I’m your first real friend then."
When I extended my hand and spoke, Erika nodded and carefully took my hand.
"Yeah. Real friend."
Erika kept repeating that phrase, and for so reason, I also found myself repeating it after her.
Real friend.
It was an awkward but pleasant word.
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