Chapter 6: Lunch Break
It's the day after Touka and I became a “couple.” Morning classes pass by in the blink of an eye, just like always; before I even notice, it’s already lunch break.
I shoot my classmates a glance out of the corner of my eye. They’re a noisy bunch, all right. I get ready to go to the cafeteria. Cramming all of my books and things into my desk, I stand up and get ready to leave.
“Yuuji! Let’s eat in the student council room together, man!” Ike chirps, looking as happy as ever. “I gotta go to the cafeteria to buy my lunch before we go, though. What about you? You brought yours, or…?”
“Nah, I have to go there too.”
“Okay, then how about we go together?” he asks.
We both head toward the class’s entrance, ready to leave. But then, suddenly…
“Ah! Ike-kuuun! Your sis is here!” A girl near the entrance of our class exclaims.
Just like she said, Touka is at the door.
“Hm? Touka? Gimme a sec, Yuuji.”
“Sure, don’t worry.”
With all eyes on them, Ike heads over to her.
They're the perfect duo: Haruma, the popular guy everyone knows, and his gorgeous sister Touka, who seems on track to be just as popular. The two of them together demand the attention of everyone in class, including me. I'm focusing on trying to make out what they're saying to each other.
“What’s up, Touka? Why’d you come here?”
“Definitely not to see you, that’s for sure… Ah! There’s Yuuji-senpai! Hey! Let’s have lunch together!”
…I wasn’t expecting to hear my name pop up in their conversation.
She smiles devilishly and waves her hand in my direction, which makes everyone in class turn around and look at me. I‘m so confused right now... Why is this happening, again?
I frown, which makes everyone avert their eyes. Nice. Why did everyone react like that? Was it some sort of act they practiced beforehand or something?
Well, whatever. She called for me, so all I can do is go over there and see how this goes. Ike looks surprised, as he should be. I mean, his sister and I getting this close in the matter of a day? It'd strike anyone as weird, to say the least.
“Hope you had a good day today, Senpai! Wanna have lunch together?”
Now she’s talking to me and totally ignoring Ike. She isn't even trying to give Ike an explanation of what’s going on. I’d like to tell him myself, since he looks really lost right now.
“Um, sorry, but Ike and I already made plans for lunch. So, yeah.”
My answer doesn’t make her very happy, and that's putting it mildly.
“So you’d rather have lunch with my brother, who's just a friend, over me, your girlfriend?”
Everyone in class glances over at me again. How annoying. Maybe if I frown again, they’ll stop looking at me? ...There we go.
Their reactions feel so exaggerated, and it's the second time they’re doing this. This feels more like a skit at this point. You know, like some sort of scripted scenario. Is everyone here trying to make me laugh or something? Jokes are meant to be told once. If it didn’t make me laugh the first time, it ain’t working a second time either.
“Wait… you two are going out?”
Ike is obviously surprised at what she just said. Seeing him so confused makes Touka smile.
“Yep, you heard it. Yuuji-senpai and I are going out now. So please don’t get in between us, okay?” She says in a proud, triumphant tone.
Aha, I see what she’s going for here. It's the classic “‘making my brother jealous” strategy, with a dash of “I actually love my brother, but I’ll fake having a boyfriend so the seeds of envy start blossoming.” Very clever.
To be honest, I’d rather hang out with Ike—you know, getting our food and chilling in the student council room. Plus, I don’t like the idea of Touka dragging me around as she pleases, so I think I’m gonna have to say no.
On the other hand, Ike's just so confused right now. Maybe he's seen through Touka’s ploy and realizes how she feels about him? If that’s the case, it’d be fantastic. It would mean that they'd have a chance to get along better. In that case, I'd better play along.
“...Okay, sorry Ike. I’ll have to explain a few things to you tomorrow, but it seems like we’ll have to take a raincheck on today. You fine with that?”
Ike seems taken aback by my question for a moment, but he quickly returns to normal.
