I couldn't seem to remember the last time I had a hug.
It's a nice feeling, I wanted to get lost in the moment. But I can't. I don't feel anything towards her that makes me want her hug. It's a bit awkward as well.
Yet, I decided to not pull away from the hug because one thing was clear for me.
She needed that hug.
After several seconds, she released me, her smile brighter than ever.
"I look forward to it, Rio-kun!"
"Same here. Can't wait to catch that creep together, Tser- no, Lilia!"
"Well then." she said as she sat down on a bench, patting the seat next to her.
I sat beside her as she pulled out some items from her backpack. It was 3 food containers and a tea bottle.
"Isn't that more than yesterday's lunch?" I asked.
"Yes, indeed. I cooked extra today to share with you. I even brought extra chopsticks."
"That's nice of you. But wouldn't it be a waste if I had decided differently?"
"No. I would've given you the food all the same. You're the reason that a rumor spread, and you're going to stop it."
"What rumor?" I was confused.
"You don't know?" She wondered. "You really don't?"
"Yeah, I have no idea." Though, I had guessed it's the work of Naoto.
"You'll find out later in class. Lunch break is about to be over, so let's dig in."
She removed the lid of the first container. It was a bento box.
In the middle there was rice shaped like a teddy bear, it was holding a heart formed using two slices of egg roll and it's eyes and mouth were mad of seaweed.
The teddy bear was surrounded by various foods. on the left of it, there was 4 squid shaped sausages, above it 2 pieces of cherry tomatoes and some lightly cooked carrot, spinach and cucumber underneath it a lettuce blanket.
On the other side, there was teriyaki salmon under it some roasted potatoes and above it 4 red apple slices.
Then she opened the second lunchbox, this one was divided into three sections.
The largest section had yakisoba. one of the smaller sections contained both 2 pieces of tempura and 6 pieces of karaage, while the other had some kind of salad I'm not familiar with.
Pointing to the salad, I asked "What's that?"
"That's kani salad."
"Kani salad? isn't crab meat expensive?"
"I had some leftover in the freezer, so I decided to use it."
"That makes sense."
"Now, let's start eating."
"What about the third container?"
"It's dessert, so it's after the food." She replied as she picked up a chunk of kani salad with her chopsticks and brought it toward my mouth "Here, try it out."
"T-thank you." I hesitated briefly before eating it. The creaminess provided by the dressing combined with the crunch of the vegtables was pleasant, and the flavor was sweet and umami with a hint of tanginess. "It's delicious!"
"Glad to hear that!" She smiled as she picked up a different pair of chopsticks in her left hand and picked with each pair half of the egg roll heart. "Let's feed each other!" She smiled and handed me the pair on her left hand.
I hesitated for a second, but when she moved her half of the egg roll near my mouth, I did the same.
Click click click
We ate the egg roll at the same time, and clicking noises were heard. People had started taking photos of us from afar.
"I can't wait to see which tabloid will the gossip about us be spread in." I said playfully.
She started giggling. "I don't know, which one you thinking?"
"The Yomiuri Shimbun!" I smirked.
"That's a newspaper, silly."
We laughed a bit then exchanged chopsticks and went back to our meal. We finished the food and drank some of the tea she brought. I also gave her my lunch, even though it was a store bought sandwich I felt bad not giving her anything in return.
There was now 2 minutes left until lunch time is over.
"Here, take this." she handed me the container with the dessert in it "Take some of it and share the rest with other people."
I opened it to reveal what looked like a foreign dessert. "What's this?"
"It's baklava, a Turkish dessert."
"Did you make it?"
"Of course! Everything you just ate was made by me!"
"You're an amazing cook! Won't you have a piece?"
"No, I have more at home. I'll head to class first, there are people who want to talk to you before you go."
Lilia left, and 3 boys with 1 girl approached me.
There was a fat nerdy guy which I seemed to recognize. If I'm not mistaken he is president of the robotics club. He had brown short hair and glasses covering his black eyes, he's around the same height as me.
He invited me to be a member of his club once. Though I don't really remember his name, he's a nice guy.
The girl was someone I knew a bit better. Red hair that's in a butterfly haircut, ocean blue eyes and around the same height as me. She held a book in her hand's didn't make eye contact since she's a bit shy.
Her name is Mayoi Kanzaki, she's a member of the literature club and a friend of my sister. I don't talk to her a lot due to her nature.
The second guy... I had no idea who he was. However, he looked like a complete delinquent. Blond long hair, brown eyes with a slit on his right eyebrow, he's taller than me, his face was handsome but at the same time kind of scary and there was a scar on his left cheek.
I don't think I want to get involved in anything with him.
Lastly there is a guy with black Korean mullet haircut, obsidian black eyes and handsome features, he wasn't as tall as the delinquent but still taller than me.
I knew this guy, he's not only the general affairs officer of the student council. He's also my friend Naoto Usami.
This group of people looked more suited for an RPG setting rather than school.
I spoke first "Hello, is something the matter?"
"Do you feel anything? does your stomach hurt?" the nerdy guy asked.
"Huh?" I was confused.
"Ya know, Word is ya chick's such a terrible cook she landed your ass in the hospital. That for real?" the delinquent guy said.
"It-It's j-just a ru-rumor spread by N-Naoto" Mayoi stuttered, I think she's scared of the delinquent dude.
"Naoto you what?!" I yelled out.
"Hey dude look you went to the nurse office after lunch so I assumed that's the case."
"No, no, that's not the case, it was my food that had gone bad I swear."
I can't believe Naoto spread a rumor like that because I asked him to keep rumors about break up from spreading. That explains what Lilia sent me yesterday. Now I have to dismiss the rumor.
They looked at me differently, the nerdy guy was skeptical, Mayoi understanding, the delinquent was respecting me and Naoto was sorry.
I guessed nothing I say would make them believe me so I decided to act.
"Look Lilia gave me this." I showed them the baklava "She made it at home as a gift for me, you guys can have some and judge on your own."
"Wait for real? Thanks." Naoto was the first to take a piece. Good, he understood his role.
"Don't mind if I do then." the nerdy guy took a piece as well.
"Ya better not land me in hospital, pal" blondy took a piece as well.
Mayoi wasn't going to take one so I moved the container closer to her. "Don't be shy, there is enough for all of us."
She nodded and took a piece. "T-Thank you."
They all took a bite of their piece at the same time.
"Dude, that's crazy good!" Naoto said.
"It taste's authentic, did she really make it?" the nerdy guy asked.
"Yes, she really did."
"It's yummy..." Mayoi was enjoying hers.
"Yeah, it's not bad." the delinquent scoffed.
"Well, now that proves the rumor wrong. Now let's go to our classes we're late"
We went our separate ways after that, I also scolded Naoto on the way to class and asked him to remind me of the fat guy's name.
Sooner than later class hours were over, and the rumor about Lilia's bad cooking had died down.
"Hey Rio, you free dude? since school is over let's hang out a bit!" Naoto asked me.
"Yeah I'm free."
"Cool!"