"Now then, everything is ready."
"........."
Nishikawa-san stood there, looking as calm as could be, but to be honest, we weren't exactly in a position to just nod and agree.
Everything had been fine up until the point where we discussed getting ready. The problem was what happened next. The moment Nishikawa-san raised her right hand like she was giving a signal, several men appeared out of nowhere.
While we watched in a daze, a groundsheet was laid, a large tarp tent was pitched, and a full table set was arranged—they even included an extra spot for Uesaka-san, who had been a last-minute addition.
In other words...
What on earth was this?
"Hey... can I point out how absurd this is now?"
The one who spoke up first was my fearless—or rather, my always reliable—Big Sister.
"Is something the matter?" Nishikawa-san asked.
"What is all this?"
We all nodded in unison.
Everyone was thinking the same thing, but wait... Sara-san and Natsumi-senpai didn't seem that surprised.
"If we do it this way, we can enjoy our meal comfortably even outdoors, can't we?"
"No, well, that's true, but..."
"Hanako-san, it's a waste of breath to point it out," Sara-san said gently.
"Eririn lets her 'Young Lady' side slip at key moments, you see," Natsumi added. "Besides, she's actually done this a few times before."
I see. So that was why Sara-san and the others weren't particularly shocked.
"Wait, Natsumi, what's with that subtle phrasing?" Nishikawa-san asked.
"Nothing, really. I just thought that the people around me are all folks for whom 'normal' doesn't apply."
"Natsumi, please stop. The way you said that makes it sound like I'm included in that group, and I'd prefer you didn't."
"........."
How strange.
It wasn't that Sara-san was strange, but for some reason, everyone was giving me and her these looks, as if they were dying to say something. It was a complete mystery.
"Whoa..."
"I-I-It's incredible!!"
"With all this gathered together, it's quite a spectacle in its own way."
"It certainly is impressive..."
As everyone's reactions suggested, a staggering variety of bentos was now lined up on the table before us.
I could see that some clearly high-end ingredients were mixed in. Just a quick glance revealed multi-tiered bento boxes filled with sashimi—including the head of a spiny lobster—grilled matsutake mushrooms, and even steak.
"Yes! As expected of Eririn! Exactly what I was hoping for!"
"I also selected ingredients that men might enjoy," Nishikawa-san said.
"Natsumi, that's ungraceful," Sara-san scolded. "Stop making such a fuss over the food."
"No, but look! You don't get to eat stuff like this every day!"
Natsumi-senpai was in a state of pure excitement, completely unfazed by the reprimand. That just went to show how incredible the spread was.
I had to agree; these were ingredients one would rarely have the chance to eat under normal circumstances. You wouldn't usually see such a massive spiny lobster on a daily dinner table, and just how many matsutake mushrooms were in there?
Could it be that the dining table at Nishikawa-san's house was always like this?
"Alright, alright. You two, stop bickering and let's eat."
"Oka—y."
"Good grief... honestly."
For a moment, the three of them looked just like sisters. But if that were the case, with Natsumi-senpai as the third daughter, who would be the eldest and who would be the second?
Wait, who was I even asking?
"Satsukawa-senpai's bento has an amazing lineup of home cooking, too!"
"Whoa... Kazunari-san always looks like he's eating so happily, so I've always wanted to try your food! I'm so glad."
"Um, by any chance, is all of this..."
"Yes. It is all handmade by me," Sara-san replied.
"Eeeh? Even these croquettes and the fried chicken?!"
"Of course. It's quite simple once you understand the steps."
"S-Simple, she says..."
I didn't cook, so I couldn't say for sure, but I suspected there was a significant gap between Sara-san's definition of "simple" and everyone else's.
In the first place, frozen food didn't even exist in our house. There were things Sara-san had made and then frozen for later, but because she usually made everything from scratch, she could say it as if it were the easiest thing in the world.
"Ugh, with all these amazing bentos, what I brought is... wait, Hanako-san's bento is great too!?"
"It's true... Hanako-san, is this really your first time making one?"
"It's my first time making a proper bento," Hanako said. "But I've been studying cooking."
"O-Oh, really? But you didn't mention anything about that when you were back there, did you?"
"I only started studying after I came here."
"Heh, but why so suddenly... ah, it's for Kazunari-san, isn't it?"
Tachikawa-san's gaze fixed on me, and she wore a meaningful, smirking grin. That was definitely the face of someone overthinking things.
"As his Big Sister, I wanted to cook for my younger brother."
"I see. But since Satsukawa-senpai is so amazing, aren't you scared of being compared?"
