"W… what do you mean washing my hair?" I said, my eyes blinking repeatedly, my voice a little too high-pitched. "What are you planning on doing to me!" I nearly shouted, dropping the bowl back onto the table with a clumsy thud that made the chopsticks rattle.
Selene didn't even flinch. She just smiled. Calm, confident, dangerous. "Your hair is a mess, and I want to help you wash it," she said, her tone like she was making the most natural statement in the world. For a moment, I swear I could see a bright little rainbow shining happily above her head.
I leaned back slightly, shaking my head so fast it was almost comical. "No, no, no…" I muttered under my breath, my fingers fidgeting nervously with the hem of my sleeve. "Don't worry. I'll fix my hair tomorrow."
But my words were weak, and my eyes betrayed me. I couldn't stop staring at her smile. It was soft, playful, and—ugh—dangerous too. Like she was hiding a hundred different thoughts behind that curve of her lips.
Selene tilted her head slightly, her long hair slipping down her shoulder. Her eyes glinted with that mysterious light that always made me nervous. "Why wait until tomorrow when I'm here to help you?" Her tone dipped lower, and suddenly the air around us felt charged. "And also…" she paused deliberately, her gaze locking onto mine. "Have it in mind—no one is allowed to touch you. Only me. So I am the only one who will wash your hair."
I nearly choked on my soba. My chopsticks slipped in my fingers. "E–Excuse me!"
"Yes, you heard me," she replied, lips curving as though she was drinking in every ounce of my flustered reaction.
I knew she was enjoying this.
"So finish up, and let's go wash your hair," she added, as if it was already decided. She leaned back gracefully, resting her chin on her palm, her gaze steady and unyielding. "We have a lot of recipes for a date to do, Kisaragi."
Recipes. For a date.
I froze.
What is this girl actually trying to do to me tonight?!
My heart slammed against my chest as though trying to escape.
"What do you mean recipes for a date?!" I blurted out, waving my hands helplessly in front of me. "Seriously what are you even trying to do—you pervert!" My cheeks burned so much that the heat traveled all the way up to my ears.
Ice, who had been quietly minding his own business, suddenly stood. Without a word, he picked up his bowl and walked away. His expression was blank, but I could almost hear his thoughts: Nope. Not staying for this one.
Great. Even Ice didn't want to witness this embarrassing scene.
Selene's face leaned closer—dangerously closer. Her voice lowered, silky and sharp all at once. "What I'm trying to do…"
Her eyes sparkled.
My breath hitched, my fingers gripping my chopsticks like they were the only lifeline I had.
"W… w… what are you doing, Selene?" My voice cracked, trembling in my throat. I leaned back as much as I could, but there was no escape—my chair, the table, her presence. All of it trapped me in place.
"Ice is right there, you know…" I whispered desperately, my last attempt at an escape. My eyes darted toward him, but he was already gone, leaving me completely alone with her.
Selene didn't care. She closed the distance even more. Her face drifted closer until her nose almost brushed mine. My whole body froze. My heartbeat pounded so loudly I was sure she could hear it.
"I want to do everything in the recipe for a perfect date…" she whispered, her breath warm against my skin.
My entire brain shut down.
"Per… per… perfect date?" I stammered, my words barely squeezing out. I could feel my soul escaping my body one shaky breath at a time.
Then—just as suddenly—Selene pulled back, leaving me gasping like I had been underwater too long. I blinked rapidly, struggling to process, but she was already smirking.
She reached beneath the table and pulled something out with a dramatic little thump.
A book.
"I'm talking about this. Recipe for a Perfect Date," she said, holding it up like it was some kind of sacred treasure.
I blinked again, harder this time. "What in the name—" My voice trailed off as I stared at the words printed on the cover.
Selene flipped it open proudly, her posture elegant like she was showing off a prize. "You see? We both had no idea on what to do on the first date. So I read this book."
My jaw nearly hit the table. "…You're seriously using a book?"
"Yes." Her tone was sharp, confident, unwavering. It was like she had thought this through too much. Way too much. "Ice got it for me from a bookshop. I've been reading it all day. That's why I couldn't come pick you up."
I leaned back in my chair, pressing a hand to my forehead. This girl… of all the possible plans she could come up with, this was it?
"There's a bookshop here in Kaida?" I asked weakly.
"Yes, there is," Selene answered smoothly, like it was the most obvious thing.
"Oh…" My heart gave a small skip. "Then I have to visit that bookshop someday. I wonder if they sell manga too…"
"Can I see the book?" I asked, reaching my hand out cautiously.
Selene smirked knowingly but still handed it over with a flourish.
The cover was simple, black and white, yet bold. The title practically shouted at me: Recipe for a Perfect Date. And just beneath it, in smaller words, The Secret Ingredients to Make Her Fall.
I froze.
Wow. Selene really meant business.
I flipped through the first few pages quickly, my eyes catching on the bold text.
Step One: Cook for her.
Well… she had definitely done that. And the soba really was amazing. My stomach twisted, half from nerves, half from how real this was starting to feel.
Step Two: Physical closeness builds warmth.
My cheeks flamed instantly. Don't tell me this girl was following it step by step.
I peeked up at her from behind the book. She was just sitting there, chin propped on her hand, watching me with the smuggest, most self-satisfied smile I had ever seen in my life.
Oh no.
Selene the Ice Queen—the villainess of my favorite manga—was planning a "perfect date" out of some cheesy romance manual.
And I was her test subject.
I wanted to scream into a pillow.
But instead, I flipped another page.
Step Three: A soft gesture of care will melt her heart.
My eyes twitched violently.
That's why she wanted to wash my hair?!
I closed the book quickly, pressing it back into her hands like it was cursed. "This is insane, Selene. You're actually using a manual for our date!"
She chuckled softly, a sound that was low yet carried victory in every note. Sliding the book back toward herself, she tapped the cover lightly with one elegant finger. "Insane or not, Kisaragi, it's working, isn't it?"
My heart skipped again, traitorous and loud. Damn her. She wasn't wrong.
I puffed my cheeks, glaring at her like an angry hamster. "No, it's not working! Not at all!"
But the redness on my face betrayed me completely.
Selene's lips curved into that victorious smile again. The kind of smile that made my chest feel like it was filled with fireworks and thunder all at once.
I couldn't handle this girl.
And yet… I couldn't look away either.