Wednesdays were my favorite days, and the reason was simple—we had gym class.
I'm not a fan of sitting for hours from Monday to Friday, so I'm grateful for the time I get to move my body.
Maybe I should be more sedentary, considering my hobbies revolve around reading and sitting in front of the TV, but I don't want to pick up habits that might hurt me in the long run. So being active every now and then feels like a relief.
Once class was over, it was lunchtime, which meant I had to change back into my school uniform—but I'd do that after I ate.
Still wearing my gym clothes, just a white T-shirt and sweatpants, I walked to the cafeteria and bought two rice balls and a small lunch box with the basics: vegetables, meat, and rice.
With everything ready, I headed back to my usual spot to eat—the stairs near the rooftop.
When I got there, I was "surprised" to see the same girl I'd run into a few times before, sitting on one of the steps as if she were waiting for someone.
I could've chosen a different place to eat that day, but I felt like coming here. There wasn't much thought behind it; people sometimes make selfish, random choices.
I sat on one of the steps and started eating.
The cafeteria food was good, but the meals you cook yourself always have a more distinct flavor. My rookie chef's pride? Maybe.
I don't know if I even need to say this, but I think I should…
From the moment I sat down, her expression seemed to relax, as if she enjoyed having someone else around while eating.
If you stop and think about her, even for a moment, you can see her situation clearly. You don't need to be a genius—or even very perceptive—to notice.
Sometimes just having company is enough to brighten or lighten whatever you're going through.
I didn't know what was going on with her, and honestly, I don't care much.
Everyone is responsible for facing their own problems.
Just like during our walk yesterday, we stayed quiet.
Silence isn't always bad; some people enjoy simply sharing it with others. There are things you can only communicate that way.
So we both ate without saying a word.
Not something I was looking for, but I didn't mind either.
I finished my lunch first, and since I had nothing else to do there, I picked up the wrappers and stood up to leave.
"See you."
It was obvious she wasn't the type to start a conversation, and I didn't have a reason to either.
"Bye." She raised her hand in a small wave. At least her tone was better than the last times.
I tossed the wrappers into a nearby trash bin and went to get something to drink. My daily routine isn't very exciting—in fact, it's dull and repetitive.
I made my way to the vending machine and bought my favorite drink.
The only thing left was to head back to class, grab my uniform, and change.
While thinking about that, I ended up bumping into two girls at the corner of the hallway.
"Close one."
My drink almost slipped from my hands, but I caught it easily—I've got good reflexes.
"Hey, you! Do you really think you can just walk away without apologizing!?"
I was about to leave when they called out to me. I glanced at them from the corner of my eye but ignored them.
Normally, I'd apologize if it were my fault, but this time it wasn't.
Both of them had been walking while staring at their phones, not paying attention to what was in front of them. The outcome would've been the same no matter who they ran into.
"Hold it! You're really not going to apologize!?"
The other girl joined in on this little conflict they'd caused themselves. I can't stand people like that.
"It wasn't my fault. I don't see any reason to apologize." I shook my head.
If it had been my mistake, I wouldn't have resisted apologizing.
"Don't you know who we are!?" one of them said, full of pride and arrogance.
"I don't, and I don't care." Staying true to myself, I answered with my usual uninterested tone.
I turned around after saying that, but I could still hear them calling out to me. I ignored them and kept walking.
Wasting time on a conversation with no purpose is meaningless, especially when the other party is arrogant and only looking to dodge responsibility.
…
I'm not a complicated person. If I find something I like, I'll probably stick to it. That's why the next day I came to the same spot for lunch as yesterday.
I rarely bother packing lunch for school—unless my little sister asks me to. Otherwise, I just end up buying something from the cafeteria.
It's a pretty common practice, and the sheer number of students lining up proves it. You'd think food from a place like that wouldn't be all that nutritious, but you'd be wrong.
In Japanese schools, student nutrition is taken seriously, so everything you buy is balanced with the right proportions of ingredients.
Since parents leave for work early, unless one of them is a homemaker, it's only natural for kids to rely on school lunches.
That's one of the good things about Japanese society. But when you weigh it against the bad, it doesn't really balance out. It's far from the perfect picture painted in light novels or anime.
When I got to my spot that day, I sat down, opened my lunch box, and pulled out my chopsticks.
I pressed my hands together with the chopsticks before starting to eat.
This time it was an omelet, sausages, rice, and broccoli. Not bad.
As I was enjoying my meal, I heard hurried footsteps approaching. It was the same girl I'd seen here every day around this time, carrying her own lunch.
We exchanged a quick glance before she sat down on one of the steps.
That fleeting moment was enough to say what didn't need words: Hey, we meet again.
People who aren't good at speaking usually communicate through body language—little gestures or even just a look.
I once complained to myself that I'm no mind reader, but after seeing her day after day, it's easy enough to read her now. That's just what happens when you spend time around someone.
