It was already lunchtime when Satsuki came running toward Kuroki.
"Hey, sorry!" she said between breaths.
"What took you so long?" Kuroki asked, holding both of their lunches. "What were you doing anyway?"
"Mmm… nothing important." She grabbed her bento from his hands.
She opened it and took a big bite. "Man… this is so good, even though it's cold," she said, talking with her mouth full.
"Don't talk with your mouth open," Kuroki said, side-eyeing her.
"I'm sorry, Mom," Satsuki shot back sarcastically.
"So seriously," Kuroki said, "what took you so long?"
"What? I told you not to worry about it." She kept stuffing her face.
"I just want to know," he pressed.
"Sigh…" She sighed in annoyance. "Okay. You know that tall guy who chased us?"
"Yeah," Kuroki replied.
"He's in my class now."
"Really?" Kuroki looked surprised. "What's his name?"
"I think it's Nozomi Renji… I think." She shrugged and kept eating.
"I see." Kuroki nodded and continued his lunch.
—
After lunch, Kuroki headed to his next period.
The door slid open.
He walked to his desk and sat down. The classroom buzzed with chatter as students talked with their friends before the teacher arrived. As usual, Kuroki just listened.
"Yo, Yuki, I heard you've got a girlfriend, bro," one guy teased.
"Shut up! She's not my girlfriend!" Yuki snapped, his face bright red. "W-we're just friends, that's all!"
"Aww, come on, don't leave me in the dark like that," the guy laughed.
(So stupid.) Kuroki frowned and turned his gaze toward the window.
While he was staring outside, a girl approached his desk.
"Hey."
The soft, gentle voice made him turn his head.
"Um… hey." Standing there was Aohana Mari. "Hello, Ichinose." She smiled brightly and gave a small wave.
"Oh—hey, Aohana. Do you need something?"
(Why am I so nervous?) Sweat prickled down his face.
"Mmm… nothing." She kept smiling.
"O-okay…"
(There's no way she came over here for nothing.) A thought suddenly popped into his head.
(Wait…) He covered his mouth.
(Maybe she…)
(Likes me?) His face stiffened in shock.
(No, no, no—there's no way a girl like her would like me. But…)
"Um—" she spoke again.
"Y-yeah?" He jumped slightly.
"I just wanted to ask…"
"Yeah, what is it?"
"How's the cat?"
His mind froze.
(The… the cat?!) Panic hit instantly. "W-what cat?" He couldn't meet her eyes, fumbling over his words.
"Giggle. The cat, silly," she laughed at his nervous reaction. "I'm not mad. I just wanted to say thank you."
"Thank… me?" He blinked, confused.
"Yeah." She nodded. "My mom's allergic to cats, so I couldn't take him home. But when I saw you with him, I knew he was in good hands."
"Oh… is that so." Relief washed over him, mixed with gratitude.
"Alright, everyone, take your seats," the teacher announced while entering the room.
"Okay… see you, Ichinose." She smiled gently and waved before heading back to her seat.
And she gone close to unexpectedly.
"Take good care of him… ok"
She walks to her desk.
Kuroki's face burned red like a tomato.
(Shit… why is my face so hot?) He dropped his head onto his desk. His heart was racing, sweat forming at his temples.
(There's no way…)
There was only one explanation for this feeling.
(Goddamn it… why am I so easy?)