They'd kept going on about that, so I didn't need it anymore, okay?
Karuizawa stared at the fish in her hand, hesitating.
Was she hesitating over whether to give me some? From the look on her face, she seemed to feel bad for me. She wanted to share, but if she did, she'd have less for herself.
"Go ahead and eat. I actually have another fish. If I get hungry, I'll catch one myself."
Only then did Karuizawa finally take a bite. Qiuyue sat down too and slowly ate some fruit.
They ate quietly, each focused on the food in their hands. Neither said a word.
After a long while
"I can't eat any more..."
Karuizawa said, blushing slightly. She'd eaten more than half the fish. Eating like that in front of a boy she didn't know well must have embarrassed her.
"Oh, okay. Then give it to me."
"What are you going to do with it?"
"Obviously, I'm going to dispose of it. You don't think I'm going to eat what you didn't finish, do you?"
Qiuyue took the fish from Karuizawa's hand and said irritably.
"I never said that."
Karuizawa turned her flushed face away.
While Qiuyue went to throw the fish away, Karuizawa took the opportunity to ask something she wasn't sure about.
"...Um... can you really protect me? Will you really protect me?"
After saying that, Karuizawa curled up on her own, wrapped her arms around her knees, and buried her face in her thighs.
"Of course. I always keep my word."
"...Mm..."
After hearing the answer she wanted, Karuizawa quickly perked up.
When Qiuyue came back after disposing of the fish, he looked at Karuizawa and handed her a letter and a card wrapped up in his pocket.
Now that I had an accomplice, I