During class the next day, I scribbled notes the teacher wrote half heartedly, but my main focus had been on Yuuki who seemed content only to look out the window. I held the small hope that she would cheer up but it was the same near-depression she had been in as before. It really sucked seeing her like this. At the very least I should make sure she knew she wasn't alone.
When the bell rang for lunch, I immediately took a seat next to Yuuki.
"Mind if we eat lunch together?" I asked. Yuuki was leaning her head on her hand, still staring out the window. There was nothing but silence and that same sad expression. A smirk grew on my face. "Yuuki, if you don't answer, I'll grope your breasts." Still nothing. "Yuuki!"
Yuuki finally heard me after I screamed in her ear. She flinched before turning to me. "I'm sorry. What?"
I held up my box lunch. "I was asking if you wanted to eat together."
"Oh right. I'm sorry." She tried to ease my worry with a cute apologetic smile, but the way it looked so forced made me only more worried. "Sure. I'd love to." Then she paused, her expression falling. "Um…"
I raised an eyebrow. "You forgot your lunch, didn't you?"
"Hehehehe…" Yuuki laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck. I didn't smile. I placed my hands on my hips and sighed.
"Yuuki, what's up with you lately?"
"Hm?"
"I mean… you've been acting really weird lately and I wanted to know if you were alri—"
Before I could finish my question, the door to the classroom slid open, revealing a first year girl who immediately glomped me.
"Ruto, wanna go eat lunch together!?" Ruruko smiled up at me so cheerfully. "Come on! Karlamine and Tsubasa are waiting for us on the roof!" Without waiting for a response, Ruruko started dragging me away.
"But—" I tried to interject.
"It's fine. Go ahead." Yuuki assured me with her forced smile. "Just remember to hurry since Buchou wants to see us all before break ends."
I sighed, but nodded, following after Ruruko.
I saw Tsubasa, Karlamine, and Momo (I suppose Ruruko doesn't even like mentioning him) casually speaking to one another when Ruruko finished dragging me to the roof. We sat down with the group of three who cheerfully accepted my added presence.
"What was that about?" I asked, feeling suspicious by Ruruko's sudden behavior. The other three just stared at Ruruko who crossed her arms. "Why did you just pull me away like that? And don't say you don't know what I'm talking about because I know you do."
"Because Yuuki-senpai was clearly wanting to be left alone." Ruruko replied.
"Of course she does." I said, exasperated. "That's why I was trying to talk to her! I wanted to snap her out of this funk she's in! And don't tell me you haven't noticed it."
"Now that you mention it, Kiba-san has been acting strangely lately." Karlamine said, rubbing her chin. "I don't know what you guys do on the Student Council or Occult Research Club, but it sounds like something's shaken her up pretty badly."
I rubbed my temples. "I know what it is, but I have no idea how to address it. I keep trying to approach her about it, but she always just spaces out or changes the subject. I don't know how to get through to her or to get her to talk to me."
"Zhen dat's yum issue, Ruto-shan." Tsubasa tried saying through a mouth full of food. But I understood she meant: "Then that's your issue, Ruto-san."
"What does that mean?"
Momo nodded in agreement. "You're pushing too hard and you're clearly not learning from your past attempts. If anything, you're hurting her more than helping her by forcing her to constantly thinking about whatever's bothering her."
I narrowed my eyes. "Pushing her a little is the only way I can get her to talk let alone open up."
"Tch." Ruruko clicked her tongue at me. "You truly do not understand a maiden's heart, do you, Ruto? Pretty sad for someone aspiring to be Harem King."
"And what does THAT mean?!"
"I'm saying that there's nothing that can be done right now!" Ruruko clarified.
"Oh, so I should just sit back and do nothing while my friend is clearly suffering inside?!" What Ruruko just said really irritated me. I felt bad about shouting at her, but I didn't want to do nothing when Yuuki was clearly so upset.
"No. I'm saying that, until she opens up to you, there's nothing you CAN do, Ruto." Ruruko stared at me with a sad expression. "Until Yuuki tells you, you can't help her. Forcing her to tell you will only make her resent you. Do you want that?"
I felt a sharp pain in my heart before I looked away, ashamed. "No…"
"Then it would be best if you stilled your tongue for now, my King." Karlamine said.
"Alright…" It hurt not being able to help the ones you cared about.
"Now hurry up and eat, Ruto." Ruruko advised before beginning to eat her lunch. "Kaichou and Rias-Buchou want all of their respective servants to meet in the ORC's club room before the end of break."
Huh? I understood Rias's servants being there, but…
"Does Ruto-chan want me to feed him?" Momo-chan asked cheerfully, easing a piece of the food in her bento towards my mouth.
"Er… well…" I was suddenly jerked away by Ruruko who glared at Momo.
"No. He'd much rather eat MY bento and be fed by me."
"Oh yeah?!"
"Yeah!"
Ruruko and Momo were face to face, glaring daggers at one another.
And things pretty much went downhill from here. Same ol' story. Ruruko and Momo get into it, Tsubasa says something stupid and gets involved, and Karlamine gets involved due to her "Knightly Honor" (read: jealousy).
I sighed to myself, smiling ever so slightly.
In spite of everything that was going on, it felt nice to see that some things did not change. I had so much on my mind lately between my increasingly distressing nightmares and the increasingly distressing situation with Yuuki that I just now realized I had been so tired.
After the usual battle ended, Ruruko, Tsubasa, Momo, and I bid goodbye to Karlamine before we walked all the way to the ORC Clubroom.