Hayasaka Ai walked up in front of him, and Minamoto Senya's eyes widened, surprise flickering in them.
"W–what is it?" she asked.
It had been a while since they'd last met, and since this was technically the first time the two of them had gone out together alone, Hayasaka Ai felt strangely out of place.
Knowing she'd be meeting him today, she hadn't let herself sleep in. She got up early and went straight to the bath.
But simply soaking in a tub scattered with flower petals hadn't seemed enough—afterward, she carefully scrubbed her body head to toe with body wash, working up a lather that covered every inch, leaving no hidden corner untouched. Her whole body had absorbed the fragrance, as if it had been steeped in it.
To use an inappropriate metaphor, her body today had probably reached the same sanitary standards required for one of those controversial "body-as-plating" food presentations. In other words, edible-grade perfection.
And yet, judging by Senya-kun's reaction, had she overlooked something? Did she look weird somehow?
She didn't know!
It wasn't as if she'd ever gone out alone with a boy before.
Her mind replayed the cheerful advice her mother had given upon hearing about today's plans: "Just act the way you do when you spend your holidays with me. Be natural—Ai-chan is always the cutest when she's herself. Have fun~"
Hayasaka Ai felt rather resentful.
What an irresponsible mom. It felt like she was just being brushed off.
Normally, the moment she saw her mother, she would throw herself into her arms because she missed her so much. But facing Senya-kun, she obviously couldn't do that, could she?
"Ah, sorry. It's just—you give off a really different feeling today, so I was caught off guard," Minamoto Senya explained with a smile.
Indeed, she was different.
Her neat sailor uniform paired with a dark pleated skirt—modestly long, showing sincerity. Her bare legs, exposed in the sweltering summer air, glowed like polished ivory, dazzling and thirst-inducing. On her feet, open-toed sandals revealed toenails painted the same water-blue shade as her fingernails, shimmering like the sky.
Her hairstyle had also changed. Instead of the work-ready side ponytail she wore as a maid, her hair flowed down naturally, with a playful twist—on one side of her bangs, she'd braided a small plait. A little whimsical, a little casual.
Today, Hayasaka Ai gave off two strikingly opposite impressions at once.
Her pure, ladylike outfit and gentle demeanor made her look like a well-bred honor student—the kind of girl who seemed untouchable, the first-love type boys only admired from afar.
But the little details—her nails, her playful braid, her confident posture—announced her as a girl with strong individuality and the courage to experiment.
Most girls couldn't combine such contradictory styles at the same time, let alone blend them so naturally.
But on Hayasaka Ai, there was no sense of clash. Instead, it created a dazzling effect: pure yet enticing, innocent yet bold.
Honestly, her looks were just too powerful. That half-Japanese heritage gave her an undeniable edge.
"Different, huh…" Ai felt slightly reassured by his answer, but only slightly.
"Yeah, today you give off a really… powerful vibe. I mean—very pretty," Senya corrected himself quickly.
He could've thrown out a dozen more compliments without repeating himself. But considering their relationship was still halfway between strangers and friends, saying too much would feel insincere, even slimy. So he held back.
"Thanks." Ai twisted a strand of hair around her finger. "I'll just take that as politeness. But I'm happy anyway. Today, Senya-kun looks really cool too."
"Good to know. You clearly understand the art of returning the favor."
After this restrained exchange of greetings, the two of them walked under the shade of trees along the shopping district, heading toward the main commercial area.