A unique Lunch Time With Her

Fridays were different.

School ended earlier, which meant no lunch break.

And Rin wasn't sure why that bothered her.

It wasn't like she was waiting for anything. It wasn't like she was expecting anything.

But the thought of not going up to the rooftop today… of not sitting with Anko… of not hearing her playful remarks and teasing words—

Rin shook her head. She was thinking too much.

She packed her things slowly as the other students left, trying not to look like she was waiting. Not that there was anything to wait for.

Then—

A shadow loomed over her desk.

"Yo."

Rin blinked and looked up.

Anko.

She was standing there, casually slinging her bag over one shoulder, a familiar smirk on her face.

Rin blinked again. "What are you doing here?"

Anko raised an eyebrow. "What, you're not happy to see me?"

Rin quickly looked away. "I didn't say that."

Anko chuckled. "Good. 'Cause we're going out."

Rin snapped her head back. "What?"

"C'mon," Anko said, grabbing her bag. "No lunch break today, right? So let's go eat somewhere."

Rin hesitated. "Eat… somewhere?"

Anko nodded like it was obvious. "Duh. What, did you think I'd let you starve just because school decided to cut lunch?"

"I wasn't—" Rin sighed. "Never mind."

Anko grinned. "That's the spirit. Let's go."

Rin didn't exactly agree to this.

But… she didn't resist either.

---

The streets were less crowded than usual, probably because most students were still hanging around school or had gone home already.

The walk was quiet at first. Rin kept her hands in her pockets, watching the pavement as they walked side by side.

Anko, on the other hand, was completely relaxed, humming some tune Rin didn't recognize.

It wasn't just the humming. Everything about Anko felt effortless—like she belonged everywhere she went. The way she walked, the way she carried herself, the way she smiled at passing students without a care in the world.

Rin stole a glance.

She really didn't understand this girl.

Out of all the people in school, why her? Why was she so interested in someone like Rin?

"…You're staring," Anko suddenly said.

Rin flinched. "I am not."

Anko smirked. "You totally were."

Rin scowled. "Shut up."

Anko just laughed. "Man, you're fun."

Rin raised an eyebrow. "Fun?" That was the last thing she'd call herself.

"Yeah," Anko said. "You act all serious, but your reactions are cute."

Rin choked on air.

Anko grinned. Mission accomplished.

---

They ended up at a small, cozy café not far from school. It wasn't crowded—thankfully.

The scent of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries filled the air, giving the place a quiet, comforting atmosphere. Soft chatter from a few other customers hummed in the background, mixing with the light jazz playing from the speakers.

Rin sat down, still a bit unsure about all this.

Anko, on the other hand, was already flipping through the menu.

"What do you want?" Anko asked.

"…Just coffee," Rin mumbled.

Anko frowned. "That's not food."

"I'm not that hungry."

Anko narrowed her eyes. Then—without warning—she took the menu away.

Rin blinked. "What are you—?"

"I'll order for you," Anko declared.

Rin stared. "Excuse me?"

Anko waved her off. "Just trust me."

"…That's the problem."

Anko smirked. "Too bad."

And just like that, she went to place the order.

Rin sighed.

What did she just get herself into?

---

A few minutes later, the waitress arrived with their food.

Rin looked down. A sandwich, a small salad, and a hot chocolate.

"…This is what you ordered for me?"

Anko took a sip of her drink. "Yup."

Rin frowned. "Why hot chocolate?"

Anko grinned. "Because I figured you'd like something warm."

Rin hesitated. Then, slowly, she picked up the cup and took a sip.

It was… good. Really good.

The warmth spread through her fingers, her chest, something deeper than that.

Anko watched her reaction and smirked. "See? Told you to trust me."

Rin rolled her eyes. "Don't get ahead of yourself."

Anko leaned back, looking pleased with herself. "So, tell me something about yourself."

Rin blinked. "Huh?"

"I mean, we're eating together, hanging out, all that. Kinda weird if I know nothing about you, right?"

Rin hesitated. "…There's nothing to tell."

Anko raised an eyebrow. "Liar."

Rin sighed. "I'm not lying."

Anko shrugged. "Okay, fine. Then I'll go first."

She rested her chin on her hand. "Let's see… I like basketball, even though I never joined the club. I think school is boring but some people make it interesting."

Her eyes flickered to Rin for a second before she continued.

"I always sit by the window in class 'cause I like watching the sky. Oh, and I really, really like ice cream."

Rin stared. "That's… random."

Anko grinned. "Exactly. Now your turn."

Rin sighed. There was no escaping this, huh?

"…I like books," she muttered.

Anko nodded. "Figures."

Rin frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Anko smirked. "You have that bookworm aura."

Rin crossed her arms. "That's not a thing."

Anko chuckled. "Oh, it is."

Rin sighed. "Whatever."

But—somehow—the conversation kept going.

They talked about random things. Favorite seasons, least favorite subjects, dumb school rumors.

At some point, Anko got dramatic about her hatred for math, and Rin almost laughed—almost. Anko noticed and made it her mission to get an actual laugh out of her.

By the time they finished eating, Rin realized something.

She hadn't been watching the clock.

She wasn't thinking about what came next.

She was just… here.

The café was warm, the outside world cold. The air between them was light, but also… comfortable.

And Rin found herself… enjoying it.

She wasn't used to this. Talking. Laughing.

But with Anko, it felt… easy.

And she didn't hate it.

Maybe, just maybe… she even liked it.

As they stepped outside, the sky had turned a soft shade of orange, the sun beginning to dip below the buildings.

Anko stretched with a satisfied sigh. "Well, that was nice. Guess I should walk you home now."

Rin blinked. "You don't have to."

Anko smirked. "I want to."

Rin hesitated.

But, like before—

She didn't resist.