I play the wind instrument in Hokkaido.

Page 28

Haruka Shinomiya smiled as if at a child, crossed her legs, and lifted her black skirt slightly, revealing a smooth curve that was hard to tell whether it was her thigh or her buttocks.

"Because you look like you're really looking forward to it."

Kitahara Hakuma couldn't help but glance at it; the texture of the stockings and the subtle flesh color assaulted his retina.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm just curious about how amazing the human body can be."

A short while later, two cans of ginger beer were served.

"Two cans? Be careful not to be greedy and try to swallow an elephant."

"There's one more can for me to drink."

Kitahara Hakuba unzipped the two bottles of ginger beer, and wisps of pale white icy mist rose up.

"Kitahara, cheers."

"cheers."

The two clinked glasses, but Kitahara Hakuma only took a small sip before focusing all his attention on Shinomiya Haruka's face.

Haruka Shinomiya raised the glass in her hand, put her small mouth to the rim of the glass, and could clearly see the cloudy yellow liquid with fine bubbles falling.

"call--"

She put down the cup, panting heavily.

Kitahara Hakuba looked at it and realized that he had only drunk a third of it. This cup wasn't one of those in anime where you could stuff your whole head in it.

"How are you feeling?" he asked curiously.

Shinomiya Haruka took a mouthful of air, held it in her mouth for a moment, and then said:

"I don't feel any difference; you can tell just by looking at my face."

"Row."

Kitahara Hakuba simply stopped eating the meat and stared intently at her face, waiting for the moment her color would change.

Haruka Shinomiya seemed to find it amusing, resting her chin on her hands with the backs of her hands, leaning her upper body slightly forward, and the two of them gazed at each other.

"It seems... nothing has changed?" he said, puzzled.

"Maybe there's not enough time, would you like to take another look?" Shinomiya Haruka deliberately raised the corners of her lips.

Kitahara Hakuma kept rubbing his chin with his hands, his gaze lingering on her beautiful face.

The two of them were playing a game, not even eating, just staring at each other.

The store employee, who had been single for 32 years, suddenly looked dejected.

"Tianbian, don't look." Another shop assistant quickly covered his eyes.

Go blanch your chicken!

Kitahara Hakuba's attention was entirely focused on Shinomiya Haruka's small face, and he was somewhat puzzled.

It seems... it's turned a little red, but not very noticeably.

Was it because I didn't drink enough? Or...?

Just as Kitahara Hakuba was about to ask if he hadn't had enough to drink, he noticed that Shinomiya Haruka was resting her cheek on her hand with a smile on her face. It was just a simple little gesture, but it exuded unparalleled charm.

Her moist pupils caught the warm light of the room, and her cherry-red face was unbelievably smooth.

Even though the chestnut-colored hair didn't brush against Kitahara Hakuma's skin, it made him feel a tickle in his heart.

"I noticed it before you did, didn't I? *blushing*" she asked with a smile, a hint of nervousness flashing across her face.

Warm light filled the narrow shop, and the two people's eyes met in the light.

Kitahara Hakuba, who had been kept in the dark, finally realized that he had been tricked by the woman in front of him.

He averted his gaze as if fleeing, picked up the glass, tilted his head, and downed the ginger beer in one gulp. He did this simply so she wouldn't see his flushed face.

"Oh my, what's going on?" Shinomiya Haruka pointed at his face, finding it quite amusing. "You became famous before me?"

Kitahara Hakuba turned his face away, feigning nonchalance.

"You lied to me."

"I didn't lie to you."

Shinomiya Haruka answered quickly, her voice extremely charming. When Kitahara Hakuba looked at her face again, it was already flushed with eagerness.

Her heels, encased in her shoes, inadvertently curled up. She had intended to say it jokingly, but out of shyness, it sounded like a coquettish pout:

"W-How is it? Is it red?"

"......"

Damn it! I don't even know how to refute that!

