CH 137

The day after I went to the arcade with Shi-chan, I went to school together with her.

When we walk together, we still attract a lot of attention from people around us, probably because Shi-chan used to be an idol and also because she is a rare beautiful girl in the first place.

If I were in a third person’s shoes, I would probably be smiling at Shi-chan as she looks at me happily today.

I was so energized by Shi-chan, who was so cute and full of energy from this morning, that I headed to class, hoping that today would be another good day for me.

When I entered the classroom, although I saw the same faces as usual, I felt a slight sense of discomfort because we had just switched seats.

Even in the same classroom, just by changing seats, the scenery changes and I feel a fresh feeling.

I parted ways with Shi-chan and went to my seat. There was nothing to do for the moment, so I fiddled with my phone and waited for morning homeroom to start, and the classroom became slightly more lively.

Of course, it was because Shi-chan, the class idol, had arrived at school, and as soon as she got to her seat, she was surrounded by her classmates.

I thought that since Shi-chan had been with me most of the time, everyone must have been reserved, and I continued to play with my phone while watching over Shi-chan from my seat a little further away.

I was looking at the photo from the photo booth we took together yesterday, and just as I was about to grin, a voice suddenly called out to me.

“Good morning, Ichijo-kun.”

It was Tomomi Nishikida, sitting next to me.

She is a girl with long black hair in a braid and glasses, giving the impression that she likes to read.

In fact, we went to the same junior high school, but we were never in the same class in junior high school and had never been involved with each other except for the fact that we went to the same school.

This is probably the first time I’ve been able to talk to her in this way.

I am not the outgoing type, but Nishikida-san always reads alone in the classroom, and I thought she was someone who did not want to get involved with others in the class, so I was a little surprised that she talked to me even during our morning greeting.

While I was a little bewildered by her greeting, I returned her greeting.

“Good morning, Nishikida-san.”

Then, Nishikida-san smiled once in response to my greeting and, perhaps satisfied with that, took out a book from her bag and began to read.

Nishikida-san was going at her own pace, but I was comfortable with that.

I was relieved that we could spend time quietly without interfering with each other, and I decided to play with my phone again.

However, I couldn’t help but turn around to see Shi-chan, who was still surrounded by her classmates, staring at me with narrowed eyes through the gaps between the people gathered there.

I was puzzled, wondering if she was dissatisfied with my conversation with Nishikida, when the chime rang and the morning homeroom started, so the scene was left at that.

Then, during lunch break.

I went to the cafeteria again with Shi-chan, Takayuki and Shimizu-san.

I felt bad about using the cafeteria tables even though we were not using the cafeteria, but since there were people from different classes eating lunch together here, there seemed to be no problem with using the cafeteria tables.

Today, too, Shimizu-san offers Takayuki a homemade lunch box.

However, it had physically turned into a lunch box filled with love, as she had declared the other day.

Takayuki’s face was a little tight as he looked at the bento, but he thanked Shimizu-san for it. Shimizu-san smiled and said, “Don’t forget to eat it♪.”

–I wonder if Shimizu-san’s character is changing.

Smiling at the two of them, I waited for Shi-chan to offer me my lunch box, thinking that I could not speak for others, but today Shi-chan did not offer me her lunch box.

I noticed something unusual and asked Shi-chan sitting next to me how she was doing.

Shi-chan was looking at me with her eyes squinted.

“S-Shi-chan?”

“Jiiii!”

I called out in a panic, but Shi-chan looked at me doubtfully while saying “Jii” with her mouth.

–Uhm, what is this?

I was puzzled by Shi-chan, but I could only be impatient because I did not know what she was asking for.

If I could think of anything, …… it would probably be what happened with Nishikida.

I think we may have talked a few times today, but that was a perfectly normal conversation.

But Shi-chan had been giving me the same suspicious glances during class, I thought, and I opened my mouth to say no.

“Uhm, are you angry with me for talking to Nishikida-san?”

I asked fearfully, and Shi-chan puffed up in frustration.

“—No, not at all. Because today Takkun, after entering the classroom, left me alone and talked to the girl next to him.”

Shi-chan told me the reason for her unhappiness.

In short, she was angry that I was not talking to her, but she was talking to the girl sitting next to me.

“Well, I always monopolized Shi-chan, so I thought maybe the class would like to talk with you too”

“Well, that may be true,……, but I was still lonely.”

Shi-chan then turned her head down and apologetically offered me her lunch box, saying, “I’m sorry for saying such small things.”

I see, you were lonely.

I finally understood the reason for Shi-chan’s bloating, and I reflected on it.

I then spoke softly to Shi-chan in order to make up for it.

“—-I see, I’m sorry, Shi-chan. How can I make up for that loneliness?”

“Eh? It’s fine. I’m just a child. ……”

“Well, can I open my lunch box?”

“Y-yes …..Aah”

Shi-chan was about to say something, but I went ahead and opened the lid of the lunch box.

When I opened the lid of the lunch box, there was a heart-shaped fish paste on top of the previous one, and even more physical love was put into the box.

I couldn’t help but laugh as I looked at the bento box that was filled with so much love.

It is true that this bento is a little out of place when we are talking about something like this, and I understand why Shi-chan was about to say something.

“Then Shi-chan, open your mouth and say ‘an’?”

“Eh?”

“Just do it”

“Y-yes. Aaan.”

Shi-chan opened her mouth with an “ah-nn” while looking embarrassed.

I confirm this, pick up the heart-shaped fish paste with chopsticks, and put it in her mouth.

“It was made for me, how do you like it?”

I smiled at Shi-chan as she munched on the fish paste.

Shi-chan seemed to understand what I was trying to say and opened her mouth shyly, her cheeks flushed red.

“—-Yes, I received a heart from Takkun.”

“What did you think?”

“–I tasted happiness.”

Just as she said, Shi-chan smiles happily.

Seeing her like an angel, the feeling of love inside me grew even stronger.

“lovey-dovey aren’t you.”

“Yeah, lovey-dovey”

Takayuki and Shimizu-san, who had been watching the whole exchange, were laughing gently at us, although they were teasing us.

So today, too, we spent our lunch break together happily.

I thought that I would lose if I paid attention to the stares that people around me were giving me.