Chapter 47: Southern Island ⑤ A Date with Asuka

The strong sunlight reflected off the ocean surface, glittering irregularly.

The waves gently lapped at our feet with a pleasant sound.

“It’s our first time alone like this, isn’t it, Atsumu?”

“Yeah. We’ve spent time together at school or for work stuff, but someone was always around.”

I was walking along the water’s edge with Asuka-san, just the two of us.

She wore a different swimsuit from yesterday with an oversized white shirt over it. The buttons were undone, and the hem was tied together in front.

The shirt left her cleavage exposed, and her beautiful legs peeked out from the hem. My heart pounded.

I was dressed in a typical summer resort style: board shorts and a shirt.

We were wearing similar outfits, yet she looked stunning. As expected of a top idol.

The reason we were alone was because Asuka-san had won yesterday’s cooking contest. The prize was some one-on-one time with me.

Even now, I was still unsure—was time with me really a prize?

Still, we’d only be alone until early afternoon; after that, we’d play with the others from the evening on.

“I like being with everyone, but I really wanted to spend time alone with you at least once, Atsumu.”

She said.

“Really? I never thought you’d say something like that.”

“Well… Tsukiyo said she went around looking at cosmetics with you after school. Rin had a date with you at the amusement park. Akane’s with you at your part-time job, and you even lived with Keina for a while, didn’t you? But me? I’m the only one who hasn’t…”

Asuka-san pouted, counting on her fingers.

Her eyes lost their sparkle and began swirling gloomily.

“Uh, Asuka-san…?”

I tried to get her attention, but she didn’t respond.

Which was why she didn’t notice the small visitor at her feet.

“Ah, Asuka-san! There’s a crab by your foot!”

“Wha—? Kya!”

Just before stepping on it, Asuka-san finally noticed and almost tripped in surprise.

I quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her close, catching her.

“Phew, that was close.”

The crab, seemingly offended, raised its claws in a threat before scuttling into the sand.

I turned to face Asuka-san.

“Ah, um…”

She was at a loss for words.

“Are you okay? Did you twist your ankle or something?!”

She didn’t fall, but maybe something happened when I pulled her hand! A big concert was coming up—if she got hurt now, it’d be serious!

“A-Atsumu… you’re too close…”

“Huh?”

Then I realized.

Our faces were so close our noses were almost touching. I could feel her breath.

“S-Sorry!”

I quickly pulled away.

As I did, her hair swayed, and I caught a faint sweet scent.

“I just panicked because I was worried. I’m sorry… it must’ve made you uncomfortable…”

“It’s not uncomfortable… Thank you for worrying about me.”

Asuka-san looked down, her expression hidden behind her hair.

Then I remembered what President Hoshikage had warned me before the trip:

“Be careful while you’re away. Whatever you do, don’t let anything happen to Asuka.”

After a brief silence, I spoke.

“Hey, Asuka-san. Can we hold hands?”

“Eh!?”

“Is it… not okay?”

“…Let’s hold hands.”

She whispered it softly, then gently placed her hand in mine.

As she kept brushing over my hand like she was checking it, I squeezed hers tightly.

“Now you’re safe!”

With the live performance coming up, getting injured would be bad. This way, I could protect her.

This is what it means to be careful, right?

“Atsumu… that choice of words…”

“Hm? What is it, Asuka-san?”

“…It’s nothing.”

Then, I led the unusually quiet Asuka-san by the hand, and we continued walking toward our destination.

○ ●

“Asuka-san, we’re here.”

The island wasn’t big, so it didn’t take long to arrive.

There was a round table, two chairs, and a parasol—all in white.

On the table was a tea set and a three-tiered cake stand, filled with various sweets.

“Wow! Afternoon tea?”

“Yep! I thought it’d be nice to spend our time together relaxing by the sea, just enjoying ourselves.”

She had worked so hard on the cooking contest—I didn’t want her to stress about what to do afterward. So I asked her to leave the planning to me.

I glanced sideways to check her reaction.

“It’s beautiful…”

Asuka-san wore a dreamy expression, placing one hand against her cheek in admiration.

Nice! That reaction meant it was a success.

We sat down.

Asuka-san looked at the sweets in front of her, then turned to me suspiciously.

“Wait… don’t tell me you made all of these?”

“I did. Oh… sorry. Do you not like homemade stuff?”

“N-No! Not at all! Actually, I’d say it makes me even happier than buying from a store or something…”

After denying it strongly, she started mumbling shyly.

Phew. Glad she wasn’t someone who disliked handmade things.

“But you really made all of this? That must’ve been a lot of work.”

“Not really. I’m kind of confident in my baking skills.”

