Determination and Sprouting Canelé 9
Just imagining himself and Chika sitting in a couple’s seat, their shoulders touching while eating popcorn and watching a movie, made him feel embarrassed.
Chika, the girl with the nickname ‘Angel of Peace’ is undeniably cute.
Sōma knows that many boys who are interested in her have been blocked by the strong wall named Miki and had to give up.
Though she doesn’t fit into Sōma’s preference because he likes older girls, he still finds her very adorable.
For a high school boy with a history of zero girlfriends, doing something that seems like a romantic move, such as sitting in a couple’s seat with a girl, is an extremely high hurdle.
“You should do that kind of thing when you actually have someone you like. Don’t rush into it. It’s important to have the desire to try new things, but keeping some things for the right time is also important—do you understand?”
While blushing cheeks, he earnestly lectures her, but Chika continues to stare intently at him.
Her gaze is a mix of curiosity and joy, like a young child who just received an unknown treat.
“S-Satomi?”
Being stared at like that makes him even more embarrassed.
Eventually, she mumbles something unexpected.
“... Ichinose-san’s embarrassed expression is really cute...”
“W-What? Cute?”
Those were unexpected words.
“Yes. When I’m looking at you, I get really excited and my heart flutters.”
Chika says it with utmost seriousness and doesn’t take her eyes off Sōma’s face.
“Cut it out with jokes like that! It might be okay for kindergarteners, but not for high schoolers!”
“I’m not joking at all. I truly feel that way.”
As she speaks, she moves closer as if drawn in by an invisible force.
Then, she touches Sōma’s cheek.
“H-hey…”
A shiver runs down his spine.
“Miki-chan and the others, they always touch and stroke me, saying how cute I am. I used to wonder why they did that, but now I kinda get it. When something is cute, I guess you want to touch it?”
Then she pats and strokes his cheek.
This is something he hasn’t experienced since he was a child when his parents did it to him. It’s genuinely embarrassing.
In a back alley, illuminated by the vivid orange of the evening sun, a fellow classmate touches all over his cheek.
What is this situation?
It’s so inexplicable that his mind feels like it’s overheating.
“I’m seriously embarrassed…”
“That’s your good point, no? Ichinose-san, blushing red like that, is incredibly cute and very nice.”
He slowly edges back, trying to escape from Chika’s hand.
But she chases after him, wanting to touch him more.
He retreats. She pursues.
Sōma found himself cornered against the wall, a few repetitions later.
He could feel the cool sensation of the concrete through his shirt.
His back was cold, yet his cheeks were burning hot.
Hot and cold, cold and hot—his senses were getting confused.
“Earlier, you said that couples should go to the couple’s seat, right? Well, I… Ichinose-san, do you know? I actually like you.”
“Ha…?”
The moment he heard the word ‘like,’ his heart skipped a beat.
“I’ve admired you for a long time for working really hard towards your goals, and I really respected you.”
“It’s an honor, but I think the type of ‘like’ might be different…”
He weakly tried to protest, but Chika’s hand didn’t stop.
On the contrary, she became bolder in stroking him.
“Somehow, when I see you like this, my heart starts racing. I want to touch you more, and I want to see you get even more embarrassed.”
Sōma, too, was feeling a different kind of excitement.
What’s going on with her…?
The atmosphere was completely different from just a few minutes ago.
She was so innocent and childlike, like a puppy, that anyone would question whether she was really the same age. But now, there was none of that innocence.
She looked bewitching and mature.
Her gaze locked onto him with a mysterious sharpness, resembling that of a wolf aiming for its prey.
“I have so many things I want to do. But just now, I added one more thing to the list.”
His instincts screamed at him not to ask what that was.
Cold sweat streamed down his back, pressed against the concrete wall.
——Not good.
He didn’t know what was so bad about the situation, but it definitely wasn’t good.
Sōma was frozen like a prey animal unable to move while Chika, with a carnivorous smile, gently petted his head.
“I’m looking forward to working with you from now on, Ichinose-sa—No, Sōma-san.”
“S-Sōma?”
Suddenly being called by his name made his heart skip a beat again.
Chika’s face, filled with a mysterious and amused smile, drew closer.
“From now on, we are partners who cooperate for each other’s goals. Don’t you think it would create a sense of camaraderie if we call each other by our names instead of using last names?”
She wasn’t wrong in what she was saying.
It made sense to be closer if they were going to cooperate, and calling each other by their names could be a simple but effective way to achieve that.
However, her expression stole away any persuasive power from those reasonable arguments.
It seemed she wanted to call each other by name for more amusing reactions.
At least, that was the only thing he could think of.
“But, Satomi—”
“Call me Chika.”
“Sato—”
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“Wrong, it’s Chika.”
“C-Chika…”
Succumbing to her unwavering pressure, he ended up saying her name.
In an instant, he felt heat rising up from below and engulfing him.
Sweat poured from his forehead and trickled down his chin.
It’s just calling her name. Yet, it felt unbelievably embarrassing.
It’s embarrassing not just because he called her name but because he ended up going along with Chika’s words.
“Well done.”
Chika took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped the sweat on Sōma’s forehead, just like a mother would.
Finally, it seemed she was satisfied and moved away from him.
“Then, I’ll excuse myself here. Let’s meet again in the classroom tomorrow. Thank you very much for today; it was a lot of fun.”
She bowed politely and dashed off to the main street.
“What was that just now…”
He didn’t understand.
But perhaps he had opened a forbidden door that should never have been opened.
Leaning against the wall, Sōma watched Chika’s shrinking figure and felt his strength leaving his knees.
He sat down heavily on the asphalt ground.
“…My heart hurts…”
While watching the small figure disappear into the crowd, he gripped his left chest.
His heart, tossed around like a roller coaster of emotions, was screaming.