Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/2912051597934651646/episodes/2912051598768463113
The bell signaling the end of the fourth period rang out throughout the school.
Instantly, the classroom came alive, filled with the clatter of students pushing desks together and preparing for lunch.
Hirugami remained seated at her desk, stealing a glance at the profile of Houtarou Achi, who was quietly reading a paperback next to her.
(I really want to ask Houtarou-kun to have lunch with me.)
In her mind, she let her invisible tail droop listlessly and let out a small sigh.
But Seika didn’t have the courage to do that right now.
If she openly asked him out in the classroom, she’d be met with cold stares from the crowd of girls accusing her of “flirting with boys,” and that would only drag him into unnecessary rumors.
Seika gave up and reached into her school bag to eat her own lunch.
She rummaged around inside, but all she could feel were textbooks and a pencil case—the square box that should have been there was nowhere to be found.
The blood drained from her face.
(Oh no! It’s gone! I left my lunch box in the kitchen at home!)
Her mind had completely short-circuited due to her morning’s dramatic solo wrestling match—commonly known as “Akappaji”—and she’d made the fatal mistake of forgetting to pack her all-important lunch in her bag.
Seika clutched her head with both hands, buried her face in her desk, and slumped forward, her head hanging low.
At this rate, she’d have to skip lunch.
She’d have to buy some bread or something at the school store, but Seika had a major problem.
Since she always made her own perfect lunches, she had never once used the high school cafeteria, and she didn’t even know where it was on campus.
(What am I going to do?! Where’s the cafeteria?! Oh nooo!)
She flattened her invisible ears against her head and, in a panic, began darting her eyes around suspiciously.
Just then, the smartphone in her blazer pocket gave a short, sharp buzz.
She hurriedly glanced at the screen to see a notification from a messaging app flashing.
[Is something wrong?]
The sender was Houtarou.
She snapped her head to look at him, and saw him skillfully operating his smartphone with one hand while keeping his eyes fixed on a paperback book.
Apparently, he had quickly noticed something was off with Seika’s suspicious behavior next to him and had quietly sent her a message.
(So sweet…!)
Trembling with emotion, Seika began typing furiously.
She sent him a candid message explaining that she’d forgotten her lunch and was at a loss because she didn’t know where the school store was.
A few seconds later, a reply arrived immediately.
“I’ll guide you to the school store. It’ll be a hassle if rumors start, so let’s leave the classroom at different times and meet at the landing of the west staircase.”
At this incredibly clever suggestion, Seika’s heart leapt with a thud.
It was the perfect plan to meet up with him without worrying about the people around them.
Seika made a fist-pump with both hands under her desk and waited for the right moment to slip out of the classroom at a different time.
◇
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“Achi-kun!”
On the deserted landing of the west staircase, Houtarou joined her with a lazy stride.
Seika’s face lit up, and she wagged her invisible tail so hard it felt like it might snap off.
The two walked side by side down the stairs, heading toward the school store on the first floor, which was filled with the aroma of freshly baked bread and the buzz of students.
Weaving through the crowd, we finally made it to the sales counter.
“What do you want to eat?”
“Um, well, I’ll have that yakisoba bread!”
Hotarou reached out swiftly and skillfully snatched up the last remaining yakisoba bread.
He immediately held out the bread to the lady at the register.
“Where’s your wallet?”
“Huh?”
When Houtarou asked her that abruptly, Seika’s eyes widened in surprise.
She patted the pockets of her pleated skirt and turned pale in an instant.
“It’s in my bag…”
She had rushed out of the classroom clutching only her smartphone.
Seeing Houtarou exhale softly in exasperation, Seika hurriedly puffed out her cheeks.
“B-but! I always use mobile payments! I can pay with a beep at the supermarket, so I never thought the school store would be cash-only and not accept mobile payments!”
It was a complete case of taking it out on him.
Even with a brain boasting an IQ of 530,000, she hadn’t been able to predict that the high school school store—such a local battlefield—would still be operating on an analog system.
Now that she was definitely going to miss lunch for the first time, Seika felt like she was about to collapse to her knees.
“It’s fine. I’ll treat you.”
Hotarou took some coins out of his coin purse and handed them to the lady behind the counter.
“Huh? But—”
“Just pay me back later via digital payment.”
At those matter-of-fact words, Seika’s thoughts came to a screeching halt.
Pay him back via digital payment.
That meant she’d need to get Houtarou’s digital payment account ID in order to transfer the money.
(I got his account…!)
It wasn’t just a messaging app—she’d gained yet another connection to him through digital payments.
A fanfare rang out in Seika’s mind.
“Achi-kun, you’re a god! I’ll follow you for the rest of my life!”
“You’re exaggerating. Come on, let’s head back.”
Taking the yakisoba bread from a bewildered Hotaro, Seika broke into a beaming smile.
Who would have thought that such a major blunder—forgetting her lunch—would lead to such a delicious outcome?
Clutching the yakisoba bread to her chest as if to hide her silly grin, Seika continued to roll around triumphantly in the palm of his hand.
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