Episode 274: Rumors, Spreading?

Lunch break.

Today’s fun lunchtime has arrived.

Since Sara-san’s lunches are a daily treat, I’m basically no-touch when it comes to the menu. Or rather, they’re usually finished by the time I wake up. So the truth is, I don’t really have a way of knowing what’s inside beforehand.

「You always look so happy when lunch rolls around, Kazunari.」

「Well, it’s one of the few things I actually look forward to during school life, you know?」

I mean, what else am I supposed to do?

As a healthy guy, eating a handmade lunch from your girlfriend at school is a total dream scenario.

To be blunt, I thought it was something that had nothing to do with me, and I never could’ve imagined a beloved girlfriend (and fiancée) like Sara-san would ever appear.

…Well, back when I first enrolled, I was distrustful of people and totally twisted, so I wasn’t in a mental state to even think about romance.

「Anyway, let’s head out before we’re late.」

「Yeah. We’re probably the last ones.」

That’s true… why are we always the last ones?

Is everyone else just sprinting at full speed toward the flowerbed the second lunch starts without looking back?

I really can’t picture it.

「Takanashi-kun, is it the loving wife lunch box from Satsukawa-senpai again today?」

「Haa, even as a girl, I’m jealous you get to eat Satsukawa-senpai’s lunch.」

「I mean, the fact that it’s a literal ‘loving wife lunch box’ and not a joke is what’s crazy…」

「And it’s Satsukawa-senpai making it, too.」

Since our relationship became public, I’ve been getting teased and envied by the girls a lot like this. But they aren’t being nasty about it, so I don’t really mind this much.

「Haa… must be nice… I’m seriously so jealous.」

「Anyway, why is Takanashi the only one getting that kind of special treatment?」

「’Cause they’re a couple?」

「No, it goes back before that… I mean, men weren’t even on her radar, right?」

「True. No matter who made a move, she wouldn’t give them the time of day, so why only Takanashi…?」

At the very least, guys who show their hidden motives so blatantly will never understand if they spend their whole lives trying… though I’m not planning on acting all high and mighty by saying that out loud.

「Kazunari, hurry up or we’ll be late.」

「Ah, sorry.」

Crap, I was lost in thought and my feet had stopped moving before I knew it.

Sara-san and the others must be waiting, so I’d better get moving…

Lunch was over, and we were in the middle of a relaxing break.

While we were chatting as usual, the topic turned to the cooking class that just finished yesterday.

「So, did everyone finally learn how to make their dish?」

「They all managed to finish them, at least… except for me.」

「Huh? You’re the only one who couldn’t make it, Takanashi-kun? Oh, wait, did Sara forcefully keep you from participating because she didn’t want you cooking?」

「I will not forgive that, Natsumi, even as a joke…」

「Hieee!!!」

I thought I saw a dangerous light in Sara-san’s eyes… or rather, is she actually about to snap!?

「…Yikes!? H-Hey, Hanako-san, is that…」

「…Wife prioritizes Kazunari over her own life. So that was the ultimate insult. She’s probably legitimately pissed.」

「…N-No, don’t just stand there giving a calm commentary, someone should stop Satsukawa-senpai.」

「…She brought it on herself. Or rather, if you think she can be stopped, try doing it yourself, ikemen.」

「…Sorry, I can’t.」

「I-I just thought you would say something like ‘Kazunari-san doesn’t need to learn to cook’ and that was it!!!!」

Whoa, she’s sharp.

The way she almost perfectly matched the dialogue… she really has known Sara-san the longest. But since that wasn’t the direct reason, Sara-san is just being falsely accused right now. I have to provide some backup.

「That’s not it, Natsumi-senpai. I cut my finger a bit with the knife…」

「Don’t say it! I’m not good with that kind of stuff! Aaaah, it’s giving me the shivers.」

Hearing my story, Natsumi-senpai grimaced and began to tremble.

Ah… right, some people are really squeamish about that. I guess Natsumi-senpai is one of them. I feel bad for bringing it up.

