Lonely Me And The Lonely Caring Goddess - Chapter 265: Everyone’s Bentos…

Everyone’s Bentos…

Fourth Period, Final Minutes.

Haa… I really hate myself right now.

Why couldn’t I hold it in?

I swore I would never, ever barge into Sara-san’s classroom, no matter what.

And yet, even if it was technically unavoidable, I still let myself get dragged in there.

I’m not going to apologize properly during lunch.

She’ll probably say she isn’t angry at all, but this is about my own accountability.

…Man, today is nothing but taking responsibility for one thing after another.

***

The bell rang.

As soon as fourth period ended and the teacher left, the classroom instantly transformed into the usual lunch-break chaos.

The “bread rush” squad bolted out first, followed by everyone else heading to their usual spots.

“Kazunari, let’s go.”

“Yeah.”

Hanako-san stood up, lunch pouch in hand, and called out to me.

I, as always, was empty-handed.

“Hey, Takanashi-kun! I’ve been wondering for a while… do you really eat lunch with Sagawa-senpai every single day?”

Just as we reached the door, a group of girls camped near the entrance stopped me.

There’s no point hiding it anymore, so I answered honestly.

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“I knew it!”

“So the reason you never bring anything is because…?”

“Sara-san makes it for you…?”

“Kyaahhhhhhhhh!!”

“Sagawa-senpai makes him lunch every day!?”

“She’s literally acting like his wife already!”

“…Not jealous… not jealous at all… not jealous at aaaall…”

“…Every day… Sagawa-senpai… makes his lunch…”

“Kuuh… this is too much jealousy…!”

Just mentioning lunch had turned the girls into a screaming mess.

I guess girls really do love this kind of talk, but it’s a little hard to know how to react.

“Kazunari, everyone’s waiting. If we’re late, your wife will start worrying.”

While I was frozen trying to figure out what to say, Hanako-san came to the rescue.

She lightly took my left hand with her free right and tugged me forward like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“Gufufufu~ You two are still as close as ever!”

“Sorry for holding you up!”

“Say hi to Sagawa-senpai for us~!”

“…He already has an insanely beautiful girlfriend, and now even Hanazaki-san…”

“…Hey, how far do you think a curse actually works?”

“…Wanna test it? Let’s test it right now!”

The classroom was in full uproar from morning till now.

Well, I guess I’m partially to blame…

More importantly, we need to hurry!

When the flowerbed came into view, I could already see everyone else gathered on the plastic sheet spread across the grass.

As expected, Hanako-san and I were the last to arrive.

We’d been held up by the girls at the door, so it couldn’t be helped.

The first to notice us, of course, was Sara-san.

The moment she spotted me, she stood up and jogged over with tiny, excited steps.

“Kazunari-san, thank you for your hard work.”

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

Come to think of it… when I left her classroom earlier, I thought I heard screaming…

But looking at her now, she looks perfectly fine, maybe even in a better mood than usual.

“No, everything is ready. Let’s eat.”

“Why are you in such a rush, dear wife?”

“I’m not rushing at all. I simply promised that once lunch is over, I would hold Kazunari-san as much as possible. So I’d like to secure as much time for that as I can.”

“…Huh?”

Sara-san smiled blissfully.

Hanako-san’s face, on the other hand, instantly turned to pure exasperation.

She didn’t quite roll her eyes, but the look she gave us screamed, “What is wrong with this lovey-dovey idiot couple?”

It made me feel extremely awkward.

But I was the one who asked for it, and when Sara-san makes a promise, she keeps it, no exceptions.

In other words, the hugging session was 100% happening, and I was going to be showered with affection in front of everyone.

Call it embarrassment or a reward; either way, it was set in stone.

“Now then, let’s eat. And afterward… I’ll give Kazunari-san lots and lots of good-boy pats, okay? ♪”

Sara-san beamed at me with the brightest smile imaginable.

For that smile alone, I didn’t care if the whole school teased me or stared daggers.

I had already decided: today, I was going to let myself be spoiled rotten.

“Here, Kazunari-san. Say ‘ah~’.”

“Ah~”

Nom… munch munch…

“Fufu… how is it?”

“Delicious!”

It really is delicious, but I feel bad that I can only ever say the same thing.

I wish I could come up with something more sophisticated, but trying to explain “this part tastes good because of that” would just sound forced.

So “delicious” is the best I can do. Still, Sara-san looks happy, so that’s all that matters.

“Haa… Every single day, you two never get tired of being disgustingly sweet, do you?”

“Says the strange one, Natsumi. How could anyone ever get tired of something this wonderful?”

“…”

I one hundred percent agree.

I will never, ever tire of time spent with Sara-san.

I can declare that with absolute certainty for the rest of my life.

“Come on, Natsumi-senpai. If we couldn’t watch these two, our whole rhythm would be thrown off.”

“Exactly. I love watching Takanashi-kun and Sagawa-senpai being all lovey-dovey. It makes me feel happy just looking at them.”

Uu… Toudou-san’s pure smile is healing me. She really is an angel.

“Well… I do agree it would throw off my rhythm. But not in the flower-garden terms.”

And this little angel over here is in full dead-fish-eyes mode.

She keeps glancing between her own lunch and my face; what’s that supposed to mean?

“Hanako-san, calling us a flower garden is just mean…”

“My bad. My true feelings slipped out.”

“That’s not helping at all!”

“Shut it, pretty boy.”

“Guh… still as harsh as ever. Hey, Hanako-san, couldn’t you at least… maybe one-third of how you treat Kazunari…”

“You’re a thousand years too early to even be compared to Kazunari. You couldn’t reach him with your tiptoes.”

