"If you really like Rei Ao-kun that much, why not just invite him out, ask him on a datesomething!"
"II'd rather not"
Sumika backed off, about to flee. She couldn't help feeling like a silly high-schooleronly, she was a junior in collegefreaking out at the thought of asking a younger boy out.
Sawae caught her by the wrist.
"Sumika, what are you so scared of? If you won't do it, I will! I'm single too, you know. It'd be a shame to let such a great underclassman slip away."
She was trying to provoke Sumika into action, honestly believing her friend and Rei Ao might be a perfect matchhe was a first-year capable of making even her heart flutter.
Sumika blushed furiously. Indeed, she'd had feelings ever since the time Rei Ao rescued her. But the problem was:
"He's younger than me!"
"So what?"
Sawae rolled her eyes.
"Are you dating a number or a person?"
""
Sumika bit her lip.
"Why not just try it, at least," Sawae urged. "Invite him out. Maybe Rei Ao's got the same idea."
Sumika wavered at that final push. Nervously, she pulled out her phone, drafting a message to Rei Ao.
Elsewhere Shuchiin Academy
During class, Megumi Kato sat at Rei Ao's side, her presence so minimal that no one noticed. It was at his request, and Megumi neither could nor intended to refuse.
She actually enjoyed being pressed so close to Rei Aoshe found it warm and comforting. Of course, if only his wandering hand weren't so busy at times like this
Even though her presence was cloaked, it was still a classroom. Enduring took considerable effort. Rei Ao, seemingly having a good time with just his fingertips, suddenly stopped. Megumi, who had been coping with it, let out a quivering sigh in his arms.
Rei Ao waited for her to calm down, pulling out his vibrating phone. Glancing at it, he saw a message from Fujimiya Sumika. Megumi paused as well, noticing the text, looking somewhat curious.
"Rei Ao-kun, who's that?"
"Just a friend," he replied. Taking his hand back, Megumi noticed its warmth and redness. Face aflame, she whispered:
"II'll just clean this off."
Leaning in, she pressed her lips to that spot. Rei Ao made no objection, typing back to Sumika one-handed.
Fujimiya Sumika: "Rei Ao-kun, are you there?"
Megumi watched over his shoulder, her breath hitching. Rei Ao smiled, typing back:
Rei Ao: "What's up, Sumika-senpai?"
Dorm Room with Sawae & Sumika
"He replied!"
Sumika's heart nearly leapt from her chest. Sawae shot her a look of exasperation:
"Stop freaking out and answer him."
"Uh, wh-what do I say?"
"Dummyask him if he's free this Saturday and invite him out!"
"But wh-where?"
Sumika faltered.
"Ugh" Sawae facepalmed. "Fine, I'll do it."
Snatching Sumika's phone, she typed:
Fujimiya Sumika: "Are you free this Saturday? I'd like to invite you to the amusement park!"
"Eh?!"
Seeing such blunt words, Sumika felt all her blood rush to her face. She couldn't bear to look, dreading immediate rejection.
Rei Ao: "Sure!"
That simple, direct answer made Sumika stare:
"Eh?"
She wondered if she misread it.
Rei Ao: "What time? Where should we meet?"
Sumika's brain was blank. That was too easy. Sawae was taken aback too, but promptly typed back the time and place.
Rei Ao: "OK. Anything else?"
Fujimiya Sumika: "Nope, that's it."
Rei Ao: "Then see you Saturday, Fujimiya-senpai. I'm looking forward to it."
"!!!!"
Not only Sumika but also Sawae felt their hearts pounding at those final words. Sumika's cheeks flared red, entirely stunned by how quickly it all happened.
~~~
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Chapter 621: A Date Again with Fujimiya Sumika
"Sumika, Sumika"
It wasn't until Sawae called her name that Sumika came back to her senses, her knees feeling weak as she leaned against the wall for support. Gripping her shoulders, Sawae shook her.
"Hey, don't blank out on me!"
"He said yes? Just like that?"
Even Sawae herself found it a bit too easy.
"Mm"
Sumika nodded blankly. Then it sank in.
"Wait, he really agreed? Did I mishear?"
"Dead serious! No mistake!"
Sawae jumped up in excitement.
"Told youhe must like you too!"
Sumika pressed her burning cheeks with both hands, torn between excitement and fear. She was really going to date Rei Ao? A guy younger than her? The thought felt both sinful and sweet.
"Don't get too happy yet,"
Sawae abruptly said, suddenly serious.
"Dating isn't so simple. Especially for someone with zero experience who's older but chasing a younger guyyou need a thorough plan!"
"A p-plan?"
