For the second time that day, Koyori and Okamura stepped Café Suji Ido, where, now, the faint aroma of shū kurīmu drifted through the air. Koyori's stomach grumbled at the scent—a not-so-subtle reminder of how long it had been since her last meal that morning.
"Took you two long enough," Asahi called out, his usual mischievous grin lighting up his face. "I was starting to think you two ran off like the others."
Okamura let out a sheepish chuckle, not wanting to stir unnecessary concern. "I guess I haven't fully recovered yet," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "Heh... Sorry if we kept you all waiting."
Kanade was quick to respond, her voice carrying both firmness and consideration. "There's no need to apologise, Kintarō—especially when it concerns your well-being or club activities. If you aren't feeling well, I should have been more mindful. Alright, let's call it a day th—"
"N—No, that's not necessary," Okamura interjected. "I'm already feeling better. I can pull my own weight." He forced a chuckle, hoping to sound more convincing than he felt.
Her azure-blue eyes studied him for a second before she exhaled softly. "Are you sure, Kintarō?" she asked, her tone laced with lingering concern. "If anything happens to you outside of school grounds, I'll be the one held responsible—"
"The boy said he's fine, Kanade," Asahi interrupted. "Stop being a worrywart and let's just enjoy the day."
Kanade sighed, a faint blush dusting her cheeks as she did. "Fine," she muttered, turning away slightly. "But if you aren't feeling well, please, let me know..."
"Anyway," Asahi continued, giving Kanade a side glance, "I gotta say, Koyori—you look like you're about to pass out from hunger. Did Kintarō starve you or something?"
Koyori shot him a glare, but her stomach betrayed her with a low grumble. "It's not his fault I get hungry this quickly."
He smirked, turning to Okamura with a devilish grin. "Oh, and by the way, Kintarō—I hope you don't mind, but I ate your cheesecake earlier. And your matcha latte? Absolutely phenomenal. Just thought you should know."
Okamura gave him a flat look before he and Koyori took their seats across from Kanade and Asahi. As Koyori's gaze wandered around the café, she quickly realized what was already obvious—they were the only ones there.
Noticing her searching expression, Asahi let out an exaggerated sigh. "As usual, everyone was too busy to show up," he grumbled, clearly irritated. "I mean, sure, it was on short notice, but only four members? What a joke."
Kanade, always the voice of reason, spoke in a calm yet firm tone. "Asahi, I understand your frustration, but I should take some responsibility for it as well."
"You always say the same thing, Kanade-sama."
The group gradually settled into a comfortable rhythm as they ate and chatted, their lighthearted conversation easing the tension. Eventually, they made their way out for their next club activity—window shopping. The girls eagerly moved from store to store, their eyes lighting up at the displays.
As they paused in front of a small boutique, Okamura quietly drifted away from the group.
"You're not much of the social type, are you?" Asahi asked, a playful smirk tugging at his lips.
"Not necessarily. I just don't see the point in making an effort when the situation doesn't call for it."
Asahi raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "Doesn't seem that way to me. You're pretty muscular for someone who doesn't exactly exert himself much."
"Light workouts, that's all," Okamura replied, hoping to steer the conversation elsewhere. But Asahi wasn't so easily deterred.
"Ah, I get it now. You're trying to impress the girls, huh?"
Asahi gestured toward Kanade and Koyori ahead.
Kanade might have been Okamura's senior, but her beauty captivated nearly every student at school—junior's and senior's alike—and he wasn't an exception. (Yamaguchi Asahi and Hoshimiya Kanade were a year above Okamura Kintarō.)
Okamura said nothing.
"You don't need to be so shy, you know. Plenty of guys dream of being close to Kanade, let alone having the guts to approach her."
The girls had stopped in front of a boutique. Koyori's eyes sparkled as she pressed her face lightly against the glass, marveling at a lime green kimono adorned with floral patterns and tied with a pink sash.
"It's so cute..." she whispered, half to herself.
Kanade, standing beside her, tilting her head playfully. "It would suit you. The colour matches your eyes."
"You think so?" Koyori asked, a blush rising to her cheeks. "I don't know... I've never worn something this pricey before."
Kanade smiled gently. "Don't worry about it. I'll make sure you get a discount."
The two girls stepped inside, the soft chime of the bell ringing overhead as they disappeared into the boutique.
Okamura watched as Koyori reached out to run her fingers along the dress's fabric, her expression glowing with quiet excitement. A faint smile tugged at his lips—just seeing her like that made him feel lighter somehow.
Asahi sidled back up beside him, following his gaze through the boutique's front window.
"Man," he muttered, arms crossed with a crooked grin. "Look at them—like something out of a commercial. It's not fair girls get to make window shopping look that graceful."
Okamura didn't respond, but his eyes lingered on Koyori for a moment longer before drifting away.
Asahi caught the look and grinned slyly. "She really means a lot to you, huh?"
Okamura shot him a quick side glance. "What are you getting at?"
"Nothing," Asahi said, holding up his hands innocently. "Just... it's rare to see someone look at another person like that. That kind of thing doesn't come around very often."
There was a brief silence before he added, more quietly, "So if I were you, I'd be careful not to screw it up."
"It's not what it looks like," Okamura said quickly. "Koyori's like a little sister to me. We've known each other since we were kids, and... yeah, I really care for her."
Then, true to form, Asahi's usual smile returned. "Now that she's out of the picture, Kanade's a great match for you. You two would look good together."
Okamura gave him a strange look before sighing, more out of habit than annoyance. "Doesn't she have a thing with Yuji?"
"That was never serious," Asahi replied. "Kanade moved on from him a long time ago. You should know that—you've been around long enough."
Okamura sighed again, trying to steer the conversation elsewhere. But the silence that followed made it impossible to ignore.
"I... don't know. Even if Kanade and I did start dating—which is highly unlikely, by the way—I don't think it would last. Not with all the rumours constantly floating around. I'd rather avoid the spotlight as much as possible."
"Anyway," Asahi said, giving Okamura a light tap on the shoulder, "should we go in there and pretend we know anything about fashion? Or just let them have their peace?"
"You can go on. I'll wait here."
Asahi nudged him one more with a teasing grin. "Better make a move before you miss your chance."
He paused mid-step, halfway to the door. "Oh—and I really hope you weren't trying to impress Kanade-sama... not with those puffy eyes of yours."
By the time sun dipped behind the city skyline, painting the clouds in orange and purple hues, the group made their way outside the shopping centre.
Koyori clung to her modest paper bag, a soft smile playing on her lips as she stood beside Okamura.
"We should wrap things up for the day. It's getting late," Kanade said, stretching her arms above her head.
"Yeah... your right," Asahi agreed, glancing at his phone. "Train's is about to get packed soon anyway."
One by one, they exchanged their goodbyes. Asahi left with a lazy wave and a grin, while Kanade offered a much more composed nod before disappearing into the crowd.
Just as Koyori and Okamura began to walk, something held him back. No—someone pulled him back.
Kanade?
Before he could react, she leaned in and pressed a kiss on his cheek.
"Thank you for the day, okay, Kintarō?"
And just as quickly, she was gone—vanishing into the crowd.
「あなたは月,
彼女は太陽,
そして私はただの星」