Anime Girls are Moist

Rei Ao's expression turned slightly odd.

It's a carousel, not a roller coaster or Ferris wheel, he thought. Her acting's full of holes. Even so, he wasn't about to let such an opportunity slip away. He lifted his hand to cover hers, offering support.

"Is this better?"

Warmth from his palm seeped through her skin, making Sumika freeze on the spot, forgetting she was supposed to be "acting." Rei Ao's hand was bigger than she'd expected, easily enveloping her fingers.

The carousel began to turn. A gentle breeze brushed her cheeks, carrying off some of the heat, though it couldn't quench the rising temperature on her face.

"M-much better…" she answered in a small voice, face red, afraid to look back at him. Instead, she quietly savored the moment of closeness.

Over the next several hours…

They followed Sawae's "guide," sampling one attraction after another. In the haunted house, Sumika got to hold onto Rei Ao's arm out of "fear." At the ice-cream stall, Rei Ao casually wiped cream from her lips. From the observation deck, they stood side by side, shoulders touching as they looked out over the park.

Bit by bit, Sumika realized she no longer needed to rely on the guide's prompts; being with Rei Ao felt more and more natural. His sense of humor and gentle thoughtfulness kept surprising her in a pleasant way. When he bested a shooting-gallery game and won her a huge stuffed toy, she couldn't help but hug both the plushie and, inadvertently, him.

"Thank you…"

She hid her flushed face behind the plushie, while Rei Ao merely smiled and reached over to tidy some windblown strands of her hair. That intimate gesture nearly stopped her breath. She felt even more drawn to him.

Around noon…

They moved on to the fancy restaurant Sawae had recommended. The decor was elegant; soft lighting and gentle violin music created a romantic ambience. Sumika silently praised Sawae's choice—though pricey, it really was perfect for a date. Of course, seeing Rei Ao's knowing look upon realizing it was a "couples' restaurant" made her tense up.

A server guided them to a window-side table. Hardly had they sat down when Rei Ao heard a familiar voice.

"Rei Ao-kun?"

He looked up, surprised to see Kominami Asumi in a waitress uniform. Sumika was likewise taken aback, for she, too, recognized her from a previous time she and Rei Ao had been together.

"Kominami-san, so you work here?" Rei Ao asked.

"Uh-huh, this is one of my side jobs."

She smiled and nodded. She worked multiple part-time gigs; that café with Gabriel was just one of them. Her gaze darted between Sumika and Rei Ao, finally settling on the giant plushie in Sumika's arms. A hint of understanding flickered in her eyes, and a mischievous smile curved her lips.

"What a coincidence…"

Her tone carried a teasing edge.

"Never thought I'd run into you two again here. So, what are you up to?"

"W-we…" Sumika fumbled, the plushie almost slipping from her hold.

Rei Ao caught it in time and placed it on the empty chair next to them.

"We were wandering around, got tired, and came for lunch."

"I see."

Kominami smirked knowingly. Then, lowering her voice, she asked, "So this is… a date?"

"Mmph!"

Sumika's face flared at once. She wanted to deny it but couldn't speak. She sneaked a peek at Rei Ao to see how he'd respond. His manner was calmly direct:

"Yes. Today, Sumika-senpai invited me to an amusement park. Since it's a date, we ended up at a couples' restaurant."

"!!!"

Sumika's eyes went round at his frank confession. Kominami, meanwhile, sported an "as expected" face and patted Rei Ao's shoulder.

"Not bad, Rei Ao-kun," she said with a wink. "Sumika-san and Rei Ao-kun do make a great couple."

Sumika lowered her head, wishing she could crawl under the table. Kominami, seeing she was on the brink of overload, shifted gears back to professional mode, handing them menus and asking for their orders. She knew when to stop teasing.

After they ordered, Kominami gave Sumika a stealthy thumbs-up before leaving, making Sumika feel both embarrassed and touched. Once she was gone, Sumika finally dared to look at Rei Ao:

"I'm sorry…"

she murmured.

"I never expected to see someone we knew here."

Rei Ao simply shook his head, gently covering her hand on the table:

"Why apologize? I don't think this is anything we need to hide."

The warmth in his touch made her pulse skip all over again.

Following that small interlude, Sumika still couldn't summon the courage to confess her feelings. They continued their meal in a pleasant, easygoing atmosphere. Delicious food, a refined environment, and the man before her who made her heart flutter—it was all so perfect, it felt unreal. Kominami occasionally walked by, sending encouraging glances at Sumika, who was visibly anxious.

Finally, as she served dessert, Kominami leaned down and whispered to Sumika, "He's a catch—go for it!"

But Sumika still couldn't pull it off. Maybe I can try after finishing this afternoon's plan… she thought.

Yet trouble struck sooner than expected. Right after delivering the dessert, Kominami's head spun:

"Ugh…"

She wobbled, stumbling forward. She felt herself pitching to the ground, certain she was about to hit her head. But the expected pain never came, for a sturdy arm caught her.

"Kominami-san, are you alright?"

Rei Ao's swift reflexes steadied her.

"Eh? Kominami-san!"

Sumika realized a second too late.

"I—"

Kominami, relieved she hadn't collapsed outright, gave a pained smile:

"I feel a bit dizzy."

Considering Kominami Asumi's condition, Rei Ao and Sumika halted their meal to help her sit and rest. Meanwhile, Rei Ao discreetly provided a bit of healing. She seemed more fatigued than seriously ill, just exhausted.

"Kominami-san," Rei Ao said once she looked better, "how many part-time jobs are you juggling to wind up this worn out?"

Sumika asked worriedly, "Are you sure you're okay now?"

"I'll be fine,"

Kominami sighed apologetically.

"I'm not just overworked from part-time jobs—I've also got cram classes to juggle…"

~~~

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