Infinite Possibilities of Ice Cream 8
“At the game center, there’s a crane game, right? I’ve never been able to win a prize on my own. When I was searching on my phone, I found crane game-exclusive stuffed animals, and I want to try and get one with my own skill.”
And then, she showed him the screen of her phone. A familiar cat plushie was displayed.
“Is this one limited edition? I’m pretty sure they had the same one at the shop we visited the other day.”
“The colors are different.”
“…Is that the only difference?”
“It’s a big difference!”
He thought she might be joking, but she said it with a serious expression.
It might be a fan’s peculiar obsession, he thought.
While he couldn’t empathize with it, he couldn’t deny that he understood it to some extent.
After all, even Sōma would get upset if someone mixed up cakes made with granulated sugar with brown sugar.
“Anyway, it seems that the goal on your mind right now is to get that plushie. Then, let’s head to the game center in front of the station. The entire first floor is full of crane games, so they probably have that plushie there.”
“Then, let’s go there.”
As the two of them started walking towards the game center, something suddenly happened.
“Wait just a momeeeeeent!!”
Without any warning, a loud voice that startled everyone in the vicinity resounded around them.
The people walking around the station froze in surprise.
Then, with thunderous footsteps, Miki ran over and tightly embraced Chika.
“Miki-chan!? What are you doing here!?”
“I absolutely had to come! I was worried because Chika seemed to be up to something secretive with Ichinose lately!”
In the middle of hugging her, Miki even started rubbing her cheek against Chika’s.
“Uh, you noticed!?!”
Chika was shocked, but Sōma wasn’t as surprised.
Recently, Chika had started calling him ‘Sōma-san’ and herself ‘Chika,’ she declined his invitations to hang out, and even though she went to the infirmary, she returned to the classroom almost at the same time as Sōma.
Even someone with poor intuition would notice something was going on.
However, being prepared for the possibility of being noticed and not being surprised if noticed are entirely different things.
“Just a moment, Ichinose! What are you planning to do with this innocent Chika!? I absolutely won’t allow you to swing this adorable Chika around anymore!”
It was clear as day that things would become troublesome, just like catching fire.
It was incredibly noisy, with Miki making a fuss.
“I knew I’d end up becoming the villain someday…”
He groaned while covering his face with his hands.
Chika looked at him as if asking what to do, but there was nothing he could do.
He couldn’t honestly explain the situation.
When he conveyed with his eyes to explain from her perspective, Chika seemed reluctant to reveal their secret and made a disappointed face as she confessed to her best friend about recently acting as Sōma.
“So, it’s not like I’m doing anything strange or being dragged around unwillingly by Sōma-san.”
After hearing the explanation, Miki seemed taken aback.
“T-That’s… Chika, why would you rely on someone like Ichinose?”
“Hey, don’t call me ‘someone like’ Ichinose.”
He tried to respond, but he was ignored.
“I’d gladly help without any strange conditions.”
“While Miki-chan says that, you’d end up meddling yourself anyway, wouldn’t you? In that case, it’s pointless.”
While being cheek-rubbed, Chika pursed her lips, and Miki choked on her words.
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It seemed she was aware of her actions.
“In that regard, Sōma-san is somewhat cold, but when I’m truly in trouble, he helps me. He’s suitable because he’s like a tsundere.”
“Is that a compliment or what”
Even if he protested with disdainful eyes, it still didn’t reach the girls’ ears.
“Anyway, a moderately heartless Sōma-san is just right!”
“Ichinose has nothing else going for him other than making sweets! I’m worried about entrusting important Chika to someone like him.”
They all criticized Sōma unconsciously and argued back and forth, and there seemed to be no end to it.
Eventually, Chika, realizing that things wouldn’t settle this way, proposed a solution, raising one finger.
“Then let’s do this. Please watch what Sōma-san and I will do from now on. That way, you’ll see just how suitable he is.”
“Huh..?”
Watch? Does that mean they’ll be under Miki’s watchful eyes for the entire afternoon?
Just the thought of being stared at like a meddling older sister makes him shudder.
“I see, so I’ll judge based on what I see. I think it’s a good idea.”
Sōma tried to voice his opposition, but Miki had already agreed before he could say anything.
“It’s settled then. Miki-chan, please watch Sōma-san and me from a little distance. No interfering allowed, alright?”
“Understood. I promise not to interfere, but in return, I’ll judge rigorously, so be prepared for that.”
“With Sōma-san and me, there won’t be any problems, so please feel free to judge as you like.”
The decision was swiftly made between Chika and her best friend.
“Ughh…”
Sōma tried to make a very displeased sound, but the two girls paid him no mind.
With this odd addition, they headed to the game center behind the station as planned.
“Sigh…”
“Oh, Sōma-san, that’s not like you to be sighing. Is something wrong?”
Chika peered into his face with a smile, despite his gloomy expression.
“If you say you don’t know the reason for this sigh, how about canceling today’s game center plan and letting me lecture you for about three hours?”
“Just kidding! It’s a joke! I do understand, I swear!”
Sōma gave a stern glare, and the person started explaining with flustered hand movements.
“There’s no other choice, right? If I don’t say anything, Miki-chan will never be satisfied.”
“That’s true, but…”
He glanced back for a moment.
A tall girl was walking a few meters behind, her eyes intensely focused on every move they made.
He never expected that being exposed to such hostile glares would make him feel so uncomfortable.