"I'll excuse myself."
"Thank you for your hard work today."
"Eh?"
After received my uniform, I left the chairman's office. Apparently, Kaori was waiting in front of it holding her bag.
"It looks like you decided to attend this school."
"…I'm not confident in myself yet, but I still wanted to go to this school."
"My father and I are delighted if you think like that."
I was feeling kind of embarrassed by Kaori's gentle smile so I forced myself to change the subject.
"C-come to think of it, why are you here? Ah, do you have any business with the chairman?"
"No, I actually wanted to do something for Yuuya-san."
"Oh, me?"
I was surprised by her unexpected reply. She wanted to do something for me… What is that actually?
"This "Ousei Gakuen" is in the opposite direction from the high school where Yuuya-san attended before, isn't it?"
"Eh? Well…"
"If so, you weren't familiar with the surrounding area of this school yet, were you?"
…Sure, I didn't often go out because of my appearance. I basically just buy the things I need on my way home from school. Therefore, I rarely went in the opposite direction from the school I attended.
"S-since we have this chance, I was wondering if I could show you around, Yuuya-san. A-and, besides! I want to thank you again, personally."
"T-that's! You've already done it, didn't you? And most of all, It's already more than enough to get me to go to this school."
Really, I got more than I should have. If I have to receive anything more…
While I think that, Kaori opened her mouth again after she feels a little about something.
"…I mean, It's because I do want to hang out with Yuuya-san… Do you not want to?"
"Eh?"
"It's embarrassing, but I didn't have a chance to hang out with guys…"
"Eeh!? Why?"
"It's unavoidable, but I think everyone is a little restrained because of my household and also because of my father's work… However, I thought Yuuya-san could be my first one to get close with."
Kaori said so with lonely expression. I see… I thought it was nice to be rich, but it looks like there are still some problems that I don't understand.
Kaori looked at me, anxiously. Seeing her figure like that, the feeling I unilaterally decided that we're from a different dimension is suddenly crumbled. We're all human, after all.
I also confided to Kaori while being embarrassed.
"Um… I was also embarassed since I've never hung out with a girl either."
"Eh?"
"So, if you don't mind me like this… Can you show me around?"
"…Yes! There are a lot of delicious things around the school, so let's go!"
It was a good feeling to see Kaori's sparkling eyes.
＊＊＊
"I hear that after school, students hang out together at the coffee shops and restaurants around here, is that true?"
"Yeah…!"
There were many shops lined up along this straight wide road. Vehicles are prohibited here, and not only students from "Ousei Gakuen" but also students of other schools can be seen as well. In the middle of the road, street trees and street lights were standing at equal intervals.
"It was such a stylish place…"
"Yes, There are also some shops that sometimes get interviews on TV."
I see, there are many famous shops for young women. While looking at the surrounding shops, I suddenly asked her what I was curious about.
"Now that I think about it… How did Kaori know it was me at that time?"
"Eh?"
"Even if I say it myself, but I think I look really different from the time I was badly beaten by those delinquents, however…"
"Is that so? But you have the same eyes as when you helped me, so I immediately knew that it was you, you know?"
"Eh, eyes?"
"Yes."
I'm surprised at Kaori, who declared so with a smile.
"Yuuya-san's appearance may have changed, but his straight, gentle eyes haven't changed. That's why I immediately realized that it was you, Yuuya-san."
Straight and gentle eyes… I don't know if I have such eyes, but Kaori seemed to think me like that. Even though my outward appearance has changed surprisingly, it appears that rather than on my transformation, Kaori looked more into my unchanging eyes. From Kaori's speech, she seemed to be looking at me; personally, I was pleased.
As we went on with the conversation, Kaori found something.
"Yuuya-san, why don't we go there?"
"Hmm?"
In the direction Kaori points out, high school girls are eating crepes deliciously.
"Crepe shop?"
"Yes! The crepes there are popular, so I wanted to try it once! Let's go!"
"Eh? Uwaa!"
Kaori, who seemed to be very happy after coming to this place, suddenly pulled my hand and went to the crepe shop. Perhaps because it has a reputation for being delicious, there are quite a few people in line.
"Ne, ne! Look at that."
"Eh? Whoa! He's so handsome! Is he alone?"
"Apparently not. Look, there's a lovely girl next to him."
"Ah, you're right. A couple of a handsome man and a beautiful girl, huh? …I'm so jealous!"
"Yeah. The girl is neat and clean, and the boy is cool…"
"Oh no… it's so enviable, but more than that, it feels like a feast for my eyes."
There are only sweets shops here, and there are many women lined up. Oh, it's not strange for a man to line up here, right? I'm anxious about this. When I was lined up worriedly, Kaori just realized that I was here.
