[Naoki Aiba POV]
As I took the lid off my bento box, I heard the faint click of fasteners undoing beside me.
Serina-san placed her lid over the cloth spread across her lap and angled her bento slightly toward me. Next to yellow tamagoyaki sat bright red cherry tomatoes and vibrant green broccoli. Noticing that I was looking, she turned her eyes toward my lunch as well.
"Yours looks delicious, Naoki-kun."
"Yours does too, Serina-san. The colors are so vivid."
"My mom packed it for me. I just grabbed it this morning without thinking, so to be honest, I'd been wondering what was inside since earlier."
"I have days where I don't know what's in mine until I open it, too."
When I answered, Serina-san smiled, looking a bit relieved. We both murmured our thanks for the food, and I shifted my chopsticks into my left hand.
Beyond the shrubbery, students were coming and going through the courtyard during the lunch break. Some were eating their bentos on other benches, while others were chatting with just drinks in hand. A few faces turned our way from time to time, but no one stopped to say anything.
A breeze drifted through the shade of the trees, shifting the patterns of sunlight falling across our laps every time the leaves rustled overhead.
As Serina-san reached into her tote bag to put away her chopstick case, our knees lightly brushed against each other. Her hand paused for a fraction of a second, and I instinctively lifted my gaze from the tips of my chopsticks.
It hadn't been hard enough to warrant an apology. Serina-san simply tucked the case away and turned back to her lunch, so I reached for my rice without shifting in my seat.
Still, we weren't far enough apart to ignore it.
There was plenty of space left on the bench. Yet Serina-san was sitting right beside me—close enough that she didn't even need to lean in to talk. When she turned to look at me, even though I intended to meet her gaze naturally, her face was closer than I expected.
My eyes almost dropped, but when I caught sight of our knees touching, I hurriedly looked back down at my bento. For now, it seemed best to focus on eating.
Once we started eating, we talked about our afternoon classes and the post-break tests scheduled for next week. As we discussed where we were starting our review of the material covered before summer vacation, the conversation shifted to our respective study methods.
Even in the same grade, there were subtle differences in how we solved problems and memorized things. When I mentioned that I put marks next to questions I needed to redo, Serina-san shared her own methods with me. Caught up in the conversation, our chopsticks often came to a halt, and we exchanged a glance and laughed.
Though Serina-san looked back down at her bento, she didn't pick up her chopsticks right away, falling silent for a moment as if thinking about something. Then, turning back toward me, she spoke up hesitantly.
"...Um, Naoki-kun. Would you want to... study together sometime?"
Lifting her face as if gauging my reaction, a faint blush touched Serina-san's cheeks.
"For the post-break tests?"
"Yeah. I thought we could review together and ask each other questions if there's something we don't understand....Though, you have your own way of doing things, and if you can focus better alone, I won't... force it."
"No, I'd like that. Let's do it together."
Serina-san's face lit up instantly. When our eyes met, she beamed happily with flushed cheeks. Her fingers uncurled from the cloth in her lap, and she nodded, leaning forward just a bit. Drawn in by her reaction, I offered a small smile in return.
"Though I'll probably be the one asking you for help most of the time."
"Me?"
"You're good at studying, aren't you, Serina-san? If there's something I don't understand, it'd be a huge help if you could teach me."
"...Sure. As long as it's something I know."
Serina-san cast her eyes down shyly, but a smile lingered on her lips. Turning back to me, she continued in a voice that sounded a bit livelier than before.
"In that case, how about the library after school? It's quieter than the classroom."
"Yeah. Let's do it in the library, then."
"...How about tomorrow?"
Saying "tomorrow," Serina-san paused her hand holding her chopsticks, waiting for my answer.
"I don't have any plans, so that works. Tomorrow after school, in the library."
Serina-san nodded happily, then looked down at her bento as if trying to hide the smile spreading across her face.
"Okay. It's a promise."
Prompted by her tone, a smile tugged at the corners of my own mouth. Tomorrow after school, we would be opening our workbooks together in the library. I had agreed with the intention of helping each other through tough problems, but imagining her smiling across the table like this, I felt a slight pang of worry about whether I'd actually be able to concentrate.
