At the vending machine, Akane picked up a fallen strawberry milk and handed it to Satoru.
"Here."
"Urp—"
Satoru, hiccupping like crazy, chugged the milk, feeling his throat clear. He exhaled. "…Resurrected."
"Jeez, if it's good, eat slower! I'm not stealing it," Akane pouted, giggling softly. So he does think it's tasty… She hid her napkin-wrapped bento behind her, swaying it gently.
Satoru ignored her, staring at the pink milk carton.
"…I wanted cola," he grumbled.
"So picky?!"
"Whatever." He dug into his pocket. "How much? I'll pay you back."
"No, no." Akane waved it off. A carton of milk wasn't worth fussing over.
"No way. I drank your milk, gotta pay…" Satoru said calmly, then tilted his head, sensing something off.
Akane caught the double entendre, clutching her ample assets protectively, face flaming red as she glared.
"…"
"…"
Silence.
"Ahem, cough… Forget it." Satoru dropped the payment idea. I'll treat her next time. He turned to flee the awkwardness.
Too cringe!
But Akane scurried after, cheeks still red, whispering, "W-What were you thinking?"
Satoru stayed cool. "Complex academic question."
"Liar…" Akane muttered. "Definitely something pervy…"
"Me? That kind of guy?"
"Then tell me this 'academic question,' or are you just making it up?" she challenged softly.
Bullshit comes easy. Satoru didn't miss a beat: "What did the first guy who figured out cow's milk was drinkable do to the cow?"
Akane: …
Weird as hell!! But… kinda academic?
"Lunch break's almost over." At the corner, Akane stopped. "I'm heading back. Thanks for hanging out. Bye!"
She waved lightly from her chest.
"Later…" Satoru pulled a hand from his pocket. "…Wait, you just wanted me to eat with you?"
He'd thought Akane had a problem, but Arisa's interruption made him forget.
"Yup~~" Akane swayed happily. "What else?"
Not true, but she'd found her answer, no need to bother him further.
"Then don't drag me into this again… I thought it was serious." Satoru turned, waving back.
Akane stuck out her tongue at his back. "I'll drag you! I will!"
Satoru ignored her, heading to Class F.
"Bro~~~~!"
Before he could sit, Anji Seiji pounced. "So, was Hisagi Arisa scared shitless?!"
"What?"
"Heard she chewed you out yesterday. Today she brought her boyfriend to flex on you, right?" Anji grinned, all I-know-it-all, patting Satoru's chest. "So when she asked where you were, I spilled. Let her see how popular you are! Nanao Akane's bombshell vibes crush her!"
"Pfft." Satoru sat, unimpressed. "Not like that."
"Not?" Anji gasped. "No way, she confessed too? You're a walking aphrodisiac!"
"Want a fist?"
"Bro, you gotta teach me! How'd you get close to a bombshell like Akane? I want that life! What skill do I need to… touch a bombshell's—"
Satoru thought, then answered sincerely: "First, learn to hiccup."
Anji: ?
…
Akane was heading to Class B when she heard voices from a stairwell corner.
She peeked.
Hisagi Arisa.
The rooftop's reformed good-girl Arisa was now furiously kicking a wall, with Kurashiki Rena watching coldly.
They were cornering a boy, looking like they were bullying him.
Before, Akane might've ignored it. But after Satoru saved her twice, her perspective shifted. Plus, post-subway, she and Arisa were sorta acquainted.
She stepped out. "Hisagi-san!"
Arisa and Rena turned.
Rena frowned. Arisa looked surprised. "Oh, Nanao… you…"
"You" meant Satoru, but with Rena there, Arisa held back.
"Why're you bullying him?" Akane said. "Careful, I'll tell him!"
"Him?" Rena caught the word sharply. Arisa knew who Akane meant, waving frantically. "N-No, it's not like that! Let me explain…"
The cowering boy looked at Akane with hope, thinking this beautiful girl was his heaven-sent savior.
This is fate!
"This guy's Yamamoto Sento!" Arisa said. "Satoru's classmate. Yesterday, he badmouthed him to us, making us misunderstand him!"
Rena got it—"him" was Satoru. But why was Arisa explaining so much to Akane?
Rena knew of Akane: the baseball club's stunning manager, a campus heartthrob.
"…Huh?" Akane blinked, then marched to Arisa's side, glaring at Sento. "How could you do that?!"
Sento's angel turned into a hellish demon.
Rena stared at Akane, shocked.
Another one?
…
…