Fictober Day 25: "I could really eat something."
Konekomaru refrained from clutching his stomach as he felt the hollow ache of hunger pangs. It was a good thing it was lunchtime because he wasn't sure if how much longer he could wait.
I could really eat something, he thought, making a face. He almost felt lightheaded.
Perhaps that was his own fault. He'd spent the majority of the morning cramming for a quiz in one of his classes, and in doing so he'd forgotten to eat. Regret was heavy in his mind, and when he finally reached the usual spot that he, Bon, and Shima usually ate their meals, he eagerly pulled his bag open...
"I forgot my lunch," he deadpanned, eyes widening. "I... I can't believe I forgot my lunch!"
Konekomaru frowned at his bag that only contained school materials like his textbooks and pencils. He mentally went over his activities earlier this morning, brutality reminded with increasing horror that he left his bento on his desk in his dorm.
He could go get it. But the fault in that plan was time—by the time he reached his dorm and made it back here, lunch was sure to be over. And he didn't have enough money to buy something in the concessions.
Disappointed, Konekomaru slumped against the tree. He... he could last a few more hours, right? It couldn't be that bad.
(His growling stomach said otherwise.)
"Hey, Konekomaru! What's with the long face?"
Konekomaru jumped in surprise, shooting a startled look in Okumura-kun's direction. He was grinning at first, but that grin soon gave way to concern as he took in Konekomaru's expression. He plopped down next to him.
"Where's your lunch?"
Konekomaru winced. Murmured truthfully, "I don't have one."
"What?" Now he looked offended. "Well, you have to eat! You need your strength! Here, we'll share mine."
"Oh, I couldn't ask," Konekomaru mumbled.
"You didn't ask. I offered first. C'mon," he added, already opening up his bento. "Besides, I always bring extra just in case."
"Extra what? What's going on?" Bon's curious voice sounded over the two. He was walking leisurely toward them, raising a critical brow.
Konekomaru rubbed the back of his neck with a nervous smile. "I forgot my lunch this morning."
"Again?" Shima said with an easy laugh. "Koneko-san. That's the second time this week."
"I'm gonna tape it to your hand before you leave next," Bon muttered.
Okumura-kun looked back at him with eyes that just got wider and wider. "So this has happened before?"
Konekomaru's face felt hot. How embarrassing. "I, uh... I keep getting distracted in the mornings. Sometimes I just get something here but..."
"It's kind of pricey, isn't it?" Okumura-kun's smirk was back. "I really don't mind sharing. It's fine."
"Here, you can have a bite of mine, too," Bon added.
Konekomaru was getting ready to politely decline, because he couldn't bring himself to accept their offer when it was his own fault he was without a meal, but his stomach growled again and Okumura-kun started laughing, coaxing the flush on his cheeks to darken even more.
Finally, he gave them a tiny smile. "Thank you, guys."
Okumura-kun was beaming. The rest of the day came and went just as it normally did, and Konekomaru had to admit, it was much easier to focus on his schoolwork with food in his stomach.
Then the weekend arrived. He spent the majority of it studying with Bon and Shima, and after that, they were tidying up the dorm. Sunday was a rest day, and then it was Monday again.
"Hey," Okumura-kun called out, as he strolled up to their usual eating spot on the campus. "Guess what?"
Konekomaru smiled politely. "What?"
He bestowed him with a huge, cheeky grin, just like last week, and held out a bento. "I wasn't sure if you'd forget your lunch again, so I made an extra. And, well, if you do have one, you could always eat it for dinner. It'll still be good by then."
Konekomaru's heart swelled, and for several moments, all he could do was stare. Then: "O-oh. That's, um. That's kind of you."
He twisted his body, reached for his bag, opening it up to reveal...
No lunch.
"Thought so," Okumura-kun said, chuckling. "You're just like Yukio. He's so caught up with his work that he forgets things sometimes, too." Then he held out the bento again, neatly tied up in a soft white cloth. "Go on. Eat up."
Konekomaru swallowed, tears of gratitude gathering in his eyes. He blinked them away, another smile touching his lips. "You're very kind, Okumura-kun."
"At least somebody thinks so," he said, before sitting. "For real, it's no biggie. I'd rest easier knowing my friends have some food to eat."
Carefully, Konekomaru untied the cloth as if it was fragile, taking note of the chopsticks that lay inside as well. He gave his thanks again, before taking his first bite.
It was delicious.