Chapter 23

Ignoring the various idle gossip that reached my ears, I passed through the school gate and changed into my indoor shoes at the entrance, where I parted ways with Asaki.

First-year students are on the first floor, second-year students on the second floor, and third-year students on the third floor… as you move up in grade, the number of stairs you have to climb increases.

But having never spent time on the first floor, I feel a bit cheated… wait? Come to think of it, neither Daiki nor I have earned first-year high school credits, but we’re starting as second-years!?

Thinking about it, it’s definitely strange, but because it’s Asaki’s doing, I didn’t question it much. Maybe I’ve been quite influenced by her.

That said, it’s too late to say we should start over as first-years, so I’ll just have to hang in there and keep up with the classes… No wonder there were so many things I didn’t understand…

I sigh as I climb the stairs. As soon as I entered 2nd year, class 1, I could feel the stares from the entire class piercing me. I’m sensitive to gazes…

The reason, needless to say, is undoubtedly the presence of my childhood friend next to me.

Having never been in the spotlight much in my life, I was already getting tired of the piercing curious stares, as well as the jealous and envious ones, that had been directed at me since yesterday.

For now, since there was no real harm, I decided to ignore it, but I was impressed that Natsu and Daiki could remain unfazed despite always being subjected to such stares.

As for those two, Natsu was talking with her usual friends, and Daiki was surrounded by female students as always.

Once I was separated from Natsu, I felt the stares finally leave me, as if they had no interest in me personally. But perhaps due to mental fatigue, I found myself laying my head on the desk as soon as I sat down.

They say rumors last only seventy-five days, but even so, the thought of having seventy-five more days of this was extremely tiresome.

And the peace I felt was short-lived, as during every break, Hikari or Asaki would come to visit, drawing more stares, then Natsu would join the conversation, increasing the stares again… It became a routine of attracting the class’s attention, which by now was almost endearing. Though there’s nothing endearing about it, but I have to think that way to get through it.

Having survived such a morning, I thought of inviting Daiki to the cafeteria for lunch.

「Oi, Daiki, going to the cafeteria today?」

「Ahh, sorry Shougo. I have a bento today.」

He showed me his wrapped lunch.

「That’s rare. Isn’t this the first time you bring a bento?」

「Well, since coming to this academy, yeah.」

Which means it wasn’t uncommon for him to have a bento during middle school.

Come to think of it, we four haven’t talked much about our families, and I hadn’t heard that Daiki didn’t have parents, so of course, if he has a mother, she might make him a bento. I was convinced by myself.

As for me, last week I made my own bento (stir-fried vegetables) and brought it, but yesterday I tried using the school cafeteria for the first time.

Being for students, the portions were large for the price, and perhaps because it’s a private school, the taste was better than I expected, so I thought I’d use the cafeteria more often from now on.

Though Hikari and Asaki were not happy about it…

「Shou-nii─, let’s eat bento together─!!」

As if reading my thoughts, Hikari arrived. It seems Asaki is with her too.

「Sorry, I’m going to the cafeteria today too.」

「Eh─? Shou-nii, you went to the cafeteria yesterday too!!」

「Hikari-san, it’s okay.」

Asaki reassures Hikari. What does she mean by it’s okay?

「Shou-chan, let’s all eat bento together?」

Natsu comes over too, but I don’t have a bento today, so I’m going to the cafeteria…

「Look, I made a bento for Shou-chan too.」

──It seems I no longer have a reason to go.

Asaki, you knew about this, didn’t you?

「What!? A handmade bento by Nanami-san!?」

Gata!! I could see excited male students standing up all around.

Natsu… I’m happy, but I wish you had brought out that bento (bomb) a bit more discreetly…

「Oh, Shougo has a bento too. Then let’s all eat together.」

「Everyone, bento─ bento─!!」

Saying that, Daiki moves his desk closer to mine.

Without me saying anything, Hikari pushes my desk to meet Daiki’s and brings an empty chair.

