Lonely Me And The Lonely Caring Goddess - Chapter 203: Important?

Important?

Fourth period ended, and it was finally lunchtime.

The most enjoyable time of the school day had arrived once again.

I stood up, eager to head straight to the flower beds as usual, but then I wondered – what about Hanako?

“Hanasaki-san! I…”

“Hanasaki-san, let’s eat lunch together!”

“Ah! We called out to her first!”

“Our group has more people – it’ll be fun!”

As expected, voices were calling out to her from groups all around the classroom. I had anticipated this, but I wondered what Hanako planned to do in this situation…

“…Takanashi, why don’t you eat with us today?”

“Hey! Takanashi-kun is eating with us!”

“Takanashi-kun, how about joining Hanasaki-san for lunch?”

Wow… I didn’t realise I was this popular… Just kidding, but still, aren’t they being a little too obvious?

Compared to Yamakawa and his group, who at least didn’t act so overtly, these guys were far more brazen. I could see that the two members of the Natsumi-senpai fan club and some of the more decent classmates were completely put off by this shallow display.

Pull pull.

I felt a tug on my sleeve – it was Hanako, of course. She often did this when she wanted to tell me something.

“I’m coming with you.”

She knew I always ate lunch with the usual group, so this was her way of saying she wanted to come along.

“Sorry, I’m eating where I always do.”

“Sorry, I’ve already made plans too.”

Following my response, Hanako quickly gathered her belongings and fell in step behind me. As we were leaving the classroom, I overheard:

“…I knew it, aren’t those two dating?”

“…Ugh, I’m so jealous!”

These kinds of comments were becoming routine every break, leaving no time to clarify misunderstandings. But I should probably set the record straight sometime soon…

“Hey, there you are!”

“Good work, Kazunari-san. Welcome, Hanako-san.”

Because we had been held up in the classroom, by the time we reached the flower beds, everyone else was already there and ready, waiting for us.

“Sorry we’re late.”

“Did we keep you waiting?”

I sat down as usual next to Sara-san, and Hanako sat down right beside me on the other side.

“Fufu… It feels a little surreal seeing Hanako-san here.”

“Yeah, it really does. Your uniform suits you so well!”

“Thanks.”

She still wore her usual expressionless face, but compared to how she was in the classroom, her demeanour seemed calmer, softer. Thinking that she felt comfortable with this group made me happy.

“Sorry about earlier, you two.”

“Yeah, sorry. Are you okay after all that?”

Hayato and Toudou apologised, seemingly worried about the commotion earlier.

Afterwards… well, nothing really happened.

“Don’t worry about it, it’s fine. Right, Hanako?”

“Yeah, nothing happened.”

Hearing our replies, both of them let out relieved smiles.

“That’s good.”

“Yeah. But you know, when the four of us are together, it’s easy to forget we’re in class and just start talking like we always do.”

“That’s true. I completely forgot we were in the classroom.”

“Right?!”

Toudou giggled softly, clearly enjoying herself.

“You all look like you’re having fun. Sara, maybe we should… no, never mind.”

“Hm? Natsumi, is something wrong?”

“No… (I can only imagine Sara completely losing control in Takanashi-kun’s class.)”

“(If Satsukawa-senpai started flirting with Takanashi-kun, the whole class would explode.)”

“(No, it would probably end up spreading chaos throughout the entire school.)”

The three of them suddenly fell silent, glanced at each other, and nodded in unison.

What was that about…?

“?”

Sara-san tilted her head in confusion. So cute…

Everyone soon regained their composure and began eating their lunches. As we chatted casually, Natsumi-senpai brought up a topic as if remembering something.

“Still, I can’t believe you really transferred here. Wasn’t the entrance exam tough?”

“At the level I’m at now, I managed using the knowledge I’d accumulated during my time… reflecting on myself to aim higher.”

She was about to say during my shut-in days, wasn’t she… Though in her case, that was partly because of Yamasaki.

“Here, say ahh… When Hanako-san submitted her transfer request, my father did put in a word with the school, though I don’t know if it had any effect.”

“Ah, that’s right – Saba Electronics is the school’s largest corporate sponsor, isn’t it?”

