Hʏᴏ̄ᴍᴀ's Wɪɴᴛᴇʀ Pʀᴏᴍɪsᴇ | Chigiri Hyōma √

03: Lunch

As the late afternoon arrived and hunger prevailed among Ohara and the boys, they gathered at the rooftop with the meals they were supposed to enjoy hours earlier. Bachira suggested arranging a potluck-style meal by placing everyone's dishes on the stools that Reo and Isagi set up in the middle.

With the winter season approaching, the sky took on a slightly gloomy hue as they congregated. Ohara was surprised to see Gagamaru and Raichi joining them effortlessly, as if they weren't new students just introduced that day. With the school deserted after hours, they had ample time to catch up on recent news and chat.

Rin settled next to Barou, while Reo strategically positioned himself between Nagi and Barou to prevent any potential clash between the so-called soccer-king and the hassle-boy. Ohara found her customary spot between Isagi and Bachira, while Chigiri took a seat across from her.

Chigiri had never engaged in lengthy conversations with Ohara, yet he quietly admired her cheerfulness from a distance. He was taken aback by her annoyance with Raichi in the classroom and her sudden change in demeanor after Bachira had persuaded her to watch the soccer match. Despite her smiling and eating with them, Chigiri sensed the unspoken pain lingering in her eyes. He recognized her efforts to not refuse Bachira's persistent requests to join them.

"Oh, isn't this Ego-san's spicy noodle?" Bachira inquired when Ohara opened her lunch box, revealing the meal inside.

"Yes, he insisted I have this unhealthy noodle today," Ohara remarked, pouting as she observed the overwhelming spices and artificial flavors mixed into the dish. "He never changes."

"May I have a bite?" Kunigami politely asked before Bachira promptly grabbed his chopsticks, nudging some noodles toward him. "Oi, where are your manners?"

Ohara chuckled at Bachira, observing him savor the taste with a contented smile and closed eyes. He then glanced at Kunigami. "Ohara-chan had already given her permission before Ego prepared her meal."

Bachira playfully stuck out his tongue in an adorable manner, prompting Kunigami and Isagi to exclaim, "What?" in unison. The others chuckled and began their meals, while Raichi scowled.

"Is this the soccer coach's daughter?" Raichi questioned, eyeing Ohara.

"Nope, he's my uncle," Ohara paused, glancing at Raichi, "Shark-teeth."

"I don't have shark-teeth," Raichi retorted, his scowl never leaving his face. Ignoring him completely, Ohara took a bite of Chigiri's steak.

"This is delicious, Chigiri," Ohara complimented with a smile, taking another bite. "Your mama is surely the best chef."

Chigiri's cheeks flushed slightly as he averted his gaze from Ohara. "I'll tell Mum."

The group engaged in conversation about soccer news and the upcoming inter-high school soccer match while enjoying their meals. Rin remained typically silent but visibly annoyed by Aryu, who sat beside him engaging in 'glam' talk.

Ohara observed everyone, silently cherishing the lively atmosphere she had missed. She reminisced about her past soccer attempts, often resulting in the ball inadvertently hitting the goalkeeper's face—usually Isagi or Reo.

After lunch, Gagamaru and Kunigami began clearing the table. Ohara sat on a chair, and Aryu, sitting on the floor between her legs, asked her to style his hair with a 'glam' hairstyle to outshine Chigiri. She and Chigiri laughed, and Ohara began French braiding his hair from one side to the other.

"Let's play 'who am I?' championship," Bachira exclaimed, standing in the middle alongside Isagi.

"Not again," Rin groaned, but Bachira dragged him into the game as everyone gathered around to participate.