Ardan's POV
Enjoying our shopping, we grew hungry and headed to a café in the mall for lunch. Anii-sama's attire today—unlike his usual look—is rather polished. Smart casual, perhaps? It softens his usual vibe, giving a warm, approachable impression. He's also started wearing glasses recently, which, as he mentioned, seem to balance his sharp gaze.
"Lunch at a place like this okay?" Anii-sama asked. "There's fancier spots."
"No," I said. "It's meaningful because I'm with you. The place doesn't matter."
"Alright, if you say so," he said.
"Are you not pushing yourself, Anii-sama?" I asked.
"Pushing?" he said. "Why?"
"You noticed what caught my eye during shopping and led us into those stores," I said.
"That's nothing," he said. "You should speak up more."
"So… you're saying I can be more selfish?" I asked.
"Pretty much," he said.
"Selfish…" I murmured. "What would be good?"
"That's up to you," he said.
Selfish… Anii-sama always takes care of me. I don't want to burden or trouble him.
"Here, ah~n♪" a girl at a nearby table said.
"!" I started.
"Ah~n… Yum!" her boyfriend said.
"Hehe, now you do me~," she said.
"Got it. Here, ah~n," he said.
"Ah~n… Mmm, delicious♪" she said.
…Is that acceptable?
"Um, Anii-sama…" I said. "I thought of something, but… would you do it?"
"What's that?" he asked.
"Could you… feed me the food?" I asked, blushing.
"Didn't expect that from you," he said.
"Oh! If you don't want to, it's fine!" I said.
"Nah, it's cool," he said. "But we gotta order first. What do you want?"
"This cake, please," I said.
"Got it," he said.
Anii-sama rang the bell and ordered my choice. Surprising—I thought he'd grumble or refuse.
"Here's your order~," the waiter said.
"My, it looks delicious," I said.
"Enjoy~," the waiter said.
"Here goes," I said. "Please!"
"Relax," Anii-sama said. "Open your mouth, Ardan."
"Ah~n…"
What's this? Beyond the cake's flavor, a warm sensation flows through me. So comforting, so gentle, I could bask in it forever…
"It's… delicious," I said, flushing.
"Glad you think so," he said.
"May I have another bite?" I asked.
"One? You've got plenty left," he said.
"Oh… r-right," I said, embarrassed.
Meanwhile, at another table…
"D-Dardan-san…" Mejiro Dober stammered. "Her face is red. I'm getting embarrassed too…"
"It's my first time seeing Onesama like that~," Mejiro Bright said. "So refreshing~."
"Seriously, never seen her like this," Mejiro Palmer said. "They're still going?"
"Mac's getting swept up over one cake!" Mejiro Ryan said.
"Mmm~ Delicious!" Mejiro McQueen said.
After Lunch
"Sorry for making you treat me, Anii-sama," I said.
"Don't worry," he said. "Let a guy show off sometimes. Plus, it was getting crowded—kinda awkward to stay."
"True," I said. "Where to next?"
"Hmm… we've seen most of the mall," he said. "Game center, maybe?"
"Game… center?" I asked.
"This way," he said.
Anii-sama led me to the game center, filled with machines flashing colors and lights. So this is a game center…
"It's like another world," I said.
"Helios or Palmer probably come here a lot," he said. "Ask them sometime."
"I will," I said. "Oh?"
"What's up?" he asked.
"There's a doll of me in that box," I said.
"Oh, Paka Puchi," he said. "Limited edition—only Mejiro Uma Musume in that claw machine."
"My!" I said. "I must rescue them all! Anii-sama, please teach me how!"
"Sure," he said. "First, you—"
Anii-sama explained the mechanics, so I'll do my best to save them. Dolls modeled after us… how adorable.
Bonus Scene, Part 2
"Game center!" Palmer said. "I come here with Helios and Nature~."
"They're at that box," Dober said.
"What're they doing?" McQueen asked.
"Claw machine," Palmer said. "Move the crane to grab prizes. Super tough game!"
"Cool!" Ryan said. "I'll try it with Ines sometime."
"Go, Ardan-onesama~!" Bright cheered.
"How about we do something while spying?" Raw Meat said.
"Nice!" Palmer said. "Let's take purikura!"
"That defeats the spying!!" Raw Meat yelled.
Afterword
Ardan's "ah~n" moment and claw machine quest with Hachiman ooze charm, while the Mejiro family's spying antics steal the show. Air Groove's trust arc simmers with her Takarazuka prep, and Fuji's prior assist keeps her arc close. The Yahari crossover fuels Hachiman's "Tengan" vibe, with Haruno's shadow lingering. Mejiro chaos—unstoppable!
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