Lunch time. A favorite for most kids. Free time from all that nonsense that school life had. That was to say, you had all the time to slack off and no teacher would bug you for about 10 minutes.

No better way to spend some time outside. 2 boys stuck on the school steps, just eating. Well, one of them was.

"No lunch today?" Issei chewed on tuna sandwich all while Bell looked a bit soured. 4 hours straight without food could turn even this happy boy into a cranky boy. Not quite on that 'hangry' level, but another hour or so, and he was definitely going to push his limits.

"Yeah, my sister wasn't home today, and I had to rush myself to school." There's a slight chuckle, interrupted by the rumbling of stomach. Bell bemoans his hunger. He clutched his belly tight, trying

one really bothered answering, at least the few he was brave enough to ask. Once that's known, the brown-haired boy looks down at his own meal. He splits it in half, tossing the uneaten piece to his friend, who barely catches it in that moment. "It's tuna. Good for you, at least that's what my mom says."

Make sense. Moms know best. A delicious bite sinks into the sandwich, followed by a bit of unease. Bell can't tell if it's his own unique taste buds or, heaven forbid he says it, Mrs. Hyoudou's cooking wasn't as good as he would have thought. Still in full sight of Issei, there isn't much choice but to finish his meal. He just barely managed to chew enough to swallow, and though it only took a second, that food sliding down his throat felt like it took an eternity. Trying to save face, Bell gives a hearty smile, to which Issei shrugs and goes to finish the rest of his half.

Right before Bell could bear another bite, the quick patter of shoes is heard and soon, Matsuda dashes next to the two boys. Their attention is at once drawn to the baldy but instead of his usual perverted spiel, his excitement is turned to a lot more… tame things.

"Guys! Guys! Come quickly! They've added something cool to the hallway!"

The four boys are standing right before the marvelous creation. A tall box, well-lit within, refrigerated, and hosting a bunch of snacks and refreshments. A vending machine. They were clamored around a vending machine.

While this thing was pretty mundane, the boys were looking at it like it was technology from a hundred years from now. It was so clean, silvery, hell those lights inside looked like something out of a sci-fi novel.

Right now, all their faces were pressed against the glass. Eyes darted from snack to snack; candy bars, bags of chips, sodas, cream-filled donuts, macaroons, etc. Stuff they'd only ever see at fancy stores or one of their senior's lunches were now readily available for them to buy. The only issue: It'd cost them $5 dollars.

They all backed up a bit, savoring all the delicious foods but then reality of their current finances was just too much. So, they started emptying their pockets to cobble together something they could use.

Issei had an allowance, but he'd already spent a good chunk of it on himself. Recently, some of the gel he used to keep his hair from frizzling out into spikes got a hike up in price, and that bit into his wallet. The rest he had was really only for emergencies, and while this was one, his parents wouldn't be too proud that he blew cash on something like this. All he could put down was 2 dollars.

Matsuda blew all his allowance on his 'material', so he couldn't contribute more than 50 cents.

Bell had some money left over from his surprisingly successful lawn-mowing gig. All 10 hours of work culminated in a whopping 1 dollar and 50 cents.

Motohama was just broke, but he stole some change from a fountain, so he's got about 50 cents too.

5 dollars on the money, with not a cent to spare. All they needed now was to figure out what they wanted to eat. There was much deliberation, from caramel all the way to toffee. But finally, a decision was made; an Ice-Cream Sandwich.

And so, the three boys handed off their money to Bell, and with the grace of a swan, he slid the many coins, as well as the two dollar bills, into the slot. On command, the machine whirs to life, rumbling with a cool hiss.

Anticipation builds like a great fire, with a great click and whirl. The cylindrical container holding the ice cream sandwich starts to unwhirl and unwind. There are gasps and jitters before finally… it stops. But there is no falling treat.

All joy in the area ceases as the four look on in confusion, then horror.

"It's stuck? That's a thing these things can do?!" Motohama screams.

"Five dollars for this thing to fail?! What a rip off," Matsuda added.

"Hey, maybe we can shake it to fall down and… uh. Bell, you give it a try!" Issei interjects in a somewhat worrying tone. Naturally, Bell slips on by and eyes the machine. After a good bit of analyzing it, he takes a deep breath, cracks his finger, before tightly gripping the machine and rocking back and forth like a madman.

"Come on! Come on! Fall down!" Despite his begging, nothing. He starts to kick the machine with rapid kicks, but not even a dent as made, even factoring in superhuman strength. Finally, Bell reels back and strikes the glass with a punch that manages to shake the machine.

A glimmer of hope appeared, before being at once shattered as Bell pulls back and grabs his hand in agony. He falls on the ground and starts rolling in circles while trying to soothe his bruised hand.

"What is that thing made of? Bulletproof glass or something?" After a while, the 3 still standing boys start to come up with ideas by the dozen to get that vending machine open. It didn't matter if it took all of lunch period, they would get it open.

5 minutes later…

Asia looks down at the mess right before her. Matsuda was flat on the ground, murmuring some nonsense. Motohama sitting in the corner with groggy eyes, just barely saying anything coherent. As for Issei and Bell? They got their arms stuck in the slot of the Vending Machine. Both of them. What a coincidence.

"Uhm, are you all… ok?" Asia timidly asks but all she could get were some groans and moans from how exhausted they were. "So that's a no. Luckily for you two, I got this stick of butter from the Cooking Club!"

Bell and Issei look up, wondering why she kept a stick of butter from a cooking club. But before they could question it, she slathered the butter on their arms. It felt disgusting. Unnatural. They would vomit if they had the strength to.

When she finishes up, Asia backs up and gives a thumbs up for them to pull themselves out of there. So, with a final heave and a ho, the two boys tugged and pulled before they eventually slid their arms out of the slot. The two are laying on their backs, breathing like they just finished a marathon. Right before Issei raises his arm and reveals that he got the ice cream sandwich in the middle of that tussle.

As if they weren't all exhausted, all the boys jumped up in the air and huddled together to see their prize. They all gazed down to see the Strawberry Flavored Ice Cream Sand—Wait…

"Strawberry Flavor!"

"Ew!"

"Why would they put that in there!"

"I almost lost an arm for this."

And within moments, all the boys lost interest in their prize. The no valueless treat was tossed to Asia, who was none the wiser to the disdain for the flavoring, just seeing a yummy treat. The boys weren't too pleased with this outcome. They'd spent most of their period wasting time with this hunk of junk. What else were they supposed to do now?

Right as she leaves the scene, Asia points out, "Just so that you know for later, if you're stuff gets stuck in there, call the janitor. He can apparently get it out of there and refund you too!"

Realization hit them all like a damn truck. They've could've gotten whatever they wanted from this if they'd just ask for the janitor.

Nothing was said on the way back to class. All there was between them was the death of their pride. Shame in their intelligence. And pain that they wasted $5 on an ice cream sandwich they didn't even eat.

Overall, the pretty typical misfailings of a bunch friends.