Volume 1 - CH 3.2

Chapter 3 – Distance to Approach The One Who Doesn’t Speak (Part 2)

"You also have to be interesting to talk to, not just to start a conversation."

So I decided on the topic for today's exercise with Kurusu and wrote the word 'interesting' on the board.

Kurusu's eyes lit up and she clapped her hands in response, then she took a piece of chocolate from her bag, handed it to me, and sat down.

(...I would be happy if you would eat it)

She handed it to me with a slightly embarrassed look on her face.

I almost felt like every day was Valentine's Day when I was with her.

Well, this interaction has become our daily routine, and there is no longer any strange tension between us like there was some time ago. Kurusu also seems to be getting used to these conversations, albeit slowly, and I think it's a significant improvement for her that she's starting to rarely think too much before having a conversation.

"All right, let me explain it again. Today we're going to talk about how to create opportunities for people to talk to us."

【Very excited】 (Because everyone is with me today. God, Buddha, Kaburagi-sama...)

Kurusu wrote down the sentence and showed it to me with his usual expressionless face.

Although her expression didn't show it, she seemed to be in very good shape today as well, and in her mind, she was saying funny things as usual.

Every time, she was always enthusiastic and thinking of those funny things that attacked my heart.

Well, I can't blame her because she didn't think I could hear her.

But I wouldn't be used to hearing such honest and innocent feelings directed at me, even though I could understand them...

While I was thinking that, Kurusu took out another chocolate and put it in front of me.

(...Seasonal truffle chocolate. Delicious, right?)

"Thank you."

I put the chocolate she gave me into my mouth.

I felt a soft sweetness spreading in my mouth, and I also sighed as I enjoyed it.

...Eating something sweet like this makes me feel calm.

Maybe it's because it makes me feel free from the reality around me, but... oh no.

If I didn't talk to her, thoughts like "Kaburagi-kun looks so cute and happy eating that chocolate" would definitely be heard from her.

Just as I was about to stop enjoying the remaining chocolate in my mouth and look up at Kurusu, she poked me in the shoulder and pushed her tablet in front of me.

"Yes?"

【Why don't we get started?】 (...I don't think it's good enough to keep waiting)

"As Kurusu said, it is important to be proactive. But if it's easy to start a conversation, you won't have any problems in the first place."

【Practicing】 (...Practicing being proactive)

"I understand what you're saying. But think about it. If you want to start a conversation and be successful, the other person has to be interested in you first. So first impressions are very important... if Kurusu starts the conversation now, won't you freeze up?"

(...Ah)

"This is something you have to understand yourself. Whenever Kurusu thinks about what you want to say, your face must become very tense and stiff. As a result, other people might think that you're looking at them with negative feelings. Or they might think, "Huh, why is that? I'm getting scared!" and eventually they won't want to deal with you anymore."

(...I can't argue with that. My first impression was pretty bad too...)

Kurusu's shoulders slumped and she became distressed, so I comforted her by saying, "That's it, that's it".

...Well, isn't it nice to know what really happened. And I think she'll be fine if she knows what she's doing.

Because the things we don't know are the most troublesome.

【What should I do?】

"If you can't start a conversation, you have to let them come to you. If they end up coming to you, as long as you don't put up any barriers, things will basically work out."

【Barrier?】 (...is that why I should practice smiling?)

"Well, you should practice smiling from now on. But you should also prepare some other things to make people interested in you. Therefore, you should start making up topics of conversation and broaden your conversational knowledge, right?"

Kurusu nodded in agreement.

Then she immediately copied what I said into her notebook.

She wrote very quickly.

What's more, she made her notes very neatly.

Despite her inability to speak, Kurusu was exemplary.

Then I was surprised. Kurusu tapped my arm as if to urge me to continue the conversation.

【Interesting things?】 (...Introductions? Matchmaking?)

"Yes. For example, what if someone in Kurusu's class has the same hobby as you, wool handicraft?"

