Volume 1 - CH 56

“Tendo! Give me the notebook! I’ll give it back to you by lunchtime!”

Takayama was the first to call out to me after homeroom.

I promised to lend him my notebook at lunchtime, but he suddenly had other plans.

He probably wanted to finish copying the notebook by noon.

“Look, I’ll lend you the notebooks I won’t be using today, so give them back to me when you’re done.

“Thank you! That’s great!”

Takayama was copying the notes both during breaks and in class.

I thought it would be better to be listening to the class than copying, but I decided not to bother.

I’m sure that he would be taking the class and copying the notes at the same time.

Isn’t that a wonderful efficiency, Takayama? I wish I could learn from him.

—ring—ring—ring

“Shoo! It’s noon, noon! Let’s go, Tendo!”

Takayama gets up from his seat and rushes out of the classroom.

“I’m going to the store, you go ahead.”

“Come on! I’ll save you a special seat!”

He is seriously dashing around, not caring about the eyes of those around him.

The notebook disappeared out of sight without being returned.

While holding a bag that seems to contain lunch firmly in one hand.

I should retrieve the notebook later.

I bought some things at the store and headed for the rooftop.

Looking up the stairs leading to the rooftop, I saw two girls.

Oh, it would be bad if I looked up at them from this angle.

I lower my eyes and walk up the stairs without changing my position.

“Tendo-san?”

It was Himekawa who called out to me.

“What is it, Himekawa?”

There was another girl next to Himekawa.

Well, who was it? I’m pretty sure it was a girl from the same class, right?

Is it Sugimoto?

“Are you going to the rooftop now?”

“Yeah, Takayama should have taken the place first.”

“I don’t want to make him wait, so let’s go.”

We headed to the rooftop in silence.

The sky was clear, there was a slight breeze, and it looked like it would be a perfect lunchtime.

“I have been waiting for you!”

Takayama appeared in front of us.

He appeared as if he were a merchant who was dealing with a high-class customer. What is he doing here?

There was a sheet on the floor in the place we were led to, and for some reason, there were even cushions for two.

Where did you get them from? You didn’t have any cushions, didn’t you?

“Come this way, come this way. I have cushions ready for you, too, over here!”

The two girls who were led to the cushions sat down on them.

Takayama and I sat directly on the seat.

“Thank you. Did you go to the trouble of preparing them?”

“I prepared them together with the seats! It was no trouble at all!”

Takayama was smiling as he spoke. His excitement is still high. I wish he would direct his enthusiasm toward his studies.

Everyone sits down and prepares lunch for each other.

I have bread and milk from the store. Himekawa probably has a sandwich from the store.

Sugimoto brought his own lunch box, and a cute bento box wrapped in a cloth appeared.

Takayama had a large two-tiered lunch box. It contains a considerable amount of rice.

“Then, in celebration of my lunch meeting with Himekawa-san, here’s to you!

Everyone except Takayama starts eating normally.

Takayama is alone, raising his plastic bottle to a height that almost reaches the heavens.

Seeing him like that was heartbreaking, even for me.

“Takayama, are you that happy?”

“Of course I am! Aren’t you happy, Tendo?”

“Well, it’s better than eating alone.”

The truth is, I am a little happy. It feels a little more enjoyable than lunch eaten alone at your own table.

“I’m happy to have lunch with everyone. Right, Ayane?”

“Yeah…”

Sugimoto, who was asked to talk by Himekawa, was not very excited in contrast to Takayama.

I wanted to give him half of Takayama’s energy.

I think she didn’t really want to be here.

“Oh, let me introduce you. We are in the same class, but you and Takayama have never talked much, have you? Her name is Ayane Sugimoto.”

“Sugimoto-san! I’m Takayama! Nice to meet you!”

Takayama raised his voice with a lunch box in his hand.

“I’m Tendo.”

I only say a few words with a piece of bread in my hand.

I can’t get as excited as Takayama.

“I’m Sugimoto…”

She is gloomy. She is shorter than Himekawa, her hair is in braids and her school uniform is tightly fitted as per school rules.

And his long bangs hide his glasses and eyes, making his expression almost unreadable.

I’m not sure if it’s a good idea. Maybe she’s a type just like me!

“By the way, Takayama-san.”

“What can I do for you?”

Why do you use such language only for Himekawa?

There’s a big difference in temperature between him and Sugimoto.

“I think you should refrain from sending messages late at night. People don’t want to be contacted at that time of night. If they are sleeping, it will disturb their sleep. Could you please think about the other person and contact them at an appropriate time?”

“Ugh. Why did you mention that…? No, there is a deeper reason for that. I mean, why would Himekawa-san know about that?”

Yes, that’s right. As for the late-night message, that’s information that only the parties concerned know.

I exchanged glances with Himekawa, and we both expressed something to each other.