The next morning, Mizuha's eyes fluttered open as the first rays of sunlight peeked through her curtains. She glanced at her clock and realized she had woken up earlier than usual. A mix of excitement and nervousness swirled in her stomach as she remembered her plan for the day.

Quietly, she made her way to the kitchen, careful not to wake her parents. She gathered the ingredients and began preparing tamagoyaki, just as Elly had taught her the day before. As she cooked, she made extra portions, intending to share them with her friends at school.

The sizzle of the eggs in the pan and the gentle aroma of the cooking tamagoyaki filled the kitchen. Mizuha was so focused on her task that she didn’t notice her mother entering the room.

"Oh, you’re up early today," her mother said, startling Mizuha slightly. "Making tamagoyaki, huh?"

Mizuha nodded, a small smile on her face. "Good morning, Mom. Yes, just like I told you earlier."

Her mother moved closer. "That’s thoughtful of you. Here, let me help," she offered, grabbing another pan to speed up the process.

Together, they worked in comfortable silence, the sounds of cooking and the occasional clink of utensils filling the air. As they finished the last batch, Mizuha’s mother turned to her.

"You go get ready for school," she said, gesturing toward Mizuha’s room. "I’ll pack it up for you, okay, honey?"

Mizuha hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Thanks, Mom," she said, giving her mother a quick hug before heading off to prepare.

As Mizuha showered and dressed for school, her mother carefully packed the tamagoyaki into her bento box, making sure to separate the portions meant for her friends. She wrapped everything neatly, a proud smile on her face as she thought of her daughter’s newfound cooking skills.

As Mizuha finished getting ready, her mother handed her the neatly packed bento. "Have a good day at school," she said with a warm smile.

With a quick thank you, Mizuha grabbed her things and headed out the door, her heart fluttering with anticipation for what the day would bring.

At school, the morning classes passed in a blur. Mizuha could hardly wait for break time, eager to share her homemade tamagoyaki with her friends. Finally, the bell rang, signaling the start of the much-anticipated break.

Mizuha pulled out her bento and a second box containing tamagoyaki just as Shimizu approached her seat.

"Wow, that smells amazing! What is it, Mizuha?" Shimizu asked curiously.

Mizuha winked playfully. "It’s a secret. I’ll let you all taste it when we get to our spot."

Elly, who already knew what was inside, smiled as she watched her close friend talk excitedly about the special bento.

Zul suddenly spoke up. "Hey, guys, Hikaru just texted me. He’ll be a bit late and told us to go ahead."

"Oh, got it. Let’s head to our usual spot," Shimizu replied.

Meanwhile, Hikaru was rushing to finish his work in his class, eager to join Mizuha and the others for lunch on the school rooftop.

"Finally done. I need to hurry and catch up with them," Hikaru said, grabbing his bento box.

Just then, Akemi approached him. "Hikaru-kun, wait!"

"Huh? Akemi? What’s up?" Hikaru asked, surprised.

"Can I join you guys for lunch? I want to meet the friends you always hang out with during break time," Akemi said.

Hikaru hesitated, feeling uneasy about bringing Akemi along. "Uh, sure, but…"

After a brief pause, he continued, "No, it’s fine… Let’s go."

"Great! Thanks, Hikaru-kun!" Akemi replied happily, following him.

Meanwhile, Mizuha and the others started their lunch at their usual spot on the rooftop. The warm sun and gentle breeze made it the perfect setting for their midday break.

"Quick, Mizuha, show me what you got today!" Shimizu said excitedly, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Here you go," Mizuha replied with a smile, revealing the carefully prepared tamagoyaki. The golden slices, perfectly rolled and glistening, caught the sunlight as she opened the lid.

"Wow, tamagoyaki!" Shimizu exclaimed, leaning in closer. "Can I taste it now? I can’t wait any longer!"

"Sure, go ahead," Mizuha said, enjoying his enthusiasm.

Shimizu took a bite, his eyes widening in delight. "Mmm, it’s so delicious!" he said, savoring the flavor.

"Here, you guys too," Mizuha offered, holding out the box to Elly and Zul.

"Bon appétit!" Elly and Zul chimed together, each taking a piece.

"Mmm, so good, Mizuha-chan," Elly said, her eyes lighting up. "You've definitely improved since yesterday."