(...I want to know what shapes they make. I want to talk to them and ask all kinds of questions. If possible, I'd like to trade something we made...wow, my dreams are growing)

"Oh, you seem very serious. When you find someone who has the same hobbies as you, you'll definitely want to talk to them. No matter what the hobby, games, comics, whatever it is... It's a natural instinct for us to find common friends and get together."

Kurusu nodded as if she understood what I was saying, and her eyes sparkled with imagination.

It's hard to tell when she has such expectations...

I'm about to tell her a sad truth. It felt like I was playing with Kurusu's feelings, lifting her mood and then bringing it down.

Feeling guilty, I decided to continue the conversation with Kurusu, who looked very enthusiastic.

"Well, Kurusu. I want you to listen to me without getting discouraged."

(Umm...? He looked like he was sorry)

"There are many types of hobbies. But unfortunately, even though wool handicrafts are famous, not many high school students take it up as a hobby. At least, I only know one person who has that hobby, and that's you, Kurusu."

(...Wool handicrafts are cute, but I haven't seen anyone else doing them either)

"And the truth is, in order to attract others, we have to have something that is acceptable to most people."

(This reality is indeed bitter and very cruel...)

"But don't be discouraged! Why don't you just get a new hobby?"

【Lying?】 (I think lying is... not good)

"No, no. It's true that at first you'll start because I told you to. But over time, if you keep doing it, you'll start to enjoy it and get excited about it. And before you know it, you'll be addicted. In other words, if you make it a routine, it will become a hobby of its own."

【Consistent】

"Yeah, but I'm not going to tell you to do something that you really don't like, because that's just going to stress you out. Right now, I'm trying to find some other good things to make into Kurusu's new hobby."

【Many hobbies?】

"To make it easier to talk to people, it's good to have a lot of things to talk about. You know, if you have a lot of hobbies, then indirectly you will be able to get along with more people. For example, today you can hang out with your gaming friends, then tomorrow you can go to the batting center with people who like baseball, and so on."

【Do you have a lot of hobbies?】

"Just general knowledge."

【You're an expert】 (...You never stop learning, no matter what it's for. I want to learn from his attitude)

...It hurt my heart a little when she sincerely praised me for my calculating attitude.

Well, in my case, it's not a hobby because I just use it to get along with people.

For example, I talk about things that interest the teacher to impress her, or I talk about current trends with my classmates to keep myself up to date...and so on.

I'm not going to tell Kurusu to do that because it would be hard for her to do something like that all of a sudden.

"Okay, let's think of a new hobby for Kurusu."

【Excited】

"Well, how about a hobby related to beauty? Like makeup, cute clothes, or accessories."

【Not interested】 (But if Kaburagi-kun says so, I have to do it...)

"No, if you're not interested, just ignore it. I mean, my words are obviously not absolute, right? It's just my opinion."

【Humble...】 (...Kaburagi-kun is never wrong, right?)

"You're overreacting too much... Well, for now, what I said hasn't led to anything bad yet."

Actually, I have a hunch. If Kurusu is interested in such fashionable things, people will definitely flock to her.

I'm sure a lot of people would be attracted to her innocent cuteness.

But that's not what Kurusu wants.

Then something else that would be useful for her in the future and attract people's attention...

"By the way, what do you usually eat for lunch? Bento?"

【Bread】

"You mean you always buy it? Well, are you interested in cooking?"

【Yes】 (I've never tried it, but...I want to. Although I'll definitely burn it...)

So you're interested, but not good at it.

Well, she'll definitely be able to do it later when I teach her.

"Okay, it's decided. You're going to start learning how to cook so you can make cute bento. I'll teach you how to make them."

【Cute?】 (...Full of cute character-shaped food? Looks difficult)

"As you can imagine, we can use molds to make them. But the most important thing is to make it look handmade. You see, if Kurusu, who doesn't talk much, can make a cute bento, won't it be very eye-catching?"

