—-Ryu—-
As the four of us approached the school gate, I reached out subtly, giving Emilia's sleeve a light tug to pull her a little closer to my side. She looked at me with a slight tilt of her head, curiosity flickering in her eyes, but I quickly pressed a finger to my lips, signaling that I wanted to whisper something privately.
"What is it?" she murmured, keeping her tone hushed as we fell a few paces behind Yui and Miss Kana.
I drew in a breath, trying to hold back the storm of emotions rising inside me. "The girl.." I whispered with quiet urgency, barely managing to keep my voice steady. "The one I've been talking about this whole time… it's Miss Yamazaki."
Emilia's steps faltered slightly, but she caught herself quickly and walked on like nothing happened. Her eyes flicked toward Yui's back, then returned to me, widening in realization. "Wait… seriously?" she whispered, her voice laced with disbelief.
I nodded firmly, the sound of my pulse growing louder in my ears. "It's her. She's the girl I saw that day."
Emilia studied Yui more closely now, the usual smirk fading from her lips as a thoughtful look took over. Then, after a second, she leaned toward me again. "Are you serious? Miss Yamazaki is the infamous Ice Princess, you know. Not only is she rumored to be super cold, but she also ranked first on the overall exams last year!" she whispered.
I let out a slow breath, trying to settle my nerves. "E-even if she is... that doesn't change anything. It's still her."
Top of the year? A genius, probably. No wonder she was reading that day under the tree. So she's the quiet, studious type.
Emilia gave me a flat look, then shook her head, lips curling into a crooked smile. "Man, you really don't make things easy for yourself, huh?"
I sighed and scratched the back of my neck. "I didn't exactly choose this, you know…"
She chuckled softly, glancing back toward Yui. "Well, at least now you know who she is. But what's your next move, loverboy?"
I opened my mouth to reply, but before I could form a word, Miss Kana suddenly turned around, her sharp gaze landing squarely on us.
"You two keep whispering back there. If you're planning something suspicious, I wanna know." she said with a sly grin.
Without missing a beat, Emilia shifted into her usual mischievous persona. "Oh, nothing~ Ryu just said he'll treat the three of us."
I whipped my head toward her in disbelief, my eyes going wide. What?! Where did that come from?!
Miss Kana's grin widened. "Oh? Now that's a surprise. I didn't know you were such a generous guy, Nishimoto."
I groaned internally and glared at Emilia, who only gave me an innocent smile in return. "Yeah, Nishimoto here was just telling me how much he appreciates our company and wanted to treat us as thanks~" she added, clearly enjoying every second of it.
Miss Kana crossed her arms and tapped her chin as if in thought. "Hmm… I guess I can accept this act of generosity~" She then turned toward Yui and nudged her playfully. "What do you say, Yui? Free food sounds like a good deal, right?"
Yui, quiet beside her, turned her gaze toward me. She didn't say anything right away. Her expression was neutral, almost unreadable, but she looked away briefly before giving a small nod. "If he insists.."
Was she hesitating? Did she not like me already? Or maybe she thought this was some kind of trick? Ugh. This is all Emilia's fault. I wouldn't mind treating Yui alone, but Emilia's just here to mooch.
I let out a resigned sigh. "Fine, fine. Just don't expect anything expensive."
Not that money's really a problem, but still… I should seriously give Emilia a lecture after this. She's going to drain my monthly allowance if I'm not careful. I squinted at her, trying to convey my annoyance, but she just hummed innocently.
We arrived at a cozy bakery not far from the school. Its dark oak floors and muted gray walls gave the place a clean, modern look while still feeling rustic and warm.
The scent of freshly baked bread, sweet pastries, and roasted coffee beans hung in the air as we stepped inside. Light conversation from other customers mixed with the soft clinking of utensils and cups, making the whole place feel welcoming and relaxed. It wasn't overly crowded, but it had just enough life to feel lively.
Kana stretched her arms out and breathed in deeply. "Ah, I love the smell of this place. Good choice, Emilia."
I scoffed. "Yeah, yeah. Just don't order half the menu."
She laughed and walked off toward the counter, dragging Yui with her to look at the pastry display. Meanwhile, Emilia leaned in toward me, her voice low and serious. "Hey, Ryu… do you want me to keep this a secret? Y'know, about you having a crush on Miss Yamazaki?"
Her tone caught me off guard. I blinked, surprised by her sudden sincerity. For someone who was always teasing, she now wore a rare expression, serious, thoughtful. My chest felt warm at her gesture. Compared to my old classmates back in middle school, Emilia was… different.
"Yeah, please do." I said quietly, giving her a small, honest smile.
Emilia blinked and seemed startled for a second. For the first time, she didn't reply right away. Her smug grin faded, and a faint pink dusted her cheeks.
