“Bento?”
“Mm, bento.”
Mm, I didn’t mishear. Classmate Siji asked, “Do you know how to make bentos?”
But why would Classmate Siji ask that?
What does it mean when a boy asks a girl if she knows how to make bentos…
Don’t tell me… Don’t tell me!!!
The wind of love always arrives on schedule with youth, blowing toward young people who do not yet know what love is.
“Um, Classmate Runhui, that… that…” The shy boy stammered as he opened his mouth.
“Oh~~ What’s wrong, my~ cute~ Classmate Siji?”
Hearing the girl’s slightly frivolous reply, the boy’s face flushed even redder. “I… I’m not talking to you anymore.”
“Sorry, but I was just captivated by your beauty and accidentally said it out loud.”
“………..Bento.”
“What?”
“I’m asking if you know how to make bentos!”
Bento? Oh, so that’s what it was~~ What a shy child.
“A rough girl like me of course doesn’t know how. I usually just eat fast food.”
“Ahh, I’m so envious of those people who get to eat bentos made by boys.”
“Hmph! There’s… there’s no helping it with you. Then I’ll reluctantly make one for you to eat.”
※The above imagination occurred within 0.01 seconds.
“Hehehe~~”
“Classmate Runhui?”
“Ah, no, mm. A rough girl like me of course doesn’t know how. I usually just eat fast food.”
“Is that so? Makes sense.” Zhong Siji nodded.
Eh? Why is it different from what I imagined? And I hadn’t even finished speaking yet… Wait wait wait wait.
Xu Runhui still wanted to say something, but Zhong Siji spoke first:
“Classmate Runhui, I’ll go on ahead?”
“Eh? Why?”
“Nothing much. If Classmate Runhui and I enter the classroom together, people will start gossiping.”
“But I…”
“Then that’s it for now. See you later~~~”
“I don’t mind…”
I have to say, Classmate Siji runs really fast. In just that short while, he had already turned into a tiny dot.
“He left… Ahhhh, what am I even doing? This is completely no progress at all.”
Not only had they barely talked, she had even misunderstood, and moreover… did she really not mind?
Lately some rumors about Classmate Siji had started circulating in the class and even around campus. If she got caught up in them, it probably wouldn’t be anything easy.
Wait, what am I thinking…
“I’m really so pathetic.”
“Yo~~ Long time no see.”
Suddenly a familiar voice that absolutely should not have appeared here rang out by Xu Runhui’s ear.
“No way.” Xu Runhui’s eyes widened as she stared in disbelief at the figure that should not be here.
“Absolutely true. I’m still alive and kicking!”
“………”
“Ahhhh! It hurts it hurts it hurts! Big Sister! Big Sister! Let go! Let go!”
The mysterious person whose cheeks were being pinched hard by Xu Runhui was none other than the little sister who had thoroughly criticized Xu Runhui from head to toe last night.
“Did I give you too much face? Your school is in the completely opposite direction, right? What are you doing here? Preparing to skip class?”
“I… I’m not. It’s just that Big Sister was acting weird when she left this morning. I couldn’t help following.”
“…How much did you hear?”
“Do you know how to make bentos?”
“…Hah. Mom still hit too lightly.”
“Wait wait wait wait wait wait! I think that boy was just asking Big Sister how to make bentos…”
***
Dong-dong-dong-dong~~ Dong-dong-dong-dong~~
“Alright, that’s all for now. Class dismissed.”
“What should we go eat later~~”
“Let’s go eat over by the gym~~”
“Ugh, I don’t have much appetite lately. I wonder what they made at home.”
Taogu High School was a commuting school, so those who lived nearby would go straight home to eat, while those a bit farther would settle for nearby snack shops.
Of course there were also people like Zhong Siji who brought bentos to school.
Only, for some reason, today’s bento box seemed a little heavy.
“In the end I still don’t have any clues at all.”
In the end he had gone to consult Teacher Wu Di, but not only had he learned nothing, he had also been hit with some baffling remarks.
Things like “Are you also going to abandon Teacher to experience the sour smell of romance?”
and “Adult women have it really hard, you know. If possible, could you not come show off your affection?”
In a certain sense, this person was beyond saving too.
Classmate Runhui also knew nothing about this. If there was really no other way, he could only look up guides online.
But was that really okay? The bento box he took out seemed a little heavier than usual.
Although it might be because that girl had stuffed a lot of bitter melon inside, usually it was always filled with the dishes he liked… It had always been this heavy.
Why had he thought of it as only natural?
Speaking of which… what did Xinya like to eat? That girl never seemed picky and basically ate everything, but everyone should have things they especially loved, right?
He really was quite unqualified as a brother. The moment he thought of that, the bento in his hand seemed to grow a little heavier again.
“At this point, just eat first.”
The place to eat was of course still his pilgrimage site. After eating he could also properly think things over.
Yesterday should have just been an accident. Classmate Yan Yan was still sitting elegantly in her seat.
No matter what, being able to dig into a big meal still made a person feel pleasant.
Carrying the bento box, Zhong Siji left the classroom in three steps made into two.
Completely focused on his little sister’s bento and the meal, he of course did not notice the two gazes behind him.
“I still couldn’t manage to talk to Classmate Siji in the classroom.”
Xu Runhui collapsed weakly onto her desk. This matter seemed a lot harder than she had expected.
She always felt that the moment she wanted to talk to Classmate Siji, a silent pressure would press down from the surroundings and leave her unable to move.
She seemed even more useless than she had imagined.
Even if Little Sister was right, she still couldn’t put it into practice.
“Listen carefully, Big Sister. That boy, although it might just be a sudden whim and he asked randomly, if it’s not, then it means he recently might have a need to make bentos.”
“Big Sister doesn’t know how to make bentos. That’s a disadvantage, but it can also be called an advantage. After all, compared to a teacher who teaches you how to do it, a classmate who learns together, progresses together, and tastes each other’s cooking can close the distance much more.”
“If this really is that kind of opportunity, you have to seize it! Although I don’t know if it’s for family, he at least has someone he wants to make bentos for. Big Sister, this is a signal, you know?”
Although she didn’t know why Little Sister, after thoroughly roasting her last night, had run over to give her advice, she was right. This opportunity was best seized.
Fortunately, compared to other people, she still had the chance to talk on the way to and from school. She would ask Classmate Siji again after school this evening.
“Runhui? Runhui? Run—hui—? Xu! Run! Hui!”
“Ah! Wh… what is it?”
“I’m the one who wants to ask you. I called you for half a day with no response. What were you thinking about so deeply?”
“No… nothing.”
Her friend squinted and looked at Xu Runhui. “Forget it. Hurry up and go eat. I still want to rest a bit more at noon.”
Just then another figure passed by them, seemingly holding something in her hand.
“Classmate Yan Yan, want to go eat lunch together?” her friend greeted the figure.
“What a coincidence. I brought a bento to school today.”
“Is that so? Then there’s no helping it.”
Her friend nodded and smiled as she said goodbye to Yan Yanyan.
It had only been a casual greeting anyway. Whether she went or not didn’t really matter.
“Um… does Classmate Yan Yan usually bring a bento to school?”
“Who knows? But I don’t think I’ve really seen her bring one. Although school hasn’t been open that long yet… Hey! Where are you going! Not eating anymore?”
“Sorry! I have something. You go ahead and eat first.”
“Weird. Damn, don’t tell me she got a boyfriend.”