The Charm of the Popular Beautiful Succubus in Class Doesn't Work on Me ~ For Some Reason, This Beauty Keeps Trying to Hold My Hand ~ - 15

Chapter 15: Looks Like My Skirt Ate the Ice Cream

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Ahh… This is ridiculously unfair. 

For some reason, I was walking behind Sarashina while holding her bags for her. Sure, I had to admit it was wrong of me to start reading a light novel while she was still picking out glasses, but I really wanted to read that light novel. Also, sure, Rea-tan looked so adorable with her glasses, but Sarashina looked super adorable that I was rendered speechless by the sight. I was so captivated for a moment that I couldn’t even speak. Especially the first pair she tried on. They were really great…

I recalled the sight of Sarashina in the first pair. It seemed she had bought them both for herself and her older brother. 

“If you pull out that light novel again while we’re on a date, I will never forgive you.”

“Huh? This is a date?”

“Wha-What?!”

Realizing her slip of tongue, Sarashina’s whole face turned bright red as she glared at me resentfully. 

No, no. This is some super level suicide bombing. I didn’t do anything wrong! I didn’t!

“Well, if Michihito-kun wants to call this a date, then I will allow you to turn this into a date.”

“I feel like I’m just being dragged along while you’re shopping though.”

“Shut up. I will let you call this a date, so just bear with me a little longer.”

After that, we wandered around the shopping mall while waiting for the glasses to be ready. We picked out earrings for Sarashina at an accessory shop, and I won her a hideous stuffed animal from the claw machine at the arcade. It was truly ridiculously ugly. Also, not trying to bag, but I was really good at UFO catchers. I had been a gamer for 15 years after all. 

“Looks like you’re in a better mood now.”

“Well, you did get me the stuffed animal, so I’ll let what happened earlier slide.”

Sarashina said while hugging the ridiculously ugly stuffed animal tightly. Her expression had changed completely from the devilish one she had earlier to a satisfied one now.

“Michihito-kun? You look a bit tense.”

Sarashina said while peering at me. She looked a bit displeased. 

“No, I was just thinking about something.”

“Let me guess, another light novel?”

“No, it’s not that. I was thinking about today.”

“Today…? Michihito-kun, did you not have fun?”

“No… I did enjoy it. I had fun.”

Yeah. It wasn’t like I didn’t enjoy it. I think I had fun, but… Even though I had tried not to think too much about it until now, but I couldn’t stop myself. I couldn’t stop thinking about… Our relationship. 

The “loner yankee” me and the “beautiful class idol” Sarashina. Under normal circumstances, there was no way someone like me could hang out with someone like her. Hence why, I had been confused why Sarashina kept talking to me so much. I was genuinely confused by this. At first, I thought she was just pestering me out of spite because I told her that day,”I don’t like you.” But… After seeing her today, it seemed that wasn’t the case. I couldn’t really explain it, but she… Looked genuinely happy today. I felt like she was smiling from the bottom of her heart. 

“Hey, Sarashina.”

“…What is it?”

“Why do you go out of your way to hang out with me? The so-called ‘longer yankee’?”

“Huh?”

She looked visibly confused at my sudden question, reasonably so. 

“Why, you ask…? Well, that’s…”

Just before she could continue her sentence, my gaze caught something white in the corner of my eye.

“””Ah.”””

With a soft thud, Sarashina’s body staggered backward. At the same time, I could hear the sound of  a squishy splat as something hit the ground.

“…”

“M-My ice cream…”

It seemed a little girl had bumped into Sarashina and to make matters worse, the little girl had been holding onto an ice cream cone. The girl looked on the verge of tears, her voice trembling. Meanwhile, Sarashina’s beige skirt now had a sticky, ice cream smear on it. 

“Sa-Sarashina….”

I tried calling out to her, but she just stared silently at the girl, not saying a word. I had to do something. Even though her mood had been improving after I had gotten her that stuffed toy, that skirt looked like one of her favorites. I had to do something before Sarashina turned into a berserker… 

But before I could act, Sarashina quietly reached her hand toward the girl. The girl instinctively shut her eyes tightly.

