The rooftop door swung open once more.
Hachiman raised his head and saw a figure standing in the doorway, with long black hair swaying gently in the breeze.
The figure walked toward him, and the black stockings on her legs reflected a dazzling glint in the sunlight.
Seeing this silhouette, Hachiman raised an eyebrow.
What's this? An extra meal for me?
But I'm not the kind of a guy who can eat three bowls of rice.
He was a man who valued tangible items.
While black stockings were nice, he couldn't touch or taste them, so what good were they for a meal?
"Ara~, isn't this Hikigaya-kun? Good afternoon; we meet again." A slightly coquettish voice sounded out, and the person approaching was Kasumigaoka Utaha.
"Yes, good afternoon, Kasumigaoka-senpai," Hachiman greeted with a smile as he watched Utaha approach, holding only two cartons of milk in her hands.
"May I join you?"
"Of course, please, take a seat."
The bench had plenty of space left, and Hachiman wasn't one to hog it all for himself.
As she sat down and noticed that he had two lunchboxes in his hands, Utaha couldn't help but feel curious.
"Hikigaya-kun, did you bring one lunch for yourself and receive another from a girl?"
Hachiman held two bento boxes in his hand, one of which was pink, clearly a bento made for a girl. That's why Utaha had this thought.
She didn't find it surprising that someone would give Hachiman lunch.
Utaha was well aware of Hachiman's capabilities, especially since he had helped her with her writing.
She had struggled for a while, but with his guidance, she quickly improved. Considering his decent academic performance, along with his somewhat handsome appearance, it made sense that he would be popular in class.
Although his eyes were a bit unusual, she didn't think it was a big deal. Good grades, combined with some charm, usually made someone well-liked in a class, and receiving lunches from girls was understandable.
After swallowing a bite of food, Hachiman smiled and explained, "You guessed wrong, Kasumigaoka-senpai. I don't usually bring my own lunch. Both of these lunches were given to me by my friends."
"Oh, I see." Her tone carried a hint of annoyance upon hearing his explanation.
"Tsk, it seems Hikigaya-kun has turned into a two-timer now."
"Uh..."
Faced with her sudden sarcasm, Hachiman nearly choked.
"Kasumigaoka-senpai, you're really misunderstanding. I'm just friends with them. How did I become a two-timer?"
"So, were these lunches really from two girls?"
Utaha pounded her tongue, her face turning somewhat unpleasant, even her two beautiful black-stockinged legs started trembling.
Seeing her darkening expression, Hachiman cautiously spoke, "I noticed you didn't have lunch. If you don't mind, would you like to have some?"
"Tsk, Hikigaya-kun, are you trying to take advantage of me? You really are a scoundrel."
"I'm just worried you might be hungry, and I can't finish both bentos anyway," Hachiman said, adding a touch of feigned concern to his expression, as if he were genuinely worried.
Seeing his genuinely concerned expression, Utaha's demeanor softened.
The girl's nature wasn't bad, her previous sarcasm was just because she was unhappy hearing that two girls had given Hachiman bentos.
She indeed hadn't had lunch, feeling her stomach's condition; Utaha sincerely said, "Since you said that, Hikigaya-kun, I'll have a bit."
Hachiman handed over a rice ball from Kotonoha's bento to Utaha.
Taking a bite, Utaha found the rice had a perfect balance of softness and firmness, complemented by the savory nori seaweed. It eased her slightly growling stomach, making her squint her eyes in comfort.
Seeing her reaction, Hachiman smiled. He took the piece of steak he had previously bitten into and placed it in Kotonoha's bento.
Then, he grabbed a pair of unused chopsticks, separated the dishes in both bentos evenly, and handed Kotonoha's bento box to her.
He smiled and said, "If you don't mind, senpai, you can try some of the side dishes too."
Utaha hesitated for a moment but couldn't resist the temptation of delicious food. She accepted the bento and chopsticks.
However, after some thought, she handed over one of her milk cartons to Hachiman.
"Consider it a thank-you gift for Hikigaya-kun's bento."
"Thank you, Kasumigaoka-senpai."
Hachiman accepted the milk carton and thanked her.
For the rest of the time, the two of them remained somewhat silent, solely focused on enjoying their meal.
It was the time when cherry blossoms were beginning to wither, and the fallen petals were lifted by the wind, dancing through the air, filling it with a faint floral fragrance.
A gentle breeze passed by, causing Utaha's long hair to sway slightly.
Due to their proximity, some of her flowing hair landed on Hachiman's side. However, he paid no mind to it and continued eating his bento.
After finishing his meal, Utaha still had some bento left, but she was almost done.
Handing the bento box back to Hachiman, Utaha thanked him, saying, "I'm done eating. Thank you for your hospitality today, Hikigaya-kun."
"It's no problem, and I appreciate the milk from Kasumigaoka-senpai." Hachiman accepted the bento box and smiled.
He planned to return the bento box to Yui first and would give Kotonoha's during kendo practice.
With his decision made, Hachiman intended to take his leave.
However, before he could say anything, Utaha spoke again, "Also, please remember to thank the two girls who made bento for Hikigaya-kun. The food was delicious."
Hmm, this statement sounds a bit strange.
Hearing Utaha's words, Hachiman felt somewhat uncomfortable.
It seemed odd to him that he would bring bento made by two girls specifically for him and thank another girl for it.
However, he didn't dwell on it and decided to take his leave, saying, "Since lunch is over, I'll be on my way."
"Sure, see you, Hikigaya-kun."
Utaha nodded, showing no intention of stopping him.
"Goodbye, Kasumigaoka-senpai." He nodded to her and turned to leave the rooftop.
As she watched him disappear from the rooftop, Utaha looked up at the sky. The midday sun was a bit bright, making her squint.
A gentle spring breeze blew, causing the girl's black long hair to sway in the wind. Combined with the cherry blossoms fluttering in the air, it created a picturesque scene.
However, this picturesque scene remained unappreciated by anyone at that moment.
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Chapter 065: The Harmonious Relationship Between Two Women
Chapter 066: Learning the Busujima Sword Technique