We strolled toward the station, my arm held in a firm lock by Haruka. At this point, escape was already out of the question.
She seemed determined to make up for the lack of contact at school, clinging to me so tightly there wasn't an inch of space between us. She even rubbed her cheek against mine every so often. I felt like I was going to squirm every time she did it, so I really wished she’d give me a break.
Naturally, I could feel her soft weight pressing against me, but she didn’t seem to mind at all. She just kept smiling with a very satisfied expression.
The fact that a sense of comfort was winning out over any fluster or excitement was proof enough that I was already a lost cause.
"Tatsumi-kun, do you not like sweets? Is chocolate okay?"
"It’s not that I dislike them. It’s just that if I eat too much, I get heartburn. I do prefer bitter chocolate, though... Wait, did I ever say I was bad with sweets?"
"Yui-chan mentioned it. She said when you two went to get a parfait together, you didn't look like you were enjoying it very much, so she thought you might not like them."
"Ah..."
I sighed at my sister's usual disregard for her brother's privacy while remembering that massive fruit parfait.
I’d warned her she’d never finish it, but she hadn’t listened. Naturally, she’d hit her limit halfway through, leaving me to deal with the rest.
That was hell... As I looked haggard from the memory, Haruka let out a little giggle.
"In that case, I’ll make sure to have some bitter chocolate ready for Valentine's Day. Look forward to it, okay? ♪"
"Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself? ...But yeah, I’ll look forward to it."
To think the first Valentine's chocolate I’d ever receive from someone outside my family would be from my girlfriend... The version of me from last year would never have believed it.
It was still early summer, and winter was a world away. I usually hated the cold, but now, I found myself impatient for it to arrive.
"I wonder what I should make. I want to try making a Brownie or a Gateau Chocolat. Do you have any preferences, Tatsumi-kun?"
"I don't know much about them, so I'll leave it to you... Though I have to say, I'm impressed you can make sweets from scratch."
"It’s not that hard if you follow the measurements and steps. Let's make some together next time! Like Cookies!"
Baking cookies with Haruka was a tempting offer, but I wondered if we even had the right gear at home for it.
However, according to Haruka, our house was equipped with a fairly high-quality oven-microwave. While I was impressed that she already knew the equipment better than the person living there, I was also appalled by my own lack of interest. I hadn't even realized what we had until now.
Sorry, Mom... I'll be sure to put it to good use.
As we walked and chatted, we eventually reached the area near the station.
The crepe shop was supposedly near the main entrance. As we wove through the crowds, we saw several tents and kitchen cars lined up in the station plaza.
It looked like a Sweets Fair was underway; a sugary aroma drifted all the way to the edge of the square. It wasn't just crepes—there were stalls for various Western and Japanese sweets, drinks, and more.
"Mmm, smells amazing!"
"There are quite a lot of people. Is the crepe place... that pink car?"
Drawn by the scent, we stepped into the plaza, which was bustling even for a weekday evening.
Tucked slightly away, I spotted a kitchen car with a bright pink, rounded exterior and a crepe sign. We pushed through the crowd to find a short but steady line.
"Looks like they're still serving. Let's line up."
We joined the end of the queue.
As expected, most of the people there were couples or girls our age in school uniforms.
Until recently, seeing a scene like this would have made me feel awkward and out of place... but now, I was standing there as one half of a couple myself. It was a strange, ticklish sensation.
"Hmm, which one should I get? My favorite is Strawberry, but after what we just talked about, I kind of want chocolate too..."
"I'll get the chocolate one, then. You get the strawberry, Haruka. We can share."
"...Hehe. That feels very couple-like."
I smiled back as she let out a muffled laugh.
"We are a couple, aren't we?"
"Ahaha, you're right! I was just a little surprised because I didn't think you’d be the one to suggest that, Tatsumi-kun."
Maybe I was growing too, in my own way.
Eventually, the line moved forward and it was our turn. I gave our order to the clerk while looking at the menu by the counter.
"One Strawberry Whip and one Chocolate Cream, please. For toppings... Haruka, do you want anything extra?"
