My Cat Girl Neighbor Is Impossible to Understand

Chapter 8: Chapter 8 - Lunch Invitation

Mondays were always just a bit more energetic.

Having spent two days away from school, students had plenty of things to talk about. From shopping to unfinished homework, and even pictures of their pets, there was everything under the sun.

Energy filled the classroom before the first bell even rung.

Sui took a seat near the window, quietly studying his notes for the day’s lesson.

Calming mornings were his specialty.

It became almost habitual listening to classroom’s chatter from the distance.

A few moments later, the classroom’s door opened.

Yuiko came in.

Greeting the teacher with polite bow, she made her way to the seat by Sui’s side.

"...Good morning."

"Morning."

Putting her bag on her desk, she added:

"...Did you get home safely on Saturday?"

Sui glanced at her amused.

"Our houses are next to each other."

Yuiko blinked.

"...Right."

A short silence ensued.

And they both smiled.

It was the kind of little mistake which only became comical due to their growing comfort with each other.

Just then—

"Sui!"

A familiar voice sounded in the classroom.

Haru Inuzuka practically flew over to them.

Wagging so enthusiastic that it bumped the edge of one of the desks, his golden retriever tail followed him.

"Morning!"

"Morning," answered Sui.

Yuiko nodded politely.

"...Good morning."

Haru folded his hands dramatically.

"Hmm."

Sui looked up.

"What?"

"I’ve been observing."

"...That’s scary."

"It should be."

Haru pointed at both of them.

"You two."

"What about us?"

"You two arrive together."

Sui answered calmly.

"We’re neighbors."

"I know."

"You two leave together."

"We’re going the same way."

"I know."

"You two even buy snacks together."

Yuiko’s ears twitched.

"...You saw that?"

"I was buying sports drinks."

He grinned.

"You looked like an old married couple, arguing over potato chips."

Yuiko almost dropped her pencil.

"W-What?"

Sui sighed.

"You’re exaggerating."

"I absolutely am not."

Haru leaned over a bit.

"So..."

"Are you two friends now?"

The question hung in the air.

Sui glanced at Yuiko.

Yuiko looked at him.

Friends...

Neither of them ever called the other one friend.

Sui answered after a brief pause.

"...I guess so."

Yuiko perked her ears.

"...Me too."

Haru happily smacked his desk.

"I knew it!"

Several students nearby turned their heads.

"What are you yelling about now?"

"Nothing!"

Laughing, he turned to them.

"In that case..."

Pointing at the clock, he said:

"Lunch."

"...What about it?"

"Let’s have lunch together."

Yuiko blinked.

"...Together?"

"Yep!"

Looking unsure, she added:

"I don’t want to interrupt."

"You won’t."

"I usually have my lunch with Sui anyway."

Sui raised an eyebrow.

"You invited yourself."

"And I’ve never stopped you."

"...Point taken."

Looking at Yuiko with a friendly smile, Haru asked:

"So?"

She hesitated.

Suddenly, the classroom seemed really loud to her.

Laughter of other students, noise of desks being moved, opening of lunch boxes... She was not used to having lunch with anyone.

What if she spoiled the conversation?

What if she remained quiet once again?

Almost unconsciously, she glanced at Sui.

He just nodded.

No pressure.

No expectations.

Just a silent promise that she was free to choose for herself.

"...Okay."

She answered softly.

"I’d like that."

Throwing both of his fists into the air, Haru exclaimed:

"Mission accomplished!"

"You make it sound like a difficult task."

"It was."

Dramatically wiping imaginary sweat from his forehead, he added:

"I was nervous."

Yuiko tilted her head.

"...You?"

"Of course."

"What if you heard a ’no’?"

"I would have cried."

"...Really?"

"No."

"...Oh."

Sui chuckled.

"You believed him."

"...For a second."

Haru laughed loud.

"I like this."

Looking up from his notebook, Sui asked:

"What?"

"You were laughing."

"So?"

"Both of you."

Pointing at them with one hand, he said:

"A few weeks ago, this conversation would have been impossible."

Yuiko considered this.

He was right.

When she first transferred...

Just to say "good morning" to Sui took all of her courage.

Now...

They were joking about snacks, telling little jokes, even laughing...

How gradually this change happened and she did not even notice it herself.

The first lunch bell rung.

Students started arranging their desks.

Pushing his own towards Sui’s with enthusiasm, Haru said:

"There."

Looking at Yuiko, he added:

"Come on."

Yuiko carefully took her lunch box and pushed her desk towards theirs.

For a brief moment...

She realized that several other students watched them.

Not feeling anxious...

She decided to sit down.

"...Thank you."

Haru smiled.

"No problem."

Silently opening his lunch box, Sui quietly sat down.

The three of them were sitting together under warm spring sunlight shining through classroom windows.

It was nothing special.

Just three classmates having their lunch.

But for Yuiko...

It was her first day when she felt she really belonged somewhere since she transferred to this school.

And somehow...

