####**Sato Hashimoto** //  [Warakuma Shopping District, Nearby Café](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgPu_xk-fY8)

Before any noticeable emotion showed itself on Riku’s expression, Chiaki spoke up about her relation with Noboru. She spoke with some kind of unhappiness clearly on her face. Sato didn’t really get why she seemed this way as all of his memories of her and him being together in the same place had been nothing but positive in some way or another. She averted her eyes to her drink after detailing her running shtick with Noboru, which betrayed the expression she carried. Sato picked up his Dr. Salt and attempted to consume the remaining drops of it, though he still couldn’t get any of it despite tilting it at an absurd angle.

Chiaki continued on to explain what she knew and what had recently happened to her and him together in her apparently new “Idol Club.” It seemed like a comical event from a outsider such as himself’s perspective, but no doubt would it be awkward and embarrassing for both Chiaki and Noboru. She even showed him and Riku the text that Noboru had sent her, which simply said “I’m sorry.” It seemed to be referring to the incident that Chiaki had just talked about but it could possibly mean more. Sato shook his head. The correlation was obvious enough that it’d be impossible to deny. She finished off her spiel on her relations to Noboru with the fact that his brother said that he had run away.

Sato wasn’t sure what to think of it all and instead just leaned back into his chair, hand still resting on the empty can of Dr. Salt. Instead of what he thought he’d say, Riku assured them that Noboru’d be fine wherever he was, finishing off his can of juice after he finished. He didn’t seem all that concerned about any of this information from where Sato sat, but then again, it’s not like someone like Riku would care much about some random student that he’d never heard about before. Sato decided he probably wouldn’t care either if he was in his position.

“I wasn’t aware of the circumstances behind it,” Sato started, “I had just overheard it when I was walking through the hall. Somehow I feel like it wasn’t just him running away, but that could just be me being stupid. I’ve never actually heard of anyone actually doing that anywhere close to where I live.” He picked up the can again but immediately plinked it back down to the table. Nothing else to say came to mind and Sato wondered how long he’d be obligated to stay at the café with the people that had basically forced him to buy everyone non-alcoholic drinks.

After a bit more of sitting through the silence, Sato slid back on his chair and stood up, moving the chair itself backwards with a tiny creak. “I apologize for not staying longer, but I still have a few things I need to get done today.” He backed away from the table a bit, lifting his own empty soda can from the table and readjusting his clothes so they were straight on his body. The boy lingered a bit awkwardly before making stepping away any further, in case either Chiaki or Riku had anything important to say besides good-byes.