Apparently, it didn’t leave a bad impression on her. Relieved from her reaction, I resumed my eating.
We both continued eating in silence and ended up finishing our food before we even realized it.
“…It’s frustrating to say,” said Isshiki, whispering. I watched her with a sidelong glance and she lifted her face and looked at me. She looked frustrated somehow. Isshiki pouted and continued her words.
“But it was good…” She immediately averted her face. I felt like breaking into a smile after seeing that.
“…I’m glad to hear that.”
“Well, I suppose taking a girl into a store that’s normally hard to enter alone by herself might score you some high points.” Isshiki nodded her and convinced herself as if she was persuading someone. As long she enjoyed it, that made me extremely delighted.
But when I think about it, pasta and ramen were pretty similar and when it came to oil content, avocados and back fat weren’t all that different.
Carbohydrates and fat didn’t discriminate between men and women and may very well be the best things ever.
Naritake really was god-like.
× × ×
Alright, now that we’re done eating, let’s go home!
At least, that’s what I wanted to say, but we were still walking around the town of Chiba.
“Don’t you feel like eating something sweet?”
She posed it as a question, but in reality, she was issuing an order. I accepted her order and we went around looking for a place similar to a cafe.
“There’s like a lot of nice stores if we go that way,” Isshiki said, hastily walking on. The direction she headed in veered slightly away from the town center and led to a subdued street with a park, offices, and apartments.
We passed the front of the central station and walked down a street that had gone through maintenance relatively recently. This area, unlike the crowded “pick-up” street, was sparse with buildings.
It might’ve been the reason why the blowing wind felt a little stronger.
For how clear the weather was, the north wind was still chilly.
Having had my fill of ramen, I was feeling nice and warm—and I wouldn’t say I wanted to go home at this instant—but I wasn’t very fond of walking for long periods of time.
I looked at Isshiki wondering how much longer this was going to take and she pointed ahead with a smile. “You see that? It’s that store over there.”
When I looked, I was met with a stylish cafe.
Its exterior was made of wooden panels with large windows that took in light from outside, the terrace had a large, green parasol, and the front of the cafe had a blackboard with the menu written in chalk and exposed in broad daylight how stylish it is. Hey, you can’t be serious, we’re in Chiba, you know? Is it really okay to have this kind of cafe in Chiba?
How about it? You’re okay with that store, right? We are going in, right? You don’t know what “I won’t go” means, right? Isshiki pulled at my scarf silently as if asking those strings of questions. Um, my scarf isn’t a leash, you know?
“Well, I guess this store works.”
Then again, it was really cold, so anywhere was fine with me. I know for sure I wouldn’t bother entering that store if I was alone, but since I was accompanied by Isshiki today, they should forgive me for trespassing into their stylish world.
“Okay, let’s g—oh, shoot!” Isshiki said, and stopped.
“What? What’s going on?”
She pulled my sleeve, forcing me to a stop. My sleeves aren’t your reins, either… She then frantically went behind me. She then peeked out her face from the side and pointed at the store.
“Please take a look over there.”
“Hm.”
I looked in the direction as I was told and a couple had just come out of the cafe. A frail looking girl wearing glasses with pigtails and a regular boy with no worthwhile traits that could be found in any boy elsewhere… After those two left the store, they walked in the opposite direction of us.
I watched them in curiosity with my arms crossed and contemplated.
They look kind of familiar… As I thought about who they were, a voice spoke to me from behind.
“He’s the vice president and she’s the secretary.”
…Ohhh, that’s right, I’ve met them before.
No, wait just one second. Why did those two come out of that cafe together?
“What, don’t tell me those two are dating?” I asked Isshiki who took some distance from my back.
She tilted her head. “Who knows? I don’t think so? Just because they went out out together somewhere for a little bit doesn’t mean they’re da…”
Isshiki abruptly stopped and turned around with incredible intensity.
“Ha! What was that just now, were you trying to hit on me, you’re a bit shameless to think you can act like a boyfriend just because we went out to have fun for a bit, I’m sorry, please do that only after we do this a few more times.” She quickly ran her mouth after flinging out both her hands as if to take some distance.
“…Ahh, yeah, sure. Nevermind, just forget it.”
It’s too much of a pain to ask how she came to that conclusion… Also, counting how many times she’s rejected me like that was starting to feel stupid…
“Whatever, let’s just go in already. I’m cold.”
“Oh, please wait for me!”
I went into the store after telling her and Isshiki chased after me.
I knew it was stylish outside, but the interior wasn’t any different. They were seemingly picky about their chairs and tables as every single one of them was distinct. The walls and the drawers were decorated with sweet decorations, forming an interior that would be popular among female customers.
The seats we were led to were inside to the right and were sofas that looked standard compared to the interior of the store. Sunlight from outside poured in through the bow window that faced the street.
Isshiki who sat across from me promptly opened the menu. “Oh, yikes! I have, like, no idea what to get, you know?”
Though she asked, it didn’t look like she was expecting an answer from me in particular as she flipped through the menu on her own. That’s Irohasu for you, so sly; she was exhibiting her sweets-loving femine wiles. Well, slyness didn’t really matter since a lot of girls liked sweet things, anyway. Case in point, there’s a cookie-eating monster that gobbled down tea cakes at the club room… Although recently, she’s been devouring rice crackers instead.
As I watched Isshiki worry over the menu, she turned a part of it towards me.
Ohh, the menu is pretty varied…
Macaron, swiss roll, gâteau au fromage cheesecake, crème brûlée… There’s also gelato and sorbet. I wonder what the difference between those two is? Was it something like Shofukutei family7 or something?
With worthless thoughts in mind, I compared the menu item names and pictures until Isshiki popped her face above the menu.
“I’m ready.”
“Oh. Let’s call someone over then.”
After calling the waiter, Isshiki pointed at the menu and ordered. “I’ll take assam tea and a macaron, please.”
“And I’ll take… a blend coffee and a gelato.”
After making our orders, a time of relaxation continued for a while.
The softly played bossa nova BGM, the warm atmosphere inside, and the tender sunlight of the early afternoon. Every single one of them contributed to the special mood inside this cafe. Even the voices of other customers sounded distant and quiet as if though they were submerged in water.
But in place of those voices, my attention was directed at the person in front of me.
Isshiki must visit this shop regularly because she sank into the sofa and was extremely relaxed. She placed her elbow on the armrest, rested her cheeks in her hand, and looked outside the window. She hummed to herself in anticipation of her macaron.
I looked at the scenery outside as well while listening to her faint humming voice. In the scenery ahead was the typical landscape of the town of Chiba, but as I gazed at it from behind a single sheet of glass inside the stylish cafe interior, it appeared much more extravagant than normal. It could’ve been the magic of this cafe’s atmosphere that caused me to see that illusion.