They had barely kicked their shoes off when Kaito's phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced at it with the intent to ignore—until he saw the message subject: Assignment Deadline Shifted.
"Kaito," Chiaka said, poking her head through his room's doorway like a raccoon who found food. "I've made a decision."
Kaito looked up from his laptop, already suspicious. "No."
"I didn't even say anything yet!"
"You made that face. Nothing good comes from that face."
She strutted into the room, ignoring his judgment, and flopped onto his bed dramatically. "The weather's nice. You're free. And I'm beautiful. It's literally destiny telling us to go out."
He gave her a dry look. "You just want to avoid studying."
"Guilty," she grinned. "C'mon, let's go somewhere random. We'll walk around, eat stupid things, make fun of people's outfits, do illegal street dancing—"
"I'm not getting arrested because you wanted cotton candy."
"Ughhhhhh," she rolled over onto her stomach, face smushed into his pillow. "You're so boring sometimes. What did I even see in you?"
Kaito raised an eyebrow. "You saw me? That sounds dangerously close to a confession."
Her face popped up instantly, eyes narrowing. "Don't twist my words, nerd. Now move it."
Kaito sighed, but five minutes later he was outside with her, both of them armed with wallets, phones, and zero planning.
They started their unplanned day by wandering through the shopping street, the sun peeking through the gaps between tall buildings. Chiaka wore a casual oversized shirt with denim shorts, her hair pulled up messily, and somehow still looked like she belonged on a magazine cover.
Kaito tried not to notice.
He failed.
"Why are you walking like a grumpy grandpa?" she asked, bumping into him playfully. "Loosen up, Kaito. You're ruining my main character vibes."
"I thought I was the main character."
"Pfft. Please. You're the mysterious support character who slowly falls for the hot female lead."
"…So I'm doomed?"
She giggled, linking her arms behind her back as she walked. "Very."
They passed a small street vendor selling fried cheese sticks. Chiaka turned so sharply toward it that Kaito almost bumped into her.
"Get us two," she said, already pulling out cash.
"You have hands."
"You have dignity. Be useful."
Kaito rolled his eyes but paid anyway.
She took her first bite and made a dramatic noise. "HhHhGHhHHHhhHH—OH MY GOD—it's so gooood."
"Don't moan in public," Kaito muttered, red in the face.
"Relax, old man. I'm just living."
They sat on a low wall near the fountain to eat. Chiaka poked him with her half-eaten stick.
"You're no fun. Smile."
"I am smiling."
"That's called existing."
Kaito stayed quiet, then suddenly reached over and dabbed at the side of her mouth with a tissue.
She blinked. "...Did you just—"
"There was cheese on your face."
Chiaka's mouth opened slightly. "Oh."
"…You're welcome?"
Her face turned slightly pink.
"…Wha—Don't act cool about it! You don't get to be smooth now!" she said, fanning herself dramatically. "That was so random! I'm not used to you being competent!"
Kaito smirked. "You said I was the support character. I'm just playing the role."
She stared at him for a second, speechless.
"…I hate that that was kinda cool."
Soon after, they stumbled across a park with a tiny fair being set up. There were pop-up stalls, a few games, and a bunch of college students roaming around.
Chiaka's eyes sparkled. "Kaito. Kaito. I see cotton candy."
"Of course you do."
They got in line and bought one ridiculously large pink swirl of sugar that Chiaka held like a trophy.
"This is what love looks like," she said.
"You're literally hugging it."
"I'd marry it if I could."
As she took a giant bite, a gust of wind blew her hair across her face, sticking it to the candy.
"GAH—wait no, my hair! Kaito, help me!"
Kaito couldn't help it—he burst out laughing. "You look like you fought a spider and lost."
"You're the worst!" she cried, trying to peel her hair away with one hand. "Do something, you noodle!"
He sighed and stepped closer, gently brushing a few sticky strands off her cheek. For a second, their faces were close. Chiaka looked up at him.
Neither of them moved.
Then—
Kaito blinked. "You still have sugar on your nose."
Chiaka let out a dramatic gasp and covered her face with the cotton candy. "I swear if you keep trying to be smooth, I'm going to explode."
Kaito grinned. "Explode, then."
She peeked from behind the candy, face visibly red. "You really are the support character with secret game, huh?"
Chiaka was still lightly pink-faced as they left the fair, her head tilted up like she was trying to cool off.
"Ugh. I still have sugar stuck in my hair," she muttered, patting her ponytail. "I look like a walking candy store."
"You always kind of do," Kaito replied with a straight face.
She gave him a dangerous side-eye. "Kaito."
