When I Brought The Lost Little Girl To Her House, The One Who Came Out Of The Front Door Was The Most Beautiful Girl In The Grade.

We’re meeting up at 12 o’clock and planning to have lunch together, watch a movie, and do some shopping.

Well, in situations like this, it’s probably better for me to arrive early and wait for Ayano.

That’s a more common scenario, after all.

“Sorry! Did you wait?”

Ayano seemed flustered as she asked me. However, I was captivated by her casual outfit.

Brown knit sweater, a white flared skirt, a necklace – she looked really stylish.

Looking at my own clothes, I felt like I should learn to be a bit more fashionable.

“N-No? It’s not yet the meeting time. But, speaking of which, you’re early too. I was surprised.”

“Yeah! I was so excited I came early!”

“I’m looking forward to it too.”

I was excited too, but I was awake with nervousness and couldn’t really relax at home

“So, what should we eat for lunch?”

“The newly opened place over there is supposed to be good.”

“Got it! Let’s go there!”

We entered the restaurant to have lunch together. Since it was lunchtime, it was quite crowded.

“Sorry. It’s crowded.”

“Nah, it’s okay.”

“It’s nice of you to say that, it’s supposed to be delicious too.”

I felt like the bar was set high, but since it had a good reputation for being tasty, it should be fine.

Finally finding a seat, we both sat down and I took a sip of water before opening the menu.

“There are so many delicious-sounding options.”

“Yeah, for now, if we order the recommended dish, we can’t go wrong.”

“That might be true, but it would be a bit boring.”

“Then, what are you going to order, Ayano?”

“Hmm… This one!”

She pointed to the hamburger on the menu.

I thought she might go for something similar to me, but it turned out she was ordering a tofu hamburger.

“Are you sure about that?”

“Don’t you know about tofu hamburgers?”

“Well, I’ve heard of them, but I’ve never actually tried one.”

“They’re delicious, nutritious, and…”

“And?”

“Low in calories…”

I don’t really mind, but she’s still a girl after all. Ayano probably has the ideal figure from a guy’s perspective.

That’s probably why maintaining it is difficult. As a guy, I know how hard it can be to maintain weight.

“Don’t worry too much about that kind of stuff.”

“I-It’s not like that! It’s just… sometimes I do things like dieting, and sometimes I don’t.”

Well, which is it then…

“I’m not saying you shouldn’t diet, but take care of your body.”

“Y-Yeah, I understand.”

“Alright, that’s settled. Shall we order?”

We called the waiter over and placed our orders. After about 10 minutes, our orders arrived.

It’s quite quick. I think it’s on the faster side.

“Let’s eat.”

As I offered the customary greeting before eating, Ayano followed suit after me, placing her hands together.

“Mmm! So delicious!”

After taking a bite, Ayano held her cheek with her hand as if supporting it, her face about to melt from the deliciousness.

If it’s that good, maybe I should try it sometime.

Tofu hamburger, huh…

“Mmm, it’s delicious.”

Speaking of which, she eats with such an appetizing expression. It’s true that people who enjoy their food are generally seen in a positive light.

She looked really cute. Normally, she gives off the vibe of a composed, beautiful older sister, but now she seemed like an innocent high school student.

“Fufu.”

“What’s up?”

“N-No, I just thought you looked really cute, eating with such delight, like a little kid.”

“Huh? Cute? … Wait, you’re praising me?”

Saying that, she gave me a sharp look. I intended it as a compliment, but I guess the word “kid” didn’t sit well.

“I’m praising you?”

“Well, then. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

After mentioning it was a compliment, she genuinely thanked me. It’s moments like these that probably contribute to why Shirakawa Ayano is well-liked.

It seems simple, but saying thank you can be both easy and challenging.

“Well then, shall we…”

“Oh! Wait a second…”

“Hm? Oh, dessert?”

Ayano shook her head vigorously in a ‘no’ motion. Her long, silky hair swayed vigorously from side to side.

“I think it’s okay. Having dessert once in a while won’t make you gain weight.”

“You can’t say that to girls.”

“Sorry.”

“But, you know, just for today… Is that okay?”

Ayano had ordered a large parfait. I wondered if she was planning to eat that all by herself and swallowed nervously.

The moment the parfait arrived, Ayano’s eyes sparkled.

More than with the tofu hamburger, her eyes were truly sparkling.

She scooped up a big spoonful of the strawberry ice cream.

“Mmm, this is so good.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

“Huh? I-I mean, if I gain weight from this…”

“It’ll be okay. Take your time eating.”

“If I do get fat, I’m blaming you, Yuusei-kun.”

“I can’t take responsibility for that.”

With a spoon in her mouth, she looked at me.

I averted my gaze, because if we made eye contact, it would be awkward. So, I focused on the container holding the parfait.

“Hey, Yuusei-kun.”

“W-What is it?”

“Would you… eat the parfait?”

“Nah, I’m good.”

“Huh?! But you looked like you wanted some?”

“What kind of face was I making?”

Was I really making a face like that? And Ayano saw it too?

“Just one bite is fine, please.”

“If you’re insisting that much…”

“Yay, yay!”

“Are you really that happy?”

I couldn’t help but wonder. What kind of thoughts were running through Ayano’s head when she said she’s happy to have someone else eat what she’s eating?

“Yeah! Because sharing something you love with others is really exciting, you know? And also, if you end up liking the parfait because of this, we’ll have something to talk about!”

What a cute girl Ayano is. Compared to her, I…

“Thank you, and I’m sorry.”

“Huh? What, what?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

“Huh? What’s really going on?”

She looked at me, unconvinced, but I gave an ambiguous response.

As I was about to pick up the spoon to eat the parfait, Ayano stopped me.

“Huh? Am I not allowed to eat it?”

“N-No, that’s not it! Y-Yes!”

She extended a spoon toward me. On top of it were cream and strawberries.

“Um, Ayano-san?”

“Yes, ahh.”