This ordinary lunch was bound to become one of memories she will cherish.

It was getting into its usual flow for lunchtime.

Friends formed groups sitting around the combined desks, while laughter resonated all around the room. Home-made lunches mingled with the bread from the school store.

Haru rubbed his hands together.

"Alright!"

"Here we go! Our very first lunch together!"

Some surrounding students turned their heads towards them.

Sui sighed.

"Do you really have to announce everything?"

"Absolutely."

Yuiko put her lunchbox on the desk.

The lunchbox was wrapped in light blue cloth and tied with a knot.

She carefully untied it and opened it.

Inside she had riceballs in the shape of cats, rolled omelets, cherry tomatoes, broccoli and some grilled salmon.

Haru’s eyes lit up.

"Wow..."

"You made these yourself?"

Yuiko nodded.

"...My mom taught me."

"They’re cute."

"They’re just rice balls."

"But they look like cats."

Yuiko took a look at them.

"...I got carried away."

Sui took a look inside his lunchbox.

"I think it’s pretty."

Yuiko blushed.

"...Thank you."

Haru proudly opened his lunch box.

What he saw there could hardly be called organized.

The rice filled one corner, the sausages lay unevenly, and one solitary broccoli floret was upside down.

Sui looked at that.

"...You packed this in the dark, huh?"

"I packed it when I was late."

"That explains a lot."

"It builds character."

"It builds confusion."

Yuiko tried not to laugh covering her mouth.

Haru pointed to that with an exaggerated gesture.

"You laughed!"

"...A little."

"I’ll take it."

For a couple of minutes the three remained silent, quietly eating.

Then they started talking about homework and preferred snacks from convenience stores.

Haru argued that spicy chips are the best thing that has ever been invented.

Sui denied that.

Yuiko didn’t choose a side.

"They’re both good."

"That’s not an answer, Yuiko!" - protested Haru.

"Then you avoid conflict."

"That’s boring."

"Boring suits me just fine," - Sui said.

"I know that."

Yuiko smiled.

Somehow it seemed to her, that hearing them discussing something so trivial actually makes this lunch much easier to deal with.

Unconsciously reaching her chopsticks to the center of the table, she picked up one rolled omelet.

"...Mm."

It tasted sweet.

Very sweet.

She blinked.

"...This doesn’t taste like mine."

Silence.

Haru slowly took a look at his lunchbox.

Sui took a look at his as well.

Where his omelet used to be there was now an empty place.

Yuiko followed their gaze.

Then she took a look at the piece still held by her chopsticks.

"..."

"..."

"..."

She raised her ears.

"I..."

Yuiko looked at Sui.

"...I stole your omelet."

Haru laughed out loud.

"You really did!"

"I..."

Yuiko blushed hard.

"I am terribly sorry!"

"I wasn’t paying attention!"

Quickly putting her lunchbox before Sui she exclaimed:

"Please!"

"You can have mine!"

Sui looked at the omelet piece identical to the one he just lost in her lunchbox.

"...Are you trying to trade evidence?"

"I..."

"...Maybe."

Haru laughed even louder.

"I never saw someone committing lunch theft like this."

Yuiko lowered her head.

"...I want to disappear."

Sui took another piece of omelet from Yuiko’s lunchbox and placed it in his own.

"There."

"...We’re even."

She blinked.

"...You’re not upset?"

"Just one piece."

"...Still..."

"But you apologized."

"And..."

Sui gave a small smile.

"I don’t think that thieves usually admit their crimes immediately."

For a moment Yuiko just stared at him.

Then...

A small laugh escaped her lips.

"...That’s true."

Haru pointed at them with his chopsticks.

"You two are unbelievable."

"What now?" - asked Sui.

"Normal people would make this situation more dramatic."

"You just exchanged your omelets like it’s some kind of treaty of peace."

"It worked."

"I cannot argue with that."

The three of them laughed out loud.

Their laugh attracted some curious looks from other students nearby.

One of them whispered to another:

"Aren’t Nekozawa laughing?"

"I’ve never seen her smile before."

The other nodded.

"She looks totally different."

Yuiko heard them.

Under normal circumstances she would feel self-conscious.

Instead she looked at the two guys sitting across the table.

Haru still dramatically mourned about the "great omelet incident".

Sui calmly continued to eat as if nothing unusual had happened.

And without realizing she smiled again.

This time...

She didn’t try to hide it.

The rest of the lunch went smoothly, with easy conversation, jokes and laughter, much more than they expected.

When the bell rang marking the end of the break, Yuiko carefully closed her lunchbox.

As she wrapped it in the blue cloth, she whispered to Sui so low that only he could hear her:

"...Next time..."

He took a look at her.

"...I’ll make you an extra omelet."

Sui chuckled.

"I’ll be looking forward to it."

Yuiko nodded blushing.

"...Good."

It was such a small promise.

It was born from a humiliating mistake.

But for some reason, it made her thoughts about tomorrow’s lunch brighter.