83 Sweets
“So, Suzuna, what do you want to eat?”
“…Um…”
Riri-chan was still holding my hand.
The more I thought about how awkward this situation was, the more my hands sweated, and I just wanted her to let go.
I wasn’t even thinking about food.
“If you don’t decide, I’ll keep holding your hand.”
“It would be solved if you just let go…”
“I’ll let go when we eat, so choose something.”
Riri-chan was completely leaving the decision to me.
The situation would only get worse if I stalled, so I had to decide quickly.
But nothing caught my eye as I looked around the classroom projects.
I thought about just randomly picking something, but I felt like the perceptive Riri-chan would see through me.
I looked at the shops near the school gate through the window.
“…Ah.”
“Did you find something?”
“Well, if I had to choose…”
“What? Which one?”
Riri-chan also looked out the window.
Our shoulders touched.
“R-Riri-chan, you’re too close.”
“It’s natural for us to be close since we’re holding hands.”
“Having our bodies touch is too much.”
“Eh, you don’t like being close to me, Suzuna…?”
“…”
This is bad.
My hands won’t stop sweating.
If I keep having this kind of conversation with her, she’ll completely take control.
I’ll change the subject.
“Crêpes.”
“…Crêpes?”
I pointed at one of the stalls near the school gate.
“So girly.”
Riri-chan’s mouth dropped open.
I am a girl, but what’s that supposed to mean?
“…What do you mean by that?”
“You want crêpes for lunch, Suzuna?”
“Is that not allowed?”
They’re selling them, so it’s fine, isn’t it?
“No, I just thought… you’d want something… more substantial? Crêpes are dessert.”
“As long as I’m full, it’s fine.”
I’m not picky.
As long as my stomach is full.
“Well, you’re not going to be full with that, are you?”
Riri-chan doesn’t seem to approve of having sweets for lunch.
Then she should have said so from the beginning.
“If you’re that against it, you can choose, Riri-chan. Anything is fine with me.”
“That’s not what I’m saying!”
“…You’re so troublesome, Riri-chan.”
“Ah, sorry, sorry. Okay, let’s do that.”
Riri-chan led me towards the entrance.
She still wouldn’t let go of my hand.
◇◇◇
“One crêpe, please.”
Riri-chan placed the order at the third-year stall.
“Thank you. I’ll make it right away.”
It felt hotter outside than in the hallway because of the sun.
Making crêpes on a hot plate under this scorching sun must be hell.
The cultural festival is tough.
“Here you go.”
“Thank you.”
Riri-chan paid and received the crêpe.
…Wait a minute.
“Riri-chan, what about mine?”
I was just watching silently because she was doing everything, but it’s just one crêpe, and I’ll pay for it.
Did she forget about me?
She’s still holding my hand.
“You have one.”
Riri-chan held up the crêpe she received.
“No… I’ll pay for it.”
“I’ll buy it for you.”
“That’s okay, there’s no reason for you to buy it for me.”
“For my cute girlfriend, what other reason do I need?”
“…”
This girl…
My heart can’t take this…
“It’s too hot here, and there’s nowhere to sit, so let’s move.”
“Ah, um…”
Riri-chan completely ignored what I said.
◇◇◇
We went to the field and sat down on a bench in the shade.
“Hey, Riri-chan, let go of my hand.”
“No.”
“That’s not fair. What about the crêpe?”
The crêpe in Riri-chan’s right hand was just… hanging there.
“You’re going to eat it, Suzuna.”
“Then give it to me.”
And let go of my hand.
“Okay, here.”
Riri-chan extended her hand holding the crêpe.
Towards my mouth.
“…”
“What’s wrong? Aren’t you going to eat it?”
“I want to eat it, so please give it to me.”
“Just eat it like this.”
This is like feeding a pet.
“Come on, Suzuna, say ‘ahh.’”
“…Why do you always want to feed me, Riri-chan?”
This has happened a few times before. Riri-chan seems to like feeding me.
Even so, this is inefficient, and I want her to let go of my hand.
“Because it’s cute when you eat, Suzuna.”
She said something that didn’t make sense with a straight face.
“I’ll eat it normally.”
And let go of my hand.
“No. I won’t let go unless you say ‘ahh.’”
“You’re changing the rules.”
“I am.”
That’s unreasonable.
