"Alright, look over here."
Eikichi Onizuka crouched down, positioning himself like a seasoned photographer.
"Boss, why are you two standing so far apart? Come on, get closer!"
Onizuka smirked mischievously as he directed them, noticing the shy tension between the boss, Kyousuke, and the girl who had attended the gathering, Shouko.
Hearing his words, Shouko hesitated before glancing at Kyousuke, a bashful smile tugging at her lips.
Then, she took a small step closer.
Kyousuke, amused by Shouko's adorable demeanor, smiled and decisively closed the gap with a single stride.
Their arms were now touching.
Yuzuru grinned, wedging herself between them, her mouth curling into an exaggerated, delighted arc.
Feeling the warmth of Kyousuke's arm, Shouko's heart began to race.
She hesitantly reached out, her small hand gently brushing against his long fingers.
But the moment she made contact, she retracted her hand like a startled little animal, her cheeks burning as she sneaked a glance at him.
Sensing her movement, Kyousuke turned to look at her, and their eyes met.
For a fleeting second, Shouko felt an electric jolt run through her body.
She was overwhelmed with shyness but forced herself to hold his gaze. That was when she felt it—her hand was suddenly enveloped by his, warm and strong.
Secure. Reliable. Unwilling to ever let go.
A whirlwind of emotions surged through Shouko's mind, her eyes shimmering like a spring lake, fixed unblinkingly on Kyousuke.
"Kyousuke-kun... this feels like a date," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"It is a date," Kyousuke responded just as softly, his gaze drawn to her delicate, ruby-red ears.
"Kyousuke-kun..."
"Look at the camera, Shouko."
Kyousuke chuckled and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
Her hand was soft, warm, and smooth, making it difficult for him to let go.
"Mmm!"
Feeling his reassuring grip, Shouko's heart melted.
She quickly looked toward the camera, subtly leaning closer to him.
Kyousuke reached out his free hand and placed it atop Yuzuru's head.
She was just the right height—too tempting not to give her head a little pat.
"Alright, say cheese!"
Just as Yuzuru was about to protest, she heard the command and immediately beamed a wide smile.
"Alright, all done! Boss, we're heading out!" Eikichi Onizuka jogged over, handed the camera to Kyousuke, and disappeared into the crowd.
Something felt off.
Kyousuke watched Onizuka vanish, a nagging suspicion creeping up on him.
He quickly flipped through the camera, only to realize Onizuka hadn't taken just one picture.
He had also captured the moment when Kyousuke and Shouko locked eyes.
In the photo, Shouko's slightly baby-faced cheeks made her look adorably innocent.
Her bashful expression was evident, her eyes glistening under the sunlight, filled with a love so pure it seemed ready to overflow.
Anyone who saw it would instantly recognize the deep affection in her gaze.
As for Kyousuke himself? He had a gentle, indulgent smile like someone gazing at their most cherished treasure.
"Let me see!" Yuzuru stretched her hands up, trying to snatch the camera, but Kyousuke held it out to Shouko instead.
"Kyousuke-kun... you look so handsome." Shouko's face turned even redder.
She was embarrassed, yet her mind was already made up—this picture would be her new wallpaper.
No, better yet, she'd print it and place it by her bedside.
That way, she could fall asleep looking at Kyousuke-kun every night.
Then, her eyes shifted to focus entirely on Kyousuke in the image.
His tousled hair, sharp facial features, and effortlessly cool aura made him look like a model.
The white shirt revealed just a hint of his collarbone, exuding both masculinity and charm.
No matter how she looked at him, Kyousuke-kun was simply perfect.
Seeing his affectionate smile in the photo, Shouko felt warmth spreading through her chest.
"You two!" Yuzuru, still failing to snatch the camera, planted her hands on her hips, pouting in frustration.
"Haha, you can look later. For now, let's head to the sushi place," Kyousuke said, handing the camera to Yuzuru before gently nudging her forward.
Watching them walk ahead, Shouko couldn't help but smile blissfully as she quickly caught up.
"Wow, there are so many people!" Yuzuru exclaimed, her jaw dropping as she saw the long queue outside the sushi restaurant.
Shouko frowned slightly.
If it were just her and Yuzuru, she wouldn't have minded waiting.
But since Kyousuke-kun was with them, she felt guilty about making him stand in line for so long just because she wanted to eat at Genki Sushi.
"I'll handle it. You two wait here for a moment," Kyousuke said, grinning at their troubled expressions.
He strolled toward the front of the line, knowing from past experiences that long queues always meant scalpers were around.
Sure enough, after just a few steps, someone discreetly called out to him.
Unfortunately, none of them had a three-person table available.
"Boss!"
Kyousuke turned at the familiar greeting.
Normally, he found these formal salutations cringeworthy, but today, they felt oddly pleasant.
He spotted a group of boys—members of the Higashi High Kendo Club.
He vaguely remembered sparring with them the other day.
"Hey, what's up? You guys are all hanging out together on the weekend?" he asked.
"Not exactly. We're helping Tsukasa get a new exhaust for his bike, so we decided to make some quick cash as scalpers," one of them replied.
"Got a table for three?" Kyousuke asked.
"Just so happens we do. Here, take it, Boss."
"How much?" Kyousuke pulled out his wallet.
"No way! Consider it our thanks for all your guidance. Besides, we're about to get in soon anyway—it'd be a waste to just leave."
"I can't just—"
"We're off!" Without waiting for Kyousuke to argue, they shoved the voucher into his hand and ran off.
"Haha, those guys... I guess I'll add extra training next week as a 'thank you,'" Kyousuke chuckled.
[TL Note – In what universe does extra training count as a 'thank you'????]
He had no idea that, regardless of whether he was rewarding or punishing his subordinates, it always resulted in extra training.
Would those boys regret their generosity next week?
"Shouko, bring Yuzuru to the entrance."
Rather than shouting, Kyousuke calmly made a call.
"Whoa, Kyousuke-nii, how did you pull this off?" Yuzuru asked excitedly as she took the voucher from him.
"Ran into some friends who had to leave, so they gave me their spot," he said, ruffling her hair.
No need to explain scalping to the young and innocent Yuzuru.
Shouko found it all too convenient but chose to simply smile and stand closely beside Kyousuke, trusting him completely.
Before long, they were seated inside the restaurant.
The interior, once a plain white, had been transformed with an adorable cherry-themed decor, a special edition featuring Chibi Maruko-chan characters scattered across the walls and pillars.
Overwhelmed by the cuteness, Yuzuru immediately lifted her camera to snap pictures, but Shouko quickly tugged her toward their seats, reminding her they were here to eat.