"Time to dig in!"

A cheerful grin spread across Kazue's face as he began to inhale his lunch, which consisted of nothing but two plain white rice balls. Riu sat awkwardly beside him on a large crate behind the school gym, a secluded spot surrounded by foliage, a few storage lockers, and an outdoor hand-washing area. It was a place where most students only ventured to confess their feelings to their crushes. Or to wipe off their sweat.

Somehow, I got pulled along to comply with his offer...

In the end, Kazue's persistence won out, and Riu agreed to keep him company during lunch. Though she joined mostly because his determination made it hard to refuse, there was also something else.

His words from earlier still echoed in her mind.

"Join me while I eat. You don't have to have lunch or anything. Just keep me company."

It was strange, as if he read her mind. As though he saw right through her aversion to eating with others and found a way to make things easier for her.

He's not... telepathic or anything, right?

She sat there awkwardly, casting fleeting glances at his profile, her thumbs fiddling as Kazue scarfed down his food like an animal. He was done within seconds.

"Waaah- that was great! I'm so full!" He beamed, leaning back against the wall of the gym and beaming up at Riu. "Not as good as the bento you gave me yesterday, though."

She raised an eyebrow, somewhat doubtful. Kazue didn't actually eat much, but he was full? Perhaps he wasn't a big eater, even though he looked like one.

"Oh, right! I almost forgot!"

Kazue's eyes sparkled as he eagerly dug through his backpack, muttering to himself, "Please be okay... Ah, there it is!" 

Riu's eyes widened with recognition when he pulled out a wooden bento box, wrapped in the same cloth she had used the day before.

"I know you said I didn't need to return it," he said, handing the box to her with a shy smile. "But the food was so good, I wanted to repay you somehow. Go on, open it!"

Those crimson eyes sparkled with excitement, and she could almost imagine dog ears and a wagging tail sprouting from him. Riu set the box in her lap, carefully unwrapping the cloth and lifting the wooden lid.

Her eyes widened as she took in the sight.

Inside the bento box was an adorable panda face, crafted from rice and seaweed, complete with a heart-shaped nose. Surrounding it were octopus-shaped sausages and delicate egg rolls, each nestled in a bed of lettuce. Slices of salmon arranged like a blooming flower and a cherry tomato perched atop the panda's head completed the charming scene.

"Do you like it? I made it myself!" Kazue beamed.

Riu was at a loss for words. She had never seen a bento like this before. The maid at her house typically prepared simple and nutritious meals, always neatly arranged and practical. She never imagined that this plain lunch box could hold something so adorable.

She couldn't decide what surprised her more—the fact that she was staring at such an adorable bento or that it was made by an airheaded fool of a delinquent. The contrast was almost too comical.

"It's PanPan..." she murmured, too stunned to find any other words. Kazue chuckled, his eyes sparkling with amusement as he stretched out on the grass and leaned back, looking up at her.

"Yeah, it is! Pretty good, huh? I nailed it, right?"

"...It looks like a grade-schooler's lunch box."

"E-Eh?! Teenagers can eat stuff like this too, you know!"

"...Hahah..."

For the first time in what felt like years, Riu laughed. It was a soft, almost inaudible sound, but in the quiet between them, Kazue heard it clearly. His eyes widened as he saw her smile, her dark eyes shimmering like a starry night sky. For a moment, he was completely in awe.

"Whoa... You've got a pretty cute laugh, you know that?"

"W-What?"

Riu's smile vanished as quickly as it had appeared, her eyes widening with embarrassment.

Kazue grinned. "You should laugh like that more! It was totally adorable!"

She averted her gaze, a hint of pink colouring her white cheeks. "S-Shut up."

Her reaction only made him chuckle softly. "See what I mean? Furuse, you are a tsundere!"

Riu felt an unfamiliar sensation in her chest, like something soft and fuzzy was wrapping around her cold heart, melting away the chill and darkness. She never imagined someone like him would be capable of filling her with a gentle warmth.

It was as though Kazue's kindness was slowly dismantling her defenses, and that thought was both unsettling and frightening. Yet, she could sense that his smile held no hidden agendas. He wasn't using flattery or trying to make himself look good; his intentions were genuine and sincere.

What if... I allow myself to grow closer to you?

Will you continue to shower me so gently with kindness?

All of a sudden, a voice in her head perished those thoughts.

"Why are you associating with someone so lowly? Do you even realise how high you stand compared to him?"

"You already know a friendship with someone like him won't last long."

"That's why you shouldn't have rebelled. You should have just continued to obediently listen to your father and attended the private school. He just wanted what's best for you!"

"If you want to get so chummy with commoners, then don't be surprised if you get dragged down with them!"

Riu froze up for a moment, the voice echoing in her mind felt all too familiar. She quietly gazed down at the box in her hands, a flicker of sorrow in her eyes.

She felt conflicted. A part of her knew that they were too different to get along. She and Kazue clearly lived in two different worlds. The only reason they even met was a pure coincidence. And considering her family background, there was no chance of her being allowed to remain close to someone like this.

If my parents find out, they'd...

But even though she knew all this, she couldn't help but want to treasure this warm feeling. To nurture the tiny little candle fire in her heart, relit by the boy in the panda suit.

Maybe... It'll be okay if I'm careful?

