Under Makina-san's consideration, it was decided that Alice and I would have a festival date. Since there were going to be fireworks in an hour, it might be a good idea to buy some food while visiting the stalls.
I'm rather full since I ate quite a bit when the three of us were going around, but Alice can eat as much as she wants, so I think it's best to go to the food stalls.
As I had such a thought in mind, Alice, who was walking next to me, quietly called out to me.
[...U- Ummm.... Kaito-san.]
[Unnn?]
[You... see... Ummm...]
[What's the matter? It seems like you're having trouble saying something?]
Now that Alice wasn't wearing her mask, I could see the changes in her expression more clearly than usual. Even though it was only slightly, I could see Alice's face turning red, for reasons other than the light of the stalls.
As Alice seemed more nervous than usual, I tilted my head and asked her what she wanted to say...
[...Errr….. Y- Your hand. I was just thinking if we could hold hands, or something like that.]
[Eh?]
[Y- You see, we're lovers, and we're on a date...]
[I was wondering what you were going to say with that serious look on your face... I don't really mind doing that, or rather, I don't really think that's something you even need to ask...]
Looking as if she was about to confess something really serious, she suggested that we hold hands... I was about to tell her that it's a little too late to be saying that now, but then, come to think of it, saying something like this certainly was unusual for Alice.
[Please don't underestimate me, Kaito-san! I'll say this now, I'm no inferior to Lilia-san at being "a sh*tty noob when it comes to love"!!!]
[...No, I don't think that's something you should vigorously declare…..]
I was slightly taken aback by Alice's statement, but I took her hand as she wished. Alice seemed to be surprised for a moment, but not resisting in any way, we ended up holding hands.
H- Hmmm... Well, I'm well aware that she isn't good when it comes to matters about love, but even with that in mind, she really feels a bit tense today...
[Hey, Alice, can I ask you something?]
[Eh? What is it?]
[Doesn't it seem like you're really nervous?]
[Y- Y- Y- You think so? Alice-chan is still the same old pretty Transcendental Beauty, you know!?]
[...…]
[...Auuu, n- no, you see... It was a great opportunity for me, s- so I thought that I might as well be proactive on the occasion...U- Ummm, I also want to do more lover-like things with Kaito-san, you know? I was just too embarrassed that I could bring myself to do it...]
When I heard Alice's words with her face as red as a boiled octopus, I immediately understood what she meant. Considering how she was extremely nervous, she was strangely conscious about herself was trying to do various things...
[...I'm glad you feel that way, but if you're too conscious and become too awkward, it's like putting the cart before the horse. There's no need to act that stiffly...]
[Ugghhh... That is, well, you're right.]
As if she herself was aware about how nervous she was, Alice nodded her head and taking a deep breath, she relaxed.
Smiling as I saw her relax, I thought back to Alice's earlier words. She wanted to do more lover-like things huh... If Alice thought that way, I'm honestly happy.
Thereupon, if she's getting nervous when she brings herself to do it, I guess I should probably take the lead.
After gathering up these thoughts in my head, I let go of Alice's hand, and placing them on her shoulder, I held her small body in my embrace.
[Whyaahhhh!? W- W- W- What are you doing!?]
[Well, we're on a date after all, so I thought it would be nice to walk like this once in a while.]
At a normal festival, there would be so many people that it would be unrealistic to walk while holding her shoulder like this, but since we were in a private space, there was no problem.
Of course, walking hand in hand is also lover-like too, but since we're striving to do things differently, I suppose we should do something like this.
[H- However... Isn't this a little too perverted?]
[No, I'm just holding your shoulder. If you want to talk about perverted, I think that time when...]
[Please don't talk about what happened in the bathroom!!!]
[No, I'm not talking about the bathroom... But come to think of it, in the first place, the one who came in to wash my back first...]
[Whoa there, Kaito-san, that's enough. If you're not careful about what you say, Alice-chan's embarrassment might burst through the roof and it would become a disaster, you know!!!?]
[No, like I said, is that really something you should vigorously declare?]
[It's a fact after all... I mean, my face is blushing completely red now.]
[Well, your embarrassed face also looks cute.]
[Unyaaa!? There you are, casually saying such things again... It's that part of you, I'm telling you! Seriously, it's because you're like that!!!]
Seeing Alice protesting, her blushing red face even redder than before, I chuckled. Saying all those things, but not even trying to escape from my arm, Alice really is quite cute and lovable.