The Girl Everyone Admires Loves Me… and I Don’t Remember Why. - Chapter 3: Chitose Yuuki Remains Oblivious.

Chitose Yuuki Remains Oblivious.

Chitose Yuuki’s POV.

After receiving the bento from Mitsuki, I headed over to where my usual lunch buddies were gathered.

“Dude, Yuuki. You got Takanashi to make you lunch again?”

The one who muttered that was Kouta, one of my friends.

“It’s not a big deal.”

To be fair, whenever I get some pocket money and my wallet’s feeling flush, I treat Mitsuki to lunch as thanks.

A while back, my friends gave me a seriously weird look when they found out I wasn’t doing anything in return.

“Well, whether she makes it or not is totally up to Takanashi, so it’d be weird for me to say anything… but man, I’ve gotta say it. I’m seriously jealous!”

“Then just ask your own childhood friend to make you one, Kouta.”

“Nah, I don’t even have a childhood friend. And it’s not about getting lunch from a childhood friend—it’s about getting it from Takanashi.”

The other guys eating with us nodded emphatically in agreement.

Mitsuki’s known as the single most stunning beauty in the entire school.

Even setting aside any childhood-friend bias, there’s no denying she’s absolutely gorgeous.

I know plenty of guys look at me with envy because she makes lunch for me, and honestly? Deep down, it makes me kinda proud.

She only does it because I’m her childhood friend—special treatment, right?

“And that bento looks insanely good… Yuuki, how blessed can one guy get?”

It really is delicious, no lie.

Kouta and the others were staring at Mitsuki’s handiwork like they were starving.

“Keep staring all you want—I’m not sharing.”

“Yeah, yeah, we know.”

“Though I wouldn’t mind giving away the salad.”

I hate salad, after all.

“…Huh?”

Everyone suddenly wore this shocked “wait, seriously?” expression.

In that instant, the air shifted.

“No way, man, that’s not cool.”

“I-I know, I know. Obviously I’m joking.”

“Good, you scared me. If you were serious, I’d have to call you out. Giving away food someone made for you would be way too disrespectful to Takanashi.”

After that, we finally started eating.

“Still, Yuuki—you probably shouldn’t make jokes like that. One day Takanashi might actually get fed up with you.”

“…Huh? Speaking of which, where’d Mitsuki go?”

I glanced around the classroom, but she was nowhere in sight.

She wasn’t with the girls she usually eats with either.

“Right after you took the bento, Takanashi left the classroom pretty quick. She had her own lunch with her, so maybe she’s eating with friends from another class.”

That’s unusual for Mitsuki—she almost always eats in our room.

Well, everyone has off days.

Like how she was napping during class earlier.

Little did I know that, at that very moment, Mitsuki was sharing lunch alone with Miyase.

“Oh, right, Yuuki. Apparently a friend of mine saw you and Takanashi shopping together last Saturday…”

“We didn’t go shopping together. I was at the arcade, and we just happened to run into each other. But why bring that up now?”

“Well, my friend was saying maybe you two are dating.”

“That’s just your friend’s misunderstanding.”

Besides, Mitsuki and I have gone shopping together plenty of times before.

“But seriously—don’t you ever think about wanting to date Takanashi?”

Want to date Mitsuki, huh…

Do I like her? Of course I do.

But whether that’s romantic like or not… honestly, I’m not sure.

And if I confessed and got rejected, things would get super awkward. That scares me.

When I think about it that way, there’s no need for me to rush and change our relationship right now.

Though… if Mitsuki confessed to me, then maybe…

As I was lost in those thoughts, the warning chime rang, putting an end to the conversation.

…Oh, right—speaking of shopping.

After school today…

***

After School

Classes ended, and I headed over to Mitsuki.

We’d promised to go to the shopping mall together after school today.

“Hey, Yuuki.”

One of my friends suddenly called out to me.

“What’s up?”

“We’re all heading to my place after this to play games. Wanna come? I finally got that new game that just came out.”

“No way, really?!”

I wanted to go. I really, really wanted to go.

But I had plans with Mitsuki.

Weighing the two options, the conclusion I reached was—

“M-Mitsuki.”

“What is it, Yuuki?”

“We were supposed to go shopping after school today, right? But sorry—something came up, and I can’t make it.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it.”

“…Eh?”

Surprisingly, Mitsuki let it go without protest.

“R-Really? You’re sure?”

“Yeah.”

If she says it’s fine, then it’s fine.

“Got it. See you tomorrow, then.”

I left the classroom and met up with my friends.

Any faint sense of something being off about my conversation with Mitsuki had already completely slipped my mind.

***

Takanashi Mitsuki’s POV.

As soon as Yuuki headed home, I left the classroom too.

And I walked in the opposite direction from my house.

My steps were steady and unwavering, as if I already knew exactly who was waiting ahead.

“All right then, Yuuki. Shall we head to the shopping mall?”

“Actually, about that—sorry, Mitsuki. Something came up, and I can’t go.”

“Eh… But we promised…”

“Sorry. See you tomorrow.”

“Ah… I was really looking forward to it…”