"So that's how it is."
Honami Ichinose said it softly, a flicker of understanding passing through those deep blue eyes.
She lowered her head a little, looking at the cup of honey yuzu tea on the table that had already gone lukewarm, her small pale hands tightening around it without meaning to.
Then she drew a deep breath and lifted her head again, those deep blue eyes settling once more on Shikime Natsu.
A faint flush surfaced on that delicate little face.
Honami Ichinose looked at Shikime Natsu, her lips parting slightly. She wanted to say something, and yet she seemed too embarrassed to.
Her fingers traced small circles against the cup, the motion carrying a trace of nervousness and a trace of hesitation.
Before Honami Ichinose could make up her mind, the words came out of her mouth on their own.
"Shiki-san…"
"Can I ask you something… what kind of girls does Shiki-san like?"
The moment she finished, Honami Ichinose froze solid. Those deep blue eyes went wide, her pupils shrinking a fraction, and the flush already on that delicate face deepened to a burning crimson.
She… what had she just said?
She'd actually… actually asked Shikime Natsu what kind of girls he liked?
Wasn't that basically the same as…
Her mouth opened, searching for something, anything, to smooth it over, to take the words back.
But they were already out. There was no taking them back.
Besides, Shikime Natsu had so many girlfriends, and every one of those girls had to be a type he liked.
Which meant… the range of girls Shikime Natsu liked was, frankly, extremely wide.
All kinds of personalities. All kinds of looks.
Still, now that the question was out, Honami Ichinose thought she might as well go all the way and stop pretending.
"If it were me…"
"Would I have a chance… of becoming Shiki-san's girlfriend?"
There. She'd said it. She'd said something that shameless out loud. She was a shameless girl, a greedy girl, the kind of girl people found insufferable.
It was just… even so, Honami Ichinose still wanted Shikime Natsu's answer.
"Ichinose-san."
Shikime Natsu looked at Honami Ichinose with a smile, those pale gold eyes full of warmth.
"Do you like me, Ichinose-san?"
He didn't answer her question at all. Instead he asked about her own feelings. Honami Ichinose met his gaze, then slowly nodded, the flush on her face refusing to fade.
"I do. I like you, Shiki-san. I have for a very long time."
Honami Ichinose had finally spoken the feelings she'd kept hidden, without a shred of pretense.
And once the words were out, a weight lifted off her whole body. A thin veil of tears welled up in those deep blue eyes.
"I like you too, Ichinose-san."
Shikime Natsu answered with a smile, those pale gold eyes resting on her.
Something struck Honami Ichinose hard in the chest at those words, and a light kindled in her deep blue eyes.
"Really?"
There was disbelief in her voice, and a careful, fragile hope.
"Shiki-san… really… likes me?"
Shikime Natsu nodded.
"Of course I do."
Hearing that, the mist in Honami Ichinose's blue eyes thickened, and the corners of her mouth curved up. She was deeply moved.
"Then… would Shiki-san go out with me?"
It was a little selfish, but now that his feelings were confirmed, Honami Ichinose wanted to take one more step, to claim a little more of Shikime Natsu for herself. Even just a little more would be enough.
Would he agree?
Or would he give her some other answer?
Was she rushing this? But once you knew how the other person felt, wasn't this the natural next step?
"Of course. Ichinose-san, let's go out."
Shikime Natsu nodded and smiled as he said it. He hadn't expected Honami Ichinose to be this brave today.
"That's… I'm so glad…"
"Shiki-sa…"
"Actually… I never thought I could ever be with you… because…"
She paused, and something dim passed through those deep blue eyes.
"Because… I have a past I'd rather not look back on."
"Someone like me… I always felt I wasn't good enough for Shiki-san."
"And besides… we're in different classes. Shiki-san is Class A's leader, and I'm just from Class B…"
"I kept thinking, Shiki-san is so remarkable, and there are already so many wonderful girls around him…"
"How could I ever have a chance?"
