"Senpai, what does the manager want to buy?"
On the street, Iroha walked beside him with her hands behind her back.
"Some common ingredients, but the manager prefers brands from small factories and has special recipes based on subtle taste differences." Having worked at the café for two or three years, Yuu naturally knew all about this. "Like lemon cakes, handmade cookies, and sponge cakes... Though he's very confident in his blended coffee, in my opinion, desserts are actually the manager's specialty."
Iroha nodded in agreement. "That makes sense. No wonder I always feel our shop's desserts are tastier than those sold outside... By the way, Senpai, can you make desserts?"
"A little, but I'm not skilled."
"You're that good at cooking, yet not skilled at desserts?"
"That's why there are chefs and pastry chefs." Seeing her surprised expression—as if she were silently saying, So you're actually weak here?—Yuu tapped his forehead with his wallet. "Don't just talk about me. Can you?"
Iroha, who had been about to complain while rubbing her forehead, quickly pretended nothing happened. She gazed at the distant sky and sighed.
"Tonight's sunset is so beautiful..."
Yuu scoffed, walking past her as she stood there, not stopping his steps at all.
Iroha quickly caught up, her shoulder-length blonde hair fluttering under the evening light.
"Senpai, would you try learning to make desserts for your girlfriend?"
"Why ask such a thing?"
"Just curious."
"I'd make her learn. We'd do it together."
"...Uwaa, zero points. With such a straightforward personality, Senpai, you can only have a girlfriend thanks to your skills and looks, right?"
"You wouldn't understand. From an idealistic standpoint, are there really any truly 'straightforward' men in the world? Or are we all actually straightforward men...?"
"I don't wanna hear it, I don't wanna hear it, I don't wanna hear it~ I don't wanna hear Senpai's silly excuses~"
Iroha closed her eyes, covered her ears, and shook her head vigorously.
Yuu glanced at her. Seeing her ridiculous act, he couldn't help but smile—feeling both resigned and happy.
As if sensing his gaze, Iroha secretly opened one eye. When their eyes met, she couldn't hold back her laughter either.
She walked beside him, hopping like a small, lively, adorable rabbit.
They soon arrived at the convenience store. Yuu grabbed a shopping basket and began explaining one by one the brands of sugar, chocolate, peanut butter, and other ingredients to choose, following the list in his wallet.
Unlike her playful attitude earlier, Iroha listened seriously. She even took notes on her phone. After all the items were in the basket, she even took a photo—her attitude was extremely careful.
As they were about to pay, Iroha stopped him.
"Senpai, wait a second—I want to buy some desserts to eat on the way!"
Yuu thought for a moment, then picked up an empty shopping basket beside him. "Use this. Put in whatever you want to eat. Today, I'm treating."
"Eh?! Really?" Iroha widened her clear, animal-like eyes, visibly surprised. "I never expected Senpai, who even refused a blind date with me, to be so generous... Ah, I know! The manager must've given you extra money for snacks, right?"
Her expression changed, proudly showing she'd guessed correctly.
"No, this is a gift for you."
Yuu rolled his eyes, forcibly shoving the basket into her small, soft, cold hands. He spoke deliberately with a smug tone: "Considering how seriously you took your learning, I'm deeply pleased. Giving a small gift is nothing. Just accept it gracefully."
"Ugh—" Feeling looked down upon, Iroha narrowed her eyes, clearly annoyed. "You really said that? Iroha is a good girl who will seize every opportunity to make herself happier—if Senpai dares act this smug, I won't hold back anymore!"
"Go ahead." Yuu crossed his arms, casually leaning against the nearby snack rack. He pulled out his phone and said without looking up, "I'll give you ten minutes. When you're done, call me."
"Just you wait!" Iroha glared at him angrily, her lovely legs immediately stepping forward as she dashed toward the dessert and ice cream section.
Late September—the season when short skirts and ice cream still hadn't disappeared—was a time when girls' spirits remained as hot as summer.
"School life like this is finally normal." Yuu sighed, watching the girl run off.
Of course, during these ten minutes, Yuu wouldn't just wait around like a fool.
He opened his chat with Masuzu and began composing their first conversation message.
Tenkuji: "A junior invited me to a blind date—meeting and chatting with several girls who want to get to know me. What do you think?"
Masuzu a.k.a. Go-to-love-hell: "First message is already cheating? You're impressive, Yuu."
Then she sent a screenshot of her contact list, where she'd changed his name to Cheating Bastard.
Tenkuji: "...If I intended to cheat, would I even ask you?"
Masuzu a.k.a. Go-to-love-hell: "If you didn't intend to cheat, why didn't you just refuse outright?"
Tenkuji: "You hate love so much, yet you understand its intricacies so well."
Masuzu a.k.a. Go-to-love-hell: "Of course. Know yourself and know your enemy, and you'll never lose."
Tenkuji: "Anyway, I already refused and told her I have a girlfriend. I only asked you to make you feel appreciated. How about it? Happy?"
Masuzu a.k.a. Go-to-love-hell: "Hehe, excuse me."
Masuzu a.k.a. Go-to-love-hell: "Back to the main topic. As my boyfriend, of course I won't allow you to go to a blind date full of loose socializing—like not putting a Shiba dog into a pile of Poodles. This is a serious ethical issue!"
Tenkuji: "So many weird things here, I don't even know which one to reply to."
Masuzu a.k.a. Go-to-love-hell: "But since it sounds fun, I'll allow it."
Tenkuji: "???"
Masuzu a.k.a. Go-to-love-hell: "But there are conditions..."
