Chapter 1

Weekend has passed after the punishment game confession. It is already Monday so I went to school. Of course, Hirose’s also there acting as if nothing had happened last Friday.

「Good morning, Amane.」

As I was chatting with Shinozaki like usual, Hirose greeted me cheerfully.

「Ah, good morning.」

What’s this? I’m getting scared. What did I do? Why are you suddenly trying to get involved with me? Why are you trying to get closer? Our other classmates are already looking at us surprised. Shinozaki, who was talking with me, was looking at me dumbfounded.

「Ah, ehto, see you later!」

She said goodbye and went back to her group leaving nothing but an indescribable atmosphere. No, what am I supposed to do with this situation? Hey, wait.

「When did you become friends with Hirose? This is the first time I’ve seen someone from their group taking the initiative to greet someone.」

Hah, Shinozaki finally said something but why do you have to ask that? Look, everyone else is staring at me, waiting for me to answer your question. Stop it, I don’t know anything either.

「Maa, there was a little something.」

「Of course there is. What I want to know is about that little something.」

Our classmates who were looking at me all nodded. Wow, your synchronization is good.

When I was pondering what to say, the bell rang signaling the start of HR(Homeroom) and our homeroom teacher came in. It seems like I’ve been granted a life extension.

However, what is her purpose? Is she trying to make it difficult for me to stay in this classroom by making others stare at me like that? Did I hurt her pride when I saw through her punishment game confession? This is a two-step plan that leaves no room for error. Hirose Mei is a terrible woman.

I spent the rest of the class thinking about the reason behind Hirose’s action. I escaped during the 10-min break and continued to lie low until lunchtime.

「Hey Amane, what are you going to do for lunch?」

When I came back to the classroom after washing my hands, Hirose was waiting for me in front of my desk and called out to me.

Damn, you’re not going to stop even at lunchtime? I’ve already apologized so please, forgive me. Maa, I don’t have the courage to say that so I’ll just answer her question.

「I have my little sister love bento so I’ll eat it.」

I pulled out a pouch in my bag containing my bento and showed it to her.

「Ambiguous bento?」

TN: “love” “little sister” = aimai = ambiguous

Shinozaki, who came back after washing his hands, barged into our conversation from behind Hirose.

「Don’t just call your bento something suspicious. But it’s probably different from what you imagined」

「Well, it’s an ambiguous bento after all?」

「Why don’t you show it to her so she can understand?」

Hirose took my bento, took it out from the pouch, and removed the cover.

「What’s ambiguous about it? It looks good and appetizing.」

「It’s a bento I made with love for my little sister, Yuna. Its nutritional balance is perfect! However, perhaps she’s in her rebellious phase. Since this year, she hasn’t taken it with her even if I leave it on her desk. It would be a waste if I throw it so I brought it.」

Ah, perhaps she just finds it hard to remember to bring it. Until last year, she used to say that oniichan’s bento is the best and she loves it! She even said that she wants to eat it every day!

「Ah, so it’s little sister love. But, are you sure they are not what your little sister made for you?」

「Don’t mind the details.」

「Did Amane make them all?」

「Eh, maa, that’s right.」

Hirose said “Heh” and then returned to her group cheerfully.

「However, that’s not enough, right? No matter how I look at it, that’s a lunchbox for a girl both in color and size.」

「Maa, I made it for Yuna after all. When we’re done eating, I’ll go to the store to buy some drinks and I’ll pick some light bread too.」

「Okay.」

「By the way, how are your exam results? Show me after we eat.」

I don’t want him to dig deeper into my relationship with Hirose so I asked him about the exam we took last week that we just got back.

I’m not really sure how it happened. The fact that he was able to get through the high school entrance exam and enter this school, which is an advance school, is no doubt one of the seven wonders of this school.

Just as I expected, Shinozaki’s face turned pale and his usual eloquence disappeared. We ate our lunch in silence.

After confirming that I had emptied my bento, Shinozaki pulled five answer sheets out of nowhere and three of them had the world “retake” written on them. The two had a note saying that they can’t be retested and an assignment print out clipped to them.

Apparently, he had failed all of them. I wonder what this guy had been doing during spring break.

「Help me or I’ll repeat a year.」

A sincere plea for help. If I asked him to go dogeza, he wouldn’t hesitate to do it.

I didn’t expect hearing the words “I’ll repeat a year” coming from my friend’s mouth so early this school year….it hasn’t even been a month yet.

「You can buy me something. I’ll compile and summarize what will show up in your reexamination.」

Shinozaki immediately nods and runs out. How can he fail this much? He probably didn’t even do his homework. You’re not motivated, are you? Maa, at least he’ll buy something for me. Let’s eat it while teaching him.