"I'm so happy," Akira thought, his heart leaping as he held Sajuna's hand, his other hand clutching a doll he had won from a claw machine.
"Where to next?" Akira asked as they exited the arcade.
Just as he finished speaking, Sajuna's phone chimed with an incoming message.
"Huh?" Sajuna wondered who could be messaging her. Could Shinju have something important to say?
With a puzzled expression, she opened her phone, saw the name on the screen, and answered the incoming video call.
"Hello! Sajuna, what are you up to?" Kyoko's voice came from the phone.
"Kyoko, good morning," Sajuna replied, her expression cool and reserved.
"Sajuna, you're really cold," Kyoko joked, then noticed a shoulder next to Sajuna on the screen.
"Hey, Sajuna, who's that next to you? Are you on a date?"
Akira leaned over, his face appearing on the screen. "Fujiwara-san, good morning. I'm on a date with Sajuna."
"How annoying," Fujiwara Kyoko huffed.
"I was going to ask Sajuna to hang out, but since you two are on a date, forget it."
With that, Fujiwara Kyoko huffily hung up the phone.
"Is she… okay?" Akira asked with some concern. After all, Sajuna did not seem to have many friends.
Even though they were dating, Sajuna could not have him as her only social connection.
He had introduced Sajuna to Wakana and Marin precisely so she could have more friends, more people she could talk to.
After all, some things you tell your boyfriend, some you tell your friends, and some you tell your family.
Everyone should have someone they can confide in.
"No need to worry," Sajuna replied with a smile. "Kyoko-chan is a very good person. She's not really angry when she acts like that."
She smiled at Akira and explained, "Kyoko-chan just shows that she cares in her own way."
Akira understood. She was probably a bit tsundere.
Even though she wished her friend well, she could not help being sharp-tongued.
The two spent the entire morning playing outside and successfully tired themselves out.
They sat on a park bench, eating ice cream bought from a nearby drink stand.
"How's Aki-kun's light novel coming along?" Sajuna asked.
"The first volume is almost finished," Akira replied, taking a bite of his ice cream. He then noticed a bit of cream at the corner of Sajuna's mouth and gently wiped it away with his fingertip.
"Eh? Did I get it dirty?" Sajuna asked, no longer blushing like she had when Akira first touched her.
"But Aki-kun, are you going to publish it right after finishing the first volume?"
"Yes, because the structure of this story is that each volume has a different character as the protagonist."
"So the heroine of the first volume is Sakurajima Mai?"
"That's right," Akira nodded. "The first volume is titled Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai."
"That's a bit of a long name," Sajuna said in surprise, then thought it over. "But compared to current light novels, it actually seems pretty normal."
Her pink twin-tails trembled slightly, giving her a confused yet cute look.
After all, it was almost at the point where as long as you put quotation marks around it, it counted as a light novel.
Ridiculously long and bizarre titles were already considered normal.
"Does Aki-kun really like bunny girls?" Sajuna suddenly asked, lowering her head.
"Uh… I guess so," Akira replied hesitantly.
Sajuna must have thought he had that particular fetish, which was why she asked.
After all, he had made a senior in a bunny girl outfit the heroine of his light novel.
From Sajuna's perspective, the senior's identity almost felt like it was hinting at her.
Still, if fetishes really had to be ranked, it would not mean much.
"Yes, I do," Akira admitted honestly.
"Then… would it be okay if I wore one for Aki-kun?" Sajuna murmured, her cheeks so red they looked as if they might drip.
Why did I bring this up?
We were just talking normally.
How did it suddenly turn into bunny girls?
And it seems I was the one who brought it up…
Sajuna felt stunned and a little regretful.
"Okay!" Akira answered immediately, then added, "But Sajuna, you have to like it too."
"Don't force yourself just because I like it."
Akira felt that Sajuna had become a little too accommodating after falling in love.
She was always thinking about pleasing him, about doing things for him.
Maybe that was how she believed she could be a good girlfriend.
But Akira had never had a girlfriend either, and he would never compare her to anyone else.
Sajuna was so cute that it made his heart ache.
"Sajuna."
"Aki-kun?"
"I like you."
"I like Aki-kun too."
"So, if there's anything Sajuna doesn't like, could you tell me?" Akira asked.
"Ah?!" Sajuna did not quite understand what Akira meant. She had only said it because she thought Akira might like it.
She had no idea that Akira had thought so deeply about it.
If she knew, she would probably be moved to tears.
"Let's go to my place this afternoon," Akira suggested.
"Eh?! To Aki-kun's house?!" Sajuna exclaimed in surprise. Why were they suddenly going to his house?
She was not ready yet. She had just become Aki-kun's girlfriend and was not prepared to meet his elders.
Even though she was already of marriageable age.
Then she suddenly remembered that Aki-kun's parents had passed away in an accident.
She had always felt that Aki-kun's demeanor suggested he came from a well-off family.
Feeling increasingly fond of him, Sajuna nodded. "Okay."
If Aki-kun wants to do anything…
Should I buy something?
Sajuna's thoughts began to wander, not considering whether she could handle such stimulation.
At first, even a kiss had been enough to make her dizzy.
Now, she was actively imagining lewd things.
She truly did not know what danger was.
Akira gently tapped Sajuna on the head.
Sajuna hummed and hugged her head. "Aki-kun, what are you doing!"
"Sajuna is overthinking again."
"You… how did you know?" Sajuna froze. She had only zoned out for a moment. It should not have been that obvious.
"Because Sajuna's cheeks are not only impossibly red, but it looks like steam is about to come out of your head," Akira teased.
He assumed she must have been thinking embarrassing things.
Otherwise, her reaction would not be so strong.
It seemed Sajuna herself did not realize it, but her body had already betrayed her thoughts.
Her shyness was clearly not something that could be solved by simply suppressing her embarrassment.