We had lunch at the mall before heading back to the car. The afternoon air was warm.
Before getting into the driver's seat, I handed Hikari one of the purikura pictures.
"This one is for you, Hikari-san."
She studied the strip, brows furrowing. "This last picture looks weird."
She pointed at the one where our cheeks were pressed together, her blush faint under the filters.
"Why? I think it looks great."
"You suddenly came so close, I was surprised."
"I'm sorry. Did you dislike it?"
Her eyes flicked away. She shook her head. "No… I was just surprised, that's all."
"I only did it because it was you, Hikari-san. I wouldn't do it to anyone else."
Her fingers tightened on the photo. "…I guess it can't be helped."
I started the car and pulled out of the lot.
"Hikari-san. I'll show you what youth is all about."
"I think you've shown me plenty today."
"There's no better way to end the day than with karaoke."
"Fufu. If there's something I'm confident about, singing is one of them."
"I'm even more excited!"
I pressed the accelerator. The SUV picked up speed, humming beneath us.
Her hand flew to the edge of the seat. "Souta-kun! Slow down! Don't speed!"
"Alright, alright. Only because you asked nicely."
She huffed, turning her face to the window, though a small smile curved at her lips.
The receptionist handed us a key card and menus before pointing us toward a booth.
The door shut behind us, muffling the noise of the hall. Neon lights flickered pink and blue across the room, a mirrored ball scattering specks of light over the leather seats.
Hikari slipped in first, smoothing her oversized shirt as she crossed her legs. I sat beside her, our shoulders brushing.
"Should we order something?" I scrolled through the panel.
"Mm. Something light. We can share."
We settled on fries, yakitori, and iced tea. While we waited, I passed her the tablet. "Go on, Hikari-san. You said you're confident."
"…Don't expect too much."
The music started. Her voice filled the booth, smooth and steady, carrying easily with the reverb. The neon glow washed her cheeks, her figure lit in shifting colors. I leaned back, listening, until the last note faded.
"Amazing. You weren't kidding."
She covered her mouth shyly. "Don't exaggerate. Your turn."
I queued a song. A heavy enka intro boomed from the speakers.
"…Enka?"
I stood, gripping the mic with both hands, pouring my voice into a deep vibrato.
Hikari burst into laughter.
"Pfft! Souta-kun! You sound like an old man!"
I climbed onto the booth seat, one hand stretched to the ceiling. "This is the music of the youth!"
She wiped at her eyes, still laughing when the song ended.
"…You're ridiculous. But fun."
The food arrived, filling the air with the smell of fries and grilled chicken.
I held up a fry. "Say ahh."
"What are you trying to pull now?"
"I'm just servicing an important person."
"I guess I'll comply."
She leaned forward, lips closing around it. Her ears turned red as her eyes darted away.
"…You're treating me like a child."
"Fine. Then feed me like an adult."
She picked up a skewer, holding it carefully.
"Here. Don't bite my fingers."
I leaned in and bit close to her hand, brushing her fingertips with my lips. Her breath caught, and she pulled away, face flushed.
"…You did that on purpose, didn't you?"
"Maybe."
"…Playboy."
We ate back and forth like that, her laughter slipping out easier each time. I took a sip of iced tea, slid the glass toward her. She picked it up without thinking and drank from the same straw.
An indirect kiss with Hikari! A small victory for the day.
As I set down my skewer, Hikari suddenly leaned across the table. Her face came close, so close I could feel her breath. She pinned my shoulders against the wall. Looking at me deep in the eyes with a small smile. Then, she raised a napkin and brushed the corner of my mouth with deliberate care.
"Eh—Hikari-san?"
Her eyes glimmered with amusement, her lips curving.
"…Revenge. You wiped my mouth earlier at the café, remember? This makes us even."
"…That surprised me…"
"So I can make you flustered if I try…~"
She pulled back slowly, the playful smile still tugging at her lips. My chest stirred at the sight. I was falling for her all over again. Should I go jerk off in the restroom?
"…If you wanted an excuse to get close, you could've just said so."
Her cheeks colored, but she held my gaze.
"…Don't flatter yourself."
But the way her voice wavered, and how quickly she reached for her glass after, told me otherwise.
Later, partway through a duet, she fanned herself with her hand. "…It's hot in here."
"Want me to take your shirt off?"
"E-eh…?"
"You'll overheat if you keep it on. Besides, you have a tank top under, right?"
Her blush deepened. After a pause, she slipped her arms out of the oversized shirt and set it beside her.
I had to stop myself from staring.
The tank top clung to her body softly, shaping her chest and waist. The neckline dipped just enough to show her collarbones, a faint sheen of sweat glimmering under the neon. Her bare arms gleamed, smooth and slender.
It wasn't a revealing outfit, yet it felt more intimate than anything else that day. The plain tank top made her look both youthful and elegant, housewife warmth mixed with shy girl charm.
Hikari hugged her arms over her chest, fidgeting.
"…Souta-kun. Don't look so much."
"Sorry. You just look beautiful."
Her lips trembled as she turned away, blush glowing brighter than the lights overhead.
"Are you trying to get back at me?"
"Nope."
"You are."
"Nope."
We sang more songs. A duet where we held hands, another ballad that left me stunned, another exaggerated enka that made her laugh until her shoulders shook.
At some point, our legs brushed beneath the table. Neither of us moved away.
"…Souta-kun, today was a lot of fun again."
"I'm glad. I had a lot of fun too."