In the evening after school, Izumi walked home alone as usual, since the day she said goodbye to Amakuji.
"I didn't think Itsuka-san would have that kind of expression. I feel that today is going to be a good day."
Izumi recalls what happened between her and Itsuka, giving her a particularly good mood. Along the way, she caught sight of a cafe.
"Oh! By the way, I haven't been to this cafe for a long time. It's better to stop by for a while."
When Izumi made up her mind, she walked into the aforementioned cafe with a happy expression. She sat down at the table, then ordered food as usual. And soon those dishes came to be served to her. So she began to eat them with gusto. But suddenly, there are something on her mind.
(Will the Conversation Club going to be alright? I don't know why but I suddenly feel guilty. It's like I'm the one who caused their club to be disbanded, something like that... Actually, now I'm starting to feel like joining that club because Amakuji-san and Itsuka-san are kind to me. Besides Mika-chan, not many people are that good to me...but it probably can't because the other members didn't accept me... especially Mise-chan...)
Izumi was thinking about it until she unconsciously ate all the food she ordered. In the meantime, a small woman walked into the cafe. A young woman tried to look for an empty table, then she slowly walked towards the table she was aiming for. But when the girl approached for a while, she was suddenly shocked.
"E-Eh?! I-Izumi?!"
With that call, Izumi turned to look at the person speaking. And seeing that person's face, Izumi was equally shocked.
"M-Mise-chan?!"
That small woman, Daigo Mise, was Izumi's classmate, and was also the one who physically abused Izumi.
"I never thought… that I would meet you here..."
"Ah yes hahaha, what a coincidence..."
The two looked at each other in embarrassment before Mise sat down at the opposite table to Izumi's table, where they could have a conversation if they wanted.
(I didn't think that I would meet Mise-chan... I felt very uncomfortable. Maybe it's better to go back for now. And I just finished my food anyway.)
When Izumi made that decision, she bent down to find the money in her bag to prepare for the payment, but
(N-No money?! Why? Did I leave my wallet at school?! Now I remember I bought something at school, then went to sit on the bench with the wallet next to me, and then I walked somewhere else, but forgetting to pick up my wallet...Oh no! What should I do?! Not just the cost of food, but the train ticket is also...)
Izumi stared at her school bag with an expression that looked like she was about to cry, which caused Mise, who was sitting nearby, to see and wonder.
"Hey, what's wrong with you? Why are you making that face?"
"E-Eh? I-It's just...I forgot my wallet..."
Izumi spoke with a blush of embarrassment. Mise, who heard this, was visibly shocked.
"Then you can't pay for food, right?"
"Ah…yes...."
Izumi lowered her head like she accepted her fate, while Mise seemed to be thinking about something for a while, and said,
"How much?"
"E-Eh? What did you just say?"
"I asked how much your meal costs?"
"Eh?! W-Will you pay for me?"
"...Ah..."
"Y-You don't have to do something like that for me."
"Consider it a reprieve that I hurt you that day."
"A-About that…I-If you say so…thank you."
Izumi, despite being considerate, but secretly glad that Mise is helping, and Izumi is relieved that Mise doesn't seem to think too much about the events that happened that day again.
In the meantime, Mise saw an employee walking nearby. So she decided to call that employee.
"Is there anything I can help you with?"
"Uh… please charge for the food at that table with mine."
"Oh! Are you two friends?"
"Uh…w-well…yes..."
It seemed that Mise seemed don't want to admit it, but had to get it done.
"I understand. So what would the customer want to order?"
"Oh! I would like to get a special parfait exclusive from this place."
After the staff walked away, Mise was sitting while playing on her phone, waiting for her food as usual. But she felt that Izumi wasn't going anywhere, and was not in the preparation to get up.
Izumi stared at Mise as if she had something on her mind, which made Mise feel uncomfortable until she had to ask.
"What's wrong? I have already paid the bills. You can come back right away, you know?"
"E-Eh...S-Sorry, I-I'm just wondering something."
