After a while.
Sakurahara Momo was left slightly dizzy, her cheeks tinged with a rosy blush that spread across her delicate features. Her usually composed demeanor had melted into something more vulnerable, more honest. The slight sheen on her parted pink lips only added to her soft allure. Her wide, shimmering eyes held a mixture of tenderness and confusion, as though she herself couldn't quite understand what had just unfolded.
Nozomi's gaze, half-lidded and playful, locked onto her face. Momo felt her heart skip and raised a hand to his chest, thumping it lightly with embarrassment.
"Baka Nozomi," she huffed, voice breathy with a mixture of exasperation and embarrassment. "We came to watch a movie!"
Her voice dropped into a pout. "And you... you did something so shameless..."
Nozomi's arms pulled her a little closer, his grin widening with mischievous delight. "Momo-senpai, how many couples do you think are actually here to watch the movie?"
His words whispered dangerously close to her ear. "They're just here for the atmosphere. Besides, I had to stay in character, right? As your perverted boyfriend?"
Momo glared at him with flushed cheeks, but instead of pulling away, she let out a soft sigh and leaned her head against his chest. Her voice was sulky but carried no real anger. "You're just using this excuse to bully your senpai..."
Nozomi didn't deny it. A smirk curved at the corners of his lips, but the warmth in his embrace never wavered.
"Alright, alright," she relented, flicking her eyes toward the movie screen. "No more messing around. Let's actually watch the movie this time. We're lucky we're in the back row. If someone saw us... I'd die from embarrassment."
"Roger that, senpai. I'll be good." Nozomi gave her a playful salute.
By the time the movie ended and the theater lights flickered back to life, it was already quite late. The two walked out into the night air, the world around them quieter now, more intimate somehow.
"So, Momo-senpai," Nozomi said with a teasing smile, "where to next? What about a love hotel?"
"Nozomi!" she gasped, giving him a light smack on the shoulder. "Don't joke like that! I'm not that easy, okay? Even if you're my perverted boyfriend, I'm not ready yet!"
Her flustered expression made Nozomi chuckle.
"I'm joking. I'll walk you home."
"Hmph. That's more like it," Momo replied, linking her arm with his naturally. The closeness between them didn't feel awkward anymore. Her grip on his arm was soft, yet possessive.
Nozomi could feel the gentle press of her chest against his arm, and despite his usual bravado, it still made his heartbeat quicken.
To him, Momo Sakurahara was a goddess of beauty wrapped in charm. Yasuo Hazuki had clearly been blind not to treasure her.
"Thanks for spending the day with me, Nozomi," Momo said, turning to him with a surprisingly serious expression.
"You don't need to thank me. I had a great time too, Cherry-senpai. And thank you for the honor of your company," he replied, ruffling her hair fondly.
With her hair now let down from its usual donut-style bun, Momo looked even more radiant—lively, charming, and disarmingly beautiful. She carried the elegance of a senior, yet in their private moments, she was all soft smiles and bashful glances.
"You're such a smooth talker. What's with this 'honor of your company' nonsense?" she teased.
"Well, I am a perverted boyfriend. If I suddenly became too proper, I wouldn't be true to my role," Nozomi grinned.
"Do you hate that I'm like this with you?"
Momo looked up at him shyly, then turned away. "I don't... hate it."
"Then I'll keep being like this next time too. Deal?"
"Deal," she said with a small nod, the corners of her lips rising.
The atmosphere softened, warm and slow like the end of a perfect shoujo anime episode.
"Speaking of which," Nozomi asked thoughtfully, "how's Tsukimi doing? You two were pretty close."
Momo sighed gently. "Like me, she's let go of that whole thing with Hose-kun. She still talks to him sometimes, but that's just old habits."
"Do you think she still has a chance?"
"Nope," Momo answered with certainty. "If he doesn't change, no girl would be able to tolerate his personality. Tsukimi and I made peace with that. We confessed knowing it wouldn't work. We just needed closure."
There was no trace of sadness in her voice. Her smile was calm.
The confession of Cherry and Tsukimi was less about romantic success and more like a bittersweet farewell to their younger, more foolish selves—a symbolic break from the past.
"Wait," she suddenly turned and narrowed her eyes at him. "Nozomi, why the sudden interest in Tsukimi? Are you planning to aim for her too?"
Her tone was playful, but her lips formed a slight pout.
"Me? No way. I was just curious. You and Tsukimi are both Sumireko's friends. I didn't want to cause any trouble."
Momo shook her head with a wry smile. "Breaking away wasn't a bad thing. Tsukimi and I—there's no point sticking around a guy who can't return our feelings. That kind of loyalty is just self-torture, and honestly, a little pathetic. We've both decided to start valuing ourselves more. So, Nozomi... you better prepare yourself."
She faced him fully now, eyes gleaming. "So be prepared, Nozomi. You're stuck being this perverted boyfriend for a while."
"Hah! I gladly accept the responsibility, senpai."
After walking her home, Nozomi leaned down, gently capturing her lips in a long, affectionate kiss beneath the quiet moonlight. When they finally parted, he gave her one last look, eyes twinkling, before turning and walking off into the night.
Sakurahara Momo touched her lips, her face slightly flushed, watching his retreating figure. Then she turned her head toward a nearby corner and called out, "You can come out now, Tsukimi. I spotted you ages ago."
From the shadows, Kusami Runa slowly stepped forward, face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and annoyance.
Of course she'd been there. She had been at the cinema earlier too—forced to endure an entire day filled with romantic fluff, smooches, and sappy smiles. It was like swimming through a sea of secondhand embarrassment and emotional torment.
Tsukimi gave Momo an incredulous look, her gaze dropping briefly to her friend's glistening lips. Then she sighed deeply.
"Cherry... what are you doing?"
"What does it look like?" Momo replied with a gentle smile, hands behind her back. "I'm dating my very own perverted boyfriend."
Tsukimi gave her a deadpan look.
"I meant why are you doing this? Nozomi-kun might be charming, but he's still... Nozomi. He's a massive perv, and he's supposed to be Sumireko's boyfriend!"
"So what? It's not like Sumireko's his only girlfriend. Besides... he's incredibly kind in his own way."
"Tch. That kindness is suspect. He had you melting in his arms all day. And look—your lips are still swollen! Don't tell me he didn't do that."
"Ehehe... I have no idea what you're talking about," Momo said with a flustered laugh, clearly embarrassed.
"Liar!" Tsukimi huffed, glaring at her friend, who had kept the whole thing a secret.
"You're really serious about this? You're going to keep dating that weirdo?"
Momo simply nodded, her eyes soft but firm. "You saw it with your own eyes, didn't you?"
A tense silence stretched between them.
Then—
"Fine! Then I want one too!"
Momo blinked, caught off guard. "Eh? Tsuki..."
"Don't try to stop me! Don't forget, we're not just besties, we're rivals too! If you're diving headfirst into a love comedy, don't think I'll let you hog all the spotlight!"