I'm currently on the way to Oji's house. I had told Yoko that I'd be coming early to walk to school with her and Naoya. Not to mention, I'll be staying with them for the week.

Whlist walking up the street where my family members live, I recognise a quite familiar face rushing towards the opposite direction. 

"Good morn, Aoi.", I flash a smile.

"Hello Govvy."

With that brief acknowledgement, Aoi hurries past me and continues on her way. 

Some would consider that to be rather rude, but if you knew what she went through at art school, you would sympathise with her. Aoi is the eldest child of my uncle and aunt's children. She's twenty years of age, and two years older than Naoya and I.

Reaching Oji's house, I knock on the door. 

"Who's that~?" 

That sing-song voice belongs to... 

"Good morn, Oba."

"Ah, Govvy-chan~~!"

The door opens, revealing my aunt, Mai Colen. A beautiful woman, who Aoi takes after greatly. 

"It's great to see you as usual, Oba. Are those two ready to go?"

"Of course."

Naoya strolls out of the house, with Yoko right behind him. 

"Alright, let's be off. See you later, Oba."

"We're off, mum."

"See you soon, mum."

With that we wave Oba good-bye and head for school. 

"Be careful~~"

On the way, I couldn't help but notice. 

"Yoko, what's up with that lunchbox?"

"This? It's for you.", she replies. 

Really, you made it for me?

"You should've seen her.", Naoya smirks, "She was extra, extra careful with it last night." 

"Hush, Naoya-nii."

Gratefully, I take the lunchbox from her. Blimey, it's heavier than it looks. 

"I appreciate it, Yoko. Thanks."

I pat her on the head, as per usual.  This is something that I found myself doing to show affection to people shorter than me. Although, Yoko is the one who I first started doing it with. So you can imagine that something like that would become an unconscious action between her and I.

"Flirting this early? Wow. Should I expect my wedding invitation soon?"

"Alright, stop that noise. We look nothing like that. Right, Yoko?"

I turn to her for approval, but she seems to be looking away. That's an odd reaction. 

"So do I get to have the honour of being the best man?"

"No, but you will get the honour of a good smack upside the head if you keep running your gob."

!

Oi, what's this feeling? It's like I'm picking up on something. It's over there. Naoya follows my gaze and sees what I see. A handful of delinquents wearing familiar striped yellow and black jackets. Why are they here? They can't be after me, can they? No, of course not. I'm just some high-schooler after all. 

And besides, I don't see any of the guys who I fought the other day. Nonetheless, Naoya and I keep our eyes on them as we walk past. Yoko? She still seems to be looking elsewhere.

 

*RINNNGGGG*

    The bell for lunch peals, and the classroom immediately devolves into a clamour.

"Daisuke, are you joining us this time?", Gege yawns.

"Yeah. Where's Takai?"

"He went to talk to some girl."

Akai answers me as we leave the classroom. 

"Yeah, so he ought to be rejected soon."

"I'm glad to see that you have so much faith in our friend, Gege."

We arrive at the cafeteria, and look around for our usual table. We find Naoya and Yoko already sat at it. 

"Where's Takai?", he asks.

"Confessing his deep, unyielding love.", Gege says slovenly. 

Naoya sighs.

"When will he learn that his desperation isn't doing him any favours?"

Talk of the devil, he here comes, and right beside him is Akane. She strangely freezes up what she sees Yoko, and then continues to approach the table with deliberate footsteps.

Takai sits at table next to Akai, and furiously slams his lunchbox on the table. 

"This sucks. I'm a valued player on our baseball team and yet I've got no game?! Man..."

Akane, sitting across from Yoko, snaps at him.

"Maybe it's because you're a perv whose desires are easily seen through. Did you ever think about that?"

"Ack!"

Takai clutches at his heart, blatantly wounded by her remark.

That was unusually cold. Did something happen? Anyway, I try to offer up some encouragement to Takai. 

"Don't worry, Takai. After all, the only lady-killers on the team are Akai here and Isshiki."

"I wouldn't say that.."

Akai mumbles something under his breath. Opening up the lunchbox that Yoko made for me, I can see the care that Naoya was talking about. Everything looks great. I pick up a piece of fried chicken and try it.

"Wow! This is really good, Yoko! It's just like Oba's cooking!"

Yoko appears to be elated by my reaction. 

"Really?"

"I'm serious.", I nod feverishly, "I could eat this everyday!"

"You traitor...."

Takai, mate, loosen the grip on your chopsticks. They're about to break.... 

Before the teasing could begin, Akane who was completely silent, addresses Yoko.

"Pardon me, Yoko-san. But don't you think that you made to much food?"

Too much food?

"Ha! There's no such thing as too much food to that bottomless pit.", Akai laughs.

Oi, don't refer to me in the third person while I'm here, you git.

"Be quiet, onii-chan. I obviously know that."

Akai cowers in bewilderment at his sister's sharp retort.

"What I'm saying is that it too much to have before class. Are you trying to interfere with Senpai's academic performance?"

Yoko answers Akane in short order. 

"Of course not. And besides, Aniki can easily handle this much and not feel drowsy afterwards. If you knew him even a little, you wouldn't have to ask such a silly question."

Suddenly, the atmosphere has gotten tense. Everybody stops eating and directs their eyes to Akane.

"Are trying you to imply that I'm clueless about Senpai, Yoko-san?"

Akane's voice trembles, anger obviously creeping into it. 

"No, I'm not implying it. I'm declaring it as a fact. Ms.Chikara."

Yoko regards Akane in a cold voice that I hardly even recognise. Did it go down an octave or two? Oh, no. 

"...."

"...."

The two of them are now just glowering at each other with dark, intense gazes. At this point, the rest of my friends have put down their utensils and are now shooting each other nervous, uncomfortable glances. I've got to do something about this, I'm the cause after all. 

"Say, how about I just eat half of it now and save the rest for after school?", I suggest, "That way I can enjoy the food now and definitely not have to worry about being drowsy during class. Sounds good, right?"

Yoko and Akane stare at each other a bit longer before...

"That's just fine, Aniki."

"Alright.."

Yosh! It worked! Yoko and Akane continue with their lunch and a collective sigh of relief is had among us boys.

Lord have mercy, that was rough. Not at all what I expected from my first lunch with friends in a week.