At my suggestion, Kurusu closed her eyes and began to think.

I laughed a little at the adorable ideas she had in her head.

...Sausages in the shape of octopus, apples in the shape of little rabbits, well, I can teach her everything if she wants.

Kurusu came out of her fantasy, straightened up and bowed to me.

(...I see. Since Kaburagi-kun recommended it, I'll do it from now on)

"Eh... Even though it's my recommendation, if you really don't like it, just say so, okay?"

【The master’s word is absolute】

"I don't think so. It's important for you to listen and give your opinion."

【The penalty for disobeying the master's command is death】

"Hey, that's so dark..."

I was worried because she clearly wasn't joking about it, in fact, she said it with enthusiasm.

Well, it's not the first time, but she takes things too seriously.

"By the way, this is a picture of the bento I made earlier. The classmates seemed to like it."

【Looks good】 (...Kaburagi-kun can do anything, he's amazing)

"Thank you. Kurusu will be able to do it later as well."

【I’ll work hard】

"And when you get used to making your own bento..."

(When I get the hang of it...will we have a picnic together?)

"We'll have lunch with my friends...umm, Kurusu?"

Kurusu froze and stopped moving.

I waved my hand in front of her and said, "Are you awake?". Then Kurusu turned to me stiffly like a machine.

【Impossible】 (I admire people who sparkle like you, but I won't be able to)

"You're not going to die. If you want to start being liked by people, I think they're the easiest to start with. I can introduce you to them, and Kurusu is already getting good at interacting."

Kurusu frowned and gave me a hard look.

Well, you must be in a dilemma. It can't be helped.

I can understand that feeling.

Since the only people she's talked to so far are me and Sensei, she must be afraid to start relationships with new people.

And the fear she might feel is very valid.

My own friends might be surprised if I suddenly introduce Kurusu to them, but I'm sure they'll accept it.

Well, at least they'll tease her by saying "Ritsu's girlfriend, huh?".

And the real question is whether Kurusu will be able to get along with them after I introduce them.

I'll give her a chance and leave the rest to Kurusu herself to take the first step with a bit of courage.

Maybe Hinamori would be a good choice as a first target.

She would always act friendly in the beginning, so it was a safe bet... right?

While I was thinking about these different scenarios, Kurusu suddenly grabbed my sleeve.

When I looked back at her, she shook her head from side to side, indicating that she didn't want to be introduced by me.

"So you don't want to... is there anyone among them you don't like?"

"No" (...Hitchhiking to be introduced. It's not a good thing)

"Really, there's no need to be shy. They won't treat Kurusu badly just because you're meeting them for the first time."

But Kurusu still shook her head.

...Even in her mind, all I could hear was her clear rejection.

The text she wrote was actually her inner voice.

I didn't expect her to be so stubborn...

Although she looked confused, she still tried her best to write down what she wanted to say on her tablet.

But this time, it seemed very long, so she took out a piece of paper and started writing on it.

【I'm glad that you already want to try to introduce me to them. But if we're going to be friends, I don't want to introduce myself through Kaburagi-kun. I want you to see me grow, to see that I can do what you've taught me】

She looked at me with serious eyes.

...She's so strong, really.

───I’ll take care of it.

───I'll prepare a stage for her.

───If I can understand her problems, I should be able to solve them easily.

I've always thought about that, but it seems like it's just to satisfy my own ego.

She learned from me, but she still thought she could do it herself in the end.

It would be easier to leave it all to me. Yes, it would be much easier.

But she didn't want to choose that.

I really thought about her character.

Her honesty, seriousness and hard work without any hidden intentions. It was too charming for me.

I shrugged and laughed.

"Kurusu... you're really serious."

【Not good?】

"No, it's not that. It's just that it's not easy to make a first impression and try to get used to each other."

【Practice】

"You can just make a mistake and lose your spirit, you know?"

