To be honest, Su Yu was a little surprised when Isshiki Iroha actively suggested going to his place.
But after a moment, it all made sense.
Iroha probably assumed Yui and the others would be there too—so she thought it was fine.
The problem was, Yui and her friends were currently in Hiratsuka-sensei's study session.
"You really want to come to my house?" Su Yu confirmed.
"What, senpai—are you scared of Yui-senpai?" Iroha replied with a teasing smile.
"Alright then, let's go." Su Yu didn't say anything more and headed out of the student council room.
Meguri Shiromeguri watched the two leave, a blush rising on her face as her mind conjured various images.
...
On the way, Iroha stopped by a convenience store and bought some snacks and drinks.
Su Yu carried the bag for her.
"Senpai is so sweet." Iroha chuckled.
"Just 'sweet'? That's it?" Su Yu glanced sideways at her.
"Don't get the wrong idea, senpai. I'm not going to your house because I like you. I just want to sing. You're a nice guy, but we're not a match, so..."
"How long did it take you to come up with that line?"
"Senpai, that's so rude—interrupting me before I even finish!" Iroha pouted.
"Don't worry, I won't misunderstand. You're just an underclassman who does like me. I'm very confident in my own charm," Su Yu said as he reached out and held Iroha's hand.
Her face turned bright red as she quickly looked away.
"Senpai, you really are..."
"Thanks for the compliment—I know I'm handsome."
"You're the worst. You already have a girlfriend and you're still holding my hand like this..."
"Aren't we friends?"
"What kind of friends do this?!"
"Plenty. I have a friend who started just like this—hand-holding, then hugging, then kissing."
Iroha shot him a glare.
She clearly didn't buy that story.
...
When they returned to Sakurasou, Su Yu let go of her hand.
Tsurumi Rumi glanced at the two but didn't say anything.
Kawasaki Keika smiled at Su Yu, then looked curiously at Iroha.
Iroha smiled sweetly at the two younger girls—looking quite cute herself.
Then she and Su Yu headed upstairs together.
When they reached his room and Iroha saw him open the door, preparing to take off his shoes, she suddenly sensed something was off.
"Senpai… where's Yui-senpai and the others?" she asked cautiously.
"They're in Hiratsuka-sensei's free tutoring class. They won't be back for at least two hours," Su Yu said after checking the time.
"Senpai, I… I want to go home." Iroha said timidly.
"Too late, underclassman," Su Yu said with a mischievous smile.
Iroha stared at the door that had just closed, then reluctantly began taking off her shoes.
Su Yu purposely eyed her up and down, making Iroha blush even harder.
After changing shoes, the two entered the living room.
Su Yu turned on the karaoke setup and brought out fruit and drinks, placing them in front of Iroha.
She looked at the snacks, then at Su Yu.
"Want me to try one for you first?" Su Yu asked, sitting beside her.
"N-no need. I trust you, senpai," Iroha said as she began nibbling on fruit.
"Which song do you want to sing? I'll pick it for you," Su Yu offered, scrolling through the song list.
"I'll pick myself, thank you. Don't underestimate me, senpai! I'm a karaoke regular—I often go sing alone," Iroha said proudly.
"Is that so? I'd love to hear it." Su Yu noticed how a bit of loneliness laced her words, but didn't comment on it.
"This one!" Iroha selected a popular hit song.
The original singer was a young female artist.
Iroha stared at the screen, waiting for the music to start.
As she began to sing—
Su Yu was genuinely impressed.
Not only did she sing beautifully, but her interpretation was emotionally rich and highly in tune with the original.
When the song ended, Iroha turned to look at Su Yu with a proud smile.
Su Yu clapped and stared at her.
"You're really good. Ever thought about becoming an idol?"
"Senpai, you're joking, right?" Iroha laughed.
"I'm not."
"I'll… think about it," she blinked in surprise.
"You sing like you're imagining yourself as the performer?" Su Yu asked thoughtfully.
"Exactly! Wow, senpai, you're sharp." Iroha smiled brightly.
She picked several more songs and continued to show off her skill.
After a while, she grew tired, so Su Yu took the mic and sang a song he'd heard before.
Iroha had just been snacking on fruit when she heard his voice—her eyes widened.
When he finished—
She stared at him with a vaguely resentful look.
"Senpai… I thought you couldn't sing…"
"I'm just average."
"That's average? Then I must be below average."
"Don't get discouraged. You can still catch up."
"Senpai, sing a few more. I want to record them."
"No problem. Anything for you."
...
As the sun set—
Su Yu and Iroha walked along the road leading to the station.
"Senpai, you really hit me where it hurts," Iroha mumbled, head lowered.
"Underclassman, I'm a genius." Su Yu patted her head.
"Any tips?" she looked up at him.
"Listen with your heart. Practice with your heart." Su Yu gave the most generic but universally applicable advice.
Iroha puffed her cheeks and looked away.
Su Yu took her hand again—he knew she wasn't truly upset.
Because her affection level was…
Sixty percent.
A delicate number.
Any higher, and it'd cross into romance.
"Senpai, we..." Iroha opened her mouth, hesitating.
"Underclassman, what our relationship becomes is up to you. If you want to just be friends, we're friends. If you want more than that, then..." Su Yu trailed off.
"Senpai, you're so sneaky." Iroha muttered after a moment.
"Underclassman, you're the one holding my hand."
"I'm not allowed to hold senpai's hand? Shouldn't you be happy to be holding hands with such a cute girl?"
"I've got a girlfriend, you know. If she sees us, she'll misunderstand."
"Now you remember your girlfriend?! Senpai, you're the worst—no, you're a bad senpai!"
"You think I'm bad? Then let me show you how bad I can be. See that hotel over there? Want to check it out?"
"I—I'm not going! You bad senpai!!"
Blushing furiously, Iroha let go of his hand and ran ahead.
Su Yu strolled casually behind her.
Iroha ran a few steps, then realized he hadn't followed, so she stopped and waited.
When Su Yu caught up—
She held out her hand again.
"Even if I let you hold hands, don't get the wrong idea, okay? I'm just..."
"I know—I know, my tsundere underclassman."