Shinomiya Haruka said that her face would turn red when she drank alcohol, but she didn't say that the redness was caused by drinking alcohol.

Kitahara Hakuba really can't blame her!

"You're really something..." He buried his head in his meat.

"Why does your tone sound so pathetic?" Shinomiya Haruka's low-heeled foot lightly touched his calf. "You're unhappy just because I teased you?"

"No."

Hearing his slightly aggrieved words, Shinomiya Haruka burst out laughing.

Upon hearing her laugh, Kitahara Hakuba's face turned even redder.

He's been tricked again... Logically, he should be angry.

But considering the black stockings, I won't hold it against her.

Shinomiya Haruka covered her lips with her hand, her almond-shaped eyes smiling like crescent moons:

"Sorry, sorry, it's so funny to think about how seriously you were looking at me just now."

Kitahara Hakuba's heart was stirred by her, but he quickly realized that she must have a lot of experience to be so good at it.

Thinking about this, he felt a complex mix of emotions, a kind of restlessness that came from nowhere.

Seeing his face suddenly tighten, Shinomiya Haruka's smile vanished abruptly, and she raised her slender, white index finger.

"It's only you."

"what?"

"I'll only do this to you."

Yes, she saw right through everything.

"Don't misunderstand, I wasn't thinking about anything else."

"Because it would be very appealing, right? Like using little tricks to bring two people closer, or secretly showing someone a glimpse of their pantyhose thigh. It's a rare treat to have dinner with someone, shouldn't you be a little more cunning?"

"Wait, stop talking."

The more she spoke, the more ashamed Kitahara Hakuba felt.

Shinomiya Haruka tilted her head, revealing a mischievous smile: "Kitahara, you're quite cute."

Kitahara Hakuba took a deep breath, intending to look at Shinomiya Haruka with a serious expression and say, "I don't care about these things."

"Pfft-"

Before she could even speak, she clutched her stomach and burst out laughing.

You're laughing again!

"Because you have such a tense face, as if you're saying 'I don't care at all,' which really makes me laugh."

"...Shinomiya, you may not understand me very well. I am a sensitive person. Could you please be a little more tactful with me?"

Kitahara Hakuma felt his dignity being mercilessly trampled by her black-stockinged little feet.

"Okay, I get it."

Shinomiya Haruka sighed charmingly.

"But let me tell you in advance, I have never seduced anyone, so don't imagine me as a bad woman."

In your eyes, I'm not even human?

Kitahara Hakuma bit down hard on the chicken in his mouth, deciding to stop talking. Every smile and frown of hers seemed to be carefully calculated, and he absolutely couldn't fall into that trap again.

◇

After paying the bill, the two left the toriyaki restaurant. It was almost six o'clock, and the setting sun still cast a faint glow on the mountains and forests.

Kitahara Hakuba put on his coat, took a deep breath, and said:

"I'm leaving now. Let me know in advance if you're coming to school."

Just as he turned to go home, Shinomiya Haruka suddenly reached out and grabbed the hem of his coat:

"Are you leaving now?"

Kitahara Hakuba glanced at the clouds.

"Good night?"

"You're so silly—" Seeing his teasing reaction, Shinomiya Haruka relaxed and laughed, "Come to my house."

"Still eating? I can't eat anymore."

"Who told you that coming to my house is just for dinner? Work overtime tonight and try to finish the adapted sheet music."

Kitahara Hakuba paused for a moment, then said seriously:

"Isn't this too much of a bother for you?"

"It's okay, I don't have anything to do tonight anyway. I told you, Hakodate is very boring." Shinomiya Haruka tiptoed aimlessly, her skirt swaying gently.

"That's fine..."

"It will also show you how charming I am in my pajamas."

"You deliberately?"

Ignoring Kitahara Hakuba's teasing, Shinomiya Haruka stood with her hands behind her back, her eyes seemingly filled with all the charm of the world. A cool breeze blew by, and her chestnut hair swayed in the breeze.