From then on, we continued eating while chatting about little things that had happened during class. Even when the conversation paused, there was no awkwardness; listening to the rustling leaves in the wind, one of us would speak up as something came to mind.
Students passing nearby occasionally glanced over, but as I talked with Serina-san, I barely paid them any mind.
During a break in our conversation, I reached for a piece of simmered food left in the corner of my bento. However, the tips of the chopsticks in my left hand didn't close where I wanted them to, and the carrot I tried to pick up slipped away to the side.
Serina-san looked at my hands.
"Is it still hard to eat with your left hand?"
"For small things, yeah. I can manage bigger stuff, though."
Answering her, I set my chopsticks down for a moment. I had packed a spoon in my bag so I wouldn't have to force myself to eat everything with chopsticks. Just as I went to pull it out, Serina-san leaned in a little.
"...Do you want me to get it for you?"
"Huh?"
Caught off guard by the sudden offer, I looked up from my bento box.
Still holding her own chopsticks, Serina-san was glancing back and forth between the carrot stuck in the corner and my face. When our eyes met, the fingers holding her chopsticks twitched slightly.
"I-I can pick it up for you..."
"Ah... but—"
I meant to say that I had a spoon and would be fine. But looking at Serina-san, who had lowered her eyes to her chopsticks, the words caught in my throat.
As I stopped reaching toward my bag, Serina-san looked at me once more.
"Would it be okay with my chopsticks?"
My mind flashed back to Saturday, when we had fed each other bites of our crepes. But I wasn't composed enough to simply nod and treat it as the same thing.
Serina-san held her chopsticks still, waiting for my answer. Realizing that I wasn't the only one hesitating, I looked at her face and replied.
"...If you're okay with it, Serina-san."
"Yeah."
Nodding slightly, she picked up a piece of carrot from my bento.
The piece I had just failed to grasp was lifted effortlessly. But the moment the tips of the chopsticks turned toward me, all room for idle thoughts vanished.
Serina-san brought her hand forward carefully, stopping just in front of my mouth. When I looked up, she was watching me. It was just a matter of leaning forward toward the proffered chopsticks, but knowing she was looking at me from so close set my heart racing, and I couldn't move right away.
The leaves overhead rustled softly, and the shifting dappled sunlight drifted slowly across Serina-san's sleeve.
After waiting for me to move, Serina-san eventually lowered the edges of her brows, a faintly troubled smile softening her lips.
"...It's gonna fall if we stay like this."
Her voice finally snapped me back to my senses.
"Sorry."
Leaning in slightly, I tried to take just the carrot while doing my best to avoid touching the tips of the chopsticks. But because Serina-san had brought them right up to my mouth so it wouldn't drop, the tips brushed against my lips the moment I took the bite.
Pulling her chopsticks back, Serina-san let out a soft breath. She started to look back down at her bento, but curious to see if I had eaten it properly, she looked back at me once more.
It had only been a fleeting instant, but the sensation lingering on my lips felt remarkably vivid. The moment I registered that those were the chopsticks Serina-san had been using, I couldn't tell what the familiar simmered carrot tasted like as I chewed and swallowed it.
"...That helped. Thanks."
"Yeah. I'm glad."
When I thanked her, Serina-san's expression finally softened. Even after turning back to her own lunch, a small smile remained on her lips.
I picked up the chopsticks I had set aside, but I couldn't immediately reach for the next bite. We had been talking normally just a moment ago, yet now I didn't know what to say. Beside me, Serina-san sat with her head slightly bowed, holding her chopsticks.
Just then, two girls walking past a gap in the shrubbery looked our way. Before our eyes could meet, they leaned close to whisper to each other and walked toward the school building.
They had probably seen what just happened.
Noticing their stares as well, Serina-san lifted her head from her hands. Her ears were faintly red, but she didn't shift away from where she sat. Nor did I feel like creating distance between us.
"Just like on Saturday, it really is a bit embarrassing."
"Yeah."
"I haven't had someone feed me with chopsticks since I was a kid."
