弁当箱　(Bento Box)

I sat looking outside of the window. I felt like one of those characters in shoujo mangas.

I left my old school just before summer came and now I'm here after the holiday. Times passes so fast.

Then I heard the classroom door open.

"Hey Momoe, I'm here! You better haven't had lunch before me!"

"I was waiting for a while, but I decided not to eat because I'm still not hungry yet."

"Is it because of the Anpan you ate?"

"I guess so," I replied. "I couldn't stop thinking about it the whole time in class."

"Was it that good?"

"Definitely the best thing I've eaten in my entire life!" I exclaimed.

"Don't be dramatic,"

"I'm not kidding! It really was that good!"

"Okay, okay, whatever you say. Now let's get eating!"

Sayuri opened her bento box.

"TA DAAA~, look at my handmade bento."

"Woahh, you can cook?"

"Of course I can! Don't judge a book by its cover, they say."

"I knew that you could cook a little, but I'm just impressed by how cute this looks!"

A thorough description of Sayuri's bento box:

Go to Pinterest and search up 'Kawaii bento box', and now you know how the bento looks like.

I cook a lot for my family, but I know from the bottom of my heart that I cannot make something as cute-looking as that.

"Let me see your lunch box too!" Sayuri said excitedly.

"It's simple, so don't be so excited."

I opened my bento box to show her.

"See? It's just rice and eggs."

"Where is the meat?" Sayuri asked curiously.

"Uh- I- I forgot to cook the meat, and I was running late, so-"

"Are you hiding something from me?" Sayuri asked as she came up closer.

"Uh-, n-no! Why would I? Ahehe..." I lied.

"Come on, just tell me. What's the worst that can happen?

Why am I being so hesitant to tell her that my family is poor? Is it because I'm scared of being bullied again?"

"Um, hello? Momoe, you okay?"

"Ah-yes. I was just thinking about something." I replied.

"So? Can you tell me now?" Sayuri asked desperately.

I left out a large sigh before telling.

"So that's it? That your family is poor?"

"Uh-yes."

"Why did you have to think about whether you should tell me or not for so long?"

"That's because people were bullying me in my old school for it. That's why I transferred here."

Sayuri stayed silent. Then she started talking,

"Well, I can promise you that you won't be bullied when you are with me. Here, let's stop talking and eat. I'm not in the mood to be depressed, and neither should you. I'll give you this sausage, so eat up!"

I had nothing to say. Sayuri's reaction was nothing compared to what I imagined. And for the first time, I thought,

"This girl is my first real friend. Not a fake one but one that I can talk to when I have problems, one I can eat bread with, one I can hang out with, and one that accepts me for who I am.