After walking out of the movie theater, there was a complicated look in Satou Maya's eyes. After all, back inside the theater just now, it had only been her own heart racing, one-sidedly. From the moment they went in to the moment they came out, nothing about their relationship had changed at all.
Still more than friends, less than lovers—maybe even just friends?
The moment she thought about it, Satou Maya's mood grew even more complicated.
Before long, though, Satou Maya's gaze fell upon Matsushita Chiaki. There was a hint of encouragement in those eyes, as if to say that she herself had failed, but there was still Matsushita Chiaki—telling Matsushita Chiaki to do her best.
Matsushita Chiaki read the meaning in Satou Maya's eyes, and being looked at with that kind of gaze, a wave of reluctance welled up in her heart despite herself.
Her brows knitted together ever so slightly, and a flicker of panic flashed through those blue eyes.
Because even she herself didn't know what she was supposed to do next.
She had only agreed to come along, wanting to confirm her own feelings—but as for exactly how to make a move, how to close the distance with Shikime Natsu, she had absolutely no clue.
What's more, seeing the way Karuizawa Kei and Satou Maya were acting, they were clearly going to be watching closely to see how she operated, which put Matsushita Chiaki under even more crushing pressure.
As for Karuizawa Kei and Satou Maya, the two of them figured that, among the three of them, Matsushita Chiaki was the smart type. Although she didn't usually voice her opinions much, you could tell—Matsushita Chiaki was clever.
Take, for instance, the first time Shikime Natsu tutored the three of them. Satou Maya and Karuizawa Kei discovered that it was actually just the two of them who needed tutoring, while Matsushita Chiaki had no problems at all.
Since Matsushita Chiaki was that smart, then when it came to romance, she'd probably be good at it too, right?
Shikime Natsu's gaze swept lightly over the three beautiful girls, each lost in her own scheming, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl upward.
There was a hint of amusement in those pale-golden eyes; naturally, he knew about the three beauties' plans.
After all, the three of them couldn't have been more obvious in their movements. It was just that, as far as execution went, they were still a little green. Take that "accidental" contact in the theater, for example—if it had been just one boy and one girl, and both parties were bashful and inexperienced, then it would have had quite an effect.
But Shikime Natsu already had so many girlfriends; he couldn't possibly be inexperienced. So it had only been Satou Maya alone in a state of panicked disarray.
And after that brief bit of contact, Satou Maya had actually chosen to fold her banners and beat a quiet retreat—and just like that, the movie ended. A maiden's shy bashfulness still kept the maiden from doing anything too forward.
Although today was supposed to be the day Shikime Natsu and Karuizawa Kei went on a date, Karuizawa Kei had evidently ceded this time slot to her two best friends, wanting them each to find a chance to make their move.
Karuizawa Kei also knew Satou Maya had already failed, so naturally the only one left to rely on now was Matsushita Chiaki—though she had no idea what Matsushita Chiaki planned to do.
Satou Maya, for her part, was thinking that if Matsushita Chiaki succeeded, then perhaps she could learn a thing or two from Matsushita Chiaki afterward.
And it was right at this moment that Shikime Natsu's gaze happened to fall upon Matsushita Chiaki. Matsushita Chiaki felt Shikime Natsu's eyes on her, and her body stiffened slightly.
Her heart suddenly began to race, thump-thump-thump, as if beating a drum.
She instinctively lifted her head, and their eyes met briefly in the air.
Shikime Natsu's eyes were beautiful. Those pale-golden eyes shimmered with a soft luster under the sunlight, making it impossible not to want to steal a few more glances.
But Matsushita Chiaki didn't dare look for long, and hurriedly averted her gaze, her eyes dropping to the ground beneath her feet.
A faint blush rose on her fair cheeks, spreading from her cheeks all the way to the roots of her ears, staining her neck a light shade of pink.
Her heart was still pounding, so fast that it made her feel a little short of breath.
Matsushita Chiaki usually looked quite mature and composed, but at times like this, she clearly couldn't manage it.
And after coming out to play, Matsushita Chiaki realized she seemed to have been rather strongly affected by that dream—she kept thinking about getting closer to Shikime Natsu, closer still.
