I Ended up Getting Close With the Class Madonna Who Keeps Rejecting Confessions, Saying She Doesn’t Plan to Date Anyone - Chapter 21

I felt like things were getting way bigger than I expected, and because of that, I couldn’t focus on a single word the principal said during the opening ceremony.

Making a fake love contract with Shinoba was fine. I also expected Anju to get involved.

It would’ve been best if we could’ve kept it hidden, but with my mom there, that would’ve been hard anyway.

Getting attention from classmates and people around school was also something I had planned for.

I figured it would calm down before long, so I wasn’t too worried. As long as I ignored it, it shouldn’t cause any real trouble.

But Fuyutsuki Tsubaki was completely unexpected.

I knew Shinoba had a lot of friends, but I never thought she’d have that kind of friend.

She seems unpredictable, the type who you don’t know what she’ll do if she gets upset.

She’s suspicious of me, but I honestly don’t need her approval.

To keep this fake relationship between Gojou Sousuke and Kokonoe Shinoba going, the lie cannot be exposed. No matter what.

But compared to what I originally imagined, things were clearly getting way too big.

Honestly, letting go of Shinoba right here might even be the smart move.

But.

Breaking a contract just because things got messy?

That would go against my principles.

I don’t do that kind of thing.

“Sousuke-kun.”

While I was lost in thought, even homeroom had ended.

The classroom had returned to its usual noisy atmosphere.

In that noise, Shinoba turned around and spoke to me.

Since her last name is Kokonoe and mine is Gojou, our seats are in front of each other.

“What is it?”

“Do you have time after this?”

“It depends on what you want.”

If I follow her without thinking, I might end up dragged into more trouble.

I need to know exactly what she wants.

“For your girlfriend to invite you out, isn’t that reaction a little cold?”

Shinoba puffed out her cheeks.

Her slightly bratty attitude really did look like a girlfriend annoyed at her boyfriend, and it showed how good her acting was.

“What is it?”

“Let’s eat lunch together before going home.”

“…”

“Don’t make that face.”

“What kind of face?”

“Your brows were all scrunched together.”

Shinoba copied me and purposely tightened her brows while trying to look serious.

But even then, she still looked cute. It felt unfair.

“…There’s something I wanted to talk about anyway. If it’s just that, I don’t mind.”

“Really? Then let’s go home together, okay?”

Shinoba always seems happy.

She must really enjoy her days.

I honestly wish she could teach me how to live like that.

How to enjoy things the way she does.

＊

After leaving school and taking the train back to our station, we walked a little from the station and arrived at a park.

It was more like a large open plaza than a normal park.

Besides the playground area, there was a wide grassy field where people could relax.

“I thought we were going to eat lunch together?”

I looked at the green grass stretching out around us and the cherry blossoms blooming in bright contrast.

“Yeah, we are. But the cherry blossoms are still blooming, right? I thought having lunch under them wouldn’t be bad. It’s like a little hanami event! Isn’t that a nice bonus for you, too, Sousuke-kun?”

Some years, the cherry blossoms fall before the opening ceremony, but this year they were still in full bloom.

It felt like a sign that this year might turn out to be a good one.

“Hanami, what are we supposed to do?”

“That’s what we’re going to learn now.”

As she spoke, Shinoba started spreading a leisure sheet on the grass.

She came prepared, meaning she probably planned this hanami since this morning.

Around us, a few other people were enjoying the cherry blossoms on their own sheets.

Once the corners of the sheet were weighed down with her bag and mine, Shinoba slipped off her shoes and sat down first.

“What about food? Are we gonna go buy something?”

There were convenience stores on the way here, and even a bento shop near the station.

But Shinoba shook her head.

“I made us lunch. See, I mentioned it the other day.”

“The other day?”

“On our first date.”

“Aah.”

Shinoba kept apologizing over and over because I took a punch for her when she was being bothered by delinquents.

I only said that line to make her stop apologizing, but if she went through the trouble of making lunch for me, wasting it would be unforgivable.

So I should accept it properly.

“I see. Thank you.”

I slipped off my shoes and sat down on the leisure seat.

The grassy field was wide.

A little way away, kids were laughing and running around with a frisbee.

In another spot, a group of middle school girls was playing badminton.

Sitting side by side with Shinoba in the middle of all that. It felt strangely embarrassing in a way I couldn’t describe.

I had noticed she brought a tote bag separate from her school bag. It seemed she had packed our lunches inside it.

Shinoba took out two lunch boxes and handed the bigger one to me.

“Sousuke-kun, do you have any foods you don’t like?”

“I can eat almost anything, but I’m not really a fan of natto.”

I could never get used to the sticky texture or the smell.

Honestly, I’d even prefer she didn’t eat it right next to me.

I’d still eat it if someone forced me, though.

“Haha, natto? I’m not good with it either. Guess we’re the same.”

“Now I don’t have to worry about you eating it next to me.”

I opened the lid of the lunch box as I said that.

Inside were small nori-wrapped rice balls, rolled omelette, hamburger steak, fried chicken, and what looked like spinach namul.

Everything was colorful and neatly packed.

“Wow, this is pretty fancy.”

And at that moment, a soft wind blew.

A cherry blossom petal floated down and landed right on top of the omelette.

The yellow and pink together made it look even prettier.

“I wanted to ask about your favorite foods before making it, but I forgot. So I just put things that boys usually like. How is it?”

“Statistically speaking, there’s no guy who hates hamburger steak or fried chicken. So yeah, you nailed it.”

“…What about Sousuke-kun?”

Shinoba looked up at me from the corner of her eyes, giving me that cute upward glance.

For a moment, I was at a loss for words. But I swallowed my surprise and spoke.

“I like it. So, yeah, I’m happy.”

It was only right to properly show appreciation to someone who went through the trouble of making something for me.

Seeing me a little embarrassed, Shinoba giggled quietly and was amused.

I wanted to break the awkwardness quickly, so I pressed my hands together.

“Let’s eat!”

“Yes, let’s.”

Shinoba didn’t even try to hide her laughter, so I just stuffed a piece of the rolled omelette into my mouth.