It’s like we’re surrounding my and Daiki’s desks with four people.

「Since you went through the trouble of making it, I’ll gratefully accept… but isn’t it a bit cramped for four people?」

Well, if we spread out to the four sides, it shouldn’t be too much of a concern──

「Onii-chan. I came because Hikari-chan said she was going to eat a bento with Onii-chan.」

「…Isn’t it quite cramped for five people?」

If we squeeze in, it’s not impossible, but it’s quite tight.

「Then if Asaki-chan and I sit on Onii-chan’s lap──」

「Rejected. Rather, if we’re borrowing chairs anyway, why not just borrow a desk too…」

I pulled over someone’s desk whose name I still don’t remember and placed it next to mine and Daiki’s desks. Sorry, Tanaka (temporary) -kun. We’ll try not to make a mess, so please lend us your desk for a bit.

Rather, Hikari, you knew I had injured my leg and still said that, didn’t you? It’s fine now, but that’s pretty mean, you know? That’s exactly what I’m talking about, seriously.

While cursing Hikari inwardly, I unwrap the bento Natsu gave me and open the bento box.

Inside were classic side dishes like tamagoyaki and karaage, along with a small hamburger steak that seemed to have taken some effort, and potato salad.

If she made this in the morning, it must have taken quite some time…

When I looked at Natsu’s bento, it had the same arrangement of side dishes as mine. Although the quantity was larger in mine.

Come to think of it, when I looked at Hina’s bento, it had the same contents as ours. Well, that makes sense, it’s more efficient to make them all together.

「Natsu, didn’t this take quite a bit of time?」

「N-Not really. Look, there are leftovers from last night’s dinner.」

「I don’t think that excuse works no matter how you look at it.」

You ate yakiniku at my place yesterday, didn’t you!? Kaname-kaasan was there too!!

「Uhh, w-well, I’m doing it because I want to.」

「If that’s the case, then fine… But aren’t you overdoing it a bit, preparing breakfast at my place in the morning and then also making a bento?」

「It’s okay, I’m good at waking up early!!」

Is that really the issue? I’m not sure if I’m convinced or not by this reason.

But at this moment, I realized I had misspoken.

「Oi, what did that guy just say!?」

「Nanami-san is going to his house to make breakfast…?」

「So yesterday’s thing was serious after all!?」

…Say whatever you want.

Having given unnecessary information to the outsiders, I resigned myself to enjoying the bento Natsu had made for me.

The tamagoyaki tasted a bit salty, perhaps due to too much soy sauce, but it wasn’t enough to bother me, and the karaage also tasted slightly soy sauce-heavy, but it was delicious enough.

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The hamburger steak felt a bit hard, perhaps overcooked, but it was still tasty. The potato salad had some unmashed potatoes, perhaps due to lack of time, but I liked it that way, it felt like I was eating real potatoes. Wait, why am I giving detailed comments on each item? I’m not some nitpicking mother-in-law.

「How’s the bento? It’s not weird tasting, is it?」

「Yeah, it’s delicious. I feel like the flavor is a bit strong, but it goes well with rice.」

In fact, that’s my honest opinion.

Rather, I’m more surprised that my childhood friend, who I remember being bad at cooking, has improved this much.

「I see, I’m glad.」

Natsu smiles happily. Seeing that expression I hadn’t seen in a long time, I suddenly feel my heart skip a beat.

「By the way, Natsuki-oneechan, you’ve become quite good at cooking, haven’t you?」

「Yeah. Back in middle school, there was no way we could trust her with making a bento.」

「Eh? Natsu-nee was bad at cooking?」

「That’s surprising. I had the impression that Natsu-neesama would be able to handle anything flawlessly…」

Indeed, looking at the current Natsu, it might seem like there’s nothing she’s bad at.

Well, lately it seems like her true colors are starting to show…

「That’s not true. It was common for her to mix up sugar and salt──」

Just as I was about to share an episode of Natsu’s blunders.

