Chapter 658: So Sweet
“What’s wrong? Are you nervous about what happened earlier?” A warm hand suddenly reached out from the side, gently holding Kazumi’s slightly cool palm. Kazumi abruptly turned her head, meeting Satō Shin’ichi’s azure eyes filled with concern. The young boy’s initiative made the girl flustered for an instant, especially in this Shinkansen carriage full of passengers.
She subconsciously looked around, and after confirming that no one was noticing their intimate gesture, she mumbled softly, “Y-yes, a little bit.”
Satō Shin’ichi gave a helpless smile, as if chastising himself, “Pfft, I should have told you beforehand. I was just planning to give you a surprise.”
“If you had told me in advance, I might not have come,” Kazumi turned her head away, her voice growing softer.
“Why?” The young boy’s eyes widened slightly. “Kazumi, this is an opportunity I specifically begged Grandpa Kusakabe for!”
[That’s exactly why…]
Kazumi sighed inwardly. She lowered her head, looking at their intertwined hands. The warmth from Satō Shin’ichi’s palm gave her an inexplicable sense of security.
“This is too precious…” the girl’s voice was so soft it was almost inaudible. “And,”
Her words suddenly choked in her throat. How could she explain that she already possessed superpowers? How could she clarify that this well-intentioned offer might expose her identity as part of a hidden dark organization? Kazumi bit her lower lip and finally just shook her head gently.
At some point, the girl, who had been comfortably accepting the young boy’s kindness, began to understand him and consider him as well.
Perhaps it was because Satō Shin’ichi had given so much this time, or perhaps their interactions over this long period had subtly advanced their relationship, but more than anything, it was the sight of his selfless, unrequited sacrifices that made Kazumi see a reflection of her past self.
And compared to herself, who wholeheartedly poured everything into the boys she liked, while constantly hiding things from him and even thinking of using him, she felt so… dirty and ugly at this moment.
Satō Shin’ichi, however, misunderstood her hesitation. “Kazumi, are you worried about failing? It’s okay! Even if it doesn’t work out this time, I’ll keep trying to find a way!”
The determined light flickering in the young boy’s eyes made Kazumi’s heart tremble. She suddenly realized that she didn’t even know what she was worried about, yet she was still trying her best to give her the best.
[Shimizu Kazumi, you’re really something else…]
She inexplicably cursed herself inwardly, and Kazumi suddenly felt her nose sting. She blinked hard, suppressing that inexplicable emotion. “I just feel that, at that time, it was just a temporary emotion, and Shin’ichi, you’re putting in too much effort like this…” “I think…” “Being a civilian is perfectly fine too.”
Satō Shin’ichi’s expression suddenly turned serious. He gently squeezed Kazumi’s hand, his voice gentle yet firm. “Kazumi, this isn’t just for your friend from before.”
The scenery flashing by outside the window cast shifting shadows in his azure eyes. Satō Shin’ichi leaned forward slightly, sunlight dancing on his golden eyelashes through the train window. His gaze was as soft as a clear spring, yet held an irrefutable firmness. “As your boyfriend, if I let you show that kind of expression so easily, then I’m not doing well enough, am I?”
As he said this, the iconic warm smile still lingered on his lips, but his eyes were serious enough to make Kazumi’s heart tremble. The sunlight cast a golden rim around his profile, and even the fine downy hairs were clearly visible.
“So…” he gently rubbed Kazumi’s finger joints. “Don’t have any other worries. I’ll do my best to help you achieve whatever you want, Kazumi.”
The young boy paused, then somewhat shyly scratched his cheek. “Although… perhaps my current power is still limited…” “But even for you, Kazumi, I will work hard!” This action instantly made him revert to the familiar and shy silly boy, but the sincerity and tenderness of that moment were deeply imprinted in Kazumi’s heart.
[9999999 q]
[It’s over!] The sudden sincerity and tenderness struck Kazumi’s cold, fragile heart like a heavy blow, without warning or reason.
Ignoring the pink numbers that seemed like affection points popping up above his head, Kazumi’s heart was filled with only these two words at this moment. Even without touching, she knew her cheeks must be red and hot. Kazumi could feel that something was wrong with herself, or rather, Satō Shin’ichi was starting to act strange.
It seemed that ever since that incident, Satō Shin’ichi had inexplicably become more proactive, and even the frequency of him saying sweet things had increased. More importantly, these sweet words weren’t the cliché, greasy pick-up lines taught by his scummy friend Tadayoshi Tsumida, which were obvious from a mile away. Instead, they were so natural, as if they sprang from the bottom of his heart. He truly thought this way from the bottom of his heart.
[No, I can’t let this conversation continue.] Looking at the young boy beside her, whose eyes were fixed on her with a smile, the remaining will within Kazumi told her that she absolutely could not continue down this path. This was a public place on the Shinkansen. If their affection points increased further, even Kazumi didn’t know what strange things she might do.
Suddenly remembering something, Kazumi fumbled in her pocket and pulled out a bag of small biscuits. The crinkling of the wrapper was loud, and a few biscuits fell onto the seat. “Open your mouth!” she said, her face red, and unceremoniously shoved a biscuit into Satō Shin’ichi’s mouth, her movement so fast she almost poked his nose. The young boy was stunned by the sudden feeding, the biscuit stuck in his mouth, unable to speak, only able to make muffled “Mmm mmm mmm” sounds with blinked eyes. Sunlight shone on his bulging cheeks, making him look like a squirrel hoarding nuts.
“Don’t, don’t say any more of those strange things!” Kazumi abruptly turned away, leaving only the tip of her reddened ear visible. Her voice was muffled, as if coming from a distance. “Eat… Eat your biscuits!” Satō Shin’ichi finally swallowed the biscuit and was about to speak, when Kazumi, as if she had eyes in the back of her head, stuffed two more biscuits into his hand. “H-have another one!” The young boy looked at the slightly crumpled biscuit in his hand, then at his girlfriend’s rapidly reddening earlobes, and suddenly understood something. He obediently took a bite of the biscuit, but the corners of his mouth couldn’t stop curving upwards. “So sweet,” he mumbled softly, unsure if he was referring to the biscuit or something else.