Ah…! This is bad!!

Just as I was bracing for the worst, Sarashina crouched down and gently patted the girl’s head. She then took out a 1000 yen bill from the red pouch slung over her shoulder. 

“Sorry about that. It looks like my skirt ate your ice cream. Next time, you should get the limited edition Brilliant Sweet Ruby double scoop instead. Also, there’s a gelato shop on the main street called Polar Bear. That place is my personal favorite. Go give it a try.”

She smiled warmly, leaving me standing there, dumbfounded.

“Tha-Thank you, beautiful Onee-chan.”

“Oh my, what a sweet kid. But, you have to be more careful next time, okay?”

“Okay!”

The girl gave her a cheerful reply while clutching the bill tightly as she dashed off in the direction she had come from. Meanwhile, I was still in a daze, staring after the girl. I was still unable to process what had just happened.

“Hey, what are you standing there for? Close your mouth too. Why is your mouth gaping open like that?”

Sarashina’s usual voice snapped me back to reality, and I saw her already busy wiping up the ice cream from the floor with tissues.

Sarashina… Seriously?

“…Not bad, Captain.”

“Huh? Captain? What’s that supposed to mean? Just so you know, you don’t need to be some big-shot captain to handle this. Most people would do the same thing, you know. Honestly, I’m feeling offended now.”

She let out a huff, her nose upturned. Despite her prickly tone, her expression looked strangely refreshed for some reason. 

“Well, it’s just… I didn’t expect any of this…”

“It’s not like she bumped into me on purpose. Clothes can be washed, and my skirt will be good as new.”

“I mean, yeah, but… I guess I’ve gained a bit of respect for you… Maybe.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? So, you didn’t respect me before?”

“…”

“I’m not going to take your silence as an answer. Anyway, I’m going to the restroom for a bit. Hold onto this plushie for me.”

With that, she shoved that ugly plushie into my arms and dashed off toward the restroom. I just stood there, watching her retreating figure. Then, I found myself thinking about her. 

The pushy girl who suddenly showed up and dragged me out shopping. The pushy girl who used me as a mannequin under the guise of trying them on. The pushy girl who wouldn’t let me go home, even when I said I wanted to read my light novel. And… The same pushy girl who had been kind to a child just now. 

Lately, I came to realize that Sarashina was nothing like the person I had thought she was. No. I mean, she was really twisted and pushy. Well, to be fair, those impressions hadn’t changed. She was really like that. But somehow… Beneath her pushy attitude, there was something warm. A humane kindness, so to say. 

Of course, it wasn’t like I suddenly liked her romantically or anything and I was pretty sure she didn’t feel that way about me either. That said, lately… I found myself not hating this unique relationship. Sure, there were moments where I couldn’t stop myself from wondering how long this strange relationship would last, but… 

What is it that she wants from me? And what is it that I want from her?

While I was lost in thought, Sarashina finally returned from the restroom. She snatched the plushie from my hands without saying anything first. 

“Let’s go.”

And then, she urged me to follow after her. Sarashina looked absolutely beaming while hugging the ugly plushie with a cheerful smile on her face. That smile… Without any doubt, that smile was the most adorable smile I had ever seen from her. 

“What? Why are you staring at my face? Do I still have ice cream on me or something?”

“…”

“…”

“No, it’s just… It turns out you’re a pretty decent person after all.”

“Wha-?! How can you say something like that without any shame?! Die! Die a million times, you idiot!”

Sarashina said, her face flushed bright red. After that, a brief silence ensued between us before she was the one to break it. 

“Ahhh~ Because Michihito-kun said something weird, now I feel like eating ice cream. I want the limited edition Brilliant Sweet Ruby double scoop~”

She flashed a smile, clearly trying to hide her embarrassment.

“Here I thought you were being oddly detailed with her… Turns out you just wanted to eat it yourself, huh?”

“Shut up, you manservant. Now hand me a 1000 yen bill.”

Well, seeing that smile today makes it all worth it anyway.

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