Imaizumi Keita looked at Shioyaki Lemon's sparkling eyes filled with expectation and her defenseless, energetic posture as she grabbed his arm.
Although he felt this kind of thing was a bit boring due to the repetition, he still didn't give a refusal.
"Alright."
Imaizumi Keita nodded, giving his agreement.
"Great!"
Shioyaki Lemon let out a cheer, her smile becoming even more brilliant, and she released his forearm.
"Then it's a deal! Two o'clock this afternoon, let's meet at the entrance of the Department Store in front of the station!"
...
At two o'clock in the afternoon, Imaizumi Keita arrived at the Department Store in front of the station on time.
Before long, Shioyaki Lemon's figure came jogging from the direction of the station.
She had changed out of the sportswear she wore during the morning run and put on a simple white T-shirt and denim shorts, with a thin sun-protection cardigan over it, looking refreshing and full of energy.
"Sorry for the wait, Kin-chan!"
She ran up to Imaizumi Keita, her face slightly flushed from the rush.
The sultry weather and the recent exercise caused a bit of light sweat to break out on her forehead.
"I just arrived too."
Imaizumi Keita nodded and handed her a tissue, signaling her. "Wipe yourself; you're sweating a bit from running, Yakishio..."
"Ah... thanks, Kin-chan..."
Shioyaki Lemon awkwardly took the tissue, suddenly a bit worried about her image in Imaizumi Keita's eyes.
Although Kin-chan had told her before that he thought her energetic look was cute, did she need to be more girly...
The two exchanged some pleasantries and then walked into the Department Store together, heading straight for the Kimono Shop.
"It's really convenient having a Kimono Shop here..."
Shioyaki Lemon remarked, her eyes scanning the dazzling array of Yukatas. "There are so many styles; I feel like my eyes are going to get dizzy."
She casually picked up a light yellow Yukata to hold against herself, then quickly put it back.
"Yakishio, do you have any colors or patterns you like?"
Imaizumi Keita asked, seeing Shioyaki Lemon's somewhat aimless look.
"Hmm..."
Shioyaki Lemon tilted her head and thought for a moment, looking troubled.
"I don't know either. The one I had before was white, chosen by my mom, but I felt it didn't really suit me."
Saying this, she turned her head and looked at Imaizumi Keita with curious eyes.
"By the way, Kin-chan, you went with Anna to buy a Yukata yesterday. Which one did Anna end up choosing?"
Imaizumi Keita's gaze swept across the racks and soon found a style similar to that deep blue goldfish-patterned Yukata.
"Something like that one."
"Wow..."
Shioyaki Lemon looked in the direction he pointed and let out a knowing, drawn-out sound. "So, Kin-chan, do you like that type of Yukata?"
"It's okay." Imaizumi Keita felt Shioyaki Lemon was testing him again and answered honestly, "But I feel that style suits her better."
"Is that so."
Shioyaki Lemon gave a noncommittal response and didn't ask for Imaizumi Keita's opinion anymore, just went about picking for herself.
After a few minutes, she came out holding two Yukatas with completely different styles and walked straight toward the fitting room.
"Kin-chan, wait for me here a moment."
After she finished speaking, she ducked into the small space partitioned off by the curtain.
The wait wasn't long.
Soon, the fitting room curtain was pulled open with a "swish," and Shioyaki Lemon appeared before his eyes, dressed in a new yukata.
It was a yukata with a bright sunflower yellow base, adorned with large, blooming white daisies, full of summer vitality and flair.
"How is it?"
She spun around in front of Imaizumi Keita, her face carrying a hint of uncertain expectation.
"Mm, it looks very good."
Imaizumi Keita nodded and gave an honest evaluation, "It suits your style very well, Lemon. You look very energetic."
"Right!"
Having received an affirmative answer, a happy smile immediately surfaced on Shioyaki Lemon's face.
She checked herself in the mirror again, then ducked back into the fitting room to change into another one.
The second one was a style completely opposite to the previous one.
On an elegant light blue fabric, several white lotus buds were depicted; the color scheme was gentle and quiet.
Wearing this yukata, Shioyaki Lemon lost a bit of her usual liveliness and gained a rare, demure temperament.
"What about this one?"
"Also very pretty," Imaizumi Keita's answer was still honest, "but I feel like the one just now was more 'you'."
"Hmm... as I thought."
Shioyaki Lemon looked at herself in the mirror and pursed her lips with a bit of distress.
She actually preferred the sunflower yellow one too, but she felt like this light blue one... might better hit the points boys like.
She tried on several more, some with cute rabbit patterns, others with traditional geometric designs.
Imaizumi Keita gave his opinion on every yukata, mostly evaluations like "not bad" or "suits you well."
But from the changes in his expression, Shioyaki Lemon keenly captured his general preferences.
