Capítulo 98: Both
At lunch break, Izumi Kotomi and Yui Yuigahama, as usual, darted out of the classroom the moment the teacher left, quietly sneaking to the back door and then sprinting towards the school store to grab lunch.
The fried noodle bread and tuna with pork floss rice balls were very popular among the students at Sobu High School. Even arriving a little late meant there was a high chance of missing out.
Last week, Kotomi and Yui had missed out on these two popular items twice.
The first time was because they couldn't compete with the boys due to a difference in physical strength. The second time, they had made it early enough, but just when they were about to pay, they realized they had left their lunch money in their jacket pockets, which they had forgotten back in the classroom on their chairs.
Not wanting to make the same mistake again, Kotomi and Yui had come up with a foolproof plan: five minutes before the fourth class ended, they would start getting ready—tying their shoelaces and ensuring they had their money.
When there were thirty seconds left until the bell, they would quietly sneak out of their seats, crouching low as they moved towards the back door. The moment the bell rang, they would bolt out the door.
They had learned this trick from their senior, Seiko Kirigiri.
As for Yukino Yukinoshita and Megumi Kato, both of them brought homemade bento lunches from home.
"Boss, I'll take one fried noodle bread and two tuna with pork floss rice balls, and a bottle of chilled strawberry yogurt."
"I want one fried noodle bread, two croquettes, two fried chicken rice balls, and a lemon water," Yui ordered.
"Yui, aren't you getting the tuna with pork floss today?" Kotomi asked as they paid.
"I'm going out for conveyor belt sushi tonight with Mom and Yuka. The sushi place is celebrating its third anniversary, so everything is half off! I'm saving room for tuna sushi and inari sushi tonight."
"Conveyor belt sushi? Lucky! Now that you mention it, I suddenly crave some ikura (salmon roe) gunkan sushi and tamagoyaki," Kotomi said enviously, before dramatically grabbing Yui's hand and speaking solemnly.
"If you're going for sushi tonight, you should eat less now. I'd be more than happy to help you finish those croquettes and fried chicken rice balls for you. Don't thank me—helping others is the golden spirit of the Izumi family."
"Please, be human! We still have P.E. class this afternoon. I don't want to be starving by then!"
Laughing, Kotomi and Yui walked back to Class 1-F after securing their lunches.
What they didn't notice was that from a hidden corner, Megumi Kato had quietly followed them. She observed their conversation and actions closely.
After they were out of sight, Megumi stepped out and pulled out her phone.
"So, little Kotomi wants to eat ikura gunkan sushi and tamagoyaki, huh? Let's see… is there a sushi place nearby that she'd be willing to walk to…"
After finding a suitable place, Megumi found a quiet spot and called her mother, Ikemi Kato.
"Hello? Mom, could you make some tamagoyaki for my bento tomorrow?"
"Tamagoyaki? But I thought you didn't like eggs," Ikemi said, surprised.
"Haha... I just feel like eating tamagoyaki suddenly. Could you make a few extra?" Megumi chuckled lightly.
"Sure thing~ If that's what you want, I'll make them tomorrow. Do you want Kanto-style or Kansai-style?" Ikemi, though strict with Megumi when it came to academics, spoiled her in other aspects.
As long as Megumi maintained her grades, whatever requests she made would be readily granted by her parents.
"Kanto-style."
"Kanto-style, huh? I'll have to buy a bottle of light soy sauce this afternoon. Anything else you'd like in your bento?"
"Just the usual is fine, but please add a few extra pieces of tamagoyaki. Oh, and your octopus sausages are always delicious."
"As long as you study hard, I'll do whatever you ask. But remember, you must live up to the expectations we have of you. Your father and I have sacrificed so much for you…"
Megumi's expression darkened slightly, but she interrupted before her mother could continue.
"I know, Mom. I'll keep working hard. I need to go back to class now."
"Alright, alright. Go eat your lunch."
After hanging up, Megumi leaned against the wall and let out a deep breath.
When did it all start?
When did her mother's expectations become so overwhelming?
Every time her mother spoke about their high hopes for her, Megumi felt as if a heavy stone was pressing down on her heart.
"This is such a headache..." Megumi muttered to herself, massaging her temples.
Tucking her phone away, Megumi returned to the classroom, where Kotomi and Yui were already seated and eating their lunches.
"You two have already started eating, I see," Megumi said with a smile, taking her seat and opening her bento box.
"We just got back. Where did you go, Megumi?" Kotomi asked.
"I went to the bathroom. But, Kotomi, don't you ever consider bringing a bento for lunch instead of buying it every day?"
Sipping her strawberry yogurt, Kotomi replied with a lazy smile, "I used to bring a bento every day during middle school, but it felt like such a hassle. Now that I'm in high school, I prefer buying my lunch from the school store—it's convenient. After I'm done eating, I don't need to clean anything up. I can just toss it all in the trash."
"I see," Megumi nodded, then opened her bento.
The delicious aroma immediately wafted from the box—succulent braised meatballs, stir-fried greens, and adorably shaped octopus sausages. On top of the perfectly cooked white rice sat a single sour plum.
"Wow, Megumi, your bento looks amazing! It's so appetizing!" Yui exclaimed enviously.
The dishes weren't anything complicated, but Yui figured she could easily make something similar. However, making a bento every morning required waking up earlier, and Yui much preferred staying cozy in her warm bed.
"If you don't mind, feel free to try some," Megumi offered, pushing her bento toward the middle of the table.
"Then I'll have a meatball, and in return, you can try my fried chicken rice ball," Kotomi said.
"I'd like to try the octopus sausage. You can try some of my bento, too," Yukino Yukinoshita chimed in, placing her bento in the middle as well.
Yukino's bento was even more luxurious—beef stew with potatoes and sweet-and-sour pork were just the accompaniments. When she opened the second layer, there were slices of sashimi and amaebi (sweet shrimp).
An understated but undeniable air of wealth surrounded the meal.
Having just finished an octopus sausage, Kotomi's hand couldn't resist reaching for one of Yukino's sweet shrimp. The sweetness and sticky texture of the shrimp were irresistible.
Seeing how much Kotomi enjoyed her food, Megumi smiled and asked, "Kotomi, do you like sweet shrimp more, or octopus sausages?"
Kotomi, happily chewing on the shrimp, paused for a moment. For some reason, Megumi's question gave her the strange feeling of being asked, "Do you like me or her?"
After a brief consideration, Kotomi swallowed the shrimp and answered honestly.
"I like both."
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