The wind was a bit chilly tonight—just like the forecast had said.
Oh, that's why I packed this sweater.
Thanks, past me… you just saved me twice.
As we walked along the sidewalk, my mind refused to stay still. Ayase-san is a bit short… her height only reached my shoulders. On second thought, I was a bit too tall.
Her steps are small...
Am I walking too fast?
Are my strides too long?
Forget it—am I even walking properly?
"Rion." Her voice cut through my thoughts, soft and warm, like the opposite of the biting wind.
"Huh? Yes?"
She leaned over. "Do you have a place in mind?" Her hair slipped behind her head as she tilted her head, falling like a curtain of silk.
The light caught it perfectly, and her hair glossed like fresh strands of caramel. Her eyes... bright and wide, looked up to meet mine. They unearthed an urge inside of me. Something I should most definitely keep from surfacing.
She blinked. "Rion?"
"Ah—sorry." I rubbed my neck. "Honestly, I don't really know where to go."
...
I thought I thought about it.
I didn't.
I didn't think about where I'm taking her...
"Hmm…" Risa's gaze drifted up to the buildings. "You know these streets, right?"
I glanced between her and the buildings ahead. "Yeah… I come here all the time."
She leaned forward slightly. "Then, if you were to pick a restaurant, what would be your first pick?"
I placed a hand on my chin, scanning the familiar streets.
'What' indeed...
My first pick, huh?
There is one place...
"For me…"
"For me…"
We spoke at the exact same moment.
"It's Hoshizora[1]."
"It's Hoshizora."
"Huh?"
"Huh?"
***
We slid into the booth, menus in hand. I never thought I'd ever say 'table for two' with anyone besides Mom—let alone Ayase-san.
I peeked at the menu, trying to focus, but my thoughts kept drifting. Ayase-san's eyes were glued to the pages in front of her.
The sight of her gentle eyes exploring the menu alone gripped me.
What would she order?
Maybe I should just stick to the usual… it is cold tonight.
The waitress approached. "Excuse me, may I take your order?"
"Ah, yes…" I lowered the menu and pointed without overthinking.
"Katsu Curry."
"Katsu Curry."
We synced again.
Our eyes met. She looked as surprised as I felt.
Coincidence?
But it's happened twice now…
She let out a small, amused chuckle and turned back to the waitress. "And tsukemono[2] on the side, please."
She likes pickles too?
The servings here were usually generous—I always shared them with Mom. Ayase-san was small, but maybe she had a good appetite.
"Alright," the waitress scribbled on her digital board. "And for drinks?"
"I'll have iced tea."
"Make that two," Ayase-san said softly, following my choice.
"Okay, I'll be right back with your order." The waitress left, her footsteps fading into the famiresu.[3]
Now, I couldn't help but wonder…
"Ayase-san," I called.
She looked up. "Yeah?" Her eyes widened slightly.
Did I startle her?
"You like curry too, huh?"
She blinked, her gaze darting around nervously. "Well… it's always my go-to when it's cold," she said, scratching the side of her cheek.
"No way. Me too." I leaned back slightly in the seat, rubbing the back of my neck. "Usually I'd ask for extra spicy," I admitted. "But… I don't think my stomach can handle it right now…"
Her lips curved into a small, shy smile. That tiny shared moment made the air between us feel warmer, even with the chill outside.
Then her gaze drifted down. "Rion… I'm sorry I dragged you out here." Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"What? No—I should be the one apologizing." I lifted my hands quickly, trying to sound casual even as my heart thudded unevenly. "You looked tired after your shift… I was afraid I'd be the one troubling you."
She paused, then slowly raised her eyes. Soft. Gentle. A little exhausted—but still warm enough to make my breath catch.
I swallowed, then asked quietly, "Sh–Should I have… stopped Mom earlier…?"
She shook her head. "It's okay."
Her smile—small and tender, with a tinge of fluster—was lovely enough to ripple something beneath my ribs.
"Thank you for worrying about me."
Heat crept up my neck and bloomed into my ears. At this moment, I'd hoped she couldn't hear how hard my heart was pounding.
"I remember you said you work at night…" She leaned in. Just slightly. "Is it… really okay? Coming out here with me?"
Did I really tell her that?
I don't even remember saying it.
But she did.
"N-No, it's fine." I waved a hand, fighting the urge to fidget. "I finished before we left. It was already halfway done anyway."
She eased back in her seat and let out a soft sigh—quiet and relieved—like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
"I was worried I'd be troubling you too," she admitted, covering her mouth with her hand. "You looked exhausted back there."
Her eyes were full of concern—gentle, earnest concern... Meant just for me.
And God… did that do something to me.
"It's okay." The words came out softer than I intended.
"I was exhausted…" I felt something melt inside me, loosening everything I'd been holding in. "But..." My shoulders dropped as I exhaled.
"Ayase-san…" I looked at her, and she didn't look away. She held my gaze like she was afraid to let it go.
Flashes of memory rose up—
Her hair glinting like strands of caramel in the light…
Seeing her in casual clothes for the first time…
The way her face lit up when our eyes met earlier…
"You…" My voice trembled just a little as I space away[4]. "…took my exhaustion away."
The memories lingered for a tad bit longer than I anticipated. Then my eyes found their way back to her.
Her eyes had widened—just a flicker, just enough to show the crack in her usual composure. A soft blush rose across her cheeks, faint but unmistakably there, and my heart lurched so sharply I almost forgot how to breathe.
...Wait.
Did I say something weird...?
"A—Ayase-san..." I managed.
She glanced away, her lashes trembling.
"Me too." Her voice was so soft it barely existed—a tiny, fragile squeak.
"…Huh?"
"You… took my exhaustion away too." She gently scrunched her hair on her cheeks, attempting to hide behind them, still refusing to meet my eyes.
This is bad.
It took everything in me not to combust on the spot. My chest tightened. Heat rushed up my spine. My heart hammered against my ribs—loud, frantic, euphoric.
How could something so simple make me feel like this?
How could she make me feel like this?
And right here.
In a booth inside a famiresu.
Two fully grown adults.
Two active members of society.
Sat motionless in a long fuzzy moment of silence.
Dying of embarrassment.
[1] This is the name of the restaurant. I came up with it on a whim, so I'm not sure if it actually exists. If it does, pls don't sue me.
[2] A mix of pickled vegetables. That's what I understood. Pls don't cancel me.
[3] Japanese term for "Family Restaurant"
[4] Like... Space out. But away. You know, like 'drift out' and 'drift away'