Chapter 14: My Feet Are Tired

Fortunately, things took a turn for the better.

“All right, that’s the end of this lesson. See you tomorrow,” the bald, frail literature teacher declared, and after gathering his belongings, he left the classroom.

As the teacher departed, the room grew lively. After a morning packed with classes, the youthful students sprawled across their desks, unwilling to move, yet unable to resist their friends’ urging. One by one, they retrieved their carefully prepared lunches from their bags, ready to find a spot among the campus awash in cherry blossoms to savor their meals.

“Haruhide! Let’s go eat!”

“Hey, Kunida, why aren’t you inviting me? Is it because I defeated you last night and you’re still miffed?” Yoji Hirai squeezed in, throwing an arm around Kunida’s shoulder.

“You punk, asking for trouble! Tonight I’ll break the seal and fight you for three hundred rounds!” Kunida shouted.

“That’s nowhere near enough! I only used a tenth of my strength yesterday!”

Their boisterous exchange drew the attention of the whole class. These two theatrically dramatic boys were Haruhide’s high school friends. They spent their days together—eating, discussing manga and beautiful girls, and occasionally heading to the arcade for a game or two.

Haruhide Yano yawned; today seemed particularly exhausting. He closed his textbook, ready to join his two goofy friends for lunch.

But as he stood up, he noticed Misato Kiyorin still lying on her desk, her face etched with impatience. It seemed this was her constant expression ever since she’d arrived at school.

[Triggered Event:]

[It’s lunchtime, and Misato Kiyorin remains slumped over her desk. Thinking about the hundred yen she gave you last night, it might have been her last bit of money. If no one offers help, she may go hungry today. But Misato would never accept charity from others—though you might be an exception, since you’ve seen her at her lowest. So, you decide:]

[A. Walk over and mock her, eating a bowl of fragrant ramen right in front of her. (Quest Reward: Misato Kiyorin’s dislike.)]

[B. Invite Misato to a lavish meal and thoughtfully leave her enough for dinner. (Quest Reward: Increased favor from Misato Kiyorin.)]

[C. Offer her an ordinary meal and ask for a favor in return. (Quest Reward: Reward based on compensation.)]

The system is calculating probabilities: Calculations complete.

Current status: There is a three percent chance Misato will respond to the player now. A ten percent chance she’ll make a promise, to be fulfilled at home. A fifty percent chance she’ll give the player a small reward.

PS: Probabilities are not fixed; everything depends on time, place, and especially how the player speaks. The player’s attitude can raise the chance of rewards.

[Suggestion: Take a small risk for a big gain—after all, who knows whether tomorrow or unexpected events will come first? Seize the moment and enjoy it.]

[D. Ignore everything and leave with your two best friends for lunch. (Quest Reward: None)]

“Haruhide, what’s wrong?” Yoji Hirai glanced at Haruhide Yano, who was standing still and dazed.

“Ah, nothing.” Haruhide snapped out of it, glanced one more time at the girl slumped at her desk, and turned to leave with Kunida and Hirai.

Even as the three left the classroom, Misato Kiyorin didn’t utter a word. In fact, Haruhide hadn’t spoken to her all morning.

“Hey, so what’s the deal between you and Hanai? Come on, spill it!”

“Who told you that?”

“It’s all over the class now. Man, I envy you! Haruhide!”

“Don’t talk nonsense. That’s just Kanae Terashima’s joke.”

“I don’t believe it! I knew something was up—you looked so worn out this morning. Watch out, or we’ll use our skills to make you confess! Then all your little secrets won’t stay hidden!”

“You two…”

Their youthful banter echoed down the corridor. Back in the classroom, Misato Kiyorin, now alone, looked even more weary as she rested her head on her desk.

So hungry… She wished she'd eaten more for breakfast. That Haruhide Yano, he didn’t even invite me for lunch!

How infuriating—he doesn’t even appreciate this rare chance to interact with me!

The more she thought about it, the more annoyed she felt.

Hunger mixed with fatigue, and before she knew it, Misato’s eyes drifted shut.

In her dream, she saw a tall, handsome man wearing sunglasses and a leather jacket, stepping off a motorcycle, walking up to her, and whispering in her ear,

“Hey, wake up, it’s time to eat!”

???

Misato looked up again and saw that the man’s leather jacket had vanished—he’d grown much rounder, and his face had somehow become Haruhide Yano’s.

“Always drooling when you sleep.” Haruhide stood at her desk, holding a lunch box, and gently pinched her soft cheek.

“Hm?” Misato Kiyorin opened her eyes, waking from sleep to the inviting aroma of food.

Haruhide sat in the chair at her desk, carefully laying out the contents of the lunchbox.

300 yen cafeteria grilled meat set—grilled meat, salad, mushrooms, two bowls of rich soup, and two bowls of rice.

He handed Misato a bowl of rice and a pair of chopsticks, smiling, “Eat up, or it’ll get cold.”

Looking at the steaming meal, Misato was momentarily at a loss for words. For some reason, her nose tingled with emotion.

“Mm.” She took the chopsticks, but this time, she skipped her usual pre-meal rituals, quietly picking up grilled meat and rice, stuffing them into her mouth.

The grilled meat was ordinary—tough and dry—but Misato ate with a lump in her throat, an indescribable feeling swelling inside her.

Haruhide said nothing, simply eating in silence.

Outside the window, cherry blossoms drifted and settled on the sill. Inside, a boy and a girl shared lunch at the same table.

Neither spoke, but the scene was quietly beautiful.

Although Haruhide had ordered a double portion, the grilled meat set wasn’t much, and both focused solely on eating, so before long, the meal was finished.

Satisfied, Haruhide reached over with a napkin to wipe the oil from Misato’s lips. The little delinquent girl symbolically tried to dodge but didn’t resist, letting him gently wipe her mouth as she watched him quietly.

“Don’t think you can get smug just because you treated me to lunch! I’ve told you before, you’re just my tool!”

After eating, Misato’s domineering personality resurfaced.

Glancing around to make sure no one was watching, she slipped off a shoe, revealing her petite foot clad in white socks, and stretched it across the desk to rest it on Haruhide’s thigh.

“My foot’s tired. Let me rest it on your leg.”

As she finished speaking, her toes wiggled mischievously.

Haruhide suddenly found himself overwhelmed.