7 Coloured Bonds {Utapri Fanfic}

Chapter 12 - A Special Moment

Making sure the second bento was out of Masato's line of sight, we both sat on the bench as I flubbed in explaining everything that went wrong in the morning. Straightening myself to the fullest and a single deep breath later, I eyed Masato with remote disappointment.

"The thing is... I made a b-bento for you today. But, someone bumped into me earlier this morning and it fell upside down... It was supposed to be a surprise, but I guess now you know it's completely in shambles... It's a mess." Breaking eye contact once more, I continued to lightly tap the lid of my bento idly.

"A-A bento... for me...?" Masato's escaped whisper was complemented with a light tint of pink forming on his cheeks, and he immediately stared at the opposite side.

"U-Uh, it was meant to be as a thank you! A-After all, you've been looking out for me from my first day, and I just had to repay you! There's no other reason!" I squeaked as I justified my intentions as clearly as possible.

Masato, however, kept his silence as he continued staring sideways. Awkward once again. It seemed like Masato was trying to digest the whole situation, feeling a bit flustered. But as quickly as his embarrassed figure, he turned my way with newfound perseverance glinting in his violet pupils.

"I truly appreciate the sentiment, but I don't see why you had to go out of your way to make something as special as a homemade bento singularly for me..."

With that as his last words, he reached out for the bento concealed behind my body, and I was left stunned.

"W-Wha--?! How did you see that?!" Still dumbfounded, I was about to stop him from unwrapping the sloppy cloth, but he proceeded to do so ever so fluently.

Gently lifting the lid of the box, Masato uncovered the wrecked mishmash of jumbled up food which, in simple terms, looked displeasing to the eye. I didn't know what else to say or do - after all, he was originally never supposed to see the disorganised lunch. What occurred next was even more astonishing. Picking up the chopsticks resting in between the knot, Masato wasted no time in holding out a lump of rice-saucy bite.

"N-No! You don't have to eat it...! Wait!!" I was at my wit's end and resorted to grabbing his sleeve in a jerking manner.

Halting his actions, Masato tilted his head to meet my cowering face, raising a single eyebrow in question.

"What's the matter? Am I not supposed to be eating what you worked so hard on?"

"It's not that! T-That thing is just not in a state to be eaten, let alone seen by you... I'm pretty sure it tastes terrible being mixed up like that anyway..." I gently pulled my hand squeezing his now somewhat wrinkled sleeve away and voiced my despondency.

Masato still wore a puzzled look as if this wasn't a big deal as he continued, "Kurashina-san. Appearances matter very little to me, all I'm doing is accepting your gift whether its state displeases you or not. I can't abandon what you put so much thought in like this."

Putting a seal on our argument with that phrase, Masato resumed the suspended chopsticks and brought it to his mouth. And in it went - I broke into a cold sweat as I anticipated any sort of reaction out of him. Seconds later, he took another bite, and then another, and yet once more until the bento was half empty. I was left speechless by Masato's behaviour plus his lack of response.

After some consideration, I bit my bottom lip and asked, "Well...? How is it?"

With a deep nod, Masato's lips parted, "I can see you really made this from the heart. I'm honoured that you created it entirely for me, and though it lacks in impression, the taste is to my liking. Thank you, Kurashina."