"Um... if you don't mind, have my bento."
Turning around, Pakura stood behind them, visibly shaken, nervously rubbing the hem of her clothes, unsure what to do with her hands and feet. Meeting Hii Kōri's expressionless gaze, she grew even more awkward, drawing aimless circles on the ground with her toe.
"Don't overthink it—this is just an apology for that mean thing earlier—"
Under Hii Kōri's inorganic stare, Pakura's shame meter skyrocketed. Soon, face red, eyes squeezed shut, she shouted in self-abandonment.
"Haa..."
Though he'd just thought himself unconcerned with others' opinions, faced with this situation, Hii Kōri had to explain.
Somewhat depressed, he rubbed his temples. "Pakura, I don't think you did anything needing apology."
"Huh?"
With their perceptions misaligned, Pakura voiced confusion.
Combined with her completely bewildered expression, she resembled a groundhog whose burrow had been excavated.
Speaking of which, rabbits and groundhogs both have desert-dwelling species...
Observing Pakura's reaction, Hii Kōri's thoughts wandered elsewhere.
This feels like being hit by Gold Experience—excess life energy causing mental outbursts. Not dissimilar?
Not to the point of dissociation—just easily distracted.
"I said, your actions earlier were completely fine."
Facing the puzzled girl, he patted his cheeks and spoke calmly. "As a ninja, for victory, anything goes on the battlefield."
"But if you've confirmed that you can't win, then ensuring your enemy can't win becomes priority one."
"Your plan and execution had no flaws. Only flaws: not considering what to do if it failed. But as an impromptu counterattack plan? Not bad."
"Th-Then... um... but... You called it mean..."
Sensing Hii Kōri's words slightly diverged from her education, Pakura couldn't pinpoint rebuttal points. The less articulate girl was mumbled.
"Ah, that was also part of the tactic. See if I could mess with your mind, make you unable to beat me."
Waving casually, Hii Kōri dropped this fluttering remark and turned away.
Karura, his daily deskmate and pleasant conversationalist, aside—he didn't want to waste energy on relationships.
Hii Kōri wasn't the type to care for others' emotions. Pissing people off in few words? He excelled.
Without changing his approach, interpersonal communication basically equaled trouble.
And Hii Kōri hated trouble most.
"Hii-kun's words sound like he's just fooling people~"
Karura walked beside him, eyes curved, laughing merrily.
Seems so cold, yet calmly spouts such nonsense. Hii-kun's quite interesting~
"Something funny I'm missing?"
"Not~ a~ thing~"
Karura drew out her words, tone bright with laughter.
Seeing her smile so brightly, Hii Kōri's mood lightened.
Smiles are contagious. Absolutely true.
"Huh? Wait..."
After seconds frozen, realizing she'd been teased, Pakura watched the chatting pair's retreating backs. An inexplicable complex and sour emotion rose within.
'Well done'? 'Not bad'? What's that supposed to be...
The genius girl reached out, then stopped mid-motion. Her mouth, capable of spewing lethal fireballs, couldn't utter a single syllable.
She couldn't accept Hii Kōri's words as sincere—only as comfort. Yet that only highlighted her own cowardice.
And Hii Kōri, bragging about his talents, genuinely proud and confident—so dazzling.
Defeating me so easily, then not caring at all—makes me look even more mean, more insignificant, doesn't it?!
Hey! Look at me again! Even scolding would be fine!
Taking that astringency as proof of unwillingness, the girl gritted her teeth and chased after them again.
"Wait for me!"
"?"
Why are you still here?
Though Hii Kōri said nothing, his gaze clearly conveyed this.
"What now? As a girl, can't you be a little more reserved, Pakura?"
But however direct his stare, his words remained peaceful.
Children had the privilege of being unreasonable. Such harmless willfulness didn't matter.
Though, given Pakura's earlier comment about "clingy men being annoying," her current performance was particularly ironic.
Hard to bear.
Despite self-perception, women's minds were truly unpredictable. Add children's unpredictability and whimsy—even more elusive.
Hii Kōri figured his computational power shouldn't be wasted on matters potentially without answers.
"Right, thanks—it's thanks!"
As if her meridians opened, Pakura found an excuse without hesitation. "Thanks for keeping your voice down earlier, not letting others know."
Even she almost believed it.
"...Fine."
Staring at the insurgent girl for a long moment, realizing this hurdle might be insurmountable, Hii Kōri pursed his lips and sighed—two parts helpless.
"But lunch is unnecessary. Your combined bentos probably won't fill me."
Not an excuse. Far-surpassing physicality requires eating a lot.
Besides, taking lunch from two girls? He wasn't that desperate.
Reaching into his tool pouch, he tossed two pills into his mouth, chewing as he added in slurred voice.
"Been eating these over a month anyway. One more day won't matter."