Same as always; zero opening.

But after this morning, I’ve started to notice something: Hanako-san is actually enjoying this back-and-forth a little.

When she talks to the guys in class, her face carries open contempt, like she’s looking at trash.

But with Hayato, that expression never appears.

Her words are brutal, sure, but her face isn’t nearly as cold, and she actually responds properly every time.

Compared to how she treats the rest of the male population, this is practically warm and fuzzy.

“Kazunari-san, ah~n~”

“Ah~n.”

Munch… mm, so good!

“Natsumi, why not just make one for Tachibana-san?”

“Uegh!? N-No, I mean… we go to different schools!!”

As always, Natsumi-senpai’s defenses crumble the instant the attack turns on her.

Considering how aggressive she usually is, this total lack of resistance is kind of… maidenly? Gap moe, maybe.

“Ah, that is true. It would be easier if you went to the same school.”

“Right?”

“Then that means the problem is simply lack of opportunity. In that case, why don’t we all go somewhere together and make it a bento date? The school festival is coming up soon, and Nishikawa-san and Youko will be there too; it’s the perfect chance for a potluck!”

“NO OBJECTIONS!! Sagawa-senpai, let’s do bentos at the school festival!!”

Toudou-san latched onto Sara-san’s casual suggestion with terrifying enthusiasm.

It does sound fun, and I’m totally on board; the only problem is that I can’t cook at all.

“…Hey, Hayato, can you cook?”

“Nope, never tried. You?”

“Do I look like the type who can cook when I’m completely spoiled by Sara-san?”

“Wow. You’re so shameless it’s almost admirable.”

I know, I know, it’s pathetic.

But it’s the truth.

Maybe I should learn at least one thing at tomorrow’s cooking class…

“There is absolutely no need for Kazunari-san to learn how to cook. I will handle everything.”

“Y-Yes, ma’am.”

Yeah, I knew she’d say that.

I’m not some old-fashioned guy who thinks men shouldn’t enter the kitchen, but Sara-san is dead serious about this.

Which means for the rest of my life, Sara-san will be the one cooking, and I’m not allowed to help.

She’s said so outright.

“We can do a potluck, but the main event is Natsumi making a bento for Tachibana-san. Therefore—”

“W-Wait a second! Why is the conversation suddenly decided!?”

“It’s fine, isn’t it? Once you experience it, you’ll definitely understand how I feel. Then you’ll never say something silly like ‘getting tired of it’ ever again. If you still have complaints after trying it once, then we can talk. Until then, it’s decided.”

“Kuuh…”

Once Sara-san gets like this, Natsumi-senpai doesn’t stand a chance.

She’s up against someone who’s completely honest with her feelings; there’s no contest.

“I’ll make Kazunari-san’s, of course. Natsumi, please focus on Tachibana-san’s.”

Sara-san stressed the “of course” with a triumphant smile and wrapped everything up neatly.

I have zero objections; it sounds fun, and I don’t have to cook, so I’m honestly relieved.

“Hey, if it’s a potluck, that means anyone can eat anyone’s bento, right?”

“Well… yeah, I guess…”

“…I’ll do my best.”

Hanako-san suddenly clenched both fists with unusual determination.

It was kind of adorable seeing her this invested.

“Uh… I can’t cook either…”

“I have no intention of cooking for pretty boys. If you want one, ask the person in front of you.”

Hayato looked shocked at the sudden suggestion.

He stared at Hanako-san; she glared back, and he instantly averted his eyes.

Yeah… this is going to take a while.

“Eh!? M-Me!?”

Toudou-san started panicking the moment Hanako-san turned the spotlight on her.

“It’s fine if you don’t want to, of course.”

GAAAN!

The sound effect practically appeared above Hayato’s head.

No, seriously, he looked genuinely crushed.

But honestly, I can’t imagine Toudou-san refusing here.

“N-No! It’s not that I don’t want to! It’s just… I’m not very good at cooking either, and… when you say ‘for someone,’ I get all nervous and…”

Her voice grew smaller and smaller.

So that’s what it was; makes sense.

But seeing her shrink like that made me feel bad for her…

This is exactly when Hayato should step in.

I elbowed the still-frozen Hayato to prompt him.

“Ah!? R-Right! Even so… would it be bad if I said I still want to eat Toudou-san’s bento?”

Nice recovery, Hayato.

“Eh? B-But then it wouldn’t really a potluck anymore…”

“Just so we’re clear, I have no intention of letting any man besides Kazunari-san eat my cooking. Exceptions being my father… and my father-in-law, of course.”

Sara-san dropped that line like it was perfectly normal.

I’m happy, but… what happened to the meaning of “potluck”?

…Eh, whatever.

“Then I want to eat Toudou-san’s bento.”

“R-Really… me?”

She still looked anxious, but a shy, happy smile peeked through.

Of course she’s happy; anyone would be.

“Yeah. Is that not okay?”

“…I-I understand… I’ll do my best.”

“Thanks!”

Looks like Hayato pushed through.

Those two are progressing at glacial speed, but they’ll get there eventually.

“Hey… this isn’t a potluck at all anymore, is it?”

Natsumi-senpai voiced the exact same thought I had.

“No problem at all. We can be flexible. The important part is that Natsumi makes a bento for Tachibana-san.”

“Totally fine. Actually, this is better.”

And that’s how it always ends.

Sara-san aside, it’s kind of funny how eagerly Hanako-san agreed.

A bento gathering at the school festival, huh…

One more thing to look forward to that day.