Chapter 355: A Small Gift
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 355: A Small Gift
The relentless rain finally stopped after we extended our time in the room for another three hours.
However, the sky was still thick with dark clouds.
It looked like it could pour again at any moment.
At this rate, it seemed we’d spend the entire day cooped up in this multi-purpose cafe. I decided to wake Hiyori, who was fast asleep with her mouth hanging open, by poking her ahoge.
Poke, poke.
“Hey. Wake up.”
“...”
She didn’t even stir.
Having kicked off the blanket, she was sleeping in complete comfort.
Seeing her so dead to the world, even with a guy right next to her, made me think that our first time together probably wouldn’t have the same shy, blushing atmosphere as it did with the other heroines.
I had to fight the urge to just plant a kiss on her, but I held back.
Shaking my head, I wondered what would be the best way to wake her up instantly.
Poke.
I gently jabbed a finger into her slender waist.
“Hngh...?”
That got a reaction.
She opened her drowsy eyes, looked up at me, and rubbed them before pushing herself up.
Letting out a dopey sound, she looked around with a dazed expression until her eyes landed on my face.
“...”
“...”
After a brief staring contest, her eyes narrowed.
At the same time, her mouth slowly opened as she made a little “Haa... haa...” sound. It looked like she was about to sneeze.
If I didn't act fast, my face was about to get sprayed. I snatched the blanket and threw it over her head.
Under the blanket, she continued gearing up with a few more “Haa... haa...” sounds, but then the urge to sneeze must have passed. She pulled the blanket off and smacked her lips.
Then, without a single glance my way, she stretched.
As Hiyori’s arms went up diagonally, her fists clenched tight, I caught a glimpse of her smooth armpit.
When she followed it up with a full-body shiver, I felt like I was going to lose my mind.
Whether she knew what she was doing to me or not, Hiyori, having performed all sorts of strange antics in that short time, looked at me with a face still clouded by sleep.
“What time is it...?”
“Time to eat.”
“Really...? I’m not hungry... Did the rain stop?”
“Yeah.”
“So we have to go out?”
“You want to stay here?”
“I’m sleepy... I don’t wanna go out...”
“Should we just spend the whole day here then?”
“No... Yes...”
“No? Or yes?”
“I dunno...”
With that, Hiyori leaned forward.
She stretched her arms out as if to do a full stretch, showing off her incredible flexibility.
She tapped her long, slender fingers on the mat as if playing a piano, shot me a playful glare, and then flopped onto her back.
She pulled the blanket over herself and curled into a ball like a shrimp.
“Senpai. I’m cold.”
“You want me to turn off the AC?”
“Yeah.”
She was acting like she owned the place.
After turning off the air conditioner, I looked down with a pathetic expression at Hiyori, who had started to roll around in the small room.
“Is that fun?”
“Nope.”
“Then why are you doing it?”
“To keep you from lying down.”
So childish.
I’m seeing a lot of different sides to Hiyori today, I thought, as I planted one leg firmly in her path.
She bumped her back against my leg and stopped. I used the top of my foot to push her aside and made a spot for myself.
Lying down side-by-side, with only a handspan of space between us, felt strangely intimate.
A ticklish yet soft feeling.
When had I felt this before? I think it was with Miyuki.
“Senpai, you’re so big, you’re taking up all the space.”
Hiyori, on the other hand, didn’t seem to be feeling anything similar. She was teasing me, her words firing off like a machine gun.
I seriously considered tickling her waist to shut her up, but instead, I said.
“Quiet. Just grab that manga next to you.”
“The one I was reading?”
“No.”
“Which volume?”
“Volume two.”
“Can I read it with you?”
“You won’t get it, starting from the second book.”
“You can just explain it to me.”
“Fine.”
Swoosh.
The moment I agreed, Hiyori pressed her head right against mine.
We were so close I could feel the texture of her hair against my own.
I instinctively sucked in a breath, then quickly composed myself and opened the manga.
Of course, I couldn’t focus on the content at all.
All I could think was that if I turned my head, my lips would touch the bridge of her sharp nose.
To top it off, since I was holding the manga between us, our shoulders were pressed together.
The desire to turn over, pull her into my arms, and just hold her was bubbling up inside me.
“Who’s this person?”
Hiyori’s question, pointing at a character with her index finger, was a bit of a nuisance, but since I’d paid decent attention while reading the first volume, explaining it wasn’t a problem.
“He’s the protagonist’s sidekick.”
“What’s a sidekick?”
“...Are you being serious?”
“I’m kidding.”
“So what does it mean?”
“Why are you testing me? It’s someone who helps. You think I wouldn’t know that?”
“I thought you were asking because you didn’t know.”
“Anyone could tell I was joking... You should’ve picked up on the tone.”
“Your tone was perfectly even.”
“No, it wasn’t.”
“Yes, it was.”
“I know my own voice better than you do.”
