The sudden food made her instinctively shrink back, widening the distance between herself and Imaizumi Keita.
Her eyes were filled with wariness and confusion, and her body was slightly tense from nervousness.
"Wh-why..."
"Imaizumi-kun... do you, do you have some... b-bad intentions again?"
Imaizumi Keita looked at her wary expression, as if she was about to be poisoned, and found it rather amusing.
Just how bad was his image in her heart...
Could it be that his attentive actions were so easily perceived as him trying to win her over?
Imaizumi merely indicated that he had motives, but they weren't that urgent, okay...
He didn't rush to explain, just watched her calmly, and after more than ten seconds, he spoke.
"You wouldn't, by any chance, be planning to refuse, would you?"
"Eh?!"
"If that's the case, then never mind."
Saying this, Imaizumi Keita made to take back the fried chicken cutlet and barley tea.
"Anyway, I just felt that I couldn't finish so much by myself, and it would be a waste to throw it away."
"W-wait a minute!"
Seeing the enticingly fragrant fried chicken cutlet about to leave her, Komari Chika almost instinctively moved over and pressed her hand on the fried chicken cutlet.
Her movements were so quick that even she was surprised.
After realizing what she had done, her cheeks flushed instantly, and she quickly pulled her hand back.
"I, I didn't... mean, mean to refuse..."
"Then, eat it."
Imaizumi Keita pushed the items back over.
Komari Chika, having received permission, hesitated for a moment but ultimately couldn't resist the temptation of the delicious food.
She carefully picked up the still-warm fried chicken cutlet, but instead of eating it immediately, she first unscrewed the cap of the barley tea bottle and, holding it with both hands, offered it to Imaizumi Keita.
"Th-that... Imaizumi-kun, you, you must be tired too."
"Hmm?"
"You, you should... drink, drink a little too. I, I can't finish it... by myself."
"That, don't, don't drink directly from the bottle..."
After Komari Chika finished speaking, she immediately turned away, revealing her exceptionally fair neck.
Imaizumi Keita looked at her earnest yet clumsy attempt to express goodwill and couldn't bear to tease her further.
"Alright."
He took the barley tea, pretended to take a sip, and then handed it back to her.
Komari Chika finally breathed a sigh of relief.
She broke the fried chicken cutlet in half, pushing one half onto the lid of Imaizumi's bento box.
Then, she picked up her own half and began to nibble on it in small bites.
The crispy skin encased tender, juicy chicken, bursting in her mouth.
The aroma of the oil mixed with just the right amount of savory saltiness, making her eyes light up instantly.
"...So, so delicious."
She instinctively let out a satisfied sigh, and her cheeks puffed out slightly from the happiness the food brought.
After finishing one bite, Komari Chika immediately took a second small bite, the pure and direct happiness on her face almost overflowing.
Imaizumi Keita watched her quietly, seeing her light up because of a piece of fried chicken cutlet, and a strange softness suddenly bloomed in his heart.
This girl is really... unexpectedly easy to read.
And unexpectedly... easy to appease.
"I say, Komari."
Imaizumi Keita drew Komari Chika's attention away from the food.
"Since you've eaten my food and drunk my tea."
He looked at her eyes, which were somewhat bewildered with confusion, and a gentle smile appeared on his face.
"As a reward, can I... ask you to help me with something?"
"Eh?"
Komari Chika paused in her chicken-eating motion.
She swallowed the food in her mouth, her face showing wariness, and her body instinctively shifted to the side.
"W-what is it?"
Imaizumi Keita looked at her expression, and the smile on his face deepened.
"It's nothing major."
He beckoned to her, signaling her to lean closer, then lowered his voice and said.
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