The so-called lunchtime refers to the midday period for taking in calories to replenish the energy consumed in the morning and provide physical strength for afternoon activities.
For most people, it is also a time when the body’s fatigue can temporarily be eased—one of the few relaxing moments in a day aside from sleep at night.
But for a very small portion of people, it is also the only free time that belongs completely to themselves in spirit.
The morning’s exhaustion has already ended, and the afternoon’s troubles have not yet begun.
All they need to do is focus on the food in front of them and the videos playing on their phones, setting aside all other people’s words and influence.
For Zhong Siji, lunchtime was precisely this kind of precious time.
Only when he was alone here would there be no scrutinizing gazes, whether at home, at school, or at a part-time job.
He had always eaten like this, yet now he was being called crude.
Modern society was truly troublesome. Tens of thousands of years ago, no one would have said anything about stuffing a banana just picked from a tree straight into one’s mouth.
Arriving at the rooftop, Zhong Siji placed the bento box in the shade, stood up and twisted his waist a little, then thought about it and sat back down again.
“Habits really are terrifying things.”
“Eh~~ You’re not doing it anymore? That prayer.”
“Do it my ass. Yesterday was already embarrassing enough to die.”
“But I thought it was pretty interesting?”
“It was already seen by Yan Yanyan. Who knows if that weird girl will keep the secret for me.”
“I think she will. After all, don’t you also know her secret? If she talks, you talk, and that’ll be that.”
“Treating the other person’s secret as insurance against leaking is way too low, isn’t it? Anyway, my reputation is already weird enough. A little weirder won’t hurt.”
“Mm~~ So that’s how you think about it. Thank you, Classmate Siji.”
“Not at all, not at all. You’re too kind, Classmate Yan Yan………. Waaaaaah?! Classmate Yan Yan?!”
“Yes. It’s that weird girl Yan Yanyan.” Yan Yanyan’s face carried a strange smile.
This is so embarrassing. Why did I answer subconsciously?
This isn’t right. Have I already declined to the point where I don’t even notice someone talking right beside me? Or is it that I’ve been too tired lately?
I knew I shouldn’t have stayed up late watching Jujutsu Kaisen! But leaving such a high-quality anime unwatched is basically the same as making a man who’s been abstinent for months watch a movie without taking off his pants!
And I got caught talking behind her back to her face. Is the abandoned school rooftop some kind of nest for gossiping or something!
Alright, time to rely on my eloquence!
“Classmate Yan Yan, actually for me, ‘weird’ doesn’t mean you’re strange. It’s a kind of praise.”
“Eh, I’ve never heard of that before. What meaning is it expressing?”
“Classmate Yan Yan, you… are weirdly… weirdly pretty.”
As he spoke, Zhong Siji even blinked his eyes and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
This is the unspoken rule, the unspoken rule. Social technique.
People don’t hit a smiling face. Just let it pass lightly like this.
“……………………Ha?”
But Yan Yanyan put away her smile, and her expression instantly turned serious.
Wait wait wait, why did the atmosphere suddenly become serious? Don’t tell me my world-shocking eloquence isn’t working?
“Is Classmate Siji saying I’m some kind of daddy-type?”
What the fxxk is “daddy-type” supposed to be as a thunder word… Wait wait wait! In this current world, complimenting a girl as pretty seems to be… Damn! From now on I’m never watching comics tagged “male-dominated” again.
Forget it, forget it. Three days without looking…
“No no no no… n-n-not that meaning. I-I-I-I-I…”
“Hehe. Just kidding.”
“Huh?”
Yan Yanyan’s expression suddenly cleared from cloudy to sunny.
“I know Classmate Siji didn’t mean it that way. I just suddenly wanted to see Classmate Siji’s flustered look one more time. After all, it’s still… pretty cute~~” As she spoke, she playfully threw him a flirtatious glance.
The slightly frivolous tone, paired with her absolutely authoritative beauty, would have left any other boy completely entranced if they heard it. But Zhong Siji was not any other student.
“Ahahaha, Classmate Yan Yan is really… humorous.”
The corner of Zhong Siji’s mouth twitched, and he could only crush his teeth and swallow them down.
“Eh? It didn’t work at all?”
Although she had thought it might not work much, she truly hadn’t expected it to have zero effect.
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Nothing. I just realized once again that Classmate Siji really is a very special boy.”
“Isn’t that obvious? Special to the point of having no friends.”
As he spoke, Zhong Siji sat back down in depression.
This was already the second time his perfect lunchtime had been interrupted by Yan Yanyan. Did his Five Elements somehow get countered by her?
“That’s true.”
Looking at the somewhat depressed boy, Yan Yanyan forcefully suppressed the smile at the corners of her mouth.
This boy really was becoming more and more interesting.
Zhong Siji sat and waited for a while. His stomach was about to start growling again, yet Yan Yanyan still didn’t move an inch.
He couldn’t help asking the same question from their first meeting on the rooftop. “Classmate Yan Yan, aren’t you hungry?”
“Now that you mention it, I am a little hungry.”
Yes yes yes. Although I don’t know why you’re still here today, if you’re hungry you should go eat. Be a good child and go eat.
“Then let’s eat bentos together.”
Unexpectedly, Yan Yanyan did not leave. Instead she turned her hand and took out a thickly and highly packed bento box.
“Classmate Siji, could you move over a little? This side is getting a bit of sun.”
Zhong Siji silently shifted to the side.
“…….Classmate Yan Yan, why did you start eating a bento?”
“Because I need to eat lunch.”
That’s not what I was asking! “I mean why did you suddenly start eating a bento here on the rooftop? Classmate Yan Yan usually eats outside school, right?”
“My house isn’t that far from here, so I usually go home to eat.”
“That’s nice. Then wouldn’t it be better to just go home and eat?” Hurry up and go home, you invader of lunchtime.
“But Classmate Siji, look…” The girl’s eyes sparkled.
“Ever since I discovered this place yesterday, I’ve been thinking the whole time—this place is just too perfect for eating bentos! Classmate Siji, you think so too, right!”
Completely meaningless. I only think this place is quiet. Bentos can be eaten anywhere, right? This girl really is weird after all.
Xinya, hurry and save your big brother. And everyone come take a look—your Big Sister is actually like this!
“So, Classmate Siji…”
Zhong Siji suddenly had an ominous premonition.
“From now on, let’s get along well.”
“Ahaha, eating together with a campus fringe character like me will only cause trouble for Classmate Yan Yan if people see it. Better forget it.”
It’ll cause trouble for me too! Cause trouble for me!
“Classmate Siji, let’s both do our best! As people who aren’t understood by others.”
This person didn’t listen to a single word.
“……….Ahaha.”
Goodbye, my perfect lunchtime of the cosmos… Bah. My perfect lunchtime.
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