Chapter 123: Secretly Snacking
In the dimly lit movie theater.
The five Nakano sisters were sitting in the middle row. The movie being shown had already been out for a while, but due to exams earlier, the sisters hadn't had the chance to see it. Now that exams were over, they finally had the opportunity.
Nino was hugging a bucket of popcorn, her eyes glued to the screen.
The movie hadn't started yet — it was still showing ads and reminders.
Beside her, Itsuki was holding an extra-large portion of popcorn, munching relentlessly like a hamster.
Itsuki: (๑ᵔ⤙ᵔ๑) => (∩❛ڡ❛∩) => (っ˘ڡ˘ς) => ദ്ദി ˉ͈̀꒳ˉ͈́ )✧
The crunching sounds from Itsuki caught Nino's attention.
"Itsuki, are you that hungry?" Nino asked curiously.
Lately, Itsuki had been jogging; she even said this morning that she had lost a fair amount of weight.
"Not really, but the popcorn is just too good." For some reason, Itsuki felt like no matter how much she ate today, she still wasn't full.
"If Itsuki likes it, just let her eat more." Ichika said casually.
Once her figure gets distorted, she'll regret it on her own.
Next to them, Miku was wearing headphones, seemingly uninterested. She actually didn't want to come today, but was dragged along by her sisters.
"Eh? Why hasn't it started yet!?"
Yotsuba was very enthusiastic about romance movies — she was the one who had suggested watching today's movie.
Not long after, with a pop sound, the surrounding lights went out, and the theater was instantly plunged into darkness. Then, the movie began.
As the film played, Nino was watching intently at first, but before long, she realized——
This movie...
Feels like I've seen it before?
Of course, it was just a passing feeling, but Nino truly felt a sense of familiarity. After thinking for a bit, she recalled that she had been spoiled while chatting with a classmate.
When it came to socializing in class, Nino handled it very well.
The only exception was her attitude toward Sakurai Saki, which was somewhat unusual. If their first encounter hadn't been at home but instead at school, perhaps Nino would have shown a different side when dealing with him.
'So boring~' Nino rested her chin on her hand, lazily munching on popcorn.
(`−ㅿ−´)
After a while, suddenly, a white flash lit up in front of her — like a powerful camera flash — the whole auditorium stirred with low murmurs of complaint.
What kind of movie throws in a blinding white transition like this? What were they thinking?
"Huh?"
Everything around her suddenly became clearer, and Nino looked toward someone in the row in front of her — the person looked strangely familiar.
At first, she wasn't quite sure, until that person turned slightly and took a sip of fruit juice.
It was Sakurai-san. Why the hell was he watching this movie?
And it seemed like he was alone.
Seeing that, a little thought began to form in Nino's mind.
She glanced at the seats beside Sakurai Saki and saw that both sides were empty — however, there was no drink on the left, while there was one on the right.
Nino picked up her small popcorn and drink and stood up.
Then quietly moved to the seat beside Sakurai Saki.
Her sisters watched Nino's back, assuming she was going to the bathroom, so they didn't ask anything.
...
Down below, Sakurai Saki was watching the movie when suddenly a piece of popcorn was offered beside him.
He instinctively thought it was Ai-chan handing it to him and immediately opened his mouth and bit into it.
Just earlier, he and Hayasaka Ai had been feeding each other a few times already. The movie was so engrossing that Sakurai Saki didn't even realize Hayasaka Ai was still in the restroom.
Sakurai Saki didn't question the origin of that piece of popcorn at all.
Nino, sitting on the left, glanced at her own fingers. She didn't expect him to actually eat it.
At first, she just wanted to test it out.
It's said that when people are fully focused, they abandon unnecessary thoughts and act purely on instinct!
Nino carefully picked up another piece.
The movie was now reaching its climax — the heroine was running through the rain, chasing after the male lead who was about to leave.
The train was about to depart, and the confession she wanted to say remained unspoken.
Sakurai Saki bit into the piece of popcorn at the edge of his lips, and instinctively gave a light lick to the finger feeding him.
