The fourth period ended, and thus came lunch break. I started to pack up my stuff and get out my lunch box. Since I don't really eat that much in lunch break now, I asked my sister to just make me a toast with the usual omelette rice.
There was a rather unusual occurrence happened today. Earlier in the morning assembly, Kentarou suddenly declared that he was joining the literature club since he suddenly found a passion for writing. Well, not that I blame him. He's pretty much an otaku, so he can easily write stuff that goes on his head. I'll assume he's already read some light novels to know how to write one.
In just thirty seconds, Ayase Shimamura was already at the entrance of the classroom. Yep, that's a record time.
When the girl in front me left her desk, and she's actually been doing this whenever she saw Shimamura-san, Shimamura-san sat in that chair and faced me.
"So, got my lunch?"
Yeah, she's got the nerves for even asking for someone else's lunch. But I'm gonna be honest, I respect that. She did beat Nao Aoyama, after all.
"Yep, right here. But first, you already know the drill."
"Yeah, yeah, get it over with."
I pushed the lunch box into the other side of my desk. Then, I placed my hand on top of her head and started patting her.
Ever since the first time I patted her, she's been gradually improving on controlling her face. She was really embarrassed for the first time. Well, this is the third time I'm patting her, so she can now hide her expression pretty well. There's just a little tint of red in her cheeks and too much red on her ears.
I pulled my hand out of her head.
"...Thanks," I said.
She unwrapped the lunch box and first saw the toast that I requested my sister to add on my menu of lunch. Oh crap, I forgot to get that.
"Oh, sorry, can you—"
But she muttered something completely out of my comprehensibility.
"So you added toast to my lunch, huh..."
After that, the curves on her cheeks raised up a bit. Ahh, I wanna hug her. I can't, though. Permission shall be needed to proceed.
Well, jokes aside, she really did look cute. It might not be the same as the wide smile that Senpai-san gave me yesterday, but it could pretty much rival it to some extent.
I can't control myself to these types of girls, so all I could do was just stay silent and let her have my toast. I think I'll just buy a sweet bread on the way to the convenience store tomorrow... Wait, tomorrow's a weekend, and I'm not in any clubs.
She munched on my toast, letting the crumbs fall inside the lunch box. She put aside the toast half-eaten, picked up the little spoon inside, took a spoonful of rice and started eating it.
I'm seriously watching a girl eat my lunch. Feels like a crime, to be honest. No, it is a crime, so many people are staring at me.
Come to think of it, I didn't receive any text from Senpai-san. She said she'd always text me if she's not busy during lunch break, but I didn't receive anything from her. Well, she must be busy, so I'll just leave her be—
Just when I thought of that, my eyes were suddenly covered by two soft hands.
"Gueeeess who?" said a cheery little voice of a girl.
Of course, I only knew two girls, and one was eating my lunch. This was definitely Senpai-san. But I'll go along with her play.
"Kentarou?"
"Nope!~"
"...Mom?"
"Ehh, so I even look that old?"
Hey, you haven't seen my mother yet. She's an angel—no, she's a goddess. All hail my mother—
"Just kidding, just kidding. You can let go of me now, Senpai-san."
She let out a chuckle, and then suddenly wrapped her hands around me. Hey, hey, hey, you're a person widely known in this school! I might die not just from glances they keep shooting at me!
"Who's this girl?" she asked before unwrapping her hands out of my body.
"Uhh, Aya—"
"Ayase Shimamura. I'll assume you're a senpai?"
Senpai-san went quiet for a bit, before giving Shimamura-san a smirk. And let me tell you, it was a mischievous one at that.
"So you're the one who beat Nao-chan, huh? For a first-year, I'm quite impressed."
Senpai-san looks scary right now. I feel like that face could rival the day I first met Ayase Shimamura. Not the embarrassed one, the pissed one.
But wait, Senpai-san knew her? Well, I guess. She's one of the Three Deadly Beauties, and I guess some sort of news would spread if one of her, ahem, "species" suddenly got beaten.
"...Senpai, I've introduced myself. I think it's common sense to introduce yourself now."
Wow, Shimamura-san was not letting her face intimidate her. Actually, she was trying to rival that face. It feels like sparks are coming from the intense glares these two girls are doing.
Senpai-san reached out a hand. It seems that she wants to have a, uh, "friendly" handshake.
"My name is Ayane Matsumoto. Nice to meet you, Shimamura-san."
Of course, Shimamura-san took her hand and started to shake it. Well, at least they were shaking it. These two hands were shaking from the intense pressure put in them. Are they trying to crush each other?
Finally, they both separated, and Senpai-san started to go back to her usual cheerful self whenever she's around me.
"So, Kouhai-kun, aren't you eating anything?"
That's the damn question I did not not want to be friggin' asked.
"Well, I did bring a lunch box, but Shimamura-san is eating it right now."
