Watching Sajuna's shy expression, Akira couldn't help but swallow.
Although it wasn't their first kiss, seeing Sajuna with her eyes closed, seemingly at his mercy, always made Akira's heart flutter.
Akira slowly reached out and smoothed the stray strands of hair by Sajuna's temples, then raised his hand and gently stroked Sajuna's head.
Sajuna was wondering why Aki-Kun hadn't kissed her yet, when she felt Akira's hand gently stroking her head.
She gently nudged her head into Akira's palm, and her closed eyes couldn't help but narrow slightly.
She had told Aki-Kun to kiss her, but Aki-Kun never did what she asked.
She huffed a few times in her heart, then her narrowed eyes noticed Akira's figure approaching her.
The soft touch of lips and the warmth of a kiss on her forehead made Sajuna feel a tingling sensation, as if tiny electric currents were slowly spreading from where Aki-Kun had kissed her, across her cheeks, making it impossible for her to control her expression.
I'm not happy at all!
Sajuna argued in her heart, 'If I had known, if I had known, I wouldn't have let Aki-Kun kiss my forehead.'
However, the feeling of Akira kissing her still lingered in her heart, and she could barely suppress her shyness, wanting to ask Akira to kiss her lips again.
Isn't that being too demanding?
Sajuna couldn't help but think.
No, I'm Aki-Kun's girlfriend, isn't it only right to ask for such things!
The little person in Sajuna's heart finally finished fighting, so she gently opened one eye and looked at Akira, who was close to her.
"Aki-Kun."
Her voice was soft, as if she wanted Akira to lean closer to hear her speak.
"Hmm."
Sajuna pouted slightly, but didn't voice her thoughts.
Sensing that Sajuna's breathing was becoming tense, Akira looked closely at Sajuna and successfully noticed her pouting.
He couldn't help but want to open Sajuna's head and see what she usually thought about.
Why had their recent intimacy become so indirect?
So Akira leaned in and lightly brushed his lips against Sajuna's pouting mouth.
"Sajuna, are you satisfied?"
Akira looked at Sajuna with a playful expression.
Sajuna opened her eyes, saw Akira's expression, and only felt so indignant she wanted to hit him.
She really wanted to punch Aki-Kun a few times for teasing her like this!
Sajuna couldn't help but think, but then she felt that she was being too unreasonable right now, so she chose a compromise.
She would just lean into Aki-Kun's embrace and gently pound his chest a few times, but not too hard.
As Sajuna thought this, she suddenly felt an unspoken understanding between them.
So, if I just pout a little, Aki-Kun knows I want a kiss from him?
Sajuna's shy heartbeat slowly unfolded, like a towering lotus bud on a lake finally opening in the summer night, petal by petal, layer by layer.
After blooming perfectly, it was discovered to be a double-petaled, brocade-like variety, a type perfectly suited for public admiration, thus it bloomed brilliantly in summer, receiving much joy.
Suddenly, there were countless things she wanted to tell Aki-Kun in her heart, but the words of love that finally came out were so unexpected.
"Aki-Kun's kiss was so perfunctory."
When Akira heard this, he was first stunned, then he couldn't help but smile wryly.
It was only because they were in a restaurant that he had been so restrained.
Otherwise, such words would never have come out of Sajuna's mouth.
Given Sajuna's shyness, Akira felt that if they were at home, she would definitely be teased until her lips were swollen.
"Because we're in a restaurant, that's why I let Sajuna off."
"So, when we get home, does Sajuna still want it?"
Akira chose an aggressive approach to press Sajuna.
Sajuna, who had been worried because she had said the wrong thing, felt relieved when she heard Akira's response.
But regarding Akira's request, Sajuna felt a momentary flutter of excitement, followed by a slight fear.
Aki-Kun seemed to have ulterior motives, making her a little nervous…
"No, I don't want it at all."
Although she spoke words of refusal, both her puffed-out chest and the smiling expression in her eyes showed Sajuna's "I'm so happy" emotions.
So, Aki-Kun, quickly don't listen to what I'm saying!
Come and kiss me!
The little person who won the fight in Sajuna's heart shouted loudly.
Since it's Aki-Kun, he must know what I, Sajuna, am thinking!
Akira looked at Sajuna's struggling expression and couldn't help but smile. He just loved Sajuna's cuteness like this.
"Here are your grilled eel rice bowls, both of you."
A waiter in the store's uniform came over with a tray and placed the two grilled eel rice bowls on the table.
The long eels had been cut into equal lengths by the chef, then coated with an extremely enticing sauce, and slowly grilled over charcoal.
Akira liked this type of sauced dish, because with his mastery of cooking skills, every time he tasted this type of food, he always felt like he was learning from the master.
After all, sauce isn't something that can only be used in one type of dish.
Akira slowly picked up the chopsticks from the table, picked up a piece of eel from the bowl, and the aroma of charcoal and sauce went straight from his nostrils to his brain.
Akira took a small bite of the eel and nodded.
The sauce was a mixture of Japanese soy sauce, mirin, and sugar.
Food grilled with this sauce tasted sweet and spicy, effectively masking any fishy smell, and was very appetizing, even making Akira's mouth water.
It really is delicious.
The pictures of the dishes in the restaurant weren't deceptive, Akira mused, and then immediately realized.
If a business used deceptive tactics in a place like this, the restaurant wouldn't be as popular as it was now.
He looked up at Sajuna across from him and, as expected, saw her happily eating a piece of eel, with a chopstick full of rice heading towards her mouth.
Seeing Akira's gaze, Sajuna's movement of bringing the rice paused, then as if feeling awkward, she nonchalantly ate the rice she had picked up first.
"Aki-Kun, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, seeing Sajuna eat so happily, I'm happy too."
Sajuna's cheeks involuntarily flushed, and her eating speed slowed down.
Was the way I was eating just now not very elegant?
Aki-Kun, will he think I'm not ladylike when I eat?
Sajuna suddenly started to overthink unnecessarily.