"I think... this was my first time doing something like that."
By the time she finished, Serina-san's voice had grown slightly quieter.
Gazing down at her chopsticks, she kept her head dipped a little. When our eyes met, she looked shy, but she didn't look away.
Knowing that this was unfamiliar territory for both of us only made me all the more conscious of it.
"...I see."
"Yeah..."
Without a word, we both returned our gazes to our bentos, but it took a short moment before either of us reached for our next bite.
Eventually, Serina-san moved her chopsticks first, and I reached for my food as well. When I looked up a moment later, our eyes met again, and this time, we both exchanged a faint, bashful laugh.
◇◇◇
After that, as we ate, we talked about the shops we had visited together on Saturday.
It seemed she was still curious about the book she had put back on the shelf at the bookstore. When I mentioned that I remembered which book it was, she looked at me in slight surprise.
"You remembered that book, Naoki-kun?"
"Yeah. You were holding it for a while, so I got curious."
When I answered, Serina-san smiled happily.
We decided that the next time we went to a bookstore together, we would take another look at that book. Afterwards, Serina-san asked what kinds of books I usually read. When I named a few titles, she said she'd like to try reading one of them, and from there, the conversation broadened to our favorite stories and characters.
One answer would lead to another topic. Even as our bento boxes slowly emptied, the conversation flowed naturally.
We started talking about the seasoning of tamagoyaki when we were both more than halfway through our lunches.
When I mentioned that ours was on the sweeter side, Serina-san looked at me with interest. When I offered her a piece, she thanked me politely and picked it up with her chopsticks.
"...It's good. It's sweeter than the kind we make at home, but I like this too."
"Does your family use dashi?"
"Yeah. If you'd like, why don't you try some, Naoki-kun?"
She slid her bento box a little closer.
Picking up a remaining piece of tamagoyaki with my chopsticks, Serina-san watched me until I brought it to my mouth. Relieved that I didn't drop it this time, I took a bite.
It had a gentle flavor, distinct from the kind we made at home.
"Yeah. The dashi really comes through, and it's delicious. I like it."
Serina-san's chopsticks paused for a brief instant, a faint color brushing across her cheeks before a soft smile blossomed on her lips a beat later.
"...Really? Then I'll tell my mom when I get home. That you said it was delicious."
Saying so with genuine happiness, Serina-san looked down at the remaining tamagoyaki.
A breeze drifted through the shade, carrying the lively chatter from the school building. She almost reached for a piece with her chopsticks, but stopped her hand and stared at the edge of her bento box.
She looked as though she had something to say, so I waited. Soon, I heard a small intake of breath beside me.
"I can make some simple things too. Though my tamagoyaki isn't as good as my mom's."
"You can make it too, Serina-san?"
"Yeah. Though sometimes I still can't roll it cleanly."
"I used to mess up the shape all the time when I first started, too."
"You make tamagoyaki too, Naoki-kun?"
"Yeah. We make it sweet at home, so it turns out pretty similar to the one you just ate."
Blinking in slight surprise, Serina-san lowered her gaze to my bento box. Then, as if to make sure, she looked back at me.
"...I'd love to try the kind you make."
"Once my right shoulder heals, I'll make some and bring it next time."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Though I don't know if I can make it as well as my mom does."
"Yeah. If you make it, Naoki-kun, I want to eat it."
Serina-san nodded happily. Then, as if an idea struck her, she lifted her head, but instead of speaking right away, she began smoothing the cloth over her lap with her fingertips.
Waiting without rushing her, her fingers eventually came to a stop.
"In that case... why don't we trade?"
"Trade?"
"I'll make tamagoyaki too. You make the sweet kind, and I'll make the dashi kind like we have at home."
Having spoken that far, Serina-san's voice grew slightly softer. Even so, she didn't take back her words, maintaining eye contact as she continued.
"I want you to try the tamagoyaki I make, too."
Her straightforward words sank slowly into my chest, filling me with warmth. I intended to nod right away, but there was actually a brief pause.
"Yeah. I'd love to try the tamagoyaki you make, too, Serina-san."