...Ah, crap, I should not have said that. Senpai-san was now visibly angry. Wait, why is she even getting angry? Senpai-san and I are just friends. Well, from the time we spent together, I think we're more than just friends... Best friends?
She forced a smile and then faced me.
"How about I treat you with something, then? Maybe this annoying woman is inconveniencing you every lunch break, right?"
Well, that was certainly true—get a hold of yourself, Yuuji.
But getting to eat lunch again might sound nice. I've just been giving Shimamura-san lunch for the past three days, and I'm kinda starving here.
"I guess... But can your pocket even have enough for two people to have lunch everyday?"
She puffed her chest out proudly.
"Don't underestimate a novelist's salary!"
Right. I forgot she's an author.
I glanced at Shimamura-san, and it just seems like she was just enjoying my lunch while she stared at us blankly. If not for her, I would feel like dying of embarrassment right now because of my classmates.
Senpai-san suddenly pulled my hand and led me out the door.
"Come on, come on!"
"Ah, fine, but please don't pull me. You're attracting too much attention."
The last thing I want to be right now is being famous. Not just that, but in a bad way as well. I feel like I'd set a bad example to my children in the future if I told them this...
Outside the classroom, Senpai-san led me to the cafeteria, where there were more students in there.
Wait, isn't that pretty bad? I've already bear with the people in my class, but if we're to go in a public place... No, that's not just "pretty" bad, it is definitely bad!
I panicked, trying to stop Senpai-san.
"Can we not go to the cafeteria, please?!" I shouted.
"Ehh? Why not?"
Craaap! She was tugging my arms is her chest! That's definitely bad! There's already people from the other classes staring, so I need to stop this!
***
Yuuji Akamatsu, here. I've been taken to the cafeteria, and now I'm genuinely going to die(not really).
But fortunately, the cafeteria was crowded with tons of people, so I was kind of safe. There were still people throwing glances at us, but I think we're all good. Plus, Senpai-san was shorter than me, so I guess I kinda his her in the background very well.
After getting a full meal set, Senpai-san started to lead me to an empty table. Unfortunately, it seemed that every single spot has been taken, which means we have no where to sit.
"Hmm...," Senpai-san mumbled. "It seems like everything spot is taken... We can go to the bathroom, but that'll be too stupid..."
Wait, Senpai-san? What's going on in your head right now? No normal person just suggest the opposite sex that we go to a bathroom, let alone eat in there.
"Hey, Kouhai-kun. Your face is looking at me with disgust."
Ah, must've done it unconsciously.
"Sorry. Why would you even suggest that, though?"
"I don't have much friends here because of my attitude whenever I'm directing, so I always go there since I'm always alone. You could say embarrassed of being a loner."
Being a loner isn't such a bad thing, if you're used to it.
"But being a loner isn't such a a bad thing once you get used to it."
...She read my mind.
"Well," I started. "I know a good place where we can go and have lunch. The location is pretty desolated, as well, which is perfect for loners like us."
Though I hate to admit it.
"Wait, Kouhai-kun, you're a loner?"
"You just figured that out?"
"Well, with all your 'comfy' stuff and all, I thought you'd get swarmed with tons of friends. Like that girl earlier. She seemed pretty cute, so I thought you had just as much friends as the beauty scale of that girl."
The girls have beauty scales, great. I'm a boy, so do I have a loner scale?
We started walking in the building that I had mentioned and was really desolate. So desolate that you probably wouldn't find any sould in there except the constant molecules that flew around and about in the air.
"...Wait, girls have beauty scales?"
"Isn't it too late to ask that?" Senpai-san giggled, and started with her explanation. (P.S. This is a personal opinion)
"Girls have beauty scales that range from zero to a hundred. Depending on how cute that girl is, her ability to do something, her friendliness with anyone, her attitude and behavior, it can all add up to a beauty scale of a girl."
"I see. So what's Ayase Shimamura's beauty scale?"
"Hmm... Her ability to beat Nao-chan was impressive, and although I haven't seen her grades, it must be above average as well, and her athletic ability should just be as impressive... Plus, her short figure and her cute little face is also another add up. So, I'd say her beauty scale is just 42."
Wow, I could've had 42 friends? Way too impressive.
"But wait, why is it so low, despite those many good points about her?" I asked. Not because I wanted it to increase, since the number of my friends would increase as well. Well, not like I had any to begin with.
"Her attitude, her inability to make friends, though I'm not sure about that, and her behavior towards you. Those are some subtractions that could've made her beauty scale much more higher. It could reach to the point of a hundred, actually."
I got added to the equation.
We reached our destination, which was the very corner of the first floor, and entered the empty classroom in the farthest corner.
"Wow, it really is desolate," said Senpai-san with her eyes widened.
There was only a single chair with a desk in the middle of the room, which I actually set up there, and the other desks and chairs were just piled up neatly in the back.
I took one chair out of the pile and placed it in the desk in the middle of the room, and offered Senpai-san to sit in it. I sat on the other side of the desk, and we both started eating.