“Uh, yeah. Sorry. Must be a pain to be dragged around by my sister.”
“Nah, don’t worry about it.”
“Yeah! You tell ‘em, Yuuji-senpai! We’re a couple now, so you'd better butt out!”
I think she’s going too far there, but it seems she’s having fun doing this.
“Okay, then. See you later, dude,” Ike says.
“Bye-bye!” Touka sing-songs condescendingly.
“Uh, yeah. Sure,” he answers tersely, clearly still confused about the whole situation.
I can feel everyone staring as Touka and I leave the classroom; especially Hasaki Kana, who seems to be glaring daggers at us.
“I need to buy my food, so let’s get going.”
“Sure.”
We head toward the cafeteria through the corridor. After we're some ways away from my class, Touka says, “Man, I felt so many people glaring at us back there…”
She sounds angry.
“You mean Hasaki?”
“You noticed it too, Senpai? It just seems to me like she was pissed. Don't you think so?”
“Well, I bet she’s just worried about you going out with me of all people. I mean, you’ve known each other since you were kids, right?”
“Even if that’s the case, we've barely even talked since, like, middle school,” she replies, clearly upset.
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah. That’s why I don't really get it if it's true. I have no clue why she’d be worried about me at all, considering we haven’t really talked in years,” she says. She's clearly puzzled about the whole thing; her fingertips rest tentatively on her lips, and she tilts her head, wondering about the cause of Hasaki’s attitude.
Maybe Touka doesn’t look at it like that, but I’m pretty sure that Hasaki considers her a sister and is just worried.
“But that was sooo fun!”
Looks like she doesn’t really care that much about Hasaki, since she's changed the topic of the conversation instantly.
“And what was fun, exactly?”
“Seeing the stupid look on my shitty brother’s face!” she replies with a big grin
“Oh, I see. I just found the whole thing tiring, to be honest.”
“Did you see how everyone was gawking at us? Your classmates sure like to exaggerate! Their reactions are like part of a comedy skit or something!”
Looks like we're on the same train of thought. I would’ve definitely laughed if I was in her place, but sadly I’m already used to it.
“Oh yeah, Senpai—remember our plan? We've got to make everyone believe we’re the real deal so guys'll stop asking me out. So please stop trying to make lunch plans with other people, ‘kay?”
She's the one who just barged into my class and forced me to go along with her. The worst part about all this is her total lack of remorse. She actually believes she's in the right here. Guess I’ll just be a jerk back.
“I see…”
“Hm? What's up, Senpai? You get what I mean, right?”
“So you’re one of those dominatrix types, huh? I see.”
She raises her eyebrows, clearly not very content with my statement.
“Did you even listen to me?! I didn’t mean it like that, okay? Would you please stop twisting my words?!” She cries out, puffing her cheeks again in anger.
Me, on the other hand? I’m having fun.
“...Just kidding.”
“You're seriously making fun of me? You’re such a prick, Senpai.”
Her little tantrum dissipates as quickly as it arrives, though, and soon she's speaking to me normally again.
“Oh yeah—we’re eating lunch together tomorrow too, so keep that in mind.”
“Fine by me. You okay with that, though? Wouldn’t you rather eat with your classmates? I mean, the term just started.”
“It’s fine. I wanna focus on showing off our relationship to everyone so they don't think it's just fake. Plus, to be honest, I like spending time with you more than with my classmates. Huh? What’s up? You’re all quiet suddenly,” she says, glancing over at me.
“Uh, it’s nothing. Anyways, tomorrow lunch together, yeah? I’ll be there.”
“Huh? I mean, as long as you get it…”
Judging by the look on her face, it's pretty obvious she wants to ask me how I feel about all of this. But I don’t think that she’ll understand my feelings now, even if I tried to explain the situation to her.
I'm happy that she told me she’d rather spend time with me than with others—the only other person who's ever told me is Ike.
