Good news: Rei Miyamoto had finally found someone she could vent to.
Bad news: That someone was apparently a walking emotional black hole.
Rei was straight-up numb.
I've already spilled my guts and look this pathetic—aren't you supposed to comfort me like a normal person?
Shuya couldn't read minds, but the look on her face said everything.
Comfort her?
Yeah, no.
He wasn't her dad, and they weren't close. Why the hell would he?
If it was Shizuka or Saeko—someone actually tied to him—he'd wrap them up, listen, and make it better.
But Rei? Some random girl he barely knew?
Hard pass. He'd rather spend the time training his Nen.
Nice guys could go line up behind the dogs.
Rei gritted her teeth. "No!"
"Too bad," Shuya said with fake sympathy, then slid the extra bento toward her. He flopped back down, hands behind his head, closed his eyes, and went right back into Nen meditation.
Rei knew she had zero right to be mad at him.
But god, it still pissed her off.
In her head she cursed him: Hope you stay single forever, asshole.
Weirdly, that made her feel a little better.
After a quick mental victory lap, she grabbed the bento and decided to turn her rage into calories.
"Oh, and Miyamoto," Shuya added without opening his eyes, "make sure you wash the box before you return it."
Rei's knuckles went white around the chopsticks, veins standing out on the back of her hand.
She took a deep breath, popped the lid, and froze.
The food was cold. Most of the veggies looked completely foreign—nothing like the usual Japanese cafeteria stuff.
Whatever. I'll just choke down a couple bites.
She scooped up a big clump of rice and vegetables and shoved it in her mouth.
Her eyes went wide.
What the hell is this?!
It was like a flavor bomb went off on her tongue. Even cold, it was insanely good.
Those thin strips—weren't those green peppers? The vegetable every Japanese kid hates? How did they taste like this?
And what were those little bean-like things? They looked like tiny green cigars but tasted amazing.
Rei gave up all pretense of being ladylike. She brought the box right to her lips and started shoveling rice like she was in a speed-eating contest.
Between massive bites she kept sneaking glances at Shuya's stupidly handsome face.
Does this jerk eat like this every day?
It didn't take long before the entire bento was gone.
Rei rubbed her now very full belly and winced.
Crap. I just inhaled way too much.
Because both Shuya and Shizuka were Nen users, their appetites were huge. The "extra" bento had actually been two normal servings.
Which meant Rei had just downed more than double her usual lunch without realizing it.
Whatever. Who cares if I get fat? Nobody gives a damn about me anyway.
She gave up, lay down near Shuya, and stared at the clear blue sky.
Her mind went blank. A minute later she was fast asleep.
A little while later Shuya felt a weight settle on his shoulder.
He opened his eyes.
Rei's ash-brown head was resting against him like it belonged there.
The hell? Using me as a body pillow now?
"Miyamoto."
Rei jolted awake, saw how close his face was, and scrambled backward.
Her cheeks burned crimson. She felt like her entire face had just been pulled out of a volcano.
She peeked at where he was sitting.
He hadn't moved an inch.
Which meant she had rolled over in her sleep and snuggled up to him on her own.
But why?
She'd never even let Takashi—her childhood friend—get that close. The most they'd ever done was casual touches.
Resting her head on a guy's shoulder? She'd never even dreamed of it.
Yet… it had felt so warm. So safe. Like she was back in her mom's arms. All the heavy crap she'd been carrying for days had just melted away while she slept.
The more she thought about it, the weirder it felt.
There was no way Rei could guess the real reason: Shuya's Nen aura.
Everyone leaks tiny amounts of life energy over time. Most people can't control it.
Nen is the art of mastering that "aura." Keeping it inside your body makes Nen users healthier, stronger, and basically ageless.
In the Chimera Ant arc of Hunter x Hunter, the ants figured out one terrifying fact: one Nen user is nutritionally worth about two thousand normal people.
So when Rei unconsciously scooted closer in her sleep, it was pure biological instinct craving a higher form of life.
"I know I'm hot and you couldn't help yourself," Shuya said with a weird look, "but you don't have to go that far."
"Just so we're clear—if you want to sleep with me, I'm not against it. You're cute enough for a friends-with-benefits thing. But if you're hoping I'll fall in love with you? Sorry, you're nowhere near that level."
Rei's brain short-circuited.
"I never—! Who the hell wants to sleep with you?! Die, you bastard!!"
She kicked at him in rage.
She wasn't strong enough to actually hurt him, but Shuya wasn't into that kink. He caught her foot, gave a light push, and—
Thud.
Rei landed hard on her butt.
"Oww…"
She stood up, rubbing her sore rear end and shooting him a resentful glare.
This guy was ice-cold.
Realizing she wasn't going to get any sympathy, she snatched up the empty bento box and stormed off.
Shuya just shrugged and went back to training.
Before he knew it, the final bell rang.
Time to head to the kendo club and see if Saeko had signed the contract.