"So…"
"All this time, I never dared to say anything. I never dared to tell you how I felt…"
"But…"
"Thanks to Mako-chan…"
"If it weren't for Mako-chan, I probably… would never have found the courage to say any of this…"
At that, Honami Ichinose raised her head, those deep blue eyes fixed on Shikime Natsu.
"And I want to thank Shiki-san too…"
"Thank you for being willing to accept someone like me…"
When she finished, Shikime Natsu reached out and rested his hand gently on top of her head.
That broad palm covered her smooth, strawberry-gold hair, and he ruffled it lightly.
"If it's Ichinose-san — no, if it's Honami — then of course I will."
At those words, the tears Honami Ichinose had been holding back finally spilled over, one drop sliding down her cheek.
"Mm…"
She answered softly, her voice catching in her throat.
Then Honami Ichinose broke into a smile of pure relief. The two of them sat in the coffee shop a while longer, and as it drew near dinnertime, Shikime Natsu glanced over at her.
"It's almost dinnertime. Honami, want to come to my dorm? I'll cook."
"Then I'll be in Shiki— …in Natsu's care."
She had been about to say "Shiki-san," but remembering that he'd just called her by her given name, and thinking about what they were to each other now, she changed how she addressed him on the spot.
For a girl, that kind of change was a genuinely wonderful thing.
They walked out of the coffee shop together, out onto the streets of Keyaki Mall. The lamps along both sides had already come on, washing the whole street in light.
Shikime Natsu walked at Honami Ichinose's side, the space between them a little narrower than before.
She could feel the warmth coming off him. She could catch the faint clean scent that clung to him.
Her heartbeat quickened again without permission.
Before long they arrived at the door of Shikime Natsu's dorm, and he opened it.
"Come in."
He stepped aside to let her go first. Honami Ichinose took a deep breath, then stepped through the doorway into his dorm.
She wasn't a regular visitor to his room, but it wasn't unfamiliar to her either. Not much had changed about it. It was a comfortable place to be.
"Sit wherever you like, no need to be formal."
"I'll go get dinner started."
With that, Shikime Natsu headed into the kitchen and began pulling ingredients out of the fridge.
Honami Ichinose stood in the living room, those deep blue eyes following his back as he moved around the kitchen.
Then she walked toward the kitchen herself.
"Natsu…"
"Could I… help you out?"
Shikime Natsu turned his head at that, pale gold eyes finding her.
He smiled and shook his head.
"That's all right."
There was a gentleness in his voice.
"Honami is my guest today. Just sit down and relax."
Honami Ichinose blinked, caught off guard for a second, then nodded.
"Okay…"
She answered quietly, retreated obediently to the living room, and sat down in a chair.
Those deep blue eyes stayed on his back as he worked in the kitchen.
It was a broad back, a warm one. The kind you found yourself wanting to lean against.
The longer she watched, the more a sweet little curve crept onto her lips.
Then something occurred to her, and she pulled her phone out of her pocket.
The screen lit up. She opened her chat with Mako Amikura, slender fingers tapping out a few lines.
[Honami Ichinose: Mako-chan, thank you.]
[Honami Ichinose: I… I did it.]
It hadn't been sent long before the phone buzzed.
[Mako Amikura: THAT FAST?! (o_o)]
[Mako Amikura: Honami-chan, that's lightning speed! How long have I even been gone!]
[Mako Amikura: Tell me everything, how'd you do it?]
Reading Mako Amikura's messages, the flush rose on Honami Ichinose's delicate face all over again.
She bit her lower lip and tapped out a reply.
[Honami Ichinose: I just… I just came right out and said it…]
[Honami Ichinose: And then Natsu… said yes…]
After that message went through, Mako Amikura's side went quiet for a few seconds.
Then a whole string of messages came flooding in.
[Mako Amikura: Amazing, Honami-chan! I had no idea you had that in you!]
[Mako Amikura: See? The power of love really is something! (>w<)]
[Mako Amikura: \\(^o^)/]
[Mako Amikura: Although… now that I think about it, it makes total sense.]
