Chapter 2
893 Words
It was those honest thoughts that caused Naoya to gulp quietly to himself.
She’s not joking around! Does she seriously like me this much?!
He could tell her feelings were genuine—they wouldn’t be broken easily. Naoya fell silent under the weight of her resolution.
Koyuki continued with an air of victory tinging her voice, “Haha! You’d better prepare yourself for tomorrow. I like to play with my food.”
“Y-Your food?” Naoya chewed on the word, then fell into thought. “That sounds like it’s going to be something, all right...”
“Hehe, doesn’t it? Anyone being pursued by someone as beautiful as me wou—”
“I might actually fall for you,” he cut her off with a simple statement.
“Yep! That’s right. Of cour—wait, what?!” Koyuki’s voice rose to a shout at Naoya’s words.
The other customers must’ve been getting used to her by now, as most only spared a light glance toward their table.
Koyuki pointed a trembling finger at Naoya. “What are you saying?! You just told me you weren’t going to go out with anyone. Can you stop making such lame jokes?!”
“Sorry, but I’m being serious,” he responded with a shrug. It was true that he had not planned on getting close to any girls, as he’d already explained to her. That said, there was something different about her. “I want to see what you’re thinking. All of it. All the time. I guess I find it... fun? You’re the first person I’ve ever felt this way about,” he explained.
Naoya had only felt regret and bitterness toward the affection shown to him before, but he felt none of that with Koyuki. He wanted to be with her and discover her wide range of expressions, to find out what makes her tick. Such were the thoughts that swirled around his head—he felt like his entire world was turning upside down.
“I know you just called me a weirdo and all, but I hope you’re okay with me liking you. I mean, you’re cute, and being with you will clearly never be boring. I think it’d be more weird if I didn’t like you, to be honest,” he continued.
“Wh-Wha?! What’s with the Casanova act all of a sudden?!” she sputtered.
“I mean, I did tell you earlier that I can’t help saying my true feelings.”
“Yeah, but I didn’t think you meant this much!” she shouted.
Naoya looked past her outburst and tried to figure out what she truly felt in her heart. As he examined her eyes, he asked, “So, yeah—if you do pursue me, there’s a good chance I’ll end up falling for you. This is just out of curiosity, but how are you planning on winning me over?”
“Huuuh? Well, uh...” Koyuki fumbled as she averted her eyes and opened and closed her mouth like a goldfish. She spoke in a quiet, embarrassed voice. “Well, I was thinking I’d wait for you, we’d go to school together, then we’d leave and go to a cafe or something like we’re doing now. You know, stuff like... that.”
“Oh, good plan. That’ll definitely get me to fall for you,” he assured her.
“R-Really?!”
“Yep. Definitely as much—if not more—than you already like me.”
Her radiant expression soon crumpled into anger, and she spat out with furrowed brows, “Listen up, buddy—I. Do. Not. Like. You. When will you get that through your thick skull?!” She suddenly lost her energy and sank back into her seat, sulking. “Quit messing with me. If you continue, I’ll get really mad, okay?”
“I’m being serious, though... Oh. Ohhh. Okay, now I get it,” Naoya said as he lightly punched his open hand in a gesture of realization.
Koyuki liked Naoya, and if Naoya liked her back, then the feeling would be mutual. So why was she getting so angry? It didn’t come to him immediately, but he finally understood after he thought it over for a bit.
“I guess—based on my tone—that I sound like I’m not taking this seriously. I’ve gotta be more serious,” he stated.
“Guh! No, that’s... Well, you’re not wrong, but... Okay, no, but... Ughhh.”
“All right. I’ll just put it simply,” Naoya began. He collected himself, then reached across the table to hold Koyuki’s hand. She let out a small squeak in response, and he could feel her hand rapidly warming up as he grasped it. “I’m looking forward to getting to know you, Shirogane. I’m going to fall for you as hard as you’ve fallen for me, okay?”
“Okay, listen here, you littl—!” Her voice broke as she trembled. “You’re nothing to me! I don’t bike you!”
“Haha. That was pretty cute, messing up what you wanted to say like that.”
“I am so done with you!” she cried.
Naoya’s sweet words drove Koyuki half to tears. And thus the curtain opened on the war between the two lovebirds.
- Writer