「That I… would forcefully… to Kazunari-san?」

And Sara-san’s eyes are completely fixed!

This is bad. Just like with Mayumi-san, Sara-san basically loses her sense of humor when it comes to me.

Plus, to Sara-san, who always prioritizes me, those were probably words she couldn’t let slide…

「…H-Hanako-san…」

「…No, I can’t do it either. Or rather, the only one who can handle Wife is Kazunari.」

「…I guess so.」

Just as Hanako-san said, it’s my job to handle this.

But how… well, I don’t want to use cheap tricks on Sara-san, so I’ll just tell her my feelings straight out.

「Sara-san, I know that you prioritize me over anyone and anything else. I know how much you treasure doing that, too… because I feel the exact same way.」

This isn’t conceit or anything: Sara-san has consistently treasured me and put me first above all else. That’s a fact.

And it’s because I feel the exact same way.

「Kazunari-san…」

「There aren’t many people who can understand how strong our feelings are! Besides, Natsumi-senpai is dense about that kind of stuff, so it’ll be a long time before she reaches our level.」

「Hey!」

Even though I was trying to back her up, Natsumi-senpai let out a shout that sounded like a retort for some reason. But I’ll ignore her for now. Prioritizing my feelings to Sara-san comes first.

And Sara-san, in a complete reversal from her dangerous aura a moment ago, showed me her usual gentle smile.

「Fufu… you’re right. Natsumi is quite dense, after all. It will be quite some time before she can understand our feelings.」

「Listen here, you idiot couple!! If I stay quiet, you just say whatever you wa—mmph!」

「Just be quiet. Also, you deserve what you’re being told.」

「Man… Hanako-san is amazing in her own way. No one else could do that to Natsumi-senpai…」

「Ahaha… b-but I’m glad Satsukawa-senpai’s mood improved. As expected of her fiancé.」

Good, it looks like she’s back to being the usual gentle Sara-san.

Seriously… I’m sure Natsumi-senpai meant it as a joke, but considering the strength of Sara-san’s feelings, she should’ve known it would make her mad.

「Kazunari-san… if you would like, may I give you a lap pillow?」

「Huh?」

Um… I don’t really mind, but why so suddenly?

It wasn’t even part of the conversation, so it’s pretty abrupt.

「Fufu… please don’t make such a puzzled face. I just felt like doing something for you, Kazunari-san. Or perhaps a hug…」

「Lap pillow, please!」

I answered instantly without thinking…

I mean, I’d be happy with either, obviously, but Sara-san’s hugs come with various options that make them dangerous in a different way.

If she did that to me now, I’d be turned into a spineless mess and the afternoon classes would be a total disaster.

Plus, I can only see a future where we leave everyone behind and「cause a scene」again.

「Understood. Here you go♪」

Sara-san tidied up the area around her a bit, then lightly patted her thigh to call me over. A lap pillow carries its own kind of tension. I have to take a breath before I can just dive in.

「Well then… excuse me…」

It was a phrase I didn’t quite understand myself even as I said it, but I feel like you have to offer some kind of disclaimer when getting a lap pillow.

Like「Excuse me」or「Pardon me.」

Squish…

「!?」

As I lay down and slowly placed my head on Sara-san’s thigh, I was greeted by a shocking level of softness, as always.

People sometimes use the phrase「heavenly,」but I think Sara-san’s lap pillow is exactly that. By the way, if Sara-san seriously tries to pamper me during a hug, it goes beyond heaven. It’s the kind of thing that’s beyond words or description.

「Kazunari-san… how is it?」

「…I’m happy.」

「Fufu… I am happy too. We still have time, so please stay like this for a while.」

Stroke, stroke…

Once I settled my posture, Sara-san immediately began stroking my head.

I agree that a lap pillow and head-pats are a set, but I’d better steel myself a little bit. It’s not because it’s dangerous in a weird way, but simply because the comfort makes me want to fall asleep instantly if I let my guard down.

