XVII — Misfortune of the Broken Vase

Soon after, the first lesson had begun.

As usual, it was maths.

This time, quadratic curves.

For the details, they were not important. Because that was exactly also what Anna dismissed too. After all, she couldn't careless. What she cared more was what she said earlier.

"I will report everything about this to my uncle."

Those words still lingered in her mind, and those felt like stabbing her head.

Wait, was I really acting like those petulant childs?

The thought simply crossed to her mind while following her maths teacher's explanation.

After all, she couldn't believe she was just throwing a threat to a student that even she herself had no rights to know how his life looked life. She felt like getting cursed for speaking out loud.

After all, what she said was being turned into some kind of nasty rumours. And she heard them quite clearly, but ignored them. Because those were not even about her.

Yes, not at all.

Meanwhile, as her eyes glanced accross to Riku's seat, she noticed his facial complexion.

It was... fair-skinned. His face was still reddened, must be from his previous anger eruption. While his eyes were darting into those symbols on the board, as if ignoring her and many others.

However, this wasn't the first time.

No, definitely not the second time nor the third time. 

It was countless. Because she knew deep down.

How much he struggled at maths, and she always noticed it.

However, she was too helpless to do anything. And if it wasn't for her uncle straight giving away her home address without any of her acknowledgements let alone permission, this wouldn't happen.

Should I help him? I mean, he must have struggled too... right?

She dismissed the thought immediately. Mostly because she had no rights to do so. Albeit she might have been holding grudges against her uncle's carelessness instead. 

Who knows at this point.

...

Soon after, the class bell rang to end the lesson. And it's the lunch time.

A few hours have just had passed, and the disaster was already coming just like that.

Not slowly, but rapidly. All of a sudden, as if this mistake was done by design.

No, not out of carelessness let alone something was lost. Not those rumours either.

She just realized something really idiotic, so much so she couldn't hide her embarrassment.

As usual, in her daily routine, she would take out of a big lunch box out of her briefcase. It was the one bought by her mom when she wasn't that old enough to use it, back to elementary school.

And... 

She forgot to bring it.

I wanna die...

No, she would too at this point. Crying about this wouldn't solve the issue.

Then, she realized that so-called familiar voice churning in her stomach.

Maybe I'm gonna die too...

The acceptance of that situation was so hilarious that her mom would possibly laugh at her too.

Yes, she was just beyond helpless.

That's it, maybe it's the right time to say goodbye. Sorry, Mom. 

"Anna?"

"Is there anything wrong?"

All of a sudden, that familiar face tilted his head for her. The same person who she had been looking at for hours long. Also the one who helped her by yelling in front of them.

When that happened, her face was becoming as red as tomato.

Again.

"No, nothing..." She replied while both hands were holding onto her stomach.

It was clear, her expression. And she definitely couldn't deny it anymore.

"I'm gonna go get a lunch."

"Also... 

Apologize to Kaze-kun too, I guess."

"Want me grab you for something to eat?"

He asked, without pitying this silly girl who had just forgotten her lunchbox.

Should I? Do I even deserve accepting this kindness?

However, she had no choice. Therefore, she must have accepted this kindness.

All of these were his fault for knocking all of a sudden. That idiot comedian.

Indeed, he must have taken that responsibility for her own clumsiness, after all.

Because her misfortune suddenly getting doubled after being non-existent without him.

And she wondered if there would have been more...

"Sure."

Short. Simple. Concise.

She wouldn't dare herself speaking those opinions out loud.

Riku just nodded and walked away out of the classroom.

Apparently, he just wanted to hurry because he might have run out of time.

And foods, could have been empty-handed for him instead.

Around fifteen minutes later, he returned and was walking in a hurry.

He brought her foods but this time, along with his friends.

The echo was a bit louder than usual, since there were no one but them

"Heh, didn't you see that girl from the canteen earlier?"

"She was looking at you, you know." 

Kaze continued the conversation as they walked into the classroom's entrance.

"Ah, her?"

"Nah, not my type." Gorou ignored his request.

"Heh, what is yours then?" Kaze retorted back. His eyebrows lowered down.

"Well, maybe I don't have any— Heh, Riku?!"

He stopped right away after seeing him rushing his way to someone's desk as if it was urgent. Riku delivered those foods she needed, based on what she noticed about her. Saving a poor lonely girl, who had been pitying and insulting herself for those fifteen minutes, from dying out of starvation.

"Here!" He sighed out of exhaustion.

Meanwhile, her eyes long with those pupils dilated.

"Eh?"

"Bento? How?"

He responded with a soft smile.

"I was the first one to get into the queue."

No, that's not what I mean!

But never mind, she was barely starving to death. And she couldn't take the screaming voice from her gut anyway. So... hesitantly, she accepted the bento he was offering with both hands.

Open it then eat them as quick as possible.

Such a sight then was seen by others, who then approached them in her desk.

"Ah, Kanzaki-san!" Kaze waved to her like it was nothing.

She ignored her, she was too busy on her own.

However, Riku intervened him from even touching her desk.

His arm barred his way, as if it was a wall.

"Kazecchi."

"Now, well..."

"Say it."

"A-po-lo-gize."

Kaze jolted to that word instantly.

His body fell down to the floor, now repenting in front of me.

Kneeling, lowing his head all the way to the floor.

Heh?! W-wait wait, no. It's a bit too much!

However, her reply that was coming afterward hit different.

"You have no need to apologize, Fujimoto-kun."

"You did nothing to hurt me, after all."

"Also, that rumour was spread because of—"

"Stop blaming yourself, Anna."

He cut off her words all of a sudden.

His friends were in-confusion, not understand what truly happened. 

While Kaze was still there. Head on the floor, begging for Anna's mercy.

"B-but Reita-kun—"

"Let him apologize. If you don't want to accept it, let me do it."