The next morning as the classroom settled into the usual routine of the morning assembly, Renjiro leisurely dropped into his seat near the window. Resting his chin on the palm of his hand, he listened half-heartedly as the teacher proceeded with the day's lectures. His expression remained calm, almost indifferent as if the words flowing from the front of the classroom drifted past him without ever truly reaching his ears.
The monotonous atmosphere only made his mind wander further, leaving him with little interest in paying attention.
Not long into the lesson, the lively sounds of laughter, whistles, and shouting from outside stole his attention. Students from another class were having their physical education session on the field, their energetic voices carrying effortlessly through the open windows. Unable to resist, Renjiro slowly turned his head toward the source of the commotion.
His eyes quietly wandered across the field, observing the various activities taking place. Some students stretched under their instructor's guidance, others sprinted laps around track, while a few took advantage of the break to gather in small groups and chat.
Amid the bustling crowd, however, one particular student stood out from everyone else. He was completely surrounded by a flock of girls whose constant squeals, laughter, and cheerful chatter echoed across the school grounds. They clung to his every word and movement as though he were some kind of celebrity, making it nearly impossible for anyone to overlook him.
Renjiro's eyebrow gradually knitted together as he continued staring through the window. The more he looked, the more familiar the boy's face became. After a brief moment, recognition suddenly struck him.
It's the guy from earlier...
His gaze sharpened with curiosity, silently studying the mysterious student from afar. He was so absorbed in observing the scene outside that he failed to notice another pair of eyes watching from within the classroom.
"Ahem."
The sharp, deliberate cough instantly cut through the lesson.
Renjiro blinked and quickly snapped his head back toward the front of the room, only to find Kana-sensei standing with her arms crossed, eyes fixed directly on him. The history teacher's expression was stern, though there was a hint of curiosity behind it, as if she were equally interested in whatever had managed to distract one of her students so completely.
"Care to share with us what's so interesting outside, Koizumi-kun?" she asked, her voice carrying a firm edge that made the rest of the class glance in his direction.
Caught red-handed, Renjiro let out an awkward chuckle before scratching the back of his head with an embarrassed grin.
"Oh...uh..." he hesitated, desperately searching for an excuse. "The air... feels pretty nice outside today, sensei."
The classroom fell into a brief silence before a few students struggled to suppress their laughter at the painfully obvious excuse.
Typical of Renjiro.
The bell had barely finished ringing before the cafeteria erupted into its usual chaos. Students flooded every corner of the spacious dining hall, filling the air with overlapping conversations, laughter, and the clatter of trays against tables.
At the entrance, Renjiro and Sato stood side by side, taking in the overwhelming crowd. A particularly long line stretched all the way from the serving counter to the cafeteria doors, packed shoulder to shoulder with hungry students eagerly waiting for the day's special menu: hamburger steak paired with freshly fried karaage.
It was a limited dish that only the earliest customers could get, making it one of the most sought-after meals whenever it appeared on the menu.
Judging by the seemingly endless queue, it was obvious that not everyone would be fortunate enough to grab a serving before it sold out.
Renjiro clicked his tongue in annoyance, watching as each student ahead of them walked away with a plate piled high with the special meal. Every passing second seemed to lower his chances of getting one.
"At this rate," he grumbled with an irritated sigh, "classes will start soon before we even reach the counter. And by then, the karaage will probably be gone."
Sato, standing quietly beside him could only offer a sheepish smile. Unlike a certain someone, he didn't seem particularly bothered by the situation.
"Maybe... we should just get something else," he suggested softly, voice carrying its usual hesitant tone.
"Nah, forget it." Renjiro folded his arms across his chest, his brows knitting together into a deep frown. He let out another frustrated click of his tongue before turning toward the exit. "I'll just grab a bento from the convenience store instead."
"You're heading out now?" Sato asked, blinking in surprise as he watched him pivot on his heel.
Renjiro shifted his weight and looked back over his shoulder.
"Sorry. Hirota," he said, rubbing the back of his neck with obvious impatience. "But I'm just not standing in that line for, who knows how long, only to starve for nothing."
His stomach gave a faint growl, only souring the boy's mood further.
"And I'm really starving, for fuck's sake."
Sato couldn't help but let out a quiet, amused chuckle beneath his breath. He had known Renjiro long enough to recognize the signs, once hunger got the better of him, and patience vanished almost completely. At this point, nothing mattered more than finding the fastest way to put food in his stomach.
Just as Renjiro was about to take his first step out the exit, someone casually walked into his path. And instinctively lifted his gaze.
Standing before him was a young man with a jet-black naturally curly hair that framed a strikingly handsome face. He stood noticeably taller than Renjiro, his posture relaxed and confident. What caught his attention most, however, was the boy's smile looked warm, dazzling, and almost blinding in its brightness.
