And then it was time for recess.

“Yamato-kun, let’s have lunch together.” Yuzu came to invite me as I was stretching my body at my own desk.

Inside her arms, she was holding two cute lunch boxes.

“Oh, okay.” Again, I could feel all eyes were focusing on me, so I stood up and left the class with Yuzu. As soon as I reached the corridor, I unintentionally heaved a sigh.

“……Haaa, I’m drained.”

“Hey, you! We’re still somewhere people’s eyes are watching, don’t be lax.” Yuzu scolded me as she poked the sides of my abdomen.

“Yes, yes. It’s difficult to be popular.”

“The popular one is only me though.”

“The fact that I can’t deny that, it’s also difficult being the outcast.” I shrugged my shoulders and felt how amazing the Riajus to be showered with attention like this on a daily basis.

“So, where are we having lunch?”

“For the time being, let’s eat at the bench in the courtyard. Half of the benches there are for couples, you see.”

“Oh really. Then, I’ll go buy buns at the kiosk, so wait for me.”

“Hey you, boyfriend. Don’t you see these lunch boxes that scream ‘handmade’?” Yuzu showed off the lunchboxes in her arms.

“Um, I can see that. You, although you’re in your growth period, aren’t two lunchboxes too much?”

“There’s no way I’m eating both by myself! You see, a girlfriend is bringing two lunch boxes here, okay? Get the hint already!” Yuzu puffed her cheeks and I looked anxiously at her.

“Yuzu, you can cook? I have zero image of you being a homely type?” As soon as I said that, Yuzu became even more displeased.

“Oh, what a rude thing to say! I’ll say this upfront, I have confidence in its taste.”

“Did you have your mother make it?”

“Ho-how do you know that?” Yuzu glanced up at me with a twitched face, probably flustered.

“So it was bullseye?” I thoughtlessly found it off-putting, then she argued back in disgruntlement.

“Certainly, my mother cooked that for me! But, I also helped, okay!”

“Owh. In what process did you actually help?”

“Taste-testing!”

“Only that!?”

“And, I chose the lunchbox ware!”

“You have no contribution in the taste at all!”

“And the one who brought it to school was me!”

“Of course you would! Only you come to school after all! The point where you even brought that up as the role you play, you are a lost cause already!” I tried hurling the sound arguments back at her, Yuzu only grunted ‘Ngghhh’ as she couldn’t talk back anymore.

“……Hmph. There’s actually no need for it to be made by me. From others’ perspective, this looks like an awesome lunchbox homemade by yours truly after all.”

Ah, she sulked.

“Urm, I’m sorry. It was rude of me to even complain after you prepared the food for me. Please don’t be in a bad mood.”

I didn’t want to proceed to lunch while still in this glum atmosphere, so I decided to just give in.

“Hm, properly revere me before you indulge in it.” Yuzu uttered as her mood quickly turned to the better and gave me her forgiveness.

Like that, we went through the entranceway1 and headed to the courtyard.

It was at this time.

“…….Urm, I’ve liked you since long before! Please go out with me!” From the connecting passageway by the courtyard, a high-pitched voice of a girl could be heard.

I halted my step without thinking, and my eyes met Yuzu’s. With bated breaths, we tried to check out the situation, and right in the blind spot of the school building, the figures of a boy and a girl could be seen.

Apparently, we happened to witness a confession scene.

‘This is bad, that’ll be considered peeping. That’s such a nasty act, let’s get away…’

“….I’m sorry. But, I already have someone I like.” Before I could turn on my heels, the boy already concluded the situation.

“Re-really? Um…. I’m sorry, to say it out of a sudden.”

“Nah…….” It turned really awkward.

However, the girl seemed to have been prepared for this result, so she inhaled and exhaled a few times before she let out her voice in a cheerful voice tinged with a bluff.

“That’s right. Ahaha, I also thought this would not work out. Urm, will you… still, be friends with me?

“Yeah, of course.”

“……Mmn. Thank you. So then, I’ll be going.”

“Okay.”

Following that, the girl returned to the school building from the connecting passageway.

Should I call this ‘soft-landing’? To have her confession rejected, it was impossible for her not to feel hurt, but she was still composed enough to keep up appearances.

Anyhow, it was better for us to get away from this place already. I winked at Yuzu, wanting to urge her to move to the courtyard as soon as possible. However, before I could do that, she had walked towards the connecting passage instead.

“Yah, so I heard that benches in the courtyard are for couples. When I have a boyfriend, I also wanna try sitting there at least once.” She raised her voice like she was intentional at that.

‘Just what is she thinking?’ I wondered, but it was too late by then. The boy already noticed our presence, and he looked here in surprise.

“Oh? Isn’t this Sota? What are you doing, in a place like this?” Yuzu gave a cheerful greeting as nothing had happened.

There was nothing more shameless than this, but people with high communication skills sure are skillful at feigning smiles. She gave the most perfect smile, acting as if she really just came here at this moment.

“……..Yuzu. And also, Izumi.” The boy looked at us, appearing a bit flustered.

His black hair was perfectly styled, and his long slender legs contributed to his tall height. Along with that, he had toned muscles and of course, his facial features were good looking.

This person was precisely the hottie at the top of the class, the boss in the Riaju clique that Yuzu belonged to, Sakuraba Sota.

“Just something I had to settle. How about you two, what are you doing here?” Sakuraba2 was just like a Riaju he was—very good at keeping up appearances—and he treated us with a friendly attitude.

“Urm, now I already got myself a boyfriend, I wanna take this advantage of using a bench in the courtyard. When I walked here, we just happened to see you, Sota.” Yuzu nonchalantly got close to me and gleefully bragged.

Sakuraba looked at my face and then at the lunchboxes in Yuzu’s arms, seemed like he already got the hints as he nodded and wryly smiled.

“I see, I’m so jealous. It’s bad for me to get in the way after all, so I’ll be going. See you two again later.”

“Um, see ya!”

“……Yup.”

We briefly greeted each other at the end, and Sakuraba jauntily strode away.

chocolala: I’ll also be tl-ing the main story at times! The funny vibes from the side stories are also present in the main story +the drama, look forward for suspense (read: hilarious) scenes coming up! Oh yes, check out the latest side story (SS6) I’m releasing simultaneously with this chapter~