"Yeah, this tastes just like what Elly made before," Zul noted, nodding in approval.

"Well, I learned how to make it from Elly yesterday," Mizuha admitted, her cheeks flushing with pride. "She’s a great teacher."

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"Don’t say that, Mizuha-chan," Elly responded, blushing slightly from the compliment.

As they continued to enjoy their meal, Mizuha glanced around, noticing that Hikaru still hadn’t joined them. "Hikaru is a bit late," she wondered aloud. "What happened to him?"

Just then, Hikaru rushed onto the rooftop, slightly out of breath. "Sorry, you guys, I’m late."

"You’re late! What were you doing?" Shimizu asked, raising an eyebrow.

Before Hikaru could answer, a voice called out from behind him. "Hikaru-kun, please wait! Why are you walking so fast?" Akemi said, catching up to him.

Mizuha and the others stared in surprise as Akemi appeared behind Hikaru. Both Shimizu and Mizuha exchanged confused glances, their thoughts aligned.

"Huh, is she…?" they both murmured, trying to process the unexpected arrival.

"Umm, Hikaru, who is that?" Shimizu asked, breaking the silence.

"Oh, her?" Hikaru said, turning to face the group. "This is Akemi, my classmate," he introduced, gesturing toward her. Akemi gave a polite nod, her expression a mix of nervousness and determination as she stood by Hikaru's side, waiting for the group’s response.

"Nice to meet you guys, I’m Akemi, Hikaru’s classmate," Akemi said, introducing herself to Mizuha and Shimizu. There was no need for introductions to Elly and Zul, as they already knew her from middle school, where they had been classmates.

Mizuha's eyes lit up in recognition. "Ah, you’re from yesterday! Thanks again for helping me earlier," she said, smiling warmly at Akemi.

Shimizu glanced at Mizuha; his curiosity piqued. "Huh, Mizuha, have you already met her before?"

"Yeah, she helped me yesterday," Mizuha replied casually, her tone friendly.

Akemi waved it off modestly. "Don’t worry, it was just a small thing," she said with a polite smile. Then, she shifted her attention back to Mizuha and Shimizu, her eyes gleaming with a mix of curiosity and admiration. "So, you’re the famous Mizuha, right? I’ve always heard about you from my friends. And you," she continued, turning to Shimizu, "you’re the famous Shimizu, the one who beat up some upperclassmen recently. You don’t seem as bad as they say."

Shimizu’s expression darkened slightly, a flash of irritation crossing her face. She felt the sting of Akemi’s words, sensing the underlying tone in her comment. "This girl, she looks nice but she’s got quite the mouth, huh," she thought, her mind racing.

But outwardly, she maintained her composure, forcing a tight smile. "Oh, is that what they say? How nice of them," Shimizu replied, her voice laced with sarcasm. Shimizu don’t want to start a fighting with Akemi.

Then Akemi pretended to notice Zul, her eyes widening in feigned surprise. "Huh, is that you, Zul? It’s been a while! I see you’re still as quiet as usual," she said, trying to start a conversation with him.

Zul remained silent, not reacting to her words, instead focusing on his bento lunch. The lack of response was typical of Zul, who preferred to keep to himself in most social situations.

Sensing the awkwardness, Elly tried to step in. "Umm, Zul’s not—" she began, her voice gentle as she attempted to defend him.

But before she could finish, Zul leaned in close to Elly and whispered softly into her ear, "Elly, just ignore what she said. Her attitude’s always been like that since middle school."

Elly nodded slightly, understanding the unspoken request to let it go. She shot Zul a reassuring smile, deciding not to press the issue further. She then wondered, “Why do I feel like I didn’t like her before? She did nothing to me or Zul,” Elly wondered why she couldn't get along with Akemi.

Meanwhile, Mizuha, eager to lighten the mood and shift the focus, spoke up cheerfully. "Oh, since you’re both here, I made some tamagoyaki today. Please, have a taste!" she said, holding out the box of tamagoyaki to Hikaru and Akemi, her eyes hopeful as she tried to bring everyone together through her cooking.

Hikaru gratefully accepted a piece, giving Mizuha a warm smile. "Thanks, Mizuha! I’ve been looking forward to this," he said before taking a bite. His expression brightened immediately. "This is really good!"