"I'm well aware I can't beat his wife. I'm satisfied as long as Kazunari says it's delicious."
I was truly happy to hear Hanako say that, and I would never dream of comparing her to Sara-san. Even if Sara-san's meals were absolute perfection to me, that didn't mean I couldn't find other food delicious.
"Oh, between Satsukawa-senpai and Hanako-san, Kazunari-san is really loved, isn't he?"
"Of course," Sara-san said. "After all, I am the one who loves Kazunari-san more than anyone else in the world."
"Then... I'm number one in the world for sibling love," Hanako countered.
They both looked straight at me. When our eyes met, they gave me such gentle smiles that I felt myself growing flustered.
"C-Cough!! I understand that you all get along well, so shall we eat now?"
"You're right, we have a schedule to keep," Nishikawa-san agreed.
"Yeah. Finally, the time has come."
Hanako clenched her fists tightly, looking adorable as she psyched herself up. Even though we were just eating lunch... well, I wasn't so dense that I didn't understand the reason. Still, seeing her that fired up made me feel a little nervous, too.
"...Eririn, that was a skillful diversion just now," Natsumi whispered.
"...Shh! Don't say unnecessary things!"
I could hear them perfectly well, but I decided to let it slide.
"Itadakimasu!!!"
Everyone put their hands together for the mealtime greeting.
Spreading out before us were colorful multi-tiered bento boxes and bento containers. Even Sara-san had brought a multi-tiered one.
At first, everyone looked at each other hesitantly, but once Natsumi-senpai reached out her chopsticks for a matsutake mushroom, everyone else followed suit.
"Takanashi-san, please help yourself," Nishikawa-san said.
"Ah, yes. Thank you. But for now, please don't worry about me."
"Oh? Kazunari-san, aren't you eating?"
Nishikawa-san and Tachikawa-san, who didn't know the full story, looked at me curiously. Everyone else had already started eating, yet I hadn't taken a single bite or even reached out.
The same was true for Sara-san and Hanako. However, the two of them were holding their own bento boxes.
"Hey, Sara. What is that bento box?"
"This is Kazunari-exclusive."
"...Huh?"
"It is Kazunari-exclusive."
"N-No, I heard you the first time..."
Nishikawa-san tilted her head with a strained smile. It was natural for her to wonder what happened to the idea of a potluck when someone was holding a dedicated "exclusive" box.
"Hanako-san, what about yours?"
"Kazunari-exclusive."
"Eh?"
"Kazunari-exclusive."
"…………"
Tachikawa-san's reaction was identical to Nishikawa's.
"Um... I thought it might turn out like this to some extent, but 'exclusive'... doesn't that defeat the purpose of sharing...?"
"Eririn, I get that you want to point it out, but it's better to just ignore it," Natsumi said.
The people who knew the situation were ignoring it magnificently. Even Yuji was ignoring it, despite not knowing the details. And the President... well, he seemed to have accepted it as "just one of those things."
"Now, Kazunari-san, thank you for waiting. Let's have our meal."
"The time has finally come," Hanako said. "I'm going to feed you your Big Sister's bento 'aahn' style for every bite."
"Eeh?! W-Wait a minute! Surely you don't intend to feed him the whole thing like that, do you?!"
Nishikawa-san looked both appalled and frightened.
But unfortunately, what was about to unfold here was an "aahn" party hosted by Sara-san and Hanako. I apologized to Nishikawa-san in my heart.
I'm sorry, Nishikawa-san...
"Eririn, just ignore it," Natsumi repeated, reaching for a spiny lobster with sparkling eyes. She had completely checked out.
She had been aiming only for the high-end ingredients from the start. I secretly wanted to eat some of those too, though I was starting to wonder if my stomach would be okay with all the attention.
"Here, Kazunari-san... aahn."
"Aahn."
Ignoring my slight unease, the first bite was offered by a happy-looking Sara-san. What entered my mouth was her special Hamburg steak, my absolute favorite.
Whenever there was Hamburg steak on the table, I always ate it first. Sara-san knew that, which was why she chose it for the very first bite.
I chewed.
It was perfect. As always, the cooking was flawless—fluffy, yet retaining all the juices inside. There was a hidden, yet distinct flavor deep within. I didn't know what it was, and she wouldn't tell me, but Sara-san said it was a recipe passed down from Mom. In fact, it was overwhelmingly better than Mom's.
This was truly the world's strongest Hamburg steak, made just for me. It was the best!
"Mm..."
Kiss...
"!?!"
"Gulp...!?"
