Chapter 493

Miyuki and I walked down the street.

Not for any particular reason.

Fingers intertwined, we swung our arms back and forth, looking at everything around us with keen interest.

Just walking like this wasn't bad at all.

It felt like a scene straight out of a rom-com... a purely refreshing feeling.

Strolling along without a care in the world, we spotted some cute knickknacks displayed outside a shop.

"Matsuda-kun, look at this."

"Hey, check this out."

Almost perfectly in sync, Miyuki and I pointed at the same keychain on display.

It was a rabbit holding a carrot, glancing over its shoulder with a mischievous, almost thieving expression.

Realizing we'd picked out the exact same thing, we looked at each other and beamed.

"It suits you. Let's buy it."

"Do I really look that mischievous?"

"You do today."

With that, I grabbed the keychain and stepped inside the shop.

After paying, I held my hand out to Miyuki, who had followed me in.

"Give me your Cell Phone."

"You want to swap them now? I'm still using the one you gave me."

"Hand it over. Hurry."

"Okay."

Miyuki readily handed over her Cell Phone.

Taking it, I removed the plum keychain I'd given her before and hooked on the new one.

"Is it a little big?"

"It might be uncomfortable in my pocket."

"Then leave it hanging out."

"I have to walk around with this hanging out?"

"Why? Are you embarrassed?"

"Oh, why would you say that...! It just stands out a lot, so it feels a little awkward..."

"So you are embarrassed."

"I said I'm not."

"Alright. I'll let it slide."

"No...! I really wasn't, why do you have to make it sound like..."

"I was just messing with you."

I slung an arm around Miyuki, who looked like she was about to die from the injustice of it all, and gently hugged her head against me.

At that, she carefully grabbed her Cell Phone and the keychain together—treating them like something incredibly precious—and wrapped her arms tightly around my waist.

"Stop it...! You'll ruin the keychain...!"

The old Miyuki, before she met me, would have picked out a much tamer character instead of something like this.

But not anymore. That purely docile shell of hers was almost entirely gone.

She was normally sweet, but around me she could act like a sly little fox. As she got more used to our dates, she was growing increasingly proactive...

It felt like I had raised her, and for some reason, that made me proud.

"Ruin what? I haven't even touched it."

When I let her go, she awkwardly scratched her head.

"Really...?"

"You're getting better at lying. Do you want to be punished?"

"How are you going to punish me?"

"By forcing your legs apart and coming inside..."

Greatly startled by the filthy remark slipping out without a hint of hesitation, Miyuki quickly clamped her hand over my mouth.

Frantically checking our surroundings was just a bonus.

Catching the wafting scent of her plum hand cream, I poked my tongue out and licked her palm.

Flinching, she yanked her hand away and scolded me.

"What are you doing...!"

"It smelled good, so I took a taste."

"It only smells good! There's no way it actually tastes good...!"

"Tasted pretty good to me."

"You're ridiculous..."

Was she utterly flabbergasted by my shamelessness?

Miyuki kept letting out breathy, disbelieving chuckles.

Staring down at her as she pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the spot I'd licked, I asked a question.

"So, do you want to be punished?"

"...We'll talk about it later. And keep your voice down when you say things like that."

Judging by her tone, she seemed a little turned on.

If she was going to act like this, I couldn't help but be affected too...

Scanning the area with exactly that in mind, I smacked my lips in disappointment at her next words.

"D-Don't go looking for a secluded spot... I can't do that... Later, at home..."

"Got it. Whose place, though?"

"Huh...? Well..."

She lost her words for a moment.

She wasn't debating whether my place or hers would be better. She was just embarrassed by the fact that she was acting like she didn't care which one we picked.

"I-I don't know."

Her voice carried a coy edge, basically telling me to make the call.

Chuckling, I nodded slowly and jutted my chin forward.

"We'll figure it out later. Let's go."

"Where?"

"We're just walking for now."

"Okay."

Things similar to picking the exact same keychain kept happening today.

We'd wander into a small Park along the road, sit on a bench, look up at the sky, and point out the exact same pretty cloud.

We both suddenly said we were craving shaved ice out of nowhere, even though we hadn't been talking about it, and there weren't any stalls selling it nearby.