Just as the ten minutes were nearly up and Iroha returned with a basket full of desserts, Yuu had finished talking to Masuzu. He ended the chat and put his phone away.
"How's that! This is my skill... Senpai, why do you look so weird?"
"Just chatting with someone whose brain's a little broken." Yuu sighed, not intending to explain. Instead, he looked at the shopping basket overflowing with cakes, sweets, and Häagen-Dazs ice cream.
"Picked everything? Sure you can carry it?"
Iroha puffed out her slightly wavy chest and declared confidently, "For sweets, a girl can unleash one hundred percent of her strength!"
"Good then." Yuu's expression didn't change. He took the basket and prepared to pay. "Later, you'll have to carry two shopping bags. Hope you can make it home alone."
"Eh?" Iroha blinked, her little devilish smile freezing on her face before she could even show it. She stared at his back, dazed.
"...S-Senpai! You weren't just bluffing, were you?"
"When have I ever bluffed?" Yuu turned, looking at her with resignation. "Your trust in your Senpai is this low? Truly disappointing."
Iroha looked slightly confused. "Eh? No, but... This was supposed to be the scene where Senpai boasts in front of his junior, only to have his plan cruelly exposed! Are you really going to pay for a basket worth tens of thousands of yen?!"
"I already said—take whatever you want, as long as you can carry it. I'll treat you."
With such a large sum of money, Yuu the generous spender raised an eyebrow, unconcerned. He turned and continued walking toward the counter.
Iroha kept muttering in place. "Ah, I know—this is a trick! You're deliberately doing this to raise my feelings so I'll like you. But sorry, even though I love money and want to marry a rich man, being treated like this doesn't make me feel anything at all—"
Yuu didn't look back. He was already in line.
Iroha's chatter paused briefly.
"—Ugaaaaa, Senpai, wait for me! That doesn't count, that one doesn't count!"
Without finishing her sentence, she gave up and screamed while rushing after him, then snatched the shopping basket.
"Hey..."
"Wait a second!"
Without waiting for Yuu to ask, Iroha quickly walked back and dashed again to the dessert shelf.
Not long after, she returned with puffed, angry cheeks, hands behind her back, walking in front of Yuu.
"Senpai's personality is truly awful! After knowing him for nearly a month, I finally understand completely!"
As she spoke, she placed the strawberry roll cake she'd been hiding behind her back into the shopping basket, setting it among the other ingredients.
Price including tax: 250 yen.
"What's awful about it?"
Yuu glanced at her, unable to suppress a smile as he looked at her.
Iroha looked away, twisting the ends of her hair, stomping her feet in annoyance, deliberately complaining.
"This makes me look like a greedy, evil woman, right? Girls care about image! What if a handsome guy from Tokyo happens to walk by and sees that scene? He won't know I was just joking!"
"Then I'll help explain." Yuu took out his wallet, patted her head, and laughed. "It'd be a shame if such a good junior got misunderstood by a handsome guy from Tokyo, right?"
"Exactly!" Iroha crossed her arms and nodded seriously.
She quickly laughed at herself, tucked her hair behind her ear, and looked back at Yuu, her eyes filled with helplessness.
"Seriously~ Senpai, don't joke like this. Your family isn't that rich."
Yuu was surprised, finally realizing. "Did the manager tell you?"
"I overheard by accident while chatting. Besides, it's been so quiet lately!" Iroha waved her hand, telling him not to mind. "Even though Senpai seems to have a side job lately, which is why you want to go out, treating unconditionally like this is too excessive! You could easily be tricked by an evil woman, you know?"
After saying that, she playfully winked, her long lashes fluttering, her small pink lips slightly pouting.
"Right, like me!"
Then Yuu burst into loud laughter.
"Hahahaha—You're the one, Isshiki, don't joke around."
"...Oh, I see."
Iroha stared at him with a flat expression, her eyes cold and sharp. She didn't want to say anything more.
Unfortunately, Yuu didn't care. He didn't even attempt to comfort her.
The two stood quietly in line at the counter, the air heavy and frozen.
After paying, he handed the shopping bag to Iroha, still ignoring her pouting face.
"Be careful on your way. I'll go home first."
Not too heavy—the girl could carry it with one hand.
Iroha stayed silent for a moment, looking at the strawberry roll cake in the bag. Her small, rigid pride couldn't hold up anymore. It melted instantly, turning into a helpless smile.
"Haaah—" She let out a long sigh. "Senpai, must it be hard to be your girlfriend?"
Yuu shrugged. "You'll have to ask her yourself. I don't feel that way."
"Hmph, so confident..."
The sunset painted the streets. In front of the convenience store, the blonde girl tilted her head and looked up at Yuu.
Pedestrians and cawing crows formed the background, as if they were separated in another world.
Even surrounded by deep orange-red hues, his facial lines, eye color, the curve of his lips...
Everything looked clearer in her eyes—brighter and deeper than before.
Her cheeks felt sun-warmed. Iroha squinted, tilted her head, and laughed from the bottom of her heart.
"Well, I'll take that as a yes!"
"Thank you for the gift, Senpai!"
Her sweet, crisp voice, deliberately drawn out, made the already cute girl even cuter.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
"By the way, about that blind date..."
"Hm? Didn't Senpai already refuse? Since you have a girlfriend."
"The problem is here... My girlfriend said it's fine. Even if all the participants are girls, it's not an issue."
"...Senpai, is your love life okay? I, your cute junior, am getting worried here?"
"I'm leaving. See you later."