As Anri Hitomi poured a steaming cup of miso soup for Kuroba Akira, she spoke softly.
"Since you said you don't like seafood, I didn't use kombu or bonito flakes for the dashi. I made it with dried shiitake instead. I already tried it myself… the umami might be a little weaker. I hope it's still to your taste."
Akira took a sip—and his eyes lit up.
He'd expected something bland, especially given the subtle flavors typical of Japanese cooking. But to his surprise, the taste was rich and full-bodied—actually pretty amazing.
This is great. No—this is fantastic!
Any Cantonese person would've praised it as "a proper good soup."
"Tastes great!"
"I'm glad you like it…"
Anri smiled, visibly relieved to see Akira enjoying the meal. Getting up at 4:30 to prepare this bento suddenly felt worth it.
But even so, the shadow on her expression never quite faded. Eventually, she couldn't hold it in anymore and quietly apologized.
"…I'm sorry, Kuroba-kun."
"Mmm?"
Mouth still full, Akira made a questioning noise, meaning: Why are you apologizing, Class Rep?
"I knew bringing you a bento in front of everyone might cause misunderstandings, but I did it anyway. I wasn't trying to use you or manipulate anything, and I never thought you and Sumiya-kun would actually end up clashing…"
Akira slowed his chewing, swallowed, and held his chopsticks mid-air as he replied.
"When I saw you speak up for me in class, I could already tell you weren't trying to use me as a shield. My guess is, you just wanted to use this as an opportunity—to draw some distance between yourself and Sumiya Ryouta's circle of 'normies,' right?"
He'd seen how often Anri was "swept up" into the boisterous center of the class, but her body language always hinted at fatigue. She clearly didn't enjoy the surface-level socializing of the normie crowd.
Put simply, she just didn't click with them.
Declaring Akira a member of the Literature Club was her way of signaling a shift in social priorities—planting her flag outside the classroom's central power structure.
Unlike Yui, who tried to balance both club and class, Anri clearly leaned toward the club. She'd even said the Literature Club was her only place to breathe—something she'd protect at all costs.
Anri nodded silently. Being understood by Akira gave her a deep sense of ease—reassurance.
Only two days in, and he already understood her so well.
Which only confirmed to her what she'd begun to suspect: she and Akira were kindred spirits, aligned in thought.
"…You're right. I just didn't expect Sumiya-kun to react the way he did."
"You didn't think he'd be that into you?"
"…Yeah."
Given her social awareness, Anri definitely knew Ryouta liked her. But what she hadn't expected was for him to completely disregard appearances and confront Akira so directly.
She'd assumed, at most, that Ryouta might approach Akira in private—and if she simply stuck by Akira's side, that would deter any outbursts.
But in the end, Akira had to bear it all alone.
That weighed on her.
"Still, if you didn't want anything to do with him, you could've just told him straight. With his personality, I doubt he would've kept chasing you. So why the cold shoulder approach?"
"Sumiya-kun never actually confessed, so I never had the opportunity to reject him clearly… But maybe I shouldn't have worried about saving face. I should've been more direct. Though… I did tell him, 'You're a good person.'"
"Ah…"
So the 'nice guy card' already got played, huh.
So either Ryouta hadn't realized he'd been turned down—or he'd misinterpreted "you're a good person" as "you still have a chance."
Either way, he'd definitely figured it out by now.
"Well, not wanting to date him is totally fair. Feelings are complicated. Sometimes, no matter how long you've known someone, you just don't feel that way. But according to him, you were childhood friends—and you deliberately distanced yourself from him. Was it really that bad? Not even friends anymore?"
"…So he told you that too."
Anri's smile dimmed into something sadder—more like a resigned laugh.
"…It was because my mother didn't want me getting too close to them."
"Oh?"
So she listens to her mom that much? Is the class rep… a mama's girl?
Or maybe… her mom was a terrifying control freak?
Why would a mother meddle in her daughter's friendships? Was she really that controlling?
Akira asked as delicately as he could, trying to unpack those questions.
But Anri quietly began to explain.
"No. She's strict, yes… but she's never interfered with anything at school. She just… told me things. When I was very young. Things that might happen."
...
"Hitomi, don't get too close to Sumiya-kun and the others."
"Eh? But why, Mom? Ryouta-kun and Mirai-chan are all good kids…"
"I know they are. I know you're close. And I really do hope your friendships can last. But their parents… may not feel the same."
"…What do you mean? Are Ryouta-kun's parents bad people?"
"No. It's not that simple. In the adult world, there aren't just good people and bad people. From a business standpoint, they're very competent, very successful. But they're also ambitious. They won't hesitate to use whatever's around them—including their own children."
"…I don't get it."
"You've read those books I gave you, haven't you? Stories where a girl is forced to marry someone her parents chose. Even if she doesn't love him."
"…Yeah."
"Well, those stories aren't fiction. They happen."
"…!"
"Don't be scared. I did once consider arranging an engagement for you. Started you on your little 'bride training' and everything. But your father scolded me harshly for that. He said I shouldn't treat you like a younger version of myself."
"…Mom, do you… regret marrying Dad? Ah—sorry, I didn't mean—"
"Heh… It's true we had a political marriage. But I got lucky. I did fall in love with him later. Your father is… exactly who he appears to be. So honest it hurts—completely unsuited for politics. But that's probably what gave him the strength to push forward."
"He told me once that he never wanted to treat his children as pawns. That the Anri family didn't need to grow stronger by turning its children into tools. So I'll give you freedom, Hitomi."
"…Thank you, Mom."
"You don't need to thank me. I know it's not from the heart. You've always preferred your father. I see it. You've never really liked me. But even if I don't arrange a marriage for you, I'll still interfere. I won't let you marry someone you shouldn't—I won't let you lead an unhappy life. Because you may not be as lucky as I was."
"…"
"Of course, if you really want to stay friends with Ryouta-kun and the others, I won't stop you. The choice is yours. But I need you to understand—your friends could become a weakness."
"…A weakness?"
"That's right. Take Sumiya Ryouta, for example. His parents might push for a marriage to strengthen ties with the Anri family. That could turn your friendship into something else entirely."
"…"
"Do you have the strength to protect your friends from that kind of pressure? Or… Hitomi, can you convince them to take your side, even if it means opposing their own families?"
"…"
"You probably can. You are my daughter. But that means learning to rule their hearts. To keep them loyal. Never wavering."
"But if I do that… then they're not really friends anymore, are they? Friendship is supposed to be equal…"
"Yes. They might still see you as their most important friend. But you won't be able to treat them the same. Not truly. Because you'll be manipulating them."
"…"
"Because you are Anri Hitomi. This is the reality you must face. You're a clever girl, so I'm sure… you already know what to do."
...
She had been forced to face a cruel truth at an age when children should still be innocent.
At the time of her life when she should've been carefree, she gave up that childhood purity—and innocence.
"…Yes. I understand, Mother."
---
T/N: "Mm. If you've read this far, I suppose you're at least a little invested."
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Say thank you to Maomao guys