Chapter 15: Best Friend 2 (Bento)

Author Note:

It will be from a Ryo perspective.

This time and next time, I've tried to write in a way that makes Rui seem cute.

I really want everyone to fall in love with Rui.

Best Friend 2 (Bento)

Ryo's POV

School starts tomorrow, today is the last day of Golden Week, and my date with Rui.

Since our last date, Rui has become less friendly and no longer accompanies me to the convenience store or when I ask her to go shopping for my mother.

Maybe I did something to upset her on our last date, but I didn't see any signs of it when we were leaving, so I'm not sure.

It feels like my plan to win over Rui is going smoothly. It won't be me who has to initiate it, but rather Rui has to become aware of me, accept me, and desire me.

By pushing and pulling to the limit.

By doing so, she will realize that she likes me and will be prepared to accept me.

Of course, the first prerequisite is that she has to like me, but I'm absolutely confident of that, otherwise the relationship would have fallen apart quickly.

If by any chance another man tries to get on base, I intend to force my way through.

I'm not an insensitive dumb protagonist.

I won't let anyone take my Rui.

•

•

Well, it's almost time to go pick up Rui. I'm simply looking forward to a date with Rui. Of course, I love Rui, well, saying love sounds heavy so I won't say it yet.

Rui greets me at the entrance, and she looks so happy that I can't help but smile too.

Still, since our date last week, or rather since I rescued her from the pick-up line, I feel like she's become even cuter and more adorable.

I use my rational mind to suppress the urge to hug her immediately and pretends to be extremely calm.

"Good morning, Rui. I see you've got a braided look today. I also like your straight hair, it suits you so well, it's cute."

When I praise her, she immediately turns red like litmus paper changing color, it's so cute.

Rui is a flawless beautiful girl, including her personality.

Thanks to my mother, being a former man isn't a negative, and if I think of her as a best friend, it's only a big positive. I can't accept a woman whose personality I don't even know well, no matter how beautiful she is.

It goes without saying that she has the cutest face in the world, her blonde hair is beautiful, thin, and silky, semi-long, straight, she's 156cm tall, I don't know how much she weighs, but when I hold her I can't imagine it's more than 50kg, her bust is 93cm and E70, it's huge, this info is from Nae, as your brother I'm lucky to have such a kind sister (of course I praise her a lot and spoils her), she has a well-defined waist, thin, white, soft-looking arms and legs, her butt looks big in comparison but is small and well-shaped, everything about her is perfect.

Her outfit today is a simple, refreshing, ladylike one, a white blouse and a light green, thin, knee-length flared skirt, which goes well with her blonde hair. Her shoes are white, low-heeled pumps.

"Your clothes look fresh today, and you look like a young lady, that's lovely."

"You baka! That's an exaggerated compliment..."

She doesn't seem completely opposed.

The nasty remarks made at times like this are just an expression of embarrassment, and are simply cute.

Today she was carrying a backpack instead of a bag, but whatever, it's cute.

•

•

•

First, we plan to visit the aquarium and watch the dolphin show.

Aquariums are like a kind of fantasy space, and you get the illusion that you are in a completely different space from an amusement park or a movie theater. Rui also seems even more fantastical, and I can't help but want to keep watching her, as she looks surprised and stares intently at the fish.

However, if I just stare at Rui, I'm afraid she'll get mad and tell me we came to the aquarium to look at the fish, so I look at that a fair bit too. I'd be in trouble if she got mad at me about what I was looking at when we talked later. I want to say I was looking at Rui, but I'm sure she'd really get mad if I did that, and if she said there was no point in going out with me, I'd just die.

As expected, the aquarium is frequented by many couples as well as families with children. There are high school students like us, but it also seems to be a wide range of age groups, from adults to elderly couples. Perhaps it's because it's a fantasy space with a calming atmosphere.

We looked around, taking photos of each other with our smartphones, and then decided to watch the dolphin show.

Dolphins are smart, that's it.

I kept glancing at Rui out of the corner of my eye throughout the dolphin show; surprised faces, smiling faces, happy faces, and faces that occasionally looked my way and laughed. In the fantasy space, I couldn't see her faces very clearly, but here we were outside and the weather was nice, so I could see her face clearly. Perhaps that's why Rui looked so much brighter than usual.

Is it something about water splashes and positive ions or something? I don't know.

Anyway, I'm grateful to the Dolphins for letting me see this Rui today, you guys are not just clever.

I suggested we have lunch at a nearby restaurant.

"Why don't we eat at the nature park?"

"Okay, but why?"

"No... I made bento..."

"---Eh!?"

What a surprise! The contents of the backpack were Bento, and what's more, she had made them!?

As far as I know, she's not that good at cooking yet, and she only helped out with last night's dinner, so I guess I'll just have to eat the frozen ready-made food, or even if it tastes awful, it's homemade by Rui! No, I'm really happy!

"--- you don't like it... I guess..."

"No way! Not eating Rui's lunch is not an option for me! I'll be happy to eat it!"

"That's good," Rui said in relief.

Rui led me to move to a nature park and sits on a bench, spreading out the bento.

"I tried my best to make it this morning, and it's all handmade."

Looking at the bento, there was a triangular onigiri wrapped in seaweed that looked like it had been made by hand, a misshapen hamburger steak, a sausage that looked like an octopus but whose legs weren't bent properly, a mottled omelet that was more orange than yellow, rape blossoms dressed in sesame which looked fine, and carrots cut into star shapes for decoration, as well as pickled radish.