「Sorry for interrupting during lunch break. Is Nanami Natsuki-san here?」

With that one voice coming from the classroom entrance, the noisy classroom instantly returned to silence.

Wondering what was going on, I looked towards the voice and saw a female student standing there.

It’s ironic for me to say this, considering I still can’t match faces and names even among my classmates, let alone my grade, but I think it was a face I hadn’t seen much. At least, it’s not a face in my memory.

「Isn’t that the student council president?」

「Eh? Then, Kujou Misaki-senpai?」

「Ahh, the one they call the empress or the ice queen…」

Listening to the whispers around me, it seems the female student who entered the classroom is the student council president.

Judging by the surname Kujou, she might be related to Asaki. Still, I wonder what business she has, coming specifically to see Natsu?

Looking at Natsu and Asaki, Natsu seemed to be wondering why she was being called, while Asaki, as if deliberately feigning indifference, was quietly eating her bento.

「Um, I’m Nanami, do you need something from me?」

「Fuun, so you’re Nanami-san.」

I thought it was quite an attitude for someone who came to visit. Probably not the type I would like much.

「Sorry for interrupting during lunch break. I have some business with you… Oh my?」

Kujou-senpai looks over here as if noticing something.

「Ahh, Asaki was here too. And if I look closely, the rumored transfer student is here as well. If I remember correctly… Amakake-kun, was it? Then.」

Kujou-senpai directs her gaze towards us as if appraising us.

Ah, that’s not it. This is about everyone but me.

「The one with Asaki is the other transfer student, Motoki-san. The other girl, umm… who was she again?」

Kujou-senpai looks at Hina, trying to remember who she was. By the way, senpai, there’s not just one more person, but two.

「Kujou-senpai, that girl is my younger sister, Hinata.」

「I see, I’m Kujou Misaki. I’m the student council president of this Kujou Academy. Nice to meet you.」

Kujou-senpai smiles at Hina. Her seemingly friendly smile was beginning to ease the tension in the room from the student council president’s visit.

──Ah, that’s the smile of a noble or someone who’s hiding something in their belly.

But contrary to the relaxed atmosphere around me, I raised my guard a little. To me, it was nothing but a suspicious smile, and Daiki and Asaki probably felt the same. Hikari might be different, but if there’s danger, she’ll sense it instinctively, so she won’t be easily fooled.

In any case, for us, someone who directs such a smile at us is a target to be wary of.

「I see, this is perfect. I’m lucky that all the people I want to talk to are gathered here.」

「Something to talk to us about?」

Natsu asks Kujou-senpai with a hint of anxiety.

It’s understandable to think something might be up when the student council president suddenly comes to see you.

「Yes, but don’t worry. It’s nothing bad.」

When someone puts it this way, it’s usually not good news either. It’s just “not bad” news.

「I want you all to come to the student council room after school. I’ll explain the details there.」

「I don’t mind, but…」

「Thank you. I just came to tell you that for now. Sorry for interrupting.」

After saying that, Kujou-senpai glances at Asaki one last time before turning on her heel. I didn’t understand the meaning of that look. Also, it seems I wasn’t looked at even once until the end.

「Unn, I wonder what it is…? Did I do something to be called out for?」

「She said it’s nothing bad, so why don’t we just go and listen for now?」

「Yeah… I guess so. Yeah, I’ll do that… Ah, I answered for myself, but is everyone else okay with it?」

Natsu asks Daiki, Hikari, and Asaki, who were also addressed.

「I was named too, so I’ll go. If it drags on, I’m planning to leave though.」

「I’ll go if Shou-nii and Natsu-nee are going.」

「I… well, I guess I should go.」

None of them seemed particularly enthusiastic, but they didn’t seem opposed to going to the student council room.

「Um, should I go too?」

Come to think of it, Hina’s name was mentioned, but she wasn’t exactly called out.

By the way, I wasn’t even named, and I don’t think I was in her line of sight.

「Don’t worry. I wasn’t even named. How about we siblings go home together for once?」