I remembered hearing somewhere that Saba Electronics supported this school. Who told me that again…?

“Wait, Saba? That Saba? What kind of position does Satsukawa-senpai’s father hold?”

“Next bite, say ahh… My father is the managing director.”

“Basically, he’s the company’s number two.”

““Ehhhh!?””

Chew chew…

Both Toudou and Hayato shouted in surprise. Well, yeah, I was just as shocked when I first found out.

If Masatomi-san intervened, it probably did have some influence.

But more importantly…

“You really saved me. Thank you again.”

When Hanako expressed her gratitude sincerely, Sara responded with a gentle, loving smile.

“You’re welcome. Though I’m not sure if it actually helped.”

“Even so, thank you. By the way, can I ask something? Do you always feed him his lunch like this?”

“Yes, say ahh… oh, this is—”

“Takanashi-kun’s right hand… Even for someone used to seeing it like me, it looked pretty bad. But Sara is incredibly overprotective of him.”

Chew chew…

The pain in my hand had lessened significantly now that I was resting after quitting my part-time job.

I could hold chopsticks just fine at this point, but Sara still wouldn’t allow it.

“It’s only natural. Besides, this injury was for my sake. Until it heals, I will take full responsibility and care for him.”

“(Until it heals… no, she’ll keep doing it even after it’s healed, regardless.)”

“(Satsukawa-senpai looks so happy when she’s taking care of Takanashi-kun… it’s almost enviable.)”

“(Well, consider it a reward for all your hard work, Kazunari.)”

It felt like the air around us was suddenly warm and fuzzy. But anyway, there was something I wanted to ask.

“By the way, did everyone already know Hanako was moving here?”

At my question, everyone exchanged glances. So… they did.

“I’m sorry, Kazunari-san. Hanako-san told us beforehand…”

Sara spoke up for everyone.

I had suspected it, but realising again that I was the only one left out made me feel just a little lonely. But before I could let that feeling settle in, I remembered that I did the exact same thing to Sara on her birthday, and stopped myself from saying anything.

“Ah… ah… Kazunari-san, please don’t make that face… I…”

Suddenly, Sara’s expression turned shockingly sorrowful, and she put down her bento box, reaching out towards me shakily—

Snatch!

Before I knew what was happening, she pulled me forcefully into her chest.

Huh… what…?

“S-Sara-san!?”

“No! Please don’t hate me! If you ever hated me, I… I wouldn’t be able to go on living!!”

“…What happened?”

“…I-I don’t know? Takanashi-kun, nothing really happened, right?”

“…Y-Yeah. I didn’t really feel anything either…”

“…Hmm. This might be her instincts – no, her maternal instincts (only towards Takanashi-kun) kicking in…”

Uwooo… M-My face was being pressed into Sara-san’s chest with such force… not that I minded. It was pure bliss.

Did she notice that fleeting thought I had just now…?

“I don’t really understand, but I apologise for keeping it a secret. I just wanted to surprise you, Takanashi-kun. I was the one who asked everyone not to tell you, so if anyone’s at fault, it’s me.”

Hanako quickly stepped in to cover for her.

“Ah… yeah. I did the same thing to Sara-san just yesterday, so I get how you feel. S-Sara-san, so… I’m sorry as well for doing the same.”

“Please, don’t apologise. I was truly happy.”

She still didn’t let go of me, but she seemed calmer now. Even so, her sudden reaction had taken me by surprise.

“There’s no way I could ever dislike you, Sara-san. Honestly, I’m more worried that you’ll eventually get tired of me…”

“Don’t say such things, not even as a joke… There is absolutely no way I would ever grow tired of you…”

Hearing the sadness in her voice, I regretted what I had said. I never meant it like that, but it had only caused her pain.

“…They’re about to come, huh.”

“…Haa… fine. I’ll wait until they’re done.”

“…Ehehe, you two really are close, aren’t you?”

“…Eh? W-Well, I suppose so.”

“I want to always be with you, Sara-san. Forever, just like this.”

“Yes, I want to spend my days like this with you too, in happiness, always.”

“Sara-san…”

“Kazunari-san…”

Chuu…

As I lifted my face from her chest, Sara-san immediately pressed a kiss to my cheek.