Combined with features sharp enough to grace a magazine cover, he looked like the kind of person who could make a million girls swoon with a single wink.
Renjiro's eyes widened ever so slightly.
"...You," he muttered under his breath.
Wait... this guy is...!
Recognition hit him almost instantly. It was the same boy from earlier that morning, the one he'd accidentally bumped into and who had offered him a hand after a he stumbled.
He was also the student Renjiro had spotted through the classroom window during P.E., surrounded by an endless crowd of giggling girls. Yet now, surprisingly, he stood alone.
The mysterious boys simply looked at him in silence for a brief moment, his emerald eyes studying Renjiro with a quiet curiosity. Then, without saying a single word, the corners of his lips curled into a gentle, almost affectionate smile.
Renjiro felt a chill crawl down his spine.
[??]
An uneasy feeling settled in his chest as tiny goosebumps prickled across his arms.
"Um... yes?" he asked awkwardly, unsure of what to make of the boy.
Before either of them could say anything else, a chorus of cheerful voices rang out from across the cafeteria.
"Senpai! Over here!~"
[!!]
Several girls stood a short distance away, waving enthusiastically at the mysterious upperclassman, their calls filled with unmistakable excitement.
Senpai?!
The boy glanced over his shoulder toward them before turning back to Renjiro one last time. He offered the same soft smile, accompanied by a small, almost apologetic nod.
"Coming~!" he called back in a sweet, carefree voice before jogging over to join the group.
Within seconds, he was swallowed by the cluster of girls surrounding him once again, their lively chatter and laughter resuming as though nothing had happened.
Renjiro remained rooted to the spot, blinking in complete confusion as he watched the scene unfold.
...What the hell was that?
He stared after the boy's retreating figure until Sato stepped closer beside him.
"What was that about?" Sato asked, following his line of sight. "Do you know him, Koizumi-kun?"
"No." Renjiro answered almost immediately, though his eyes never left the mysterious boy.
"No... I don't."
Even so, something about the encounter refused to leave his mind.
Strange... he thought.
The lunch rush gradually began to thin as more students found empty seats or left the cafeteria altogether. Even so, the lively chatter never truly faded, especially around the handsome upperclassman from earlier. Their laughter echoed across the room as they eagerly competed for his attention.
Meanwhile, Renjiro and Sato eventually found seats at one of the longer tables.
Much to their surprise and mild misforturne—they ended up sitting across from none other than the two student council members. The four of them had crossed paths only moment ago when Renjiro had reluctantly given up on the cafeteria line and decided to settle for something else.
An awkward silence immediately settled over the table. It was the kind of silence that felt so heavy it could reached the ceiling.
Yugen and Yukio each carried trays topped with the cafeteria's said limited specialty. They held their trays carefully as they sat down, making sure not to spill a single drop onto the spotless cafeteria floor.
The moment Renjiro's eyes landed on the meal, they nearly popped out of their sockets. The crispy, golden coating of the karaage glistened beneath the cafeteria lights, while the savory aroma drifting from the hamburger steak was enough to make anyone's stomach rumble.
His mouth watered almost instantly. And could practically imagine biting into the crunchy fried chicken, feeling the juicy meat beneath the crisp on the palate of his tongue.
Then reality struck. It was sitting right in front of Yugen.
Renjiro slowly shifted his gaze toward the student council president with an expression that somehow accused him of commiting a personal crime.
"...How?" he muttered, lips slightly pursed in disbelief.
Yugen blinked before finally realizing why he looked so devastated. Then a knowing smirk tugged at one corner of his lips.
"I always reserve our meals before lunch break," he explained matter of factly. "That way we don't have to stand in line for an hour."
Renjiro froze. Beside him, even Sato looked genuinely stunned.
It suddenly dawned on both of them that the cafeteria staff accepted meal reservations.
Meanwhile, Renjiro sat there with nothing more than a convenience-store bread roll and a small carton of strawberry milk.
That comparison felt almost insulting. While Sato forced an encouraging smile.
"Um... the curry looked pretty good too, Koizumi-kun." he said gently.
"Uh-huh..." Renjiro lazily poked at his bread.
He deliberately kept his eyes away from the trays across the table. "...Who would've thought this cafeteria played favorites with students."
Yugen sighed.
"It's not favoritism," he replied patiently. "Like I said, we reserve our meals in advance. It saves us time since we're usually busy with student council work."
"You can make reservations too, Koizumi-kun," Yukio added calmly, his voice as composed as ever.
Renjiro simply turned his head away with a scoff through his nose. "Hmph...!"
"We actually tried." Sato awkwardly scratched his cheek. He explained, "But they said they didn't want to show favoritism."
"What?"
"...They said that?"
Both Yugen and Yukio looked genuinely surprised. As far they knew, plenty of students reserved meals ahead of time whenever they had club activities or responsibilities after lunch. It had never been treated as an exclusive privilege.
