It was expensive all right. If the definition of expensive was written by Kouji. His eyes peered over the menu. Most of the items were 1000 yen, but there was no way he’d accept something like that so easily.

“Maybe I’ll just get a water.” He commented to the others, who had already determined what they wanted.

“I could pay for it, if you would like.” Anastasia offered. To which he rejected. After all, they shouldn’t have to pay because he had a hard time with it.

“Do you think they might let me do half a meal?” Teru and Waa rolled their eyes over his reluctance to accept their charity.

“Honestly, it’s nothing for any of us. Especially if we split it up.” Teru explained. “Seriously, Himawari’s the one that offered this place. It’s not your fault if you can’t pay for it.”

“...Fine...” He reluctantly accepted their offer. “I guess if you all chip in, it won’t be that much for all of us.” Even with that, he didn’t want to spend other people’s money so carelessly. So Kouji ensured that he chose the cheapest meal offered at this place. Which was 400 yen. So that was 100 from each of us.

“I’m pretty sure we were fine with something a bit more… quality than that.” Waa commented when she heard him say what he was going to order.

“A small bowl of fried rice is more than enough for me.” Maybe not by any normal metric, but he had gotten used to meals with less substance that this.

“We have finally returned.” Himawari announced the arrival of herself along with Yuma. Who had gotten into a much clean outfit. One that fit the causal look very well.

“Great, well Himawari, I saved a seat next to me for you.”

“You want to sit next to me?” She asked, a little shocked that he was forward about it.

“Uh, yeah?” Kouji didn’t think much of it. “I mean, we haven’t really talked all that much today. Plus, unlike everyone else here…” He gave all of them a piercing glare. “I didn’t have to be dragged to some unsavory spots. But, if you don’t want to, then I guess Yuma-”

“I’ll take it.” She didn’t even attempt to pretend not to want it. But when Himawari sat down besides him, she had no clue why her brain wanted to. It was like she spoke without thinking.

They got their food, with no problems. Probably the first good thing to happen to him today.

“So Yuma.” He spoke up, noticing that she was still carrying the large bag of veggies. “That’s for me?”

“Oh yeah…” She took a look at it, while he lay resting on her chair leg. “I almost forgot.” She picked it up, and slid it to him over the table, much to the chagrin of the others. “Here you go.”

“Thanks…” He accepted the gift. It was an odd thing to receive from anyone, and as much as he’d like to reject it. The allure of free food over powered his pride.

“You were so hard on us paying for lunch.” Waa brought up a point. “I’m not seeing any resistance here.”

“I mean, your family grew this, right?” To which Yuma nodded in response. “So, I’m not really worried if you made something, had extra, and wanted to give me it.” It would be wasteful, if her family was unable to eat all of their food. He’d rather take it off their hands and make sure it went to good use.

“I see.” Himawari was starting to understand this boy, even if she still thought he was strange.

They returned to their eating, but Yuma had something else she wanted to say. It was just hard to try and break into the conversation they had. She had difficult speaking up, worrying about interrupting them.

“Something wrong?” Lucky for her, Waa noticed that look on her face. The one that signaled wanting to say something. “Looks like something’s on your mind.”

“Right…” She said, noticing the eyes landing on her now. “I just wanted to ask… What Kouji thinks of my outfit?” The boy didn’t really analyze what she was wearing. It was just a simple dress. Patterned with a frilly design. On top of it, was a loose beige blouse, that added an accent to the whole outfit.

“It looks nice.” He replied, figuring that she just wanted to make sure she didn’t look bad. Not that she was just wearing a classic black maid uniform just minutes ago. “I’m sure plenty of boys would like it.”

“But…” That wasn’t good enough for her. “...What about you?”

“Um.” He felt like he was put on the spot. With everyone around here, he didn’t want to say anything that would upset her. “I guess you could say that I think you look… Cute.” Immediately, he turned his head. Nervously scratching his neck as he was saying it.

“That’s nice.” She smiled, though with the way her eyes never moved. It was difficult to determine how genuine it was.

“Well, I was the one to pick it out.” Himawari made clear. Everyone else put a cold gaze on her. Knowing why she brought that point up. “You know, if you ever want to have someone pick something out for you.” She leaned back in her table, attempting to save herself from the outburst.