I’m too embarrassed to talk to her about that right now, though. I just can‘t.
☆
“Ugh, it's packed in here. Damn.”
The moment we enter the crowded cafeteria—obviously filled with people wanting to get their food—Touka instinctively steps back and goes speechless. She definitely doesn’t want to be here any longer than she has to.
“Oh my goodness! What is a frail, delicate maiden like me to do? If I were to brave the storm and venture alone into that crowd, why, the lunch break would be over by the time I had gotten my food!”
Could she have been any more dramatic?
“So what?”
“I reeeally want a set of the mixed sandwiches!”
So judging by her syrupy fake giggles and her grin, I'm assuming she wants me to go and get it for her. Man...
“So the mixed sandwiches, right?”
“Wait, you’re actually gonna get it for me? I was joking, Senpai. You know how guilty I’d feel if I treated you like my servant?” she replies while placing some coins in my hand.
She’s cheeky, all right.
“It’s okay, I’m used to this. Just watch: I’ll buy the food in no time.”
“Wait, in no time?” she asks, clearly confused.
I head toward the crowd of people, and right before I’m stopped by the wall of students…
“What the?! T-Tomoki-kun?! H-Hey, guys! Make way!”
One of the guys at the back of the crowd notices me and starts shouting at everyone in front of him.
“What?! Tomoki-kun?!”
“You’re kidding… Hey, guys! If you value your lives, make way!”
“Eeek! Someone save me!”
After a few cries and shouts, a path opens up for me. One of the only perks about my situation is that it doesn’t even matter when I arrive to get my food, I always get it fast. As I make my way to the counter, I try to forget the fact that I’m cutting the line and making others wait even longer.
I’d like to tell them how sorry I am, but I know it won’t really matter. In my experience, the best thing I can do right now is to finish as quickly as possible.
“What’s it gonna be?” snaps the lady at the counter. Well, she's looking as unsociable as ever.
“One Yakisoba sandwich, one croquette, one sweet roll, and a set of mixed sandwiches… please.”
“That’ll be 650 yen.”
I hand her my pocket change, and she gives me a bag with the things I ordered. She thanks me in what is probably the most blunt tone ever.
I make my way back to Touka.
“You reminded me of that chapter in the Bible when Moses parted the Red Sea and passed through.”
I can already imagine her thinking that this “ability” of mine is quite useful.
“Oh, and thanks for buying me the food! You’re a lifesaver!”
She snatches the plastic bag from my hands after thanking me.
I’m confused—on one hand, I can’t help but think that she's selfish. On the other hand, she actually thanked me for this. I’m not sure what to make of the genuine gratitude she just expressed toward me. At least, I think it was genuine.
☆
The weather's nice, so Touka decides that we should eat outside. We buy some drinks at one of the vending machines; after buying everything, we leave the cafeteria and head outside.
The place we picked to eat is already buzzing with couples.
“Hey, wait a second. Why is Tomoki here?”
“What? Oh damn, he really is. Let’s just go somewhere else.”
…Okay, there aren't any couples here anymore.
“Whoa, you cleared the place just for us! Nice going, Senpai. One glare of yours is enough to drive the masses away!” she says, clearly amused.
“I wasn’t even glaring at them. This is how I normally look at others.”
“You know it!” she says lightly. She's clearly trying to tease me, but she’s so direct about it that I can’t even get mad at her.
“So, that bench over there looks comfy. Now that it's empty, how about we sit there?”
She heads toward the nearest bench, and I follow suit and sit beside her.
“Aaah, I can’t wait to have my sandwiches! …Wait a sec! You’re actually eating all of this by yourself, Senpai?!” Touka says incredulously as she takes out her share from the bag. Of course, she's noticed what I ordered while looking inside the bag.
“Yeah. I should be the one who's surprised, though. I mean, is that really all you're eating?”
“It’s more than enough, you know?! I eat a bit more if it’s a PE day, though,” she replies through bites of her sandwich.
