For who-knows-how-many times today, Miyahito's heart raced because of the girl in front of him.
Now, once again, her gentle smile reflected in his pupils made his breath catch for a few seconds.
"N-no need to thank me, Kasumigaoka..." Pretending to focus entirely on the food, he kept his head down and clumsily handed her a pair of chopsticks.
"L-let's eat quickly before it gets cold."
"Mhm."
A faint, happy smile on her lips, Utaha accepted the chopsticks, her fingertips accidentally brushing lightly against his slightly rough palm.
So this is what a guy's palm feels like.
Quietly noting the fleeting touch, she filed it away in her memory.
Miyahito, completely oblivious to the small accident, sat up straight properly. Using his chopsticks, he began placing food into the small rice bowl she was holding, nagging like a worried mother.
"Try this hamburger steak. I tried making it the way you described. How's the taste?"
"Mhm, it's delicious."
"Good. Try the teriyaki chicken too... is it too sweet?"
"Mmm, the sweetness is just right."
"And the broccoli."
"It's really good. Crisp and refreshing."
"Yeah, and the soup."
Watching him not take a single bite for himself, only focused on serving her, Utaha couldn't help but laugh through her tears of joy and mild exasperation.
"Alright, alright! If you keep piling it on, I won't have room for rice."
"Ah." Blinking blankly, Miyahito finally looked at the overflowing rice bowl in her hands.
Looking slightly embarrassed, he scratched his cheek, then quietly picked up his own bento.
Silently, he started eating.
Watching him look a mix of wronged and embarrassed after her gentle reminder, Utaha lifted her bowl slightly to hide her mouth, her eyes curving into crescents.
Mou, how can he be this cute, Aragaki-kun?
Just then, a classic rom-com trope suddenly popped into her head.
A mischievous glint in her eyes, she sat up straighter, looking at her chopsticks and the mountain of food in her container.
Carefully avoiding the spot she'd bitten, she picked up a small piece of hamburger steak.
Then, she softly called his name.
"Miyahito-kun."
"Hmm?" Not catching on, Miyahito looked up blankly at her unexpectedly sly smile.
Just as he was about to ask, "What's wrong? Is the food bad?"
"Here, say ahh~~"
Watching the chopsticks approach, holding that perfectly bite-sized piece of hamburger steak, Miyahito's mind suddenly stalled.
Brain completely blank, temporarily deprived of higher functions, he instinctively opened his mouth.
"How is it? Delicious?"
Utaha gently withdrew her chopsticks, her eyes curving into a sly, playful smile. As if entirely oblivious to the tip accidentally brushing his lips, she parted her own slightly, her white teeth lightly biting down on the end of the chopstick.
"Yeah... it's good."
Still running on empty, Miyahito nodded foolishly.
He probably didn't even realize the slight embarrassment of praising food he'd made himself. Technically, it was the classic case of "praising your own merchandise."
"That's good then."
The corners of her mouth lifting, Utaha nodded with a mix of joy and satisfaction, still lightly holding the chopsticks between her teeth.
"Mhm..."
Saying nothing more, Miyahito lowered his head, mindlessly shoveling rice into his mouth.
As for Utaha... well, it was hard to tell if she was actually watching him eat, or truly savoring the delicious food in her mouth.
But to be fair.
This was, without a doubt, the best bento Utaha had ever eaten.
...
Just as the two enjoyed this simple yet deeply warm and peaceful lunch, in the stairwell just behind them.
"Let me see too!"
"Don't push... Tooru, stop shoving!"
"I'm out of space too! Yuki, scoot over a bit!"
Squeezed together at the door, Tooru, Yuki, and Kyoko watched through the crack, their faces a mix of disbelief, curiosity, and envy.
"Whoa... this is making me so jealous." Yuki glanced down at her own bento, pouting as she looked up at the hunched-over Tooru. "Tooru, you're totally useless."
"You didn't even know your best bro was dating someone."
Tooru shot her a look. Listen to yourself. Like you knew any better.
"Honestly, Miyahito kept this seriously hidden." Kyoko finally looked away, sighing as she glanced at her own lunch. "No wonder he turned down every girl who confessed to him."
"This moved way too fast." Tooru stood up straight, rubbing his itchy scalp with a pained expression. "Don't tell me they got together before high school?"
"Impossible." Yuki shook her head, her expression complicated. "Didn't he say he went to middle school in Chiba?"
"And Kasumigaoka from Class C went to middle school in Wakō City. One's in Chiba Prefecture, the other's in Saitama."
"Yeah, no way that lines up."
Tooru and Kyoko nodded in agreement. Crossing that distance, finding each other in completely separate worlds... it really seemed impossible.
"Forget it, guessing won't get us anywhere." Kyoko stood up, brushing invisible dust from her skirt. "Either way, Miyahito has matches to play later."
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