"It's delicious…."
"I thought you'd like it."
"You always say such flashy things."
"My actions are the same."
"...."
Sierra silently blushed, putting the meat into her mouth. And as if discontent, she chewed it slowly while glancing at me.
Fortunately, the food seemed to suit her taste.
'Her sulking hasn't completely subsided yet, though.'
Still, those discontented cheeks would probably soften soon. Because she was eating delicious food and having a good time.
"Hey, Emil."
"Hm?"
Just then, Sierra, having swallowed her food, quietly asked.
"Aira Sunbae-nim must be on a date with the President-nim around now, right?"
"…Hmm, probably?"
Yesterday, I went on a date with Aira as her rehearsal. Today, I'm on a date to cheer up Sierra, who was sulking because of that.
'...When I put it like this, I sound like quite the scumbag, don't I?'
Anyway. Aira would be on a cozy date with Damien around now.
"But then Aira Sunbae-nim would also be eating at this restaurant with the President-nim."
"It's fine. We intentionally came before they would arrive. They'll come in after we leave, so there's no chance of running into them."
Of course, it would be troublesome if we ran into other people while spending time with Sierra.
But.
"Hmm~." Sierra made a somewhat disappointed expression.
"What's wrong…?"
"No… I was just a little curious. About how Aira Sunbae-nim would be doing."
"You're really interested in other people's love lives, aren't you?"
"Hehe, it's fun."
Compared to her academic performance as the second-highest in her year, she had a personality that liked more exciting things than expected. No, perhaps because she usually focused only on studying, she was even more sensitive to excitement….
"Huh?"
"...What's wrong?"
But just then, Sierra, who had been looking out the window, made a surprised sound after discovering something. At that, I also followed Sierra and looked out the window.
"What… why are those two…."
There, Aira and Damien were entering the restaurant together.
O O O
"What, what, you said they'd come after we left…!"
"No… surely by now they should be looking around nearby shops together…."
The rehearsal I had with Aira yesterday followed that flow. It was a typical date route: meeting Damien, talking in a pretty cafe, spending time looking around nearby shops, and finally having dinner at a restaurant.
'But why are they coming here now…!'
They had arrived two hours earlier than scheduled. And the reason for that became clear shortly after.
"She's trembling a lot."
"Indeed…."
Sierra and I inadvertently ended up secretly watching their date. The two of them were sitting at a window seat, as reserved. Fortunately, there was a distance, so there was no fear of being discovered.
"But if she's going to tremble like that, why did she even practice with me?"
"Are you upset?"
"Of course, I am. Because of the practice, I needlessly… Uh-huh."
"Me? What about me? What is it? What, what is it?"
Judging by her expression, she looked like a cat that had found a mouse. Ignoring Sierra, who was playfully asking, I focused on Aira again.
'Is the date not going well…?'
From the looks of it, she's very nervous. Far from her mature demeanor in the second round. She was more nervous than when Sierra and I discovered her one-sided love in this round.
"That… will be a bit difficult, won't it…?"
Just then, Sierra said the exact same thought as me.
"I mean, trembling like that."
"Hmm… for some reason, I also think President-nim liked Aira Sunbae-nim's bold rebuttals."
"Right…."
Sierra was right. It was the same in the original story; Damien liked women who stood up to him boldly and spoke their minds freely. Because he felt a human happiness with such opponents.
But….
The Aira visible now was far from such a person.
'She probably froze up like that… and passed through the cafe and shops without saying much.' Because they quickly went through that awkward time. They must have arrived at the restaurant earlier than scheduled.
"Sierra… let's leave now."
"Huh? Why?"
"Well… it's rude to keep watching Aira Sunbae-nim's embarrassing moments, after all."
"B-But, it's just getting interesting now…!"
"...."
This girl, she was quite serious about peeping. She looked even more delighted than when she was eating with me.
"And…! The date isn't over yet…! We don't know what will happen!"
"You just want to keep watching, don't you?"
"Heh, hehe…."
Helplessly, we decided to stay a little longer and observe Aira's situation.
'Right… well, I even went along with the rehearsal, so this much should be fine.'
So, Sierra and I remained in the restaurant and watched the two of them a little longer. And not long after.
"Huh? They're getting up."
"Already?"
The two finished their meal and started to pay. It was about half the time Sierra and I had spent eating together. Of course, we had also leisurely chatted while eating with Sierra. Even so, it was too fast.
"Did they just eat their food without talking?"
"Ugh… somehow, I feel more uncomfortable watching them…."
"Then what are you doing? Just stop watching and go back."
