LOCATION: ROOFTOP
As Shiriku ascended the stairs to the rooftop, his mind buzzed with curiosity about why Aoi had summoned him there. Upon reaching the rooftop, his eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Aoi standing beside a large telescope, her expression filled with pride.
"Aoi, is that why you were able to see me earlier when I was running towards the coffee shop?" Shiriku blurted out, his voice tinged with astonishment.
Aoi nodded, a satisfied smile gracing her lips as she placed her hands on her hips. Aoi's smile suddenly faded from happy to serious, she extended her hand towards Shiriku, instructing him to hand her the other coffee.
Shiriku blinked in confusion, his mind racing to catch up with the situation. "C-coffee?" he stammered, his gaze shifting to his hand, where he had forgotten about the second cup he was holding. He looked back at Aoi, his brows furrowing in realization. "Is that why you said two coffees? This one's for you? That's why Ayaka rejected it," he concluded, a hint of accusation in his voice. "Looks like you're taking advantage of this operation, fake boyfriend, in order to boss me around."
Aoi let out a resigned sigh, her expression softening slightly. "Yes, yes, Shiriku," she replied, her tone tinged with exasperation. "Now hand it over."
With a resigned shrug, Shiriku slowly walked towards Aoi, the weight of his actions weighing heavily on him. He handed her the coffee, his movements subdued as he contemplated the implications of their arrangement.
As Shiriku turned to leave, his mind filled with questions about their next steps, he couldn't help but stop and turn back towards Aoi. "What's the next plan?" he asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
Aoi took a sip of her coffee, her expression thoughtful as she considered his question. "Don't worry," she assured him, her tone calm and composed. "I'll let you know when I've come up with one."
With a nod of understanding, Shiriku shrugged, accepting her response. "Okay," he replied simply, his voice tinged with resignation. He continued his descent down the stairs.
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As Shiriku descended the stairs from the rooftop, a slight chill crept over him, causing him to shiver involuntarily. "Must be getting cold," he muttered to himself, rubbing his arms to generate some warmth.
Meanwhile, back on the rooftop, Aoi's expression softened as she watched Shiriku leave. "Ayaka-sama, I still don't see the worth you were mentioning about him," she murmured to herself, a hint of uncertainty in her voice.
Turning her attention back to the coffee in her hand, Aoi took a sip and grimaced. "Ugh, this coffee has gone cold," she lamented, her disappointment evident as she set the cup aside.
Unbeknownst to Aoi, Shiriku's sneeze echoed through the stairwell as he made his way down. "Huh? Is someone talking about me?" he wondered aloud, pausing mid-step with a puzzled expression on his face.
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TIME: 6:50 AM, LOCATION: CLASSROOM OF 1 - A
In the bustling classroom, Shiriku navigated his way to his desk and slumped into his chair with a heavy sigh, his shoulders drooping with fatigue. "I'm beat," he muttered under his breath, his weary expression a testament to his exhaustion.
However, before Shiriku could fully immerse himself in his moment of respite, Fuyumi stormed up to his desk, her footsteps echoing with determination. With her arms crossed tightly over her chest, she confronted him with a stern glare. "Y-You! Who gave you permission to call me that?" she demanded, her tone laced with indignation.
Raising an eyebrow in feigned innocence, Shiriku responded with casual nonchalance. "Huh? What do you mean?" he asked, his tone light and carefree, a playful glint dancing in his eyes.
Fuyumi's irritation flared at his response, her frustration evident in the furrow of her brows and the set of her jaw. "You know exactly what I meant!" she snapped, her voice tinged with annoyance.
Maintaining his facade of innocence, Shiriku tilted his head innocently, his lips curling into a mischievous grin. "Oh? I can't seem to recall what I said to tick you off, Fuyumi," he remarked casually, his tone teasing as he leaned back in his chair, his posture relaxed.
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Fuyumi wasn't having any of it. With a determined stride, she thrust her phone towards Shiriku, her finger pointing accusatorily at the message displayed on the screen. "This!" she exclaimed, her arms folding tightly across her chest in a gesture of defiance.
Shiriku's sly smile faltered slightly as he glanced at the message, his demeanor shifting from playful to slightly sheepish. "Oh, that? Sachi gave me permission," he admitted casually, his tone nonchalant as he leaned back in his chair.
Perplexed, Fuyumi's brow furrowed in confusion. "Sachi did?" she questioned, her voice tinged with disbelief.
Shiriku let out a dramatic sigh, rolling his eyes for effect. "Ugh... okay, okay, I can't keep up the charade anymore," he confessed, his tone laden with mock exasperation. "I overheard Sachi calling you 'Fuyu-chan' sometimes, and I thought, since we're not at each other's throats anymore, I'd give it a try too and see how you'd react. But it looks like you're not too thrilled about it, ahaha. My bad."
As Shiriku spoke, Fuyumi's anger seemed to simmer down slightly, her expression softening as she took in his sarcastic and tired demeanor. "Haha, don't worry about it. I'll stop," he assured her with a hint of consideration in his tone, offering a small nod of apology.
Still flustered, Fuyumi mumbled under her breath, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "I... I'll give you the permission..."
"Hmm? What was that?" Shiriku teased, his playful tone tempered with a hint of curiosity.
Seeing Fuyumi's discomfort, Shiriku softened his approach and addressed her with a gentle smile. "Fuyu," he said, using the nickname he had playfully adopted for her.
Fuyumi's blush deepened, her embarrassment evident as she fidgeted slightly in her seat. Deciding to ease her discomfort, Shiriku let out a resigned sigh and replied, "I said I'll give you permission to say it!" Fuyumi declared, her tone a mixture of embarrassment and frustration, her expression mirroring her conflicted emotions.