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Main Story 6 - Lunch Break with Hiori

RAW

Just like yesterday after school, I moved the chair the teacher uses during class in front of Hiori's desk and sat down facing her.

But, when I moved the chair, my eyes met Himura-san's eyes as she was about to leave the classroom, and she glared at me.

This is good timing. Shall I ask Hiori about Himura-san while she is gone?

“Then, shall we eat lunch?”

“Before that... there’s something I want to ask Hiori. Can I?”

“Sure. What do you want to ask?”

“...Himura-san has been glaring at Hiori for a while now. Did something happen with her? She also glared at me several times today, though.”

This morning, on the way to school, Hiori was receiving sharp looks from the girls. Hiori said that she doesn't mind it. But Himura-san is our classmate. That's why I wanted to ask her about her.

“There is, one thing that comes to mind. It happened right after I became a second year student. I bumped into Himura-san in the girls' bathroom on this floor. I held her in my arms before she fell down. So it didn't seem like she was hurt. But, it was only after that, that she started glaring at me.”

“So that’s how it is. That means, it might be because you bumped into each other.”

For Himura-san, bumping into Hiori might have been quite unpleasant.

“I thought for sure it was jealousy because people confessed to you more than to her.”

“Himura-san has also been confessed to by many students, right? That may be one of the reasons she glares at me. But, as I said when we were walking to school, I'm used to having people stare at me. Both curious stares and disgusted stares. So I don't mind them. Besides, I've never been spoken to by Himura-san or harassed by her friends.”

Hiori said that without a particularly clouded expression on her face. It seems true that she doesn't mind it.

“I see. If Hiori says so, that's fine. But, if you don't like it or feel anxious, don't hesitate to tell me.”

“Thank you very much. Also, it seems she started glaring at Akito-san starting today too, right? Is it because you became my boyfriend?”

“I'm sure it is. But don't mind it. I'm just being glared at, so I'm fine right now.”

I've been working part-time in customer service for about a year now. During that time, I have had the experience of being insulted by customers many times. I’m fine if it’s just being glared at by my female classmate.

Also, I'm really happy that Hiori called me “my boyfriend.”

“I understand.”

Relieved, Hiori patted her chest.

“I’m sorry, for talking about something like this.”

“No, no. Then, shall we have lunch?”

“That’s true. Itadakimasu.”

“Itadakimasu.”

I open the bento wrapper and open the lid of the bento. When I do, I see standard side dishes such as mini hamburger steak, tamagoyaki, and kinpira gobo (fried burdock root). I try the mini hamburger steak... yes, delicious.

When I look at Hiori, I see that her bento also contained the standard side dishes such as meatballs, simmered vegetables, and mini-tomatoes. Hiori eats the meatball in one bite. The way she chews food is so cute. Perhaps because it is delicious, her expression seems to brighten. I envy Hazuki-san, who has seen this kind of scene many times before.

“Hiori's bento looks delicious. Do you make it yourself?”

“My mother mainly cooks it for me. When I wake up early, I also make side dishes. I like cooking, but I'm not that strong in the morning. Of course, It’s not like meeting up with Akito-san is that hard to do.”

“I see. Then, that’s good.”

But, it’s surprising that she is not that strong in the morning. The image I had of her is that no matter how late she stayed up, she could wake up properly at a certain time in the morning.

“Akito-san's bento looks delicious too. Do Akito-san’s parents make it too?”

“That's right. It's mainly my mother, and sometimes my father does it. I don't often get up early in the morning either, you see. As for cooking... I guess I can more or less do it.”

“I see. ...By the way, Akito-san. Since it has tamagoyaki in it does that mean you like tamagoyaki?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“I see. I’m glad to hear that. Actually... I was able to wake up early today. I was wondering if I could make something for Akito-san. So, I made one of my specialties, tamagoyaki.”

“I see! I'm so happy.”

To think that Hiori would make a side dish for me. Moreover, tamagoyaki is one of my favorite side dishes. My excitement is going through the roof.

Hiori takes out a small blue drawstring bag from her school bag. She opens the bag and takes out a Tupperware. She places it next to my bento and opens its lid. There are tamagoyaki inside. It's yellow, fluffy, and looks delicious.

“It looks delicious.”

“I didn't know Akito-san’s preferences, so I made it the way I usually do. If it suits your taste, that'll be most important. Please use this pick.”

“Yeah. Then, I'll take one to start with.”

I receive the blue pick from Hiori, stab it into a tamagoyaki, and put it into my mouth.

The moment the tamagoyaki hits my tongue, I can feel its slight sweetness. I chew it slowly, and the sweetness spreads gently in my mouth. Also, its texture is as fluffy as it looks.

“It's really delicious. You made it sweet I see. Just the way I like it.”

In fact, It's so much to my liking that I think she actually knew about it.

“I'm glad that Akito-san said it was delicious. I'm very happy.”

When Hiori said that, the corners of her mouth turned up a little. I'm sure it was because of the happiness she felt when I said I liked the tamagoyaki. She's always expressionless, so just by turning up the corners of her mouth a little, she gives off a pretty cheerful impression.

“While we’re at it, how about I feed you some tamagoyaki?”

“Eh! I-is it okay?”

“Of course. When I read romance manga and novels, there are scenes where lovers feed each other. Also, when I feed my sister, she says, [It tastes better than eating normally].”

“I see. Then, please do. I also want to see if what your sister said is true.”

“I understand.”

I feel some embarrassment since so many students are watching us. But, my desire to have Hiori feed me this delicious tamagoyaki she made won out.

I hand over the blue pick to Hiori. Hiori stabs the pick into a tamagoyaki and brings it to my mouth.

“Well then, Akito-san. A-aaa─n...”

“Aaa─n”

Hiori feeds me the tamagoyaki.

Even though it's supposed to be the same tamagoyaki as before. I feel that its sweetness is stronger, more profound than before. I can feel the muscles in my face relax, partly because I have been fed by Hiori. Aah, this is happiness.

I can hear people around me saying things like “How nice.” and “I'm so jealous.” In this happy situation I’m in right now, even those voices will be the seasoning that makes the tamagoyaki delicious.

When I look around, I see that many of the students in the classroom are looking at us. Some students are looking at me with envy, probably because Hiori fed me tamagoyaki. Also, Kazuo and Shimizu-san are grinning, while Himura-san, who has returned to the classroom, is in a bad mood as usual.

“It’s as your sister said. It tastes even better than when I ate it myself.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Seeing Akito-san so happy, I thought it would be nice to feed you.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“There is still one more piece, so I'll feed it to you again.”

“Thank you.”

I let Hiori feed me the last piece. I still have my own bento, but I feel so satisfied that I don't need to eat anything else.

Of course, I finished my own bento properly afterwards. Thank you for the meal.

────

(T/N: I’m really confused about whether to use past tense or present tense. I think present tense is better for first pov. yeah, I think I'll use present tense.  btw, the raw is sometimes in present tense, sometimes in past tense.)

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