【Fall seven times, get up eight times】 (...I won't be discouraged. I want to be able to stand on my own)

"Haha. Yes, that's a very good mindset."

Everyone wants to take the easy way out.

Kurusu, on the other hand, has chosen the hard way.

Later, she will graduate from my guidance and try to deal with it on her own.

And I never thought that Kurusu would be the one to ask me to let her go.

Although I had planned to tell her sooner or later.

Okay, that's enough. I had already decided in my mind that I would stop helping her after telling her that.

That's why I was happy that she asked me to do it... but somehow, I felt a little sad.

I smiled at her and gave her a thumbs up.

"Alright, I understand. Okay, try your best when Kurusu has gained enough confidence. When you     finally make friends with the others, introduce me to them."

【Yes】 (...I'll try again, even if I fail, to get Kaburagi-kun's recognition)

"Yosh. Then I'll teach you how to cook and prepare your bento. I'll borrow the home economics classroom later."

【Please guide, Master】

Again and again, she keeps calling me that.

How many times would I hear that?

It might be sooner than I expected.

As I looked at her now, I thought about those things.

◇ ◇ ◇

It's been a few days since we started practicing making bento, and today I tasted the results.

The words that came out of my mouth were,

"Yummy..."

That's all.

In conclusion──Kurusu can remember things very quickly.

Even though her way of interacting is still the same, she's a fast learner when it comes to cooking.

It might be because she's interested in it, but it might also be because she always tries hard at everything.

Her fingers are covered with bandages, and the way she cuts vegetables shows that she has practiced a lot.

Such an honest and hardworking person always makes me want to help her.

She never complained about what I taught her, and she would ask right away if she had any questions.

Really a good student, isn’t she.

Her only weakness is that she still thinks too much.

Right now, right next to me,

('A little' means how much? If it's a little, shouldn't it be in grams? If not, then...)

Well, there are times when she stops looking at a recipe book like this.

She seems to be dissatisfied with the ambiguous parts and has difficulty with the parts that are defined by such approximations.

As another example, the other day she had difficulty with the instruction to 'cut into small pieces' when she should have just cut it into pieces.

"If everyone has a different mouth size, we have to define all the sizes!", she took out a ruler and thought something like that.

She would get pensive and have a hard time in her head whenever she didn't get a specific measurement.

Even now,

(I mean, is it difficult to weigh it? If so, I need to get a digital scale. I'll go to the chemistry lab to get it)

"Okay, Kurusu. Let's stop for a while."

【Cooking is war】 (The quality of food deteriorates over time. We must not waste it)

"I'm afraid you're too serious. You seem to have trouble with the word 'a little'."

【No】 (...Does he know that? Still, I want to look good at this...)

"Don't lie. Since this is Kurusu, I knew you'd have trouble with this part. As you can see in this recipe book, I see the word 'little' in many of the explanations."

Kurusu seemed to realize that she couldn't hide anything from me anymore, so she wrote【Thank you】, and looked embarrassed.

"You don't have to thank me. It's something I want to do."

I replied with a wave of my hand.

Well, I knew it would end here, right? That's why I had given her a note with clear measurements and experience, without relying on a recipe book.

But I'm sure Kurusu would understand if I taught her.

"A pinch of salt or pepper means about 0.2 grams of salt or pepper squeezed between your thumb and forefinger. If it's a liquid ingredient, maybe about 2-3 drops?"

(...0.2 grams. I knew we had to measure it... Cooking is so complicated)

"Hmm. For now, don't measure every time someone says 'a little', okay?"

(I got caught again. As expected from Kaburagi-kun)

"What I'm saying is just a guideline. If you want to be good at it, you have to find your own measure of how much to put in to make it taste good."

【Not confident】 (It's hard to measure just by looking at it...)

"Well, you have to practice and gain confidence. It takes time to get used to measuring everything all the time."

