After carefully wiping down the park bench with a neatly folded handkerchief, Kasumigaoka Touji straightened up, folded the cloth into a perfect square, and set it aside. With a gallant smile, he performed a small bow and gestured elegantly with one arm, like a knight welcoming a princess.
"Ojou-sama, your seat awaits."
Utaha gave him a deadpan stare for a few seconds before suddenly pulling out her phone. Without sparing him a glance, she tapped on the screen while muttering:
"The princess would like to sit on your back."
"Nani? The princess... wants to ride me?" Touji cupped a hand to his ear, leaning in with mock confusion.
Utaha blinked. Then narrowed her eyes.
"Ara ara~, so Otouto-kun has finally revealed his true colors, huh?"
She feigned indignation, giggling as she reached out and pinched his cheek with just enough force to make him squirm.
"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about," Touji protested while gently rubbing the spot she'd attacked.
"Too late. I recorded it."
"Eh?!"
A familiar voice echoed from her phone:
"...What did you say? The princess wants to be ridden?"
Kasumigaoka Touji: "..."
"This one's gold!"
Onee-san truly knows how to enjoy herself!
Utaha gave her Otouto-kun a wicked smirk as she shook her phone triumphantly.
"Wouldn't want Mom and Dad to hear this, would you~?"
"Oi! Where did this netizen-level sneak attack come from!?" Touji was in full panic mode.
Wait... weren't we already Japanese?
Forget it! This isn't the time for that!
Still, seriously, weren't our roles reversed here?
Utaha tilted her head. "What?"
The meme had flown straight over her head. Her delayed reaction was understandable.
Still, she got the gist and couldn't suppress the grin forming on her lips. She barely held back from laughing out loud as she teased in a sultry voice reminiscent of a certain blonde from an R-18 manga:
"So, Touji-kun, what will you do now?"
Touji flopped back dramatically, face turned away, arms splayed wide as he sighed.
"I suppose I'll just lie flat and let you do as you please, Onee-san..." He struck a pose of complete surrender. "This humble boy is yours to ravish."
"Cut it out, baka!" Utaha laughed as she finally put her phone away. Her cheeks were slightly pink, but her grin was smug.
She wasn't even sure who would really be taking advantage of whom if she actually did take him up on that offer.
"..."
The midday sun was still strong, and lunchtime was limited. With class ending at 12:30 and resuming at 1:20, over twenty minutes had already flown by in their usual chaos.
They finally settled down, sitting side by side with their bentos on their laps. The soft sounds of food containers opening filled the quiet air as they began eating.
"It'd be even better if we had a proper table," Touji mumbled around a mouthful of braised pork and rice.
"You really are demanding, huh, Touji-kun? But if you want, I can ask the teacher to let us move a couple of old desks up here."
Touji raised an eyebrow. "Is being the top student really that powerful?"
Utaha replied instantly, flashing a blindingly perfect smile:
"It's that powerful."
Brighter than the afternoon sun, that smile!
"Hmph... you're tempting me to aim for the top now," Touji muttered, slightly envious.
He was already a strong student—only a bit weaker in geography and history. If he pushed a bit harder, he could easily be Utaha's rival.
"Go for it, Otouto-kun~."
Utaha-san took a slow sip of her hot cocoa, letting its warmth linger before flashing a mischievous glance in his direction. Her expression shifted with a teasing glint as she raised the steaming can like a prop.
"If you're really serious about going for it, then your lovely onee-san can become your private tutor~. I'll help you review thoroughly."
Then, with an unnerving sweetness, her lips curled into a devilish smile.
"But if you don't meet my expectations... I'll hang you up and whip you, okay?"
With a dramatic flair, Utaha-san lifted her chopsticks and flicked them through the air like a whip, complete with a swoosh sound.
"Oi! What kind of twisted tutor are you?!"
Touji looked at her, flabbergasted, the color draining from his face.
"Strict teachers produce excellent students," she replied coolly, brushing back a strand of her hair as if she were a proper educator.
"Produce my foot!" he retorted.
"You're just a sadist trying to cosplay as a teacher!"
Utaha-san only giggled, clearly enjoying every second of his suffering.
...
By the time lunch ended, the sun had climbed high, casting a warm glow across the school grounds. It was already past one o'clock.
Touji leaned against the rooftop fence, staring down at the city sprawling below. His heart felt light—like a bird gliding through the air without restraint.
The cherry blossom path leading from the school gate swayed gently in the breeze. Pinkish-white petals twirled in the wind, creating a picturesque sakura rain.
He took a deep breath. The faint scent of cherry blossoms lingered on the breeze.
"Let's head back," Utaha-san said softly beside him.
"Mm," Touji nodded, his voice just as gentle.
Together, they left the rooftop and made their way down to the second floor.
Halfway there, his phone buzzed.
[Kani Nayuta]: "Good afternoon~, (￣▽￣)/!"
[Kani Nayuta]: "Have you eaten yet?"
[Kani Nayuta]: "How's the new school treating you?"
Three texts in rapid fire.
Touji's fingers danced over the screen as he replied casually:
[Touji]: "Just finished eating. Heading back to class now."
Nayuta responded in an instant.
[Kani Nayuta]: "Is Winter-sensei the type who eats in the cafeteria?"
Touji couldn't help but chuckle.
[Touji]: "Nope. I'm a bento guy. Had lunch on the rooftop with Utaha."
Nayuta, multitasking between her game and texting, completely glossed over the name 'Utaha' as if it didn't exist.
The keys on her mechanical keyboard clacked like thunder as she fired back:
[Kani Nayuta]: "I reaaally wanna try Winter-sensei's bento!"
Standing at the classroom door, Touji hesitated. After a moment's pause, he typed:
[Touji]: "Maybe soon..."
[Kani Nayuta]: "Really? REALLY??"
[Kani Nayuta]: "I'm totally taking this seriously, okay?!"
[Kani Nayuta]: "Like, for real real!! ╰(゜▽゜)╯"
[Touji]: "Mm."
He chuckled under his breath and stepped into the classroom—only to be intercepted by a wild thumbs-up from Yamanoto Kuma-ji in the next row.
"Kasumigaoka-kun! Congrats, you're officially a Toyosaki celebrity!"
"...Celebrity?"
Touji raised an eyebrow, mildly amused.
"You haven't seen the school forum? You're all over it!" Kuma-ji's eyes sparkled with the kind of drama you'd only see in anime side characters.
"You're the most envied boy in Toyosaki! Half the guys are drooling over your luck!"
He added the last part with a slightly bitter expression.
Touji blinked. That escalated quickly.
Looks like he'd underestimated just how lethal Kasumigaoka Utaha's appeal was.
With mock solemnity, Touji patted Kuma-ji on the shoulder. "It's fate, my friend. You just can't force these things."
"Tch... I'm done with you! Our friendship is over!"
Kuma-ji clicked his tongue and dramatically turned away.
Touji just laughed and made his way to his seat, the corners of his lips curving into a faint smirk.
...