It was 7:30 A.M. when I woke up. A little bit late compared to usually. I looked for Amano-san and found her in the kitchen doing something.

   "You woke up already, Amano-san?", I asked her while still being half-asleep.

   "Yeah. Your grandfather had told me that you don't eat anything in the morning so I decided to make the breakfast."

   "Eh? You didn't need to make it for me. Come on take rest."

   "It's okay. I'm doing this for both of us. Also why don't you eat breakfast, Arawi-san? You apparently always drink some energy drink and go to school."

   "So Grandpa told this too?"

   "Of course."

   "Well... I just didn't want to work haha."

   "Also that Arawi-san doesn't know how to even fry an omelette."

   "W-Wait how did you know-- is that also my Grandpa?"

    "Of course."

    Damn you, Grandpa!

    Meanwhile Amano-san continued to scold me because of my negligence on my health. She does look scary when she is angry. However it's also kind of cute that she is worried about my health. 

    We began to eat breakfast. She used the ingredients left in the fridge. But let me tell you, what she made was a banger! Steamed rice, miso soup, grilled fish, Natto, pickled vegetables. How did she even do these in such a short phase of time and also make everything so damn good?

   "I swear I have not eaten such tasty breakfast for a long time."

   "Is that so? I did nothing special though?"

   "But what you have made are absolutely delicious. Amano-san has magic in her hands."

   "N-Now you're overdoing it.", as I continued to praise her, she started to blush. So cute.

   But suddenly sadness appeared on her face again. I couldn't understand why.

   "Umm... Amano-san, what's the matter? Why are you looking sad again?"

   "It's just that nobody praised my food before. I used to make food in my house. But nobody ever said a word. It's like I was more or less a maid."

   So that's it. Once again her terrible experience with her parents came to haunt her.

   "Amano-san, please forget about those in past and your parents. Because I promise they won't come to trouble you ever again. You just focus on your life from now on."

   "Arawi-san.... you're so kind. I would definitely repay the debt one day.", she finally smiled after that.

   "Don't even be bothered about that. I think we would be late to school."

   "Oh yes. But what's the time... OH NO it's already this late!"

    We didn't even notice that only 10 minutes left for school to start. By foot, one can only reach my school in 20 minutes. 

   "I will definitely be late today.", Amano-san looked worried.

   "Don't worry Amano-san, I have my bicycle. Just sit behind."

   As soon as I said that, I bit my tongue. Is that a good proposal? I mean she doesn't like me so she might be unhappy with me.

   Fortunately she didn't mind at all. Moreover she thanked me for helping her. 

   My heart was beating too fast while she sat on the carrier of my bicycle. Too calm myself down, I started talking about various trivial things. She also happily talked about various things. 

   I left her just before the gate of the school so that none of our classmates could see us together. Otherwise it would spark rumours and stories.

   "I'll go then, Arawi-san."

   "Ah yes! Umm... do you want me to take you home after school?"

   "Ah...", she hesitated for a moment and said, "it's okay, I usually come back with my friend Rin. She will suspect me otherwise."

   "Oh. Okay then bye."

   We entered our classroom separately. While we went to our respective seats, my mind was occupied by different thoughts. I'm not going to lie, I really got a little ahead of myself while asking her if she would like to come back home with me. 

    Yes, we may be living together, but I have no right to try to get close to her. It's not one of those light novels where living together basically means you're lovers. Those are too good to be true. It is not just the fact that she openly said that she doesn't like me but also.... how can I assume that she doesn't like anyone else?

    She may already have someone in her heart who can make her happy. To be honest, she absolutely deserves someone like that... and I'm certainly not like that. I'm not one of those with inferiority complex... but it's just a basic fact, I'm not one of those guys who girls would like to date. After all there's a reason why I never had a girlfriend. 

    However, even if that's the case, I want to be by her side. Even if it's for just for a limited time.

   "I want to do my best to make her forget about her terrible past and make her happy. I don't care if the feelings are one sided."

   "Lmao what kind of cringe dialogue you're saying dude?"

   "Eh? Tanaka! Since when are you behind me?"

   "Just now. By the way which film dialogue was that, Kenji?"

   Oh boy... I said my thoughts a little loudly that my friend heard that. Tanaka is one of my two best friends in the school. Other one is Kouta. He is not in our classroom right now.

   "Where is Kouta by the way?", I asked.

   "May be busy with his girlfriend in the other class. He deserves a heck of a beating after ignoring us."

   "Haha he should learn from Tanaka how to please both girlfriend and friends."

   "Tck... For the 87th time I'm saying, she's just my childhood friend, not girlfriend."

   "Yeah lucky b*stard."

   I then glanced at Amano-san's seat. She was happily talking with her friends. She... didn't glance at me even once. I don't know why I'm sad about this.

   [To be continued]