I Was Reincarnated As a Man who Steals The Protagonist’s Childhood Friend - V2 Chapter 4 - A Taste of Comfort

Hayashi Yukari’s sudden appearance and the cryptic tension she brought stuck in my mind, but I forced myself to focus on the task at hand: cleaning up this disaster zone Akira called “organized chaos.”

I moved mechanically, picking up scattered papers and stacking them neatly. As I bent down to gather some crumpled photo negatives near the editing desk, the familiar creak of the clubroom door caught my attention. I glanced up just as Hoshino stepped inside, her bright smile immediately lighting up the space.

“Takeshi-kun!” she called cheerfully, holding up a small cloth bag. “I brought lunch!”

“Hey, Hoshino,” I replied, straightening up and dusting off my hands. “Perfect timing. I’m almost done here.”

“You’re cleaning? Did Akira leave another one of his masterpieces behind?” she tilted her head, eyeing the mess around us.

“You could say that. It’s a miracle this room hasn’t been declared a disaster zone.”

Hoshino laughed softly, setting her two neatly packed bento boxes. “Well, you’ve done a great job, Takeshi! Now come on, let’s eat before everything gets cold.”

The clubroom was unusually quiet as Hoshino and I start preparing our lunch. The soft creak of the door hinge echoing in the stillness. The chaos from today’s cleaning spree had been replaced by a neat and orderly space, though the faint scent of photo chemicals still lingered in the air—a familiar aroma that made the place feel like our little hideaway.

“This is nice,” Hoshino said, her voice light as she set her lunchbox down on the table. “It’s so peaceful in here.”

“Yeah. We finally got some quiet time here.”

Hoshino giggled, her soft voice breaking the stillness. “Quiet? Are you saying I’m loud, Takeshi-kun?”

“Hmm, maybe a little.”

“How rude! I’ll have you know I’m very calm and composed.”

“Sure, sure.” I teased, earning another playful pout.

As we settled at one of the tables, I couldn’t help but notice how much closer we’d grown in the past two weeks. Since the rooftop confession, Hoshino had been more… present. She lingered a little longer in conversations, leaned in just a bit more during group activities, and now, she’d even suggested having lunch together here.

Not that I was complaining.

“And yeah, having a quiet place is the best.” I continued. “Beats the noise of the cafeteria, that’s for sure.”

She giggled softly, taking her seat across from me. Her movements were graceful, almost deliberate, as if she were trying not to disturb the calm atmosphere.

I opened my own bento, revealing the simple lunch: neatly packed rice, grilled fish, and a small helping of vegetables. Hoshino’s bento, however, was something else entirely.

I blinked, taking in the array of colorful dishes arranged like a work of art. Bright orange tamagoyaki, golden-brown fried chicken, and perfectly sliced cucumber ribbons filled the box. Even the rice balls had decorative seaweed patterns.

“Wow,” I said, genuinely impressed. “Did you make that yourself?”

Hoshino blushed, a hint of pride mixing with shyness. “Well… yes. My mom usually makes my bento, but today I wanted to try doing it myself.”

“For practice, or…?”

Her cheeks turned a deeper shade of pink, and she glanced away, fidgeting with her chopsticks. “To… impress you.”

The admission caught me off guard, and for a moment, all I could do was stare at her.

“You made this for me?” I asked, my voice softer than I intended.

“Well, I mean, it’s not just for you!” she said quickly, her words tumbling over each other. “I thought it’d be nice to share…”

“Thank you, Hoshino. That’s really thoughtful.” Her honesty was disarming, and I felt a warm smile spread across my face.

Her gaze flickered back to me, and though she tried to hide it, I could see the faintest hint of a smile tugging at her lips. “I-It’s nothing, really. I just hope it tastes okay.”

Hoshino picked up a piece of tamagoyaki with her chopsticks, holding it out toward me. Her cheeks were still tinged pink, but there was a playful sparkle in her eyes.

“Here,” she said, tilting her head slightly. “Try this.”

The gesture was so cliché, yet undeniably charming. She leaned forward just enough to bridge the space between us, her expression expectant.

“Ahhn~” she teased, her tone light and teasing.

I chuckled, leaning in to take the bite. The tamagoyaki was soft and slightly sweet, the flavor balanced perfectly.

“This is really good,” I said after swallowing. “You’re a natural at this.”

Her face lit up with relief and pride, her shoulders relaxing. “Really? I was so worried it wouldn’t turn out well.”

“You’ve got nothing to worry about,” I assured her, picking up my chopsticks. “Honestly, it’s better than anything I’ve ever made.”

“Better than convenience store food?” she teased, her smile growing.

“Much better.”

She laughed lightly and melodically, soaking the quiet room with warmth. Moments like this—simple, unassuming—made everything else drift away.

The comfortable atmosphere didn’t last long. Just as Hoshino was about to offer me another bite, the door to the clubroom burst open, and a familiar voice rang out.

“And then we should do this and— whoa, look at you two!” Akira exclaimed, his grin as wide as ever.

Hoshino froze, her chopsticks mid-air, and I instinctively sat up straighter, like a kid caught sneaking cookies before dinner.

Akira walked in with his camera bag draped over one shoulder, and Hibiki followed closely behind, her expression a mix of frustration and amusement.

“Eating lunch together like a good couple, huh?” Akira teased, then sat down in an adjacent chair.

Hoshino’s face turned a deep shade of red as she quickly set her chopsticks down. “W-We weren’t—”

“It’s perfectly normal,” Akira interrupted, waving her protest away. “Relax. Couples do stuff like this all the time.”

“Just keep it in moderation,” Hibiki added, her tone more level. “This is still a clubroom, not a date spot.”

“Uh, yeah. Next time.” I said quickly, trying to defuse the situation.

Hoshino dropped her head, clearly embarrassed. I reached over and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze beneath the table.

Once we finished our lunch, Akira then goes in front of the table, his grin replaced with a look of excitement.

“Alright, team. Let’s talk business.”

“Business?” Hibiki echoed, raising an eyebrow.

“Yep!” Akira said, pulling out a folded piece of paper. “The Student Council wants to see what we’ve got before the trip. So, I’ve come up with a plan: we’re going to roam the city and take sample photos for the exhibit.”

“Roam the city?” I repeated, skeptical.

“Exactly!” Akira said, standing up and gesturing dramatically. “We’ll capture the essence of everyday life, the hidden beauty in our surroundings. It’s going to be incredible.”

Hibiki sighed, crossing her arms. “Do you even have a plan, or are we just wandering aimlessly?”

“Of course I have a plan,” Akira said, though his tone didn’t inspire much confidence.

“This should be interesting,” Hoshino said softly, her smile returning.

I couldn’t help but agree. It seemed like things were only going to get more chaotic from here.