As expected...
It seemed Kin-chan still preferred styles that brought out a girl's natural temperament.
It wasn't like she initially thought, where just being cute or pretty was enough.
Thinking of this, she already had an idea in mind.
When she walked out of the fitting room for the last time, she had changed back into her original clothes.
"So? Have you decided which one you want?" Imaizumi Keita asked curiously.
"Hmm..."
Shioyaki Lemon crossed her arms and paced back and forth, pretending to still be deep in thought.
"They all seem pretty good, I can't choose for a moment... I'll think about it a bit more."
She naturally grabbed Imaizumi Keita's wrist and pulled him toward the exit of the shop.
"Let's go, let's go. We'll look around elsewhere first; maybe I'll have an idea later."
That decisive manner left Imaizumi Keita momentarily unsure of what to say.
She was clearly so enthusiastic just now, yet after trying them on for so long, she didn't pick a single one in the end.
He looked at Shioyaki Lemon's eyes, which were exceptionally bright because she had achieved some small goal, and the slight confusion in his heart was quickly replaced by a hint of realization.
This woman...
She probably didn't actually want him to accompany her to pick a yukata at all.
She likely... wanted to use this opportunity to test his preferences.
Really... a person you just can't bring yourself to dislike.
"Alright, since the yukata matter is settled for now, next, it's my turn to fulfill my promise!"
She gave Imaizumi Keita a playful wink, her tone carrying a hint of anticipation.
"Let's go, Kin-chan! I'm treating you to a movie!"
...
The two of them arrived at the cinema located on the top floor of the mall.
On a weekend afternoon, the cinema was bustling with people, mostly young couples coming together.
Shioyaki Lemon stood in front of the electronic screen, browsing the list of movies currently showing, and soon locked onto a romantic movie with a poster that looked quite romantic.
"Let's watch this!" She pointed at the poster of the male and female leads kissing in the rain, her tone certain, "I heard from a friend that this movie has a great reputation; many people were moved to tears."
Imaizumi Keita looked at the poster full of the "sour stench of love," then looked at Shioyaki Lemon, who was wearing a face that said, "I just simply want to see a good movie."
He didn't expose Shioyaki Lemon's little scheme and just nodded in cooperation.
To be honest, he actually quite enjoyed this feeling of Shioyaki Lemon secretly trying to win him over...
"Sure."
After buying the movie tickets and popcorn, the two of them checked in and walked into the screening hall.
The dim environment, the enclosed space, and the surrounding pairs of figures made the air thick with an ambiguous atmosphere.
Shioyaki Lemon held the popcorn bucket, walking ahead to find their seats, her heart rate starting to accelerate uncontrollably.
Good, everything is proceeding according to plan.
The movie began.
The soothing music paired with the green yet sweet interactions of the leads quickly drew the audience into the story.
Shioyaki Lemon could focus on the movie at first, but as the plot deepened, her mind gradually drifted elsewhere.
She secretly turned her head, using her peripheral vision to look at Imaizumi Keita beside her.
He was leaning against the back of the chair, focused on the screen, the dim light casting a hazy shadow on his handsome profile.
Looking at him like this, Shioyaki Lemon felt her cheeks begin to heat up.
She pulled her attention back to the movie, waiting for the perfect moment.
Finally, the movie's plot reached its most critical part.
The leads broke into a fierce argument due to a misunderstanding; the female lead ran away crying, while the male lead shouted her name in agony in the rain.
Accompanied by a hurried and sad background score, the screen switched to a scene of the female lead walking down the road, despondent.
An out-of-control truck was speeding toward her from behind.
Now!
Shioyaki Lemon's heart skipped a beat, her body's reaction even faster than her brain's command.
She reached out and grabbed Imaizumi Keita's hand resting on the armrest, covering it with her own.
She could clearly feel the warmth from his palm and the slight protrusion of his knuckles.
Imaizumi Keita didn't pull his hand away, so Shioyaki Lemon's courage grew a bit more.
She didn't let go, pushing her luck by sliding her fingers bit by bit into the gaps between his.
Eventually, it became a position with their fingers tightly interlaced.
Having done all this, Shioyaki Lemon felt all the blood in her body rush to her head.
She didn't dare look at Imaizumi Keita's reaction and could only lock her gaze on the screen in front of her, pretending it was just an unconscious move made because the plot was too tense.
She couldn't take in the rest of the movie's plot at all.
Only the sound of her own racing heart remained in her ears, along with the warm touch from their tightly held palms.
Imaizumi Keita didn't speak either.
He just let her hold him, even stroking the back of her hand with the pad of his thumb.
It wasn't until the movie ended and the lights in the screening hall came back on that Shioyaki Lemon let go of his hand as if she'd been electrocuted.
-------------------------
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