[Mako Amikura: Honami-chan's feelings for Natsu have been overflowing for ages, and Natsu's always liked Honami-chan too.]
[Mako Amikura: So it working out was only natural!]
Reading her friend's messages, something moved in Honami Ichinose's deep blue eyes.
[Honami Ichinose: Mako-chan… thank you, really… if it weren't for you… I might never have found the courage…]
She hadn't even finished typing before Mako Amikura's next message popped up.
[Mako Amikura: Oh come on, don't say stuff like that! We're friends!]
[Mako Amikura: But… Honami-chan, now that you've pulled it off, you'd better make the most of it!]
[Mako Amikura: You two are alone together right now, aren't you?]
Honami Ichinose stared at that one for a moment before replying.
[Honami Ichinose: Mm… I'm at Natsu's dorm… he's making dinner…]
[Mako Amikura: Ohoho~ Already at his dorm!]
[Mako Amikura: Honami-chan, listen to me. Be bold, make your move!]
[Mako Amikura: You just started dating, so catch up on lost ground right away! Don't let Sakayanagi-san stay that far ahead all by herself! (^v^)]
[Mako Amikura: Good luck! I believe in you!]
At the words "catch up on lost ground," Honami Ichinose's already-flushed little face went so red it looked ready to bleed.
Her deep blue eyes filled with embarrassment and panic. She knew exactly what kind of "ground" Mako Amikura meant.
But… that… how could she possibly…
Honami Ichinose bit her lower lip and tapped at the screen.
[Honami Ichinose: Mako-chan… wh-what are you even saying… that sort of thing…]
[Mako Amikura: Good luck! I believe in you!]
Reading that, Honami Ichinose felt her face burning hotter and hotter.
She took a deep breath and set the phone down on the table, and her deep blue eyes drifted toward the kitchen on their own.
Shikime Natsu was busy at the stove, those long fingers handling the ingredients with practiced ease.
Oil hissed and popped in the pan, and the smell of cooking spread through the air.
Honami Ichinose watched the focused line of his profile, and her heart picked up its pace again.
She thought about Mako Amikura's "be bold, make your move."
But… she really couldn't do it.
That was what she thought, and a trace of helplessness passed through those deep blue eyes.
Just then, Shikime Natsu came out of the kitchen carrying two dishes.
He set them on the table, then turned, pale gold eyes on her.
"Honami, what's wrong?"
There was concern in his voice.
"Your face is really red. Is it too warm in here?"
Honami Ichinose went stiff for a heartbeat.
She shook her head quickly, forcing a strained little smile onto that delicate face.
"N-nothing's wrong…"
Her voice came out tight with nerves.
Shikime Natsu took in her flustered state, and the corner of his mouth curved.
He didn't press. He only nodded.
"Good, then."
With that, he set the rest of the food out on the table one dish at a time.
"Let's eat."
Honami Ichinose nodded, picked up her chopsticks, and put a bite in her mouth.
Delicious. And Shikime Natsu had made it with his own hands, which doubled the flavor.
That was what she thought, and the sweet curve returned to her lips.
They ate quietly, trading a few light remarks here and there. When dinner was finished, Honami Ichinose started clearing the dishes.
The night deepened, and it was about time to say goodbye. She was reluctant, but Honami Ichinose prepared to take her leave.
"Thank you for having me, Natsu… it's getting late… I should head back…"
Shikime Natsu turned at that, pale gold eyes on her.
He nodded, then walked with Honami Ichinose to the door.
As the door opened, Honami Ichinose paused. Something complicated flickered through those blue eyes, as though she were weighing something. The hallway light fell across the girl's face, casting it in a faint shade of pink.
"Well then, Natsu. See you tomorrow."
Honami Ichinose waved at him as she said it.
"Mm. See you tomorrow."
Once the door to his room had shut, Honami Ichinose let out a quiet sigh. She really couldn't manage the kind of thing Mako Amikura had in mind after all — and right at that moment, a figure appeared in front of her.
It was Mako Amikura.
____
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