【I don’t care how long it takes. Practicing takes time】

"Well, that's true. But, for example, you have beautiful handwriting, but you don't write while thinking, "How many inches do I have to move at this angle and how much pressure do I have to apply to write this", right? Maybe you're worried at first, but if you keep making mistakes, and then you can correct them and make them even better, eventually it all becomes normal or habitual for you. Isn't that so?"

(...Well, if you say so)

"I understand your hard work. But be a little flexible, okay? If you're worried about not getting a clear number, let's try to make it easier for you."

【Yes】

"If you have any more problems, just ask me."

Then she continued to cook the bentos, and when she was done, she packed them up.

The childish little bento box looked so colorful.

An hour had passed since she started cooking.

Finally, the bento was ready, and as we looked at it together, I exclaimed in admiration.

"Oh, it's ready. Okay, isn't that a very good result?"

【Not as good as the master】 (...He complimented me. How nice... I wanted to take a picture... But if I'm happy now, will he think, "How naive of her to just be happy about something like that?")

"Don't be modest. Why not take a picture as a memento?"

Kurusu nodded at my words, took out her cell phone and started taking pictures.

You couldn't tell from her expression, but deep inside she was like a child, innocently happy about her success.

The sound of her playful joy still pierces my heart.

It's a pity that the people around her don't know about this kindness.

If they did, they would see her differently. I can understand how appearances can be a stumbling block.

So I had to do something to let others know how kind Kurusu was.

When I think about it,

(Ah, I hear voices! I'm sure I can surprise them this time~. Even though Kaburagi-san is a very sensitive guy, he wouldn't have expected me to come here at this time when the student council members are busy with activities for the new school year. Fufufu, I've been working hard to finish my work for this moment! I will make sure that my efforts will not be in vain~)

...No, what the heck. What do you mean, wasted effort?

I sighed when I heard a voice suddenly coming from the direction of the corridor.

I think it's Hinamori's inner voice thinking about her plan.

Gosh, that girl's inner voice is really loud...

She’s so insistent that she drowns out the sounds around her.

That's why I recognize her voice so easily, and why she never fails to surprise me in the end.

To me, it was as if she was blatantly declaring, "Hinamori will surprise you now!".

It's hard to react even knowing that... and I feel defeated.

I sighed and looked at the entrance.

It looks like I haven't been spotted yet, so I'll keep listening for her voice.

(I know you're here, Kaburagi-san. Let's see what he's hiding... Fufufu, I'm going to find your weakness. Ah, but it's not like I'm not interested or curious about you, right?)

Well, it will be a problem to deal with her when she comes in, but... will this be a good opportunity for Kurusu to talk to her?

I'm starting to think positively about this incident.

Hinamori wouldn't treat her badly the first time she met her, and if the conversation goes well, Kurusu will probably be able to talk to her from now on.

【What’s wrong?】

"...Well, it looks like my classmates are coming."

【Is it okay?】

"It's fine. It's just... sorry if it's going to be a little noisy."

【No problem】

(Okay, time to take a deep breath and let it out. Am I just going to bang on the door and say, "You've been caught in the act!"? No, maybe "No secret meetings!" would be better... Hmm, I can't wait to see his reaction!)

What else are you worried about? Hurry up and come inside.

Because I've already noticed.

I couldn't hear Kurusu's voice at all because of Hinamori, who suddenly went silent...

And she probably thought she was hiding, but her shadow is clearly visible on the glass door, right?

"Well, Kurusu, she's an easy person to talk to anyway, so there's no need to be nervous...eh, oi?"

Kurusu suddenly hurried to pack her things into her bag and crawled under the table.

The space was right under my feet.

Oi, oi, oi... why are you hiding unnecessarily?

I wasn't hiding anything, but the situation was counterproductive.

I mean, she'll get caught very easily if someone looks into this place.

I'm really confused...

The place where she was hiding was really narrow.

My toes were right underneath where Kurusu was sitting.

