The Battle of Lunch Boxes

"Say ahhh, Ced," Luna enticed, offering a fork with a Korean Beef Bulgogi skewer from her lunch box. The perfectly seasoned and grilled meat beckoned me.

Just as I was about to indulge in Luna's offering, I heard a voice on my right. It was none other than Kaori.

"Say ahhh, Ced," Kaori chimed in with a fork, offering perfectly grilled Wagyu beef.

Before I could react, Luna's frustration became evident.

"Ced, my food is clearly better than Kaori's."

"Oh, Luna, my Wagyu beef is absolute perfection, and I'm sure it's even better than the beef you served yesterday for dinner."

"Kaori, that wasn't even Wagyu. I recall Ced saying he loved it when I made it for dinner yesterday. I'm here to cater to Ced's preferences, not yours."

The exchange escalated as they locked eyes, fiercely defending their dishes. But I decided to intervene.

"Kaori and Luna," I interjected, trying to mediate, but my efforts were in vain.

Both of them insisted that I take a bite of their food, with each fork held firmly in front of my mouth.

I decided to surprise them both and grabbed their forks. Their shocked expressions were priceless as I savored the delicious morsels.

"Mmm... They're both so good!"

Luna and Kaori were left stunned, seemingly unable to accept the result.

"A draw again?!" They exclaimed in unison, unable to believe the outcome.

I nodded. "Well, it was delicious! When I tried both, it felt like a perfect puzzle with no missing pieces."

"You must be joking, Ced," Kaori suggested.

"No, I'm serious, Kaori. Both are truly delicious."

"You're just saying that to get us to settle down," Luna remarked.

"No, no, no! That's not it, Luna. You can't force me to choose. I love both."

This time, Luna and Kaori blushed even deeper, and they said the most unexpected things:

"C-ced... You love both, you said?" Luna stammered.

"Yes, I love both these dishes."

"Is that so, Ced? Well, in that case, I just wish I could become a food," Luna's voice tinged with jealousy.

"Yeah, me too. I want to be a Wagyu beef," Kaori chimed in.

Wait, what was going on here? Luna and Kaori seemed to be jealous that I loved both dishes and not them. I needed to clarify this misunderstanding.

"I simply hope to enjoy these dishes again next time. Please don't get the wrong idea," I insisted.

In response, Luna and Kaori both sighed with relief, slowly calming down. However, they still had a surprise in store; they tightened their grip on my shoulders.

With Luna on my left and Kaori on my right, Luna was the first to speak, her possessiveness clear.

"Ced, I'm not letting you go anywhere."

"L-luna...?"

"Ced, promise me you'll only have eyes for me. Don't pay attention to any other girls because you have me."

Kaori's grip on my right hand grew stronger, and she was clearly unhappy with Luna's statement.

"Ced, you should avert your eyes from Luna, and to the other girls, your eyes are only meant for me."

"Ced..." Luna and Kaori both expressed, their grip on my shoulders remaining firm.

"Kaori and Luna, I appreciate your feelings, but can we take things one step at a time? It feels a bit rushed," I tried to reason with them.

"And did we talk about becoming friends first just yesterday?" I added.

The words "becoming friends" struck Luna and Kaori, and they seemed to have forgotten our conversation from the day before. They released their grips from my shoulders, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Their intense grasp had left slight red marks on my shoulders, a testament to the strength of their affection.

"Now then... let's eat. We have ten minutes left before the lunch break ends," I exclaimed, looking at the clock in front of us.

Luna and Kaori followed my lead, grabbing their lunch boxes. As for mine, well, it had met an unfortunate end when Yurina threw my lunch away.

But Luna was always prepared and quickly handed over her spare lunch box and a water bottle.

"Here, Ced, you can have this..."

"Really, Luna? I mean, this is really... too much."

I pushed Luna's spare lunch box and her water bottle back toward her, feeling indebted to her now, but she insisted as she pushed back her spare lunch box toward me along with the water bottle.

"Yes, Ced, it's your lunch box, and it's also my way of making up for throwing your lunch away earlier. On behalf of Yurina, I apologize."

"Thank you, Luna."

The kind side of Luna's personality was quite apparent, especially in contrast to her possessiveness towards me, her cold demeanor towards other students in the Ouran Academy, and her heightened competitiveness, particularly in her rivalry with Kaori.

I opened the lunch box with anticipation, and to my delight, it was a truly luxurious lunch. There were four different dishes: Tonteki (Japanese pork steak), Kakuni (braised pork) with soft-boiled eggs, Tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet), and Teriyaki Chicken. Luna had truly gone all out with this lunch, and my eyes shone with appreciation.

"Now then, let's eat!"

"Yes let's eat together, Ced!" Kaori and Luna echoed in unison, smiling.

My gaze fell upon the four delicious dishes in front of me. They all looked so tempting that I had a hard time deciding which one to try first.

Before Luna and Kaori could eat into their lunch boxes, they abruptly stopped, setting aside their forks and spoons. They turned to look at me, watching with curiosity and perhaps a hint of competitiveness. I felt a bit embarrassed by their attention to me.

"Umm... Luna and Kaori, you don't have to stare at me like that," I chuckled nervously.

But they continued to look at me, their expressions eager to see my reaction. With a I decided to take my first bite, starting with the Tonteki. As I savored the flavor, my eyes lit up.

"Mmm! It's so delicious! And sweet!"

Luna beamed at my reaction, her face coming closer to mine. She spoke warmly, "I'm glad, Ced. Eat more!"

