The usual place—still the bench on the forest path behind the school where they had eaten lunch together last time.
"Murakami-kun doesn't look very energetic. It must be because yesterday's family matters were quite taxing."
Ogiso Setsuna spoke with a concerned tone. She could see that Murakami Yuu seemed somewhat tired and not as spirited as usual.
This was quite natural.
Taking care of a sick person wasn't an easy task to begin with, and Eriri didn't sleep very well. Murakami Yuu had gotten up twice during the night to cover her with a blanket.
It gave him a grass-level sense of déjà vu like an old father raising a daughter.
Plus getting up early to make lunch and prepare breakfast, and after eating, going downstairs to the store to buy knee-high socks for Eriri—various trivial matters indeed made him feel somewhat drowsy.
Not to mention he had been up late with Tachibana Rui the night before that.
Murakami Yuu rubbed his eyes and answered with a smile:
"It's fine, I just didn't sleep well. I'll catch up on sleep when I get home tonight."
Ogiso Setsuna nodded. Since Murakami Yuu had explained earlier that it was private family matters, she thoughtfully didn't continue dwelling on this issue. Being perceptive and reading situations were her strong points.
However, today she had originally wanted to invite Murakami to karaoke. If he wasn't feeling well, there was no helping it—he'd need to go home early to rest...
"What are you thinking about? You look so serious."
Meeting Murakami Yuu's beautiful eyes, Ogiso Setsuna's heart rate increased somewhat, but she still maintained a composed appearance:
"It's nothing!"
Murakami Yuu stared at her motionlessly, showing an expression of suppressed laughter.
Unable to bear this almost naked scrutinizing gaze, Ogiso Setsuna's face reddened slightly as she turned her head away somewhat embarrassedly:
"Why are you suddenly looking at me like that?"
"Sorry, sorry. It's just that Setsuna really is very gentle, always able to think of others from their perspective."
Murakami Yuu smiled.
"Being gentle or whatever, there's no such thing. Murakami-kun is exaggerating. I'm just an ordinary high school student you can find anywhere."
"Yeah, that's another virtue—not only gentle but also modest."
"Murakami-kun!"
Ogiso Setsuna puffed up her cheeks in protest, but her expression and demeanor seemed more like acting cute than being angry.
"Sorry, sorry, I apologize."
Murakami Yuu chuckled.
Ogiso Setsuna handed her lunch to Murakami Yuu:
"I hope Murakami-kun can help taste it and give an honest evaluation."
Although she could directly say it was specially made for him, that would be almost naked hinting.
Ogiso Setsuna had such thoughts but still didn't want the relationship to progress so rapidly. Girls would inevitably be somewhat shy about such things.
"Then I won't be polite."
Opening the lunch box, under Ogiso Setsuna's expectant gaze, Murakami Yuu picked up some food with chopsticks and put it in his mouth.
"H-how is it?"
Ogiso Setsuna was somewhat nervous, even with a serious undertone.
Although she had previously had family members taste it and received good evaluations, when this moment really came, she couldn't help but worry.
Would Murakami-kun like eating these? I wonder if the taste suits his palate...
"Personally speaking, it's a wonderful taste."
Murakami Yuu gave his evaluation.
This sentence made Ogiso Setsuna completely relax.
"It's only been a few days, but Setsuna, your cooking skills are already quite excellent.
I feel that if you continue improving like this, it won't be long before you no longer need my special guidance."
Murakami Yuu picked up another bite and put it in his mouth.
Hearing this in her ears, Ogiso Setsuna felt happy but also somewhat dissatisfied:
"My cooking skills are still far from good. Does Murakami Yuu-sensei mean you don't want to continue teaching me cooking?"
"That's not the case. As we agreed before, until you reach a cooking level you're satisfied with, as long as I'm free, you can keep coming."
"Hehe... it's a promise."
Ogiso Setsuna got the answer she wanted and opened her own lunch box, which contained exactly the same dishes as the one Murakami Yuu was eating.
Murakami Yuu took a light breath and imperceptibly withdrew his gaze.
...
After school, in the faculty office.
"How's your health?"
Sakata Gintoki asked.
"I'm fine now."
Although he was facing his homeroom teacher, Murakami Yuu didn't show any nervous demeanor.
A severe sugar addict who liked to lick lollipops whenever he had free time really couldn't make him tense.
"That's good. There's a monthly exam next week. Do you remember what we agreed on before?"
"I remember. You want me to get into the top ten in the grade ranking."
"Good that you remember. Work hard. If you don't reach this goal, you can quit the Going Home Club and come to the faculty office to keep me company after school every day."
Perhaps feeling that applying pressure alone wouldn't be beneficial to Murakami Yuu's performance, Sakata Gintoki changed topics and put on a relaxed expression:
"Although there will be punishment if you don't reach the goal, correspondingly, if you complete the goal, there will be a reward."
Seeing Sakata Gintoki's smile, Murakami Yuu somehow had a very bad premonition:
"The reward isn't necessary. I'm not very interested. Speaking of which, students studying is ultimately for themselves."
"Haha, don't say that. It's definitely something beneficial for your future. If you really can get into the top ten, you might even beg me to give you this reward."
Sakata Gintoki patted Murakami Yuu's shoulder, looking quite enthusiastic.
His behavior once again convinced Murakami Yuu that this might not be a good thing for him.
Well, he'd talk about it after next week's exam rankings came out. Although he felt studying was quite easy, he hadn't taken an exam yet, so he wasn't too sure of his actual level.
Whether he could make the top ten was still questionable, so worrying now was somewhat premature.
"Do you have a date later?"
Murakami Yuu changed the subject.
The Sakata Gintoki in front of him wasn't dressed in his usual white windbreaker but was wearing a suit and tie. His usual stubble was also cleanly shaved, making him look very formal.
"It's just a dinner gathering."
Sakata Gintoki's face reddened when his thoughts were hit upon, and he coughed unnaturally:
"Alright, if there's nothing else, go home quickly. You should review more as the exam approaches."
"Yes, then I'll head back first."
Murakami Yuu stood up and left the faculty office. On his way out, he passed Anna Nishikinomiya in the hallway, who was carrying many documents. They nodded slightly at each other as a greeting.
Returning home, he threw his schoolbag aside, took a bath, studied until after seven, watched TV for a while, then read until after ten, turned off the lights, and went to bed.
Murakami Yuu closed his eyes. Darkness surged like a tide, and within it seemed to be mixed Eriri's scent.
Like lilies.
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