After deciding to buy a cake for Aoi-chan’s birthday celebration, Hina-chan and I both got ready quickly and met at the front door.
"Sorry, Kaito-senpai. I kept you waiting."
"No, I only just got here myself... and hey, I don't think I’ve seen that hoodie before."
"Hehe, I bought it recently. What do you think?"
"It’s nice. The oversized, slouchy look is great, and the design really suits you. It’s cute. Just a change in outerwear gives you a completely fresh look."
Hina-chan’s outfit was mostly her usual practical, easy-to-move-in style, but she had added an oversized hoodie to the mix. The way the sleeves bunched up around her hands was undeniably adorable. Since she was naturally energetic, casual clothes like hoodies suited her perfectly, making for a look that was both new and incredibly charming.
"I saw it at a clothing store a while ago and thought, 'A hooded jacket seems so much like something Kaito-senpai would wear,' so I bought it on impulse. I'm glad it looks good on me."
"It’s true that I wear hoodies quite often. I never really gave it much thought, but after wearing them for so long, I think I’d feel a bit out of place in anything else."
"Ahaha, I know what you mean. Once you get used to certain clothes, anything else feels weird. I feel the same way about skirts..."
Hina-chan usually wore half-pants—or perhaps they were called capri pants? She almost always wore trousers that ended just below the knee. In fact, I could only recall seeing her in a skirt during formal occasions, like Seigi-kun’s wedding.
"Still, pulling off the oversized look like that makes you look quite stylish."
Because Hina-chan was so petite, wearing clothes that were too big for her enhanced her 'small animal' vibe, making her cuteness stand out even more. When I voiced that thought, Hina-chan gave me a somewhat wry smile.
"Ah, well, I went for an oversized look on purpose this time... and actually bought a men’s hoodie, but I’ve always had a habit of buying clothes in larger sizes."
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah. It's just... in my actual size, it feels too tight across the chest. So, I tend to buy things that are a bit bigger."
"I see."
Despite her petite frame, Hina-chan was quite well-endowed, possessing a figure that was surprisingly curvy for her size. I supposed that clothes designed for her height probably did feel restrictive around the bust.
However, even without any impure intentions, I knew that bringing up such a topic made it far too easy for one’s eyes to drift downward. I exerted every ounce of my willpower to keep my gaze firmly fixed on her face, refusing to let my eyes wander. I had no desire to be despised by a junior who had finally opened up to me, so I governed myself with strict self-restraint.
Just as I thought I had successfully managed to nod along without letting my gaze slip, Hina-chan puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction.
"Muu... Kaito-senpai. You could have at least looked at my chest a little bit there, don't you think?"
"Wait, what? I thought it was better not to stare..."
"I mean, obviously I’d hate it if some guy just stared at me for no reason, but how should I put this? When I’m specifically bringing it up to appeal to you, I want to feel like you’re actually conscious of me as a girl. It’s a maiden’s heart thing—it’s complicated. I mean, I’d still be annoyed if you tried to take a look now just because I said that, though."
"That sounds... incredibly difficult to navigate."
From Hina-chan’s perspective, her comment about her chest being tight was an attempt to make me notice her, so my complete lack of reaction was apparently a bit of a letdown. A maiden’s heart was truly a labyrinthine thing.
Then again, she didn’t actually seem angry. Her tone was playful and mischievous; she seemed to be genuinely enjoying our back-and-forth.
"Exactly! A maiden’s heart is very difficult. Kaito-senpai, that’s a two-point deduction. Your total score for today’s outing is now 118 points."
"Wait... the scale goes over 100?"
"I started you at 120 points because you noticed my new clothes and complimented me right away. If you praise me again, I’ll put you back up to 120."
Apparently, she was a very generous judge. Seeing Hina-chan laughing so happily, I couldn't help but smile too. After a bit more idle chatter, we finally set off, walking side-by-side down the street.
"But you know, when it comes to being petite and busty, Fate-sama fits that image even more than I do, doesn't she?"
"Ah, that’s true. Fate-san is even smaller than you are."
"I feel like our selling points overlap, and since my opponent is a Goddess, the odds are way too stacked against me..."
"Selling points? That's an odd way to put it..."
"Personally, they just get in the way when I’m running, but guys really do love big chests, don't they?"
"U-Umm... that’s a very loaded question. Let’s change the subject! So, uh, what kind of cake do you think we should get?"
"Aoi-senpai’s favorite is rare cheesecake, but... that doesn't really have a very 'birthday' feel to it, does it?"
Sensing that continuing the conversation about chests would only lead to me saying something embarrassing or awkward, I forcefully steered the topic elsewhere. Hina-chan didn't press the issue, transitioning naturally to the new subject with a bright, friendly smile.