Being a high-end inn, the room was well-stocked with refreshments. There were even tools to brew a proper cup of coffee, provided you had the beans.
I usually stuck to black tea, but there was something about the morning that made me crave coffee. It was good for shaking off the lingering sleepiness, and for some reason, coffee just always seemed to taste better first thing in the morning.
I decided to use the beans I’d received from Ozma-san. Apparently, there were all sorts of tricks to grinding and brewing them correctly, but since I didn't know the first thing about the process, I simply relied on a magic tool that handled everything from bean to cup automatically.
"Would you like some coffee, Sieg-san?"
"Coffee? To be honest, I’ve rarely ever had it."
"Ah, that’s right. You’re more of a tea person. Should I make you some black tea instead?"
"No, no. Since you’re making it, I’d love a cup. It's not as if I dislike the taste."
I’d worried for a moment that offering coffee to a tea lover like her had been a mistake, but she didn't seem to mind. I prepared two mugs and let the machine do its work.
By the time I set them down on the table by the window, where the morning sun was already streaming in, Sieg-san had finished changing out of her pajamas. She took the seat across from me.
"Thank you. I’ll enjoy it then."
"Sure. I put out some sugar and milk, so feel free to use them."
"Thank you... Yes, I think I’ll add a little."
It turned out Sieg-san preferred her coffee lightly sweetened; she added a splash of milk and a small spoonful of sugar before taking her first sip. I didn't have any strong preferences myself, but black felt like the right choice for the mood.
A pleasant bitterness spread across my tongue. Combined with the warmth of the morning light, it brought a quiet, comforting peace.
"By the way, Kaito-san."
"Yes?"
"What should we do for breakfast? The inn serves it on the first floor, but..."
"Hmm, let’s see. We could eat here, but heading out to find a nice cafe might be fun too."
It was a tough call. This was a luxury establishment, so I was sure the food would be excellent, but I wasn't ravenously hungry yet. The idea of taking a leisurely morning stroll while looking for a place to eat felt quite appealing.
As I weighed the options, I looked over at Sieg-san. Our eyes met, and we both shared a small, quiet smile.
"...You know what? Let’s head out. If you’re up for it, we could do some sightseeing after we eat. We didn't really get to take our time yesterday."
"That sounds wonderful. I’m all for it."
The decision was made. We would grab breakfast in town and go straight into our date. Since this was a tourist city, I was sure there were plenty of spots worth visiting.
I heard the monster race track was operating on its normal schedule today. Whether we actually placed any bets or not, just watching the races might be a fun way to spend the time.
With those thoughts in mind, I cleared away the empty mugs and grabbed my hooded jacket from the rack. Just as I was slipping it on, Sieg-san approached me, her expression shifting as if she’d noticed something.
"Kaito-san, you have some lint right..."
"Huh? Where—"
Mwah.
"—Eh?"
The moment I leaned in to see where she was pointing, Sieg-san brought her face close to mine. I felt a soft, fleeting touch against my lips, and then she was looking at me with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Sorry... that was a lie."
"Ahaha... wow, you caught me off guard. It's rare for you to do something like that, Sieg-san. Not that I’m complaining, of course."
Her playful side was incredibly cute, but it definitely felt out of character for her. Sieg-san blushed slightly, scratching her cheek with a finger as she looked down shyly.
"...Well, I just felt like catching you with a surprise attack. How do I put this? I was the one who went to all the trouble of secretly booking the inn and preparing everything, but it feels like you were the one leading me along from start to finish. I suppose I just wanted to reclaim a bit of my pride as the older partner."
"Is that how you saw it? To me, it felt like you were the one in charge the whole time—from the interaction event to the stay here. If anything, I felt like I was constantly on the defensive. It wasn't until we actually got to the room that I felt like I finally had the lead. So, on that note..."
"Eh? Wait, mmph!?"
"...Consider that a little payback."
Mimicking her move from moments ago, I caught her with a surprise attack kiss of my own. Sieg-san looked dazed for a second, her eyes wide, before she broke into a delighted smile.
"Goodness. I feel like I just lost again... But if we keep this up, we’ll never leave. I’ll save my next counterattack for later."
"So it’s a guarantee that there’s more coming?"
"Yes. It’s guaranteed."
Giving me a radiant smile, Sieg-san reached out and took my hand, leading the way.
"Now then, shall we?"
"Yeah. Let's go."
Watching her beam with such pure happiness made my own heart feel full. With our fingers interlocked in a lover's hand-holding, we stepped out of the room to begin our date.
[Serious-senpai Currently Freezing]
???: "Hmm, I wonder how long it takes to freeze solid? Also, with Serious-senpai out of the picture, does that mean we can expect nothing but sweet stories from here on out?"