Just as I finished chewing, Sara-san leaned in without warning and gave me a sudden kiss. The tenderness and softness I felt on my cheek made my heart race, but—wait, why so suddenly?!
"S-Sara-san!?"
"Hehe... Kazunari-san, you were just so cute... I couldn't help myself."
"No, well..."
"Is it delicious?"
"Y-Yes. It's incredibly delicious. I feel bad that I can only ever say the same thing, though."
"It's quite alright. Nothing makes me happier than hearing you say it's delicious."
"Sara-san..."
She smiled happily, staring intently at my face. Being loved and devoted to this much... I truly was a lucky man.
"...Cough, cough... I thought I was going to choke on my food."
"...Y-Yeah. That was quite a surprise."
"...The flirting between these two hasn't hit its ceiling yet, has it?"
"...It seems not. It's impressive, in a way. By the way, Uesaka-san..."
"............"
"...Eririn and Daichi aren't ready for this. Whoa, this is delicious too!"
"N-Next is me!"
The usually calm Hanako made an impatient appeal. Her behavior was charming in its own way. I caught Sara-san's eye for a final confirmation, and she gave a small smile and a firm nod.
It was okay.
"...Wow... they're doing eye contact so naturally."
"...Takanashi-kun and Satsukawa-senpai communicate with their hearts, after all. I'm so jealous..."
"K-Kazunari, here."
Hanako, looking somewhat nervous, held out her chopsticks with a piece of Tamagoyaki. She must have known it was one of my favorites. The fact that she was feeding it to me first meant she had remembered.
"A-Aahn..."
"Aahn."
Her chopsticks were trembling slightly, and her expression was so earnest it made me want to smile, but I held it back. As I opened my mouth, the Tamagoyaki was slowly placed inside. Her left hand was tucked underneath to catch any crumbs, a gesture that felt unexpectedly feminine.
I chewed.
It was unexpected. Or maybe, given Hanako's image, it wasn't surprising at all. The Tamagoyaki was quite sweet—exactly the way I liked it. It was still soft, another preference of mine.
"H-How is it?"
"Yeah, it's delicious! This sweetness is perfect."
"Ah!?"
"...Hanako-san?"
"S-Sorry... I made it sweet out of habit..."
"No, I like sweet Tamagoyaki to begin with."
I'd had a feeling she might make it that way. It was a perfect result for me.
"...Really?"
"Yeah."
"Good... I like sweet Tamagoyaki too, so I'm happy we're the same."
The anxiety vanished from her face, replaced by a radiant smile. She seemed to have read my thoughts again, but in moments like this, that Mystery Skill was actually a help.
Still, being stared at so happily made me feel a bit shy.
"Kazunari... that face is unfair. It makes me want to kiss you, too."
"Eh!?"
"But I'll endure. I'm just happy that you're eating my bento today. Next is the wife's turn."
With that, Hanako pulled back slightly. She gazed happily at the tips of the chopsticks I had eaten from. I had to finish the whole bento, no matter what.
This was my time to show some backbone!
"Kazunari-san, it's my turn again. By the way... please don't hesitate to show me that cute face of yours, okay? ...Hehe."
Sara-san wore a meaningful smile while lightly tapping her index finger against her lips. There was no doubt about it—the moment I showed a reaction that pleased her, she was going to go in for another kiss.
"...Ah, we've only just started, but I'm already full..."
"...A-Ahaha, you too, Yoko?"
"...I've heard that hunger is triggered when blood sugar levels drop," Uesaka-san noted.
"...Are you suggesting that this area is so overloaded with sugar that our sense of fullness is being triggered? That's a funny joke, Uesaka-san," Nishikawa-san said.
"...N-No... well..."
"...Nishikawa-san's eyes are glazed over..."
"...Yuji, let sleeping Eririns lie."
"...R-Roger."
"Here, Kazunari-san... aahn."
Next, Sara-san held out a piece of potato from her Nikujaga. It was a flavor passed down from the Satsukawa family—from Mayumi-san—refined further to my liking. Naturally, it was Kazunari-exclusive.
Munch, munch...
Sigh... it was delicious.
Side: Marina
Satsukawa-senpai's bento, which Takanashi-kun always eats with such pure joy.
I tried it for the first time today, and... ugh, it's so delicious it's like cheating. I thought my mother was a good cook, but Satsukawa-senpai is definitely better. Eating such a delicious bento every day, and having freshly made meals at home... it's no wonder Takanashi-kun ended up the way he did.
