“I just accidently hit you because you were showing a face so unlike you”
“Why can't you be more gentle? Geez!”
“If I'm gentle now, you'd cry, right”
However, Yurika didn't complain for long. Koutarou's words had drained the strength from her and she looked away, embarrassed.
“Tha.... That... might be true, but...”
“Don't get so eager just because this is related to magic. You're not fighting on your own anymore. we're all with you”
“Satomi-san...”
Yurika took a deep breath and loosened up her expression.
“I feel a little better. Thank you, Satomi-san”
“I only hit you”
“... I'll leave it at that”
With some tension leaving her body, Yurika flashed a smile. But at the same time, she wiped away some tears that were forming in her eyes. In the end, she cried a little.
“Satomi-kun really gets Yurika-chan”
Shizuka laughed as she looked at Koutarou and Yurika. Koutarou responded by smiling wryly.
“For better or for worse, she is a handful. If you spend more than a year together, you'll understand, like it or not”
Koutarou dropped his shoulders as he said that. Both Koutarou himself and the girls around knew that he was just hiding his embarrassment.
“Geez~ Satomi-san, if you love me then you should just say so. You're so shy”
Another dull thud rang out.
“... S-Sorry. I got too full of myself...”
“By the way, Satomi-kun, don't you have any of that consideration for me?”
“You mean you want me to hit you?”
Koutarou waved his fist around and turned to Shizuka.
“No. Don't you have any words of encouragement or good luck charms for this unfortunate landlord dragged into this fight? There're so many things you could do, like taking me to a movie”