She glanced over at Kazue, whose boyishly kind smile put her at ease. His scarlet irises met hers with a directness she had never known. There was a saying that went "eyes are the windows to one's soul," and all this time, Riu had kept her curtains drawn. Her windows were clouded, concealing the turmoil inside from anyone who tried to look in.

But Kazue was different. His windows were clear, see-through, and glossy. Nothing obscured the view into his soul. He was simple and inviting, and that made her want to step into his world.

Is it wrong for me... to want to become closer with him?

Riu glanced down at the adorable bento box in front of her. The smiling face of PanPan, crafted from food, filled her with an unexpected joy. No one had ever done something like this for her before.

"I want to eat it..." the words came out in almost a whisper, but the childlike glimmer in her eyes betrayed her excitement.

Kazue let out a soft chuckle, the same one that had taken her breath away the day before. He tilted his head, his tousled hair falling to one side and revealing the black piercings in his ears.

"Well, go ahead. I did spend all morning making it."

Riu eyed the lunchbox once more before delicately removing the chopsticks attached to the lid. With careful fingers, she picked up a single egg roll, her movements reluctant yet curious. As she brought it to her lips, she hesitated for a moment before taking a tentative bite.

Her eyes widened ever so slightly as the flavour settled on her tongue.

For as long as she could remember, food had always tasted bland and dry to Riu. Meals were never something she looked forward to; they were merely sustenance, eaten out of necessity. Eating alone made it bearable, but she had been this way her entire life and eventually learned to endure it.

But when the egg roll melted in her mouth, Riu chewed it slowly and deliberately, she knew this was different.

It was unlike any egg roll she had ever tasted before.

"So, what do you think? Is it good?" Kazue asked, his eyes glinting with anticipation.

Riu swallowed, then reached for the next piece. Another bite burst with a vibrant flavour, unlike anything she had experienced.

Finally, she met Kazue's gaze with a neutral expression.

"...It's delicious, but... why is it so spicy?"

Kazue's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, it is?"

She nodded, her cheeks stuffed with food. Her tongue was burning now, but it didn't stop her. "Mmhm. It's still good though."

"Damn, I must have used the hot soy sauce instead of the regular one! The labels look too similar—I always mix them up!" Kazue slapped his forehead in frustration but quickly turned back to her with an apologetic look. "Sorry, Fuwa. You don't have to finish it if it's too much—"

"It'sh Furuse," she declared firmly, shovelling rice and seaweed — the panda's right ear — into her mouth.

Kazue's worry vanished as soon as he saw her cheeks puff up comically. "Pahaha! You look like a chipmunk!"

But his teasing was the last thing on her mind.

I can taste it...

I can taste the food...

It's spicy and overwhelming, but really good...

This is... better than anything I've ever eaten before...

By the time she finished the last bite, her face was bright red and her tongue felt swollen.

"Wow, you've got guts, Furuse! I can't believe you finished that. Even I struggle with that spicy soy sauce."

Kazue laughed, his amusement evident even though he was the reason she was such a mess. As Riu downed her water bottle, trying to soothe the heat, she felt too exhilarated to be angry.

She was finally able to taste something. Her tongue was burning, but it felt wonderful. Spice wasn't something she couldn't handle, but Riu was never allowed to eat it often.

Once she was done, she didn't quite know what to say or do next. But the moment felt all too precious to let it slide into silence. She racked her brain, but Riu's attempt at conversation came out awkwardly. "I-I'm surprised... You don't seem like the type who'd be good at cooking." Her tone was a bit brusque, but Kazue didn't seem put off.

With a cheeky grin, he replied, "I'll let you in on a secret. Before I became a mascot, I worked part-time at a restaurant. Pretty cool, huh?"

Her brows knitted in curiosity. "A restaurant... How long have you been working in secret like this?"

Kazue leaned back, tilting his head to gaze skywards. "Hmm... since middle school, I think. Most kids can't start that young, but Shun's older bro helped me out."

Riu's attention was momentarily drawn to the Adam's apple bobbing in his throat when she spoke, and the way his scarlet hair fell back just enough to reveal a sliver of his forehead.

For a moment, she was momentarily distracted by it, but when Kazue shot her a sidelong glance and their eyes briefly met, Riu immediately looked away, her cheeks flushing and her hair falling to shield her embarrassment.

"A-Ah, I see. You mean Kunou, right? I didn't realise he had a brother..."

That surprised me... I can't believe I got caught staring!

"Yup, they're half-bros though. And Shun doesn't like him." Completely unbothered, Kazue smiled. "Shun and I were friends since we were kids, so I grew up lookin' up to Yuu-nii — oh, that's his bro's name, Kunou Yuu. He's a bit of a weirdo, but real great!"

A guy Kunou doesn't like?

Something about it piqued her curiosity just a bit. She found herself wondering what kind of person this older brother must be, if even someone as secretly cunning and smooth as Shun despised him.

But, it was none of her business.

"...We should head back to our classes now. The bells will go off soon." Riu suggested, to which Kazue heaved a somewhat disappointed sigh.

"Aww man, it's already that time? I wanted to hang out a little longer!"

Riu couldn't deny that she wanted to spend more time with him, even if she occasionally tried to convince herself otherwise. With the school year ending in a few days, the thought of not seeing him over the break weighed on her. But as Kazue sprang to his feet and slung his bag over his broad shoulders, he flashed her a warm smile.

"Let's do this again tomorrow!" he beamed, his voice full of enthusiasm.