My Friend Doesn't Hesitate 34

 ACT34     How About a Bite?


「Midoriya-san, would you like to have lunch with me?」

「OK. If you're fine with me, let's eat together.」


Lunch break.

Akami, who she always had lunch with, was absent today, so Mashiro invited Natsu instead, and she readily accepted.

She was thinking of inviting Kiriko as well while she was at it, but,


「Kiri-yan... isn't here today.」

「Yes. Kiri-yan-san has a lunch meeting with the members of the women’s basketball club. It seems they've recently been having those frequently.」

「Hmm. Seems difficult in many ways.」

「They finished at the quarterfinal round in the prefectural tournament, and the third-year students have retired. The team roster from now on is changing due to that, so Kiri-yan-san might be busy for a while.」

「Rather, Midoriya-san, you're incredibly knowledgeable about the situation. Why?」

「Eh? ...... Ah, er, hahahaha.」

「?」


She knew at a glance that Natsu was laughing to evade the question, but Mashiro didn't care about it that much, so she didn't press her about it.

In any case, she and Natsu were having lunch together today.


「Ooh, Mashiro-san, this is a really colorful bento!」

「It's no big deal. It's mostly leftovers from last night's dinner.」

「However, I've heard that quickly made bentos have a generally brown color scheme. In that respect, this vividness is proof that Mashiro-san hasn't cut corners. This is a title winner!」

「... Being praised that much is embarrassing.」


Mashiro's face got a little hot.

With what happened with Kiriko during break time a short while ago and what just happened here at lunch with Natsu, it felt like she was getting excessively praised today.

Of course, she was happy. She was happy, but kind of embarrassed.

Akami would praise her to the sky about all sorts of things, but having other girls do the same to her felt a little different.

...... That's right.


「If you'd like, Midoriya-san, how about a bite? I made the rolled omelet this morning.」

「Ooh, is that okay!?」

「Yeah. You're always a good friend to me, and besides... you helped me a lot this morning.」

「This morning? What do you mean?」

「Midoriya-san, when I was worried about Akami not being here, you were the first to cheer me up, right?」


This morning.

Natsu was unmistakably the one who stopped Mashiro's flashback to the past incident.

When she gently held her hand and gave her encouragement.

She was able to feel a warmth that didn't lose to Akami's, and together with feeling relieved,


「That made me really happy.」

「Mashiro-san.」

「You made me feel once again that friends are incredibly precious. You were the one who taught me that, Midoriya-san. You.」

「Eh... I-I didn't really do that much... my body just moved on its own, I guess you could say?」

「The fact that you can do that by reflex means that Midoriya-san is just that wonderful a person.」

「Uu... ah～～～～～～, p-please don't sweet talk me like that. I'm not used to being praised so much...!」


Natsu stopped using her hands to eat lunch, but held her bright red face with them instead and writhed. She looked like she was about to start rolling back and forth on the classroom floor at any moment. It was kind of interesting.

However, what Mashiro said wasn't flattery, but her true feelings... She felt honored from the bottom of her heart that she was able to be her friend.


「Mido――」


Was that why?

Now, addressing her by her last name didn't feel right to Mashiro.


「Hey.」

「Eh... ah, yes, w-what is it, Mashiro-san?」



「Can I call you Onatsu-san too?」



「――――」


When that was said to her, Natsu seemed to freeze for a moment, but,


「Ah, c-come to think of it, you haven't called me that yet! Yes, you can call me whatever you like. I didn't even realize it myself.」

「Yeah. It's the same with Kiri-yan as well, but I thought again today that I want to get closer to Onatsu-san.」

「I-is that so?」

「Therefore, best regards in the future as well, Onatsu-san.」

「... O-OK.」


She nodded slightly.

After that, she mumbled something like『Calm down. Kiri-yan-san is the one I...』to herself, but Mashiro couldn't fathom what that meant.

Anyway, she felt like she was going to get along well with her as a friend.

As the start of that,


「Well then, Onatsu-san. As a token of our friendship—―」

「Uu?」


With her own chopsticks, she picked up the rolled omelet from her bento,



「Here, open wide.」



「!!!??」


When she held it out to Natsu, for some reason, she was astonished. Her thick glasses made them hard to see, but her eyes were probably opened wide.

Was it really that surprising?


「Here, Onatsu-san, gobble up.」

「Wha, ah, uhh, err...!」

「Here. Open wide.」

「Ummm...!」

「Open wide.」

「...... Thanks for the meal.」


For this, she decided to be assertive.

Natsu did it unenergetically, but she ate the omelet.


「... At times like this, I thought I wouldn't be able to grasp the taste, but in reality it's delicious.」

「? What are you talking about?」

「N-nothing... a-as expected of Mashiro-san's skill, it's an overwhelming title winner!」

「Really? Then how about another one?」

「Eh, I'll refrain! Please do that kind of flirting with Akami-san...!」

「Wehー」


She was declined.

Mashiro was a little dejected... well, she couldn't deny that it felt like she was abruptly taking too big a step. She should probably deepen their relationship slowly without rushing.

While Mashiro was being convinced of that,



「Akami-san, doing this everyday... you have it rough. If Kiri-yan-san did that to me, I would completely fall for her...」



It seemed Natsu was muttering to herself again.

As before, neither the content nor the meaning of it was quite conveyed to Mashiro.


　　☆　　★　　☆　　★　　☆　　★


Haah!?

Once again, romantic comedy waves... moreover, it feels like they're accompanied by homemaking waves as well this time?

... My fever has gradually come down, but I feel like I've correspondingly become more sensitive for some reason.

At the same time, I feel like something is happening at school, and I'm extremely curious.

Shiro-chan, truly, right now, what are you doing?...