Too Many Losing Heroines! - Volume 1 - Chapter 3.4

Intermission:

She’s Right Behind Me, Isn’t She?

AMONG THE MANY FACES ADDING TO THE LOW DIN of the cafeteria, one in particular stood out like a sore thumb. She tied her bright brown hair into a loose ponytail and looked lazily up at the poster on the wall.

“Toyohashi Student Council Coalition Meet—Junior & High School Divisions.”

Shikiya Yumeko, second-year secretary of Tsuwabuki High School’s student council, stood at the ready to serve whoever came up in line, in the meantime keeping watch on her underclassman busily attending to their own duties.

One in particular caught her white-tinted eye. A young girl in an apron was working fast, faster than the line could move. She served a mound of rice with a ladle of curry to its side on one plate before the next was even ready. Shikiya even suspected she was taking gender into account—more for boys, slightly less for girls. She picked up a spare plate with a serving meant for one of the boys.

A smirk snuck up on her.

The amounts weren’t different at all. It only seemed like the women’s mounds of rice were smaller, and the girl was simply hiding the rest beneath the curry.

“Girls, your plates are over here!” she announced. “Salad’s coming soon!”

“You,” Shikiya said, softly as ever. “I like your ethic.”

The girl jumped slightly. She turned to Shikiya, her eyes darting between the secretary’s exposed shoulders and navel. “Naughty…”

“I’m…sorry?”

“Ah, my apologies. Just admiring how fashionable and mature my Tsuwabuki betters are.”

“You wouldn’t be the first,” Shikiya breathed.

The girl handed a tray with salad to a student from another school and shouted more instructions. Things were moving like a well-oiled machine.

“Are you…interested in our school?” Shikiya asked.

“Yes, I am, as a matter of fact. My brother’s a first-year there. I’m hoping we’ll get to attend together in a couple of years.” Her smile was bright and refined. She removed her hair wrap, long black strands spilling down her back. “Today has been an invaluable experience. Would you mind if I asked you more about your school later?”

“Not at all… Would you like to sit together?” Shikiya searched the sea of people until she found someone waving at her—Houkobaru Hibari, Tsuwabuki’s student council president.

“I’d love to!” The girl scanned the sea herself as she folded up her apron. Everyone had a plate.

“Weren’t you…? Earlier,” Shikiya said, “weren’t you cooking something? Red rice?”

“Oh, yes.” She held a finger up. “Just to say hi.”

“I…see.” Shikiya didn’t ask. “I’m a secretary at Tsuwabuki… Shikiya. Yumeko. You are?”

The girl picked up a (deceptively heavy) plate of curry and smiled. “Nukumizu Kaju, Momozono Junior High general affairs. Nice to meet you!”