"Earlier... when Anna was holding onto your arm the whole time, what... were you thinking?"
Shioyaki Lemon still asked this question that had been on her mind.
She somewhat wanted to use this question to gauge how much space she occupied in Kin-chan's heart.
Seeing her expression, both expectant and afraid of getting hurt, Imaizumi Keita didn't choose to evade or gloss over it with sweet talk.
He thought seriously for a moment, then answered honestly:
"I was thinking, my left side was warm, and the gaze from my right side was scorching hot."
He thought about it before finding an appropriate way to describe the earlier feeling.
"I felt like I was being roasted over a fire, but I really didn't want to leave. I felt like a meat patty sandwiched in the middle. Although a bit awkward, I was actually... quite enjoying it."
This answer sounded like something a scoundrel would say, but it was indeed an honest reply.
Imaizumi Keita didn't favor either side, merely laying bare his own contradictory and greedy heart before her.
The anticipated sense of loss did not appear.
Shioyaki Lemon was stunned for a second, then let out a "pfft" and laughed.
The crisp laughter instantly dispelled the earlier ambiguous atmosphere.
She extended her fist and gave his chest a light, playful punch, her eyes filled with amusement and helplessness.
"Silly Kin-chan, you really are an incurable playboy."
"Only realizing that now?"
Imaizumi Keita accepted this assessment with calm.
"Of course I knew it all along."
Shioyaki Lemon snorted, then muttered an explanation of her own thoughts: "But even though I know you're a playboy, I just feel like Kin-chan is so attractive to me..."
"It makes me feel like I can ignore everything else, and just being with Kin-chan would make me happy..."
"So, are you happy now?"
"I wouldn't be with you if I weren't happy!"
Shioyaki Lemon lifted her foot and gave Imaizumi Keita's calf a gentle kick to show her dissatisfaction.
Then, holding the pink rabbit plushie in her arms, she looked at it and remembered what she had planned to do earlier.
"Hey, Kin-chan." She tugged on Imaizumi Keita's clothes. "Going back just like this would be letting you off too easy."
"Hmm?" Imaizumi Keita raised an eyebrow in rhetorical question. "So what do you want to do?"
"I want to experience everything you did with Anna earlier. Every single thing."
"Is this... a 'replay' of the date?"
"Exactly!" Shioyaki Lemon nodded righteously.
"This is the price you must pay for dating two girls. If you can't treat us equally, Kin-chan, isn't this me helping you?"
Imaizumi Keita reached out and ruffled her hair, his tone full of indulgence.
"Yes, yes, whatever my savior says is right. But time is running short. There's less than an hour left until we have to regroup."
"That's enough!"
Shioyaki Lemon patted her chest confidently, took the initiative to grab his hand, and intertwined their fingers.
"Let's go," Shioyaki Lemon pulled Imaizumi Keita towards the Stall Area, "boyfriend-kun."
...
The two merged back into the flow of the crowd.
Shioyaki Lemon held his hand firmly, navigating through the people with a clear Target.
"First, that one!"
Shioyaki Lemon pointed to the Fox Mask stall not far away—the very place where Yanami Anna had pulled him to take photos earlier.
"Boss, this one, and this one."
She didn't pick up the red-patterned Fox Mask. Instead, she picked up a blue-vine-patterned Oni Mask and put it on Imaizumi Keita's face.
"Hmm... looks a bit fierce."
Shioyaki Lemon commented with an air of seriousness.
Then she picked up a Cat-Face Mask decorated with cherry blossoms at the corners and put it on her own face.
She took out her phone, opened the selfie mode, and raised the camera high.
"Come on, Kin-chan, smile."
Her voice sounded a bit muffled through the mask, but the Joy in it was instantly recognizable.
Imaizumi Keita cooperatively adjusted his angle, and their masked faces were captured in Shioyaki Lemon's phone.
Behind them were the Festival's dazzling lights and the bustling crowd.
"Done!"
Shioyaki Lemon looked at the photo with satisfaction, and after taking off the mask, her smile grew even brighter.
She handed the white Cat-Face Mask to the stall owner. "Boss, I'll take this one."
After paying, she carefully hung the mask on her drawstring bag, then pulled Imaizumi Keita towards the next destination.
"Hey, what about mine?"
Imaizumi Keita pointed at the Oni Mask still on his own face.
"You're buying that one yourself," Shioyaki Lemon turned back and stuck her tongue out at him. "I'm only responsible for buying my own."
Even though she said that, her sparkling eyes clearly showed she was Looking forward to him to buy that mask too.
Imaizumi Keita smiled helplessly and still Pay money to buy the Oni Mask.
Next up was food.
"You two already had Takoyaki earlier, so that's boring."
Shioyaki Lemon pulled him past that stall without even a glance, heading straight for the neighboring Candy Apple stall.
"Boss, one of these."
She chose the biggest, reddest Candy Apple. The sugar coating shimmered enticingly under the lights.
She didn't eat it herself first. Instead, she raised the Candy Apple to Imaizumi Keita's lips.
"Here, say 'ah'—"
The same feeding action felt completely different when done by a different person.
Imaizumi Keita obediently took a bite.
A crisp "crack" sounded as the Sugar coating shattered, the sweet and sour fruit flesh blending with the sugary syrup in his mouth.
"How is it? Good, right?"
Shioyaki Lemon asked He asked expectantly.
"Mm, very sweet."
"Hehe, you have good taste."
Receiving the affirmative answer, Shioyaki Lemon then Satisfied took a bite from the same spot, a happy expression appearing on her face.
The two of them shared the Candy Apple like this.
The final stop was Goldfish Scooping.
"Boss, two nets!"
Shioyaki Lemon squatted in front of the water tank and He skillfully took the paper net from the boss..
"Watch closely, Kin-chan," she said, looking back at Imaizumi Keita. "Let me show you what real skill looks like."
The scene of Yanami Anna suffering defeat after defeat here was still fresh in his mind, but Shioyaki Lemon was clearly much better at this game.
Shioyaki Lemon dipped the paper net into the water at an extremely flat angle, without a single wasted movement.
Her gaze was focused and sharp, as if she were staring at the finish line on a track field.
Spotting a black goldfish swimming into a corner, she gave her wrist a slight flick, and the paper net steadily supported the goldfish's belly.
Using the water's buoyancy, she scooped it up smoothly and quickly placed it into a small bowl filled with water nearby.
The entire process was done in one smooth motion.
"Wow."
Imaizumi Keita praised her sincerely.
"Hmph, piece of cake."
Shioyaki Lemon raised her chin proudly and, using the same method, easily scooped up a second one...
"There, impressive, right?"
She held the scooped-up goldfish in front of Imaizumi Keita to show off.
"Very impressive." Imaizumi Keita nodded with a smile, "It seems you're a 'Goldfish Killer' too, Lemon."
"Of course!"
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