"By the way, what's your beauty scale, Senpai-san?"
"Hmm... About 46, I guess."
"Hey, you're way too cute for even having that low of a scale. Who set that up, I'll punch them in the face."
"Ahaha, don't worry, that's just about the same as that girl's. The only thing that added two points to it was my attitude towards you, and my friends, which is just you."
"You're downgrading yourself way too damn much, Senpai-san... In my eyes, you're a perfect 100."
"Heh, you think so?"
"I know so."
She started to blush a bit at my statement. Eh? Aren't you supposed to be used to these types of compliments by now?
***
I checked the time in my phone, and it looks like we finished eating way too early. Like, just five minutes.
"Ahh! I'm full!" said Senpai-san as she stretched her arms wide in the air.
We took the trays back to the cafeteria. Thankfully, the crowds were still there. Wow, we really did finish eating quickly.
"Well, I guess this is where we part."
"Yep. See you next week?"
"You're not in any clubs, Kouhai-kun?"
She must've thought of that, since I didn't say "see you tomorrow." Clubs do tend to still run even on weekends.
"Just one. Go Straight Home club."
A club where I can go to my house to perform my usual club activities: go home and play games, completely forgetting about my homework everytime.
"To be honest, joining clubs sounds like an absolute pain for me. I may be enjoying my school life, but I still want some time to be kept for myself."
"Spoken by a true loner, huh?"
Senpai-san chuckled at that statement.
"Well, goodbye now! I still need to check up in the club."
We both started heading our opposite ways. She headed towards the stairs and into the third-year's floor, which was where the clubrooms were too. Of course, I walked towards the stairs as well, since we were both in the first floor.
Well, this was awkward. We were about to go out separate ways, yet we were going in the same direction. Whatever, once we go out separate ways, we go our separate ways.
***
"Senpai-san, you said you'd be checking up on your club, right?"
"Yeah?~"
"...So why are you in my seat?"
The current predicament goes as follows: she said she'd go to her club, goes upstairs with me, follows me to my classroom, and then immediately ran towards my desk and sat in my chair.
And not only that, Ayase Shimamura was still in the other seat, still not finished with my lunch. I'd say that she'd just finished about half of it. If it were me eating it, I'd have finished it in less than five minutes. She must've been savoring the flavor a bit more.
"Just wanted to spend time with you for a bit, that's all!" Senpai-san said as she placed her chin on her hand. "Besides, I want to learn more about my fellow junior who beat Nao-chan."
Shimamura-san placed the spoon inside the lunch box, and started speaking with her.
"I really don't think you should waste your time on that, Senpai," she spoke in a rather calm way. "Even if you finish learning more about me, you'd probably already be beaten to a pulp."
Now I'm genuinely worried. So worried that I might just have to call the authorities over this.
"Should you really be saying that to me?"
Senpai-san started staring at my lunch, looking at it rather... seductively? Not sure. Well, she did suddenly snatched it, took a spoonful, and ate it.
"Huh— Hey! That's mine!" Shimamura-san shouted, trying to get the lunch back. She was, however, unsuccessful.
"When did this became yours? I'm pretty sure this is Kouhai-kun's, so I can do anything I want with it!"
Okay, when was I okay with her meddling with my stuff?
"He gave it to me, giving me authority over it! In other words, it's now mine!"
Senpai-san started looking at me, sulking.
"Is that true, Kouhai-kun?"
"Well, yeah. Since I gave it to her, it's now hers. Unless she picks someone to have it, she has full control over that. It's not like I can take it back from her."
"Hmm..."
Senpai-san contemplated for a bit, and nodded as if she had just gotten a wonderful idea pop into her head. All I hope is that isn't isn't a stupid one, but knowing her, she's too mature for that.
She started handing the lunch back to Shimamura-san.
"Ugh, fina—"
But she pulled away, took another spoonful, and shoved it into my mouth. Crap, I forgot she completely forgets her maturity whenever she's around me.
Since it was already in my mouth, common sense would probably stop me from spitting it out, so I did the most reasonable thing I could do, and munched on it. After finishing it, Senpai-san pulled the spoon away from me.
She placed the spoon back in the lunch box, and handed it over to Shimamura-san. Well, at least now, the situation was finally resolved. I just needed to take a bite, is all that Senpai-san is saying so she'd give it back.
"..."
Huh. Shimamura-san stayed silent. Didn't she want my lunch? Senpai-san is already handing it to her, but she isn't really grabbing it away from her.
"What's wrong, Kouhai-chan?" asked Senpai-san rather mockingly. "I thought you wanted this?"
Reluctantly, Shimamura-san started grabbing it. After that, she made her way out of this classroom. After she was out of sight, Senpai-san let out a satisfied nod.
"Uh, Senpai-san, that was my lunch box..."
"Yeah, what about it? You said you gave it to her, so it's her's now, right?"
"Well, yeah, but she still needs to give me the empty lunch box..."