「As usual… these two just start flirting so naturally.」

「It can’t be helped this time. Once Kazunari offered that follow-up, it was obvious Wife would want to flirt. It’s all a certain someone’s fault.」

「Mmm, mmm, mmmm!!!!」

「H-Hanako-san, Natsumi-senpai is…」

「Mistake. I forgot.」

「Gasp!? A-Are you trying to kill me!?」

「It wasn’t intentional… probably.」

「PROBABLY!!??」

Um… the comedy routine unfolding in front of me feels familiar, like deja vu. Well, I know「this」of ours is the cause, so I guess I shouldn’t be the one to say anything… wait, no!

Just as Hanako-san said, this is the result of me backing up Natsumi-senpai after her slip of the tongue. So I shouldn’t have any right to complain.

With that in mind, I’ll just go ahead and find peace in Sara-san’s lap pillow without a care in the world.

「I see. Well, it’s true that the flirting between these two is over the top. I can understand why people without any immunity would see this and just say, ‘Give me a break.’」

「Actually, until yesterday the idiots… I mean, the moronic boys in class were making a huge fuss about Wife, but they were avoiding the topic this morning.」

「It seems rumors are flowing into my class too. The group I’m usually with hasn’t brought it up yet, but I heard some other group talking this morning about how they couldn’t believe it.」

Hayato is in the class next door, and since his class is joined with mine for P.E., there are a lot of guys with connections. So it’s no surprise the news reached there faster than other classes.

「Oh, come to think of it, some boys in my class were making a scene this morning too, so maybe that was it…」

Hmm… it’s only been a few days, and yet the news is spreading remarkably fast.

Wait, is this actually normal? It’s possible if the people in my class are spreading the story all over the place…

「Fufu… are you sleepy?」

Stroke, stroke…

And Sara-san herself has zero interest in the rumors and is only looking at me… as usual.

Well, this is normal for Sara-san.

Actually, I was just closing my eyes while thinking, but it seems she misunderstood and thought I was sleepy.

「No, I’m fine.」

「I see. We still have time, so it is quite alright if you fall asleep, you know?」

「It would be a waste, so I’m staying awake.」

「Fufu… honestly, Kazunari-san. I can give you a lap pillow whenever you like. Then starting tomorrow, let’s do this every day after lunch…」

「「Don’t do that.」」

Natsumi-senpai and Hanako-san’s retorts were perfectly synchronized. These two are actually pretty close, or rather, there’s an atmosphere that doesn’t make you feel the senior-junior gap.

Maybe because Hanako-san’s mental age is high, Natsumi-senpai doesn’t feel like she’s dealing with someone younger or an underclassman.

「It’s a bit late for this, but save that stuff for when you’re alone. Or rather, wouldn’t Wife be able to flirt more calmly that way too?」

「That is true, but this is different.」

「No, think about those of us who have to watch you two flirting right in front of us the whole time. I mean, we’re talking about the rumors about you two right now!?」

Ugh… maybe I got a bit too carried away myself. I’m not really in the mood to keep getting a lap pillow like this, and I shouldn’t just stay here forever, I should get u—

Gently…

…I guess I’m not allowed. Understood…

When I tried to move away, Sara-san held me down.

「Natsumi, would it be a problem for us if those rumors spread?」

「…Eh?」

「If those rumors were to trouble Kazunari-san, I would move with all my strength to counter them. However, our engagement and future marriage are facts, and I have no problem at all with someone knowing that. In fact, it would be killing two birds with one stone to have those eyesore boys disappear. What about you, Kazunari-san?」

「I don’t have a problem either. I’d actually welcome it.」

From my perspective, wanting the number of guys approaching Sara-san to decrease even by a little, rumors spreading is actually what I want. If the number of guys who give up increases, that’s a win, and if they decide to come after me instead, I have no intention of running away.

So it’s no problem at all.