But as for the specific execution and all that, Matsushita Chiaki had no idea whatsoever. After all, in the dream, it had basically been Shikime Natsu leading everything, with her just following along to his rhythm.
When she was nervous, he would hold her hand; when she was shy, he would pull her into his embrace; and even in those more intimate moments, it had all been him guiding everything.
But now, having to take the initiative herself—that kind of thing was still just a bit too much to ask of Matsushita Chiaki.
She took a deep breath, trying hard to calm herself down.
She told herself: don't be nervous, don't rush, take it slow.
But her body wouldn't obey her, still stiff as if frozen solid.
On top of that, with Karuizawa Kei and Satou Maya both present at this moment, her actions were also a little constrained.
At the very least, she couldn't let them see just how much she craved Shikime Natsu.
If they saw through her, then wouldn't all the reserve she'd shown before collapse without so much as a fight?
Matsushita Chiaki thought this to herself, biting her lip.
But if she didn't show it, then how could she ever get Shikime Natsu to remember her?
She sank into deep inner conflict. Maybe, when it came time to eat lunch, she could show off a bit of her feminine charm?
Like cooking, perhaps?
Matsushita Chiaki's gaze drifted involuntarily to Shikime Natsu's hands.
Those rather lovely hands were capable of producing top-tier cuisine—she quickly dismissed that idea. When it came to cooking, she didn't think anyone in this world could surpass Shikime Natsu's culinary skill.
Showing off her cooking in front of Shikime Natsu would be like wielding an axe at the master carpenter's door.
Besides, the dishes she made simply weren't in the same league as Shikime Natsu's cooking.
Matsushita Chiaki let out a soft sigh, that delicate little face full of conflict.
Her brows were faintly furrowed, her lips pressed into a thin line, and those blue eyes flickered with some unreadable emotion.
Watching her like this, Shikime Natsu couldn't help but chuckle inwardly.
He thought of the Matsushita Chiaki from those dreams—the one who was bold, proactive, even with a touch of sly mischief, who would take the initiative to draw close to him, to take his hand, to speak those blush-inducing words straight from her heart.
Yet now, she had turned into this nervous, conflicted version of herself.
Was it because they weren't close enough?
Shikime Natsu mused inwardly, the curve of his lips lifting slightly.
But they were already plenty close—he'd become acquainted with every inch of her, from head to toe.
Of course, these were words Shikime Natsu could never possibly say out loud.
He withdrew his gaze, then opened his mouth to speak, breaking the somewhat delicate silence.
"So, do you all have any plans after this?"
His voice was quite gentle and pleasant to the ear—so much so that even if they listened to it for an entire day, none of these beautiful girls would ever grow tired of it.
Shikime Natsu looked at Karuizawa Kei, then at Satou Maya and Matsushita Chiaki.
The three girls glanced at one another, none of them saying a word.
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"If you don't have any plans, then just come wander around with me."
Shikime Natsu paused, a hint of amusement in those pale-golden eyes.
Hearing this, the three of them nodded almost simultaneously.
"Okay." "Sure."
"Mm."
The three voices rang out at nearly the same instant, overlapping one another, then just as suddenly stopped all at once.
All three faces wore slightly embarrassed expressions.
If anything, Shikime Natsu putting it that way actually made them heave a sigh of relief.
No one had made any plans for what came next, and drawing up a new strategy now would have been a little too hasty—so if Shikime Natsu was taking the initiative to lead them all shopping together, then naturally that was for the best.
Matsushita Chiaki, too, felt relieved in her heart, her tense shoulders relaxing a bit, her breathing evening out somewhat.
Her gaze quietly settled on Shikime Natsu, and she thought to herself: what came next depended on what Shikime Natsu would do, and then on what kind of opportunity she could find.
Perhaps she didn't need to make a move herself at all—perhaps if she just followed in Shikime Natsu's footsteps, an opportunity would arise on its own?
She thought this to herself, then set off, catching up to the three people ahead of her.
And so, the four of them began strolling through Keyaki Mall together.