Renjiro continued mumbling under his breath.
"Maybe I should just join the student council..." eyes remained glued somewhere else.
"Nope," Yugen answered immediately. "I refuse to let you join for that reason alone."
Renjiro dramatically took a sip of his strawberry milk. Then I guess... the staff just a sucker for good looking guys.
Sato and Yukio exchanged awkward smiles.
Yugen finally set his chopsticks down before leaning slightly over the table. "Look," he said with a tired sigh, "I honestly don't think they refused because they dislike you or favors tye student council members."
He paused. "I mean, first of all are you sure you actually asked politely?"
"I was polite!"
Renjiro immediately shot back. "I always ask politely! My beloved mother raised me to treat people with respect no matter what!"
The three others stared at him, as an uncomfortable silence followed. Yugen simply sighed, looking unconvinced. Before anyone could continue the discussions, a familiar voice suddenly drifted over from behind them.
"Oh? Well, look who we have here."
The playful tone immediately caught everyone's attention. A tall figure carrying a tray casually approached their table with the effortlessly bright smile. It was the mysterious upperclassman.
And much to Renjiro's horror, he had the exact same limited lunch special.
Yugen looked up first, recognition flashing across his face. "...Saito-senpai."
The greeting came almost instinctively. At the same moment, Renjiro abruptly shot to his feet. His eyes locked onto the golden karaage resting on Saito's tray, and jaw slowly dropped.
[!!]
No way... Even you?!
His mind practically screamed in betrayal.
"Hm?~" Saito tilted his head innocently after noticing Renjiro's intense stare, blinking with amused curiosity.
Across the table, Yugen and Yukio exchanged a quiet and resigned glances at each other. Without meaning to, the situation revealed the point that the cafeteria indeed really did seem to have favorites.
Soon enough, the five of then found themselves sharing the same table. Saito had casually taken the empty seat beside Renjiro, seemingly without a second thought. Resting a chin on the palm of his hand, the upperclassman watched the first-year with an amused smile that never seemed to leave his face.
Meanwhile, Renjiro could only return the gaze with a suspicious deadpan expression. His brows remained knitted together as if silently asking himself, why a guy staring at him?
[...]
[...]
Saito simply smiled wider.
Renjiro slowly looked away, deciding it was pointless to questions the strange senior. Instead, he picked up the spoon and carefully scooped a small portion of rice together with a slice of hamburger steak coated in its brown sauce.
The moment he took a bite... his eyes immediately flew open.
[!!]
A sparkle practically lit up his pupils. The savory sweetness sauce melted across his palette before blending perfectly with the juicy tenderness of the meat. Without wasting another second, he picked up a piece of karaage. Every bite was impossible not savor the crunchy flavor.
The crisp shattered satisfyingly before giving way to succulent, well-seasoned taste.
"Hmm~~"
A blissful hum escaped his lips. This is heavn!
For a brief moment, Renjiro looked as though he had ascended to another world. If anyone had been watching closely, they could have sworn a radiant aura was glowing behind him.
Across the table, Yugen pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a weary sigh.
"I'm sorry, senpai."
Saito merely chuckled. "It's fine."
Tilting his head slightly, resting a chin against his palm once more.
"I'm already full anyway," he said casually, his warm gaze drifting toward Renjiro, who was happily devouring the meal. "He can finish it for me."
"But still..." Yugen frowned.
His concern grew for Saito. After all, the upperclassman had barely touched his lunch before handing it over.
Saito laughed softly. "I told you, it's fine." as he waved a dismissive hand.
"The girls got it for me, but I had a huge breakfast this morning. I honestly can't eat another full meal."
That explanation only made things worse.
Yugen, Yukio, and even Sato all stared at him with widened eyes.
...Isn't that even worse?! The same thought flashed through all three of their minds.
What happens if those girls find out the lunch they proudly bought for him ended up in the hands of some stupid random first-year...?
Saito blinked before breaking into another carefree smile, immediately reading their expressions. Which he had to clear some explanations.
"Don't worry." he gave a reassuring chuckle. "They actually reserved it for me, but I was still the one who paid for it."
Before anyone else could respond, Renjiro—who had been silently enjoying every bite—finally looked up.
"He's right!" then pointed a spoon toward the others. "So let me enjoy my food in peace, will you?"
"...Your food?"
Yukio and Sato could only exchanged awkward smiles. Yugen, however, stared at him with a completely expressionless face... somehow looked even more irritated than before.
The boy, completely oblivious, happily returned to eating. Without him realizing the kind of trouble he might have unknowingly invited upon himself. If the popular Saito's fans ever discovered about this, it would be a declaration of war. They're that dedicated.
[...]
[...]
"How about a thank you for giving you my lunch?" Saito leaning slightly towards him, but it seemed Renjiro couldn't hear anything and was busy munching.