"Okay. It's a promise."
"It's a promise."
Since it was a plan for after my right shoulder healed, we couldn't set a specific date. Even so, Serina-san was smiling cheerfully, as if already picturing the day we would trade tamagoyaki.
"But I'll make some before that, too."
"Eh, are you sure?"
"Yeah. We'll do the trade after your shoulder fully heals. Until then, you can just eat the ones I make."
"Got it. I'll look forward to it."
"Don't expect too much, though. I'll try my best not to mess it up."
"Just having you make it for me makes me happy."
Serina-san gazed at me as if confirming the sincerity of my words, then let a smile spread across her face, unable to hide her joy.
"...Well then, you'd better look forward to it."
Hearing her speak without holding back this time, I laughed and nodded. Wondering when we would eat together next, I found myself eagerly anticipating not just the day she would bring something she made, but also the lunch break when my shoulder would be healed and we could trade our tamagoyaki.
There was no longer any worry that I might forget my promise to invite her next time.
Until we finished eating, Serina-san asked me several times how sweet I liked things and if there were any foods I disliked. Each time I answered, she nodded with a serious look, which started to make me feel a bit embarrassed, but I couldn't bring myself to give halfhearted answers.
◇◇◇
By the time we packed up our bento boxes, the students in the courtyard had gradually begun heading back to the school building.
Serina-san wrapped up her closed bento box and tucked it away into her tote bag. I packed away my utensils as well, leaving only my drink in hand.
Checking the time, there was still a little room to spare before we had to head back to the classroom. Just as I thought we could stay a bit longer, Serina-san moved to lift her tote bag. But she paused midway and spoke in a small voice.
"...We don't have to head back just yet, right?"
"Yeah. We have about five minutes left."
"Then... just a little longer."
"Let's do that."
Serina-san lifted her face. Her eyes softened with happiness as she looked at me and gave a small nod.
"Yeah."
She set the tote bag back down on her lap. Holding my drink again, I turned my eyes toward the school building while sitting beside her.
Beyond the trees, the school windows reflected the midday light. A few students were standing by the windows, but from here, I couldn't tell who they were.
Without saying a word, the two of us gazed at the school building for a while. Overhead, the leaves rustled softly, and the dappled sunlight swayed gently at our feet.
There was no need to rush to fill the brief time before returning to class with words. Just sitting beside her like this made the remaining five minutes feel as though they were gently stretching out.
Before long, Serina-san's quiet voice came from right beside me.
"I'm glad I invited you today."
"I'm glad we got to eat together too."
Turning toward her, I saw her smiling a bit bashfully. Even after I answered, that smile didn't fade; she nodded once as if confirming something to herself, then adjusted her grip on the tote bag handles.
It wasn't like we had gone anywhere special. We had simply eaten the bentos we brought together during the break between classes. Even so, I was sure I would look back on today many times in the future.
Thinking that, I closed the cap on my drink, and Serina-san began packing up in the same way.
Saying it was about time to head back, I stood up. She smoothed out the hem of her skirt, picked up her tote bag, and lined up on my left side.
On the way back to the school building, our strides matched naturally. As we neared the entrance, Serina-san looked back once, casting her eyes toward the shaded bench where we had been sitting moments ago.
"It'd be nice to sit there next time, too."
"Yeah. If the weather's nice, let's eat at that bench again."
Talking about what we'd do next, we entered the building and went up the stairs. Until we parted ways in front of her classroom, I hardly felt the usual loneliness that came with the end of the lunch break.
◇◇◇
When I got back to the classroom, Togo turned toward me.
"Yo. Welcome back."
"I'm back."
"So, how did it go?"
"How did what go?"
Togo didn't answer right away, studying my face for a moment. When his gaze settled on my mouth, he smiled faintly, as if understanding everything.
"...Never mind, doesn't look like I even need to ask."
"Hey, don't go jumping to conclusions."
"I won't, I won't."
Togo didn't ask any further and turned back around to face forward.
A few desks away, Narayama was watching me, looking for an opportunity to speak. But just as he started to stand up, the preliminary chime rang, and the students out in the hallway came flooding back into the classroom all at once.