All of this is handmade by Rui!? The pickled radish is probably different, but it's still more than amazing.

Regardless of appearance, the bento was so full of love that it moved me to tears.

"Ryo, since it's a special date, I want you to be happy, and I thought that even if the food here isn't the best, it would still taste good."

It's true that the natural park setting might mask the taste a little, but! I no longer notice the setting! All I can see is Rui and the bento!

Rui has been working hard since this morning to make this for me, and just knowing that makes me feel like I could eat it even if she served me charcoal and enjoy it. I'm so happy that my vision is blurred and tears are flowing. How pathetic.

"Hey hey, you haven't even eaten yet, why are you crying tears of joy? What an embarrassment."

"Shut up, you'll never understand how moving this is."

"Just eat it quickly, I made it for you, Ryo."

"I know, which one do you want me to eat first?"

"Um... no, um... onigiri... maybe."

"This onigiri was made by Rui, right?"

"Yeah, that's right, sorry, let me know if it makes you feel uncomfortable."

"No way, I'm so happy! Itadakimasu!"

Munch, munch, this is salmon, a classic topping, delicious, it tastes a bit like Rui's.

"It's so delicious! I guess it's filled with love because Rui made it."

"You idiot, I suppose there might be a little bit in there..."

I then ate all the other side dishes, including octopus sausages, hamburger steak, sesame dressing, and omelet.

Regardless of appearance, the food was delicious, packed with love and flavour.

"Despite their appearance, this is all incredibly delicious! I think this is the first time I've ever eaten anything this delicious."

"That's an exaggeration, it's nothing compared to Maya-san, but thank you, I'm happy."

Rui said this, tears streaming down her face.

"Rui was crying tears of joy too, what an embarrassment."

"Shut up, you'll never understand how moving this is."

"That's what I said just now, don't steal it."

We both laughed at that and felt happy.

Ah, no matter how you look at it, we are a lovey-dovey couple, I'm so happy, I feel like I'm in heaven.

"Don't just see me eat it, Rui, you should eat it too. This is enough for two people."

"Yeah, but it was really good, yeah, it was good."

She muttered as if he was savoring the thought deeply.

•

•

"Thank you for the food."

"Thank you for the meal."

As we finished our lunches while chatting, a question suddenly occurred to me.

"---Why did you decide to bring a homemade lunch this time?"

"Actually, after our first date, when I told Maya-san about it, I mentioned the second date, and she suggested that I surprise Ryo by making you a homemade bento next time."

"I guess it was my mother who instigated it, but how did you do it? You hadn't even done much cooking for dinner yet."

"I decided what to make, concentrated, and received intensive training from Maya-san. I hardly went out during Golden Week, so I trained all the time when Ryo wasn't around."

"Oh, so that's why my mother started forcing me to go out more and more. That's why Rui refused when I asked you to go out with me. I thought I had done something wrong."

"Hmm? You thought I hated you? That I wanted to see your lonely face? Fufu, so cute ♡"

"I was honestly a little worried, and I was worried that the worst case scenario would be that our date would be canceled."

"I'm sorry about that, it was a surprise and I couldn't let anyone find out."

"I don't mind it right now, it was so delicious and I was so happy, and just hearing Rui say that she made the lunch for me made me so happy, I almost cried."

I decided that I might not be able to continue along this path.

"Rui."

"Hmm?"

"I want to kiss you, is that okay?"

"---No good."

Despite the unexpected defeat, and my emotions that had been soaring to the top of the world, I managed to pull myself together by realizing that it was my own fault for getting too cocky.

However, after being criticized so directly, I don't yet have the courage to push further.

"I see, well then there's no other way, let's take a break and then go."

I think it was just my imagination, but for just a brief moment, I thought Rui's expression looked like she was clinging to me.

•

•

After putting away the bento, Rui stood up first and turned to face me, when a strong spring wind hit us.

Rui's skirt was rolled up, and I could clearly see her light blue panties, white thighs, and the lower abdomen above her panties.

I didn't act lovey-dovey like I usually do, but instead put everything I had into this moment and burned it into my retina and brain.

Her light blue panties made it clear that Rui was a girl, with a beautiful gap between her thighs and the crotch area, and her white thighs looked soft and beautiful, and her lower abdomen had a texture that made you want to stroke it.

It looked so delicious that I wanted to have it as dessert, so it's definitely tonight's side dish.

By the way, I wasn't particularly interested in underwear, so I stared at her thighs and lower abdomen.

Rui stiffened for a moment, then hurriedly held down her skirt and looked around.

"Did you see that?! Did you see it?!"

"---Of course I saw it, and I remember it perfectly. The underwear was really cute, and your thighs looked delicious. Perhaps that was my dessert?"

"There's no way that's true! Ryo! You! Forget it! Immediately!"

"No, I'll treasure this memory forever."

"Ryo, you!!"

She's shaking a little and looks angry, but she's so cute I'm not scared, just like how even when a kitten is angry, you can't help but think it's cute.

"I guess I'll just have to accept it as a surprise to please me."

"--Damn---Well, I guess there's no other way, but..."

Rui was muttering something but I didn't pay it any attention.

I close my eyes for a moment and ruminate, "Hmm, she's cute, sexy, and beautiful." My crotch starts to rise, so I stop myself. It would be bad if that's going to rise right now.

I got up and we decided to just wander around and head home after that. Today had been a very meaningful date.

On the way home, we naturally held hands like lovers, it's nice to hold hands while enjoying the afterglow of the journey home.

And what made me happiest was holding hands with Rui.