Chapter 146Work of Youth
"..."
"Eh—?"
Yeah, Natsukawa sat on my left with a little distance between me and her. On her lap was a lunchbox with a cute wrapper. On the other hand, on my lap was a laptop that went into sleep mode as if it were reading the atmosphere. Wait. Don't turn off yet. Turn on, please.
You feel sorry for me for making me do my work, I understand. So at least try to do your work, Goddess. The classroom is currently not open, so you look around for me first? Then, you found me and sat next to me, why?
"No, Natsukawa...? We're in different places, you don't need to stay here, okay? Look, even though it's just work, it's something I have to do on my own."
"Eh...?"
"Oh, no, you see... ...I'm the only one who has to do it. I don't know if I can talk to you about this or not... ...So, look, I'm sorry."
I hope I can finish this during my lunch break. I think if I can concentrate when I'm alone, then I can do it easily, but it's a different story if I do it while talking to someone. I appreciate your concern, but I feel very sorry.
"...I-It's okay, though..."
"Oh, I see..."
...Eh? "It's okay" means what? What does that nuance mean?
Does it mean you'll come back even if I don't ask? Or does it mean we don't need to talk to each other? Does it mean you don't care? "Do your best and hang in there!" I'm going to cry and turn into a mouse cursor.
Unable to hide my anxiety, I unlocked my laptop. Even though I couldn't concentrate, I continued doing my work while trying not to forget the details of my work. Yeah, I think I'm unable to touch something strange because I'm scared, right...? ...Just to be sure, I opened the "Confirmed" folder again — and.
"...Is this what you're working on?"
"Y-Yeah..."
Natsukawa looked at my laptop from the side as if she was peeking a little. The ends of her hair fell over my shoulder, and I could smell her fragrant scent. The end of my life might have been here.
"...!"
Natsukawa, who was sitting next to me, slowly opened her lunchbox. Wait a minute? I don't think it's a matter of us not talking to each other. I certainly can't concentrate just because Natsukawa is next to me. What kind of b*stard am I to concentrate calmly on other work when I'm alone with a girl as beautiful as her, let alone a girl I used to like? Am I a monk?
That's it, that's it. Now is the time for me to use what I learned at a place like Shinomiya-senpai's grandpa's dojo before the summer vacation. He was a stubborn old man, but what he said seemed to have some truth to it. It's time to empty my mind... ...Hah...!
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"Wataru, say "Aaaa"...!"
"Aaaa..."
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Hey, I'll switch positions with you.
Damn me, why did I ask Natsukawa to make "egg rolls" for me? Do I think I can do that regardless of my true identity? Just because you're my self inside of me, does that mean there are things I can do and things I can't do? Why am I so excited that I keep opening my mouth wide like that? I'm such a slob! I should go to the dentist and use mouthwash before coming back here.
"W-Wataru..."
"Hmm, what? — Eh?"
As I moved my hand with growing hatred, Natsukawa suddenly called out to me. When I turned my head to the left without thinking, Natsukawa was holding a plate with her hand and holding out a dish with chopsticks in front of my mouth.
"Eh? Wait, what?"
"Y-You don't need to stop moving your hands. Just open your mouth!"
"Eh!? What!? What is this!?"
"No, it's nothing, though."
I was so close that I couldn't see what food she was offering me. I realized that it was greenish food. I hurriedly asked because I didn't want to find out that it was something that I didn't like, but Natsukawa didn't answer and brought the tip of her chopsticks closer to me as if she was urging me to chew it immediately.
"Gosh, hurry up..."
"Oh, oh, mmm!"
She said that to me rather angrily, so I hurriedly stuffed the food into my mouth. Something went into my mouth. Probably because it was so hot, I rolled it around on my tongue, but I still didn't know what it was. I could already tell that it was rather something hard. After I bit into it with my back teeth, I finally realized what it was.
"...Is this bitter melon?"
"...How does it taste?"
"Ugh... ...It's bitter, how come it doesn't taste bitter, though...?"
"It's not bitter."
"...As I expected it to be, it's a little bitter."
"It's not bitter."
"Hnggh..."
Crunch, crunch, the sound of the texture being transmitted from inside my mouth to my ears. I think she tried her best to make this food edible for Airi-chan, but it seemed quite difficult to remove the taste of the ingredients easily. The harder I chew, the more the bitter taste of bitter melon spreads from my mouth, even if it's just a little bit. Natsukawa called out to me as if to suggest something to me.