Following her advice, I savored the Tonteki, taking my time to enjoy each bite, although I couldn't help but wish there was more rice to accompany it.

The Kakuni was next, a heavenly blend of savory and sweet flavors. Similarly, I had to ration my rice.

As I savored the tonkatsu, I appreciated the delightful combination of crispy and savory tastes. However, my one cup of rice was disappearing quickly.

The final food in my lunch box, Teriyaki Chicken, was a delightful mix of tender chicken and a sweet teriyaki sauce. I managed the last few bites, eating the last of the rice.

With my lunch box now empty, I quenched my thirst with the bottled water Luna had thoughtfully provided. Luna and Kaori also finished their lunch, and Luna's violet eyes remained fixed on mine.

"How did you find my lunch box? Did you enjoy it? Was it delicious?" she inquired.

I smiled and nodded, genuinely appreciative. "Yes, Luna, it was delicious. Thank you."

Her response was filled with warmth. "Of course, Ced. I'll always be by your side, so don't consider it a debt or anything."

Kaori couldn't resist butting in, determined not to be outdone. "Hmph, Luna! Ced will enjoy my lunch box next time."

Luna, however, responded confidently, her violet eyes glistening. "Oh, Kaori, that's fine. Even if you give him a lunch box, he won't accept it. He'll always find my lunch box and eat with me. My food carries my heart, and he ate it, so he's mine."

Kaori's beautiful brown hair framed her face, and her blue eyes narrowed with intensity. "Don't be so overconfident, Luna. I will definitely make Ced mine, not yours."

With Luna and Kaori's rivalry in full swing, Kaori looked at me, blushing and fumbling to convey her message. "Ced!"

Her sudden change in demeanor puzzled me, so I raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, Kaori?"

She grabbed my hand, her face flushed and filled with embarrassment.

"I'll make you a lunch box tomorrow. Let me know if it satisfies you."

I couldn't resist agreeing, realizing that I was caught up in their antics. They were named characters, after all. However, the thought of my expanding waistline crossed my mind. In the novels I'd read about background characters, they were always fit, but this situation was putting my physique at risk.

"Kaori, I can't finish two lunch boxes... It's too much," I tried to protest.

Kaori was about to address my concerns, but our conversation was suddenly interrupted as the car door swung open. Sazane and Yurina stood before us, bowing to their respective Lady Masters. Sazane addressed Kaori, while Yurina spoke to Luna.

"Lady Kaori, it's time to return to class," Sazane announced.

"Lady Luna, I apologize for the interruption, but you only have five minutes before class resumes. Your responsibilities as the student council president await you," Yurina added.

Both Kaori and Luna turned to me. Kaori, who had wanted to answer my concerns, leaned in and whispered in my ear, while Luna watched with a tinge of jealousy.

"Ced... I want to be by your side. Don't you like me? Or do you prefer Luna more?"

My heart raced, and I blushed, stammering out a response. 

"A-ah, it's not like that, Kaori, but..."

Kaori continued to whisper in my ear, expressing her feelings. "Ced, you're special to me. I don't want to lose you, not just because you've been my roommate or a good friend. But I like you, and I want to be by your side, and I... I don't want to lose you and see you with Luna. Seeing you together with Luna feels..."

Before she could finish, Luna cut in. "Stop it, Kaori," she said, pretending not to have heard everything Kaori had whispered.

Luna glanced at the time. "There are only five minutes left, Kaori. What are you whispering to Ced? We're going to be late, you know." Luna smiled with a playful air of knowing.

Kaori regained her composure and moved away from the car. She mumbled, "Sorry, it's just that I had to tell Ced something important."

"Kaori, you're such a mess, jeez..." Luna said, stepping out of the car.

As Luna and Kaori walked away, Luna whispered into Kaori's ear, "Whatever you said to Ced, even if it was a confession or not, he's not going to accept it."

Kaori's mind was racing with shock. She wondered, "How did she know everything I whispered to Ced?"

Luna continued to tease, whispering again, "Because Ced is being Ced. He's not a man who stands out. He's a background character, and he'll stand by it. If he's a fish, then he's going to be a tough fish, harder to catch than most. Stealing Ced's heart and making him not a background character is not a walk in the park. It's more like trying to catch an elusive fish that slips through your grasp."

"Hmph! You've got it all wrong, Luna. I didn't say anything about stealing Ced's heart Or confessing my feelings to him!"

Luna smiled, her violet eyes exuding possessiveness, and playfully added, "Let's see, Kaori. It's just that you're still going to lose to me, Kaori, because Ced will be mine."

"Such a thing won't happen, Luna."

I stepped out of the car and stood by their side, pretending as if I had no idea what they were talking about.

"Good grief... What did you two talk about?" I asked, feigning ignorance.

"Nothing... nothing important, just a quick chat with Luna," Kaori replied.

Luna playfully shushed us with a finger to her lips, "It's not a quick chat but a woman's secret~"

I chuckled and replied, "Okay, okay, I won't pry and steal your little secrets."

With that, Luna suggested, "Then... let's go back to the academy building and return to our classroom."

Kaori and I nodded, and together, we walked side by side. Luna and Kaori led the way into the academy building, with students casting curious glances in our direction.

Some of the boys seemed especially envious, casting jealous gazes my way as I was sandwiched between Luna and Kaori, the student council president and vice president of Ouran Academy. We ascended the stairs, heading back to our classroom, Class 2-A.