"Hello, Yukinoshita-san."
"You're back."
Shimizu Nayotake recovered from the surprise of seeing Tsushima Kagami suddenly appear at home, then nodded and greeted him.
Tsushima Kagami continued spooning cake into his mouth.
"Something came up suddenly, so I'm leaving tomorrow. I'll still have to trouble you to help look after Yukino for a while after this."
Shimizu Nayotake nodded, then looked at Yukino, who had walked over to rub against her legs. She took a small box of cheesecake from her small bag.
Tsushima Kagami looked closely; it was the same kind he and Yukinoshita Shizuku usually fed Yukino.
"Have you been buying cake for Yukino yourself all this time?"
Tsushima Kagami saw that Shimizu Nayotake must have bought it more than once to feed Yukino.
Shimizu Nayotake squatted down, opened the small lid, scooped a fingernail-sized amount with a spoon, and brought it to Yukino's mouth. Yukino hurriedly licked it up bit by bit.
Shimizu Nayotake smiled, stroking Yukino while turning back to look at Tsushima Kagami.
"Yes, I saw that Yukino didn't like the brand of cheesecake left in the refrigerator."
"It just so happened that when you left, there was another brand. I fed it to her and saw Yukino loved it, so I found this brand later. I buy one occasionally to give to Yukino."
Tsushima Kagami spoke apologetically.
"That really was a trouble for you. We didn't expect Yukino to be so picky with her food."
After speaking, Tsushima Kagami remembered something. He stood up, took out his wallet, pulled out a Fukuzawa Yukichi note, walked over to Shimizu Nayotake, and handed it to her.
"I've made you spend your own money during this time."
Shimizu Nayotake looked at Tsushima Kagami but didn't take the money, simply shaking her head.
"I didn't buy it many times, and Yukino doesn't eat much. I ate most of it myself."
"You'll need to take care of Yukino for another month later; I can't let you keep spending money."
With that, Tsushima Kagami stuffed the money directly into Shimizu Nayotake's hand.
"Put it away safely. Don't let a thief steal it when you go out later."
Shimizu Nayotake hesitated with the money in her hand, but eventually put it in her pocket and bowed slightly.
"Thank you, Yukinoshita-san."
"Don't keep bowing, it's too polite."
"By the way, you're already calling Shizuku by her name. Why not call me by my name too? Otherwise, it always feels a bit strange."
Tsushima Kagami suddenly thought of how Shimizu Nayotake's relationship with Shizuku had improved recently, to the point where she started using her first name. This caused confusion several times when she called out "Yukinoshita," making Tsushima Kagami think she was calling Shizuku instead of him.
"What do you think?"
Hearing Tsushima Kagami's words, Shimizu Nayotake tilted her head, looking at him as if wondering what he was thinking.
After a short while, Shimizu Nayotake slowly spoke.
"Kagami... Kagami-kun?"
"Friends should call each other by name."
Tsushima Kagami also responded with a smile.
"Um... since Kagami-kun is at home, I'll go back first."
Shimizu Nayotake petted Yukino, then stood up to take her leave.
Tsushima Kagami checked the time; it was just right for dinner. Thinking he hadn't eaten dinner yet, he looked at Shimizu Nayotake, who was preparing to leave, and asked:
"Nayotake-san, do you have a part-time job tonight?"
Shimizu Nayotake nodded, then shook her head.
"Today is the early morning shift."
"Is it still that convenience store?"
Shimizu Nayotake nodded.
"Do you have anything else in between?"
She shook her head again.
"Then let's have a meal together."
Shimizu Nayotake hurriedly waved her hands.
"No... no need."
Just as she finished speaking, her stomach let out a protesting growl, just like that time at school.
Shimizu Nayotake hurriedly covered her stomach, her face flushing red.
"Really... really, no need. I'll just go home and eat."
If you could go home to eat, you wouldn't be here feeding Yukino at this hour, Tsushima Kagami thought. Shimizu Nayotake was probably lying to him again, likely planning to starve and save money.
So Tsushima Kagami said directly:
"Consider it a celebration of us becoming friends."
"Or does Nayotake-san actually not consider me a friend?"
*
Inside a family restaurant near the apartment, Tsushima Kagami and Shimizu Nayotake had just finished a sumptuous dinner.