I tucked my lunch bag into my schoolbag and set out the textbooks for my afternoon classes on my desk.
◇◇◇
Once afternoon classes began, I couldn't spend the whole time thinking about lunch break.
Next week, the post-break tests covering material up until the start of summer vacation were scheduled. In several of the afternoon classes, the test scopes were announced; as I jotted them down in the margins of my notebook, I thought about where to start reviewing during our study session tomorrow.
As I copied from the blackboard and worked through the assigned problems, the sunlight streaming through the windows shifted across my desk bit by bit. With that, afternoon classes ended, bringing us to homeroom before dismissal.
Once the final bow was called, the sound of scraping chairs echoed through the classroom. Whether heading to club activities or waiting for friends, everyone opened their bags and began packing up.
I checked inside my desk and put my textbooks and notebooks into my bag. I tried to pull the zipper shut with my left hand, but it caught on the inner lining halfway through and jammed.
Just as I adjusted my grip on the pull-tab to try to undo it, Narayama's hand reached in from the side. Using his fingertips to pull the caught fabric free, Narayama zipped it all the way to the end, then let go nonchalantly and slung his own bag over his shoulder.
"Oh, thanks."
"Sure. Well, I'm off to practice."
"Yeah. Good luck."
Narayama put his cap over his shaved head, but instead of heading straight for the exit, he looked back as if remembering something.
"Tomorrow for sure, you're giving me all the details about lunch."
"...Well, if there's anything to tell."
Answering as I lifted the bag he had zipped for me, Narayama raised his eyebrows in disbelief.
"Of course there is. You didn't just breach that impregnable stronghold, you're having lunch with the lord of the castle in the courtyard! You're practically an insider now!"
"...By the way, didn't you have prep to do for your club today?"
"...Ah! That's right! This is no time to be chasing after someone else's youth! My own youth is waiting for me on the field! Farewell!"
With that parting cry, Narayama bolted out of the classroom. Immediately after, a teacher's voice echoed from the hallway.
"Narayama, don't run!"
"Sorry!"
Following the reply, the sound of footsteps sprinting down the hall abruptly slowed. Hearing the commotion, Wakushima chuckled softly and began putting his half-read paperback into his bag.
"He sure is busy."
"In the end, he didn't get to ask a single thing he wanted to, though."
"Is he really that curious...?"
"Today he was debating whether to ask to become your apprentice, Aiba-kun."
"An apprentice in what, exactly?"
When I asked, Wakushima gave an amused laugh instead of answering and stood up with his bag in hand. Since he seemed to be heading to his club, we exchanged goodbyes, and then I left the classroom as well.
There were still plenty of students in the hallway, and voices chatting while packing up drifted from the open classroom doors. As I walked toward the stairs, a familiar voice mingled among them.
Just past the staircase, Serina-san was talking with Kuze-san and the other two in front of her classroom. Smiling at Kuze-san, who was explaining something, Serina-san happened to look my way, and her eyes paused on me.
When I stopped in my tracks, Serina-san blinked once, and then a soft smile spread across her lips. Perhaps so as not to interrupt her friend who was speaking, she didn't call out, instead giving a small wave near her chest.
Lowering the bag in my left hand to my feet, I raised my free hand in response.
Seeing that, Serina-san's smile deepened slightly.
Noticing me as well, Kuze-san looked between Serina-san and me before saying something. I couldn't make out the words, but since Serina-san turned back to her friend in a fluster, I could pretty much guess what it was.
I gave a light nod to the three of them, picked up my bag again, and headed for the stairs.
Before heading down, I looked back toward Serina-san once more, and found that she was still looking at me. When our eyes met, she looked a little embarrassed as she silently moved her lips.
'See you tomorrow.'
I nodded, mouthing the same words back to her.
Just that alone made Serina-san's expression bloom with happiness, and a smile rose to my face as well. Tomorrow after school, we would be spending time together again in the library. Feeling that she was looking forward to that promise just as much as I was, the smile lingering on my lips refused to fade, even after I had walked down the stairs.