“I can feel your hand getting sweaty, Suzuna.”
“Stop it, seriously!”
I don’t usually sweat, but it’s hot outside, so I’m sweating even more.
The timing couldn’t be worse.
“Here you go.”
She brought the crêpe to my mouth.
The sweet scent of the crêpe wafted through the air.
…I guess it can’t be helped.
I gave up and took a bite.
The crêpe was thin and soft, the sweetness of the whipped cream and the fresh juiciness of the strawberries melting in my mouth.
I chewed and swallowed.
“Is it good?”
“…Yeah.”
What is she making me do?
“Here, eat more.”
She pushed the crêpe closer again.
“Are you planning on feeding me the whole thing…?”
“Just until it’s no longer sticking out of the wrapper.”
It’s just difficult for her to feed me after that, isn’t it?
…Well, it’s fine. It’ll be over soon.
I obediently took a few more bites.
“You have a small mouth, Suzuna.”
“…Don’t look.”
What is she staring at?
Anyway, the crêpe was no longer sticking out of the wrapper.
“See? It’s fine. Give me the rest.”
“Okay, okay, I guess it can’t be helped.”
It’s strange that it’s like I’m the one who compromised.
Riri-chan obediently handed me the crêpe.
“You should hold it with both hands, it’s going to fall apart.”
“Ah, okay.”
I took the crêpe with both hands, as instructed.
“You have some cream on your cheek, Suzuna.”
“Eh, really?”
I hesitated for a moment, wondering what to do since both my hands were occupied with the crêpe. That was my mistake.
“I’ll get it for you.”
“Eh…”
Riri-chan stood up from the bench and moved closer, her face near my cheek.
She could have just reached out, but she was strangely close.
—Lick
I felt her tongue against my cheek.
“Hey, Riri-chan!”
Riri-chan, still standing, looked away as she swirled her tongue around in her mouth.
She seemed to be savoring the cream. After a while, she finally looked at me.
“You’re sweet, Suzuna.”
“I’m not sweet! The cream is sweet!”
“Really? Then let me check if you’re really not sweet…”
Saying that, Riri-chan bent down and moved closer to my cheek again.
She’s going to lick my cheek again!
“Idiot!”
“Mmmgh!”
I retaliated by shoving the crêpe into Riri-chan’s mouth.
The wrapper got bent, but I think the crêpe reached her mouth.
“See? It tastes like crêpe, right?”
“…No, I think your cheek was sweeter, Suzuna.”
“You’re still saying that?!”
There was cream on Riri-chan’s cheek after she pulled away from the crêpe.
In that case…
“Oh, I got some on me too.”
Riri-chan noticed and scooped up the cream with her index finger.
“Riri-chan!”
“Whoa!”
I called out to her in a louder-than-usual voice, and she froze for a moment.
I stood up and put her index finger in my mouth.
“Eh?!”
I licked her finger clean.
“How’s that?”
“Suzuna…”
…Wait a minute.
Riri-chan seems… happy.
She’s grinning.
Isn’t this… backfiring?
“Ehehe.”
Ah, yeah, it is.
She’s enjoying it.
“So, Suzuna, how did my finger taste?”
…It was sweet.
84 Talking About the Future
After that, Riri-chan bought some yakisoba and onigiri and ate them normally.
“Suzuna, are you really okay with just a crêpe?”
“Ah, yeah…”
It was satisfying to watch Riri-chan eat so heartily.
“You were hungry, weren’t you, Riri-chan?”
“I was, but… you’re not thinking I’m eating too much, are you?”
Riri-chan gave me a look.
“I’m not. I was actually thinking of buying you something else since it didn’t seem like enough.”
“Don’t! Seriously, don’t!”
She stopped me with a serious tone.
“Ah, were you full?”
“The opposite, the opposite.”
“The opposite?”
“I can easily eat more, so I have to hold back.”
“…Ah.”
So that’s what she meant.
“You’re so lucky, Suzuna, being full from just a crêpe. You’re like a fairy tale creature.”
“No… there’s no such thing as a gloomy fairy tale creature.”
“Yes, there is. You’re cute, Suzuna.”
We’re talking about different things.
And she doesn’t have to call me cute every time, it makes me uncomfortable.
“I envy people who can eat a lot, like you, Riri-chan.”
