Kapitel 28: FFD 27
A few candies slipped out from Hayama's pocket, abruptly bringing both of them back to reality. Kato swiftly crouched down and collected them for him. "Here, Hayama."
He accepted the candies, absentmindedly tearing open one wrapper and preparing to pop it into his mouth. However, he paused and spoke up, "Kato, would you like to try one too?"
The candy was sweet, but Kato's expression was even sweeter. Her lips gently nibbled on the square candy, producing a satisfying crunch. The smooth and velvety chocolate filling oozed into her mouth, releasing a rich flavor that was perfectly balanced and not overpowering. Kato's lips formed a subtle smile as she savored the delightful sensation.
A tender smile gradually appeared between Hayama's brows and eyes. It was the day he witnessed the most expressive range of emotions on Kato's face since he had known her.
As the sky gradually darkened, the two of them shared a pleasant dinner and began their walk back home.
With him by her side, she felt a sense of comfort and started idly playing with her phone.
"Hayama, should we step into this store and check it out?" she suddenly halted in front of a shop that showcased an array of peculiar items.
He paused, "Is there something you want to buy?"
"I have a feeling that item might come in handy for you tomorrow, Hayama," she suggested, pointing at a beautifully packaged box that caught her attention—the Poop-shaped Chocolate!
"Huh? How would that be useful for me?" he couldn't quite comprehend the purpose behind it.
"Hayama, didn't you see the poster the soccer club shared on Twitter?" she asked, handing her phone to him. The screen displayed the visually pleasing poster created by Eriri, but it now featured an additional line of gradient-colored text that gave a sense of rebelliousness. It read, "Sobu is a trash team, Toyogasaki will emerge victorious, or else I, Hayama, will eat shit upside down!"
He felt a bit overwhelmed.. When he had forwarded the poster to the club group, it didn't include that particular line of text. If they were going to talk tough, they shouldn't have involved him, right?
"I... I had no idea," His facial expression kept changing.
"Really? But it already has hundreds of retweets."
He contemplated the situation for a moment and eventually made up his mind. He decided to step into the shop
...
At the pedestrian crossing, he noticed that Kato was still fixated on her phone.
"Kato, stop looking at your phone. We're about to cross the road."
"Don't treat me like a child, Hayama." she reluctantly pocketed her phone and adjusted her hat.
He simply shrugged, choosing not to argue further. As the pedestrian traffic light switched to green, indicating it was safe to cross, a speeding motorcycle unexpectedly raced by, defying the rules of the road. The pedestrians waiting to cross wore grim expressions, frozen in their tracks.
Suddenly, a black-haired girl deeply engrossed in a book rushed out from Hayama's left side. A delicate fragrance of roses wafted through the air as the girl stepped directly onto the road, oblivious to the approaching motorcycle.
Reacting swiftly, he reached out and firmly grasped the girl's long hair, yanking her back with a forceful pull that caused her to stumble and fall onto the ground. It was then that he recognized her—it was Kasumigaoka Utaha, his neighbor from next door.
"Ah! You..." Utaha let out a cry of pain, her wine-red eyes brimming with anger. She had intended to scold him, but the motorcycle zoomed past, its gust of wind threatening to lift her skirt if it hadn't been weighed down by the book she held tightly in her hands.
"No need to thank me. Goodbye," he stated casually, his attention shifting towards his date. "Kato, let's go."
Kato cast a curious glance back at Utaha but refrained from saying anything. Utaha watched as the two of them gradually walked away, her gaze flickering with mixed emotions.
After safely accompanying Kato back home, he made his way back to his apartment.
As he rode the elevator to his apartment, the doors slid open to unveil the striking figure of Utaha, the literary girl, standing right at the entrance.
"What are you doing here?"
"I'm waiting for the magnificent hero who saved me twice this week," Utaha replied with a captivating smile, her tongue lightly grazing her crimson lips, emanating an irresistible allure.
"I've already told you there's no need for thanks. Please step aside. I want to go in."
"Hayama-kun, if you're going in, try to be a little more gentle," she conceded and stepped aside, but her tone carried a mischievous edge as she whispered into his ear.
"Can you please act normal?" he refused to open the door and looked at her with a questioning gaze.
"Huh, don't most men enjoy this kind of thing? Could it be... are you afraid of your girlfriend?" she pondered, attempting to recall Kato's image, but her memory seemed hazy. The clearest impression she had was of the white beret.
"First of all, Kato is not my girlfriend, and secondly, I'm not afraid of my girlfriend. I just don't like trouble," he replied, trying to maintain a calm expression. She stood unusually close, and he could feel the warmth emanating from her body.
"Are you seriously suggesting that you find me troublesome? That my hero actually thinks I'm a bother?"
"Should I really praise you for your self-awareness?" he replied, not wanting to get entangled with her, despite finding her attractive and having a well-endowed chest.
"Nope, but you can praise me for being beautiful," she smiled, unfazed by his sarcasm. Her playful tone hinted at her self-assuredness and sharp wit. It seemed like she had finally encountered someone who shared some similarities with her, sparking a genuine interest in him.
His eyebrows twitched as he replied, "Sarcastic compliments aren't really my thing." He couldn't help but acknowledge that he was having a hard time dealing with someone as unique as her.
"Thank you for your generous compliment. It truly warms my heart," she replied with a smile. However, her smile wasn't prompted by his praise; rather, it stemmed from the satisfaction she derived from seeing Hayama growing increasingly frustrated.
"Ah, well, it's always nice to feel happy," he said, opening the door and preparing to make his escape, eager to put some distance between himself and the weird girl.
"Hayama, why not invite me in for a little while? I'm more than willing to repay you properly," Utaha suggested, extending her left leg to block the doorway. The black stockings she wore clung tightly; catching the flickering lights of the corridor and acting as natural eye magnets.
"Hayama-kun, are you peeping again? If you let me in, you can openly appreciate me," her words carried a tempting undertone, luring him in.
But...
"No need, thanks," he replied, bending his finger and lightly flicking the tendon in her knee. Instantly, she winced in pain, tightly closing her left eye, while her right eye managed to stay open, shimmering with a few tears glistening in her fiery red gaze.
"By the way, try not to read while walking next time. You might not be so lucky to find someone willing to help," he said, closing the door.
"You despicable man, lacking any hint of gentlemanly behavior," she muttered, hobbling back to her own apartment. The force behind his finger flick had been quite substantial, and recovering from a strike to the tendon wasn't an easy feat.
'I had intended to thank him properly, but why do I suddenly have the urge to punch him in the face?'
...
Just as Hayama finished organizing his newly purchased clothes, his phone suddenly rang.
"Hello, Eriri..."
"Oh, little Hayama, taking your time to answer the phone, huh? Could it be that you're up to no good?"
The voice of Sayuri echoed through the phone, her words laden with ambiguity.
"Aunt Sayuri, why are you calling me from Eriri's phone?" he began contemplating ending the call. Sayuri was an elder who enjoyed causing trouble, so if she called out of the blue, it couldn't be anything good.
"Well, this is actually my phone. Eriri's phone is broken!"
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein