Chapter 119: How did it turn out like this? (2)

Mizuki’s sudden appearance had saved me from an awkward encounter with Arisu, but… it still felt strange.

Mizuki chatted with Arisu about school, her time abroad, and other trivial things. But I couldn’t focus on their conversation.

Was it because of my promise to Aya last week to ignore Arisu? Arisu was dressed up nicely, which, ironically, made the situation even more awkward.

Then, Arisu smiled and said to me,

“Rina, shall we go to the place I’ve prepared?”
“…The place you prepared?”

I glared at Arisu, taken aback by her choice of words. As if anticipating my reaction, Arisu smiled mischievously.

“I thought about a date course for a day like this.”

…Was the word “date” even appropriate between us? Arisu ignored my reaction and gently tugged on my wrist.

“…Come on. You’ll like it.”

Then, Mizuki suddenly looked at her phone, as if something had come up, and waved at us.

“Oh, sorry, something came up… You two have fun~!”
“Eh, Mizuki…?”

Taken by surprise, I couldn’t even think of an excuse to escape as Arisu led me away. Did Mizuki just… abandon me?

‘Mizuki—!’

Arisu, noticing my expression, chuckled softly. So… I was going to be the fire punch to reconcile Aya and Arisu…

“Oh, Mizuki’s gone…”

Arisu, why are you narrating this…?

After that strange turn of events, we walked through quiet backstreets and emerged onto a bustling shopping street lined with colorful clothing stores, cafes, and cute little shops.

“Here we are.”

Arisu stopped in front of a cozy café with a small sign. The interior looked clean and inviting, and I could see people sitting at tables through the window.

“They have the dessert you said you liked, Rina.”

The dessert I liked…? I vaguely remembered mentioning wanting to eat crepes during a student council meeting…

“…You remembered that?”
“Of course, I did.”

Arisu nodded matter-of-factly and opened the door for me. Unlike the slightly chilly autumn air outside, the café was warm and filled with a sweet aroma.

We found a table and sat down. Arisu picked up a menu and smiled.

“Crepes for you, Rina, as always?”
“…Yeah.”

After Arisu placed our order, an awkward silence fell between us. Arisu broke the silence.

“Rina.”
“…Yes?”

Arisu looked at me, her expression serious. The sunlight streaming through the window illuminated her face.

“I’m sorry about what happened before. I understand if you feel uncomfortable around me.”

If she knew I was uncomfortable, wouldn’t this meeting make things worse?

“Honestly, I don’t know why I’m so drawn to you. At first, I thought it was because I wanted revenge on Yukikawa, but now… I don’t think so.”
“…Arisu.”
“But please, just spend today with me. If you still dislike me after that, I’ll give up. And I’ll make up with… Aya.”

Arisu said “Aya,” not “Yukikawa.” Her voice was devoid of any emotion, which… I found strangely reassuring.

“Just… today?”

Arisu nodded, looking at me intently. Her earnest plea left me speechless, and I slowly nodded.

“Okay… Just today.”

I sighed inwardly. Just one day, and then it would be over.

As I was making this promise to myself, the staff member brought our crepes.

“…Huh?”

Instead of the simple crepes I’d expected, the plates held elaborate desserts piled high with cream and fruit.

“Is this… a crepe?”

“Yes. It’s a special menu item. I wanted you to try it.”

Arisu smiled shyly, a look I’d never seen on her usually confident face. Perhaps swayed by her unexpected sweetness, I picked up my fork and took a bite of the decadent crepe, trying to ignore the strange flutter in my chest.

“…Delicious.”

Whether it was because of the delicious dessert or the strange atmosphere, the sweet cream and tangy fruit melted away my tension. No matter how uncomfortable I felt, sweets always had a way of lifting my spirits. But I couldn’t let myself be swayed by this sweetness, like some kind of shaky bridge effect.

“Isn’t it good? I’m glad. I knew you’d like it.”

Arisu smiled at me, looking genuinely happy. Her dress, so different from her usual boyish attire, made her look incredibly elegant.

Seeing her happy smile made my chest ache.

‘Just one day, and then… I have to reject her…’

I touched the promise ring on my left ring finger. The cool metal against my skin brought Aya’s face to mind.

‘What is Aya doing right now…?’

“Rina?”

Arisu’s voice startled me.

“Yes? What is it?”
“You suddenly looked sad. Is something wrong?”
“Oh, it’s nothing… Just thinking about something.”

Arisu started to say something, then stopped, took a sip of her coffee, and smiled at me.

“Let’s talk. Not about student council stuff. There are a lot of things I want to talk to you about, Rina.”
“…Okay.”

I nodded awkwardly. But our conversation flowed surprisingly well. It was awkward at first, but we found we had a lot in common, and I started to relax.

“Rina, you like novels, right?”
“Yeah, how did you know?”
“You have the eyes of a novel lover.”

If things had been different, could we have become friends? I smiled wryly.

“I’ve always wanted to hang out with you like this. I’m glad it finally happened.”

“…Yeah, well, one day… is fine, I guess.”

Arisu’s eyes sparkled at my words.

“So, does that mean we can hang out again?”
“Uh, th-that’s…”

I hesitated, but Arisu chuckled.

“Haha, just kidding. Don’t be so nervous. I’ll respect your decision after today.”

Her lighthearted words only made my heart heavier. Her bright smile seemed to foreshadow the inevitable goodbye.

I took a large bite of my crepe to dispel the awkwardness.

“So, where are we going next?”
“Huh? Are you looking forward to it?”
“N-Not exactly looking forward to it, but… if you have something planned, I’ll follow.”

Arisu smiled and stood up.

“Then let’s go. You’ll like this place.”

I followed Arisu out of the café, and we arrived at… a merchandise shop. The store was filled with colorful character goods: cute keychains, stickers, pencil cases, plushies… It was a cozy and inviting space.

“I thought you’d like a place like this, Rina.”
“…”

How did Arisu know me so well? I liked cute things. Or rather, Kurosawa Rina liked cute things… But now, with our memories intertwined, I’d become more honest about my preferences. But seeing Arisu’s smiling face brought me back to reality.

As if sensing my inner turmoil, Arisu took my hand and led me further into the store.

“You like cute things, right, Rina? At school, all your stationery and keychains are cute.”
“…You remembered all that?”
“Of course. I’m your fan.”
“Fan? Don’t joke like that.”
“I’m serious. You’ll be one of Takamari’s Four Beauties next year.”
“Ugh…”

I looked away and grumbled. I wished people would stop calling me one of the Four Beauties or part of the Trinity…

Arisu smiled, scanned the shelves, and then suddenly reached for something.

“Rina, how about this?”

Arisu held out a small, cute penguin keychain.
I flinched slightly.

A penguin.
Arisu’s favorite animal.
And Aya’s least favorite.

“Uh… A penguin?”
“Yeah. Isn’t it cute? I love penguins.”

Arisu’s face lit up as she showed me the keychain. Her eyes shone with genuine affection for the merchandise.

“It’s a penguin character called Pokori. It has a similar personality to you, Rina.”
“I… I see… Thank you.”

I gave a strained smile and accepted the penguin keychain.

“…Rina, do you… not like penguins?”
“N-No! It’s just… a little unexpected. I didn’t know you liked them, Arisu.”

The lie slipped out easily.

“Well, we haven’t really had a chance to talk about it at school.”

I nodded slowly.

“S-So, when did you start liking penguins?”

“Hmm… Since I was little? They just make me feel at peace. They’re cute. The way they waddle is like a little kid, it’s very healing.”

Arisu looked like someone talking about something they truly loved.

“…That’s a surprisingly cute preference.”

“Surprising? What did you think of me, Rina?”

“Well… I always thought of you as a prince charming type…”

“Prince charming? I wish people would realize I’m just a normal girl.”

Arisu puffed out her cheeks, feigning annoyance.

“Okay… I admit it. Seeing you today, you definitely look like a normal girl.”
“…Finally.”

Arisu chuckled.
I looked at the penguin keychain in my hand. It was cute, but… because of what happened with Aya, I felt uneasy about it.

After a moment of silence, Arisu shrugged.

“If you don’t like it, you can choose something else.”
“No, I’ll keep this. It’s a gift.”

Arisu’s face brightened at my words. I hadn’t realized she’d be this happy just from me accepting her gift.
I touched the promise ring on my finger.

I had Aya. I couldn’t waver.
Arisu, watching me, spoke cautiously,

“Rina, want to go somewhere you like next? I’ll follow you anywhere.”
“Somewhere I like?”
“Yes, today is all about you, Rina.”

Arisu’s smile, as she looked at me, was as warm and affectionate as when she was talking about penguins.