Chapter 398: Ruined, Didn’t Make It
“Shinichi? What are you doing here?”
Seeing the incredibly familiar, dorky smile appear before her in an instant, Kazumi first froze, then her forehead twitched. She quickly pulled the boy, who was still holding an umbrella and standing in the rain, to a corner. After all, Sato Shinichi’s running posture, which was like Tom cat’s, was a bit too attention-grabbing.
“Kazumi! I came to see you because I wanted to, and it’s raining again. I was worried you didn’t bring an umbrella, so I hurried over.”
The boy dazedly let his girlfriend lead him onto the steps, smiling at the cute little face he saw every night and answering in a matter-of-fact manner.
“Shut up!”
These words, direct to the point of being blunt, brought a blush to the girl’s fair cheeks. She covered her boyfriend’s mouth, shyly looking at the people around them, and dragged him further away from the crowd.
“So many people are watching, what are you doing! Didn’t I tell you not to say weird things!”
Looking at his girlfriend’s cute expression, a mix of shyness and slight anger, Sato Shinichi’s smile brightened. He quickly spoke to comfort the young girl’s emotions.
“Sorry, sorry, I was just too happy to see you after so long. Let’s go, I’ll take you back to your dorm first, and then we’ll have dinner before I go back to get your things.”
“I didn’t say the things I need to bring are that much, I can manage on my own. Why did you come all this way! Your internship period isn’t over yet, can you make it back today?!”
Sato Shinichi’s increasingly practiced words of comfort made Kazumi feel exceptionally pleased. Pouting, she shook her head and grudgingly glanced at the boy before her, but her words were full of concern.
“Ah, I took tomorrow morning off. It should be fine. After all, today is your first day of internship ending, so I definitely have to come celebrate with you.”
“Are you an idiot?! You ran all this way for something like this, when we see each other every day! You didn’t reply to my messages just to come find me?”
She slapped her forehead in despair, but the smile on the corner of the girl’s mouth betrayed that her mood wasn’t too bad. Although her words were complaints, they sounded more like she was acting coquettishly in her boyfriend’s arms.
“Hehe, I wanted to give you a surprise…”
Shyly scratching his head, Sato Shinichi found his girlfriend’s scolding incredibly cute.
“Eh… I can’t do anything about you.”
Her hand slid down from her forehead. Looking at the incorrigible, dorky blond in front of her, Kazumi was at a loss. From another perspective, he had also taken a day off, which wouldn’t affect his future internship. She also had someone to go back with. If there was any inconvenience, it was probably that Shinichi, who was in the center of Kyoto city, would have to rush back to his agency in the eastern district early tomorrow.
So, this silly deer brought this upon himself. What’s there to be heartbroken about? Hmph!
However, if it had any impact on her, it was probably that the fact she had a boyfriend would definitely be spread around. Although she usually didn’t interact with these people, Shinichi’s “rare beast” behavior today was probably enough to be gossip for several days. With Noyoru Yokota’s attention towards her, he would definitely hear this news.
Although this news was definitely unavoidable, Kazumi was busy with this matter.
But what was the situation now? I was still in a tug-of-war, and you just charged in with Flash. What should I do? Charge in headfirst and fight??
Thinking this, Kazumi couldn’t help but reach out to the dorky boy’s waist, pinch the almost non-existent waist fat, and twist hard.
“Ouch, ouch, ouch! What’s wrong, Kazumi?”
At this moment, the boy was no longer the naive and simple person he used to be. Even though he wouldn’t be injured if a train hit him, he cried out in pain. Then, without any trace of acting, he turned his head to look at his girlfriend.
“Tch! I’m unhappy. Can’t I pinch you a couple of times?”
This obvious acting on her face made the girl’s eyes roll even more. But she continued to poke Sato Shinichi’s waist with an unhappy expression. This guy was going to waste all her efforts from this period.
“Yes, yes, anything is fine if you’re happy. But Kazumi, where are we going to eat later? I remember there are several shopping districts around here.”
Stroking his ruffled girlfriend’s fur, Sato Shinichi still had that genuine, brilliant smile on his face and asked gently.
“I don’t know!”
“Let’s go nearby, the shopping districts are too far, and I don’t want to walk.”
The not-so-imposing hills gently rose and fell with the girl’s breathing. After subconsciously snapping at Sato Shinichi, Kazumi’s tone softened slightly.
She could understand the feeling of wanting to take her girlfriend to eat good food. However, the travel expenses for this silly deer to come see her were not small. He still had to go back tomorrow. If the cost was too high later, this guy would definitely be reluctant to let her pay.
She just… didn’t like this feeling of always owing someone. It was better to just eat something casual nearby.
“Mhm, Kazumi, do you have any shops you want to go to? If not, I’ll look online.”
Like an elite soldier who had received an order, upon hearing his girlfriend’s command, the boy instantly entered combat mode. He held open the umbrella with one hand, making way, and quickly searched for something with his phone in the other. It looked like he was searching for suitable nearby shops on food apps.
“Anything is fine. Don’t look at your phone while walking. Also, is this how you hold an umbrella?! Idiot!”
Feeling the bizarre way he was tilting the umbrella towards her, Sato Shinichi was really too stupid in some aspects. Unable to bear it, she reached out and pulled the boy towards her.
In reality, the space provided by an umbrella was quite small. Moreover, although Sato Shinichi was not tall, his shoulders were quite broad due to exercise. Even after Kazumi pulled him out of that exaggerated tilted posture, half of his arm was still outside.
Looking back at the boy who was still unknowingly asking her which restaurant she liked, the dissatisfaction in Kazumi’s eyes finally dissipated, turning into a gentle helplessness. She pulled the boy into the small space under the umbrella again with more force, then linked his arm holding the umbrella, leaned forward, and pressed against him, just meeting the boy’s inadvertently turned startled expression.
“Kazumi…”
“What are you looking at? Let’s go! Let’s go back to the dorm to get your things first.”
“Aren’t we going to have dinner first?”
“It’s not much, I’ll just grab it on the way back…”
The figures of the boy and girl, accompanied by their sweet bickering, gradually disappeared into the drizzling rain, leaving behind a ground full of people who had been fed dog food.
And also…
Noyoru Yokota, holding an umbrella, looking travel-worn, who had rushed over, and finally froze at the back of the crowd with a look of surprise.