“Don’t talk back. If I say I’m right, I’m right.”
“Ugh... such an old man.”
“You want me to show you what a real old man is like?”
“I’m sorryyy. But I’m hungry now.”
I shot Hiyori a dumbfounded look as she rubbed her stomach.
“You said you weren’t hungry.”
“I am now.”
“Hand me the menu, then.”
“We’re eating here?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay.”
Hiyori reached for the long menu on the TV stand, then let out a deep sigh.
“I can’t reach it.”
Her voice was dripping with annoyance. I let out a dry laugh and, deciding it was time to teach this little troublemaker a lesson, placed a hand on the mat next to her waist.
Then, I leaned my upper body over her chest, stretched out my arm, and grabbed the menu.
As I did, gravity pulled my shirt down, and it gently brushed against Hiyori’s face and chest.
Her mouth, which had been chattering nonstop, was now firmly shut.
She kept sneaking glances at me as I looked at the menu. It seemed my little move had stirred something in her.
Though her face and skin hadn’t turned red.
“What do you want to eat?”
I asked, and Hiyori, who had been in a bit of a daze, snapped out of it and asked back.
“Huh...?”
“I asked what you want to eat.”
“...I can’t know unless you show me the menu...!”
Hiyori was back to her usual playful self.
With a smirk, I beckoned with my finger. She sat up, putting a little distance between us as she settled her hips on the mat.
“Gimme...!”
She whined cutely and snatched the menu from my hand.
I had a feeling today was going to be a lot of fun.
With that thought, I helped Hiyori pick something to eat.
* * *
After we ate, Hiyori complained she was bored, so we went outside. We walked down the street under a shared umbrella as a light drizzle fell.
Then, my eyes were drawn to a novelty shop on the first floor of a building, its glass window covered in fruit character stickers.
“You have a thing for cute stuff?”
Hiyori asked with a sly grin, as if she’d found new material to tease me with.
I shook my head firmly.
“No.”
“Then why can’t you take your eyes off it?”
“I’m looking for something.”
“What is it?”
“Let’s just go in.”
“What is it...! Tell me...!”
Dragging a pouting Hiyori behind me, I entered the shop. The first thing I looked for was the keychain section.
Since there were fruit character stickers on the window, I figured they’d sell a variety of fruit keychains.
My guess was spot on.
After confirming they had what I was looking for, I browsed through them and picked out a keychain with a single, round slice of lemon on it.
Then, while Hiyori was busy looking at other things, I quickly paid for it, walked over to her, and asked.
“See anything you want?”
“Nope. Just looking. Did you find what you wanted, Senpai?”
“Yeah. Let’s go.”
“What did you buy? Hey, wait up...!”
I headed outside with Hiyori, who was still grumbling. I held out the keychain, still in its clear plastic wrapper.
She took it without thinking and tilted her head.
“What’s this? A lemon keychain?”
“It’s for you.”
“For me? You’re giving this to me?”
“That’s right.”
Her eyes went wide, as if she never expected a gift like this from me. Standing under the umbrella, she examined the keychain from every angle.
“Why a lemon, of all things?”
“I thought it suited you.”
“...Really?”
She smiled bashfully, clearly pleased.
Seeing the gratitude in her eyes, I scratched my cheek, pretending to be embarrassed.
“Aren’t you going to thank me?”
“I was just about to.”
“Well, go on.”
“Thank you. I’ll treasure it.”
I’m going to paint your whole world lemon.
I swallowed the words and just nodded.
“You’re welcome.”
“Should I put it on my bag? Or my phone?”
“Whatever you want.”
“Where do you think I should put it?”
“I said do whatever you want.”
“I’m asking what you want, Senpai.”
“I’m saying it doesn’t matter to me either way.”
“Are you a tsundere?”
“Shut up. Let’s go get some coffee.”
“The place where you used to work?”
“That’s too far. You pick a place you know.”
“Hmm...”
Hiyori looked around, and as if remembering something, pointed across the street.
“There’s a cafe with great carrot cake over there.”
“Let’s go, then.”
As we walked toward the crosswalk, I committed the name of the shop where I’d bought the keychain to memory.
I planned to come back later to buy some for Miyuki, Renka, and Chinami.
No, wait, for Chinami, I should pick something from the Momo-nim merch shop.
Of course, she probably already has it, but I had no doubt that if it was a keychain from me, she’d be overjoyed and immediately put it on her phone or keys.
“Senpai, how’s it look?”
While I was lost in thought, Hiyori had already attached the keychain to her colorful phone case. She held it up for me to see, clearly fishing for a compliment.
The little lemon slice dangled between her index and middle fingers.
I offered a simple, honest opinion.
“It suits you.”
Hiyori grinned and slipped her phone into her pocket.
The way she deliberately left the keychain hanging out was both endearing and sweet.
Relieved that she liked it, I crossed the street with her, our feet stepping onto the crosswalk that glistened with the dampness of the rain.