All sorts of shops were lined up in rows, their display windows showcasing a dazzling array of goods—from clothing to accessories, from books to snacks, everything you could think of.
Every so often, a few students would pass by from the side, some hurrying along, others leisurely at ease.
The air was filled with the faint aroma of coffee, along with the sweet, sugary scent wafting over from the dessert shop.
Shikime Natsu walked at the very front, his pace unhurried and composed, neither fast nor slow.
Karuizawa Kei walked on Shikime Natsu's left, a happy smile on her face.
Her golden ponytail swayed gently behind her, the hem of her white skirt fluttering in the breeze—her whole being radiating the sweet, sugary aura of being in love.
Satou Maya walked on Shikime Natsu's right, chiming in with a few words now and then, or pointing at some shop and saying things like "This is so pretty" or "That's so cute," trying hard to take part in the conversation.
Matsushita Chiaki walked at the very back, her steps neither fast nor slow, keeping about a step's distance from the people ahead.
Her gaze fell every so often on Shikime Natsu's back, but inwardly she was thinking about something else entirely.
That head of long brown hair draped smoothly over her shoulders, swaying gently with each step, the hem of her pale-blue dress rippling as she moved.
She watched Shikime Natsu's back, watched the profile of his face glowing softly in the sunlight, watched that unhurried, composed gait of his.
That strange feeling in her heart grew stronger and stronger once again.
It was as if she'd seen this somewhere before.
Matsushita Chiaki's brows knitted slightly, a trace of confusion flashing through those eyes.
She looked at the surrounding shops, then at the layout of the corridor, then at Shikime Natsu and Karuizawa Kei walking ahead.
That sense of déjà vu in her heart grew ever stronger.
She felt as if she had strolled through here before.
And what's more, it seemed she'd done it together with the very same people.
Matsushita Chiaki shook her head, thinking she was probably just overthinking it.
After all, she'd been to Keyaki Mall many times, so it wasn't strange to have such a feeling, right?
She thought this to herself, then continued following the people ahead.
But just as they rounded a corner, Shikime Natsu suddenly came to a stop.
He tilted his head slightly, his gaze falling on a decorative tree by the roadside.
It was an ornamental tree planted in a large flowerpot, its trunk curved, its shape unique, looking like a person in the middle of a dance.
Shikime Natsu reached out, pointed at the tree, and then remarked offhandedly.
"The shape of this tree is rather interesting."
But the moment Matsushita Chiaki heard these words, she froze completely.
This scene, this image, along with Shikime Natsu's actions and words at this very moment—even the blue ribbon hanging from the tree's branches right now—all of it had appeared in her dream.
Last night, she had had that dream.
In the dream, it had also been in this very mall, also after walking past the movie theater, also beside this oddly shaped tree, that Shikime Natsu had stopped, pointed at the tree, and said those very same words.
"The shape of this tree is rather interesting."
Exactly the same.
Every word, every pause, every inflection—all of it identical.
Matsushita Chiaki began to recall every single detail, starting from when she'd seen Shikime Natsu this morning right up until now.
When they'd met at the entrance of Keyaki Mall, Shikime Natsu had been wearing a white shirt, standing there waiting for them.
That image was the same as in the dream.
Then the four of them had walked into the theater together, bought popcorn, and found their seats to sit down.
Karuizawa Kei sat on Shikime Natsu's left, she herself sat on Karuizawa Kei's left, and Satou Maya sat on Shikime Natsu's right. This seating arrangement, however, was different from the dream—in the dream, it had been just her and Shikime Natsu, the two of them alone, with no Karuizawa Kei or Satou Maya.
Matsushita Chiaki's brows furrowed even tighter as her mind raced back through every single detail of the dream.
And then she realized that, starting from the moment she'd met Shikime Natsu, the entire trajectory of their route was identical to the dream she'd had last night.
Which places they'd gone, which paths they'd walked, which shops they'd passed—all of it was the same.
The only difference was that in the dream, it had been just her and Shikime Natsu, whereas in reality there was the added presence of Karuizawa Kei and Satou Maya.
After coming out of the theater, every single thing Shikime Natsu had said was practically identical to the dream, too.