"B-But…! My curiosity is holding my legs! Help me…! Emil…!"
It was an incurable disease that I couldn't do anything about. Perhaps if she didn't see the ending like this, Sierra's feet wouldn't move.
"Ah, they left!"
"...Should we follow?"
"Hoho, Emil likes this kind of thing too, huh? You're urging to go right away?"
"It's because of you."
So, Sierra and I paid for our meal, left the restaurant, and followed behind the two. …Somehow, my date with Sierra had turned into a stakeout operation.
"What will they do now? Are they going back?"
"I wonder…."
Still…. Seeing Sierra having fun, it wasn't so bad.
'Rather, it might be the most fun I've had on a date so far.'
Rather than secretly following someone, it was simply fun doing something with Sierra while fussing about. From the first round until now, the sixth round. It was the most enjoyable date I had experienced so far.
"Ah, we'll lose them like this…! Let's go quickly…!"
"Wait…! If we get too close, we'll be found out…!"
"Ugh…! But…! Like this, I can't hear what they're talking about…!"
"No… I don't think they're even talking in the first place…."
I held Sierra back as she tried to rush forward, adjusting our distance precariously as we moved. We thus pursued the two as they walked down the dark city street. A short while later.
"They stopped…?"
"Hmm…."
The two sat on a bench by the fountain and began to talk about something.
"That's a relief…! The atmosphere looks better than before…!"
"Definitely…."
Although it couldn't be heard from here, Aira was smiling more comfortably than when they were in the restaurant. She still looked nervous, but still much more relaxed than before.
And Damien, on the opposite side.
'Is it not bad…?'
Damien also listened intently to Aira's words, wearing a faint smile.
"Emil…! Emil…!"
"What…"
"Let's get a little closer…! I can't hear a single thing they're saying…!"
"No, if we go any closer than this, we'll really get caught…!"
"Look over there…! That wooden box next to the fruit shop…! How about there?"
"...."
What Sierra pointed to was a wooden box barely large enough for two adults to enter. Certainly, if we went there, we could get close without being detected, but.
"No, but there…."
"Stop grumbling! Let's go quickly!"
"Wha, wait…!"
Before I could even finish my words, Sierra grabbed me and pulled me towards the box. Fortunately, the path to the box had several obstacles allowing us to hide, so we weren't discovered by the two. Having reached the box, we squeezed our bodies inside. To be precise. It was a format where I went in and was flattened, and Sierra climbed on top of me.
"Emil, can you hear? What are they saying?"
"Ugh, ugh… no…."
"I can't hear well either…."
"...."
My concern from when I watched from afar was spot on. …This box was quite narrow. With two people crammed inside, we were quite close.
'No… if I move, I think I'll touch her….'
Had I ever been this close to Sierra before? Perhaps when I carried Sierra on my back after she fell in the dungeon was the closest. Back then, I was covered in wounds, so I didn't feel anything.
'Warm body heat… and a nice scent….'
Like a male student his age, I became aware of everything about her, so close. Right now, there was no way I could hear other people's romantic conversations.
But.
"What, what, it seems like a serious conversation?" Sierra, seemingly completely oblivious to me, was eavesdropping on others' romantic affairs with an excited face. It seemed she was quite serious about peeping and eavesdropping.
"Hey, Sierra…."
"Hm? Why?"
However, finding it increasingly difficult to endure, I deliberately turned my head to look at Sierra. Then, her large eyes were very close in front of me.
"Ah…."
Only then did Sierra seem to realize how close we were.
"So… this is a bit…."
Just as I was about to ask Sierra to move away.
"I like you━!!"
"Eh…."
"Huh…?"
A voice that made us doubt our ears reached both of us. At that, Sierra and I simultaneously looked at the fountain bench with bewildered expressions.
"F-From my first year…! I've always…! Always kept you in my heart…!"
There, Aira, her face flushed red, was suddenly confessing.
"What was that…? Did we miss something in their conversation during that time…?"
"No, even if we missed something, it wouldn't change so drastically…."
It was very difficult to think that in that short time, the awkward atmosphere between the two had suddenly improved, and finally, a moment for confession had arrived. In other words. This was Aira's sudden acceleration. …A confession attack.
'Ugh…! Airaaa…!' Even I, watching from afar, felt my face burn with this cringeworthy moment…! I couldn't bear to watch and squeezed my eyes shut.
"Alright, it's an honor for me, Aira."
"Eh…."
"Huh…?"
Again, a voice that made us doubt our ears was heard.
Damien.
He accepted Aira's confession.