When I Was Rejected and Returned Home, My Childhood Friend, Who Should Have Been Distant, Was in My Room

Chapter 7: Can I Have a Bite?

The incident started when Shogo said something.

“Masamune, your bento looks fancy today,” Shogo remarked casually.

“It’s just yesterday’s leftovers,” Masamune replied nonchalantly.

“Even so, it looks good. Fried chicken, pepper steak, potato salad, kinpira…” Shogo listed enviously.

“Yeah, yeah, it’s great,” Masamune boasted proudly.

Masamune ate a bite dramatically while Shogo peeked at his bento. The peppers lost their crispness overnight, but the flavor soaked in, making it tasty in its own way.

“That looks so good,” Shogo said longingly.

Shogo bit into his yakisoba bread with a frustrated face.

“Ah,” Shogo exclaimed softly.

Shogo’s yakisoba bread had no fillings left, losing its identity completely. Shogo stared at the plain bread with an indescribable sadness.

“Want some?” Masamune offered kindly.

“Really?” Shogo asked excitedly.

“No choice, huh? What do you want?” Masamune inquired patiently.

“The fried chicken!” Shogo chose eagerly.

“No way, that’s my last piece,” Masamune refused firmly.

“Then, potato salad!” Shogo decided quickly.

“Fine, here, use my chopsticks,” Masamune said generously.

“Thanks, my true friend!” Shogo expressed gratefully.

Shogo took the chopsticks happily, scooped potato salad eagerly, put it on his bread, and ate it in one bite. Masamune thought that was a clever move.

“Delicious!” Shogo shouted enthusiastically.

“Potato salad tastes the same no matter how it’s made,” Masamune commented dismissively.

“No way, Masamune, this is seriously good! Try it!” Shogo urged excitedly.

“I’ve eaten plenty already,” Masamune replied confidently.

Masamune didn’t feel bad when Shogo praised his mother’s cooking. He ate a bite of potato salad at Shogo’s suggestion. It was indeed delicious, as expected from his mom.

Someone stared intensely.

“…” Masamune stayed silent.

The person kept staring persistently.

“The pepper steak is good too, goes well with rice,” Masamune remarked casually.

The person continued staring relentlessly.

As Masamune enjoyed the food, someone sent a heated gaze. Their face moved up and down with his chopsticks, and their tied-back silver hair swayed slightly.

“Manaki, want some too?” Masamune asked reluctantly.

“As expected, Masamune, you get it,” Manaki says knowingly.

“Anyone would notice,” Masamune retorts dryly.

It was hard not to notice. She practically said “stare” out loud toward the end.

“So, what do you want?” Masamune asks directly.

“Huh? You, Masamune,” Manaki answers instantly.

She replies with clear eyes, without hesitation.

“How do you even misunderstand it like that?” Masamune questions exasperatedly.

“You asked what I want,” Manaki explains simply.

“No, I mean what from the bento you want to eat,” Masamune clarifies firmly.

How could she think he meant himself? As Masamune sighed in disbelief, Shogo looked confused.

“Himuro-san, you’re the type to joke like that… I thought you were quieter,” Shogo says, surprised.

That was bad! Masamune usually ignored it, but Manaki’s comment was borderline even as a joke. It wasn’t something to say to Shogo, whom she just met. But while Masamune panicked, Manaki looked puzzled.

“Huh? No, I’m serious,” Manaki says earnestly.

“That’s right, Shogo! Manaki’s fun when you talk to her, but her jokes are intense, always surprising!” Masamune interjects quickly.

Masamune stopped Manaki from speaking honestly and covered for her to Shogo. He gave her a look to play along quietly, and she seemed to understand, giving a thumbs-up.

“That was obviously a childhood friend joke,” Manaki says playfully.

“Childhood friend joke…” Shogo repeats uncertainly.

“Yeah, we can say stuff like this because we’ve known each other so long. Nearly ten years, you can’t do this with just two or three years,” Manaki explains confidently.

“Is that so…?” Shogo asks hesitantly.

Don’t ask Masamune, he just heard it too. But Shogo seemed to believe it completely, and Manaki was clearly getting carried away.

“Yeah, childhood friends can say anything and it’s fine, even ask for each other’s bodies,” Manaki adds boldly.

