Taiwan Release Special
Intermission: Home Sweet Home
*The following short story contains spoilers. Please read it after the main one.
It’s only the third day of the summer holiday. The clock just turned to 3 PM.
Yanami called me to the Apita Mukaiyama Store downtown. We need to get supplies for the Literature Club.
“I haven’t been here in a long time. …Ah, the coffee beans are cheaper now.”
Even though getting supplies is a job for first-year students, only Yanami and I are free today. Being a window shopper, I passed through several times and headed toward the food court. That’s where we’ll be meeting.
Food court and Yanami. I have a slightly bad feeling about this combination. It’s because she went out of her way to designate this location. I don’t think she can hold herself back.
I immediately found Yanami after arriving at the food court on the second floor.
It’s past lunchtime. Few customers are in the center of the food court. Yanami is just standing there without moving.
“Sorry for the wait, Yanami-san. What are you doing here?”
“Nukumizu-kun, this is bad…”
Upon a closer look, Yanami is holding ice cream in one hand. Her other hand has a tray with a bowl of ramen on top. Her arms are shivering slightly.
“…What are you even doing?”
“It’s because…the bag on my shoulders is about to fall. …A tragedy will happen if I even lose my balance slightly.”
Right now, Yanami’s hands can’t move. There’s a school bag on her. It looks like it’s about to slide down from Yanami’s smooth shoulders.
I immediately tried to take the ramen tray from her, but Yanami shook her hand left and right.
“You can’t! Right now, I’ll drop my ice cream if this miraculous balance is broken! Ramen and ice cream together! Be careful!”
“Sigh, fine.”
I answered half-heartedly and took the tray and ice cream.
“I can finally move. …Thanks, Nukumizu-kun.”
Yanami took a bite of the ice cream on my hand before taking it back. After that, she sat down in the food court. I put the ramen in front of Yanami and sat diagonally to her.
“I didn’t eat lunch before heading out. I can’t hold myself back after seeing Sugakiya.”
Yanami skillfully used a fork and spoon with rather unique designs and started enjoying the ramen.
She slurped the noodles and took bites of the ice cream in her left hand to smooth her throat instead of drinking water.
I was dazed, looking at Yanami having a good time eating for a moment. However, we’re here to get supplies today. I snapped out of it and looked around before asking.
“If I remember correctly, we’re…getting new curtains to replace the broken ones in the clubroom today, right? Let’s go get it after eating.”
“Ah, I came here way too early. I have already bought it. Look.”
Yanami pointed at her bag with her fork and spoon. I can see a package of blue curtains from the opening.
Then why am I even here today? I almost slipped that out. Yanami put a slice of chashu from the ramen into her mouth. She’s chewing it with a very cheerful face.
I can’t complain with such a face in front of me.
“No, it’s nothing. Eat it before the noodles soak- ah, you’re already finished.”
Well, I guess this is a part of making friends. I shrugged with a bitter smile.
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