COTE : Oh No, I've Become the Substitute

The second floor of Keyaki Mall was teeming with people.

"Honami-chan, Honami-chan, listen! Just now, at the love fortune-telling place on the fifth floor, I saw that guy from Class A! He's definitely a scumbag—you absolutely mustn't be—"

"Eh? Fuyuji-kun came too? He's interested in love fortunes as well? I'll go ask him about it later."

"No, no! I'm telling you, he was definitely there with another girl!"

Ichinose Honami and several Class B girls walked past with their bags slung over their shoulders, their skirts swaying with each light, buoyant step. Shiranami Chihiro, who had fled in disarray earlier, was now earnestly and bitterly lodging her complaints to Ichinose. Unfortunately...

"That can't be. Chihiro-chan must have misunderstood Fuyuji-kun. Not long ago, he messaged me saying he was wandering around Keyaki Mall because of the dorm blackout. It's perfectly normal to take a curious look at a love fortune-telling booth, isn't it?"

"Aaah!" Shiranami stamped her foot in fury. She clenched her small fists and gritted her teeth. "That guy must have predicted I'd tell you, Honami-chan, and messaged you ahead of time! What a cunning bastard!"

"Come to think of it... Chihiro-chan doesn't actually dislike that Fuyuji-kun from Class A all that much, does she?" Another Class B girl leaned in from the side and interjected.

"Haah? Why would you say that? I hate that guy with a passion!"

"Because... Chihiro-chan is usually very shy. But the moment the topic turns to Fuyuji-kun, you always turn into a completely different person..."

"That's because—because—he stole—" The words Shiranami was about to blurt out came to an abrupt halt. Her face flushed a deep, suffocating red. "Aaah! He really is a scumbag!"

...

A few shops away, inside an okonomiyaki restaurant thick with the rich aroma of sauce and the sizzling hiss of the iron griddle—

Fuyuji silently lowered the black, hardcover menu that had been nearly obscuring his entire face. His ears, perked and listening to the faintly drifting conversation, caused his expression to visibly darken.

As expected, I wasn't wrong. Shiranami Chihiro, you actually went and spread rumors about me in front of Ichinose. Good thing I was one step ahead!

Just then, a pale, unadorned hand appeared within his field of vision, pointing directly at one of the items on the black-covered menu.

"I want this one. Add fried noodles. And a cheese omelet."

"Can you even finish all that?"

"Fuyuji Mikage, are you perhaps questioning the great Morishita, who has successfully challenged the Advanced Nurturing High School Big Eater Competition?"

Fuyuji fell silent for a moment. What the hell was the Advanced Nurturing High School Big Eater Competition? Did such a competition even exist? If he recalled correctly, your appetite was roughly half of mine, wasn't it?

Fuyuji turned his head and silently fixed his gaze upon the girl at the table beside him—the one with her long, fair legs crossed, her arms folded, her entire being radiating impatience.

"Bro, shall I order the same as you?"

"Whatever."

"Then... after we finish eating, shall we head back together?" Fuyuji probed tentatively.

"Haah?" Kamuro stared at him with a speechless expression. "What kind of stupid thing are you saying? Didn't I come here with you? Don't tell me..." Her expression shifted abruptly. "You're planning to ditch me?!"

Fuyuji: "..."

Across the table, Yamamura and Shiraishi simultaneously raised their hands to cover their mouths, silently laughing.

Even they didn't know why this familiar Masumi-san—after stubbornly cursing Fuyuji out as a scumbag—had just so happened to appear on the path they had to take. Just so happened to walk into the same restaurant as them, and just so happened to sit down right beside them.

"Then... tonight—"

"Don't bring up tonight with me!" Kamuro's expression suddenly shifted. She forcibly cut off the words about to leave his mouth and shot Fuyuji a vicious glare. "Using orders to force me, you scumbag!"

"..." When did I ever order you? Wasn't it you who was just cursing me out?

The corner of Fuyuji's mouth twitched several times. He silently observed his pal's humiliated expression, her look of utter disgust, and... that faint, pale pink flush at the rims of her ears.

Kamuro had played the card "Fabricate from Nothing," and her eyes signaled that Fuyuji was not allowed to counter with "Unassailable."

A small hand reached over and tugged at Fuyuji's sleeve. Morishita's large eyes carried a trace of pity as she spoke with an air of great seriousness.

"Fuyuji Mikage, just now you also agreed to the great Morishita's request—you said you'd only listen to me from now on. But you've just suffered a bout of amnesia. Now hurry up and fulfill your promise."

"Don't cause trouble." He quietly took hold of Morishita's small hand.

It seemed his pal had been far too idle lately. She was telling him to hurry up and find something for her to do.

At a time like this, he had to...

Fuyuji sorted through his own complex psychological state and spoke with a solemn expression. "Yes, Masumi. It was I who just issued an order to you. Now I'm ordering you to come over here and eat with me."

The moment the words left his mouth, a small foot clad in a leather shoe came grinding down on Fuyuji's toes. Accompanied by a fragrant breeze, when he looked up again, Kamuro had already sat down tightly pressed against his side, the soft hem of her skirt brushing past his trouser leg.

"Why did you add meat? I want seafood, bonito flakes, and vegetables."

Kamuro calmly flipped open the menu, looking for all the world like a perfectly ordinary female classmate who had come to eat together with a friend. Only that faint pink flush had quietly crept up to the tips of her ears.

Fuyuji: "..."

Mm. The Kamuro Masumi Operating Manual truly lived up to its reputation.

Before long, amidst the sizzling heat of the iron griddle, the waiter brought two half-prepared okonomiyaki to the table. A thick, quivering layer of bonito flakes lay spread over the rich, savory sauce—enough to set anyone's appetite ablaze.

The bonito flakes curled lightly on the tongue, releasing a smoky, salty-savory flavor. The thick, rich sauce, laden with a complex blend of sweet and salty notes, instantly awakened the taste buds. The crispy, fragrant edges of the pancake and the soft, tender batter within created an exquisite contrast of textures. After finishing one serving, Fuyuji was left craving more.

Still, he had no intention of ordering another. Instead, he propped his chin on his hand and watched, with keen interest, as Morishita beside him—her cheeks puffed up like a little squirrel—solemnly carved into her jumbo yakisoba cheese omelette set with her spatula, stuffing it into her mouth with an air of unstoppable momentum.

And then, as expected, she froze up after eating only half.

Her hand, gripping the spatula, trembled faintly. Morishita looked down at the neatly remaining other half of the okonomiyaki on the table. After two seconds of deliberation, she decisively chose her most common tactic.

"Fuyuji Mikage..." A faint, rustling sensation came from his calf. Morishita rubbed her foot against his leg, her voice carrying a tragic, martyr-like resolve. "Help me eat the other half."

"Who was it just now who called herself the Big Eater Champion?"

"Fuyuji Mikage." Morishita imitated the tone Fuyuji had just used to order Kamuro. She raised her index finger and kept her little face taut. "I order you to suffer amnesia for three seconds—now eat!"

"Fine, fine."

Fuyuji spread his palms in helpless resignation and agreed readily. At the same time, he turned his head toward Kamuro beside him and once again kept his expression taut.

"Masumi. I order you to finish this okonomiyaki together with me—now eat."

"You bastard..."

In that moment, Kamuro's fist clenched rock-hard. Her voice squeezed out from between gritted teeth.

"Go to hell!"

Her other foot once again came stomping down on Fuyuji's toes. This time, she even ground it in a few times for good measure, venting her fury.

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