11 Is it really ok?

Ring. Ring.

As soon as the school bell rang, indicating lunch time, the students started leaving the room.

"Lunch time, finally!"

Eru stretched her arms behind her back as she sighed in relief. While her classmates passed by her seat, she noticed some girls murmuring and whispering, staring at her. Yuu approached her with his bento box in hand.

"Hey, hey, what are they talking about? Why are they whispering while glaring at me? Are they spreading rumors? Did they found out that I left a grain of rice in my plate ten years ago? What do I do? I'll be shamed! I'll be bullied and avoided so I have to isolate myself! And without education, jobs won't accept me. No job equals no money, which means I'll starve and die alone! It's better that I drop out now before I experience all those things."

"All because you didn't eat a grain of rice when you were six?"

"Yuu, how naive of you. It seems like your an innocent boy who isn't aware of the cruelty of this world."

"Just what kind of morbid anime did you watch last night to have such delusions?"

The two laughed it off and Eru brought out her bento box and started eating alongside Yuu.

Munch. Munch. Munch.

"Eru, were you in a date with a guy yesterday?"

"Wha—"

Eru nearly choked when Yuu suddenly brought it up.

"Jackpot, huh..."

"H-How did you know?"

"Apparently one of our classmates saw you and spread it through the class. That's probably what the girls were whispering about."

"E-Eh..."

The mystery has been solved. Eru doesn't need to drop out after all.

"So you went on a date with him, huh. What was his name again? Hiromata, yes?"

"It wasn't a date! We were just buying ingredients to cook!"

"So you even eat at his place. What are you, newlyweds? And when the heck did you learn to cook?"

Eru was losing her head as she kept looking for loopholes, trying to escape Yuu's death glare. Watching Eru fidget and panic, Yuu could only sigh.

"Ha... Y'know, I'm totally fine with you hanging out with him. And it's not like I'm in any position to criticize you on whom you talk with. But are you sure about this?"

"Sure about what?"

Gazing at Eru's oblivious and clueless face, Yuu placed his palm on his face and breathe deeply.

"Knowing you, you probably just hang out with him to have fun. But aren't you forgetting something? You two are in a relationship, remember?"

Indeed. Despite the two hanging out everyday for the past week, they never really interacted as 'lovers'.

"Is there anything wrong with that though?"

"It's not particularly wrong, but with the same argument, you can say it isn't right either. Is it really okay with dating a person you barely know? You may have discovered a lot about him for the past week, but a lot of things regarding him are yet to be revealed, no?"

"But... How would I know more about him if I don't take the time to talk and hang out with him?"

"I'm not telling you to be with him less. My concern is about the two of you being in a relationship. Don't you think learning about him through being friends instead of dating would be better?"

These words from Yuu didn't come from envy nor hate against Seki, but instead was inspired by true concern towards his close friend.

"I... don't know."

Eru could only answer in a dejected tone.

Meanwhile, on the Migi highschool building, Seki and Tomozaki was eating in the cafeteria.

"Oi, Seki. Why aren't you in your school uniform?"

"It had blood on it so I had to wash it."

"I see... Who did you beat up this time?"

"Why was that the first reason that pops into your mind? And why are you implying that I've ever beaten people up?"

"You haven't?"

"Tomo, shut up before my virgin fist breaks your spleen in half."

"Please don't refer to your hands as 'virgin'."

As surprising as it is, this kind of conversation between them is quite common.

"Hey, Seki. Aren't you going home a bit too early lately?"

Indeed. Normally, the two would hang out at a gaming arcades after school but Seki goes straight home for the past week.

"I have other things to do, y'know."

"Are you hanging out with that girl from the other day?"

"If you know the reason, then why did you have to ask?"

"Wait, that was actually it?!"

"Oh? You were just guessing?"

Seki responded nonchalantly as he picked up a piece of sausage from Tomozaki's plate.

"So how is she?"

"How is who?"

"You know who I'm talking about?"

"Pretty good. Mom just got promoted the other day."

"Dumbass, I'm not talking about your mom."

Tomozaki flicked Seki's head when he was about to grab another sausage from his plate.

"I meant Kasumi-san. That girl from Hidari highschool."

"It's fine, I guess. We just hang out at my place after school."

"You mean she hasn't broken up with you?"

"Tomo, why do you always pray misfortune upon me?"

Seki gazed at Tomozaki with swimming eyes.

"I didn't mean that in a derogatory way. I'm just surprised that she hasn't broken up with you, considering the way that you asked her out. I'm sure she just answered you due to the tension and pressure."

"I guess it is surprising, huh."

Seki said so but not a hint of shock can be seen on his face.

"If she still hasn't left you, maybe she's one of those gold diggers? Although you're not that rich, you're family is still well off, Sek—"

"She isn't."

He instantly interrupted.

"How can you tell? It has only been a week since you guys started talking, y'know."

"Who knows... I just feel that I can give her my trust and she won't take advantage of it. A guy's hunch, you can say."

"That's what a lot of people say before getting completely fooled."

Seki chuckled at Tomozaki's remarks.

"Maybe. That isn't the case this time though. Well, I hope so at least."

Along with Seki's lips slightly curving just from the thought of it, rain slowly fell down upon mother earth's skin.