【Genya-kun, thank you for the bento these past two days. But please don’t trouble yourself anymore. I believe your Chinese cooking is already excellent—my feedback isn’t needed. If you still lack confidence, you could always ask Class Rep Asou. I’m sure she’d be glad to help.】

Youna Mizuno’s email was a gentle but firm refusal of Ayumu Genya’s kindness. Her few words carried such quiet resolve that Ayumu didn’t know how to reply.

【Mm.】

In the end, Ayumu simply agreed. He saw no point in offering warmth to someone clearly keeping their distance. What he didn’t know was that Youna secretly hoped he’d push back.

The next two afternoon classes passed uneventfully. At dismissal, Yui Asou returned the bento box to Ayumu with a smile. “I never expected your cooking to be this delicious, Ayumu. Truly eye-opening.”

“Cl— I mean, Yui, please stop praising me. I might get cocky.”

Ayumu still fumbled calling a girl by her first name. He glanced at Yui’s face—she hadn’t seemed to notice his slip—and let out a quiet breath of relief.

“Ayumu… do you think Yohei Takagi and Ryuya Inoue might try to get back at me?”

Yui’s anxious tone made Ayumu reconsider. He couldn’t watch over the girls 24/7. If Takagi and Inoue targeted Yui and Youna… he honestly had no solution.

After careful thought, Ayumu couldn’t offer empty reassurance. Words wouldn’t change the grim reality.

“How about this?” Yui suggested softly, seeing his worry. “Walk me home after school. Once I’m inside, even if they try something… they can’t reach me.”

Her words struck Ayumu like a wake-up call. *This is the most practical solution.*

“Mm. Okay. Though you might miss club activities these next few days.”

Ayumu recalled Yui lived near his route home—a slight detour was fine. He’d worried about cram school or clubs eating time.

“Don’t worry. I quit my club after entering third year to focus on studies.”

*Predictable,* Ayumu thought. But cram school?

“And… cram school?”

“I’ll start math tutoring next month. For now, I study at home.”

Relief washed over him. Walking her home wouldn’t take long. *But Youna…*

Ayumu’s chest tightened. Youna was staying at an internet café—unsafe enough. Worse, Takagi and Inoue knew where she lived *and* worked. They could find her anytime.

“What’s wrong, Ayumu? Are you busy?”

Yui mistook his distraction for hesitation about her request.

“Nothing.”

Ayumu scanned the classroom. Youna was gone—likely rushing to her part-time job. Takagi and Inoue were gone too. A cold dread coiled in his gut.

Then he remembered Youna’s chilly lunchtime email. *Was I overstepping? Did I hurt her pride?*

“Youna left already. I’ll email her to stay careful.”

Asking which café she stayed at might backfire. Better to keep it simple.

【Mizuno-san, if you encounter Takagi or Inoue outside school, send your location immediately. I’ll come as fast as I can.】

Before Ayumu got a reply, Yui spoke up:

“Ayumu… can we exchange emails too? So I can contact you if I’m ever in danger.”

Too reasonable to refuse. After swapping addresses, Youna’s reply arrived.

【Understood. Thank you for your concern, Genya-kun.】

*She’s safe. For now.* Ayumu exhaled.

“Yui, let’s go.”

“Mm.”

The walk home was quiet. Yui offered occasional comments; Ayumu mostly listened. Two lifetimes of social awkwardness left him terrible at chatting with girls—and he’d *wanted* to seem boring. Keeping distance felt safer.

“Wait here a sec. I need to grab a book.”

Passing a bookstore, Ayumu remembered the Chinese textbook he needed. Yui followed him in, curious.

He found it quickly under “Study Materials—Foreign Languages.” After flipping through a few, he picked the most basic one.

“Self-studying Chinese?” Yui asked, surprised after he paid.

“Just a personal interest.”

*No way he’d admit it was to teach someone.* Curiosity was the safest cover.

“Ayumu… first Chinese cooking, now Chinese? Don’t tell me you’re planning to move to China?”

Yui joked—but her eyes widened when she caught the fleeting longing on his face.

“If the chance comes… I wouldn’t mind living there,” he replied lightly.

She took it seriously.

All the way to her house, Yui asked gentle questions about Chinese culture. Ayumu, talking about what he genuinely loved, grew animated—vividly describing traditions, history, flavors. He completely forgot his “boring persona.”

Each time he glanced at Yui—her warm smile, her sincere attention—a quiet unease stirred. *Did I miss something?* And strangely… the space between them felt smaller.

Only at her gate did Ayumu realize how long he’d talked. *She listened the whole time. Never interrupted.*

“Ayumu, see you tomorrow. I hope to hear more about Chinese culture.”

“See you tomorrow.”

Yui’s voice sparkled with genuine delight. Ayumu’s reply was flat.

*Exactly the opposite of what I intended.*