“That’s more than kind of confident…”

Mika-san often demanded afternoon tea all of a sudden, so I got used to whipping up things quickly.

Compared to that, I had plenty of time this morning since I woke up early.

“If you say that, then you cooked for me yesterday too, didn’t you?”

“But that was just one hamburger dish…”

Asuka-san looked a little awkward.

I looked down at our still-joined hands and said:

“I know you worked hard to make it. It’s gone now, but… recently, you were wearing some nearly invisible bandages, weren’t you? I figured it might be from practicing cooking.”

“Eh… yeah.”

She nodded.

“Thought so. And the fact that it turned out so delicious means you must’ve practiced over and over again. You were really efficient, too—I could tell how hard you tried.”

“Ugh… I’m embarrassed you noticed…”

“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. People call you a perfect idol. Everyone assumes you’re just naturally talented, a genius who can do anything. But I know how much harder you work than anyone else.”

I often saw her arrive at the dance studio earlier than anyone else and leave later than everyone else.

Or the way she would redo takes again and again in the recording booth until she was satisfied.

Since I started helping out more often, I’ve gotten to witness more and more of these sides of her.

“Knowing Asuka-san, I’m sure you’ll never show that side of you—the side that works so hard—to your fans or the public. But I want to be someone who knows about it. And if I can, I want to be the one who supports you through it.”

“Atsumu…”

The hand I was holding grew warm.

“Oh, and… I also know you really like sweets, but you hold back because you’re afraid of gaining weight!”

“Wha—Wait, how do you know that!?”

“Suzuka-san told me.”

Previously at work, I’d overheard her muttering to herself, “That girl’s holdin’ back on the sweet stuff ’cause she reckons she’ll put on weight. If there were sweets even she could eat without worryin’ about it, wouldn’t she be over the moon.”

Now that I think about it, that “muttering to herself” was awfully loud.

“Suzuka, honestly!”

“That’s why, this time, I made everything especially for you—with a low-calorie recipe and all-natural ingredients! This way, I figured you could enjoy it without stress.”

“You made this… just for me? Not only that—you even thought through all of that too?”

Being an idol, she probably has to make a lot of sacrifices that normal high school girls don’t.

The light she shines with is delicate and precious—built on top of countless personal sacrifices.

“Then today, I’m going to let myself enjoy this to the fullest—like a normal girl. Thank you.”

Her smile melted like butter in the sun, and I couldn’t help but be captivated by it.

“W-Well then, I’ll pour the tea!”

“Ah…”

I let go of the hand I’d been holding and moved over to a side table where I had a portable stove and kettle set up.

As I started preparing, I noticed Asuka-san watching my hands closely.

Was she trying to judge whether the tea would taste good or not…?

“Thanks for waiting.”

A little nervous, I brought over the freshly poured tea and set the cup in front of her.

Even though this was afternoon tea, it was hot out—so I made iced tea this time.

“Thank you.”

“Let’s dig in,” she said, and brought the glass to her lips.

“Ahh, it’s delicious! I love the coffee you make too, but this tea is just as great. And to enjoy it while gazing at the ocean? It’s the perfect moment.”

“I’m really glad you think so.”

Then Asuka-san reached out for the sweets I’d made.

There were things like macarons, shortcake, pudding… but what she picked was the mille crêpe.

Seeing that made me chuckle.

“Hehe.”

“W-What?”

“I figured you liked mille crêpes. You always glance at them when someone else orders them at the café.”

“No way. I do that?”

Asuka-san touched her lips, clearly embarrassed.

“Yeah. But don’t worry—it’s just a quick look. No one else probably noticed.”

“Then how come you noticed?”

“Hmm… maybe because I’m always watching you?”

“…”

Asuka-san froze, her mouth slightly open.

Uh-oh. Did I just say something super creepy…?

“H-Hey, Asuka-san?”

Even waving my hand in front of her face, she didn’t blink.

It took several minutes for her to snap out of it.

After that, we continued eating sweets and chatting about all kinds of things.

School, studying, being an idol, the entertainment world—there were so many shared topics that the conversation never ran dry.

“Atsumu, do you have any more of this?”

By the time the table was completely empty and the sun had moved across the sky, Asuka-san looked at me and asked.

“There are still a few of each kind left. They’re in the fridge back at the villa. Want me to go get them?”

“No, that’s not it. It was all just so delicious—I want everyone else to try it too. You know how Tsukiyo loves sweets? I think she’d be thrilled.”

“You’re right. If you’re okay with it, I’ll ask everyone!”

“Yeah!”

Just as I thought—Asuka-san is truly someone who’s always thinking of others, so kind and considerate.

As we walked back to the villa, I glanced at her satisfied profile and thought to myself,

I’m really glad we got to spend this time together.

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