"Ah… aah!? I-I-I'm sorry. I just pulled your hand in reflex…"
"Eh? Ah…aah! I'm also sorry!"
As our face turned bright red, we released our hands vigorously. Kaori and I were utterly unconscious of it, so we suddenly got embarrassed. The surroundings were also watching us in such a state.
"… Hey."
"….What is it?"
"Aren't those two too cute?"
"… I know, right?"
""I was honored to see that.""
H-holding a girl's hand… Uuh… It's so embarrassing. Was it okay? She wouldn't hate me, would she?
Up to this moment, if my hand touching a girl even for a bit, they will be so disgusted, and also the things I touched would be treated as filth. Oh, it makes me want to cry when I remembered that.
I timidly looked at Kaori, she was staring at her hand with a blushing face.
"I-I… This is the first time I've held hands with a man other than my father."
"….."
Gaaaaaahhhhhh! It's embarrassiiiiiiiinnnng!
I fixed my facial expression with all I could and kept a poker face. Otherwise, I'll die in shame! My inner thought was growing awfully wild, but apparently, she didn't hate me, I was relieved from the bottom of my heart… As I always thought, Kaori is really kind. But still, I'm sorry that the person who held her hand for the first time was someone like me.
Meanwhile, it was our turn to see the menu.
"Oh, there's a lot of things…"
"Everythings looks really delicious! I don't know what to choose…"
Kaori seemed to be quite troubled, but she eventually chose strawberry creme crepe, whereas I decided blueberry creme crepe. There were several benches on the road for people to take a rest, and one of them was empty, so we sat there.
Speaking of which… This might the first time for me to eat a crepe. I knew what it looked like and what it was, but I didn't have a chance to eat it. I couldn't buy it because I had no money. Without further ado, we grab a bite to it, and then we reflexively looked at each other.
"Delicious!" we say in unison.
The sourness of blueberries and sweet fresh cream match exquisitely, and the moist dough gently wraps… Yes, I now knew why women love sweets. I've come to like it, too. But if I keep eating it, I might get fat again like before, so I have to be careful.
"It's happiness… As I thought, I really liked sweets."
"Yes. If it's so delicious like this one, I feel like I want to try and complete all the flavors."
If I have a chance to come here again, I'll try for another taste. I decided to do so in my mind, then Kaori smiled, offered her strawberry crepe to me.
"Would you like to take a bite?"
"Eh!?"
T-to takes a bite… Wouldn't it actually be an indirect kiss!? In contrast to the panicking me, Kaori gently brought the crepe to my mouth while looking curiously.
"Here, it's delicious, you know!"
*munch*
I ate it for reflexively…
"How's it?"
"…It's delicious."
My face was heated up that I couldn't help it, and I honestly can't feel the taste properly because it was in such a situation. As I nervously chewing the crepe, Kaori seemed to notice that it was an indirect kiss.
She looked at her crepe in silence, and at the next moment, she screamed with a blushing face.
I wonder if she'll actually hate me this time?
I looked at her thinking that way, she noticed my gaze and tried to hide her face, shielding it with her crepe.
"I-I'm sorry… I'm so embarrassed now that I can't see Yuuya-san…"
"Err… I should be the one to… I'm sorry. You didn't like it, did you?"
"N-no! I don't hate it, but… That… I-i-indirect kiss… Um… uhh…"
Phew, that's really a relief. I'm sorry to make you feel embarrassed, but I'm glad you didn't hate it. Once again, I was relieved from the bottom of my heart, but it seems I was still being puzzled and said something ridiculous.
"Umm… Ah, right! Does Kaori want to eat mine, too? ….Ah."
"Eh!?"
What did I just say? She had just felt so embarrassed and what the heck am I doing…! H-however, I had Kaori shared hers to me, and I really want to return her the favor…! Dumbfounded by what I said, her face was redder than before and answered with a tiny voice while looking downward.
"…I…I'll take it…"
"….."
── I don't really remember the rest after this.
Both me and Kaori were nervous from beginning to end, and after eating the crepes, I feel dizzy. In the end, she offered to drive me home in her car. Even in the car, we couldn't have a conversation and be face to face directly. The woman in the butler's clothes who was with Kaori when inviting me to "Ousei Gakuen" looked at our state with a warm and gentle gaze.
Even until we left, the people around us were actually looking at us with friendly eyes.
"…Hey."
"…What?"
"It's nice to be young, huh?"
"Yeah, it's amusing to be young."
"They were so cute, right?"
"Yeah, they were so cute."
"Sigh… That was priceless," everyone says simultaneously.
We didn't realize that such a conversation was taking place.