I Won't Be a Loser

"Haruto, it's lunchtime. Want to join us?"

As the lunch break began, Akihisa Yoshii and Yuuji Sakamoto habitually called out to Haruto. Sitting at his desk, Haruto looked at the two standing by the door and waved his hand slightly, signaling that they could go ahead without him—he wasn't going to the cafeteria.

"Same as always, huh? Oh well, I guess it's just the two of us then."

Akihisa pouted like a sulking girl before heading off to the cafeteria with Yuuji. Haruto, still seated, was just about to leave for the courtyard when a figure approached his desk.

A quick glance was enough—long, golden hair cascading down to her waist. Haruto didn't need to look closely to recognize her.

Thud—

A rectangular box wrapped neatly in a furoshiki 1was placed on his desk. Haruto's gaze lingered on the bundle for a moment before shifting to the girl beside him.

"Is this a bento?"

"You haven't been preparing your own lunches properly lately, have you? So I asked my mom to make an extra portion. Well? Do you want it or not?"

Eriri stood with her arms crossed, watching him. Haruto glanced around the classroom, noticing the other students still inside, before looking back at the bento. His eyes softened with nostalgia.

Without a word, he stood up, picked up the bento, and—grasping Eriri's hand—walked out of the classroom.

"Ohhh—he's holding her hand!"

"So he really does prefer Sawamura, huh? Compared to a blonde beauty, I guess Nakano just doesn't stand out as much."

"They haven't been spending much time together lately… but Sawamura's been getting bolder. Guess when a beautiful girl takes the initiative, she really does have the upper hand."

"Damn it, Miyamizu…"

The moment the two left, the classroom erupted into murmurs. Having just stepped outside, Haruto and Eriri heard every word loud and clear.

Noticing this, Haruto immediately let go of Eriri's hand. A flicker of disappointment crossed her face.

Following silently behind him, Eriri walked alongside Haruto —not toward the courtyard, but instead up to the rooftop. Finding a quiet spot with few people around, they sat down.

Haruto placed the bento on his lap, unwrapped the furoshiki, and opened the box. A rich aroma filled the air. It was indeed a meal prepared for two.

He turned to Eriri, who sat calmly beside him, before setting the bento between them on the bench.

"How did you ask Sayuri to make an extra lunch?"

The box was divided into three compartments—carefully prepared side dishes in one, and two portions of white rice in the others. Haruto picked up a serving, grabbed a pair of chopsticks, and asked Eriri.

"I just told her to make an extra one. She seemed really happy about it and prepared yours without hesitation."

"She didn't ask anything else?"

"Nope."

Thinking about Sayuri's personality, Haruto found this reaction unsurprising. She had always been incredibly tolerant when it came to Eriri. Just from Eriri's brief request, Sayuri had likely jumped to conclusions—assuming that her daughter had finally found a boyfriend and eagerly preparing the extra meal.

Haruto picked up a piece of broccoli and put it into his mouth. Lightly boiled, seasoned with salt—the taste was unmistakably Sayuri's cooking. The flavor and texture were just as he remembered. It had been a long time since he'd eaten her food, so he wasn't sure if it tasted exactly the same, but the familiarity was undeniable.

He ate in silence.

Eriri, watching him quietly, alternated between glancing at Haruto and staring down at the meal her mother had prepared.

"How does it taste?"

"It's… normal."

"Is that so?"

Haruto continued eating quietly, chewing his food with care. After a moment, he raised his head and looked up at the sky.

"I've just gotten used to her cooking, so it doesn't feel special anymore. Besides, back then, I was the one who cooked more often when we were together."

"When you stayed at my house, too—you were the one always in the kitchen. Back then, I thought your connection with my mom was just because we were classmates… I really was an idiot, huh?"

Eriri bit her lip, watching him with a complex expression.

"I thought our relationship… that the person you liked might be me. But in the end, I was the only one left in the dark. Do you think my mom ever realized that I had feelings for you?"

"Sayuri?"

The conversation grew heavier. Love wasn't something dictated by who met first. Haruto sighed—deep down, he regretted it. By the time he had realized his feelings for Sayuri, he had already completely fallen for her, losing sight of everything else around him.

Thinking back, it was possible.

"She probably had some idea. And from the way you reacted so strongly back then, she likely saw it clearly."

Haruto trailed off, lowering his head as he quietly finished his meal.

Eriri bit her lip harder, her eyes filled with longing, anger, hope—and deep sorrow. She watched him intently but, seeing that he had nothing more to say, lowered her head and resumed eating in silence.

"You haven't seen her since, have you?"

After a long pause, Eriri spoke again.

"When school started, after you collapsed, I saw her from a distance. Just a glimpse."

"Aren't you going to meet her again…? Maybe—"

"It's all in the past."

Haruto cut her off, his eyes meeting hers. Finishing the last few bites quickly, he set his now-empty bento box aside.

"Thanks for the meal."