Our eyes met as she pulled away, and we both couldn’t help but smile…

“Are you two done?”

I turned to the side to see Hanako giving us her signature deadpan stare.

The only one still smiling warmly was Toudou-san.

As expected, with five people, tending to the flower beds finished in no time at all.

There was still a bit of lunch break left, but because Sara-san was the class duty representative today and had to prepare for the next lesson, Natsumi-senpai went back with her to help out. I wished I could have helped too…

Clatter clatter.

When Hanako and I returned to the classroom together, all eyes turned to us at once. Looks like we’ll be the centre of attention for a while…

As soon as I sat down, the usual trio approached. I had been expecting them to come soon. Yamakawa had been acting wild this morning, so I hadn’t even been able to introduce Hanako to them yet.

“This is a good chance for introductions. These three are the ones I’m closest with in class. The loud one from this morning is Yamakawa, this is Tanaka, and the guy with glasses is Kawamura.”

As I called their names one by one, Hanako looked at each of their faces carefully, seeming intent on remembering them.

“Thanks, Takanashi!! I’m Yamakawa, nice to meet you!”

“I’m Tanaka.”

“Kawamura. Sorry about the idiot being so loud.”

“It’s fine. I’m Hanasaki, nice to meet you.”

She was acting normally today. As long as she wasn’t surrounded, she seemed fine.

“Man, I can’t believe Hanasaki-san actually transferred here. It’s like my wish came true!”

“? You knew about me?”

“Yeah! I saw your photo on Takanashi’s phone, and when I did, I—”

Yamakawa started going off on another of his tangents, but Hanako wasn’t listening at all.

Instead, she looked at me with a faint smile, almost teasingly.

“I see. Looking at your big sister’s photo even at school… you really are a helpless boy, aren’t you?”

“Eh!? Th-That was just… you took a selfie on RAIN and—”

Also, she just called herself “big sister” again… Is she doing that intentionally…?

“Anyway, putting Yamakawa aside, you two seem pretty close. Can we hear your story? How did you meet?”

Ignoring Yamakawa who was lost in his own world, Kawamura asked directly. Our story, huh…? Explaining that would be… complicated.

“Sorry, but it’s complicated and private, so I can’t explain.”

Hanako answered for me, choosing to avoid it as well. I wouldn’t want to talk about Yamazaki either…

“I see. Sorry for asking something weird then. But just one more thing… Hanasaki-san, you said Takanashi is important to you, right?”

“I did.”

““““Kyaaaaaa!!””””

““““Uooooooo!!””””

She replied instantly, and for some reason, the girls squealed while some of the guys let out cries of despair.

Knowing that a friend considered me important… it made me really happy.

Of course, I felt the same – Hanako was an important friend to me as well.

“Thank you, Hanako.”

“D-Don’t thank me for something like that.”

““““Kyaaaaaa!!””””

Seeing her respond a little shyly only caused the girls to squeal again, while some of the boys looked utterly crushed.

“Alright, that’s enough. Everyone, stop teasing them. Yamakawa, you too.”

I wasn’t sure what “that’s enough” was referring to, but it seemed Kawamura managed to settle down the chaos in class. That was a huge relief.

Thanks to him, the class finally calmed down. While the girls still crowded around us sometimes, the boys stopped pestering me. Although… it seemed Yamakawa’s energy had been completely drained.

The final period today was homeroom for all classes.

I assumed the agenda would be discussing our class’s exhibit for the school festival, but apparently there was more to it.

“Take one of each and pass them back.”

The homeroom teacher handed two different printouts to the front of each row, and they were passed back down to us. I took one of each and glanced through them.

“Regarding the Student Council President Election and General Assembly.”

Actually, this had already been discussed internally, with talks leaning towards not holding an election this time. The Student Council was meeting after school today to finalise things, but with Sara-san as the only suitable candidate and no one running against her, convincing her was all that remained.

I suppose that was thanks to the current president’s efforts. Of course, if Sara-san did become president, I would support her with everything I had.

And the other printout was…

“Notice of Parent Observation Day.”

…………Huh?

We have something like that?