Lunchtime on the Rooftop

"Sigh, man, I feel like this class is going on forever. I just hope this day goes by quick," Hiroshi said, his voice filled with frustration.

"Quit complaining, class just started, and besides, what's the rush in wanting this day to end? It's not like you have any plans after school," I retorted, trying to lighten the mood.

"Tehe, in fact, I do!" Hiroshi said mischievously.

"And what might that be?" I asked, curious about his sudden excitement.

"After school, I made a promise to Sakoda," Hiroshi began, his voice brimming with excitement. "We're going to spend the afternoon together at Yoyogi Park. You should have seen her, Takumi; she looked absolutely adorable when we saw that movie yesterday."

"Well, good for you. If you two decide to get married, invite me," I said, injecting a hint of sarcasm into my voice.

"Haha, very funny," Hiroshi chuckled, undeterred by my playful remark.

Turning his attention to Hachimura, Hiroshi asked, "So, Hachimura, what type of girls are you into?"

Hachimura's face immediately turned a shade of red, clearly caught off guard by the question. He stammered, "Wait, why are we even talking about girls?"

Amused by Hachimura's blushing response, Hiroshi persisted, "Aw, look, you're blushing! So, you might have a type, eh?"

"Come on, tell us!" Hiroshi pressed on, eager to unravel Hachimura's secrets.

Hachimura's face grew even redder, but after a brief moment of silence, he gathered the courage to answer. "Ah... well, the type of person I like would be someone who shares the same interests as me."

"Interests? And what interests would those be?" Hiroshi inquired, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Hachimura hesitated for a moment, his cheeks still flushed, before continuing, "Well, I wouldn't call them 'interests.' Let's just say the type of person I like... would be someone who makes the best dish. Someone I can have lunch with on the rooftop, walk home together, walk to school together, and even watch the cherry blossoms bloom. Most of all, I want to be the person who comforts them when they're feeling down."

Silence enveloped the room as Hachimura's heartfelt words lingered in the air. A soft smile curved his lips as he added, "Ah... my bad, I guess that sounded corny."

Unexpectedly, Hiroshi's eyes sparkled with admiration, and he exclaimed, "Wow! Dude, you sounded so cool! The way you said, 'I want to be that person who comforts them when they're feeling down.' I'm sure you'll find a girlfriend in no time, considering how good-looking you are."

"Haha, I'm not so sure about that," Hachimura responded modestly, a bashful smile playing on his lips.

Curiosity piqued, Hiroshi turned to me and asked, "And what about you, Takumi? What type of girls are you into?"

Taking a moment to gather my thoughts, I began to answer, "Ah... um, the type of girl I like... well, the type of girl I like is..."

Before I could finish my sentence, the lunch bell rang, signaling the end of our conversation.

"Ah, finally, lunchtime! I'll see you guys later. I've got a lunch date with Sakoda!" Hiroshi exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement.

"Sigh, you're just going next door," I muttered, slightly exasperated.

"But wait, aren't we going to eat on the rooftop like we always do?" I questioned, disappointed at the prospect of breaking our routine.

"Ah, sorry, man. Maybe some other time, okay?" Hiroshi apologized, his voice filled with regret.

"HEY, HIROSHI! LET'S GO EAT OUR LUNCHES BY THE CHERRY BLOSSOM TREE!" a voice called out, unfamiliar to my ears.

"BE RIGHT THERE, SAKODA!" Hiroshi replied, his voice laced with excitement.

"So, that's Sakoda," I murmured to myself, my curiosity piqued.

"Takumi, Hachimura, I'll see you two later," Hiroshi said, leaving me standing alone with Hachimura.

After Hiroshi left, I was left alone with Hachimura. Feeling a bit awkward, I let out a sigh. Hachimura then suggested we go to the rooftop for lunch and asked if I was planning on eating alone. I hesitated and said I didn't mind eating by myself, but another student called out to Hachimura to come eat with them. I told Hachimura it was alright to go ahead and join them, and I would be okay eating by myself.

Hachimura stood there for a while, his gaze fixed on me. It seemed as if he had noticed the weight of my solitude, my reluctance to admit my own loneliness.

"SORRY, GUYS! MAYBE NEXT TIME!" Hachimura suddenly yelled, his voice echoing across the classroom to a group of students calling him over.

He then turned to me, his smile unwavering, and took my hand, gently tugging me toward the door. "Hey, what are you...?" I began to protest, but he cut me off.

"Shut up and just come with me," Hachimura said, his voice soft but determined, as he held my hand and led me out of the classroom and onto the rooftop.

Confused and slightly flustered, I couldn't help but question his intentions. "Geez, dude, why did you drag me out like that?" I asked, my frustration apparent.

"I don't know... maybe I just didn't like the face you were making," Hachimura replied, a hint of concern in his voice.

"What face was I making?!" I snapped, caught off guard by his observation.

Hachimura let out a soft sigh and shook his head. "Never mind," he said. "The breeze up here is so refreshing." We both felt the wind gently tousling our hair.

He looked at me and gestured towards the ground next to him, inviting me to join him. I hesitated for a moment, still processing my emotions, but eventually decided to go.

"I guess I have no other option but to have lunch with you," I said with a slight smile as I sat down beside him.

As we sat together on the rooftop, gazing up at the vast sky, I couldn't help but wonder what this unexpected lunch break would bring.