During the lunch break, Sakurai Saki headed to the Student Council Room.
Floating in the air before him was a pristine, snow-white ghost girl—long, silvery hair, delicate lashes, a cute face, and skin so pale it bordered on translucent. A faint smile curled her lips.
"Lunchtime~ Lunchtime!" Yakumo Bai shouted cheerfully, raising her right hand in greeting.
Sakurai pushed open the door and spotted Shirogane Miyuki lounging on the sofa.
"Sakurai, perfect timing. I was wondering if you'd gone to the cafeteria," Miyuki said, holding up a bento box with a faint smile.
It was something they had agreed on yesterday—to prepare lunch for each other.
Shirogane had woken up extra early to cook, despite going to bed very late. His pale complexion now made him look slightly ghastly. The tired gleam in his eyes had evolved beyond that of a mere ghost—he looked more like a dragon teetering on the edge of collapse.
"Hmm? Sakurai, is there something next to you?" Miyuki asked, frowning slightly as he sensed a presence beside his friend.
"Probably just a ghost," Sakurai replied flatly, shutting the door behind him.
"They say people on the brink of death start seeing things others can't."
What had Miyuki been up to last night?
"Maybe I stayed up too late," Miyuki offered with a chuckle, clearly not taking Sakurai's comment seriously.
From Sakurai's perspective, a swirling mist of black and white rose from Miyuki's head. Behind him clung a weary-looking ghost in a plaid shirt—a programmer, by the look of it.
The ghost had latched onto Miyuki like a koala.
Seriously? A back-clinging spirit? Why a programmer? Benevolent or malevolent?
Sakurai wondered silently if his friend was about to become a victim of death-by-overwork.
He turned and glanced at his own ghost companion: a beautiful girl with white hair and soft gray eyes.
Not bad.
Miyuki gave Sakurai a strange look as he sat down across from him.
Handing over the bento box, Miyuki asked, "You in a bad mood today?"
"I awakened a superpower this morning. I can see ghosts now," Sakurai replied truthfully.
Miyuki burst out laughing.
"You really know how to joke. Ghosts? Come on, that stuff doesn't exist."
Just then, the door swung open again.
Fujiwara Chika popped in, glancing around eagerly.
"Ghosts!? Where!?"
Fearless as ever, Chika wasn't the least bit scared—just curious.
Supernatural phenomena? Totally her thing.
"Want me to check out your guardian spirit?" Sakurai offered casually, opening his bento box.
Inside were all his favorite foods—not surprising, since he had chosen the ingredients himself the night before.
"Guardian spirit? For real!?" Chika asked, sliding into the seat next to him. Her gaze darted between his lunch and Miyuki's.
"You're using the same bento box as President Shirogane today~"
Their friendship was close, but wasn't this a bit too close?
In Japan, exchanging bentos was practically a romantic gesture.
"Oh, I just had Miyuki bring it. I was too lazy to cook," Sakurai said as he picked up a rice ball. Flavored with seaweed and sesame, it was fragrant even on its own.
After a bite, he reached for an octopus-shaped sausage—only for the ghost girl to suddenly lean in.
Her face was mere centimeters from his. Their lips nearly touched as she swallowed the sausage in front of him, wisps of steam rising from it.
"Sakura-kun~ I'm hungry~" Yakumo Bai whispered apologetically.
Sakurai chewed what remained of the sausage. It now tasted strangely bland.
Chika glanced back and forth between Miyuki and Sakurai, her mind racing.
Her imagination ran wild.
She quietly covered her nose.
Scandalous.
A moment later, Chika pulled out her own bento. She was here to eat too, after all.
"Sakurai-kun, what's my guardian spirit like?"
Sakurai's smile faltered.
Maybe... maybe this wasn't a great idea.
Still, he raised his gaze, examining the area above Chika's head.
There floated a twisted, writhing entity that roared soundlessly. It was covered in dark tentacles, vaguely resembling a balled-up octopus.
What kind of Lovecraftian nightmare is this!?
The thing radiated chaos.
Mutual attraction of chaotic entities? Is this some kind of Outer God's minion?
Even as a superpower user, Sakurai was not prepared for this level of horror.
"It's a really cute octopus," he lied, smiling stiffly.
"What color is it?" Chika pressed, eyes sparkling with interest.
"Hmm." Sakurai looked again.
What color is this even supposed to be? Rainbow... black?
"Pink."
Girls liked pink—Fujiwara Chika was no exception.
"Sakurai-kun, you're definitely lying again," she said, narrowing her eyes. "Also, why are you suddenly bringing up ghosts? Is this some kind of courage test? It's still way too early for summer, you know."
To her, a test of courage only made sense during summer break. Anything earlier felt like bad planning.
Meanwhile...
"Mr. Octopus~ Hello!" Yakumo Bai chirped, waving at the tentacled horror hovering behind Chika.
To Sakurai's utter disbelief, the Cthulhu-esque creature extended a tentacle and shook her hand—politely.
What the hell? Even as someone who had awakened supernatural vision, this was a first for Sakurai Saki.
"A test of courage, huh?" Miyuki mused aloud. "Ghosts are just products of human imagination."
He still hadn't seen one himself. To be honest, it didn't seem all that interesting.
"Supernatural beings don't exist in this world. Which means ghosts don't either," he concluded, adjusting his glasses like a true rationalist.
"Fujiwara Secretary, as people of reason, we must believe in science," he added earnestly.
Shirogane Miyuki, proud atheist.
…Who also happened to be unreasonably obsessed with daily horoscopes.
If the TV said he'd have bad luck that day, he'd be visibly anxious. If the forecast was good, his confidence soared during student council work.
Consistency? Not his strong suit.
Ignoring the unlikely handshake between ghosts, Sakurai broke in: "It's spring. School just started last week. Summer vacation's a long way off."
At that moment, the programmer ghost clinging to Miyuki let out a groan like a zombie rising from the dead.
Sakurai stared straight ahead, unfazed.
Ghosts aren't real, he reminded himself firmly.Therefore, superpowers and aliens don't exist either.
Fujiwara Chika pouted and dropped the topic, sensing she wasn't getting anywhere with these two.
She turned back to Sakurai and eyed his bento box. Her fingers poked his arm gently.
With her sweetest voice, she began, "Sakurai-kun~"
Expressionless, Sakurai replied, "Fujiwara Secretary, we don't share a telepathic bond. If you don't say what you want, I won't magically understand."
"I want…"
"Fried shrimp, right?"
Before she could finish, he picked up a golden-fried shrimp and popped it into her mouth.
Chika nodded happily, cheeks full.
"Mmm! You guessed it~"
Across the table, Shirogane Miyuki watched them with thinly veiled envy.
If only Sakurai and I had that kind of unspoken bond…Just imagining it made his heart flutter a little.
Shirogane Miyuki—so competent, so serious—yet surprisingly childish in certain ways.
Eye contact.
So cool!