The cheap Anpan and the funny girl

Every time Koshiro would eat his lunch at the same spot as the first day (a short stair behind the main school building) a hungry Sawada would appear, and he would end up sharing some of his food with her.

“Just so you know, my money for food is counted, okay?” Koshiro told the girl while handing her some Anpan.

“That’s… why… you just buy… this cheap… Anpan?” Sawada replied between munches.

“Hey! Who said that it’s cheap?”

“It isn’t?” the girl tilted her head with puzzlement, “I thought of that because of the quality…” she continued to eat.

“Well… it is cheap…” Koshiro looked away, "But that’s because my family knows the owners, and I can buy it at a lower price…”

“And lower quality?”

“Ugh.” Koshiro frowned. “That’s not it, it gets this way because I buy them in the morning.” the boy explained, “So when it’s lunchtime it isn’t as good…”

“Hmm.” the girl stared at the food. "I know a good bakery..." she murmured.

"If that's the case, why don't you buy your own food there?!"

"I can't..."

"How come you can't?"

"It'd be bad if I went there..."

"Huh? What did you say?" Koshiro asked, but the girl didn't reply. 

***

To prevent his food from being eaten by someone else, Koshiro ended up going to the roof sometimes, but the little girl started to find him there as well:

“So here you are!” she said while closing the door to the roof, “We looked for you everywhere!”

“We?” Koshiro glanced at the girl to see that she was dragging Kuma-chan with her, “Hey, what are you doing here, Sawada-san? Why are you following me?”

“I’m not following you, Koshiro idiot!” Sawada sulked at him.

“Aargh.” the boy sighed and smacked his head, “You just said that you were looking for me.”

“Aaa!” the girl took a step back, “It wasn’t me. it was Kuma-chan!” she then put the inflatable bear in front of her.

“Uhum.” Koshiro stared at the bear, “And what do you want?”

“I have to make sure that you do your job!” Sawada pretended to be Kuma-chan, “You need to convince your club to participate in the festival!”

“Aaaah! That’s such a bother!” Koshiro laid on the ground, “My club doesn’t do anything. Going to the festival should be enough for Murakami-san, right?”

“That’s wrong!” Sawada jumped from behind Kuma-chan, “They have to do something as well! You want to see Aika-chan sad?!”

“The president, sad…?”

“That’s right! When she’s sad, she’s terrifying!”

“Terrifying…?” Koshiro gulped and murmured. “How is she normally, then?”

“Yes! And I bet she would blame you!”

“Blame me…?” Koshiro tried to imagine a “terrifying” version of Aika Murakami blaming him. It wasn't a good exercise. “Okay! Okay! I’ll talk to the club members today!” he forced a smile.

“Great! Now…” the girl started but was interrupted by the sound of Koshiro’s phone, “Huh?”

“Huh?” Koshiro looked at his phone, where he had received a message from Nobu:

Nobu: Let’s play tonight! Besides, did you watch the last video I sent you?

Koshiro replied promptly:

Koshiro (replying to Nobu): Playing tonight is fine by me. But why would I watch that 24 hours live? From a not-so-cute Vtuber of all things?

Nobu: Hey, Vtubers are a thing okay?! You know Nyoko loves them! You can’t just look at the cute ones! You have to see the not-so-cute, the ugly, and the males as well! And I only asked you to see a tiny part of the live.

Koshiro: It was 2 hours long.

Nobu: 2 out of 24! Did you watch it? It was pretty funny.

Koshiro: Hmm

Nobu: So you did watch it!

Koshiro: Yes

Nobu: Thanks

Koshiro: Just send a shorter one next time

Nobu: Do you really mean that?

Koshiro: …

Koshiro: No.

Koshiro: Just don’t send me so early in the morning.

Nobu: Do you really mean that?

Koshiro: ...

Koshiro: No

Nobu: Roger.

“That’s Koshiro’s phone?” a soft voice came from behind Koshiro’s shoulders. He realized Sawada was sitting very close to him while gazing at the phone with her eyes gleaming.

“Hmm…” he looked at the second-year girl whose face was just a few centimeters from his, and was enthralled by the scarlet of her eyes, “Hmm…”

“Hey!” she frowned at him, “You’re thinking of perverted things, right?!”

“No! That’s not it!” Koshiro looked away, “I just think that your eyes are beautiful. The scarlet tone I mean.”

“My eyes?” Sawada crossed-eyed, as if trying to look at the scarlet the boy was talking about.

“Here.” Koshiro used his phone camera to show her.

“Hmm…” the girl grabbed the phone, “Beautiful…?” she murmured.

