(Kazu POV)

After a blissful lunch, I took a short break before I will start watering the flowerbeds, but before I do that, there’s something I needed to talk to her about this time.

I have to say thank you.

“Thank you for the lunchbox, senpai. I know I’ve said it many times, but it was really delicious. The hamburger steak was especially great. I haven’t had such a happy meal in a very long time.”

In fact, ever since I started living alone, my two main choices have been buying things at convenience stores or eating cup ramen.

Besides that, there’s the occasional sumptuous packed lunch from the bento shop.

I don’t know how to cook, even though it’s an essential part of life… I do the laundry though, but only in bulk when I run out of things to wear.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it. Then I guess it’s okay if I make it again tomorrow.”

?

Tomorrow, she said?

“Ehh!? Senpai, are you going to continue making these for me?”

“Yes, my grandma also asked me to thank you. Besides, I always make my own, so I could just make it while making yours.”

“S-senpai, I’m really flattered, but only once in a while is fine! Even if you don’t find it hard, I still want to apologize for making you do that!”

No matter how thankful she is, doing it everyday is too much.

I’m happy to receive the lunchbox she made, but I’m not brazen enough to say “please do so” so casually.

“Even though it’s not really a problem for me?”

“It’s just a matter of feelings on my part. It’s really nice of you to say so, but only once in a while, please Senpai.”

Senpai looked at me in the eye, thought for a moment, and smiled.

“I understand, if that’s what you want, then I’ll stop doing it every day. However, could you at least let me make it once a week instead?”

Senpai proposed a compromise.

As for me, I really wanted to eat her lunch box. And if it was once a week, the burden on Senpai would be less…

“I understand. I apologize for the inconvenience, but I would appreciate it if you could do that. Just the thought is enough to make me happy.”

“Yes, then let’s decide on a day, shall we? I’m fine with any day of the week.”

“I-I’m fine with whenever it’s convenient for Senpai. Though I say this, I can only bring rice balls anyway.”

“…I’m sorry to ask you this, but… are your family members…?”

“Ah, no worries, I do have a family. It’s just that I live alone.”

Senpai asked me uneasily, but when she heard my answer, she looked relieved.

I guess she thought, “What if it’s something I shouldn’t ask?”

“Is that so? On your own?”

“Yes, though I can’t cook, but my mother’s sister… my aunt cooks for me at night.”

… Of course it was a lie. I felt that if someone found out about my eating habits, they would somehow be angry with me, so I lied on the spur of the moment.

“I see. So that’s why you only had rice balls for lunch.”

“Yes.”

“I understand. Then I’ll arrange lunch for you tomorrow if I have the time, okay?”

“I’m sorry and thank you very much.”

“It’s no problem. Now then, let’s water the flower beds…”

“Oh, before that, let me tell you one more thing. It’s about this morning.”

I cut to the main subject.

“This morning? Is this about what happened during the morning greeting to Takanashi-san?”

“Yes. I am happy, but the morons from my class kept approaching me, and the people around me were so annoying that I thought they might bother Senpai.”

“…Indeed, they were a nuisance, weren’t they?”

As expected, you think they’re annoying!

However… it feels like she’s giving me special treatment, and to be honest, it made me happy…

“In any case, I’m glad that I can greet Senpai in the morning, but if you come to my classroom, Senpai will probably cause unnecessary trouble…”

“… Then Takanashi-san, I have a suggestion.”

Senpai showed some signs of thinking, held up her index finger to the side of her face, and spoke to me.

That gesture was so cute…