The Beautiful Girl I Accidentally Helped Who Has Somehow Become Attached To Me. - Chapter 10: Bread-Eating Race.

Bread-Eating Race.

In the end, we managed to avoid being late.

We ended up in a bit of a rush this morning, but surprisingly, I didn’t mind it as much as I thought I would.

Still, the stress of almost being late isn’t something I want to experience again. If someone like me walks in even a little late, all eyes would be on me in that dead-quiet classroom, and I’d stand out in the worst way possible.

It reminded me to start moving with a bit more time to spare.

It’s not like I struggle to wake up in the morning; I just prefer to minimize the time spent in the noisy classroom before homeroom.

Today’s little ambush from Mikami-san worked out without any planning, but now I know it might happen again, so I’ll stay on guard.

It’s not like I’m looking forward to it or anything. To borrow a phrase from Mikami-san’s style… let’s call it “understanding patterns and planning accordingly.”

***

The rest of the morning went by as usual, and I made it to the fourth period. Just one more class, and then it’s lunchtime, so my motivation is at its peak… except, today, due to the teacher’s schedule, it’s a self-study period.

With a quick word to keep things quiet, the teacher left in a rush. Of course, “do whatever you want” was meant within the context of the subject, but it was inevitable that some students would take liberties with the lack of supervision.

Some students turned around to chat openly. Others slumped over their desks without even pretending to open a notebook. They didn’t seem the least bit interested in studying.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have anyone to talk to, nor the guts to slack off just because the teacher wasn’t around. So, all I could do was quietly follow instructions and study.

(Great, I’m starving…)

But a stronger-than-usual pang of hunger hit me. Was it because of the running earlier this morning? I tried desperately to hold back the rumbling in my stomach that felt ready to cry out.

Most students stayed quiet, with only a few making noise. If my stomach growled in this calm atmosphere… I’d rather not think about it.

The thought of that embarrassment actually made me feel a bit warm, so I decided to open the window, hoping some cool air would help. The sounds of PE class on the field drifted in.

I wondered which class it was out there. I barely knew my own classmates, so it wasn’t like I’d recognize anyone from another class, but I couldn’t help looking around.

After a quick scan, just as I was about to turn back to my notebook, I spotted the one person I could recognize—Mikami Hina.

Even from a distance, her gym uniform didn’t diminish her striking presence; she radiated a unique charm.

As I found myself unable to look away, it felt like she noticed me too. Our eyes might’ve met, but her gaze quickly shifted. Maybe it was just my imagination.

Then, she looked around, seemingly searching, and gave a small wave in my direction.

Was that wave really meant for me? Was it okay to let myself believe it was?

Lost in that debate, I watched her, only to notice her cheeks puff up, as if she was mildly annoyed.

Oh well, might as well let myself believe it for now.

With a bit of determination, I gave a small wave back, and it looked like she smiled happily… or at least, I thought she did.

Just then, the PE teacher’s whistle blew, and Mikami-san, along with the rest of the students, began gathering around the teacher.

I returned my gaze to my notebook, reminding myself to focus on my self-study.

At least, that’s what I was supposed to do…

But before I realized it, I found myself glancing back out the window, looking for her again.

By then, I’d completely forgotten about my hunger.

***

The long-awaited lunch break finally arrived after a self-study session where I could barely focus. Holding a bag packed fuller than usual, I headed for the usual spot.

Since Mikami-san had just come from PE class, she’d probably be a little late, having to change and all. But then again… lately, she’s been getting to the spot before me almost every time. Who knows, maybe she’ll even show up in her gym clothes today…

No, that’s unlikely. I rounded the corner and, as expected… she wasn’t there.

“Feels like it’s been a while since I’ve had this bench to myself.”

Before Mikami-san started joining me for lunch, this bench was my solitary lunch spot. I used to sit right in the middle without a second thought, but now, I’ve instinctively left space for one. I guess I’ve gotten pretty used to her company.

As I sat there, basking in the warm sunlight and waiting, I heard approaching footsteps. When I looked up, there was Mikami-san, jogging over.

“S-sorry for the wait!”

“Nah, you didn’t keep me waiting. You just finished PE—no need to rush, right?”

“I was excited, so I couldn’t help but hurry over.”

She had rushed over right after changing. It was obvious that she’d been in a hurry.

“Well, shall we dig in?”

“Sure, take whichever you like.”

Sitting down smoothly beside me, she reached into the bag. After PE, people tend to fall into two categories: those who get hungrier and those who can’t eat at all. It looked like Mikami-san was the former.

“Which one’s your favorite, Kirishima-san?”

“…It was hard to decide at the store, but… the yakisoba bun is a classic. The bread is soft, and the yakisoba inside is great. Plus, it’s packed full of noodles.”

“Wow… it really is, almost bursting out of the bread.”

Through the clear wrapping, you could see the yakisoba packed generously between the bread, so much so that it was almost spilling out.

Lately, some places try to cut costs by using shallow bread cuts or filling only the visible parts, which ends up disappointing customers. But this store isn’t like that; their servings are always hearty and generous, perfect for a hungry high schooler like me.

Bread with noodles—a carbohydrate on carbohydrate. It’s a caloric powerhouse. And just as I recommended it to Mikami-san, it suddenly hit me:

Maybe it was a bad idea to suggest something so heavy to a girl?

The thought brought a twinge of uncertainty.

“Then, I’ll go for the yakisoba bun,” she said, tearing open the wrapper and taking a big bite.

The way she chewed, puffing her cheeks like a little animal, captivated me.

“This… it’s really delicious…! Um, could you maybe not stare at me like that… it’s a bit embarrassing…”

Mikami-san looked at me as she chewed, her cheeks puffed up like a little squirrel. When our eyes met, she quickly turned her face away, continuing to eat the yakisoba bun without taking it from her mouth. She looked… really endearing like that.

“Come on, Kirishima-san, if you don’t start eating too, lunch break will be over before you know it,” she teased.

“Ah, yeah, you’re right.”

“Seriously, if you keep stalling, I’m going to eat everything myself!”

I was so caught up watching her that I almost missed her not-so-idle threat. I definitely couldn’t let that happen—I was hungry, too, after all.

What followed was almost like a playful scramble, each of us reaching for the bread we wanted, savoring it as if it was a prize in our little competition. Despite buying more than enough bread for two, we eventually found ourselves reaching into an empty bag. When we both stuck our hands into the empty bag at the same time, we glanced up, catching each other’s eyes—and then burst out laughing.