Fujimiya Sumika blinked in confusion. Who knew there was so much fuss involved?
"C'mon, back to the dorm!"
Sawae hustled her back to their place and slapped a few sheets of paper down on the coffee table. They were jam-packed with tiny writing.
"What's all this?"
Sumika picked one up and discovered the words "Date Guide: From Beginner to Expert."
"Your lifeline!"
Sawae announced proudly.
"I've combined the amusement park's layout with the aquarium's best route to come up with this perfect dating plan!"
Sumika skimmed over the instructions, detailed to a terrifying degreefrom "pretend to be scared at the carousel so he'll help you on" to "use the haunted house to get some physical contact" and so on. Each bullet made her face glow red.
"This is a bit"
"A bit what?"
Sawae gave her a look. Sumika shrank back. She wanted to say it felt too contrived. But Sawae spoke earnestly:
"What do you think romance is? A beautiful fairy tale of letting things happen naturally? Wrong! Completely wrong!"
Forming a big X over her chest with both hands, she told Sumika with utter seriousness:
"Love is a battle requiring strategy and tactics! Especially in your caseyou have to create opportunities proactively!"
"I see"
Their views differed, but Sumika sighed, realizing it was pointless to argue. She flipped through the rest of the guide and found an entry about dinner at a highly rated restaurant:
"A couple's restaurant?!"
Sumika froze. That was going straight for the jugular.
"Exactly."
Sawae nodded gravely.
"Because you plan on confessing by the end. Remember"
Sawae raised a single finger.
"You must follow every line of this guide to the letter. Don't arbitrarily change anything!"
"Got it"
Sumika knew Sawae was only trying to help, so she agreed despite her misgivings. In her heart, she couldn't stop feeling excited about Saturday.
"By the way, there's something else I didn't include. I'll text you about it once I see how things go."
Sawae said cryptically, keeping the more daring arrangement under wraps for now.
..
"Rei Ao-kun's going on a date?"
Kato Megumi, licking her fingers clean, asked curiously. Rei Ao hadn't bothered hiding his phone screen from her, so she'd caught sight of the messages.
"Mm, a beautiful woman invited me."
Megumi blinked. Suddenly, she asked,
"If Rei Ao-kun loves beauties so much, why not try pursuing my sister?"
"?"
Rei Ao's eyelid twitches. This againMegumi had brought it up before.
"Megumi, I've never had the chance to meet your sister. If you find a good opportunity"
"Hmm? Are you asking me to help you chase after my sister?"
Megumi asked calmly, nodding.
"Sure. I'll look for an opportunity."
..
Fujimiya Sumika couldn't sleep, tossing and turning in bed. She tried on three different outfits, rejecting them all, until she settled on a pale-blue dressneither too mature nor too childish, exactly matching her vibe.
"Stay calm, Fujimiya Sumika"
She practiced smiling at the mirror. Just thinking about the date's real purposea confessionmade her so nervous she felt the need to rehearse every detail.
In the mirror, her eyes sparkled; her lips couldn't help curving upward, the very picture of a girl in love.
..
Sumika arrived half an hour early at the meetup spot, constantly checking the time on her phone, smoothing her skirt, and fiddling with her hair. When Rei Ao finally came into view, her heart skipped a beat.
He wore a dark-blue casual shirt and white pants, looking fresh and cool like a breeze on a summer morning. Seeing Sumika, he walked over confidently.
"Have you been waiting long?" Rei Ao asked.
Sumika shook her head:
"I only just got here!"
She lied, wanting to appear less tense. All-seeing Rei Ao merely smiled, not exposing her fib.
"Then let's go."
...
At the Amusement Park
A vibrant throng of voices rang out. Multicolored balloons and cheery music gave the place a dreamlike feel. Following Sawae's game plan, Sumika suggested they start with the carousel.
"Sumika-senpai likes this ride?"
Rei Ao was a bit surprised, watching the gentle up-and-down of the carousel horses. He'd pegged her as someone who'd prefer more thrilling rides. Sumika nodded. Actually, she craved the roller coaster, but the "guide" said the carousel could help create a romantic atmosphereso she obeyed. All to cultivate that "ambiance."
Lining up, Rei Ao stood behind her. Due to the crowd, he occasionally brushed her back. Each contact made Sumika's heart pound faster. In this back-and-forth tension, they waited until their turn came. Boarding the carousel, Sumika followed the plan: feigning fear, gripping the handrail tightly.
Rei Ao, who had already seen through everything, cooperated fully, asking with concern,
"You okay, Senpai?"
