Poor Guy Never Stood a Chance (1/2) 16: Chapter eleven: Marked on Day One?
Poor Guy Never Stood a Chance (1/2) “One omurice, one chicken liver and truffle pasta… Oh, and a slice of cake.
For the drink, anything non-carbonated is fine.” “And for the other tray, grilled salted salmon, miso soup, and rice, please.” Kitano Ryuichi placed two lunch orders at the counter of Tracen Academy’s cafeteria.
Not because he planned to eat both, obviously.
Even he had limits.
The first tray was for Mihono Bourbon.
On the way here, he and Bourbon had talked quite a bit.
Kitano had been curious about why her circumstances in this loop were so different from what he remembered.
In his memories, he had met Mihono Bourbon inside the academy, and by then, she had already been enrolled for a while.
But this time, she had only just arrived.
Which made him wonder if this loop had started a little earlier on the timeline.
He was not exactly sure.
Still, their conversation had cleared up one thing.
Mihono Bourbon had suffered through a truly ridiculous chain of bad luck.
First, the car she took to school broke down halfway.
Then, when she switched to the train, that line just so happened to be suspended for the day.
With no other choice, she dragged her suitcase and ran the rest of the way.
Then the suitcase wheel broke.
So she had to carry the whole thing, inch by inch, all the way to Tracen Academy.
By the time she finally arrived, she was exhausted and starving.
Honestly, if Kitano did not know for a fact that Mihono Bourbon was not the type to lie, he might have suspected she had swapped souls with Rice Shower.
That was the only explanation for this level of misfortune.
Either way, he had run into her.
And as her former Trainer, ignoring her was not really an option.
So, lunch it was.
“Go ahead.
I ordered that for you.” Kitano placed Bourbon’s tray in front of her.
The moment the food arrived, Mihono Bourbon’s attention locked onto it.
She was clearly starving, but before touching her chopsticks, she still brought her hands together with perfect seriousness.
“Gratitude confirmed.
I will now begin consumption.” “Take it slow.
Don’t choke, okay?” Bourbon picked up her chopsticks and began eating with a strange mix of elegance and terrifying speed.
Kitano smiled faintly, picked up his steaming bowl of miso soup, and brought it toward his lips.
“—Please wait!” Bourbon’s head snapped up.
Her eyes sharpened.
For the first time since they had met, her voice rose a few degrees, and her usually expressionless face showed something close to panic.
Kitano nearly launched the bowl straight out of his hands.
Mihono Bourbon almost never showed emotional fluctuations.
But just now, the way she moved and sounded made it look like she had caught someone poisoning his soup.
Kitano set the bowl down.
Around them, the scattered Uma Musume in the cafeteria also slowed to a stop and turned their heads.
Bourbon was standing now, both hands planted on the table, her face unusually tense.
Was this… a fight?
A few girls exchanged glances, clearly debating whether they should step in.
Then Bourbon seemed to realize she had overreacted.
Slowly, she sat back down and resumed her flat, mechanical tone.
“Mihono Bourbon issues a warning.
Kitano-san, please do not consume food too quickly.
In particular, high-temperature soup may have a negative effect on your esophagus.” “Please cool it before consumption.
Your health must be prioritized.” “Phew… You scared me.” Kitano finally let out the breath he had been holding.
The atmosphere around them softened as well.
He patted his chest, still a little shaken.
“I thought someone really had put poison in the miso soup…” He gave her a small, grateful smile.
“But thanks for the warning.
I’ll blow on it properly before drinking.” “…” Mihono Bourbon did not relax.
Not even a little.
Her eyes remained fixed on the bowl of miso soup in Kitano’s hands, as if it were an enemy unit preparing to launch a surprise attack.
“…Um?
Mihono-san?
Why are you staring at me like that?” “Mihono Bourbon submits a request.
May I take possession of the miso soup?” Bourbon reached out toward him.
Kitano had no idea what was going on.
But his trust in Mihono Bourbon was absolute, so he obediently handed over the bowl.
And in the next instant, Mihono Bourbon did something that made Kitano Ryuichi, along with every single person still pretending not to watch them, freeze in shock.