But really... Satsukawa-senpai is amazing. No, "amazing" isn't enough to describe her. She's incredible. Cooking, cleaning, laundry, sewing... she's perfect at every domestic task I can think of.
Her grades are always at the top of the year, and her personality... although she can be a bit extreme... toward the person who matters most, Takanashi-kun, she's beyond kind. She's overflowing with affection.
And even as another girl, I find her so beautiful I could just stare at her forever. Nishikawa-san and Yuzuki-senpai are also very beautiful, but Satsukawa-senpai stands out. Her features are so well-defined, her skin is clear, and her glossy black hair flows so perfectly.
I'm sure the term "Japanese-style beauty" was made for someone exactly like her. Her figure is well-balanced, too, and she has those large curves that Takanashi-kun surely loves...
Sigh... I'm so envious.
I don't know anyone else who is such an ideally perfect woman. In fact, such a person probably doesn't exist elsewhere. To borrow Yuzuki-senpai's words, she is the Epitome of Femininity, the manifestation of male ideals.
That's why I admire her, and at the same time, I realize I could never be like her. I'm childish—both in personality and figure—and I'm clumsy. I'm bad at cooking and sewing... Auugh.
The bento Satsukawa-senpai made doesn't have the luxury or visual flashiness of Nishikawa-san's, but every single item is crafted so carefully. Because they're common household dishes, you realize how truly skilled she is. To think she makes things from scratch that people would normally settle for frozen food... and everything tastes so good.
Yokokawa-kun, who is sitting next to me, is eating it with such relish. It's natural, since it really is delicious. There's nothing strange about it.
But...
Satsukawa-senpai's and Nishikawa-san's bentos are too amazing. And so... I can't find the courage to take out the other bento box that's still inside my bag.
The bento of mine that's on the table right now is just an ordinary, relatively decent bento that my mother helped me with. But the one inside my bag is a separate bento that I somehow managed to make all by myself.
I made it because I promised Yokokawa-kun... but to be honest, it's embarrassing to bring it out next to these. While I was making it, I was happy just thinking about him. Even if I couldn't say it turned out well, I thought I'd be happy if he just said it was delicious.
So now, I can really understand how Satsukawa-senpai and Hanako-san feel.
But... more than anything... why do I feel so restless?
It's just a friend eating another friend's food. Even Takanashi-kun is being fed by Satsukawa-senpai and Hanako-san.
Yet, seeing Yokokawa-kun eating their bentos with such relish makes me feel uneasy. Feeling that way makes me feel like I've become a bad person.
In the first place, when did I start caring about Yokokawa-kun this much?
Before I knew it, I was spending more and more time with him. It started because I was worried about Takanashi-kun, and since Yokokawa-kun was also worried, we decided to support him together. That was the trigger.
But soon, we started meeting up to go to school together in the morning. At lunch, Yokokawa-kun would come to my classroom to pick me up, and recently, since the Student Council meetings have been ending late, he's been walking me home every day.
I felt so bad that I tried to decline, but he said, "Takanashi also asked me to do this, and besides, I'm worried too." He even told me, "I'm doing this because I want to, so if it's not a nuisance, please let me walk you home."
I said yes... because I was happy.
Yokokawa-kun is a wonderful boy who really cares about his friends. He's a friend I'm proud of. And... he's also a boy who is very popular. With his idol-like looks, his skill at tennis, and his frank personality, there's no way he wouldn't be popular. He even has a fan club full of girls much more wonderful than me.
Even when I see him in the hallway, he's always being talked to by different girls. Seeing that makes me feel restless, even though he isn't doing anything wrong. I hate myself for thinking that way.
I've heard the boys in my class call him a womanizer. I've heard them say he's made girls cry. But that's absolutely not true. I know that Yokokawa-kun is a truly sincere person.
He cherishes his friendship with Takanashi-kun and works hard for his friends. And he's always so kind to someone as slow as me. I feel comfortable when I'm with him.
Despite those people not knowing the real Yokokawa-kun... despite them knowing nothing about him, they say those things.
Ah...
I see... so this is how Takanashi-kun felt.
When his precious Satsukawa-senpai was being judged by people who didn't know her, he just couldn't forgive it.
...Wait?
Takanashi-kun found Satsukawa-senpai truly precious, and that's why he got angry.
Then... what about me?
Am I just unable to forgive a friend being misunderstood? Why do I feel restless when I see Yokokawa-kun with other girls? Why do I feel this way seeing him eat Satsukawa-senpai's bento?
Ugh... I'm so confused.
What's wrong with me?
And more importantly... what should I do about my bento?