It makes me feel soft and... Ah, damn it. It's really hard to move my legs.

And why was this position so risky?

Just moving my legs feels so perverted, and if she moves her head, she'll be in my crotch.

...I couldn't do anything.

I took off my jacket and covered Kurusu with it to keep her out of sight.

"Cheaters are enemies of women! You got caught!...Eh, heeee? Kaburagi-san is...alone?"

"Yes. But aren't the student council members supposed to be busy? Is it okay if you come here to make a scene?"

"I've already arranged it well, so there's no problem."

"Okay, okay. That's good. Good job for you. Now go home and rest. The student council activities will continue until you're back home."

"Haven't you treated me very badly since I got here?"

"I'm just trying to be nice, right?"

Hinamori puffed up her cheeks and made an angry face, then said, "I'll still be here to chat with you", and then sat down in front of me across from my desk.

Thank goodness...but will Kurusu be seen if it continues like this?

I hope it'll be okay,

(It's funny, isn't it? I was thinking that Kaburagi-san, who is very vigilant, would be able to get away with it even if I came to him unexpectedly... hmm. In that case, I guess I'll have to push him to find out what he's really up to. Fufufu, if I can get his weakness, I'll win!!!)

It turned out that she had already planned to stay here.

If Kurusu showed up now, she would... Ah, no, no.

That would definitely be very inconvenient.

"Hmm. Looks like I guessed wrong. I thought I would catch you cheating on your wife today..."

"Good job on your imagination. Don't just assume it's an affair."

"Really? If you have a girlfriend and you're with another woman, that's cheating, right?"

"Well, that's your opinion. We're free to do whatever we want. As long as it doesn't interfere with our relationship."

"Huh...you're very open-minded."

"Not like some people."

"What do you mean!?"

"Okay, that's enough. See you soon, Hinamori."

Then she grabbed my shoulders from the front and shook me.

Kurusu, who was at my feet, thought, (Is this a fight scene?), and looked as if she didn't know what was going on.

"So, why do you want to leave right away~! Remember, I just came here, right? Don't you want to enjoy our conversation a little more!?!?!"

"Enjoy it, huh... No, don't you have student council business? Don't just quit your job, work well as a representative of the students."

"Ugh, I don't know what else to say when you say it like that... But aren't you being very cold to me today?"

When I replied coldly, Hinamori puffed up her cheeks like a child, showing her annoyance.

Her spoiled attitude made me want to tease her,

(Hehehe. What do you think!!! I'm sure even Kaburagi-san will be shaken by this perfection. I won't lose~ I'll make you lose your words)

Well, I can only laugh at her because the contents of her mind are still the same as always.

As you can hear from her inner voice, she is a stubborn person and won't go away.

And the most annoying thing would be if she met Kurusu in such a situation where she was making strange plans.

Kurusu would freeze and make the worst of it if she met her.

In that case, I will accompany this person until she is satisfied... well, there is nothing else I can do.

"Yes, yes. I'll keep you company for a while. But make sure you do your student council work, okay?"

"I won't forget anything later."

"Wow, you're very thorough."

"Fufufu. Compliments won't get you anywhere."

"I'm not complimenting you. I'm just saying you're a little stupid..."

"Let's talk. It's fun to talk about love. Since an important person like me bothered to come here~"

(...Important person? I wonder...)

Hinamori must have felt satisfied that she was able to steer the conversation in the direction she wanted.

But her annoying inner voice stopped and I finally heard Kurusu's inner voice.

She must be worried about the conversation between me and Hinamori. She moved around my feet and seemed to try to listen carefully.

"Hinamori likes to talk about such things, don't you?"

"Well, I'm a high school student. And we're obviously very sensitive to such things. Kaburagi-san must be happy to talk about it with me, right?"

"Well, for me, "Oh, so we're talking about this again...?". I mean, let's not talk about it anymore."

