Chapter One: “The Princess Wants to Win Over the Prince” — Part Thirteen

“Thank you for the meal.”

I pressed my hands together and tucked the small lunchbox back into its bag. Iori-senpai was nearly done too.

Perhaps because I’d finished, Senpai picked up her pace just a little. The way her cheeks puffed out slightly from being full was adorable.
The way she held her chopsticks so neatly. The way she alternated between rice and side dishes. The way she took big long sips of tea. Somehow everything, every last thing, looked endearing to me now.

I love her. I really, truly love Iori-senpai.

“You really do watch me constantly, Himena-chan.”
“Well — I like you, Senpai.”

Looking just a little flustered, Iori-senpai glanced downward.

Oh, I love her, I love her, I love her so much—!!

The feeling was on the verge of overflowing, and I took a deep breath to steady myself. Senpai watched me do it and tilted her head, puzzled.
Right now, to Iori-senpai, I was nothing more than a first-year she knew. Better than before I enrolled — when I was just a stranger pining from a distance — but still not enough. Not nearly.
Loving someone this much was entirely new to me. Which was exactly why I was never going to give up.

“Senpai.”
“Yes?”
“What kind of person do you like?”

The sudden question made her eyes go slightly wide. It was probably too direct — but there was no point worrying about that now.

“What kind of person?”
“Yes. I want to know your type.”
“What about you, Himena-chan?”
“You, Senpai.”

She laughed at the instant reply.
That laugh too. I love it so much.

“Me… I don’t think I have a particular type, really.”

She answered with a mildly troubled look. I was glad she hadn’t named something completely unlike me — but that was still far too little information.

“Older or younger — which do you prefer?”
“Hmm… I think it depends on the person?”
“All right, then — cool-pretty or cute-pretty?”
“Both are appealing, I think…”

Nothing but vague answers, one after another. I leaned forward.

“Then… what about girls? Do I — do I have a chance?”

Even closing the distance until our noses were nearly touching, Senpai didn’t pull away.
In Senpai’s clear eyes, I could see my own face reflected — and it looked impossibly tense.

“Himena-chan.”

Senpai’s right hand reached out toward my cheek.

“I don’t really know about types, or any of that — but you’re the first person I’ve ever thought was this cute. Is that not enough?”

The way she said is that not enough — I had no words for how cool she was.
A wave of feeling crashed over me, far more than I could process, and every last bit of strength went out of my body.

“Himena-chan, your face is completely red.”
“Th-that’s because you’re too cool, Senpai!”
“I hear that a lot.”

She crossed her long legs with an almost deliberate elegance, and said the thing that undid me yet again.

“But hearing it from you, Himena-chan — that makes me happy.”
“Ugh—!!”

I pressed both hands over my chest, struggling with the ache of it, and Senpai laughed out loud.

Is Senpai teasing me?!
But even Senpai teasing me — I love it too much—!!

Whatever she did, it only added to the feeling. The thought of how much further I was going to fall was almost frightening.

“Himena-chan.”
“Y-yes?”
“Let’s have lunch together again.”

The moment Senpai said it, the five-minutes-to-end-of-lunch bell rang.

☆★☆★☆★☆★

“Hey, Himena — I heard there was some trouble with a second-year boy?”

Yuuri rushed over the moment I got back to the classroom. Apparently the scene outside Class 2-1 had spread pretty quickly.

“Are you all right?”
“Oh — yeah, that’s all fine now.”

It had only just happened, and yet it already felt like something from long ago. Because the lunch break with Senpai had been so completely, overwhelmingly happy.

“Himena? Something’s different about you.”

Yuuri peered at my face. The moment our eyes met, I had hold of her arm.

“…I don’t know what to do.”
“Did something happen after all?”
“I’ve fallen for Iori-senpai.”
“…You already liked her, though.”
“That’s not what I mean! This is — it’s completely different. What I felt before, and what I feel now — they’re not the same.”

I let out a slow breath, and Yuuri nodded like she understood. This was the good thing about a childhood friend. She got it without needing more words.

“Yuuri.”
“What?”
“I’m going to try my hardest. I’m going to make Senpai fall for me — I promise.”

I love Iori-senpai. Which means I’m not losing to anyone. The place beside Senpai is mine, and I’m going to claim it no matter what.

Until Senpai falls for me — I have to try even harder than before!!