Autumn Festival and Baby Castella 8
“However, from what I see of Miki-chan now, I don’t think she dislikes him. Miki-chan’s likes and dislikes are quite apparent in her behavior.”
“That’s clear from how she treats you and me differently.”
She shows a doting expression to the adorable Chika, but she gives cold eyes to Sōma, who ‘steals’ her best friend’s time.
It’s so blatant that even a fool would understand she doesn’t like him.
As he makes a bitter face, Chika laughs a bit mischievously.
“Just so you know, Miki-chan actually thinks quite highly of you, Sōma-san. She says it’s rare these days to find someone who charges ahead shamelessly and without concern for others’ opinions, focused on what they like and their goals.”
“Is that supposed to be a compliment…?”
While Sōma and Chika talk, Miki and Shōhei finish their shooting game and start moving.
They buy a serving of fried potatoes to share and walk slowly towards the shrine, chatting and smiling the whole time.
“They look like they’re having fun. Especially Kikuchi-san.”
As they follow the two from a safe distance, blending into the crowd, Chika mutters.
“There’s no one who wouldn’t enjoy being alone with the person they like.”
“That’s true.”
She nods once and turns her face toward him.
“I wonder why Kikuchi-san fell for Miki-chan?”
It’s a perfectly reasonable question, but Sōma is at a loss when it’s directed at him.
“Maybe there was some kind of trigger?”
He answers vaguely.
“A trigger, huh?”
“Isn’t there usually something that triggers you to start liking someone?”
It’s a vague answer, but Chika nods as if she’s impressed.
“I see. Kikuchi-san had some trigger that made him fall for Miki-chan, and that’s how his ‘romance’ began.”
As she looks back at the two, Chika murmurs with a hint of loneliness.
“I don’t understand ‘romance’ at all, so I can’t comprehend their feelings right now. Walking side by side with someone you like, I wonder what Kikuchi-san is thinking. Does Miki-chan realize his feelings for her? …They seem so grown-up and distant to me.”
Her words carry a touch of longing and a faint frustration.
“…”
He should probably say something, but Sōma himself has virtually zero experience in love.
Lacking any words of wisdom to offer, he can only gaze at her profile.
Eventually, her expression brightens as if she’s come to a resolution.
“Shall we go?”
“…Are you sure?”
“Yes, that’s enough. If we keep tailing them and get caught, we might ruin everything. How about we go get some yakisoba?”
“Yakisoba sounds good.”
He had been eating sweet baby castella and was craving something with a savory flavor.
“Excuse me, could I get one yakisoba, please?”
As Miki and Shōhei continue to enjoy the stalls on the opposite way, Chika buys just one pack of yakisoba.
“Shall we eat while walking? It’s only during festivals that we can do something so ill-mannered, right?”
“I feel like you do that when you buy a meat bun at the convenience store too. But sure, let’s go. Just watch your step.”
“Yess!”
Chika nodded energetically, picked up some yakisoba noodles with her chopsticks, and naturally brought them towards Sōma’s mouth.
“Here, say ‘aah’.”
The savory aroma of the sauce tickled Sōma’s nose.
“Aah.”
He obediently opened his mouth and let Chika feed him the yakisoba.
The noodles, grilled on the iron plate, were perfectly dehydrated, a cut above the yakisoba one might make at home.
The slightly burnt sauce added to the flavor, making it more delicious.
“Mmm, it’s good.”
“My turn now!”
As Sōma nodded in satisfaction, Chika naturally passed the chopsticks back to him.
Then, flapping her hands, she opened her mouth like a little bird begging for food.
“Here, ‘aah’.”
“Aah.”
Passersby looked on as if they were witnessing something incredible, but without any concern for that, Sōma casually fed Chika.
“Yeah, it’s delicious! There’s something special about eating at festival stalls.”
“And don’t forget the beach houses. Sometimes I crave their watery curry and overly salty ramen.”
“Can’t we get something similar at our school cafeteria?”
“Don’t compare it to our school cafeteria. That’s an insult to the beach houses.”
“From what I hear, they sound pretty similar… Maybe I’ll have to go to the beach and compare next summer.”
“Yeah, go with your family and try it out.”
“What are you talking about, Sōma-san? You’re coming too. You promised to go together next time, remember?”
“Eh, me going to the beach with the Satomi family? That might be a bit much…”
While they talked, they took turns feeding each other, and the pack of yakisoba quickly disappeared.
As they finished eating and pondered where to go next, Chika suddenly asked as if she had just remembered something.
“By the way, Sōma-san, have you ever been in love?”
“Pfftw!?”
It was a complete surprise.
He was so shocked that he almost spat out the yakisoba in his mouth.
“M-Me?”
“I thought I’d ask while we’re at it.”
Her tone was casual as if making small talk, but her eyes held a strange glint that was a little frightening.
“Well, I…”
He hadn’t expected the conversation to turn to romance, especially not his own.
After a moment’s hesitation, he decided there was nothing to hide and chose to be honest.
He swallowed the yakisoba in his mouth before speaking.
“Maybe.”
“What kind of vague answer is that?”
Thinking he was trying to evade the question, Chika glared at him with a reproachful look, so he hurriedly waved his hands in defense.
This chapter is updat𝙚d by freeweɓnovel.cøm.
“No, really, that’s the truth. I don’t remember it well.”
He thinks he had a first love when he was young. (TN: Volume 1 Chapter 4.3)
A faint, bittersweet ache that seems to still breathe faintly in the depths of his heart.
But he can’t remember when that ache began, or who the other person was, or why it ended no matter how hard he tries.
He feels heartless for forgetting, but it might be a side effect of focusing too much on making sweets.