"( ⁄ ⁄•⁄Д⁄•⁄ ⁄)" Nino blushed with embarrassment.
She held the now-moist fingertip in front of her face.
As if possessed by a devil's whisper, Nino slowly brought the finger closer to her lips.
"I like you!" the female lead shouted on screen!
Sniffles echoed from around them.
Someone had been moved to tears.
Audience: (っ˃̣̣̥ -˂̣̣̥ς)
But unfortunately, the heroine's confession was blocked by the soundproof window of the train — the male lead never heard it at all!
Startled by the heroine's shout, Nino jolted like a frightened little bunny and shrank into her seat.
She pulled her hand back, taking that dangerously tempting finger away.
Sakurai Saki reached out with his left hand, trying to hold Hayasaka Ai's hand.
His attention was still entirely on the film.
The heroine began running — she was chasing after the train!
The male lead had spotted her!
Nakano Nino, however, was completely ignoring the plot of the movie. She tried placing her right hand over Sakurai Saki's left hand.
The next second, the two interlocked their fingers.
( ⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄)
A blissful expression bloomed on Nino's face, like a child savoring a piece of candy.
She used her other hand to pick up the drink and brought it to Sakurai Saki's lips.
Sakurai Saki took a few sips.
The taste wasn't bad at all.
Coincidentally, Nino and Hayasaka Ai had both bought the same kind of drink.
"I like you! Megumi!"
"I like you too~! Azuma!!!"
The male and female leads confessed their feelings to each other.
In the next scene, the male lead reached out, and the heroine did the same.
Sakurai Saki pursed his lips.
Trains in real life don't move this slowly, do they? If this movie had been shown a few decades ago, maybe it would've made more sense.
Thinking that, Sakurai Saki pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his tears.
Sakurai: /ᐠ ╥ ˕ ╥マ
It was so good… this ending.
Nino held the cup that the other person had just drunk from, and for a moment, her mind went blank.
At that moment, she suddenly became bolder.
After all, it was pretty dark around them!
Nino leaned her face closer, intending to sneak a kiss on Sakurai Saki.
Sakurai Saki still thought it was Hayasaka Ai, so he didn't think much of it.
Right now, he was overwhelmed with emotion.
Sakurai Saki was the kind of person who got deeply moved by love stories.
"Moah~"
(✿˶˘ ³˘(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥)
A soft kiss on his cheek, and the girl moved away from his face.
Nino didn't dare go further. After the kiss, she quickly left her seat.
A while later.
As the male and female leads embraced and poured their hearts out to each other, Hayasaka Ai returned.
"..." Ai-chan furrowed her lovely brows.
It seemed like she had missed the most emotional climax of the film!
'Whatever.'
She hadn't really come for the movie anyway.
Ai-chan leaned against Sakurai Saki's shoulder.
Then she picked up a piece of popcorn and held it out.
"A~"
"I'm a little full," Sakurai Saki said, but still took a bite.
He turned to glance at Ai-chan.
Why is she sitting on the right now?
Wasn't she on the left earlier? The seat on the left probably didn't get sold — switching places wasn't a big deal.
"Wanna drink?" Hayasaka Ai offered the drink.
Sakurai Saki took a sip.
It tasted exactly like before.
Umu, must've been my imagination.
...
Up above them.
Just returning with her popcorn and drink, Nino looked extremely bashful.
She raised the cup and stared at the tip of the straw, momentarily unsure what to do.
If I drink this… wouldn't that count as an indirect kiss?
(∩˃ω˂∩)
While she was still flustered, Nakano Itsuki — feeling a little thirsty from eating too much popcorn — leaned in front of Nino and bent down to take a sip from the straw.
After drinking, she caught Nino's death glare, as if she were ready to kill someone.
(ꐦㅍ _ㅍ)---------->(O O!)
"W-what?"
"No dinner for you tonight!" Nino gritted her teeth.
"It was just one sip of your drink? Do you have to be so stingy?"
One sip? Is that what this is about?
Was this really about the drink?
But of course, Nino couldn't say it out loud.
So all she could do was lower her head in frustration, her face filled with sulking annoyance.
(˶˃⤙˂˶)