“Huh, I see,” I answer. I start eating my food as well.
“Wait a sec, I know what you’re implying! I bet you’re dying for a bento handmade by me one day, aren’t you?”
She looks at me with a worried expression.
“Uh, no. I wasn’t thinking about that. How did you even come up with that?”
“I figured you were going for the whole ‘Sandwiches clearly aren’t enough for you, so why don’t you just make yourself a bento and eat from that? Actually, make me one too!’ speil.”
She's so off the mark that I’m totally speechless.
“Man, that would just take too much effort. Dont'cha think so? Isn’t eating with a cutie like me good enough for you, Senpai?”
Well, she may be many things, but shrinking violet isn't one of them. She sure has some self-confidence, huh?
“Aww, that's a bummer.”
I decide to just play along with it so we can cut the convo short. Touka seems happy by my reply. She’s definitely the type of girl who happily plays along when she gets flattered.
We keep talking while we eat, but at one point of the conversation, Touka seems visibly annoyed and snaps.
“I swear, they're so annoying…," she whispers.
“Yeah, I definitely agree with you there.”
There’s a bunch of people looking at us from their classes inside the building. Although they think they're being slick by pretending not to look, there are so many short glances being shot at us that, in the end, it feels as if we're constantly being watched. Even though we're outside and alone, even eating here feels stressful.
“Don’t they have anything better to do with their lives?” She snaps in a pissed tone.
“Well, I think it's because someone like me is eating with a cute freshman like you. You don't see that everyday, so I kinda get why they’re doing it.”
She looks at me, surprised.
“...What?”
“Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about how you just tried to flirt with me without even flinching. Gotta be careful around you, Senpai.”
“I wasn’t trying to flirt with you; I mean, you’re cute. I just stated an objective fact.”
“See? I knew you were trying to put the moves on me! Oh my god, Senpai! You’re a total player, aren’t ya?!”
She flashes a bright smile.
Seeing her smile like that pisses me off, in a way. I mean, she’s not a good person. She’s wily, foul-mouthed, obstinate, and she's got a pretty malicious personality to boot. But she is, without a doubt, very cute, and that pisses me off.
“I can feel them glaring daggers, though. They're angry now, not really curious about why we’re together anymore,” I whisper, mainly to myself.
“Hostility? I don’t really get what you mean,” she says, confused by what I said.
“It’s mostly from guys that clearly like you and hate me because I’m your boyfriend. That's my guess, anyway.”
“I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t be interested in a guy with enough balls to try to fight you over it."
“Well, you'll be the first to know if there’s someone who’s man enough for you, then.”
I shrug at her while she looks at me.
“I don’t think it’d ever happen, anyways. Even among the first years, there're already rumors about you, so there you go,” she says while taking sips of her orange juice.
It hasn't even been a week since the term's started, and the first years are already scared of me? Damn.
“Does that make you sad?” she asks.
“A little.”
“Just a little?”
“...Yes.”
Part of me feels sad about the fact that the first years are already shitting their pants just from hearing my name, but in the end, that's the story of my life. Mostly, I'm impressed about how she manages to talk to me without any issues. Despite how the rest of the first years feel about me, she shows no fear at all.
She reacts with a "hmm," but doesn't really say anything else in return. I guess she won’t push the point further, but who knows.
Instead, we keep talking about random things right until the bell rings. Looks like the lunch break’s over.
“Oh, looks like we’re out of time. See you after class!”
“After class? For what?”
“Isn’t it obvious? To go home together, dummy! We have to make everyone believe we’re a couple, remember?!”
“Oh, right.”
We don't actually feel like a couple whenever we're together, so I tend to completely forget about it.
“Let’s go back to our classes.”
“Yeah, let's go.”
We both stand up and head toward the building together.
The only person I've ever had plans with after school was Ike; so even if it’s with her, I feel happy about it.
