The next day.
As was my habit, I fled the classroom the moment the bell rang and headed toward the flowerbed.
I no longer wanted to stay in the classroom for a second longer than necessary. My school life had become entirely defined by what happened within the quiet confines of that garden.
When I arrived, I found Senpai already there, sitting on the bench—a rare sight.
"Hello, Takanashi-san."
"Hello, Senpai."
Looking closer, I realized she was in the middle of laying out a bento.
It was the first time I had ever seen her bring lunch here. Usually, she didn't eat at the flowerbed; she likely ate before coming or waited until after she finished her work.
"Would it be alright if I joined you for lunch today?" she asked.
"Oh, yes! That's perfectly fine with me."
"Thank you."
Since it felt rude to stare, I sat on the opposite end of the bench and began unwrapping my convenience store onigiri.
"Pardon me, but I have a small favor to ask..."
"Sure, if it's something I can help with."
I was just about to take my first bite when she spoke up. I had no reason to refuse, so I gave her a quick nod. Senpai slid her bento box slightly closer to me across the bench.
"I tried making this as a bit of an experiment. If you don't mind, I would very much like to hear your thoughts, Takanashi-san. If it isn't too much trouble, would you be willing to try some?"
"Wait... are you sure? To be honest, I'm not very confident I can give you a professional critique."
Far from being a "favor," this was something I felt lucky to be asked. Honestly, I would have jumped at the chance if I weren't so worried about being impolite.
"Yes. Please, don't overthink it. Knowing whether it suits your palate or not is more than enough."
"In that case... I’ll have some. Thank you."
I didn't want to look like a glutton and make a bad impression, but I also knew I couldn't give her a real answer if I didn't taste it properly. I ate slowly, savoring each bite as carefully as I could.
After trying a bit of everything, my only real impression was... well, it was delicious. Honestly, I couldn't think of any other word for it.
I wasn't just being diplomatic. I actually cursed my own lack of vocabulary for only being able to think "it tastes good."
In the end, I decided to be completely honest about my lack of descriptive skill and told her exactly that.
"I see. That is a relief. It seems to have turned out well, then. Thank you for your time."
Senpai’s expression didn't change much, but I felt a sense of relief radiating from her.
If anything, I was the one who should have been thanking her. I never imagined I’d get to eat something Senpai had made by hand.
"No, thank you. It was truly delicious."
"I am glad to hear it."
Senpai began to carefully pack away the empty bento containers. Once they were back in her bag, she suddenly turned to me with another question.
"By the way, what is your favorite side dish, Takanashi-san?"
"My favorite?"
"Yes. I was simply curious."
For a split second, I thought about picking something from the bento I had just finished, but I decided to be honest. This was something that hadn't changed since I was a kid.
"It's Hamburg steak... a bit childish, I know."
"Not at all. I don't believe age has anything to do with the foods one enjoys."
I had expected her to laugh, but she responded with total sincerity. She seemed to genuinely mean it.
"I appreciate you saying that."
"Think nothing of it... Now then, let us get started with the watering before we run out of time."
With that, Senpai stood up and began preparing the hose.
"Right."
I grabbed the nozzle and started pulling the more obvious weeds.
Getting to eat Senpai’s handmade lunch... I really was lucky today.
I see, so it was Hamburg steak...
I had planned this entire sequence of events yesterday, but it went far more smoothly than I had anticipated. My efforts to act as natural as possible seem to have paid off.
I had prepared this bento without any specific menu in mind, mostly just to gauge Takanashi-san’s general preferences. Looking back, leaving out the Hamburg steak was the right choice—it means I can save it for later.
And truthfully, hearing him say it was delicious made me very happy.
Now... the only question is when to do it.
I will need to practice my Hamburg steak before then. Of course, I can make it well enough, but if I am going to serve it to him, I want it to be something that truly impresses him.
Considering the time I'll need for practice, let’s set next Monday as the tentative date.
To think the day would come where I would make a bento for a boy...
As Sara recalled the sight of Kazunari eating her food, she found herself smiling. She didn't mind the feeling one bit.