Narumi Tōru firmly believed that a proper movie-watching experience could elevate a person's refinement and literary sensibilities.
After all, when chatting with a girl you're interested in about poetry, art, or philosophy later on, it's much better to have something meaningful to contribute—rather than being forced, out of sheer lack of knowledge, to blurt out a full combo of "cringe, classic, filial, urgent, funny" and call it a day.
Naturally, the post-viewing discussion segment was indispensable. Narumi genuinely enjoyed absorbing other people's opinions and thoughts, and since he was used to watching movies alone, he would usually open up review sites on his way home after a screening and skim through critiques to pass the time.
That routine began to change, little by little, as his relationship with Yukinoshita Yukino gradually warmed.
Although he still went to the movies by himself just as often, discussions sparked by films became more frequent between the two of them.
"Speaking of Edward Norton, his performance in Primal Fear was probably the most striking, right?"
"That was definitely his breakout role, but I personally like his acting in Fight Club more… Oh, didn't he also do a Woody Allen film? Which one was it again?"
"Everyone Says I Love You, maybe? Though as far as Woody Allen goes, I prefer Deconstructing Harry and The Purple Rose of Cairo…"
Conversations like these were far from rare between them. Occasionally, Narumi would be quietly surprised at just how extensive Yukino's movie knowledge was—she didn't really seem like the type who would spend much time watching films. If anything, she looked more like she'd grow into a full-blown bookworm.
But then again, having inherited the trait [Fever-Level Movie Enthusiast] from the first simulation, Narumi wasn't put off by these topics at all. If anything, finding a fellow fan he could actually talk to made him feel a little giddy and relieved.
After all, as long as it wasn't for the sake of showing off, no one could resist passionately discussing the things they truly loved with someone like-minded.
Still, even Yukino—whose overlap in interests with Narumi was remarkably high—had moments where she struggled to keep up.
"Queen really is amazing… you could honestly call them the greatest…!"
Walking out of the theater alongside Narumi and Bocchi, Yukino held the Bohemian Rhapsody ticket stub in her hand, looking somewhat bewildered as she watched the two beside her, both visibly fired up.
She didn't know much about rock music. While she'd heard of some hugely famous bands, most of those names were from the '70s, '80s, or '90s. In this era where rock felt half-alive at best, it was rare to even hear their songs anymore.
"Yeah, you could totally say it's the greatest music biopic ever. I mean, band-wise I lean more toward Nirvana or Oasis, but there's no denying Queen's uniqueness is on another level!"
So… what exactly were they talking about? To be honest, even Yukinoshita was a bit lost.
The curly-haired boy—who usually only showed that 'it's so hard to find someone who understands' kind of excitement in front of her—was now enthusiastically sharing half-understood details with the pink-haired girl, pouring out his genuine feelings.
That strange sensation—'Maybe I'm not that special to him after all'—slowly spread through her chest, taking root and seeping into a faint, bittersweet ache.
What kind of feeling was this, exactly…?
Yukinoshita Yukino turned her delicate, fair face slightly aside, tactfully choosing to remain silent next to the two who were still riding their excitement.
"But speaking of biopics—this wasn't the first one I've seen."
Just as Yukino was about to sink into her thoughts without saying a word, careful not to disrupt the harmonious conversation between Narumi and Bocchi—
The boy's gentle laugh pulled her back from that emotional low.
"Buchō, you remember, right? The Social Network and A Beautiful Mind—the ones you recommended to me. I went back and watched both. Those count as biopics too, don't they?"
Is he… deliberately tossing the topic back to me?
Yukino froze for just a moment, then nodded in response under Narumi's smiling gaze and Bocchi's curious eyes.
"…Yes, that's right. And the Catch Me If You Can you mentioned before—I watched that too. That should count as a biopic as well."
He must have seen straight through why she'd been so distracted.
How unfair. All of her emotions were laid bare in front of him, yet she found herself unable to reach his true feelings.
He always wore that faint, easy smile, using light, effortless words to brush away her worries—never exposing a single weakness or soft spot in return.
A sly person.
And yet, at the same time—the first one she wanted to rely on, to seek help from.
There was no denying it: to Yukinoshita Yukino, Narumi Tōru really was like a calming anchor.
"Koumi-senpai and Yukinoshita-senpai have seen so many movies… t-that's amazing…"
Bocchi liked to hide her true thoughts, but she was a terrible liar. The admiration she showed now was completely genuine.
And being naturally sensitive to interpersonal dynamics, she'd also noticed how Narumi had casually pulled Yukinoshita back into the conversation earlier. Sharing this moment with others did make Bocchi feel a little down—but that quiet, unobtrusive kindness of his only made her like him more.
Being able to take care of everyone's feelings without making things awkward… Koumi-senpai is basically an angel…!
So Bocchi readily accepted the fact that of course angels are popular, and felt that it only made sense.
"It's not like we make movies—we just watch them. Nothing that impressive. If there's any kind of movie you want to see, Bocchi-chan, just tell me the genre and I can recommend some."
Narumi waved it off with a smile, effortlessly using the same topic to link the two people who otherwise had nothing in common into a single conversation.
"But if you want a true hardcore fan, you should ask the President over here. If you're interested, she can make you a very long watchlist."
"You don't need to describe me like some pretentious film snob who brags about obscure movies."
"You know that's not what I meant~"
"…Well, if Narumi-kun wanted to show off, I doubt I could compete anyway."
Yukinoshita Yukino swallowed the words that nearly slipped out—
After all, I only started watching movies because of you.
In a setting like this, baring her heart would only feel heavy and out of place.
"So then, Miss Gotō, what were you planning to buy that brought you here today?"
After lightly organizing her emotions, the black-haired girl steered the conversation back on track. The usually cool Yukinoshita offered Bocchi—a friend of Narumi's—a gentle smile, the kind that only appeared once the ice had melted.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to offer some suggestions as well."
She didn't waste Narumi's consideration, showing Bocchi a rare warmth and initiative instead.