While they were talking, Kouji felt his phone vibrating. He checked it, knowing that there were only two people it could possibly be from. Sadly for him, it was from the only person of the same gender as him.

“Hello?” He said, the other girls couldn’t hear from over the phone. But surely it was Moku asking if the two could hang out. “You want to show me what?” Kouji said. For a second, he took a good look at the girls. Contemplating something in his mind. “Yeah sure, I can come over.” He accepted the unknown offer.

“Was that Moku?” Anastasia asked him, a little downtrodden that Kouji was so ready to leave them.

“Yeah, he wanted me to go look at a couple art pieces he made.” Kouji got up, and took the last two bites of his meal. “If he’s gonna show them off at school, then I should at least give him my opinion.” He waved them goodbye, and exited the building.

“Well, I guess when we’re done eating. Probably gonna split up too.” Teru said, returning to her food. Her lack of table manners wasn’t lost on anyone.

“Yes, I doubt anyone here had any other places they wanted to go.” Himawari agreed. “Plus, I’m a very busy girl. So my schedule is fairly tight.” They were all set to go, all except one.

“Are we... Going to let Kouji go?” Yuma said, as they were about ready to leave as well. “…I mean, leave the school?”

“Well, he’s just going to go back to his old school.” Himawari wasn’t as concerned as everyone else about him leaving. “After all, it’s not like we don’t know where he lives.”

“Ya might change your tune, when you realize he’s cutting us off.” Waa informed her.

“What?” Teru was the one most shocked to hear that news. Especially given that she had friends at the other school.

“It is true.” Anastasia confirmed what was told to her and Waa. “He plans on going and pretending that we’ve never met.” They exited the building together, though with a different plan than before.

“So what, that was the last time we’ll see him?” Himawari opened up her sun umbrella. She was originally going to call for her ride the moment they stepped out, but this conversation was going to take a while. A while under the beaming sun, to be specific.

Anastasia explained that he was fine with seeing them this break, but the moment it ends. Everything between them is over.

“That really puts a damper on my day.” She turned her head down at the news. Though given her luck, she was certain that they run into each other again. The problem would be pretending like they weren’t… Friends… Not that they were friends or anything. Or were they? That was something Himawari wasn’t certain herself.

“It sucks too.” Teru rode on her board in frustration. “I mean, even if he was going to another school. I thought I might get some more tutoring.”

“Oh I’m sure that’s why you’re not a fan of this arrangement.” Waa called her out.

“What’s that supposed to mean?…” While Anastasia was trying to defuse that small argument. Yuma was thinking something over in silence. It was just even harder to speak over people fighting with each other, than normally talking.

“What if we…” She finally got their attentions. “...Convinced him to stay?” That was a good idea, but without a plan, there would be no way to get to the favorable results.

“You are right.” Anastasia shot back up in glee once more. “If we can make him see why he should stay, then he will want to keep going to our school.”

“That is a good idea.” Said Waa. “Well, see you guys.” She turned and left them, leaving everyone awestruck.

“But we didn’t even come up with a plan yet!” Teru yelled at her.

“Honestly, the idea of working with all of you isn’t my cup of tea.” She turned her body, shrugging at them. “Plus, it might be better if we all come up with something by ourselves. I’m sure five plans are better than one.”

“Quite frankly, I have to agree.” Said Himawari. “I’m not fond with working with someone as… unrefined as some of you.”

“And I’d rather not work with someone as stuck up as you!” Teru responded to that comment. Prompting the other girl to put a hand up to her face to stop the fighting.

“So as to not get in each other’s way… Hey!” Waa wasn’t interested in listening to them, so she had already gotten far away from them. “As I was saying.” Once the lazy girl returned back. “We should agree when each of us will execute our plans.”

“Ooh, ooh.” Anastasia raised her hand, as if they were in a classroom. “Can I go first? I already have something in mind.”

They agreed on their order. Anastasia, Teru, Waa, Yuma, and finally Himawari. Once that was taken care of, they all went their separate ways.

To them, teamwork does not make the dreamwork. However, if they won’t stand united, will they fall divided?