A/N:
I fell asleep earlier,forgive me for the late upload.
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In the first-year Class E.
"My dear friend, Hachiman, let us go have lunch together."
As soon as the class ended, Zaimokuza, with his full-blown chuunibyou antics, approached.
"Zaimokuza, can't you talk normally for once?" Hachiman, who was leaning on his desk, wore a helpless expression.
Even though this guy was deeply afflicted with chuunibyou and on the heavy side, he was still one of Hachiman's few friends at the moment.
Hachiman cared for him in his own way.
"If you keep going like this, you might have trouble finding a decent job in the future."
In Japan, society wasn't particularly friendly toward overweight individuals and otaku, and Hachiman wanted to convey some concern about that.
The low obesity rate in Japan can be attributed to several factors.
Firstly, Japanese cuisine tends to favor a light and healthy diet, primarily utilizing cooking methods such as steaming, boiling, and grilling, with minimal use of frying.
Furthermore, Japanese cuisine places an emphasis on diversity, fresh ingredients, and quality, often serving moderate portions, promoting the practice of eating until one is 80% full.
This healthy eating philosophy aids in weight management.
In addition, the fishing industry in Japan is highly developed, and seafood is a staple in their diet.
Seafood, rich in high-quality protein but relatively low in fat content, is an ideal choice for those seeking to maintain a healthy weight.
Japanese select different types of seafood based on the seasons, such as spring's saury, summer's eel, autumn's mackerel, and winter's pufferfish.
This means that throughout the year, various types of fish grace Japanese dining tables, providing them with a rich source of protein and nutrients.
In summary, Japan's low obesity rate is closely linked to their dietary culture, eating habits, and abundant seafood resources, all contributing to maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle.
On the other hand, one of the reasons for the low obesity rate in Japan is workplace discrimination against overweight individuals.
With the exception of professional sumo wrestlers, overweight people are rarely seen in public, and most individuals strive to maintain a healthy weight to secure better job opportunities.
Japan places a high value on a slim physique in the workplace.
As for societal bias against otaku, particularly those like Zaimokuza who exhibit chuunibyou tendencies, it's a well-known issue in Japan.
Considering Zaimokuza's overweight and chuunibyou persona, Hachiman couldn't help but worry about his friend's future job prospects.
"Well, well, let's not dwell on these details. Let's get going; we might miss out on the convenience store's yakisoba bread," Zaimokuza waved off Hachiman's concerns.
Seeing his friend's attitude, Hachiman sighed in resignation.
"Today might not work, I've made plans to meet a friend who's coming over, so I need to wait here for a bit."
"What? A friend? Haha, don't joke with me. Besides me, how could you possibly have other friends?"
"Don't act tough; let's go." Zaimokuza chuckled and patted Hachiman's shoulder, clearly not believing his words.
Oh, Zaimokuza, you cheeky guy, daring to say that to me.
Raising an eyebrow, Hachiman decided to tease him a bit.
"Who said I don't have any friends anymore? I'm not like you. The one coming later is even a beautiful girl, believe it or not."
"Someone with dead-fish eyes like you having a female friend, let alone a beautiful one? I don't believe it."
"Then just wait and see," Hachiman replied, clearly up for the challenge.
"Hikki!"
At that moment, Yui's clear voice echoed from the classroom entrance.
"Admit defeat, Zaimokuza. She's already here, and I should be off." Hearing Yui's voice, Hachiman chuckled and patted Zaimokuza's shoulder.
"Yui, over here." He then walked toward the classroom entrance.
"What... what!"
Seeing Yui holding two lunchboxes at the classroom entrance, Zaimokuza muttered in a daze.
"Hachiman actually didn't lie to me; he really has a beautiful friend, and she even makes lunch for him."
"Waaah, we were supposed to be 'forever single' together, but you, you traitor, became a 'couple'!" He exclaimed, clutching his chest, and then quickly slipped out of the classroom through the back door.
Hachiman's lunch was sorted, but he still needed to rush to the canteen for some bread.
"Hey there, good afternoon,Hikki."
Seeing Hachiman standing in front of her, Yui's face lit up with a happy smile.
"Good afternoon, Yui." Hachiman also smiled and greeted her.
"By the way, Yui, let me introduce you to my friend..."
But just as he was about to introduce Zaimokuza to Yui, he turned his head only to find that the guy had disappeared without a trace.
"..."
Zaimokuza must be quite shaken today.
Yes? Why persecute innocent single dogs?
"Hikki, who were you going to introduce to me?"
At this point, Yui looked at Hachiman curiously, but she didn't see anyone behind him.
"Nothing, maybe he's gone to have lunch already," Hachiman shrugged. "I'll introduce you next time."
"Sure, no problem," Yui replied with a happy smile on her face.
"Let's go,Hikki. We'll have lunch together."
"Yeah, let's go."
Following Yui, Hachiman left the classroom.
........
The two of them sat down on a bench under the shade of a tree.
"Here, Hikki, my mom made this bento for you," Yui said as she handed a bento box to Hachiman, smoothing out her skirt.
Taking the bento, Hachiman eagerly opened it.
Inside was a traditional Japanese bento with a bed of rice in the center, accompanied by a hamburger patty, thick tamagoyaki (sweet rolled omelet), octopus sausage, and various side dishes.
Yui opened her bento as well, and they had the same dishes, although her portion of rice was slightly smaller.
"Itadakimasu" Yui said, putting her hands together, adhering to the customary phrase before beginning her meal.
Hachiman mirrored her actions, after all, he was now a resident of Japan. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
He picked up a piece of octopus sausage and took a bite.
It tasted pretty good. The skin had a slight crispness, while the inside remained tender.
The cooking was spot-on. Though it might not be an absolute delicacy for Hachiman, it was undoubtedly much better than the convenience store food he was accustomed to.
However, as he glanced at Yui, he couldn't help but shake his head inwardly.
Yui's mom was clearly a great cook, so why did Yui only seem capable of making "dark cuisine"?
It appeared she had inherited her mom's face and bust but not her excellent culinary skills.
Yui continued to eat her bento with joy.
Every bite brought a smile to her face.
Even though she had been eating her mom's cooking since she was a child, she never seemed to get enough.
Perhaps that's the taste of a mother's cooking.
The spring breeze gently blew, causing a few cherry blossom petals to fall.
Some of these petals landed on Yui's head.
Seeing this, Hachiman reached out to remove the cherry blossom petals from her head, and he couldn't resist patting her head.
However, his actions resembled those of someone petting a small animal.
"Um... Hikki, what are you doing?"
Yui, who had been happily eating, suddenly felt a strange sensation on her head.
She turned to look at Hachiman.
Why do I have a strange feeling in my heart?
As Hachiman continued to pat her, Yui's face gradually turned rosy.
"It's nothing. A few petals fell on your head earlier, and I removed them for you."
"If you've removed them, then don't just randomly pat my head. Let me eat in peace, you stinky Hikki."
The strange feeling in Yui's heart grew stronger, and her face turned even more flushed.
She swatted away Hachiman's hand, which had been mischievously patting her head.
Seeing her blush, Hachiman knew he shouldn't continue teasing her, or the silly Yui might become angry out of embarrassment.
He withdrew his hand and continued to eat his bento.
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