"Uh—yeah, I guess.." she muttered, turning away slightly and fidgeting with her bangs.
That… was unexpected.
"..I guess.. I can keep my mouth shut, for a price~" she added, flashing a familiar grin.
I sighed but smiled anyway. "Fine, whatever."
When we reached the counter, Miss Kana was already eyeing the display case with a gleam in her eyes. "Ooh, they have blueberry cheesecake! And look at that croissant—Yui, what do you think?"
Yui tilted her head slightly, her gaze scanning the colorful lineup of cakes and pastries. "The strawberry shortcake looks good.." she said softly.
I watched her expression carefully. The way her eyes lingered just a second longer on the shortcake… something about that tiny moment struck me. Maybe it was nothing, or maybe it was the first glimpse of what she liked.
God, I wanted to see her smile.
After placing our orders, the four of us sat at a wooden booth by the window. The cushions were soft, the view outside calming. Gentle music played in the background, while the quiet clatter of utensils and chatter added to the bakery's charm.
Yui sat across from me. Her fingers fidgeted near her phone, which rested on her lap. She didn't seem uncomfortable exactly but she definitely wasn't at ease either. Her eyes drifted between the window and the table, like she was half lost in thought.
Kana leaned in with a mischievous grin. "So, Nishimoto, do you have any clubs at the moment?"
I shook my head. "No, not at all. I haven't really thought about joining any clubs yet."
Miss Kana's grin widened. "Perfect! Then you should totally join the student council."
I blinked. "Huh? The student council?"
"Yeah!" she said, eyes gleaming. "I'm friends with the current president, and they're looking for more members as there is still one more position open."
Yui looked away from her phone and gave Kana a blank stare, then glanced briefly at me.
"Sorry Nishimoto, you don't have to join if you don't want to. I was also just dragged into the council by her."
"Oh don't be like that, Yui, I just thought you'd be a great fit in the council because you're smart, and you can use more friends~" Kana shot back.
Yui sighed and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I don't need to make friends, Kana." she muttered, though her voice lacked its usual sharp edge.
Kana pouted dramatically. "Jeez, you don't have to be like that, Yui." She moved closer and suddenly wrapped Yui in a tight hug.
Yui squirmed, tapping Miss Kana's arm repeatedly. Her eyes were closed tightly as she was practically squished into Miss Kana's chest. "I can't breathe! Stop it, Kana!"
Emilia and I both stifled laughs, exchanging amused glances as Yui flailed under Miss Kana's grip.
"I'll go get our order—it looks ready." Emilia said, rising from her seat.
"Oh, let me help." I offered, placing a hand on the table to push myself up.
But before I could stand, Miss Kana looked at me. "Wait a second, Nishimoto. I'll help Emilia carry our orders. It's the least we could do anyway, right?~" she said, finally releasing Yui.
"Oh… um… alright then. Thank you, Miss Kana." I replied, my voice soft.
Miss Kana and Emilia headed to the counter together, leaving me alone with Yui.
I shifted awkwardly, watching her as she gently smoothed the folds of her uniform. Her movements were graceful, practiced. Her face remained calm, but there was a hint of pink on her cheeks probably from Miss Kana's suffocating hug.
Now that we were alone, a stillness settled between us. Not quite awkward, but not comfortable either. I wanted to speak, to bridge the silence, but my mind blanked the second her emerald eyes glanced at me.
I swallowed. "Uh… sorry about Emilia. She kind of dragged me into treating you guys."
Yui blinked, then shook her head gently. "You don't need to apologize." Her voice was soft but firm. "I don't mind."
She leaned slightly on the table, resting one elbow as she cupped her hand over her mouth to shield her words from the others. "Also, don't worry. I'll be sure to pay you later."
I frowned and shook my head. "No no, that's not necessary. It's my treat, don't worry about it."
Her fingers drummed softly on the tabletop as she processed my words. After a moment, she exhaled. "It's just… I don't want to look like I'm relying on free handouts." She looked down.
My gaze lingered on her as I tried to read her expression. We made brief eye contact, and I looked away instantly, cheeks burning. I turned my head toward the window in an attempt to recover.
I thought for a second, then chuckled lightly. "Emilia, on the other hand, loves free handouts and always takes advantage of us during bets."
I looked back at Yui with a small grin. "So… I'm kind of used to it by now."
She blinked, her expression softening. There was a flicker of something in her eyes, surprise, maybe. Then, just barely, her lips curved.
Not a full smile. But enough to make my heart skip.
"Is that so…?" she murmured, her voice warmer than before. The usual cold edge was gone.
I wanted to say more, something to keep her talking, but before I could, Miss Kana and Emilia returned with our tray of pastries and drinks.