Well then, the lunch break arrived after the friendly sparring matches concluded safely, with everyone treating their minor scratches.
"Let's deepen our friendship outside of class!"
Prompted by this statement from the energetic Haibara, who didn't seem to hold a grudge even to the extent of a single micron despite losing every match earlier, the three new first-year students decided to eat lunch together and were now smacking their lips over their respective meals in the school cafeteria.
Naoya brought out a bento box wrapped in a furoshiki , Nanami had purchased a hot sandwich from the school store, and Haibara had brought an extra-large serving of curry from the cafeteria.
"Oh, Zen'in-kun, you have a bento!"
"That's right. There's a lotta stuff I can't eat. I basically cook for myself. Also, call me Naoya. There's a stupid amount of Zen'ins, so it's confusin'."
"Naoya-kun's family home is one of the Three Great Sorcerer Families, isn't it? ...I am not well-versed in the jujutsu world, but is it accurate to have an image similar to a zaibatsu like 'Mitsubishi'?"
"Well, yeah. They got money and power, so I guess it's similar. Good analogy."
"I see..."
"By the way, regarding the food, if there are things you can't eat, should we avoid sharing?"
"I don't mind givin' you guys some of mine. But mine is nothin' but vegetables and mushrooms. I don't think it'll taste that good even if ya eat it, ya know?"
"I'll try a bite just to see!"
"Sure thing. Then I'll share this with ya. Sautéed mushrooms and olives."
"Thanks for the food! Oh, this goes well with rice...!"
"Does it? I can't eat rice, so I don't really know 'bout that."
"Rice is no good either? If it is an allergy, it seems quite severe..."
"It ain't like that. It's different from an allergy. ...Well, I guess it's fine to tell ya since this much is within the range where it's easy to get found out. ...I live my daily life by placing a 'Binding' on myself. For example, like this meal. I ban eating meat and the ten grains, makin' it feel like 'Wood-Eating' . The real thing forbids heatin' too, but I'd die from that, so I stopped there."
"I see, jujutsu reinforcement through a Binding..."
"You're stoic, Naoya-kun."
"Well, yeah. I wanna become strong, so I've been doin' it since I was a brat. ...By the way, Haibara-kun, does your voice volume not change any more than that?"
"Ah, you're pointing it out. I was wondering if I should say it..."
"Eh, was it hard to hear!?"
" The opposite."
"I guess that's just how he is."
"Ehh!?"
Through such exchanges, the three first-years began to break the ice. Their chat continued until the chime signaling the end of the lunch break echoed.
-----
"New students, congratulations on your enroll—"
"Cheeerrs!"
"—Satoru? I'm going to get angry, you know?"
A little while after the lunch break. The event held in the lounge of the Tech High dormitory was the welcome party for new first-years that had ended in an attempt yesterday. This event, held due to Satoru Gojo pushing his claim that "I think it's not good to steal youth from young people!" and Suguru Geto, who heard the circumstances from him and formally applied to Yaga, was a homely affair: Sponsor - Satoru Gojo, Recreation Planning - Satoru Gojo, Shopping - Suguru Geto & Shoko Ieiri.
However, the plan conceived by Gojo written on the whiteboard was quite terrible.
1. Suguru gives a greeting or something.
2. Snack Party!
3. Talent Show!
4. Momotetsu 99 Years until morning!
"Satoru-kun? How serious is this? This plan."
"Obviously all of it is serious~? What are you saying, Naoya?"
"...Naoya, Satoru is this kind of guy."
"He's an idiot, right? Well, it's fine, let's just do whatever, Junior. We bought juice too, with Gojo's money."
"Juice usually doesn't have alcohol content, right? I won't drink, 'cause of my 'Binding' too."
"You can drink fermented grape juice, right?"
"Only my dad calls red wine that, but I guess people like that exist..."
"...I feel like the only senior I can respect is Geto-san."
"Really? Everyone seems like a good person though?"
"Haibara-kun, being too good-natured is also something to consider."
"Anyway, only my snacks are acorn seeds. What's the meanin' of this?"
"...Shoko? Isn't that a bit too pitiful?"
"Eh, wasn't it Geto? The one who put the acorns labeled 'For Naoya'. I just bought crunchy plums, vinegar kelp, bamboo shoots, and stem seaweed, you know?"
"I bought dried fruits too..."
"I switched them!"
"Satoru-kun. That's crossin' the line. Normally. In that case, I got an idea too."
"Heeh? You wanna go?"
"Hey, both of you, fighting is a bit—"
Yes, right after Geto tried to stop them, Naoya formed a hand sign at high speed and expanded his Domain, and to intercept it, Gojo expanded his Infinity—however.
Contrary to the expectations of Gojo and those around him, Naoya's figure vanished from the spot in an instant, and no damage was done to the surroundings.
"Huh?"
"...Did the junior go home because Gojo bullied him?"
"Seriously!? That was within the range of teasing!"
"Satoru, I think that normally crossed that range..."
Even Gojo deactivated his technique and looked awkward, and the other second-years and first-years also wore incredibly awkward expressions.
But amidst that, Naoya suddenly appeared just as he had disappeared. In his hand, there was a single 'plastic case' that he didn't have a moment ago.
"—Satoru-kun. You know what this is, right?"
"!? Hey, seriously, sto—!?"
"—Alright, I'll hold Satoru down! Do it, Naoya!"
"Puttin' a PS2 here for Momotetsu was a bad move, huh, Satoru-kun. —So, this is the Image Video I fished out from under Satoru Gojo's bed. The schedule is changed from now on. It's a public execution screening of this video!"
"Don't screw around, you idiot! Seriously stop! Let go, Suguruuu!"
"Ahahahaha! Not bad, Junior. That's hilarious."
"'Japan Premiere: Captivating Nordic Blonde Girl - Vivid Gravure Debut'... Unexpectedly, how should I put it... he has worldly tastes..."
"Looks fun! By the way, Nanami-kun, what is an Image Video?"
"!? ...Haibara-kun, please stay as you are."
Satoru Gojo screaming in a serious tone, Geto holding Gojo down with a Cobra Twist utilizing his hobby, Ieiri bursting into laughter and spilling wine, Nanami appalled by the title on the screen, and Haibara who didn't really understand.
In the lively lounge, with the Image Video of the Nordic beauty gravure idol playing as background music, the students' laughter and clamor continued to echo until late at night.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]