"Hmm... then, maybe I'll add Custard too?"
"Got it. Custard on the strawberry one, and... Sliced Almonds on the chocolate one, please."
"Certainly! One Strawberry Whip with Custard, and one Chocolate Cream with Sliced Almonds. That’ll be 1,000 yen total!"
The base crepes were 400 yen each, with toppings at 100 yen. I didn't know the going rate for these things, but it seemed reasonable enough.
I quickly took a bill out of my wallet and placed it on the tray, stopping Haruka as she reached for hers.
She looked up at me, a little puzzled.
"I can pay for my own, you know?"
"Consider it a reward for being first in the grade. Besides... I'm your boyfriend. Let me play the part for a bit."
I’d said it to look cool, but then I realized I was just showing off with my parents’ money. It felt a bit pathetic, but correcting myself now would have been even worse, so I kept my mouth shut. Thanks, Mom and Dad—I’m putting your support to good use.
At my words, Haruka gave my hand a tight squeeze and smiled softly.
"Hehe, then as your girlfriend, I’ll let you spoil me. Thanks, Tatsumi-kun."
"You're welcome."
"But you know, Tatsumi-kun, you're really cool even when you aren't trying to be!"
"...I'm honored."
I felt my face heat up at her blunt, honest compliment.
I instinctively looked away—only to lock eyes with the clerk, who was watching us with a deeply heartwarming smile.
Even while watching us, her hands were a blur of motion. She spread cream and strawberries over the batter on the circular griddle, skillfully rolling it up and tucking it into a paper wrapper.
Finally, she sprinkled some sliced strawberries and cornflakes over the top and handed the finished crepe to Haruka with a beaming grin.
"Here you go! One cute girlfriend who knows how to be pampered!"
"Wow, thank you! ♪"
Satisfied by Haruka's happy response, the clerk immediately started on the second crepe.
She finished the toppings in a matter of seconds and thrust it toward me with a stylish wink.
"And this one's for the very cool boyfriend!"
"...Thank you."
She wasn't being mean or mocking us; her expression was more one of genuine appreciation, as if she were thinking, "To be young and in love."
It was incredibly embarrassing.
I gave a short bow, took Haruka’s hand, and hurried away from the stall.
"Are you blushing?"
"I'm just genuinely embarrassed."
I grumbled internally that she was also blushing as I scanned the plaza.
Since it was a fair, there were plenty of tables and chairs set up in the center. We found a vacant seat for two and sat down facing each other.
She looked a bit miffed when I let go of her hand, but it couldn't be helped. I’d have to let the sugar fix her mood.
"Itadakimasu! Munch... Mmm~ ♪ It's so good!"
The moment she took a bite of the crepe loaded with whipped cream and large strawberries, her tense cheeks melted into an expression of pure bliss.
She chewed with her eyes closed, savoring every bit of sweetness before taking another bite.
She really did eat with such relish. Just watching her made me feel hungry; a photo of this would probably be more effective than any professional advertisement.
Spurred by anticipation, I bit into my own crepe... and my eyes widened.
"So sweet..."
A voice escaped me as the rich flavor hit my tongue.
The bittersweet aroma of cacao followed the heavy sweetness of the cream, the two flavors harmonizing perfectly. The chocolate cream melted smoothly, mingling with the chewy texture of the crepe, while the Sliced Almonds provided a perfect crunch.
"Adding the almonds was definitely the right move."
They didn't just add texture; their savory flavor provided an excellent contrast to the sweetness, which might have become one-note otherwise. Even a guy like me could eat the whole thing without getting tired of it.
While I was savoring the crepe, I heard a notification chime from the phone in my pocket.
Sadly, my LINE contact list was limited to my family, Haruka, the class group, and my old middle school club group. I had a few corporate accounts, but those were all muted. Since Haruka's phone hadn't gone off, it wasn't the class group. That left...
"It’s from Yui. Sorry, let me check this... I see."
"Did something happen?"
"She just said there won't be a sleepover this week. Her middle school finals are coming up."