“Impressive, childhood friends…” Shogo says, amazed.

“That’s not okay, especially the last part, childhood friend or not,” Masamune retorts sharply.

Masamune couldn’t help but interject, but Shogo nodded, fully believing Manaki’s story. Masamune thought Shogo better not fall for scams in the future. But this time, his innocence saved them.

“Anyway, back to it, what do you want?” Masamune asks again.

“Hmm…” Manaki ponders slowly.

Manaki tucked her hair behind her shoulder to keep it off the bento and leaned in close. Masamune smelled the nice scent from yesterday and leaned back in his chair as far as he could. Her sense of distance was naturally off.

“Wow, it’s all my favorite foods,” Manaki says excitedly.

“Huh, that’s surprising,” Masamune replies flatly.

“What’s with that monotone?” Manaki asks teasingly.

Of course, it was obvious. Yesterday’s menu was made by Masamune’s mom with Manaki in mind, so it was naturally full of her favorite dishes.

“Maiko-san’s cooking is great, it’s hard to choose,” Manaki says thoughtfully.

“Maiko-san is…?” Shogo asks curiously.

“Oh, my mom,” Masamune answers casually.

“So Himuro-san knows her too,” Shogo says, understanding.

“Yeah, you could say that,” Masamune confirms briefly.

“We used to eat together a lot back then,” Manaki adds fondly.

She listened properly while deciding, chiming in appropriately.

“Impressive, childhood friends,” Shogo says admiringly.

“Don’t shorten it,” Masamune corrects firmly.

At least say “impressive childhood friends” properly.

“Alright, I decided. Kinpira,” Manaki declares decisively.

Her selection time ended, and Manaki sat back up. Masamune finally relaxed from his awkward position.

“Here, take some kinpira,” Masamune offers generously.

“Then, lend me your chopsticks, Masamune?” Manaki asks casually.

“Huh?” Masamune reacts instinctively.

Masamune let out a raw reaction, unable to comprehend. But Manaki looked like she didn’t see the issue.

“You gave them to Shogo earlier,” Manaki points out simply.

“Yeah, but you have your own chopsticks,” Masamune counters logically.

Obviously, Manaki had her own bento. She skillfully used pink-handled chopsticks earlier. When Masamune pointed this out, Manaki picked up her chopsticks from the bento lid and stared at them. Her serious gaze made the chopsticks seem like they were desperately proving their worth.

“Ei,” Manaki says lightly.

Without hesitation, she let her chopsticks roll onto the floor. It happened so fast no one could stop her.

“My chopsticks are gone,” Manaki says innocently.

“Go wash them later,” Masamune orders sternly.

Her lack of hesitation left Masamune both shocked and exasperated. Still, he hesitated to lend her his chopsticks. He felt bad for Manaki, but he’d put the kinpira in her bento box and have her wash her chopsticks.

“Move your bento box closer, I’ll put kinpira in it,” Masamune instructs clearly.

“You’re not lending me your chopsticks?” Manaki asks, disappointed.

“Obviously, eat with your own,” Masamune insists firmly.

“Muu,” Manaki pouts unhappily.

Manaki pursed her lips in dissatisfaction, but Masamune couldn’t boldly lend his chopsticks to a girl in front of everyone. He had his reputation. He lifted the kinpira with his chopsticks and gestured for her to move her bento box. Manaki, still looking dissatisfied, sighed in resignation. Good, crisis averted.

“Am,” Manaki says suddenly.

But it wasn’t her bento box that came closer—it was Manaki herself. The next moment, the kinpira vanished from his chopsticks, and his childhood friend was eating something in front of him.

“…Huh?” Masamune mutters confusedly.

What just happened? It was obvious, but his instincts understood while his reason desperately tried to process the confusion.

Manaki chewed the food slowly, taking so long it seemed tasteless, then swallowed the kinpira.

“Maiko-san’s cooking is delicious, as expected. I should have eaten with you yesterday,” Manaki says contentedly.

She said that, grabbed her fallen chopsticks, and left the classroom confidently.

“Impressive, childhood friends…” Shogo mumbles quietly.

Masamune had no energy left to retort to Shogo.