Blunder

Saying that, the red-haired tsundere girl opened her bento with reluctance and allowed her friends to see what kind of lunch Nishikino Maki had brought with her for today. The moment the bento was revealed, Honoka and others went in awe seeing Maki's bento. It looks delicious and elegant, blinding Honoka, Rin, and Kotori's eyes with glittery levels comparable to handsome boys' glittery in any shoujo story.

Nozomi, Eli, Umi, and Hanayo were impressed when they saw that. Nico grumbles quietly as she occasionally glanced at Maki's bento so she could learn of anything from that. While the last girl of their group, Ayaka, voiced her opinion about it with sparkled eyes and looked at the bento with admiration and charmed.

"Waaaah! This is so beautiful and full of elegancy, Nishikino-san!"

Maki's cheeks grew hotter and redder when she received the compliment on her bento from Ayaka. She likes the compliment and shows a subtle soft smile on her lips without anyone noticing it. But she gives Ayaka the response regarding that so she won't be viewed as a rude person by Hanayo's girlfriend. After all, Todokami Ayaka is Nishikino Maki's crush or probably her first love, so it's normal for her to show some good points from herself.

"I-It's nothing…! It's not like I made it myself, and… my maid who made it for me."

"Oh! Really? But it is really wonderful, like a beautiful painting! Of course, everyone's bento is delicious and charming in its own way, but… maybe that I could say about your bento, Nishikino-san."

"But… it won't be right to call it… homemade bento."

However, Ayaka waved off her hand to deny that and replied.

"Nonsense. It still could be called homemade since your bento was made in your home. The term homemade it's not mean that something you have to make, but made at home from scratch. I always rely on instant or ready-to-eat meals since I'm not that good at cooking my own, so I know it."

The last sentence from Ayaka's words causes everyone but Hanayo to be in confusion. They wondered why Hanayo's orange-haired girlfriend said that as if she lived alone and not with her parents or relatives in the family. Though Nico has suspected this, she is still surprised about this unexpected discovery even if Ayaka didn't tell her directly.

Showing a visible concern, the purple-haired two-low pigtail girl then asked her orange-haired first-year girl politely and tried not to sound offensive when she was doing so with her question to Ayaka.

"Ayachi… are you an orphan?"

Everyone except for Ayaka and Hanayo went into collectives gasp when Nozomi asked that question to the said orange-haired girl. The only blonde and half-russian girl in the group then panicked and tried to tell Nozomi to be quiet with a "shush."

"H-Hey, Nozomi! That question is too far!"

"N-No, it's okay, Eli-senpai. It's not her fault since that is my mistake."

"Todokami! Are you sure? This is… a pretty sensitive topic. If you don't want to answer it, then don't."

But Ayaka shakes her head in response to that. They came to know about that because of her carelessness, so it would be weird if she left it hanging and caused them to be more curious about herself later on, and she has no problem telling them about it since Ayaka had overcome that a long time ago.

"I don't mind it, Eli-senpai. Thank you for your consideration of me! And Nozomi-senpai, please don't feel guilty for asking it. I'm not blaming you for that. After all, the blame is on me for letting myself let a blunder such that."

The orange-haired first-year said, reassuring Eli and Nozomi with her kind and warm smile, which caused both third-year girls' to have faint blushes on their cheeks when their eyes saw that smile. Ayaka just smiled and forgave Nozomi for the question, as the orange-haired first-year girl knew that the purple-haired senpai meant no harm.

'O-Oh my. Why did I suddenly feel this…? My cheeks felt warm. Did Ayachin's smile charm me…? Is the tingling feeling in my chest… is means that I find her attractive and develop a romantic feeling? But we're both girls, and Ayachi already has Hanayo.'

Nozomi thought, covering her mouth with her hand and hiding the blushes even though they should be on the cheeks. While Eli immediately turned away, trying to hide her blushes too, and thinking of something similar to her best friend.

'W-W-What is that…? Why did her smile make my chest feel… weird and my cheeks too? I'm not swinging that way! But why I couldn't properly look at Todokami? Is it mean that I hate her? Nonsense…! She is someone that I would never think to hate!'

Both Nozomi and Eli still have blushes on their cheeks, completely forgot about their friends for a moment before they heard a cough which snapped them back to normal. They turned and saw it was from Nico, who let out that cough.

"Like I told you, Todokami. Everyone here seems doesn't know the term of privacy consideration."

"Nico-senpai, that is a little cruel. It's not their fault to be curious since I am the one who made that mistake. Please don't blame them and forgive Nozomi-senpai and Eli-senpai."

Nico let out a heavy sigh and shook her head, then stared at Hanayo, who jolted in surprise being stared at like that.

"Hanayo, are you really okay with this? You're her girlfriend and should be concerned about this."

"I-I'm okay, Nico-chan. I may be Aya-chan's girlfriend, but I have no right to control her. After all, it's up to Aya-chan if she decides to be okay with it."

Once again, Nico sighed in annoyance as Hanayo answered that with a kind and confident smile. The twin-tailed girl also noticed that Ayaka looked like she didn't mind about what her girlfriend had just said.

"If Todokami and you both agree, I think it's okay and not like I have the right to reject that."