Mash-Up Anime World: Anything for Money

"Hikigaya… Hakuto just handed the bento to Takanashi, didn't he?"

"…Even you got up for this?"

Hachiman raised his dead-fish eyes to glance at Houtarou behind him. To be honest, he was struggling to believe what he had just witnessed.

Houtarou ran a hand through his bangs and instinctively looked at Hakuto's backpack hanging on the chair.

By nature, this wasn't something he wanted to get involved in, but… this was just too strange.

As one of Hakuto's few friends, Houtarou had personally seen him spend two whole years chasing after one girl—only to suddenly switch targets without warning.

There weren't even any signs of it. Just yesterday, Houtarou had seen Hakuto leaving Class F, and today, he was acting like a completely different person.

Did someone possess him?

Houtarou's mind immediately went to all those trending isekai reincarnation and body-snatching anime, and before he knew it, he had started imagining Hakuto in that exact scenario.

"…Even though this might be a hassle…"

Yeah. Just as Houtarou had said, this might turn into a hassle.

But despite that, he still found himself reaching toward Hakuto's backpack.

However, someone beat him to it.

Hachiman had already placed his hand on the bag before Houtarou could even touch it—and without hesitation, snatched it away.

Hakuto, seeing his bag suddenly taken, lowered the book in his hands and gave Hachiman a calm, indifferent glance.

"…You skipped breakfast?"

That was the only reason Hakuto could think of for Hachiman to grab his backpack.

But Hachiman had a different reason. He was certain there were two more bento boxes inside.

The ones Hakuto gave Rikka had to be extras.

At that moment, Houtarou, who was still holding his hand in midair, turned his gaze between Hakuto and Hachiman before hesitantly asking:

"Hakuto, aren't you going to deliver lunch to Sawamura today?"

"…Why would I do that?"

"Because…"

Hakuto's response left Houtarou speechless.

Why?

Why did he have to do that?

If he had to find a reason, was it because Hakuto had been doing it for two years?

But… was that really a reason?

Houtarou ruffled his bangs again. For the past two years, he had never understood why Hakuto went through so much trouble for that.

But now that Hakuto had suddenly stopped, Houtarou was even more confused.

"…This really is a hassle."

Houtarou pondered Hakuto's question for a while but couldn't find an answer. In the end, he gave up—he'd rather save his energy for PE class in the afternoon.

While they were talking, Hachiman had already begun slowly opening Hakuto's backpack.

And when he peeked inside, all he found were a few snacks, daily necessities, and some books.

Hachiman's dead-fish eyes widened even further.

There were no bento boxes.

Not a single one.

Recalling his conversation with Houtarou just now, Hachiman glanced at Hakuto again. His eyes, usually dull and emotionless, were now filled with disbelief.

"…You're acting really weird today."

"…Did you seriously not eat breakfast?"

Hachiman didn't answer Hakuto. He simply stared blankly into space, lost in thought.

Hakuto raised an eyebrow, grabbed his backpack back, pulled out a piece of bread, and tossed it onto Hachiman's lap.

"You don't even have the strength to talk now?"

"…Oreki, want one?"

Meanwhile, on Rikka's side, she had just taken a rice ball from the bento box and stuffed it into her mouth. 

As she marveled at the taste she hadn't experienced in so long, a group of people gathered around her.

Several students whom Rikka couldn't even name surrounded her desk, making her instinctively cover the bento box and place it back into her drawer.

"The Evil King's True Eye does not share its energy supply."

With a rice ball in her mouth, Rikka crossed her arms in front of her chest in an exaggerated "X" shape, making it clear that she was rejecting them.

However, these people were clearly not here for her breakfast. They stared at her seriously before asking solemnly,

"Takanashi-san, what is your relationship with Shiratori-san?"

Rikka: "?!?!"

So, you're not here to steal my food?

Realizing their true intentions, Rikka relaxed and brought the bento box back onto her desk.

"What relationship?"

"The Evil King's True Eye has formed a contract with the Hero!"

She declared righteously before grabbing another rice ball from the bento box, now holding one in each hand as she continuously stuffed them into her mouth.

Her words, however, left everyone stunned. They had heard of the "Evil King's True Eye" before—after all, Rikka often referred to herself by that name.

But… "Hero"…?

"So this is what chuunibyou is like. Kinda scary."

"Wait, by 'Hero,' do you mean Shiratori-san?"

"Is Shiratori-san also chuunibyou? But he doesn't seem like one…"

They couldn't understand what she meant by a "contract," but if they translated it into normal terms, it at least meant they were friends, right?

No, no, what kind of "friends" bring each other breakfast and lunch? And it's homemade too—so extravagant!

"Takanashi-san… this breakfast—"

"You mean the energy supply? That's also part of the contract!"

"If you don't replenish your energy quickly, how will you handle emergencies?"

They still couldn't grasp what kind of "contract" she was talking about, only feeling that trying to communicate with a chuunibyou was exhausting.

Meanwhile, on Eriri's side.

To be honest, Hakuto not delivering breakfast didn't cause much of a stir in her class—no one even noticed it.

After all, high school students had their own things to do, whether it was catching up on homework or gossiping. 

Few had the time to focus on outsiders.

At that moment, Eriri rubbed her tired, darkened eyes and let out a small yawn, looking completely sleep-deprived.

"Finally… finished…"

Because of what she had said to her mother yesterday, Eriri had been in no mood to do her homework. 

She spent the whole day online and only just managed to finish her assignments.

After completing her work, she glanced at the clock.

"Class is starting soon…"

Seeing the little time left, a sudden hunger pang hit her stomach.

She clutched her stomach and instinctively reached into her desk drawer.

But aside from her textbooks for the day, she couldn't find what she was looking for.

"Huh? Where did it go?"

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LMAOO EAT THAT ERIRI

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