"It's just kinda high"
Sumika whispered with a blush, secretly impressed at her own acting skills.
~~~
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Chapter 622: Meeting Kobeminami Aisumi again...
Rei Ao's expression turned slightly odd.
It's a carousel, not a roller coaster or Ferris wheel, he thought. Her acting's full of holes. Even so, he wasn't about to let such an opportunity slip away. He lifted his hand to cover hers, offering support.
"Is this better?"
Warmth from his palm seeped through her skin, making Sumika freeze on the spot, forgetting she was supposed to be "acting." Rei Ao's hand was bigger than she'd expected, easily enveloping her fingers.
The carousel began to turn. A gentle breeze brushed her cheeks, carrying off some of the heat, though it couldn't quench the rising temperature on her face.
"M-much better" she answered in a small voice, face red, afraid to look back at him. Instead, she quietly savored the moment of closeness.
Over the next several hours
They followed Sawae's "guide," sampling one attraction after another. In the haunted house, Sumika got to hold onto Rei Ao's arm out of "fear." At the ice-cream stall, Rei Ao casually wiped cream from her lips. From the observation deck, they stood side by side, shoulders touching as they looked out over the park.
Bit by bit, Sumika realized she no longer needed to rely on the guide's prompts; being with Rei Ao felt more and more natural. His sense of humor and gentle thoughtfulness kept surprising her in a pleasant way. When he bested a shooting-gallery game and won her a huge stuffed toy, she couldn't help but hug both the plushie and, inadvertently, him.
"Thank you"
She hid her flushed face behind the plushie, while Rei Ao merely smiled and reached over to tidy some windblown strands of her hair. That intimate gesture nearly stopped her breath. She felt even more drawn to him.
Around noon
They moved on to the fancy restaurant Sawae had recommended. The decor was elegant; soft lighting and gentle violin music created a romantic ambience. Sumika silently praised Sawae's choicethough pricey, it really was perfect for a date. Of course, seeing Rei Ao's knowing look upon realizing it was a "couples' restaurant" made her tense up.
A server guided them to a window-side table. Hardly had they sat down when Rei Ao heard a familiar voice.
"Rei Ao-kun?"
He looked up, surprised to see Kominami Asumi in a waitress uniform. Sumika was likewise taken aback, for she, too, recognized her from a previous time she and Rei Ao had been together.
"Kominami-san, so you work here?" Rei Ao asked.
"Uh-huh, this is one of my side jobs."
She smiled and nodded. She worked multiple part-time gigs; that caf with Gabriel was just one of them. Her gaze darted between Sumika and Rei Ao, finally settling on the giant plushie in Sumika's arms. A hint of understanding flickered in her eyes, and a mischievous smile curved her lips.
"What a coincidence"
Her tone carried a teasing edge.
"Never thought I'd run into you two again here. So, what are you up to?"
"W-we" Sumika fumbled, the plushie almost slipping from her hold.
Rei Ao caught it in time and placed it on the empty chair next to them.
"We were wandering around, got tired, and came for lunch."
"I see."
Kominami smirked knowingly. Then, lowering her voice, she asked, "So this is a date?"
"Mmph!"
Sumika's face flared at once. She wanted to deny it but couldn't speak. She sneaked a peek at Rei Ao to see how he'd respond. His manner was calmly direct:
"Yes. Today, Sumika-senpai invited me to an amusement park. Since it's a date, we ended up at a couples' restaurant."
"!!!"
Sumika's eyes went round at his frank confession. Kominami, meanwhile, sported an "as expected" face and patted Rei Ao's shoulder.
"Not bad, Rei Ao-kun," she said with a wink. "Sumika-san and Rei Ao-kun do make a great couple."
Sumika lowered her head, wishing she could crawl under the table. Kominami, seeing she was on the brink of overload, shifted gears back to professional mode, handing them menus and asking for their orders. She knew when to stop teasing.
After they ordered, Kominami gave Sumika a stealthy thumbs-up before leaving, making Sumika feel both embarrassed and touched. Once she was gone, Sumika finally dared to look at Rei Ao:
"I'm sorry"
she murmured.
"I never expected to see someone we knew here."
Rei Ao simply shook his head, gently covering her hand on the table:
"Why apologize? I don't think this is anything we need to hide."
The warmth in his touch made her pulse skip all over again.
Following that small interlude, Sumika still couldn't summon the courage to confess her feelings. They continued their meal in a pleasant, easygoing atmosphere. Delicious food, a refined environment, and the man before her who made her heart flutterit was all so perfect, it felt unreal. Kominami occasionally walked by, sending encouraging glances at Sumika, who was visibly anxious.