“What’s so good about that…? You have no idea how much I struggle with this…”
Riri-chan sighed and swung her legs.
That childish gesture was cute.
“…Well, since we’ve eaten, should we check out the other projects?”
“Yeah.”
As we walked back to the school building, I noticed that Riri-chan was attracting attention from everyone we passed, regardless of their gender, year, or even if they were from another school.
She really is eye-catching.
“What’s wrong, Suzuna?”
Riri-chan immediately noticed my change in demeanor, even though I didn’t say anything.
She really can see right through me.
“Well, I just feel… out of place walking with you, Riri-chan.”
It’s become normal in the classroom, and I’ve gotten used to it, strangely enough.
But in a different environment, I’m reminded of how dazzling she is.
I think I’m less jealous now, but at the same time, I feel more insecure, like I’m not good enough for her.
Feelings are truly complicated.
“You’re overthinking it.”
“…I wonder.”
“You are.”
Riri-chan patted my head.
“And I’m more important than anyone else, right?”
“That’s… true, but…”
“Then it’s fine since I’m saying it’s fine.”
I wish it were that easy to just switch off my thoughts.
I’m not that strong.
I’m the type of person who keeps overthinking things.
“Come on, tell me if there’s anywhere you want to go.”
“Ah, okay…”
But that’s why…
Riri-chan, who leads me by the hand like this, might be the right person for me.
◇◇◇
Night fell.
The after-festival had begun, and there was a live band playing in the gymnasium.
Some people gathered there, while others chatted and relaxed in their favorite spots.
We were the latter, wandering the hallways together.
Being at school at night felt surreal and a little scary, but I also felt safe with Riri-chan by my side.
“Hey, Suzuna, what are you planning to do after graduation?”
Riri-chan suddenly asked.
“…I haven’t really thought about it.”
It’s only been about three months since I was reborn into this dating sim world.
I’ve been so preoccupied with the drastic changes in my life and the storyline that I haven’t thought about the future at all.
“We’re already second-years, so shouldn’t we start thinking about it?”
“I guess…”
No, that’s an excuse.
I haven’t thought about the future since I was the original Yukitsuki Mashiro.
I didn’t have anything I wanted to be, and I just chose a high school based on my grades, without any particular reason.
It was only natural for me to give up on a future that even my own parents weren’t interested in.
So I can’t think about what to do with my future.
“Are you thinking of going to college?”
“…I don’t know.”
I don’t have anything I want to study in college.
And I don’t have a specific career in mind either…
“My parents are telling me to go to college.”
“I see.”
Even though Riri-chan isn’t a top student, Seiran Academy is a preparatory school.
She’ll probably be able to get into a college somewhere.
“But I don’t want to leave this city, so I’m thinking of going to a nearby university.”
“…Hmm.”
I envy her for being able to decide so clearly.
I can’t even make that decision.
“Haven’t your parents said anything, Suzuna?”
“Not really… they said I can do what I want.”
Amatsuki Suzuna has a memory of her parents telling her that.
“Then let’s go to the same university.”
“…Eh?”
That was an unexpected suggestion.
“Well, even if it’s not the same one… this city is pretty big, so there are a lot of universities. You should also go to a university in this area, Suzuna. I can work hard to match your academic level.”
Riri-chan said that with a serious expression.
“…Why?”
“Why? Because I want to be with you, Suzuna.”
“With me…”
“I don’t want a job so badly that I’d defy my parents, and if I go to college, I can spend time with you, Suzuna. Don’t you think it’s a good idea?”
…This is the first time…
Someone has cared about my future.
Someone has wished for a future with me.
“…It might be a good idea.”
“Right? Then let’s think about it.”
Just having someone like that gives me a sense of direction.
I felt like I could decide on a path, a path to a future with Riri-chan.
“Thank you, Riri-chan.”
“It’s nothing to be thankful for. It’s mutual.”
Riri-chan probably says that because she doesn’t know.
Only Riri-chan can save me from the loneliness that has always been with me.
—Bang
A burst of light flashed through the window, accompanied by an explosive sound.
Fireworks.
“Ahaha, perfect timing! It’s like they’re celebrating our future, isn’t it?”
Riri-chan looked up at the fireworks blooming in the night sky.
I thought her profile was much more beautiful than the fireworks.
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