Actually, the Hungry Gyaru Who Eats a Lot Was Being Cheated On, so I Decided to Win Her Heart (And Stomach) From Her Jerk Boyfriend - 63

Chapter 63: Next Time, Just the Two of Us

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

We enjoyed the all-you-can-eat buffet right up until the very last minute… Once we finished paying and stepped outside the restaurant, Shizuku rubbed her stomach with a deeply satisfied smile.

“Mmm~ I’m so full! It’s been a while since I ate until I was completely satisfied!”

“Yeah, same here.”

I nodded briefly at her words. In the end, we properly finished the massive amount of food we had brought to the table, and then went back for a second round. We refilled the dishes we particularly liked along with dessert until we were content. When Miura and the others witnessed that, they went beyond mere shock and froze as if they had encountered something unknown.

…Well, they returned to normal soon enough. That aside, because we had eaten to our hearts’ content, there was one thing I was able to reconfirm.

“—You really do have a bigger stomach capacity than me, Kushina.”

“Huh, really? I think Suou-kun eats about the same as me, though.”

“No, you can eat just a little more than I can.”

If I were a 10, Shizuku would be an 11 or 12. It might be considered a margin of error, but the more the amount increased, the more noticeable the difference became. Though, it was only the kind of difference you could feel after eating by the kilogram like today.

As I was thinking that, Suzuki, who had been listening, muttered quietly.

“…A height comparison between acorns… One slightly bigger than a garden shrub. An elegant ‘fifty steps and a hundred steps’ among nobles.”

“What’s with that cryptic comment?”

“It means that even if it’s a trivial difference for you two, for ordinary people like Rinoa and the rest of us, it’s a story happening up in the clouds, basically completely out of reach.”

At Suzuki’s remark, Sasamoto crossed her arms and nodded repeatedly.

“I get it. It kind of felt like watching a giant monster showdown.”

“…Don’t call people monsters.”

Shizuku puffed her cheeks in displeasure, but…

“No, no, you two are definitely monsters. That was absolutely the ultimate showdown between a cute hungry monster and a big-eating beast.”

“The amount you ate wasn’t cute in the slightest, though.”

“Hey! What’s with you too, Sawa!? Suou-kun, say something!”

“…It’s annoying to admit, but I think Sasamoto and Miura have a point.”

From an objective perspective, it probably did look like two food fighters having an impromptu match. It felt presumptuous to call myself a food fighter, but as a description, it was probably the closest fit. While Shizuku glared at me dissatisfied, I thought about that, and before long, the station—our meeting point—came into view.

As we transferred trains, we parted ways with Miura and Suzuki, and when we arrived at the nearest station to our homes, we also said goodbye to Sasamoto.

“See you two later~”

“Yeah, bye-bye!”

“Later.”

After exchanging brief farewells, we moved to a different platform. We had just said goodbye to Sasamoto, but Shizuku and I would be parting here as well. Though it was only one station away, Shizuku needed to transfer to one more train from here to get home. I only had to walk the rest of the way, so I decided I would see her off before heading back.

When we reached the platform, there were a few minutes until the next train. So we sat down on a nearby bench to wait. As we sat side by side, Shizuku stretched her arms wide.

“Mmm~ Today was seriously so much fun! Wearing swimsuits, floating around in the lazy river, eating churros, stuffing ourselves at the buffet—”

“Yeah.”

Perhaps because my response was a bit flat, Shizuku shot me a suspicious glance. I expected her to complain about my dry reaction, but when she looked at my face, she smiled softly. Then she immediately switched to a mischievous grin.

“And I even got to see Suou-kun’s rare weak side!”

“…Forget about that.”

“Ahaha, no way! It’s one of your few weaknesses, Suou-kun.”

With a sigh, I looked up at the sky.

She’s definitely not going to forget that.

At the very least, I sincerely hoped she wouldn’t keep bringing it up like my sister did. Just as I was thinking that…

“…Hey, Suou-kun.”

Her bright smile faded, and she looked up at me timidly from beneath her lashes.

“Thanks. For coming along with me today.”

“…What’s with the sudden formality?”

“Nothing. I just kind of felt like saying thank you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? If anything, I should be the one thanking you. Thanks, Shizuku.”

When I smiled back faintly, her expression softened slightly with a quiet “Ehehe.” But she quickly returned to her earlier serious look, hesitated a few times, and then…

“Hey, Suou-kun. It can be a pool or the beach, but let’s go out again, okay? Next time, just the two of us.”

In that instant, my heart thudded hard in my chest. I instinctively widened my eyes and stared at her. She blushed and gave me a shy smile.

Just the two of us… Does she mean it like that?

Even someone as dull as me when it came to subtle feelings could understand. The shopping trip the other day and today’s outing had both started because of my sister. It was only because my sister had asked Shizuku to drag me out.

But this invitation… This was unmistakably Shizuku’s own will. It would be impossible not to let it get to my head.

“Shizuku… does that mean—”

Just as I was about to ask… Right then, the announcement for the arriving train echoed through the platform.

“Ah, the train’s here.”

Murmuring to no one in particular, Shizuku quickly stood up from the bench. With light steps, she moved to stand in front of the boarding doors, and soon the train arrived and came to a stop. During that time, I couldn’t say anything. Then the doors opened.

“Well then… Suou-kun, see you!”

“Y-Yeah… see you.”

As she gave a small wave and was about to step inside, I called out to her.

“—Shizuku!”

She turned back with a surprised expression, and I gathered my resolve and told her:

“I can’t promise you I can get used to the water completely,  but I’ll at least try to get a little more used to the water.”

At that moment, her face blossomed into a radiant smile.

“Yeah, it’s a promise!”

She held up her pinky finger and boarded the train. And after watching the train carrying Shizuku disappear from the platform, I passed through the ticket gates and began the walk home.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー