Haruto savored a bite of karaage as the girls around his table fawned over him, each one eager to share a piece of their homemade bento.
Their delighted chatter was a pleasant hum as they vied for his attention.
"You need more protein, Hayase. Here, have my tamagoyaki," one girl insisted, her long, silky hair cascading over her shoulders as she offered a rolled omelet, carefully placing it in his bento.
"Take mine too!" another chimed in, offering him some grilled fish. Soon, Haruto's bento was brimming with the various dishes the girls had packed for themselves.
It wasn't a lie to say that he likes this attention and felt dumb that in the past he was uncomfortable with it.
'Well, the reason why I became uncomfortable around girls is because I have low self-esteem and scared they would mock me behind my back,' he thought, reminiscing his old self that was no more.