“I can’t wait for the pancakes~”
While waiting, Sasaki stayed in a good mood the whole time.
She had taken off her mask and glasses too. Way too defenseless.
This was my first time seeing Sasaki’s face under proper lighting, but her bare, unhidden face was smaller than what I’d seen on screen. The proportions were so perfect it felt like her face was saying, “This is what a true beauty looks like.” Her delicate features were exactly what you’d expect from an idol. Just looking at her made my chest warm… maybe this is the aura of the so-called National Treasure–level beauty.
There are plenty of girls at the university who could be described as “cute,” but Sasaki is on an entirely different level.
Those eyes that look like she could toy with any guy. Her small, high nose, the glossy lips that looked unreal—those had caught my attention since the first time I watched Kiraboshi Ayane’s videos.
Every feature she has is above 98 points. No wonder she had so many fans.
With natural beauty like this… why did she retire from the entertainment world?
“What’s wrong, Makishima?”
“N-Nothing!”
“?”
“I just thought… maybe you should at least keep your glasses on.”
If I look directly at your face any longer, my heart won’t survive.
“If other customers show up, they’ll recognize you instantly.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. This place never gets crowded, and if someone comes in, I’ll put my disguise back on right away.”
“If it never gets crowded, why did you make a reservation?”
“Because I have to make one.”
“You have to?”
Right then, the owner brought out our drinks.
“For Ayane-chan, I ask her to call ahead since she’s a famous girl. Here you go, your drinks.”
So she was listening to us, huh.
“…Huh?”
The owner placed the drinks like nothing happened… but what is this drink?
A deep glass of Blue Hawaii soda—the kind rich people probably drink.
Wait. There are two of us… but only one drink? And what’s with this straw?
A Y-shaped split. And in the center… a heart.
Oh no.
“Ah, ahhh—”
Even the National Treasure Idol herself was panicking.
The owner briefly disappeared into the kitchen, only to return with… a DSLR camera.
“Um, ma’am? Do you have normal straws?”
“Oh come on, you’re a couple. This is perfect. And I’ll even take a picture for you… with my DSLR.”
“W-we can’t do something like this!”
“Hmm? Ayane-chan? You two ARE dating, right?”
Ah. So that suspicious smile earlier was because she was planning this.
“Oh? Don’t tell me you’re a fake couple—”
“Sasaki… let’s just do it.”
“W-wait, Makishima!?”
“Come on. Get your face closer.”
I leaned in first and took one side of the straw. Sasaki, glaring at the owner, reluctantly took the other side without meeting my eyes.
I didn’t skip practice just to waste time here.
If we can’t eat the specialty item because of this, that would be a bigger waste.
“Okay, look this way—”
The owner waved us over while readying the camera.
Ever since we both took the straw, I could feel Sasaki’s lips trembling nonstop.
For someone who always acts like the mature one, she’s surprisingly weak in weird places.
“Oh, before I take it—make a heart with your hands!”
“Ha!? No way—”
“Sasaki, do it.”
“Makishima!?”
I made half a heart with my right hand, and Sasaki formed the other half with her shaky left hand.
“Okay, cheeese!”
✳︎✳︎
While waiting for the soufflé pancakes, Sasaki (overheated from embarrassment) went to the restroom and didn’t come back for a while.
I stared out the window alone, sipping the Blue Hawaii soda—slowly, because the glass was huge and my stomach was already sloshing.
“I-I’m back.”
“…Welcome back.”
Sasaki returned, wiping her hands with a handkerchief.
And an awkward silence fell.
We both pretended to read the menu for a few minutes, until Sasaki finally broke the atmosphere.
“Sorry, Makishima!”
“You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“But—”
“You got the pancakes, didn’t you? So it’s fine.”
“…Yeah.”
Her eyes were red as she looked down, like a child who got scolded after pulling a prank.
Wait—did she cry in the restroom?
Well… yeah. Being forced to do something like that with a guy she doesn’t even like would feel awful.
“You hated doing that with me, right? I just didn’t want to waste time, so I forced it. Sorry.”
“I didn’t hate—! W-wrong! I DID hate it! Why would I do something like that with you!?”
“Yeah, yeah, my bad.”
Sasaki grabbed the Blue Hawaii glass from me and started drinking from the other straw.
“H-hey, I was drinking—”
“Makishima… you really ARE an idiot.”
She gave me a mischievous little devil smile as she sipped.
What the hell is she talking about?
“Of course I’m an idiot. My deviation score is 40.”
“Hic—! You really ARE stupid!? Wait, 40!? You can’t even get into our university with that, even on a sports recommendation!”
“My Japanese History score was 70.”
“How does that even work!?”
As we laughed, the owner arrived with the soufflé pancakes.
“Here’s your limited soufflé pancakes— and your lovey-dovey photo from earlier.”
“We don’t need the photo!”
“Aww, Ayane-chan, don’t say that. I know you actually want it.”
“I don’t!”
She shoved the photo back toward the owner.
“Hehe, then I’ll send you the data later. Enjoy your time~”
“…Seriously.”
What a cheerful owner.
To treat the Kiraboshi Ayane so casually… well, she knows she’s famous, but she’s probably not aware she’s THAT famous.
“Wow, soufflé pancakes! So fluffy and melty~”
Sasaki immediately grabbed her knife and fork and began eating.
“Makishima, want some?”
“Nah, I—”
“Here, say ahh.”
A wobbling, almost overflowing bite of soufflé pancake sat on her fork.
She held it out to me.
The pancakes had arrived, so we didn’t have to pretend to be a couple anymore…
Fine. I’ll eat it.
Just as I leaned in to take a bite, Sasaki pulled the fork back in reverse motion and fed herself instead.
“Mmmfuu~ so goood.”
“…”
“Hah! Makishima, you totally fell for it! You really thought I was gonna feed you? Ahaha!”
“…………”
“W-what? Don’t make that face just because you’re frustrated—”
“Hey, Sasaki. There’s something I’ve been keeping secret.”
I picked up the Blue Hawaii glass.
“While you were in the restroom, I reversed the straw and drank from your side.”
“Wha—Whaaa!? So… so then! You drank from the side I had in my mouth, and then I drank from the side YOU had in your mouth… which means… i-i-i-i INDIRECT KISS!?”
“Just kidding.”
She slapped me across the cheek hard enough to ring my ears.
✳︎✳︎
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