Akemi, on the other hand, hesitated for a moment, her eyes flicking between the group and the tamagoyaki before she reached out and took a piece as well. "Thank you," she said, her tone more subdued now as she tasted the tamagoyaki. "Mizuha, this is delicious. Do you make this?"

“Yes, I made it, thanks to Elly for teaching me how to make it,” said Mizuha.

“You learned it from Sakamoto-san? Wow, that’s nice! I never knew you had such great cooking skills,” said Akemi, complimenting Elly.

Elly's face turned bright red upon hearing that compliment.

“Here, there are still more, come on, eat this, you guys,” Mizuha said, offering the remaining tamagoyaki to her friends. She then picked up a piece with her chopsticks and, on impulse, turned towards Hikaru.

“Umm, Hikaru, here… open your mouth,” Mizuha said, her heart racing as she held the tamagoyaki in front of him.

“What am I doing? Why am I suddenly feeding him?” Mizuha wondered, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

Hikaru stared at the tamagoyaki, then at Mizuha, his own face turning red. “Wait, Mizuha, what are you trying to do? Also, those are your chopsticks! Is this… an indirect kiss?” he thought, blushing even more.

Despite his surprise, Hikaru decided to go along with it. “Well, I’ll just play along…” he thought, opening his mouth slightly. Just as he was about to take a bite, Akemi suddenly leaned in and snatched the tamagoyaki right off Mizuha’s chopsticks.

“Aaaa… ummm… so delicious!” Akemi exclaimed, chewing happily.

Both Mizuha and Hikaru froze in shock, staring at Akemi in disbelief.

“Ah, sorry, am I interrupting something? Tee hee,” Akemi said, a mischievous grin on her face, completely unfazed.

“Ah, it’s nothing…” Mizuha stammered, her face bright red with embarrassment.

“Akemi, what are you doing?” Hikaru asked, his voice tinged with frustration as he wondered, “You ruined everything.”

“Oops… sorry… sorry,” Akemi said, her tone more playful than apologetic.

Suddenly, Shimizu burst out laughing. “Hahaha, what are you guys trying to do?” she teased, clearly amused by the whole situation.

“Ah, I feel full, and I feel lucky because I got to taste this delicious tamagoyaki today,” Akemi said with a satisfied smile. “Thanks, you guys, for letting me join you today. Can I join you again next time?”

Mizuha, ever warm and welcoming, smiled back. “Sure, why not? You’re welcome to join us anytime.” “Also, can we exchange numbers? We’re all friends now, right?” said Mizuha. “Sure, I’m glad you asked me that. Here, this is my phone number,” said Akemi.

The bell rang, signaling that break time was over. “Ah, it’s time already. See, you guys later. Let’s go, Akemi,” said Hikaru, ready to return to his class with Akemi. “Then, see you guys later,” said Akemi, waving her hand while following Hikaru back to their class. “I think we should return to our class as well,” said Shimizu. “Umm, let’s go,” said Elly.

After that, Mizuha and the others returned to their class to continue the school session. Mizuha felt happy today because not only did she make tamagoyaki for her friends, but she also made another friend in Akemi.

“That girl, Akemi, is a nice person, but she has a sharp tongue sometimes. I think I’ll get used to that next time,” said Shimizu, mumbling to herself while walking to their class.

“So, Mizuha, what kind of food will you make for us tomorrow? I can’t wait to taste it,” said Shimizu again.

“Give me a rest, Shimizu. I can’t cook like this every day. Not tomorrow, maybe another time, okay?” said Mizuha. “I still need to study. Why not ask Elly-chan sensei over here? She’s a better cook than me,” said Mizuha, turning her gaze to Elly.

“Oh, not again, Mizuha-chan. This is the third time you’ve said that,” said Elly, blushing while knocking Mizuha lightly.

The three of them laughed together while Zul followed them from behind to return to their class.

The laughter and shared moments from the day lingered in Mizuha’s mind as she prepared for the rest of the school day. She couldn’t help but feel that this day marked the beginning of new dynamics and deeper connections within her circle of friends.

Mizuha looked forward to the future with a renewed sense of optimism, knowing that each day brought new opportunities for growth, friendship, and maybe even a few more surprises. With her heart light and her spirits high, she walked into the classroom, ready to face whatever the rest of the day had in store.