「Um… well, no, it’s true that the rumors are just spreading, and there isn’t any particular problem…」

Yeah, Natsumi-senpai probably just pointed it out because of the mood or momentum, and she doesn’t actually think the rumors themselves are an issue.

I mean, Natsumi-senpai was the one who said it would turn into rumors if our relationship was found out, after all.

I guess she just couldn’t help but point it out because we, the ones involved, were acting like it was none of our business.

「I don’t know what it is… but for some reason, I’m kind of frustrated.」

「Well, rumors really aren’t a big deal. More importantly…」

「Yeah. After that…」

「Mm.」

Hanako-san, Hayato, and Todo-san all look at me meaningfully. I knew immediately they were thinking about the beauty contest, but since it’s a secret from Sara-san, I won’t react to it.

I’ve told the three of them… especially Hayato and Todo-san… that even if talk about Sara-san and me comes their way, they don’t have to get involved.

Considering the uproar in our class, if those two were to admit to it, there’s a good chance they’d be dragged into some trouble.

If such a conversation happened while we weren’t around, it’s obvious all the questions would head toward Hayato and Todo-san.

I would be beyond apologetic.

「Is something the matter, everyone?」

Sara-san looked at them with a blank expression.

Her usual sharpness in seeing through what people are thinking or worrying about is only activated for me, after all. To everyone else, she’s actually a bit airheaded at times.

But let me just say it.

That’s cute「too」!!!!!

「It’s nothing. More importantly, Kazunari is thinking about unnecessary things again.」

!!!???

Wait, give me a break for turning Sara-san’s attention to me right now!?

I’m sure Hanako-san did that on purpose to change the subject after reading my thoughts, but still…

「Kazunari-san, is something the matter?」

「No… um… well…」

I can’t say it. I can’t tell her I was having a massive brag-fest in my head…

「Fufu… Kazunari-san, keeping secrets is a no-no, alright?」

A cute way of speaking with a mischievous expression.

I’m sure Sara-san doesn’t know specifically what it is, but seeing my reaction, she seems to have entered「I want you to tell me clearly」mode.

This is bad… even if I try to look away, I’m still getting a lap pillow, and on top of that, my face is fixed straight ahead. Sara-san is staring right into my eyes… I’m… I might be at my limit…

「…S-Sara-san was…」

「Yes. I was… what about me?」

「I was bragging in my head about how you’re way too cute!!!」

There, I said it. I said it!!

Are you satisfied now, Hanako-san!!

And I feel like I’m receiving some cold, lukewarm gazes from everyone (though Todo-san probably thinks it’s heartwarming)… ugh… this is total humiliation play…

Plus, looking at Sara-san’s face is embarrassing, so I instinctively closed my eyes and…

Chu…

!?

The sensation of something soft touching my lips… no, I knew immediately that was Sara-san’s kiss.

And just as her lips pulled away, my face was turned toward Sara-san and pressed against something… is this?

「Fufu… you are such a shy person, Kazunari-san… now your face is hidden♪」

I remember!

When I got my ears cleaned before, Sara-san pulled my face against her stomach like this… does that mean this is Sara-san’s stomach!?

「I am happy to be called cute by you, Kazunari-san. However, I believe it is you who is truly adorable.」

No, cute isn’t exactly a compliment for a guy… so I pressed my face a little harder against Sara-san’s stomach as a silent protest.

「Mnh… oh, Kazunari-san, playing tricks like that is a no-no… alright?」

Maybe it was ticklish, as Sara-san squirmed slightly and let out a gentle voice of protest.

Crap, I accidentally did something bold…

「…Hey.」

「…What?」

「…What are we going to do about this? It’s Hanako-san’s fault, you know?」

「…Mistake.」

「…Um, isn’t this a bit… bold… ah, ahaha.」

「…Todo-san, if it’s too embarrassing to watch, you don’t have to force yourself…」

In the end, Sara-san didn’t let go of me until the very last second when Natsumi-senpai finally snapped in desperation… and that was that.