I won't lie—her presence wasn't bothersome. She kept to herself and never got in the way.
And so, time passed with the two of us quietly eating, like any other day.
Or at least, that's how it should've been… until I heard several footsteps heading our way.
"We've been looking for you! What are you doing here!?" The words sounded more like an order than a question.
Two girls walked up to us, though their focus was entirely on the girl I shared this spot with. I just glanced at them briefly before going back to my lunch.
"I was… eating," she replied timidly, lowering her head.
"I can see that," the other said, looking down at her with a superior air.
One had long purple hair, the other short, dark blue hair. As an average student, I had to admit they were beautiful—good figures, a blouse button left undone, skirts worn shorter than usual… details that made them stand out.
But good looks only go so far—their attitude ruined it.
"You know you're supposed to buy our drinks! But today you just left without doing your job!"
If I remember right, I saw her a few days ago carrying two drinks from the vending machine. The pieces were starting to fit together, though I already had a good idea.
"I'm sorry…"
Complete submission.
"Forget it—we're friends, right? So just do us this favor."
Female friendship can be peculiar. If I'd had a lie detector on me, it would've gone off at every word that purple-haired girl said.
Out of the corner of my eye, I watched my "lunch companion." She knew perfectly well she was being used, yet she followed orders like their pet.
I wasn't sure if I should feel pity or secondhand embarrassment for her. I sighed inwardly.
Everyone has their own problems. If she can't stand up for herself, no one else can do it for her.
"You! You're that rude guy from yesterday!" The blue-haired girl pointed straight at me.
Accused of something I didn't even do, I lifted my head to look at her.
"Do I… know you?" I tilted my head.
Yesterday, yesterday… My classes went on as usual, I had lunch here, went back to class, and then headed home. Don't think I did anything else.
"Hey, you're that guy from yesterday! You bumped into us at the corner!" the other girl pointed at me too.
Now that she mentioned it, I vaguely remembered, but since I hadn't paid any attention, it wasn't something worth remembering.
"Perfect, apologize to us! Then we'll forgive you for yesterday!"
A friendly and sincere request, or a queen giving orders to her servant? I think the answer's obvious.
There are only two people who can call me out or tell me what to do: my mother, because she's my parent and I don't want to make her angry, and my sweet little sister, because she's so cute I could never turn her down.
"Not a chance." I waved my hands and looked at them mockingly.
That'll only happen in their dreams.
"Huh? Don't you know who we are?"
They puffed out their chests with pride after saying that.
"I don't, and I don't care."
If honesty were a crime, I'd have been in jail a long time ago.
"I'm Yamada Aiko," declared the purple-haired girl.
"Suzuki Hana," her blue-haired friend proclaimed just as proudly.
The arrogance of popular people really is something—like it's a crime not to know them.
"Who…?"
"Us." They replied together.
"…was even asking?"
I didn't recall asking for their names just so they could announce them so proudly. In fact, I couldn't care less about the names of people who have nothing to do with me.
The human face is fascinating—it can shift from a cheerful, arrogant expression to one filled with anger and irritation in an instant.
"Tch, listen up, idiot, I wasn't say…"
The blue-haired girl stepped forward and tried to grab me by the collar, but I brushed her hand aside with a light smack.
Light by my own definition, since she immediately clutched it with her other hand.
I'd have to be a real fool to let people take advantage of me. Though in a way, it's circumstantial. If we'd been surrounded by other students, I would've let her.
The rumor of a boy being rude and laying a hand on a girl would be a real problem.
If before they looked down on me, now they stared with fury, as if I were humanity's greatest enemy.
Too bad I don't recall invading Poland to deserve that kind of treatment.
Their gaze shifted from me to their "precious friend."
"Wait, now that I think about it, you know him!?"
"These past few days you've been acting strange—don't tell me it's because of this guy!?"
Realizing they couldn't do anything to me, they looked for someone else to take it out on.
Should I feel flattered by the high regard they must have for me, thinking I had something to do with her change in behavior? Maybe.
This type of situation is easy enough to read, and if my guess is right, here's what's going on.
The girl I met these past few days was their "friend." Except that word's far too generous—the right term would be servant.
Judging by their attitude and behavior, it was safe to assume they were popular girls, their opinions carrying weight with the rest of the students. Being pretty was probably their strongest asset.
If you're shy, and you have the "good" fortune of people like them hanging around you, well… your role in the group is easy to figure out: the errand girl, the one who's there just to make their lives easier.
As it stood, if I was right, this girl would just nod and say she knew me; I was a bad influence, and it was all my fault. That way she'd escape any repercussions.
It was to be expected, and I didn't blame her. Humans are selfish by nature—we have to put ourselves before others.
Anyone in her shoes would do the same; it's the best and only choice.
Even so, maybe… no, that would be stupid.
After all, she was so timid and cowardly that doing the opposite of what those girls expected would only make her school life worse than it already was.