02

   "Oi, looking glass."

   "!?" 

   Looking glass?  Where did that come from? 

   "Um, do you even know what that means--?"

   "-- I called you looking glass because you're always looking at me, and whenever I see you, you are always so easy to read and your personality is transparent like glass,"  she spat.

   I don't puff out my chest about being complicated, but that stung a bit.  Time to go for a counter.

   "You know looking glass is just another word for mirror, right?  Y'know, that handheld thing you're always checking yourself out in" I jabbed.  I must admit that she did have a good reason to check herself out as often as she did.

   Miyamoto-san's face fell.  She looked like she's about to cry.  

   Full panic mode. 

   I went too far and hurt her feelings.  Stupid!  Stupid!  I should apologize!

   "Uh, I'm sorry--" I stammered.

   "You know right now you're just looking low class," she interrupted me, "and how rude too.  Thinking I don't know basic synonyms, and then having the audacity to tell me straight to my face!  It's okay though, the shoe still fits.  If I called you a mirror, It's the truth-- I see my reflection in you," she said.

   Wow. Amazing. The most subtle, yet sweet, back-handed compliment.

   I wonder what she sees in me...

   She continued, "... of course when I look at you I see all the things I hate about myself, but it really is quite refreshing, I must thank you.  For knowing that there is someone else out there ladened down with the same atrocities as me, that is."

   Now it's my turn to be floored. Absolutely steam-rolled by a semi-truck of verbal abuse. I mean, to think that someone would actually describe you as 'atrocious' - or wait, what was it? I deal with the same atrocities as her...? 

   Ah, I see now. It was all a clever ploy to show my true colors. How much more could I be in her debt? Time to hitch up my britches, and be the chivalrous gentleman that I am. Chivalry lives I tell you! And I am chivalry incarnate! 

With my motivational speech finished, I opened my mouth and...

   "Shut up and drop dead!"

   ...
   
   ...

   Timing can be impeccable by even the most random uninvolved people. It appears that the class is still a bit noisy even during lunch break with most of the students cleared out and in the cafeteria.

   "Ergh..." I cleared my throat and let out my best sweet-talk for the situation. "...Miyamoto-san, I don't think there is anything atrocious about you. Mhmm, you're awesome!"  I even added a smile and my signature thumbs-up for the extra wow factor.

   "Oh... thank you Seji-kun, anyway, um can we... uh, get down to business as they say?" she responded in a timid and quiet voice.

   Did she get some sun yesterday? She looks awfully flushed right now. Maybe she has a fever.  I hope not. 

   I nodded, but she didn't seem to pick up on it. I mean, she wasn't even looking at me anymore.

   "Yes, let me hear it!"  I relented to the silence with quite the hearty affirmative.

   "Okay... how are you?"

   Ah. A quick change of tactics to try and confuse me. No, something else...? She sounds genuine, and her tone of voice affirms what I've been thinking for quite some time now. Until now the answer has been exceedingly elusive-- like those shadows you see out of the corner of your eye, and then disappear when you look at where they were. Ah heavens be blessed, this simple question really is a blessing. From just this singular question, nothing more, the cat slinks out of the bag for all to see. I think she likes me.

   "Well... to answer your question of course, I'm taller than the national average, dark hair, my mom says my eyes are a deep green... hmm, what else? Ah! My muscles are really defined, but you'd never guess with this school uniform."  I said it all with a wide smile. Confidence.

   "Not a physical description."

   "..."  Huh?
 
   "How much of an idiot can you be."

   "..." That time it was laced with disgust. Subtract 10, no 15 from pride and confidence on my stats.

   "I meant how are you feeling?" she said.

   "Oh. Well, disappointed." 

   "If you would accept yourself for who you are, you surely wouldn't feel disappointed for acting like a fool in front of your only friend," she spat all this at me while waving the most accusatory finger I have seen in my entire life.

   "Why do you assume I'm disappointed in myself? Jeez, give me a break."

   "Oh, I see. Listen, it's not my fault you missed out on the promotion and weren't appointed  manager at work. Get over yourself already."

   "Miyamoto-san I could say it is your fault because you are my only coworker except for the boss."

   "..."  Ha. Now she's the one with nothing to say.

   "Furthermore, 'disappointed' is not the word to use for those that 'were not appointed'!" I laid on her my best impression of a lawyer dutifully laden with a loaded truth potent enough to lacerate any argument.

