Clouded Distance | Free! Fan Fiction

15. Out Late

Clouded Distance

Chapter Fifteen

Out Late

When Gou declared to them all that she'd prepared a sample bento for them all to see and to arrive on the roof at lunchtime, Hana hadn't been expecting this.

"You made all this, Gou-chan?" Nagisa exclaimed, as their eyes took in the different food spread all out across the table. Hana shook her head slightly as she took it all in. She couldn't imagine how much time Gou must have spent preparing all of this.

"It looks so good!" Makoto exclaimed, still taking everything in.

"It does?" Gou beamed as she watched them all grab something to eat. "I'm so glad! It was worth the trouble of going all the way to the city to buy the ingredients. I even saw my brother and Sousuke-kun while I was shopping!"

This made Haru pause. He looked up in mention of the names. "Rin and Yamazaki?"

Gou nodded. "Yes. The Samezuka Swim Team happened to be there buying swimsuits."

"I see."

"Here! You guys eat too!" Hana blinked as Nagisa shoved a riceball into her hand. She yelped as it started to slip from her fingers, and hastily made a grab for it, only just managing to save it before it hit the ground. She breathed out in relief. She'd have hated to ruin the food Gou had made for them.

Nagisa grinned. "Thank you for the food!" he said, before proceeding to take a large bite. His cheeks bulged as he ate. "Mm, delicious!"

"Hang on a minute," Re said. He looked up from the food he held in his hand. "there's something odd about what you just said. Why were you shopping for ingredients in a store that sells swimsuits?"

"Oh, it wasn't a food ingredient," Gou chirped, just as Hana took a bite. "More like protein powder? I used lots in the food, so the nutritional value should be perfect!"

Hana froze, the flavour of the riceballs hitting her like a slap in the face. Her face contorted and she gagged, but kept her mouth shut. 

"These are cocoa-flavoured rice balls!" Nagisa exclaimed brightly, as he continued to munch away at the food.

What? How was he able to deduce that? They don't taste like cocoa at all!

Hana clapped a hand over her mouth, and her eyes squeezed tightly closed. She chewed without pleasure, knowing it would be rude to spit the food out. So she forced herself to endure - she felt her body convulse at one point as a result of the horrible taste - and hating every second if stayed in her mouth.

Hana shuddered as she swallowed and gently placed the rice ball back on the table. She felt sick, like she would hurl at any moment. Looking at the food spread out across the table, all covered in protein powder, made her shudder.

Looking around, Hana realised she wasn't the only one affected by the terrible riceballs. Haru, Makoto and Rei were all looking a little pale. Nagisa was the odd one out; he continued to scoff the food down with a bright grin on his face.

How? How does he like it? How can he eat it?

Watching him eagerly devour the food made Hana feel slightly sick.

"Never again," she muttered to herself. Straightening up, Hana turned around. "Excuse me for a moment. I need to get something to drink."

She walked off, with each step hoping she praying she wasn't hurting Gou's feelings. Hana really did appreciate all of Gou's efforts, but just couldn't stand the protein powder.