Meanwhile, Akari was still sitting on the couch, her gaze distant as though she were lost in deep thought.
"Akari?"
Putting his lingering embarrassment aside, Noah called out to her.
"Ah!" She sprang to her feet with a small yelp. "Y-Yes? Yes?"
She looked completely flustered and caught off guard. The sight was unexpectedly adorable.
'No wonder men like mature women.'
Noah quickly pushed the thought aside before it could lead him anywhere troublesome.
"It's already past noon, and we haven't had lunch yet. How about we go somewhere outside?"
Akari glanced at the clock on the wall before nodding.
"You're right. Let's go."
She, too, seemed determined to act as though nothing unusual had happened between them.
"I'll call Opheli—"
"No..." Noah interrupted gently. "I want to have lunch with you outside the academy. Just the two of us... Please?"
He looked at her with an almost pleading expression.