"Again~. Kaburagi-san, it's time for you to be honest."

"Haven't I always been honest..."

"Is that so...?"

Hinamori grabbed my shoulders with both hands as if she didn't want to let go.

She looked at me enthusiastically and brought her face close to the tip of my nose.

The fragrant scent of her body and her charming smile were clearly displayed before my eyes.

If I didn't know her true feelings, I would definitely fall in love with her.

But I wasn't tempted by her provocation and kept an indifferent attitude.

"...You didn't react, huh?" (Ugh... He really didn't react. This makes me lose confidence...)

"It's okay, right, the others can understand you anyway? Well, it's useless for me anyway."

"This is what I hate. I'll never be able to beat Kaburagi-san."

"What exactly do you want to fight for, Hinamori? I mean, wouldn't it be better if you didn't fight at all? That kind of attitude would look better on you."

Then Hinamori put her hand to her forehead after hearing my suggestion and made a face as if I didn't understand her situation.

"If I show my selfishness and arrogance, people won't like me. In this world, it is important to maintain a public appearance."

"So it's important to separate your true nature from what you want to show to the public, is that right?

"That's right. The impression people have of me is that I'm an elegant, refined, perfect girl. So, it's important to protect that image of me."

I understood what Hinamori meant.

I too have always tried to live up to the expectations of those around me.

But it's exhausting and sometimes boring. I have to be patient and keep trying, because I'm not sure if people will accept me as I am.

I think our ways of thinking are similar in this respect.

That's why,

"Well, I like the way Hinamori is now more."

I said that to emphasize what I said before.

Kurusu had stopped moving at my feet and looked nervous.

I tried to listen carefully to Kurusu's inner voice, but I couldn't hear it because it was covered by Hinamori's inner voice saying, (W-What were you just talking about!?!?). It seemed like she was panicking in her mind.

When I looked at Hinamori, she looked so annoyed that her big eyes blinked repeatedly.

Then she looked at me with a cold look and stared at my face.

"...What the heck was that? Sounds like a confession."

"Stupid. It's just my honest opinion about your personality."

"I see... Okay. I thought you were teasing me."

"Of course not."

"Well, that's right~. Kaburagi-san has a girlfriend. And she's older than you."

(...Like? Girlfriend...Older?)

"Well. Fortunately, we have a good relationship."

"Hmmm..." (How sneaky of you to say something like that without hesitation)

Hinamori's cheeks puffed up as if unhappy.

"Oh no~. I feel defeated to think that Kaburagi-san's life has been colored by someone mature."

"No need to compete with me."

"Compared to older people, how are your classmates?"

"Yes, yes."

"What do you think? There are things I can recommend here. Yes, I'll recommend myself as your second girlfriend."

"Hey, look. There's a wind blowing outside. Is it spring already?"

"Isn't your way of deflecting it a bit too pushy!?!?!?"

She immediately gave me a stern rebuke.

Then we looked at each other and both of us laughed.

While we were laughing, Hinamori seemed to notice the bento box on the table and pointed at it.

"Is that Kaburagi-san's bento?"

"Hmm, yes."

"Doesn't it look nice?"

"Don't just eat it, okay? It's my dinner."

"Ah, I see. That's what you mean~."

"That's what I mean?"

"Don't tell the others. Okay, I understand."

She nodded her head as if she had realized something and smiled wickedly at me.

She seemed to assume that it was the bento my friend had made and wanted to try it.

Hinamori brought the bento in front of her and folded her hands.

"Well, let me give you a taste critique. I'll find out if there's anything wrong and reveal it cruelly like a mother-in-law."

"Oi, your personality is really bad."

"Fufufu! I'll only do it to Kaburagi-san, okay?"

"...That's even worse."

"Thanks for the compliment. So...ah, it's open!"

"Hey. Don't..."

I tried to stop her, but she picked up the omelet and put it in her mouth.

She chewed it slowly as if enjoying it.

