Combustible Material

“It was fun during PE, but I got another failing grade!”

Upon returning to the classroom after cleaning up, those were the first words I heard from Katayama. 

Her friends looked at her and smiled indulgently.

“So it was another failing grade, huh.”

“Oh, welcome back, Shugo-kun! This math test was way too difficult.”

“It’s because Katayama didn’t study.”

“No, no! Why weren’t there any multiple-choice questions!”

“Because that wouldn’t serve any purpose…”

Intermediate steps were also included in the score distribution, so getting a failing grade means not understanding the fundamentals, huh.

“Alright, Set-chan. Let’s have some food for now.”

“Yeah, we’ll help you study later.”

“Yay~! Thank you, everyone~!”

Katayama hugged her two female friends.

She’s still so well-liked by everyone, as usual.

“Let’s grab some food too, Takuto.”

“Yeah, sure.”

They moved their seats closer together… and then…

“Oh!”

“What now…”

Suddenly, Katayama let out a loud voice, making their ears ring again.

“Here you go, Shuugo-kun.”

She handed him a paper bag that was hanging by her desk.

“What’s this?”

“It’s my special sweet potato.”

“Another taste test, perhaps?”

“Bingo!”

Katayama seemed to aspire to be a pastry chef in the future, so she occasionally gives me her trial products like this. 

She usually hands them to me discreetly after school, though…

“It’s okay. The prince is not here.”

Whether she was making a troubled face or not, Katayama whispered to me in a voice only I could hear.

“I-I’m not scared or anything if I’m caught by Iori, or anything like that…”

“Hehe, of course~. Just return the container when you come over today. Well then, enjoy and savor it.”

Katayama waved her hand as she left the classroom. At that moment, her female friends bombarded me with questions like, “What’s going on? What’s the relationship~!”

The sweets I received after school are usually eaten secretly in the park on the way home… But this time, should I eat them during lunch?

The reason I don’t bring sweets home is because last year, when Iori was still in junior high, on Valentine’s Day…

“What’s this, onii-chan?“

“Hmm? Oh, today’s Valentine’s Day, right? The girls in class are giving chocolates to all the boys. It’s pretty amazing.“

“I see. And what about this one? It doesn’t seem cheap.“

“This one is… Oh. It’s from Katayama in the same class. Hey, wait, don’t just…!?“ 

As I was speaking, Iori rudely unwrapped the packaging and ate the chocolate cake.

“Ugh, it’s delicious…”

“Stop, Iori! Why are you eating on your own? There’s a mountain of your chocolates over there!!”

There is a whole cardboard box full of chocolates! It’s amazing again this year!!

“…Shut up. Got it,onii-chan? Don’t ever show me anything you got from other girls again.”

“Huh? Why—”

“Got it?”

Feeling overwhelmed, I ended up nodding my head. For some reason, Iori that day seemed to be in a particularly bad mood.

Before eating my lunch, I took out what was inside the paper bag that had been bothering me. It turned out to be sweet potato.

“Mmm! Delicious!”

Shaped like a sweet potato, with a smooth texture. The cream mixed in perfectly with the sweetness of the sweet potato, making it incredibly tasty. It’s good enough to be sold in a store.

This year, for the stall, it’s decided that Katayama will be in charge of sweets.

“Can you really call this being just friends with Katayama?”

“But She’s just a friend, right?”

Asking someone for a taste test seems like something you’d do with a friend. As I tilted my head, Takuto let out a heavy sigh.

◇◆

After school, Katayama hurried me to pack my bag.

“Alright! Let’s go!”

“Do I really have to come?”

“What are you talking about, Takuto? We were originally planning to go karaoke as the three of us, so it doesn’t make sense if you don’t come.”

“No, that’s not what I meant… Can’t you try to understand how I feel being sandwiched between you two lovebirds?”

“Huh?”

“Did Mishima-kun say something?”

“Don’t activate your selective deafness protagonist mode only in times like this!”

After the noisy trio left the classroom, one of Katayama’s female friends murmured:

“You know, I’ve hung out with Katayama before, but… she’s never invited me to her house, huh~?”