After chewing the bitter melon a few times, I managed to swallow it. I looked up at Natsukawa with a face that was on the verge of tears, but she instead put on a satisfied smiling face.
"Fufu, you can eat it now."
"Why...?"
"Bread isn't nutritious enough, is it?"
"But it tastes too bitter..."
"Gosh... ...That's not good, you shouldn't say it like that."
I couldn't help it and felt embarrassed, and Natsukawa giggled as she continued. This is strange... ...I'm excited. Isn't this the part where I should be angry that I'm being force-fed food I don't like? I can't help but think it's really cute. I want to switch positions with Airi-chan. This is bad.
"Your work. You're going to do it, right? Come on, why don't you get on with it?"
"W-Wait a minute... ...Can't you stop preparing yourself to feed me the next bitter melons? At least mix that egg roll with the bitter melon too."
"Don't stare at me. The lap•top."
"U-Ugh."
"Okay, next."
I fixed my gaze back on the laptop screen. If I moved my hand even slightly, I would be asked to "open your mouth" again. I put the food into my mouth with some hope, and as expected, the same bitter taste from before spread in my mouth. After I managed to chew and swallow it, she offered it to me again. I put it in my mouth and chewed it, but the taste was still bitter. I managed to swallow it. It was so bitter... ...I wanted to eat at least that egg roll. Just a little bit in the bitter melon stir fry is enough. That alone makes my mouth happy. - Happy?
....
Calm down! Calm down me!
Eh? What am I doing right now? Instead, what is Natsukawa doing to me? Eh? That's what happened just now, isn't it? Wasn't there some magical ritual that made me hear those voices and say, "Aaa"? Eh? Why did I naturally hold the food in my mouth?
"..."
"Fufu, now it's gone."
No, Natsukawa-san? What's wrong with that very spontaneous posture? Aren't you feeling embarrassed or awkward because of your series of actions? That was cute, though. Am I the only one? Am I the only one who realized and got upset? Seriously? Isn't what's happening right now obvious? How many people do you think think of yourself as the opposite sex?
"Ugh..."
I was very happy and excited, but this food tasted bitter in a double sense. I also took a small cup of tea from the plastic bag inside the bag and drank it in my mouth. Drinking tea after the bitter taste of bitter melon didn't match at all.
"The work..."
"Gosh, I'm sorry."
Well, successfully recovering from a relationship where I was rejected and disliked by her and bringing this relationship back like this was a blessing. Even though she doesn't think of me as the opposite sex, sharing Natsukawa's lunchbox is a luxury. I don't think I'll be able to do it in the future, in case I'm surprised by something like this again... ...I need to pull myself together. Let's get to work.
"—Oh..."
" "Oh"? What's wrong? Natsukawa."
"Heh...!? Oh, no! I-It's nothing, though!"
"Is that so?"
I looked down while doing my work and ran my hands over my laptop, wondering if I had dropped the contents of her lunchbox. It was ridiculous that I was the only one who noticed this and her behavior was suspicious. I checked while trying not to stare at Natsukawa's knees which were slightly visible from under her skirt, but I didn't find anything that fell to the ground.
...?
Oh, I thought, while trying not to look at Natsukawa. For some reason, I felt like Natsukawa's hands weren't moving while she was holding her chopsticks. Is she just going to feed me as much bitter melon as she wants and not eat it herself? Oh, is she avoiding me, perhaps?
As I expected, when I turned my head towards Natsukawa, she was staring at the egg roll she picked up with her chopsticks while remaining motionless.
"Um, Natsukawa? Don't hesitate and please eat too, okay?"
"Eh!? Eh, um, that!"
"Eh? What? What's wrong?"
"Oh, then I'll eat the rest in the classroom!"
"Eh?"
Natsukawa hurriedly cleaned up the mess. In the blink of an eye, she had already re-wrapped her lunchbox while carefully carrying it with both hands and returned to the classroom. I was shocked by the events that happened at that moment. Her panic and rushed manner, had she promised me that she would no longer eat lunch with me?
This was a bittersweet moment like a dream. After that, my work went smoothly without a hitch, and I was able to finish it before the fifth period started.
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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