The classroom, usually quiet at this hour, now buzzed like a busy marketplace.
Ryosuke rubbed his eyes and stretched lazily.
"Kurenai, I brought a really good lunch today. How about we go up to the roof and eat together?" Asuma was the first to make a move, holding up his lunch like a trophy as he tried to show off.
"My name is Yūhi Kurenai. Sarutobi Asuma, watch how you address me—we're not close enough for you to just call me by my first name."
Kurenai's tone was sharp. She was already feeling annoyed after losing her lunch to Ryosuke earlier, and now this? Watching Asuma boast about his bento only stoked her irritation. If it weren't for him pestering her earlier, she wouldn't even be in this situation.
"Asuma, I'd appreciate it if you kept your distance from me. You've been bothering me quite a lot lately, and it's really becoming a problem. And for the record, I'm not going to eat your lunch—so please stop asking."
Her babyish cheeks were flushed, her red eyes blazing with anger.
Asuma froze, taken aback by the sudden outburst. He stood there awkwardly, bento in hand, as if the floor had just dropped out from under him.
"Obito, I brought you lunch. Let's go."
Rin, sensing the tense atmosphere, stepped over to Uchiha Obito and spoke quietly.
"Sure, Rin!"
"Shh! Not so loud!"
Obito scratched his head sheepishly when Rin made a silencing gesture, then followed her out of the classroom without another word.
Feeling the weight of his classmates' stares, Asuma's cheeks burned. Covering his face with his bento, he slunk out as quickly as he could.
Before long, almost everyone had left the room. Only a still-fuming Kurenai remained—along with Ryosuke, who had just woken up from his nap.
The click of a lunchbox opening made Kurenai's ears twitch despite herself.
"Mm, this tastes great," Ryosuke said with exaggerated satisfaction.
The savory smell drifted across the room, and Kurenai swallowed hard.
"I hope you choke on it," she muttered under her breath, glaring at him as he ate with infuriating speed.
Her stomach growled loudly. She clamped her hands over her ears, as if that would block out the sound of him eating.
Half an hour later, starving and at her limit, she was about to stand and leave when a neatly arranged bento slid across her desk.
This… wasn't her lunch.
Looking up, she saw Ryosuke watching her with a calm expression.
"I finished yours, so we'll call it even. I'll be generous and forgive you. This one's mine—I've already eaten, and in this heat it won't keep until later. You can have it."
Without waiting for her reply, he set it down and walked out.
To spare her pride, he didn't linger.
Outside, Ryosuke caught the sound of commotion from the roof and turned toward it. As soon as he stepped onto the rooftop, a familiar voice rang out.
"Kakashi! Don't waste your youth! Let's have our showdown right here on the roof!"
In the middle of the rooftop, Might Guy was practically bouncing in place, striking poses as he issued his challenge.
Sitting cross-legged nearby, Kakashi ate his lunch and answered flatly, "No."
Guy's fighting stance sagged instantly.
"Then when will you fight me?" he pressed, jogging over with an almost pitiful look.
"Uh…" Kakashi hesitated. Seeing Guy so dejected made it hard to outright reject him. With a sigh, he shrugged. "I'm busy today. Tomorrow. Come to my house."
The moment he agreed, Guy's energy roared back to life. "That's my eternal rival! Kakashi, I'll see you tomorrow for our battle! Youth will not be denied!"
He took off like the wind, heading for the training field to burn off his energy.
Kakashi's mouth twitched at the word "rival." When Ryosuke had called him that before, it had always felt… suspicious. And now Guy was using it too—constantly chasing him down to fight.
Ryosuke found a clean spot by the railing and sat, one arm resting lazily on it as he looked over at Kakashi.
"Where'd you get that bento?" he asked. Kakashi had already graduated from the Academy and didn't even have to attend afternoon classes—there was no reason for him to bring lunch.
"I gave it to him," Obito said from behind.
Ryosuke turned to see Obito staring at Kakashi with a rather complicated expression.
Ah. So something interesting had happened up here earlier.
Beside him, Rin's cheeks turned pink. "It's… Obito's way of showing he cares."
Ryosuke's gaze flicked between the three of them.
[Ding, Uchiha Sasuke card points +2]
"I'm done. Rin, I'll return the lunchbox to you tomorrow."
Even with half a bento still left, Kakashi packed it away and adjusted his mask under Ryosuke's oddly knowing look.
"Alright," Rin replied, choosing not to ask questions.
Then she glanced at Ryosuke. "By the way, I heard from Shizune that you're going to the Konoha Hospital after school?"
Ryosuke nodded.
"That's perfect. We can all go together," Rin said, her expression brightening. Being a medical ninja was her dream, and any chance to learn was precious to her.
"I'm coming too!" Obito blurted out immediately.
"What for? You planning to be a medic-nin?" Kakashi asked, glancing over.
"Just because Ryosuke's going doesn't mean I can't," Obito said, sneaking a glance at Rin.
"And the hospital's still a hospital. Even if I'm not a medic, I can visit, can't I?"
"If Obito's going, then how about you, Kakashi?" Ryosuke asked with a smirk.
"No." Kakashi's refusal was instant.
[Ding, Uchiha Sasuke card points +1]
Ryosuke's grin widened. This stubborn guy…
[End of Chapter]