"Alright, stop being so curious about my business." Unable to withstand Miyahito's curiosity, Tooru tried to change the subject.
"I know my own business... and..." Saying this, Tooru lowered his eyelids slightly, as if speaking only to himself. "Not everyone can be as brave as you."
Confessing was never a simple matter. Moreover, compared to confessing to a girl with whom you have no interaction other than feelings of affection...
...confessing to someone you are already friends with requires even more desperate courage.
Because you not only need to be prepared for rejection, but you also have to bear the risk of shattering the friendship.
Humans have the instinct to seek advantage and avoid harm. Not everyone can bravely break their warm daily routine like Miyahito, and turn to embrace a future that only holds a possibility.
Let alone the fact that maintaining the status quo and silently staying by the side of the girl he likes was already enough to make him sink into this fleeting warmth.
....Eh? Why did the air suddenly get so heavy?
Eyes flashing with the light of 'wisdom', Miyahito looked blankly at Tooru, who had inexplicably fallen silent.
And, brave like me? In what way?
Subconsciously turning his head to look at the increasingly crowded street, Miyahito put his clever little brain to work.
Hmm... the topic just now was about the girl he likes, right? Mhm, mhm, that's right. Then... then... then! Oh, I got it.
"Tooru."
Hearing his name, Tooru turned around and saw Miyahito wearing a mischievous grin. A bad premonition made him instinctively raise his guard. "What is it."
"You bastard....." Leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed, Miyahito wore a standard villain's smirk on his lips. "Could it be that you're afraid of confessing?"
"...." Tooru was completely stunned.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Seeing his best friend's reaction, Miyahito clicked his tongue in disdain and shook his head. "This won't do, Tooru-kun. As a man, how can you be so afraid to move forward? Besides, you're not being asked to fight Another W right now."
"....Can we stop with the Kamen Rider W references? Rushing to so many sets must be exhausting for Mr. Shotaro too." Deadpanning at Miyahito, who was playing with old memes again, Tooru casually added, "Since when did you like Kamen Rider W so much? Weren't you watching Mobile Suit Gundam 00 before?" before letting out a heart-tired sigh.
"Forget it, forget it, let's skip this topic."
"Eh?"
"No objections allowed."
"Tch."
"No clicking your tongue."
"...."
These two boys, whose mental ages hadn't grown up, stared at each other with childish glares like kindergarteners for a short while before Miyahito ultimately chose to give up.
Ignoring Miyahito's unwilling mutter of "ungrateful," Tooru propped his head up with his right hand, looking a bit bored, and said.
"So, what about your girl? It's rare to see you out alone."
"Utaha went shopping with Ayase." Miyahito shrugged. "As for me, I was deemed a hindrance and got kicked out."
"Uwah." Tooru looked at Miyahito with great sympathy. "That sounds pretty pathetic."
It was supposed to be a pleasant day off, perfect for spending quality time and being lovey-dovey with his girlfriend. But in reality, this guy Miyahito got kicked out by his girlfriend and little sister, wandering the streets all alone.
Ah, why do I inexplicably find this kind of funny?
"Just laugh if you want to." Glancing at Tooru, who was covering his mouth with his left hand while his shoulders occasionally trembled, Miyahito said sarcastically, "It wouldn't be good if you burst from holding it in."
The moment the words fell, Tooru simply let himself go and burst into hearty laughter.
"Haha... so you have a day like this too... hahaha... Kasumigaoka-san... haha... hahaha, well done!"
Serves you right for throwing flashbangs at school all day long, and for constantly feeding everyone PDA! Haha, this is truly satisfying!
Seeing Tooru mocking him even while laughing so hard he was running out of breath, Miyahito's face turned completely dark.
Ultimately, after Tooru skillfully danced right on the edge of Miyahito's bottom line and stopped just a second before his best friend was about to explode...
Looking at Tooru, who sat up straight with perfect composure, looking as calm as if nothing had just happened, Miyahito felt like he had just taken another 10,000 points of damage. Yeah, magic damage.
"Let's go." Having laughed enough, Tooru stood up and said to Miyahito with a smile.
"What for?" Miyahito, his face pitch-black, replied in a foul tone, even as his body naturally stood up from the chair.
"As a thank-you gift for letting me hear such a joyful thing." Completely disregarding Miyahito's face, which was no better than the bottom of a pot, Tooru cheerfully slung an arm over his shoulder. He raised his hand and pointed toward the main entrance. "Yakiniku, ikuzo!"
"....Eating yakiniku for lunch?" Miyahito rubbed his forehead with a headache and shook his head. "And then go home smelling like smoke and fire?"
Hearing this, the excited Tooru suddenly froze, then stiffly turned his head and continued to act tough. "W-what... what does that matter!"
Ah, he's wavering. This guy is wavering terribly.
"Fine." Miyahito let out a heart-tired sigh, then reached out and slung his arm over Tooru's shoulder. "Let's get one thing straight first. If the yakiniku place doesn't have Matsusaka beef, I'm not going."
"Are you trying to eat me into poverty?! Matsusaka beef, of all things!"
"How is that possible? Young master Tooru is so rich, it's just one meal of Matsusaka beef."
"Hey, hey, what young master? My weekly allowance is only 2,000 yen, okay."
"Well, that's still way more than the 500 yen Utaha gives me a week, okay."
"...."
Chattering noisily, the two big boys left the tea room, arms around each other's shoulders, acting like the best of bros after paying the bill.
Yakiniku, let's go!
.....
Meanwhile, having reunited with the Fujiwara sisters after a shopping spree, the group of six girls happily carried their loot, chatting and laughing as they walked toward the mall entrance.
At this moment, Utaha, lagging at the back of the group, looked at little Ayase, who was surrounded and doted on by her "older sisters," then slightly turned her head to look at Shinomiya Kaguya, who was also walking at the very back.
Her gaze swept over her senior's empty hands, and the corners of Utaha's lips curled into an intriguing smile as she asked,
"By the way, Kaguya-senpai, would you like to have lunch with me, Ayase, and Kei later?"
Hearing this, a slightly stunned Kaguya let out a very cute reply.
"Eh?"
"Does Kaguya-senpai not have time?" Seeing this, Utaha's smile grew even more meaningful for some reason. "That's a shame. Fujiwara-senpai and Moeha-chan are both busy, so it'll just be me, Ayase, and Kei."
Utaha-chan is going to have lunch with little Ayase and Kei!
Kei!
Having lunch!!
In an instant, a sharp glint flashed through Kaguya's alluring crimson eyes.