2-4

Alice’s word pierced me when she said I’d lie without the slightest feel of guilt. It’s not piercing because it hurt, but because it was so precise. During the commotion earlier, I wasn’t intending to do as that guy demanded. It was just that the situation was so unfavorable to me so I had to play along, pushed some excuses to flee and reforge my plan. Things got easier for me because Ms. Claire just butted in at the perfect time even though she was just doing her job.

Talking about our classroom teacher, she’s teaching us mathematics. Never in my life I’d imagine myself complimenting her but she’s really good at simplifying things for students to understand. No wonder she was admitted here. Our school was extremely selective in picking both teachers and students. While students were among elites, teachers also would have to cater to such high standard.

Right after the math class ended with Ms. Claire leaving the room, I took the initiative to Line the girl from this morning. For some reasons, I had her number saved in my contact list. Not only that, my mind had been long tingling to mess with her for being cocky.

I asked her to come to rooftop for lunch.

There would be a great opportunity for me to do something because there usually wouldn’t be much people going there during break. What am I going to do? Well, it’s not something I should say now.

Time had passed and it’s almost the end of the final period before the lunch time. While the class had been patiently waiting for the English class to wrap up, we heard a sudden zraaappp!

Coming from the front door, Watanabe Kina was panting slowly. Although it wasn’t really obvious, she definitely rushed here if not running. Our English teacher was one of a scary kind. Surely, she didn’t like her students to come late to school especially her class. You’re basically declaring war if you do that.

15 minutes before the period ended, no students were able to get away from listening teacher’s annoying reprimand to Kina. Blab la bla… it was so uselessly loud that some of us already started playing with their phone. Others just put on earphone and ignored the whole babbling. There were also who was obediently listening as if they’re also guilty.

While at it, the teacher took the opportunity to censure her bitchy appearance. It was very rare for teachers to even care about how their students dress up as long as they wear the school uniform. To point it out, it just meant the teacher was bloated with displeasure or perhaps her own OCD.

Woah, so unprofessional.

Regardless, Kina’s red-tinting face when getting scolded made it very entertaining for me. Being someone who had known each other for quite a long time, Kina decided to glare at me with resenting eyes while I bounced it off with a sarcastic smile. After being exhausted by the seemingly endless scolding, Kina was finally allowed to take her seat and prior doing so, she threw me a pouting pair of stare and mumbled “idiot!”

That’s what you get for upsetting me.

Ding… Dong! Our soothing bell rang for our lunch break. Immediately, I took the earliest step to become the first one who exited the class that day. Noticing my unusual rushing behavior, Kina decided to tag along. There were two lunch boxes that she brought with her, perhaps she picked it up at the convenient store while on the way to school.

Walking steadily forward, I started a conversation,

“Didn’t you just call me idiot?”

Kina with straight face replied,

“It can’t be helped. I’m your maid so I have to do my job.”

“I didn’t call you but… nevertheless, I may need your help.”

“You’re really like a tsun-tsun guy.”

I wasn’t in the mood of getting made fun of so I just glanced at her through the corner of my eyes.

“Do you want to clean the house again?”

Kina hastily raised her hands and shook her head in panic.

“N-No, no, no! Please spare me! That was just too sadistic!”

I’m not gonna tell her this but if she decided to cheat and not doing the cleaning, things would’ve been light for her. I wouldn’t have known if she actually did the cleaning, it was quite impossible to notice any changes since the mansion was already clean in the first place. To do what she did was just proving her loyalty to me. Not that I know.

“Today I feel like having lunch at the rooftop.”

“Hm, isn’t that place too windy? I doubt we’re gonna have a good time eating there.”

“I’m gonna meet someone up there. It’s about the student council.”

“Alice?”

“Nope, someone else.”

“Are you going for a recruit?!”

Kina seemed surprise of her own self-induced conclusion. Though I had different plan in mind but Kina’s out-of-nowhere idea was also not bad.

“Well, uh… something like that I guess…?”

All the main blocks of the school buildings had some kind of rooftop gardens and they were connected to each other via bridges just like how it was connected at the lower level. In order to go there, we had to take the middle stairs straight to the uppermost floor. Then, we finally got into the garden via a wide stairs which led to a fiberglass pair of entrance doors.

When we opened the door, the air that rushed into our face felt very pleasant, it smelled so green. The school purposely built this place for students to have some tranquilization time but for some reason, it’s not so popular. So, there often less people you’ll be bumping here. Plus, it was built like a puzzle for the first half and the latter half a wide open area. Finding other people in this area with given situation was like playing hide and seek.

I pity the designer.

After making our way around the simple puzzle, we stumbled upon our goal – the girl who blatantly accused me this morning. She was seated on a bench, looking curiously at the smartphone. Her legs were quite unrested, tapping non-stop as if she’s waiting something to pop out of her device.

However, that had changed once she saw me to which later she had a glance at Kina, she immediately dropped in disappointment.

“What’s up? Your attitude really differs compared to this morning?” I asked her in sarcastic voice.

"What do you want?”

She acted big but at the same time, scared. I knew by the look of her watery eyes, she seemed like she’s gonna cry any time now.

Even that, I think what made her act like this was because Kina’s presence. Since Kina was absent this morning, maybe she thought it’s her chance now.

Nevertheless, I feel like her face had some sort of resemblance to someone.

Despite getting a reluctant answer, I paid it no concern. Calmly, I observed her surrounding in which she hadn’t had anything else with her except a smartphone in her hand. Thus I asked,

“Where’s your lunch?”

Realizing, she looked around the bench before diving into brief thought.

“I… forgot about it.”

“Doesn’t matter, I got one more for you.”

That statement somehow caught Kina’s attention in which she went “E-eh… w-what do-“

Even before she got to finish her sentence, I already confiscated the lunch boxes she was holding.

“…W-wwait!” she tried to resist but regardless, since it’s me, she couldn’t really put her full force in doing so. With the lunchboxes unhanded from her, she went into a state of disbelief. Her lips couldn’t stop mumbling the sound of soft “ehh.”

“There you go, thank you for buying us the lunch.”

“What about me…?”

“You go eat at the cafeteria or something. I heard they just put some new menus to pick from. Check that for me too.”

She paused momentarily while staring at me, then heaved a resigning sigh. To put it simply, she saw my face which expressed a ‘leave us alone, you’re a bother right now’ and that’s why there was not a single complaint made afterwards. Kina’s expression however, was a little balked to follow that wordless order. Regardless, she waved it off.

“Understood, have fun you two.”

With Kina vanished from our view, the other girl’s expression became apparent. She was left slightly open-mouthed.

“Is there something in my face?”

She came back to her sense before replying.

“N-no, I never thought Watanabe-senpai can just leave us alone so easily. I thought she would just stick around and mess with me.”

What do you think she is? Unlucky for you, I’m the one who will be messing with you.

Raising the lunchboxes into the air, I invited,

“Let’s have lunch.”