The Betrayal of Beef Rice and the Mountain Vegetable Set Meal

After a morning of lessons.

Tsukishima felt he had gained a lot. He patted Ayanokoji on the shoulder. "Not bad. You really are an all-rounder. Let's call it here for the morning. As thanks, lunch is on me."

"This afternoon, I have to go to the Sweet Talk Dessert Shop to learn how to make desserts and help out. You can go back and report on me to Horikita."

"Oh, and I'm not interested in being the class leader. I just happened to do what I did. If you're interested, you can slowly take over the class council. As for Chabashira-sensei, deal with her yourself."

Ayanokoji put away his drawing board, his expression blank. "I'm not interested either."

Tsukishima didn't care what he really thought. He said casually, "All right, then we'll just be drawing buddies. That's fine too. Come on, I'll treat you to lunch in the cafeteria. I'm going to the bathroom first."

He went into the bathroom and sent Kushida a message.

[Tsukishima]: Ayanokoji seems to know you're two-faced, but he has no proof. Be careful, or you'll just become someone else's plaything after getting away from me.

[Tsukishima]: Don't come looking for me anymore. I'll come find you.

[Kushida]: ??? Did I put on that act for nothing? Can everyone see through me?

[Tsukishima]: Can't be helped. Class D has a lot of freaks, just not all in the same way. Anyway, be careful. I'll come hang out with you tonight.

[Kushida]: Fine. Remember to delete our chat history. I'm going to return some points first.

[Tsukishima]: Ok!

He took a piss, flushed, and walked out while pulling up his pants.

"Pissing feels kind of difficult. Could it be kidney stones? I should move around more."

Ayanokoji said nothing. With his drawing board on his back, he followed Tsukishima to the cafeteria.

"You worked hard today too. I made you talk so much—that must've been tough. I'll get you the most expensive set meal!"

Tsukishima was generous and ordered two bowls of beef rice.

Ayanokoji said nothing and ate in silence. He spotted Hirata in the distance but didn't call out to him.

Hirata noticed Ayanokoji and Tsukishima eating together and paused, seemingly surprised that the two of them had ended up together. He turned to Karuizawa Kei beside him and said gently, "Wait a moment. I'll go say hello to Tsukishima and Ayanokoji."

Karuizawa Kei nodded.

Hirata hurried over to Tsukishima. "Tsukishima, Ayanokoji. What a coincidence."

Ayanokoji glanced up at him, then lowered his head and continued eating.

Tsukishima looked up. "Hirata, what a coincidence. Did you come here to eat in person too?"

Hirata didn't know how to respond and could only laugh twice. "I came with Karuizawa. I just stopped by to say hello."

Tsukishima glanced at Karuizawa and felt that her gyaru vibe wasn't as strong as before.

"That's good. Keep it up. Go eat before you keep someone waiting."

Hirata nodded, smiled at Ayanokoji, then left.

"Hirata respects you a lot," Ayanokoji said.

Tsukishima snatched a piece of meat from his bowl. "You know what's going on, don't you? Is it really so strange that he respects me?"

Ayanokoji looked at his beef rice, now missing a piece of meat. "Karuizawa seems different."

Tsukishima took another piece of meat from his bowl. "Everyone has to grow. You have to let people make mistakes, and you have to let them correct those mistakes too."

Ayanokoji silently picked up the last piece of meat in his bowl and put it in his mouth. Then his beef rice became rice soaked in beef juice.

Tsukishima laughed. "Hahaha, I thought you were above worldly concerns. I didn't realize you'd guard your food too!"

Ayanokoji said nothing. He looked at his rice soaked in beef juice and silently shoveled it into his mouth.

"Hey! Ayanokoji, you traitor! How could you betray us?"

Yamauchi and Ike came rushing over from who knew where, each carrying a Mountain Vegetable Set Meal. "Damn it, beef rice! Ayanokoji, did you sell out to this guy for points too?"

Things weren't going well for the two of them. Although Hirata was still trying to mediate, some people had already started avoiding them.

Ayanokoji swallowed his food and said evenly, "This is the fruit of my labor."

Tsukishima's eyes shifted. He picked up his bowl and stood. "So, Ayanokoji, you were sent by Yamauchi and the others to spy on me and find my weaknesses? Hmph, you lied to me!"

With that, he turned and walked away.

Ayanokoji watched him go. He abandoned me without hesitation?

Yamauchi and Ike paused, then sat down delightedly. They shoved their spoons into Ayanokoji's bowl and scooped up a huge mouthful each, swallowing without even chewing properly.

"So you were looking for his weaknesses for us while staying by his side?"

Ike scooped up another huge spoonful of rice soaked in beef juice. "You really worked hard. No wonder you're our best friend!"

Ayanokoji watched them scoop away another layer of his rice soaked in beef juice, then glanced at Tsukishima, who was grinning mischievously in the distance. He wondered if he could ask him to buy another bowl.

Tsukishima saw that Ayanokoji was about to stand, quickly shoveled a few mouthfuls into his own mouth, then left without hesitation.

The afternoon sunlight streamed through the glass windows of the Sweet Talk Dessert Shop, casting warm yellow patches of light across the tables.

Tsukishima had changed into the apron decorated with a little devil cat and was whipping cream behind the counter.

The owner, Yoko Nakano, stood beside him and gave instructions, occasionally reaching over to adjust the angle of his whisk.

"Relax a little. You're so stiff. You could go get a massage."

"Hey, sis, how about stepping back a little and taking your hand off my butt?"

Tsukishima had been teased again. He couldn't tell if it was teasing or taking advantage of him. He wasn't sure whether he was getting the short end of the stick or not, and it left him feeling confused.

The Boss Lady chuckled. "Oh dear, my hand doesn't seem to be listening to me."

"Then how about tying it up?"

"Hmm~ Does little Tsukishima like that?"

"..."

Tsukishima was actually enjoying himself. Otherwise, he would've gone to the Student Council to complain long ago.

Ding-a-ling~

The bell above the shop door rang.

Tsukishima put down the whisk and greeted the customer with a professional smile. "Welcome. How many people—oh, just you?"

The person who walked in was Kiyotaka Ayanokouji.

His gaze calmly swept over every corner of the shop before settling on Tsukishima. "A cup of black tea."

A moment later, Tsukishima carried the tea service to the table.

He poured hot water into the cup. The tea leaves swirled, but he deliberately didn't strain out the fine bits. A thick layer of foam floated on the surface.

"Please enjoy our special 'Observation' tea."

Ayanokoji looked at the cloudy liquid in his cup. "It doesn't look like it'll taste very good."

"You know your tea." Tsukishima smiled without warmth. "But since you came to test me, I'm not in the best mood. When I'm in a bad mood, my hands tend to shake, and I pick the wrong tea leaves. Any problem with that?"

Ayanokoji was silent for two seconds, then lifted the cup and took a sip.

Bitter, scalding, and full of tea grit.

His expression blank, he set down the cup and struggled to swallow the mouthful.

Watching him suffer, Tsukishima laughed.