(...What should I do? Are you okay? Kaburagi-kun...)

Kurusu, who seemed to be worried about this situation, seemed to be worried about other people's opinions of her cooking.

"Mm?...Mm?...Mm?"

"Is something wrong?"

"I'm in trouble..."

"What? I think it's fine for me..."

"It's delicious...You can't yell at your wife like that, okay? Please give me back my spirit!"

"No, if it's good, it's good..."

"Well, it is, but... Hmm, but it's still nice and warm..."

"What else? Is something bothering you?"

Hinamori raised her eyebrows and took another side dish.

She seemed to have some doubts and thought, (I'm still curious), even though she thought it tasted good.

She looked at me a few times, and when she finally understood what I was saying, she put her elbows on the table, put her face in her hands, and smiled at me.

Her smile was frightening and I swallowed.

"Who made this?"

"Someone I know."

"Hmm. I thought the bento was still warm... Who made it?"

"It's probably warm because I put it in the microwave."

"I didn't hear that noise. I was behind the door for a long time..."

She looked at me suspiciously.

She was already sure that I was hiding something.

I decided to keep my expression.

"Well, that's okay. By the way, you're not cheating, are you? Cheating is the enemy of all humanity, okay?"

"Of course not. I'm just trying to help, you know. Help with the tasting and stuff."

"Dare to swear to me?"

"Swear to God..."

When I answered, Hinamori let out a long breath.

"Haah. Well, since it's Kaburagi-san, I'm sure you won't lie. Please don't be rude to me."

"Alright..."

"Really? It's okay because I saw it, but if she finds out that you got a bento box from someone else, she'll definitely be disappointed, even if that person didn't mean to interfere with your relationship. A girl's mind is as fragile as glass, so please be careful with your behavior."

"Ah, okay, I'll think about it more."

"Really! Be careful next time!"

(...Be careful with your behavior. Think about it. Instead of being misunderstood...)

Hinamori said grimly and patted my head as if to warn me.

"Well, I'll be going now. I have to get back."

"Ah, goodbye."

"Bye~"

Hinamori smiled and walked out of the classroom.

Silence returned to the classroom, and the sound of rustling cloth could be heard under my feet.

A few minutes later, Kurusu came out from under the desk and looked around.

Kurusu was writing on his tablet, and her expression became grim.

【I’m sorry】 (You guys fought because of me... And you seemed angry...)

"It's okay, really. She's just worried about me and told me her complaints, so Kurusu has nothing to do with it."

【I do】 (You look sad... And your mood looks bad)

"That's not true. I'm glad she said your bento was good."

(That makes me happy. But Kaburagi-kun...)

I smiled at her and told her not to worry.

But Kurusu was still worried.

Kurusu packed the rest of her bento and her luggage.

I looked out of the window while I tidied up the rest.

Outside, the sports club seems to be having a training session before the end of the day.

I thought I'd ask Kurusu to leave before the club finished its activities.

When I asked Kurusu to go home first, she showed me her tablet.

【Thank you for today. I’ll do my best】 (...But...)

"Keep your spirits up."

Before I could hear the rest of the "but" sound, she had already gone to the exit of the classroom.

It was hard to hear her inner voice from my position by the window.

She bowed her head politely.

Then,

【Thank you】

She showed it to me again.

"You don't have to say it twice. Anyway, go home before it gets too crowded."

When I said that, she lifted the corners of her mouth slightly and smiled awkwardly.

I thought she wanted to show me the result of our practice.

And then she left.

"She's in such a hurry. She's really impatient."

I muttered to myself as I watched the students working hard on their club activities.

We have to work hard again tomorrow... and I have to think about what to do if Hinamori interrupts us again later.

Well, let's see what Hinamori will do and think in the future.

While thinking about it...

"...Her smile, it's the best I've ever seen from her."

I couldn't stop thinking about Kurusu's face when she left me earlier.