Utaha had many questions on her mind.
Not only because of the destination that Mizuto wanted to visit but also because of the car that he drove to arrive at their destination.
Wasn't he a high school student? How could he drive a car?
Moreover, they had dressed in their best clothes, so shouldn't he have visited a more appropriate place? Something more romantic... like a... she wasn't sure, but why the heck did they visit a fish market?
However, as Mizuto wanted to visit this place, Utaha didn't reject him and only did her best, as she secretly learned the knowledge of this market as she was so clueless, considering she never visited this market.
Still, she had to say she felt nervous and felt like she was in the pin of the needles. She felt like she needed to say something instead of being quiet like this. Moreover, as a guy, shouldn't he take the initiative to talk with her?
Why was this guy so quiet?
Yet, when she thought that Mizuto was driving, she also felt like it was normal for him to be focused instead of talking to her as they might be involved in the accident or something.
'Ugh...'
Her head was in a mess, and she kept thinking many random things, wondering what she should say, but watching Utaha, who touched her fingers like she couldn't calm down, Mizuto was helpless.
Unlike Utaha, Mizuto didn't intend to talk with Utaha that much since he didn't want to have another relationship with someone in Tokyo, but at the same time, he also felt like he was too conceited if he thought that Utaha could fall for him instantly.
"By the way, Kasugamigaoka-san."
"Ah, yes?"
"Thank you for accompanying me on this trip."
"Ah, no, you have helped me too, after all, and this is nothing."
Hearing his "thanks," Utaha felt like she needed to do her best as Mizuto had helped her with her novel.
Still, this was weird; Mizuto just said those simple words, but somehow, she wanted to do many things for him, and all the complaints in her heart disappeared.
"Now that you mention it, are you a high school student, Kasugamigaoka-san?"
While Mizuto didn't have much interest except for Utaha's legs, he felt like it was too quiet if he didn't say anything, so he might as well talk with her.
"Yes." Utaha nodded. "I am a high school student like you, but I am one year older than you."
Mizuto wasn't surprised when Utaha learned that he was a high school student since Sonoko probably should have said his age to her.
"Oh, you are in your second year? Should I call you Senpai?"
Still, frankly, except for her novel and three sizes, he knew nothing about this girl. He only knew her name when they met each other for the first time in the hotel.
However, was the Tokyo girl so proactive like this?
"Senpai..." Utaha murmured as she stared at Mizuto, who was so relaxed and calm. Subconsciously, she asked him with a smirk on her face, "Try to call me Senpai."
"Senpai?"
"Add my first name too."
"...do you think it is appropriate?"
"Why not? Are you embarrassed? How cute~?"
"....."
Mizuto glanced at Utaha and said frankly, "Yes, I am nervous, Senpai."
"It's okay. It's just my first name. I will call you Mizuto, too." Utaha smiled and said, "Moreover, don't you think my family name is too long? It is better for you to call me by my first name since it is shorter."
"Then..." Mizuto was a bit helpless, but he still called her by her first name. "Utaha-senpai."
Utaha wasn't sure why, but she felt like her heart was being choked by something that she couldn't breathe. She quickly looked away, feeling afraid that he would notice her expression, but when she saw his hesitation and slightly shy expression when he called her first name... it was just too dangerous.
"...are you okay, Utaha-senpai?"
"I need to calm down for a while."
"Do you need a drink?"
Mizuto opened the box between the driver and passenger seats, showing a small fridge filled with mineral waters, teas, and sodas.
Frankly, the car he chose to drive today was quite unique since, instead of a foreign brand, he chose this country brand: Toyota Landcruiser.
He chose this car because of its comfort and colossal size, as he would also buy souvenirs for his wife and family. The extra built-in fridge was a great benefit, though.
"...thank you. I will take the mineral water."
Still, Utaha was speechless when she saw there was a fridge inside the car.
"No problem."
Taking out the mineral water and sipping it slowly, Utaha felt like she had calmed down, but then, she couldn't help but ask, "By the way, can I ask you something, Mizuto?"
"If I can answer the question, then I will answer it."
In other words, Mizuto wouldn't answer the question that he didn't want to.
"Then... this car... you are not driving illegally, right?"
"No, I have a driving license."
"But... aren't you one year younger than me?"
"Did you hear that from Sonoko?"
"Sonoko?" Utaha realized that Mizuto's relationship with Sonoko was closer than she had thought as he called her by her first name, and somehow, it distracted her from her previous question.
"Is there something wrong?"
"No..." Utaha shook her head, realizing that she might get ahead of herself since she knew that Mizuto didn't have a relationship with her, and they had been practically strangers before, but then, when she thought about the difference in age between Mizuto and Sonoko, she felt like it was impossible for love to bloom between them.
While it was true the genre where the mother of a friend had become popular recently, Sonoko wasn't a housewife or a mother after all, so she lacked such an attractive element.
In other words, while Mizuto and Sonoko were close, it was just a relationship between an editor and a writer.
When Utaha thought of such a thing, she felt relief for some reason, and she forgot about all the lewd and womanly expressions that Sonoko showed when Sonoko talked about Mizuto.
Yet, a human was a forgetful creature, so it was normal for her to forget about those matters.
Moreover, in her thoughts at this moment, it was all about him.
Nevertheless, if Mizuto knew about Utaha, he would say that this girl was really... creative, and he would say, 'As expected of a writer.'
"By the way, how is your novel after that?"
"Oh, right."
Hearing his questions, Utaha started to talk without stopping about her novel, as there were many questions that she wanted to ask him about this matter.
Mizuto, while he might not say much, talked calmly without backing away, even if Utaha talked so much.
If Utaha was with someone else, someone she was close with, or even her enemy, she might become sly, sharp tongue, or even aggressive.
However, it was because she didn't want to be approached, or she felt it was okay for her to treat someone like that.
However, Mizuto was different. They had just met each other, and her impression of him... she felt... it was destiny.
Yes, he was calm and mature, and it was fun to talk with him.
While it was true that Utaha might be older than him, she felt like Mizuto was older.
Nevertheless, due to his conduct, while Utaha might have a black-belly character, it didn't mean that she would say something rude to someone, especially when she had a good impression of him.
However, Mizuto never intended to gain her affection, and all he did was just talk normally. Yet, for Utaha, who had never had a normal conversation with someone, this experience was novel, and it felt like she was the heroine of her story, and Mizuto was the main protagonist.
'No, no! It's still too early!'
Utaha didn't want to appear so easy, yet... even though she didn't want to appear so chummy, she was just drawn to him and couldn't look away from his profile.
Yet, Mizuto didn't know that trouble was coming to him as he never expected that someone could fall so easily.
However, he could think about those matters later.
"Oh, we have arrived."
Tsukiji Market...
Here I come!
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By the way, happy 201 chapters~!