Haruka nodded understandingly at my explanation.
"Yui-chan is so diligent. I heard she was top of her grade in the April Proficiency Test, too."
"Apparently. She bragged about it for ages..."
"Hehe, I'm sure she just wanted you to praise her, Tatsumi-kun. She really loves her big brother. She's aiming for our high school, right?"
Whether she "loved" me or not, I knew my being here played a huge role in her choice of school, even if she’d never admit it.
As her brother, I wanted her to choose a school she actually wanted to go to without worrying about me, but given her grades, our school was a perfectly reasonable choice anyway.
I felt like she could aim even higher, but that was just me pushing my expectations on her. If she was serious about coming here, it was my job to support her.
As I tapped out a reply, I happened to look up.
Across the table, Haruka was happily munching on her crepe. She looked like a hamster nibbling on a seed held in both paws—it was incredibly cute.
I looked back down at my phone and quietly launched the camera app.
"Haruka."
"Hmm? What is—"
She looked up at my call, and—click.
The screen captured her relaxed, blissful expression perfectly as she enjoyed her treat.
A smile escaped me at how adorable she looked. Haruka puffed out her slightly red cheeks in a pout.
"...Tatsumi-kun? That was a total sneak attack!"
"Sorry, sorry... You were just so cute, I couldn't help it. I'll delete it if you really hate it."
I felt like I finally understood why people wanted to take photos of everything. Or maybe this was a bit different?
She kept pouting as I apologized with a laugh, but she didn't seem truly upset. She pursed her lips, looking like she secretly enjoyed the attention.
"I don't hate it, but... if you were going to take one, I wish I'd looked cuter."
"You're always cute, Haruka. This photo is just exceptionally so."
"Mu, muu...!"
She puffed her cheeks out even further to show her "displeasure," but she couldn't hide the way her mouth twitched into a smile at the compliment.
She was so expressive and charming. I wanted to take another photo of this look, too.
However, any more than this and she might actually get grumpy.
"I teased you too much, I'm sorry. But I really do think you're cute all the time. ...Here, didn't you say you wanted to try the chocolate one? Have a bite."
"...I'll take it, but... I'm still not entirely satisfied. Munch... Mmm~ ♪"
Despite her grumbling, she leaned in and took a bite of the crepe I held out. Her expression immediately melted back into a smile at the taste of the chocolate cream, and I felt my own face relax in turn.
...Technically, that was an indirect kiss, but I didn't feel any of the usual panic.
It was a bit late for that, considering how many times we’d actually kissed. It felt strange—we’d only been officially dating for three days.
Were we already becoming one of those "shameless" couples? No, as long as we stuck to kissing, we were probably fine...
While I was lost in thought, the strawberry crepe was suddenly thrust in front of my face.
I looked up to see Haruka holding her phone in one hand with a mischievous grin.
"Here, say ahh ♪"
"............"
Clearly, she wanted to get even.
I felt a bit shy, but since it was Haruka, I didn't really mind. I opened my mouth and took a bite of her crepe.
...Yeah, it was delicious. The sweet whipped cream and the tart strawberry sauce created a light, refreshing flavor. When I bit into the fresh strawberry, the juice added a perfect brightness to the cream.
I heard the click of the camera as I savored the bite, and Haruka scrolled through her phone with a look of pure triumph.
"Maybe I should post this in the class group..."
"Wait, wait, wait. Don't. Seriously, please don't."
If a photo of Haruka feeding me got out... I might not get in trouble, but I felt like people would definitely have something to say.
Haruka gave a wicked little grin at my panic.
"I'm kidding, obviously! This is just for me to look at later."
"Please keep it that way..."
I wondered what she meant by "look at later," but then I realized I could probably spend an hour just looking at the photo I’d taken of her, so I decided to let it go.
I had my doubts about whether a photo of me could actually be "healing" for her, but seeing her look so happy, I lost the heart to argue.
If she was happy, then I guess it was fine.
We spent the rest of the afternoon chatting and savoring our crepes, sharing a moment that was as peaceful as it was sweet.