"Want something to eat?"
Yuigahama Yui looked up, eyes fixed on the fried chicken nuggets in the convenience store.
"…Eating this will make me fat…" she said quietly, but she couldn't tear her gaze away from the golden, steaming nuggets.
"Wait here for me," Akira said, walking into the store.
Yui watched him disappear briefly behind the shelves.
A few minutes later, he returned carrying a small bag filled with fried chicken nuggets and chicken legs.
"It's still early. Shall we go to the park over there?" Akira suggested.
"Yeah," Yui nodded, following him.
They found a quiet bench in the park and sat down.
"Try some." Akira handed her the bag of fried chicken.
"I… I'll just have one," Yui said, though the scent was irresistible.
"I can't finish all this by myself. It'd be a waste if you didn't eat more," Akira said, glancing at the park around them.
Yui paused, realizing that Akira had bought it for her. Her heart beat fast, as if a little rabbit were running wildly inside her chest.
"…Thank you." She took a deep breath, cheeks flushed, and looked at him.
"You're welcome." Akira began eating a chicken leg.
Yui picked up a nugget—and couldn't stop. Maybe because she hadn't eaten enough for lunch, or maybe because the nuggets were just so delicious.
She ate several pieces before realizing there were only a few left.
Akira noticed this and grinned.
"Do you want more chicken nuggets?"
"N-no, I'm full," Yui waved her hand, embarrassed.
"Are all girls afraid of gaining weight?" Akira asked playfully, while unconsciously looking at her stomach.
"W-what are you looking at?" Her face turned bright red.
"Sorry… I guess it's unavoidable…"
"You're such a bad guy, Akira!" Yui interrupted him, walking over to the vending machine.
She bought two cans of drinks, returned, and handed one to him.
"Thanks, Yuigahama-san. You're really kind… even to a bad guy like me." Akira accepted the drink.
Yui blushed furiously, quickly turning her head away.
Akira finished the remaining food, opened his drink, and took a sip.
Yui watched the children playing in the park, a little absent-minded. One little girl seemed hesitant to speak with the others. She quietly listened when they talked and laughed along when they laughed.
"…What was Yuigahama-san like as a child? Was she like her?" Akira asked softly, finishing his drink.
"…Yeah," Yui murmured. "…Back then, I didn't dare talk to anyone. When everyone played together, I would just follow them. During playtime, I was always the least noticeable character, what I remember most vividly… is hide-and-seek. Everyone forgot about me, and I hid on the slide in the park until nightfall. I went home alone, crying…"
Despite her sad words, a small smile appeared on her face, remembering one of the pass memories which she thought she had forgotten.
"...childhood memories," Akira said lightly.
"Akira-kun… what about your childhood?" Yui asked shyly, glancing at him.
"…When I was a child…" Akira fell silent for a moment.
"…I'm… sorry." Yui's eyes softened, thinking of his parents, maybe he had spent his childhood with them.
"No need to apologize. I grew up in the countryside without my parents. I loved reading back then, while other children played outside, I'd sit quietly with a storybook in my arms," Akira said softly.
"Akira-kun… you liked reading?" Yui asked, surprised.
"I don't like books, what I like are the stories," Akira clarified thoughtfully.
"You like stories… that's why you want to become a light novel writer," Yui said, her eyes lighting up in understanding.
Akira nodded silently.
They chatted in the park for about half an hour before heading toward the cinema.
When they arrived, Yui bought the movie tickets, while Akira grabbed popcorn and Coke.
The movie was about youth and love.
The heroine in the film reminded Yui of herself: always playing a supporting role, beautiful but lacking confidence. Her junior-high friends had drifted away, treating her coldly because of a crush.
In high school, she made friends again, still playing a secondary role in everyone's lives.
Then, a transfer student arrived- Handsome, charming.
The heroine's friend liked him and asked the heroine to help them get his contact information. She hesitated, afraid of repeating her past experiences.
Finally, she stood in front of him:
"Can I… have your contact info?"
"Sure," he replied, exchanging details.
Through helping her friend, the heroine gained the hero's attention. When danger approached, he appeared to protect her. She bandaged him, and their eyes met, both of their cheeks flushing as feelings bloomed.
.....
Yui watched the hero and heroine kiss on the screen, her face bright red. She nervously stretched out her small hand, covering Akira's eyes.
"What's wrong?" Akira asked, confused.
