"H-How is that possible?!!"
Accompanying her weak shout, Anna's fist landed lightly on Keita's chest.
The force was very light, more like an attempt to hide the shame that was about to overflow.
"Imaizumi, you bastard!!!"
Keita didn't move, calmly accepting her performative protest, the smile at the corners of his mouth deepening.
Along with those soft thumps, the energy coming from Yanami, while not as pure as when their fingers were interlaced, had its own unique flavor, continuously soothing the restlessness within him.
This was also a sign that Anna had found a way out and had completely accepted this mode of interaction.
Sure enough, after a couple of thumps, Yanami withdrew her hand and put it on her hip, forcing herself into the cheerful and generous posture she used as a central figure in class, attempting to take control of the conversation's pace.
"Alright, alright, the joke ends here!"
She announced in a deliberately raised tone, as if the girl who had just blushed to the roots of her neck had never existed.
"Seriously though, I should still thank you, Imaizumi-kun. Although you can be quite mean sometimes, the idea is indeed pretty good."
She successfully turned the atmosphere around.
"Speaking of which,"
Anna changed the subject, making the topic more public and mundane, without mentioning the heart-pounding contact from moments ago.
"I've heard my friends in class talk about you before. They all say that although Imaizumi-kun always keeps to himself, he feels like the type who is very handsome, cool, and has a sense of mystery!"
This was a very skillful "Outgoing Person" social technique.
She used "friends' evaluations" as a shield, which both neutralized the pointedness of their previous "appearance" topic and cleverly complimented him, serving as a form of compensation for her earlier "physicality."
Keita watched her transition from stiffness to fluidity, playing along with her performance with keen interest.
"So, being able to find a universally acknowledged handsome guy to pretend to be your boyfriend... no matter how you calculate it, this deal is a huge win for you, Nanami-san."
Keita steered the conversation back to personal territory once more, his tone flippant, carrying the teasing familiarity of someone who had already become close.
"Huh?!"
Anna's carefully maintained composure instantly shattered as she began to defend herself in a fluster.
"You were the one who offered first! Don't forget, you said it yourself, you agreed to pretend because you thought I was pretty! If anyone's winning here, it's clearly you..."
Just as she was about to press her advantage and seize the initiative back, her words came to an abrupt halt.
The sensation of her hand being enveloped by his warm palm, their fingers tightly interlocked, seemed to linger in her mind.
Anna's gaze involuntarily drifted, and her subsequent retort lost all its force: "Um... anyway, this is a win-win! Yes, a win-win!"
Growing guilty, she ended the topic somewhat stiffly.
Keita just laughed heartily at her stubborn insistence, not pressing further about where exactly the 'win-win' was.
Who could say for sure about the future?
Whether she was winning or he was winning, he knew the answer better than anyone.
After all, the comfort brought by that high-quality energy was tangible.
...
During the afternoon classes, Anna's heart was in constant turmoil.
The teacher was explaining something at the podium, but she didn't catch a single word.
Her gaze kept drifting uncontrollably towards the figure by the window who attracted her attention.
Sunlight outlined his quiet profile. It was the same scene as usual, yet now it carried a different meaning.
To agree or not to agree?
This proposal to pretend to be boyfriend and girlfriend was filled with unknown temptation and danger.
If she refused, she would have to face the awkward situation alone, forced to act as a super-bright third wheel between Sousuke and Karen.
If she accepted, she would have to hand over part of her autonomy to this man she had only known for a few days, yet who seemed to see right through her.
What troubled Anna even more was that she genuinely wanted to use this proposal to get closer to Keita.
It's just about experiencing more 'couple-like' contact, that's all, Anna told herself.
The bell for the final class became the final countdown.
Just before the bell rang, she finally stood up from her seat and shuffled over to Keita's desk.
Keita was reading a book. Sensing the light in front of him being blocked, he looked up.
The person before him had her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her school uniform skirt, her gaze evasive, wearing the solemn expression of someone heading to the gallows.
Is it really necessary to be this conflicted...
Keita thought helplessly to himself. She seemed to enjoy holding hands at noon...
But Keita didn't point it out. He just watched Anna with interest, waiting for her to speak.
"Um... that..."
Anna's voice was as faint as a mosquito's hum, "Is what we talked about at noon... still valid?"
Keita closed his book, leaned back relaxedly in his chair, and a look of confusion appeared in his eyes.
"Which part are you referring to? The part where you, the theory master, reacted poorly, or the part where you wanted to experience the feeling of interlocking fingers again?"
"Neither!"
Yanami's face flushed instantly, and her voice rose.
"Just kidding."
Keita's tone returned to normal. "My proposal is, of course, valid. You didn't think I was just teasing you, did you?"
"Who knows with you!"
Anna immediately retorted. This stubborn comeback gave her a bit of courage back. "Given your terrible personality, of course I have to worry!"
"So, confirmation complete?"
"I'm here... to give you my answer!"
Anna finally got the words out, though she still couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes. "I accept your proposal."
Having said it, she felt as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
But then, remembering the 'bottom line' she had pondered all afternoon, she hurriedly added, "But! You can't do anything too excessive! Anything... anything we do has to be discussed with me first!"
This was the maximum level of safety she could secure for herself.
Keita's eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly. A noncommittal expression flickered across his face as he remained silent.
Yanami's heart leapt into her throat. She began to worry that this final condition might ruin the deal.
"O-of course!"
She spoke up awkwardly again, hastily making a concession. "I'll cooperate properly too! I definitely won't mess up like that again. I'll work hard... to play the part well!"
From setting conditions to proactively making promises... it had only taken a few seconds...
Keita couldn't help but laugh inwardly...
He liked this feeling of holding the initiative.
"Alright."
Keita nodded, signifying his approval of this verbal agreement.
Yanami let out a long sigh of relief.
"Then, our cooperation starts today," Keita got straight to the point. "Did you refuse the after-school karaoke as planned?"
"Ah..."
Her nerves, which had just relaxed, tensed up again.
Yanami's shoulders slumped, and her whole demeanor wilted.
"I tried..."
She reported her failure listlessly. "I told Karen I wasn't feeling well today..."
"And then?"
"Then Karen became even more enthusiastic!"
Anna's voice was full of despair. "She said when a girl isn't feeling well, she should hang out with friends even more to change her mood! And she said Sousuke would be worried too... I... I couldn't bring myself to say 'no' a second time."
Keita wasn't surprised at all.
That kind of natural, well-meaning pressure from Karen was precisely the kryptonite to Yanami's outwardly strong but inwardly weak personality.
He looked at Anna and asked, knowing the answer already, "So, there's no way out?"
"Mm..."
Yanami nodded.
Then she lifted her head excitedly and declared in a righteous tone, "So! As my 'boyfriend', you should naturally come with me! This is our first mission. You won't refuse, will you, Imaizumi?"
She was trying to transform her own helplessness into a reasonable demand on her 'boyfriend.'
Keita found her antics somewhat amusing.
This idiot could have just refused using 'I have plans with my boyfriend.'
However, he didn't point that out.
The karaoke environment would be filled with pressure from her love rival and the loser's unwillingness.
For him, it would be easier to indirectly guide Anna.
He had been worrying about not having a chance to go.
"Sure," he nodded, readily agreeing. "After school, we'll go together."