The heavy glass doors of the student cafeteria slide apart. Hundreds of overlapping voices spill directly into the quiet hallway.
Renjiro stops walking. He strongly considers turning around and heading straight back to the quiet sanctuary of the dorm room, but a firm grip on his wrist completely prevents any escape.
"Come on, Renji," Mako says while dragging him over the metal threshold. "If we don't hurry, all the good seats will be taken."
Inside the vast hall, a massive crowd of students swarms around various food stations. The ceiling stretches high above, supported by thick steel beams painted a sterile white.
Smells of fried oil, rich curry, and sweet pastries mix together in the warm air. Two other girls from Class B follow closely behind Mako, chatting happily about their morning schedules.
Chihiro Shiranami clutches a small pink purse, her eyes wide as she takes in the huge digital menu boards. Beside her, Yume Kobashi points a finger toward the brightly lit dessert counter.
"Look at the parfaits!" Yume cheers. "They have seasonal strawberries with extra whipped cream."
Renjiro tunes out the chatter. He shuffles his feet across the polished floor and lets Mako pull him through the dense crowd.
Students bump his shoulders. Plastic trays clatter loudly against metal rails. The sheer volume of human activity drains his energy meter simply by existing in his peripheral vision.
Above the main serving counter, a glowing touchscreen displays the daily lunch options.
Renjiro steps up to an open terminal. He grabs a damp plastic tray from the stack and slides it along the silver rails while his eyes scan the digital pictures.
At the very bottom of the screen, tucked away in the corner, a small line of text advertises a 'Vegetable Meal'. The price listed below the picture reads exactly zero points.
A free bowl of wild mountain vegetables. It sits right next to a premium tonkatsu set priced at nine hundred points.
He stares at the zero.
Renjiro moves his eyes away. He taps the screen for the tonkatsu set, completely uninterested in the bland greens. He just wants to eat meat.
Pulling his student ID card from his pocket, he swipes the plastic against the magnetic reader. A soft electronic chime confirms the transaction. Nine hundred points vanish from his account in an instant.
He lifts his tray and carries the steaming pork cutlet toward a vacant table near the far windows.
Mako sits directly across from him. She places a tray loaded with a hamburger steak, a side salad, and a huge chocolate pudding down on the wooden table.
Chihiro and Yume take the seats next to her. The three girls immediately lean forward and formed a tight triangle of rapid-fire conversation.
Renjiro picks up his wooden chopsticks, snaps them apart, and takes a bite of the pork. The thick breading crunches loudly between his teeth.
It tastes incredibly good. Far better than standard public school food.
He chews slowly and lets the savory juice coat his tongue and keeps his eyes firmly locked on his plate.
"Ichinose-san is so pretty," Chihiro says softly while picking at her rice with her chopsticks. "She already memorized half of the class's names before the ceremony even started."
"And she smells nice too," Yume adds, nodding her head enthusiastically. "I wonder what kind of shampoo she uses. It smelled like fresh peaches."
Renjiro swallows his food and looks out the large glass windows next to their table.
The campus grounds stretch out in perfectly manicured green lawns. A few upperclassmen walk along the concrete paths, their crimson blazers unbuttoned in the afternoon heat. He just watches their shoes hit the pavement.
Not caring about Ichinose's shampoo or her memorization skills. He just wants to finish his lunch, return to class, and eventually go to sleep.
"Are you listening, Renji?" Mako kicks him under the table.