The crowd formed groups, each standing in front of the cooking stations, chatting and laughing in pairs or groups of three. It was lively and noisy. Among them, Satoru noticed Mirai, who was sitting in the corner. She looked up at him, a hint of joy on her face, but quickly lowered her head when others followed his gaze and looked at her.
Satoru took out his phone and sent an email to the informant he had found. He trusted this informant because she was a yuri fan and at the same time she had a strong interest in male-male romance, she was really pure in those fields. Although Wataru was confident that he could easily win her over if he wanted to, she already had a girlfriend, so it's better not to do such things.
[Miura-san is absent from school due to illness] is the reply he received.
Satoru looked towards Mirai, who was still sitting alone in the corner. Everyone else had formed their groups and stood in front of the cooking stations, but she remained isolated, like a forsaken creature.
[Don't act impulsively, Yagami-kun. You might be able to invite her to your group now, but it will only make her feel more excluded]
The informant's message was concise and to the point, causing Satoru to furrow his brow and clench his fist.
She had already tried her best, and there are also barriers between classes... Satoru sighed.
The implication was for him to leave it alone, as it would create trouble for Miura Saya's work. It made sense, but the laughter in the classroom was pleasant, and the noise carried the taste of youth. Only Mirai sat there with her head down, meticulously twirling the folds of her skirt, savoring the sense of abandonment and sadness.
[Why don't you give it a try?]
Satoru tried to convince the informant to give it a shot. The reply he received was a string of ellipses.
Satoru looked over, and their eyes met. She had already started trying, with LINE's recording function activated, converting audio to text.
"So, Miura-san is absent today... Looks like nobody is taking care of her tasks. I think we should let Mirai join our group." she said, exchanging a few pleasantries before getting to the point.
"I'll take care of her work since I don't want to see her... Also, don't mention her, it ruins the mood!"
Someone chimed in, "Yeah, I almost thought she was some rich girl from a prestigious family, so arrogant..." Others agreed.
The informant shrugged her shoulders, expressing helplessness.
Satoru sighed and put away his phone, realizing that his idea of letting informant to help had been shattered.
[Righteous and Resolute]
"We don't mind having one more person in our group, right? Miyano-san seems to be left alone." Satoru said to his groupmates with a smile.
The warm sunlight poured in through the window, casting a radiant glow on him. Some of his classmates gazed at him with infatuation. After a brief "Hmm" sound, they nodded repeatedly in agreement, adding a few compliments like "Yagami-kun is really gentle".
Satoru walked towards Mirai, the sunlight shining brightly on his shoulders. Mirai looked up at him, biting her lip tightly, her eyes gleaming with watery ripples, her tender emotions on the verge of overflowing, she quickly nodded and followed him back.
"Let's start the class." the teacher called out, casting a glance at them, putting an end to the noise and the gazes directed their way. "Today, I'll teach you how to cook a classic dish - Omurice...!!"
The teacher explained the steps in a detailed manner, saying, "After everyone takes notes of the steps, divide yourselves into groups and start. If you have any questions, raise your hand and call me." He then turned off his own PowerPoint presentation and sat down.
The classroom became lively again.
"Today, why don't I take the lead? I've tried each of your's dishes several times, so it's about time you all tasted my cooking." Satoru volunteered with a smile, rolling up his sleeves. Seeing their hesitant looks, he added, "Don't worry, I'm actually decent at cooking. I prepare my own bento every day."
They shook their heads in response, explaining that they weren't doubting him but rather expressing some concern about him.
Afterwards, Satoru took on the task of being the head chef alone. After a round of intricate procedures, he couldn't help but feel exhausted. However, he knew he had to treat his groupmates well. They weren't fools, and it was a risky move to hastily let Mirai join their group. It would be best if they could all get through this public class peacefully. If they started to dislike Mirai as well, it would be more trouble than it was worth.
Exclusion of a person initially starts from a small group, then spreads to a class, and ultimately affects an entire grade. When even regular individuals feel that interacting with her would bring more trouble than it's worth, the situation becomes deeply ingrained and difficult to salvage.