Flip The Script

Ruri kept her head down as she finished her lunch.

She pretended to be occupied, and no one bothered to question her activities. Technically, she wasn't supposed to eat in that room, but the teachers took pity on her and left her alone. She observed Toshi still in the classroom after everyone had departed, diligently updating his notes. It was Friday, the end of the week, and while everyone else couldn't wait to leave, he remained focused on his studies. She couldn't help but notice his strong performance in most subjects, and a pang of envy crept in. He seemed to have it all—looks, intelligence, wealth, popularity—you name it, he possessed it.

This aspect of him was particularly striking. While it might appear that he stumbled into his life, Toshi was far from coasting. He approached his studies with diligence, taking them seriously and prioritizing them over his social life. She smiled to herself, reflecting on how much she knew about him that no one else did. It was a source of quiet pride for her—despite appearing popular and surrounded by friends, nobody truly knew him like she did.

This hidden side of him, where he worked so hard to excel, was something she admired. She couldn't understand how people could dismiss him so easily. To everyone else, he was seen as a simple-minded yet stunningly beautiful and innocent prince who stumbled through life with a lovable, bumbling charm. His humility and kindness only enhanced this perception. Everyone seemed to like him, but so few truly knew him. She noticed the way people spoke around him, treating him as harmless and looking down on him.

It annoyed her to no end.

The moments when they were alone in the room together, even if they exchanged no words, held significance for her. It made her feel superior to everyone else, even if it was in this small, private way. Despite being a social outcast and hiding from everyone else, she knew Toshi in a way that no one else did. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back, reflecting on the situation. It might not mean much in the grand scheme of things, but in her difficult life, it was these small moments that helped her maintain her sanity in this horrible place.

So when a bento box dropped on her desk it took her totally by surprise.

Ruri looked up at Toshi who was already leaving. She looked at the box then back to Toshi, "What is this?"

Toshi paused in the doorway, "Just a thanks for... you know." Then put a finger to his lips and gave a wink before he slipped out. Ruri looked at the bento box. It had a large piece of paper taped to the top. When she pulled it off she got a much better look at the cover and her eyes bulged out.

It was a Honey Whitefox bento box. Not just any Honey Whitefox bento box, mind you, but the limited edition, hand-crafted, eco-friendly bamboo version with a holographic cover that made Honey Whitefox's likeness wink when you tilted the box. Across the cover, in golden magic marker with Honey Whitefox's signature sparkling flecks, was the inscription 'Stay Foxy' along with his signature. She carefully unfolded the accompanying paper, revealing it to be a certificate of authenticity. At the bottom was a brief note that simply read, 'Thanks'. Her jaw dropped open when she noticed it was number 8 out of 1000.

She lifted open the box and looked inside then closed it immediately, ~He took a limited edition Honey Whitefox Bento box out of its packaging and made me lunch.~ She blinked and slowly traced a finger around the edge, ~Are you insane? The resale value dropped the-~ She paused and smiled softly, ~And you really don't care.~ She slowly opened it up to look inside. It wasn't anything fancy. Breaded chicken, roasted vegetables, a small cup of berries, but the bedding of white rice stood out for he took the time to arrange black and yellow grains to make a smiley face on top.

She covered her mouth and just gazed at it. Her mother was too busy to make her a bento. The last time someone made her a bento was Dad, but that was... before. She had been making her own lunch for over two years now and she didn't want anyone to know. It ate at her that it was her and mom now. Her brothers had moved out two years ago. Simultaneously, this bento box was both the nicest, and most painful, gift she had ever received. It hit her so hard that it took her a minute to realize she had been crying. She immediately pulled herself together, wiping away her tears as she looked around to make sure nobody caught her. She had enough issues without being called a crybaby.

That's when she saw Toshi's handbag lying on his desk, "Uh-oh..." She got up, rushed over, and picked it up. She briefly fretted over the invasion of privacy but popped it open anyway, ~This is all his money.~ She slammed it shut and looked to the door. She rushed over to look down the hallway towards the corner around which was the lunch room.

She felt cold sweat start to crawl over her skin.

The last time she ventured out she got the crap beat out of her. This was the unwritten agreement with the bullies. She stayed in the classroom, and they left her alone, ~But Toshi needs his lunch money.~ She looked at the bag, then the hallway. Nobody was immediately visible, "I'll just dash down there, hand him his bag, then come right back." He muttered to herself. Her knuckles turned white as she clutched the bag, "It's the least I can do." She took a deep breath and then broke into a run. Ruri came around the corner and smacked right into someone. The force barely moved the other person, but Ruri bounced off and fell on her behind. She mumbled an apology and was about to get up and keep going when she heard a familiar voice from out of her nightmares.

It was Naora.

Ruri was paralyzed with fear as she looked up at Naora and her two flunkies who now surrounded her. They loomed as Naora asked, "What the hell are you doing here?"

Ruri started to shake as she mumbled a reply, "T-T-To-Toshi lost his bag. I-I am re-returning i-i-it." She clutched the black bag tightly as if it were the most important thing in the world to her.

Naora's eyes lit up as she heard Ruri say 'Toshi'. She leaned in closer, "That's Toshi's you say? Well well well..." She reached out to take the bag, "I'll make sure he gets it." Her smile twisted itself into a most sinister leer.

Ruri's stomach turned to the thought that not only did she fail to get Toshi's bag to him in time for lunch, but that the very bane of her existence was about to steal it. She twisted her body to shield the bag from her tormentor and shouted, "NO!"

Naora's eyes narrowed. "What did you say to me?"