Time passed. The nurse remained AWOL. A few more students trickled in:
One with a cut finger, self-medicating.
Another feeling sick, sighed and left upon seeing no nurse.
But every single one, before exiting, shot Satoru and Ryoka the look, then huddled for gossip:
"What's going on?" "Sick? Why two people? Caretaking? But the guy looks fine…" "Health-room cannon scene, maybe?" "I'm coming back later… chef's kiss." "Don't joke! That girl's the karate captain—one punch and your head's a star!" "Such a beauty… with that power? Can the dude handle it?" "Look how pale he is. Bet he's already…"
Ryoka's face went crimson, shoulders trembling. Fist clenched, unclenched, thighs rubbing. If Satoru weren't there, she'd Thunder Diamond Fist them into orbit. But with Kobayashi beside her, she stayed ladylike.
Satoru? Thick-skinned. Gossip slid off him. But staying longer would tarnish Ryoka's rep. And a Pure Love Warrior refuses to be lumped with NTR scum like Aihara Yamato!
Math class was over; lunch break half-gone. Ryoka had asked if he wanted food. He said, "Go eat." She didn't. And never mentioned it again. She's definitely hungry…
Satoru sighed, rolled off the bed.
"Kobayashi-kun, need something? I'll get it!" Ryoka jumped.
"Dinner."
"I'll buy—"
"Let's go together." "I'm mostly recovered. This late, only the school store. What do you want? My treat…"
She waited hours. Least I can do… (Though her motive for staying? Mysterious.)
"N-No need, you're too kind!"
"No no, it's cheap—"
"Then… compromise!" Ryoka clapped. "I treat you!"
Satoru: ?
When Satoru walked into class with a fried-noodle bread in his mouth, the ? still hovered over his head. Ryoka's ecstatic checkout face was burned into his retina.
"…Compromise my ass."
Lunch break nearly over. Classmates prepping for afternoon. Anji and Yamamoto Sento? Missing. One skipping? Plausible. Both? Suspicious.
Satoru tapped Ayumu's desk.
Ayumu smiled, relieved. "Kobayashi, you're okay?"
"Yeah. Anji?"
"No clue."
"Cool."
Right then, a dead-tired Anji dragged an even deader Sento through the door.
"Thought I died…" Anji groaned. "Afternoon's Japanese—that old hag…"
Sento face-planted onto his desk, out.
"What happened?" Satoru asked. Did Higashi torment Anji after I dipped? That idiot…
"Where were you?"
"Courtyard lunch… overslept."
That exhausted?
"FUCK!" Anji slammed the desk—water cup nearly launched. "Speaking of it pisses me off! After Miyajima-senpai carried you off, Higashi kept mocking your stamina. I charged over and—"
"Beat him up?"
"Ran your fifteen laps plus my ten." He jerked a thumb at the corpse-like Sento. "Twenty-five was too much, so this guy took seven or eight. Then, in front of the whole class, I yelled at Higashi: 'My bro's just off today. On form, he runs TWO of me!' Face saved, right? Don't worry—Higashi's only subbing one class. Next time, you run or not, his problem!"
Satoru stared, mouth opening, closing. Finally: "…You fucking idiot?"
"I ran for you and you curse me?! Grass! Stop laughing!"
Anji raised a fist—too drained. Bell rang. He flipped the bird: "Next time, I'll get you!"
Satoru returned the bird, whistled, and sat. Anji's chaos, fine. But Sento… forced?
He glanced. Sento, asleep, grinned like an idiot. Hehe… Kobayashi forgave me… no yakuza butt stuff… hehehe…
Post-school, Anji packed while yelling: "Bro, which flower girl today?"
"Which? Sounds like a harem."
Anji counted on fingers. Many. Compared to him… tears, trembling, when will Anji rise?
"Not escorting?"
"Nope."
"Then we can finally walk home together!! Ramen, my aibo?"
"Sword club."
"Still a flower girl! The floweriest one!"
"Told you, not about girls…" Mostly true. He owed Sakura, and hadn't shown at kendo in ages. Main goal: check Kase Masafumi's progress.
"Damn…" Anji slumped, then perked. "Then I'm hitting light music club. Submitting my application!"
Bro dominates kendo, I dominate light music. Bright futures!
Satoru stepped into the hall— A tiny fist lightly punched his side.
"Where'd you go for lunch?"
Nanao Akane stood there, cheeks puffed, mildly annoyed.
…
…