Takeshi Kimura:

    It was 6 o'clock in the evening. I was lying down on my bed, looking at my phone. I had sent a message to Izumi-san asking if she had gone home. 

    We were a little late today. So I wanted to check if she had gone home safely. I had no other reason to send that message, and yet I sent it. I didn't think that much while sending. However she didn't reply yet. It showed the message was already seen though. 

   Then why isn't she answering? Maybe she is busy? Am I disturbing her then?

   I gave up after a few minutes and went to my study table. I picked up that manga again and started reading only the parts where Izumi was. There was not even a hint of Izumi-san getting close to Reiji in future. It seemed like her unrequited love would forever be unrequited. 

   If only I had the volume two of this manga....

   Then I would have known what was about to happen after this. However it was impossible right now...

   At that moment, my phone vibrated. I looked and it was Izumi-san after all.

   <Yes. Thanks for today.>

   A normal reply what you would expect...

   Yeah I shouldn't overthink about her... 

    I started to think about something else now. It was about my own life in this manga. In this manga, it was shown at one point that I was trying to find some part time job. However I couldn't find any until now.

    Well both my mom and dad work far away. And it seems the money they give me every week is just about enough. But I still need to find one part time job just to have some extra leisure money.

   Anyway, I will do that later. For now, let's relax some time and then buy dinner...

   But as usual, just as I was about to relax... my phone rang. And I knew who it was...

   {Kimura!}

   "F*ck off!"

   {Oi. I didn't even say anything yet.}

   "I know it's about your two heroines, isn't it?"

   {Yeah...}

   "See?"

   {Listen. Sensei have given us 1 month time. They both now have got into war mode for me.}

   "Haha you're a lucky boy."

   {Lucky my a**, this is bad. I don't know what they will try to do now.}

   "Relax."

   {I can't, dude. Well but you can relax, I get it. You don't have any worry. Also you got a cute girlfriend too. Izumi, right? Congratulations.}

   Now how can I tell you that my girlfriend is not really my girlfriend...?

   "By the way there's something more important you should take care of... the maths homework."

  {Eh? Oh sh*t! I forgot!}

   "Sure you did."

   {My dear Kimura... can you... hehe... please send me your homework?}

   "Sigh...."

                                  ♤

   Next morning, I was riding my bike to school as usual, I saw Izumi walking. It's unusual to see her without her bike. I stopped my bike and walked towards her.

   "Izumi-san!"

   "Eh? Oh, Takeshi-san?"

   "Without your bike today?"

   "Ah y-yes... it was my older sister's bike. She has taken it today."

   "Oh..."

   Weird... I thought the awkwardness between us were gone last day? But it looks like the atmosphere even more awkward today...

   I guess it was really tough for us to get along even if it was just friends. I desperately wanted to end this awkward atmosphere. So I chose to talk something.

   "Oh Izumi-san. You have changed your hairstyle?"

   "Eh? You noticed?"

   "Yeah. You're looking good."

   "Oh... thanks."

   I wanted to change the mood but I wasn't lying. She was looking even cuter today with her different hairstyle.

   "Umm... Takeshi-san?"

   "Hm?"

   "Am I really looking good?"

   "Yeah! You're looking very cute!"

   "O-Okay..."

   She looked down silently. But I could see her cheeks getting a bit red. I guess she was embarrassed. I shouldn't have said "cute" directly. 

   I hope she doesn't think I'm flirting with her!

   "Takeshi-san..."

   "Y-Yeah?"

   "You're not lying, right? Nobody called me cute before."

   "Eh? Really? I don't know... In my opinion, Izumi-san is one of the cutest in our school."

   "N-Now y-you're definitely lying!"

   "No."

   "Yes!"

   She then started walking faster and I had to keep up with her. She didn't say a single word for the rest of the path. I somehow made the atmosphere even more awkward. 

   

                                 ♤

 

    It was lunch break. Both I and Reiji were about to eat our lunch. At that moment, Mizuha arrived out of nowhere.

   "Miyano! What are you having at lunch?" (Mizuha)

   "Me? I usually have my sweet bread. Some biscuits etc." (Reiji)

   "What a pity! I have made some lunch for you today. You can eat it." (Mizuha)

   "Eh? Handmade food?" (Reiji)

   "Oof! Someone's getting handmade bento! Lucky boy!" (Takeshi)

   Mizuha sat with him and opened the bento. 

   "Let me feed you!" (Mizuha)

   "It's embarrassing!" (Reiji)

   "Don't worry. No one's staring at us." (Mizuha)

   "Kimura is!" (Reiji)

   "Don't mind me. I'm just eating my lunch. And I'm looking outside the window, okay?" (Takeshi)

   I let them be in their lovey dovey world and began eating my bread. I also glanced at both Izumi-san and Sanae. Sanae was glaring menacingly at Mizuha. It was Izumi-san who somehow kept her in control from bursting out.

   But Sanae can't do anything about it... because she doesn't know how to cook!

   She can't rival Mizuha here even if she wants. Poor Sanae....

   However, a bento is always enough to melt a boy's heart. Will that be enough to win over Reiji? In that case, it could be a knockout punch from Mizuha.

    By the way, if I ever get a bento from Izumi-san, I'll die happily... though there's almost zero percent chance for that. A girl rarely prepares a bento for a boy she doesn't like. Can she make a bento out of pity for me? Nah... even that's not possible.

   

Izumi Riko:

   I honestly didn't know how I was able to stop Sanae from bursting out. Her eyes were full of jealousy and anger.

   "Keep your calm, Mahiru..." (Izumi)

   "Oh I'm absolutely calm. Don't worry!" (Sanae)

   "Come on Miyano! Say 'ahh'..." (Mizuha)

   "It's really embarrassing. Ahhh..." (Reiji)

   "I can't! I can't! I just can't! How can I? If they continue to flirt like that." (Sanae)

   "W-Well... can you do anything?" (Izumi)

   "No! I can't cook! And that's your fault, Riko-chan!" (Sanae)

   "Eh? My fault!?" (Izumi)

   "I always asked you to teach me cooking. And you couldn't." (Sanae)

   "I tried my best, okay? It's now upto you to learn things." (Izumi)

   She started blaming at me again for no reasons. I tried to teach her cooking in every possible way. However everytime she makes a mess of whatever she tries.

   "By the way, why don't you make a bento for Takeshi?" (Sanae)

   "Eh?" (Izumi)

   "You cook very well. So I think he would be happy if you make lunch for him." (Sanae)

   "If you say so... but..." (Izumi)

   "Do you perhaps not like him?" (Sanae)

   "T-That's not really.... Will he like my handmade food?" (Izumi)

   "Yes! If his girlfriend makes a bento, the boy always loves it!" (Sanae)

   I'm not his girlfriend though... we're just friends in reality. Will he like it if I prepare for him? 

   

[To be continued]