"N-no… don't look," she whispered, voice barely audible.
Akira looked at her hands, then at her shy, flushed face.
Her embarrass face made his heart skip a beat.
She lowered her hand and turned her head away.
After a long moment, she glanced up, trying to see the screen—but Akira was watching her instead.
"…That heroine isn't as cute as you," Akira whispered quietly.
But Yui heard it, her face turned crimson, and she felt both happiness and shyness. She dared not look at him, afraid her heart would betray her.
Akira, noticing her reaction, decided to press forward.
He reached for her small hand.
Slowly, gently, he held it.
Yui froze for a moment, but didn't pull away. She turned her head slightly, while a sweet smile forming.
Akira stay silent as he held her hand firmly , gently and returned his attention to the movie while his thought were about her.
.....
In the Movie,
Ever since the heroine had that intimate moment with the hero, her life seemed to change.
The male protagonist began to pursue her—meeting her on the way to school, accompanying her for shopping, asking her out on weekends.
Her friends noticed, which made her uneasy.
One day, a friend asked about the situation seriously. The heroine tried to explain but realized her friend smiled instead, teasing her.
"…I just like him, I don't love him. Don't worry about what I said before. If you like him, accept it," her friend advised.
Hearing this, the heroine opened up, sharing her junior high experiences, about the thing that she felt,about why she doesn't dare to raised her opinion.
Her friend finally understood why she had always been cautious, her friend eyes softening with sadness and also understanding.
"Friendship shouldn't be so formal. If something like this makes you leave, your friendship wasn't genuine anyway."
With her friend's guidance, the heroine grew more confident. She could refuse requests with a smile and eventually accepted the hero's pursuit.
By the end, they were a happy couple in everyone's eyes.
.....
After the movie, Yui stayed quiet, her mind swirling with thoughts about her life, her experience.
Her life wasn't like the heroine's—her personality and her friends were different.
"Don't worry about the plot," Akira said softly. "Miura isn't that kind of friend. She'll take things seriously and help you."
"Akira-kun… how do you know?" Yui asked, confused.
"Blonde hair means tsundere," he said casually, though his eyes carry some seriousness as he said that.
"…Eh?" Yui froze.
"You can always find a reason. If you want to be with me, you can ask for advice from your friends. They'll help guide you," Akira explained slowly.
"And then?" Yui whispered, face red.
"They'll really help you," Akira replied.
"I… I feel too shy to tell them these things," Yui admitted softly, watching their hands entwined.
"Do you want to make new friends?" Akira suddenly asked.
"New friends?" Yui tilted her head in confusion.
"The Service Club takes on student requests, the department head is usually free. You could ask her about how to pursue me," Akira reminded her.
"Yukinoshita-san?" Yui's eyes lit up.
Akira nodded, glancing at the people leaving the theater.
"I'm going to ask Yukinoshita-san tomorrow how I should pursue you…" Yui said quietly, slyly.
Suddenly, she realized the topic. Were they now talking about how she could pursue him? Her heart began to race. Could it be… Akira wanted to be with her?
"Yuigahama, it's time for us to go," Akira said softly.
"Mm," Yui nodded, still holding his large hand.
The two walked out of the cinema.
"It's still early. How about we go to that coffee shop and have a cup?" Akira suggested.
"Okay," Yui said softly, glancing at the hand he was still holding.
As they entered the shop nearby, they ordered coffee and sandwiches, and sat down.
Akira finally released her hand.
Yui looked at him, saying nothing, while feeling a little lose about not being held by him.
"There's a lot about the movie I want to discuss, but I want to know more about you," Akira said, gazing out the window.
"…What do you want to know?" Yui asked softly, as her eyes look at his fingers.
Akira looked at her silently for a moment- Her pretty face blushed slightly under his gaze.
When suddenly, something caught his eyes—
"Yui, look over there."
Akira suddenly pointed outside, Yui followed the direction he was pointing — to see Hayato Hayama walking with a young woman, the young woman was smiling while Hayama helped her carry her things.
"…Hayama-kun…" Yui's face was full of disbelief.
Then she remembered: Akira had called her "Yui" just now.
Akira-Kun called me "Yui", not " Yuigahama-san ", like he normally does.
"They must have just finished shopping," Akira analyzed.
The Reason—
Because the young woman was none other than Yukinoshita Yukino's older sister, Yukinoshita Haruno.