"What is it?"
"W-Well, you just ordered this cafe's special exclusive parfaits, right? And just as you know, that menu is quite expensive, including you even pay for my food..."
"I have the money to pay. You don't have to worry."
"A-Ah, that's right… and that menu is huge. Could you eat it all alone? To be honest, it's quite amazing if you can."
Izumi spoke with a confused behavior. Her eyes moved around suspiciously like she had something on her mind. Mise stared at Izumi's behavior for a moment before wondering something.
"Don't tell me… You want to eat that parfait too?"
"N-No, it's not like I want to eat that delicious parfait with a beautiful appearance and soft texture that gives a feeling of pleasure like going to heaven, but because it's expensive and the size is so big that you can't order to eat alone, therefore I have to be patient waiting for the opportunity to taste it again, until I almost lost my mind."
Izumi spoke with an expression that seemed like she really wanted to eat the parfait, which Mise was aware of and seemed to be thinking hard.
"Sigh~ if you want to eat that much… you can come and eat it with me."
Izumi heard that made her eyes lit up along with a very happy attitude.
"Eh?! Will it be alright? Y-You have already paid for my food. If I also had to eat your food, it would be so rude."
Even though Izumi said that, her expression seemed to be expecting to eat that parfait to the fullest.
"So, will you eat it or not? If you don't eat it, then get out of here."
"Y-yes. Thank you for your kindness."
Izumi bowed her head gratefully to Mise.
"T-Then may I sit with you, Mise-chan."
"Okay, I don't mind. But please stop calling me Mise-chan, will you? I didn't even accept you as a friend."
"Yeah~ I get it."
Izumi, who was delighted to eat her favorite food, did not pay attention to Mise's words and immediately sat at Mise's table with a happy expression.
The two were seated opposite each other with a table in between, making them able to look at each other comfortably. But neither of them spoke. They waited awkwardly for the parfait to be served.
Before long, the parfaits were served on Izumi and Mise's table, causing the two to focus on the food in front of them. When they both ate it, its deliciousness made both girls enjoy themselves until the atmosphere started to get bright.
The two ate the parfait for a while before Mise began to stare at Izumi, who was enjoying the parfait in front of her, which caused Mise some confusion.
Izumi, who had been eating the parfait for a while, felt that Mise was staring at her, which made her feel the pressure that she could no longer eat.
"Uh…well…is there something wrong, Mise-chan, why are you staring at me like that?"
"You have been physically abused by me. You are supposed to be frightened and trying to avoid me as much as you can. But right now you don't seem scared of me at all, and also come to eat with me comfortably like nothing happened…"
"Uh… Did I make you feel uncomfortable?"
"No, I just feel that people like you are weird."
"Uh… I think I'm a bit different from normal people anyway."
"Then can you tell me why you still dare to approach me? Even though I had physically abused you like that."
Izumi sat and pondered on why she was able to approach Mise comfortably, despite being physically abused by her. It wasn't long before Izumi had an answer pop up in her head.
"It's probably because of you right now, very different from back then."
"What does that mean?"
"You right now look much softer. That day you made me tea. Even today, you still pay for my food, and also allowed me to eat together with you like this...How going to say...it felt like you looked very kind. So I'm not really afraid of you anymore."
Izumi said with a slight smile, which made Mise feel a little surprised and embarrassed by the compliments received.
"You are such a weird person...anyway…Sorry for hurting you that day…how was your injury?"
"U-Uh…well…it's healed...I'm sorry too, for speaking badly to you like that...and about your picture..."
"I got that picture back…It seems Amakuji-san also has that picture. So he sent it to me."
"Is that true? Uh-uh... Then that's fine..."
The two girls were talking to each other with nervous expressions. But they both smiled a little at each other, as if they had already reconciled.
"U-Uh…let's continue eating parfaits."
"A-Ah, that's right."
With a shy expression, the two continued to enjoy parfaits together, until time had passed.
...
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