A child ran past and stepped in a puddle, splashing us, and the stains left on our shoes were practically identical...

Things like that kept happening. Incidents so ridiculously serendipitous they almost felt staged.

It was as if Miyuki and I shared a single body.

"How is this even possible...?"

Miyuki found it all incredibly fascinating, and she loved every second of it.

"I know, right? Did the shrine offering we made at the Shrine the other day finally reach the gods?"

"What the heck!? I was just thinking that! I remembered our shrine offering too...!"

"Jeez... Don't yell."

"Sorry. We just keep experiencing such crazy things, I couldn't help it..."

"It just means we're that compatible."

"You think so?"

"Yeah."

"Why are you agreeing so bluntly?"

"Because it's obvious."

"What is? That you and I are compatible, Matsuda-kun?"

"Yeah."

"Why is it obvious? Is it because we've spent so much time together that our personalities are merging, and now our actions are syncing up too?"

Genuine curiosity filled Miyuki's eyes.

She tended to burn with an academic passion in moments like these. If there was a flaw in my answer, she would pick it apart with logic.

Was there any way I could beat her in a battle of logic?

In a situation like this, I needed to shut her up with an utterly shameless, absurd reply.

Otherwise, she'd dissect everything point by point and leave me sweating.

"No."

"Then what?"

"Because it's destiny."

A slightly cringeworthy line, but it worked every time.

Look—her earlobes instantly flushing bright red were proof.

Tremendously embarrassed, she rapidly blinked her large eyes.

Smirking at her, I continued.

"Ask your mom if I can stay over today."

Miyuki snapped back to reality.

"Huh...? Oh, yeah... Right now?"

"You can ask now, or when we head back."

"I'll do it now... Um... It might be too late by the time we head back, so..."

"Sure."

"But you could just call her yourself, Matsuda-kun..."

"How could I be so presumptuous when we aren't even married yet?"

Flinch.

Her shoulders leaped up and dropped back down like someone with the hiccups.

Her reactions were so fun to watch.

Should I call it youthful innocence? That refreshing side of hers seemed to stand out even more today.

Expecting her to get flustered and whine or throw a cute little tantrum, I patiently waited for her response.

But the words that tumbled from her lips completely defied my expectations.

"I... I think I'd be okay with that, if it's you..."

It was a remark blurted out without any thought for the preceding context.

At a glance, it sounded like she was saying it was fine for me to call Midori, but that absolutely wasn't her intention.

Had sharing one heart and mind through so many serendipitous moments today caused a shift in her feelings?

I'd thought she would just deflect like always. I hadn't expected her to react so seriously to talk of marriage.

When my mouth parted in surprise, she let out a forced cough, suddenly bashful, and grabbed my wrist.

"Let's hurry. I'm hungry..."

"Didn't you eat earlier? Also, you..."

"I have no idea. I can't hear you."

"You're hearing me perfectly fine."

"I want to go."

"Where."

"Home."

"By yourself?"

"No."

"Why are you only giving one-word answers?"

"What do you mean?"

"You were talking a ton just a minute ago."

"You're the one making me give short answers, Matsuda-kun. Just asking questions..."

Her face was so bright red that anyone would think she was about to explode.

I could feel the clammy sweat gathering on her hand gripping my wrist.

Deciding I shouldn't tease her anymore, I grasped her hand and headed toward the public parking lot.

The fact that Miyuki had resolved herself to that extent felt incredibly significant.

I was overjoyed. Amidst the surge of every positive emotion imaginable, the best way to describe my mood was that I felt like I could fly.

"Matsuda-kun, it hurts."

Miyuki scolded me for swinging her arm up way past its limit.

Realizing I'd been swinging my arms far more excitedly than earlier, I quickly apologized.

"Sorry. I'm just happy."

"You look really immature today."

"You don't like it?"

"No, I like it."

"Then we're good."

To be able to make someone feel like this with just a few words... Miyuki was truly a bewitching woman.

For today at least, I wouldn't think about anything else. Just like I'd promised earlier, I would pour all my attention solely into her.

From now on, it seemed I'd need to start tracking her ovulation cycle as well.

The thread connecting us seemed impossible to sever, but it was only right to make that bond even stronger.