"So, do you all have any plans after this?"
"Let's wander around together."
"The shape of this tree is rather interesting."
These words were almost exactly like the ones in the dream.
Matsushita Chiaki's expression shifted, an unnatural flush appearing on her cheeks.
Matsushita Chiaki's gaze once again fell upon Shikime Natsu, who stood before her, and she recalled that the last time she'd met with Shikime Natsu, she had also once wondered whether the two of them had had the same dream.
What had he said again?
Matsushita Chiaki found she'd forgotten Shikime Natsu's answer—no, wait, it seemed there hadn't been an answer, because at that time Satou Maya and the other had come back, so... she'd never managed to get an answer.
Matsushita Chiaki took a deep breath, then quickened her pace, walking over to Karuizawa Kei and Satou Maya.
Her steps were a bit hurried, her breathing not quite steady.
"Kei, Maya..."
She called out, her voice carrying a trace of nervousness, a trace of urgency.
"Hm?"
Karuizawa Kei turned her head, those purple eyes looking at Matsushita Chiaki with a hint of curiosity.
"What's wrong?"
Satou Maya also turned her head, her gaze settling on Matsushita Chiaki's face.
"Um..."
Matsushita Chiaki hesitated, her gaze sweeping back and forth between Karuizawa Kei and Satou Maya, then continued.
"Could you go buy me a bottle of water? I'm a little thirsty."
Her voice was very soft, carrying a hint of pleading.
Karuizawa Kei looked at her, and a flash of understanding crossed those purple eyes.
She glanced at Satou Maya, and Satou Maya looked at Karuizawa Kei too. The two exchanged a look in the air, and in an instant they grasped Matsushita Chiaki's meaning.
"Sure, we'll go buy some. Natsu, why don't you stay here for a bit and keep Chiaki company—Maya and I will go get you two some water."
Karuizawa Kei said this to Shikime Natsu with a smile, then took Satou Maya and left, the two of them departing from Matsushita Chiaki and Shikime Natsu.
Since Matsushita Chiaki intended to launch her offensive, the two good friends naturally had to provide the assist.
Although Satou Maya couldn't witness firsthand how the attack unfolded, she could still ask about it once it was over.
The two of them soon vanished from the corridor and from the two's line of sight, leaving only Shikime Natsu and Matsushita Chiaki here.
Matsushita Chiaki stood where she was and took a deep breath.
Her chest rose and fell with her breathing, and on that pale-blue dress, one could faintly make out the curve of her chest trembling ever so slightly.
Her hands hung at her sides, her fingers slightly curled, ceaselessly rubbing at the fabric of her skirt.
She lowered her head, not daring to look at Shikime Natsu.
Even though she'd already sent Karuizawa Kei and Satou Maya away, she was still quite nervous at this moment—it was as if she were afraid of something.
Afraid that her guess was wrong.
Afraid that those dreams really had been nothing more than dreams.
She told herself inwardly: don't be nervous, don't be nervous, take a deep breath, calm down.
Shikime Natsu stood in place, unmoving, his gaze resting on Matsushita Chiaki as he watched her with a great deal of patience.
The current Shikime Natsu didn't yet have a supernatural ability like mind-reading—though of course, Shikime Natsu could still roughly guess what Matsushita Chiaki intended to say to him.
After all... every place they'd just walked past had been deliberately guided by him, guiding Matsushita Chiaki to recall the things from the dream.
After a while, Matsushita Chiaki finally lifted her head, those blue eyes meeting Shikime Natsu's pale-golden ones. The girl's face was flushed red, her lips trembling faintly.
"Natsu..."
"Hm?"
"Have... have you ever had a dream?"
Hearing Matsushita Chiaki's question, Shikime Natsu chuckled.
"Of course I have."
Getting this answer from Shikime Natsu, Matsushita Chiaki was clearly unsatisfied—though this had something to do with her own failure to make herself clear. After all, if she was just asking about having dreams, well, everyone has those, right?
"That's not what I mean. What I'm trying to ask is whether you, Natsu, have ever had a dream related to me—a dream where... where maybe we were lovers..."
The wind stirred up the girl's strands of hair.
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