   "Hehhhhhheheheh..."

   "...um"

   "I love it when you act smart Seiji-kun. You should be disappointed, because it is all your fault that you didn't get the promotion. You know the boss evaluates us on our performance-- just like a normal boss should! Just accept it that I'm superior to you-- a fact by the way, that I take zero pride in. Absolutely none. Zerooooo. Zip." she masterfully countered.

   "..." I'm just waiting for the nail on the coffin at this point.

   "That's right, being better in every aspect of life than a flimsy 2D character like you, gives me zero satisfaction..."

   Wait. I am quite the real living person. Most substantially 3D. However, this makes me wonder. Do the characters in my favorite manga think they are 3D?!? I mean, I clearly see the pictures, and to the reader they are clearly 2D. In better quality manga there may be a few 3D aspects in the setting, but the characters are certainly two dimensional. Now don't even get me started on the anime adaptations! Keep it 2D the whole time or consistently animate 3D elements, am I right or what!? I can't help but sigh when I wait all season for some awesome action packed fight scene and then the camera angle starts swerving all over the place. Makes me nauseous. Sometimes I have to sit back down away from the TV it gets so bad. I prefer to watch the fight scenes like I'm a die-hard soccer fan dedicated to his national team in the world cup. Anyway, I have no idea what my favorite waifu perceives herself as, but I do know that I don't know. 

   This is making my head hurt. Maybe I'll become religious and ask God for the answer. Clearly I don't know. What in hell do I know, I wonder? Speaking of which, the last anime I watched wasn't as good as its light novel heritage. I guess I could tell Miyamoto-san that's why I'm disappointed.

   "... yo brickhead, I'm talking to you. Snap out of it." 

   Oh, I forgot she was even talking to me. How elementary of an insult by the way. Step it up a notch, put some hate behind your words! Actually, please don't. That's a one way street to a dictatorship over the entire world for her, and a life as the number 1 peasant in the world for me. I guess being the number 1 peasant isn't as bad as being the last ranked peasant. Heh, not too bad I say.

   Let's wrap this up shall we?

   "Oh sorry, you scared me into another dimension. May I please continue to have the pleasure of conversing with you?" I'm basically the last ranked peasant at this point.

   "Hmphh" she sighed.

   Wait, she sighed at me? Am I boring to her? Is my character not dimensionally defined enough for her taste? I didn't know talking with me was such a chore!

   "You're fine, but lunch is almost over so answer my question" she replied curtly.

   "Oh, yes... your question?" I mumbled.

   Yes, I mumble when I'm embarrassed, and no, I did not make eye contact as those incriminating words stumbled out my mouth.

   "Okayyy, I'll ask again because it's a favor. Listen up!" she said with a smile.

   Oh? Eyebrows raised. Attention acquired. Tell me what you want me to do Miyamoto-chan.

   "Will you--"

   "--YES!" 
   "-- take my shift at work today? oh! Thank you thank you you thank you thank you thank you!"

   I think she added an extra you. 

   "Ugh, you know I work today too, so I have to come in early and stay late and work with the boss then?" I grumbled.

   "Oh bless your heart Seijiii-kunnn!"

   "..."

   "Of course I'll walk you there, but I'm really slammed with studying for exams" she said. She's cute when she lies.

   "What about my studies?" I don't think it's appropriate to say I'm getting the short end of the stick here. I feel like I'm just getting smacked in the head by a stick that was supposed to be a gift for me. Not that I want a stick as a gift or anything.

   "Oh, everyone knows you don't study."

   "I'm not a neglectful bum when it comes to school y'know."

   "Oh I know Seiji-kun, you're the next worst thing!" She really knows how to cut you down and look like she's having a blast. What could be worse than a school-skipping, class-cutting, detention-prone delinquent?

   "You're the teacher's pet! Everyone knows she tutors you day and night and all of your scores are rounded up because your mom is the teacher and grades your assignments!"

Touché.

   "Hm, well I'll see you after school. You owe me one, Miyamoto-san" I said.

   "Ha. No I don't, you know you're in debt to me for the rest of your life!" With that, she got up and left me. 

   Alone, Like I was before that fateful day in May. Before I met Miyamoto-san, the real Miyamoto-san, and fell into a debt so deep, so deep that what I have now doesn't seem to have any worth whatsoever. Well I don't even understand it yet. I'll just have the boss explain it to me at work.