Chapter 57: The Next Morning (From Sora's Perspective)

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Translator: Soafp

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That morning, Sora had woken up ridiculously early—or rather, she hadn't really slept at all. The feeling of Ginji's lips still lingered, and because she'd run off without checking his expression after the kiss, she was spiraling.

“If he hated it… I'll just die.”

She muttered this while styling her hair in front of the mirror, her eyes as dead as a fish's. Even so, she went through her morning routine. At the end, she pulled out her lip balm… then put it away without using it.

She still wanted to savor the feeling of that kiss.

Then with a thud, she brought out a layered lunch box and began packing their lunches. As she remembered the events of the day before, her hands moved without hesitation—her expressions constantly shifting, while her hands worked at high speed like a machine.

Once she finished making the bento, she checked her full outfit in the mirror. With her resolve firm, she picked up her two bags (her lunch was too big to fit in her school bag) and left the house. She was heading out about 30 minutes earlier than usual, wanting to calm her nerves by arriving early. Her plan was to settle herself down while waiting at their usual meeting spot.

“Yo, Sora. Are you always this early?”

Her plan was immediately shattered when she saw Ginji already standing there.

“…Why are you here so early!?”

Her memories from the day before flashed back: not just the feeling of the kiss, but the way she'd clung to his arm, the moment he called her cute—her mind played it all back in perfect detail.

“Well… I don't know. I just couldn't settle down.”

Ginji scratched his cheek, a little embarrassed. Seeing that, Sora froze. Then, wobbling toward him, she gently set down her bags and clung to him tightly.

“Too cute!!”

It was a scream straight from her heart. Luckily, no one else was around.

Because he was thinking the same things she was—coming early, feeling flustered, maybe even happy—her thoughts spiraled even faster.

“What's wrong?”

“I mean, Ginji's just… cute—pugya!”

Before she could finish, Ginji gently cupped her face between his hands, her eyes spinning like a dizzy cartoon character.

“You shouldn't be saying that kind of thing to a guy first thing in the morning…”

“Mmph… It's your fault. Your face… you've got cream on…”

“Oh, sorry. By the way, that bag—yesterday I thought it had art supplies, but it's really just lunch, huh? Here, take this.”

He handed her an envelope.

“I don't need it. I've eaten so many meals at your house too.”

“Yeah, but if you count the bento too, I'm definitely the one getting more. Just take it.”

Sora wasn't in need—her dad sent her more than enough money—but she could tell this was Ginji's way of showing sincerity. So instead of turning him down, she accepted the envelope. More than politeness, she wanted to respond to his feeling.

“I'll make something really good.”

She smiled, and Ginji looked away. Without a word, he placed her bag into his bike basket and carried the lunch in his hand.

“It's sweet how much you like doing things for others, but I'll make lunch sometimes too, alright? Tell me what you like. If I keep making only my favorites, you'll get sick of them.”

They didn't bring up what had happened the night before—but this little back-and-forth was an answer in itself. The distance between them was more than comfortable for both of them.

“That's not really true.”

Because seeing Ginji enjoying the food I make is my favorite thing.

That's what she wanted to say. But if she said that now, she'd go beet red before school even started.

“Huh?”

“It's nothing. Hey, let's go shopping together after school. Let's make lunch together.”

“Sure. Let's stop by the supermarket. Tetsu asked me to run an errand for him. He's making tonkatsu today.”

“Why don't we make it for him instead?”

“I said the same thing, but he wants to do it himself once in a while.”

“He's such a good little brother.”

“Seriously.”

Walking side by side, she glanced over and saw Ginji was a little tense too. Her heart was pounding even more than usual, and the rhythm of it reminded her that something between them had shifted. It was a little embarrassing, but also sweet.

I wonder what kind of “pampering” I can do for him today.