"Of course. They are so different from everything I've seen. They are very beautiful."

"Not everyone thinks like that..."

"What are you saying? Anyone seeing those eyes would say they are beautiful!"

"Hmm..."  Sawada kept staring at her own eyes. "T-Thanks..." her voice trembled.

"Huh? It's really no big deal, and besides, I have something to ask you."

"W-What is it?"

“WHY WERE YOU SPYING ON MY CONVERSATION?”

The girl took her eyes off of the device and sulked: “You weren’t paying attention to me! Koshiro idiot!”

“But I’m pretty sure you weren’t saying anything!”

“It doesn’t matter!” she pouted.

“What is up with this girl?” Koshiro followed the girl’s eyes, “Oh!” “So you want some food, right?”

“Huh?” Sawada deviated her eyes from the Anpan to the boy, “O-Of course not! I am here… I mean, I’m just helping Kuma-chan today!”

“Uhum, I know.” the boy handed her the rest of his Anpan. "It's just a 'cheap' Anpan, but you can have it if you want."

“...” the girl stared at it for a moment. She decided to accept the offer with a low “T-Thank you very much.”

“It’s fine Ny… Su…" Koshiro shook his head, "Sawada-san.”

“Umiko.”

“Umiko...?”

“My name… is Umiko.”

“Hey, hey, hey, wait a minute. I don’t think we’re there yet!” “Okay, Sawada… Sawada.”

“Okay, Koshiro idiot.”

“Totally unnecessary this one.”

While Umiko Sawada was eating beside him, Koshiro glanced at his phone, the girl, and finally the sky. The boy stared at the sky until "Huh?" two things caught his attention. One was a low sound coming from the roof door, Koshiro had the impression of being observed... "No, it's just my imagination... or else..." he turned to Kuma-chan and murmured: "Is it you?"

"..."

"Yeah, I'm crazy. Talking to an inflatable bear like this..."

"Congratulations! You're doing just fine!"

"What? Did you say something, Kuma-chan??"

"..."

"Tamo junto, parça!"

"What the f..."

"Hehehe, this girl is funny!" Sawada was laughing.

"What?" Koshiro looked to his side, "Wait..." his cellphone wasn't on his hand anymore, instead, it was in Sawada's possession. She was seeing one of the dozens of Vtuber videos Nobu had sent Koshiro. "Hey! Give me that back!"

"Aaa! No! I want to see this cute girl saying weird things!"

"Ugh. Give it back already!" Koshiro retrieved his phone, "You should've asked if you wanted to use it!"

"Aaaa!" Sawada raised her hands in the air and pouted, "Koshiro idiot! I wanted to see it!"

"Oh my god! At least finish your food first!"

"Huh!" Sawada turned around and headed to the roof door, dragging Kuma-chan with her, "You better talk to your club right away or I'll tell Aika-chan!"

"Hey, what?"

"For now, I'll just lock an idiot on the roof!"

"Hey! Wait!" Koshiro got up and ran to the girl.

***

“What do you guys think of participating in the club festival?!” Hirata was quicker than Koshiro.

“Club festival? Our club does nothing.” Takayama replied to him.

“I think that it is a good idea!” Shimizu got up from her chair and looked at the other members of the group. “‘The best club… is the one led by Hayamichi Takayama!’ she pretended to be an announcer.

“‘Led by Hayamichi Takayama’?” Koshiro scoffed

“Do you have something to say to me, Kochiru-kun?” Takayama scowled at him and stood up.

“Yes! I…” he started but stopped when remembering Murakami’s and Sawada’s words… well, it was more because of Murakami’s “gentle” smile, but either way: “... think it is a great idea!”

“Huh?” everyone looked at him.

“Yes! It’s perfect! Takayama-san is, no doubt about it, a born leader!”

“Are you mocking me?” Takayama clenched her fists.

“Of course not! There must be a reason why Sumi… I mean, Suto-Sensei chose you, right?”

“That’s right Hayamichi!” Shimizu gave her a thumbs-up.

“Aargh.” Takayama sighed and sat on her chair, “Whatever.”

“Which means that Yasutake-chan is the only one remaining!” Shimizu declared, and everyone looked at the girl.

“Huh?” Yasutake was spacing out.

“What do you think, Erity-chan? Of our club joining the club festival with Takayama being our leader.” Hirata explained to her.

“Hmm…” the girl stared at Hirata’s eyes and started to blush, she then looked away and murmured: “Takayama-san is strong… so it’s okay…”

“It’s okay!!” Shimizu celebrated, “Thanks, Yasutake-chan!” she gave the girl a thumbs-up, “So, we’re all in agreement!!”