Shimizu Nayotake was sitting opposite Tsushima Kagami, wiping the corner of her mouth in embarrassment.
Tsushima Kagami had to marvel at Shimizu Nayotake's appetite. Afraid she wouldn't have enough to eat but would be too shy to say so, he had ordered quite a lot of food.
The result was that Tsushima Kagami couldn't eat anymore and thought about packing the leftovers for a late-night snack, but he hadn't expected Shimizu Nayotake to clear the table all by herself.
Tsushima Kagami couldn't help but look at her slender figure. Was she able to eat so much because she was starving, or was she a born glutton?
As he watched, Tsushima Kagami's "auto-aim" involuntarily locked onto the pair of treasure chests she had resting on the table. How had they grown so tenaciously to this extent when she clearly looked like she couldn't get enough to eat?
If her nutrition kept up every day, wouldn't that be disastrous?
Tsushima Kagami's mind automatically conjured an image of the slender Shimizu Nayotake possessing a pair of exaggerated treasure chests.
Then he shook his head. That's not right. The proportions would be too exaggerated. If her nutrition kept up, she wouldn't be this thin.
Thus, he began to unconsciously fantasize about Shimizu Nayotake in her "complete form." When he saw the person across from him withdraw the treasure chests from the table, he slightly averted his gaze.
Tsushima Kagami then realized: he was male-gazing.
He moved his line of sight away and apologized to Shimizu Nayotake openly.
"Sorry, I was rude."
"As an apology, let's order something else."
"How about dessert?"
After speaking, Tsushima Kagami took the menu and handed it to Shimizu Nayotake.
"No need, I... I've already eaten a lot of Kagami-kun's things."
Shimizu Nayotake hurriedly refused.
But Tsushima Kagami still saw her glance imperceptibly at the desserts on the menu.
"Since Nayotake-san doesn't know what to order, let's order this."
With that, Tsushima Kagami called the waiter and ordered a strawberry cream cake.
When the waiter brought the strawberry cream cake to the table, Shimizu Nayotake looked at Tsushima Kagami.
Tsushima Kagami smiled and made a 'please' gesture.
"This is what Shizuku usually loves to eat. If you don't order, I can only order this."
Shimizu Nayotake then picked up her spoon and took a bite, the corners of her mouth unable to suppress a curve of happiness.
Tsushima Kagami smiled too. As expected, no girl could refuse dessert.
"Kagami... does Kagami-kun also think it's disgusting?"
Shimizu Nayotake suddenly asked out of nowhere.
Tsushima Kagami asked, confused, "What is disgusting?"
"Just... just the place Kagami-kun was staring at."
"In middle school, everyone said it was disgusting."
Shimizu Nayotake put down her spoon, lowered her head, and spoke with a bit of sadness.
Hearing this, Tsushima Kagami suddenly understood. It was that kind of Japanese-style bullying again. Among girls, if someone is particularly tall or particularly large, they will inexplicably attract exclusion, ridicule, or even bullying from classmates.
Over time, these girls' thoughts also become twisted. Something that is normal or should be a source of pride becomes a shame they cannot bear to show or mention.
"How could it be disgusting? Your former classmates were probably just jealous."
"After all, in the adult world, this is a capital to be proud of!"
Tsushima Kagami didn't know how to counsel her, so he just spoke nonsense.
The result was that Shimizu Nayotake's eyes lit up. She leaned forward excitedly to look at Tsushima Kagami, those treasure chests resting on the dining table once again.
"So, Kagami-kun likes them too?"
What is this situation? Should I say I like them or not?
No matter how you look at it, this is sexual harassment, right?
And this doesn't fit your loner character setting, does it?
Could it be that long-term low self-esteem and belittlement caused her repressed heart to urgently need someone to affirm her after discussing this for the first time and being told it should be a matter of pride?
A subconscious self-rescue method to establish self-efficacy through positive feedback?
Perhaps Shimizu Nayotake wasn't this gloomy character in the past?
____
👻🔥Seek: Walnut-chan🔥👻
🔥 New history: Group chat of the Dead
✅ Read 40 chapters ahead of everyone else.
✅ Get cool exclusive stuff and updates!
Let's hit these goals:
🎯 100 Powerstones = 1 extra chapter for the public!
🚀140 MEMBERS = 5 extra chapters on all stories for supporters!
👻 P - Walnut-chan