"Well, now it's your turn to ask something," Ailany said with a curious smile as she kept walking by my side.
"Right... okay," I replied, a little hesitant.
At that moment, without meaning to, an image of Hikaru popped into my mind. This morning, while we were helping Mr. Hanabira on the farm, and later when we were selling at the market, the two of them seemed to get along a little too well… joking, laughing, and at times even acting like a couple. That feeling had been stuck in my head all day. If there was a moment to clear things up, it was now.
"My question is..." I finally said, trying to sound casual. "You and Hikaru… is there something going on between you? Or are you just friends?"
Ailany smiled when she heard me. Her eyes sparkled with a mix of warmth and mischief as she looked at me.
"I knew you'd ask that."
"Really...? What made you think that?"
"Because, even if you didn't notice… this morning, and also while we were selling things… I could tell you were uncomfortable. Maybe even a bit upset, whenever Hikaru and I talked or looked at each other. At first I thought I was just imagining it, but now that you've asked... I'm sure."
"Was it really that obvious...?" I thought, feeling a tight knot in my chest.
I looked away for a second, but then glanced back at her in silence. The sunset brushed softly against her face, and in that instant, something inside me overflowed.
I wanted to say it… to admit that yes, it did bother me. It really bothered me to see her that close to someone else. Maybe I still didn't fully understand what I felt… but I knew I didn't want her smiling like that for anyone but me.
That smile… so warm, so full of light. A smile that seemed capable of chasing away any sadness, healing any wound. A smile that, selfishly, I wished could be mine alone.
But sadly… I'm not the kind of guy who can express what he feels clearly, let alone bravely. I don't have that kind of courage. So instead of telling her what I really thought, I simply said:
"I think you're misunderstanding… It's not that I was upset, it just... surprised me to suddenly see someone so close to you. You never mentioned him before, and that… made me wonder about a few things."
"I see..." she replied with a small, somewhat bittersweet smile. "You're right. But these past few days with you have been so nice that… I didn't feel the need to bring him up. Still, your expression really did seem like someone who was a little upset."
I didn't say anything. I just lowered my gaze a bit, feeling like my thoughts were betraying me. "Well yeah, I was upset…" I admitted silently.
"Anyway," Ailany continued, her tone slightly more serious, "to answer your question… Hikaru and I are just friends."
Just friends…
"We've known each other for years. His mom is very kind and gets along great with my grandparents, so we spent a lot of time together growing up. Hikaru's always helped us out a lot… so, rather than a potential boyfriend, I see him more like a brother."
A brother…
For some reason, those words should've made me feel better… but instead, I felt something tighten inside my chest. Maybe because, even though her words were sincere… her smile when talking about him still felt too warm.
I wanted to ask more about her "just friends" relationship with Hikaru, but right at that moment, we arrived at a small ice cream shop that looked like it was straight out of a summer anime: colorful streamers, a hand-painted sign, and a tiny bell that rang when the door opened.
At the entrance, a sign cheerfully read:
"Today only! 50% off for newly united couples! Enjoy a sweet day of love under the summer sun!"
"We're so lucky!" Ailany exclaimed with a smile. "We can say we're dating and save a bit for our trip."
"I don't think ice cream costs that much to lie about..." I muttered, scratching my cheek nervously, trying to hide the blush on my face.
"Hey, do you think we're rich or something?" she said, puffing her cheeks a little. "We have to save every yen we can! So come on... Or are you going to let your girlfriend go in and buy them alone?"
For a moment, I felt my heart stop—not metaphorically. It literally skipped a beat, then started pounding so fast I could barely breathe.
I didn't say anything. I just followed her, face burning red, a strange knot forming in my throat.
"Welcome!" an older woman greeted us from behind the counter with a kind smile. But when she saw us, her eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Well well, Ailany... I didn't know you had a boyfriend. And I don't remember seeing this young man around before."
"Oh, he's from Tokyo. He arrived a few weeks ago," she answered naturally, walking closer to me and gently linking her arm with mine. Then, resting her head on my shoulder, she added with a dazzling smile: "And now we're even planning a trip together. Who could resist a guy this cute and sweet?"
I froze. My nerves were so out of control I could barely stand. I felt like everyone was watching, and the summer heat had completely taken over my face.
"I see..." the woman murmured, squinting playfully. "But don't you think he's a little too nervous… for your boyfriend? You've always been a cheeky one, even as a kid..."
"No way, I'm telling the truth. He's my boyfriend…" Ailany said, her voice a bit nervous but firm. "And who knows, maybe one day he'll even be the father of my kids. Can you imagine how adorable they'd be?"
I felt a slight squeeze on the arm she still had hooked through mine. I glanced at her, completely stunned, silently pleading with my eyes: "Isn't that going a bit too far?"
She looked back at me, and in her gaze, I read something like: "I'm dying of embarrassment too… but I had to make it convincing!"
"I see…" the lady said again, now with a mischievous grin. "Then, to seal the deal—how about a kiss? That shouldn't be a problem, right? After all, you're a couple..."
"WHAT!?" I screamed internally. "A kiss!? That's way too sudden! And there are people watching… how am I supposed to survive that without fainting!?"
Ailany looked at me, her cheeks bright red. She swallowed hard and, in a trembling voice, softly said:
"I-if you don't mind... Haru, could you give your girlfriend a kiss?"
"S-sure… yeah…" I stammered, barely able to keep my voice steady.
Inside, my thoughts were chaos: "When did things spiral this far out of control!? We just wanted a discount on ice cream and now I have to kiss her in public! It's not that I don't want to… but everyone's watching…"
I took a deep breath. I couldn't let Ailany be embarrassed because of me. I had to do this. It's just a kiss, right? How hard could it be? Though… if I'm being honest… I've never kissed anyone before.
"Come on, Haruki. You can do this," I told myself over and over, trying to summon some courage.
I leaned in slowly. Gently, I placed a hand beside her face, feeling the warmth of her skin beneath my fingers. My eyes rested on her lips, then drifted to her bright green eyes, fluttering nervously, unsure of where to look. She seemed to be holding her breath, and her cheeks were redder than ever. It was obvious she was just as nervous as me… maybe even more.
She stared at me, and just as our faces were only centimeters apart, she whispered in a shaky voice:
"A-are you really going to…?"