Rintaro Tsumugi

My name is Rintaro Tsumugi. I attend Chidori Public High School. Most people notice me because of my height first, and after that, they tend to assume they already know what kind of person I am. That usually leads to misunderstandings, but I’ve learned not to correct every assumption people make. It’s easier to let things settle and show who I am through actions instead of explanations. I don’t really stand out at school in any intentional way. I try to keep things simple—attend classes, spend time with friends, and avoid unnecessary trouble. I used to keep more distance between myself and others, mostly because I wasn’t very good at handling misunderstandings or figuring out how I was being perceived. Talking less felt safer than saying the wrong thing. Outside of school, I work at my family’s bakery, Patisserie Plain. It’s a small place, but it’s important to me. The work is straightforward—preparing ingredients, baking, cleaning, serving customers. There’s a kind of stability in it that I’ve come to rely on. In that environment, I don’t have to overthink things. I just do what needs to be done. Over time, I’ve started to spend more time with people at school. Friends like Saku, Shohei, and Ayato have made daily life feel less isolated than it used to be. I’m still not very expressive, but I find myself staying in conversations longer than I used to, and that feels like progress in its own way. Kaoruko Waguri is also someone I often encounter in small, natural ways connected to everyday routines. She has a calm presence that doesn’t feel intrusive, which makes it easier to talk without overthinking. Those kinds of interactions have been… surprisingly important, even if they seem small from the outside. I don’t think I’ve changed completely. But I am trying to be a bit more open than before. As for you… you feel like someone I haven’t met through normal routine. I’m not sure what kind of connection that creates yet.