"I mean it in a wholesome way. Very sweet. Very... colorful."
"…You're flirting with me again."
"Am not."
"Liar. Your face twitches when you lie."
"Your hair twitches when you eat too fast."
"What does that even mean?!"
Before they could continue the roast battle, Chiaka suddenly pointed across the street. "OHHH!! MALL. Let's go."
Kaito blinked. "We literally just walked ten thousand steps."
"Yeah and now we walk ten thousand more. To victory. And air-conditioning."
He didn't argue. Mostly because she was already dragging him across the street like she was possessed by retail therapy.
The cool breeze from the mall's entrance hit them like a blessing. Chiaka immediately stretched her arms wide. "Ahhhh! The gods of air-con, I offer thee my soul."
Kaito raised a brow. "They'll reject it. Too chaotic."
"Shh. Now come on. Time to waste money on useless things."
Kaito followed reluctantly—not because he cared for shopping, but because Chiaka was like a toddler let loose in a toy store. And someone had to supervise.
They passed a weird novelty store first. Chiaka stopped in front of the display window.
"LOOK. It's a giant squishy watermelon pillow."
"It's the size of a tire."
"I want it."
"You have no space in the apartment."
"I'll sleep on it. You can have my bed."
"…You already took my chair."
She dragged him inside anyway, poking every squishy toy like a scientist discovering alien life. At one point she slammed a stress ball too hard and it shot out of her hand—bouncing off a shelf and smacking Kaito right in the shoulder.
He stood there in silence.
Chiaka blinked. "Oops?"
He picked up the ball slowly. "Run."
She screamed and bolted, leaving him to chase her down the aisle like a pair of twelve-year-olds. The cashier stared at them as they zoomed past with a squishy shaped like a banana flying through the air behind them.
They managed to escape without getting banned for life, somehow.
Next, Chiaka dragged Kaito into a trendy clothing store. He immediately backed up when she held up a cropped floral shirt.
"No."
"But imagine. You. In this. Iconic."
"I'm not wearing something that shows my belly button."
Chiaka didn't listen. She tossed clothes at him one after another. "Try this. And this. OH—this will make you look like a hot barista."
"I'm not your dress-up doll."
"You're my emotional support mannequin. Get in the trial room."
Kaito sighed dramatically but eventually gave in. While he changed, Chiaka waited outside, swinging her legs and texting on her phone.
Kaito stepped out of the trial room, wearing the beige hoodie Chiaka had picked. He tugged at the sleeves awkwardly and looked around.
"Alright. Your weird fashion experiment is complete. Now what?"
Chiaka looked up from her phone, then blinked—her fingers froze mid-scroll.
She stared for a second, then quickly looked away, clearing her throat. "Hmm. Okay. Not bad."
Kaito raised an eyebrow. "That all?"
"I mean… the color suits you, I guess. Very… beige."
He smirked. "You sound underwhelmed."
"No, no. Just... surprised. You actually look decent."
He tilted his head slightly. "That sounds like a compliment trying to hide behind sarcasm."
She rolled her eyes and turned toward the rack beside her. "Don't get excited. It's just the hoodie doing all the work."
Kaito glanced at the mirror. "So I should buy it, then?"
"…Up to you," she muttered, casually flipping through hangers with a little more focus than necessary.
He noticed the way her ears were slightly red but said nothing. With a slight smile, he folded the hoodie neatly and handed it to the clerk.
As they wandered deeper into the mall, something caught Chiaka's attention.
"Is that… a photo booth?" she said, squinting.
It was one of those fancy Japanese-style booths with dramatic lighting and cartoon effects. Next to it stood a loud sign:"Best Friends! Lovers! Chaos! Capture your moment!"
Chiaka turned to Kaito with the slowest smirk. "We have to do it."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
She grabbed his arm. "YES. Think about it. You, me, chaos background, sparkles, hearts. What could go wrong?"
"Everything."
Ten minutes later, they were stuffed into the tiny booth.
The screen blinked to life.
"POSE IN 3… 2… 1!"
Chiaka instantly threw up a peace sign, grinning wildly. Kaito, unprepared, stood there like he forgot how to move his face.
Click.
Second photo—Chiaka leaned closer, grabbed his cheeks with both hands, squishing them. "Smile, grumpy!"
Click.
Third photo—Kaito finally smirked back, pulling his own silly face.
Click.
Fourth photo—
She tripped slightly while turning, accidentally bumping into him—
And their faces ended up way too close.
Click.
Silence.
Chiaka pulled back fast, blinking.
Neither of them said anything.
The machine beeped cheerfully: "Thank you! Please wait for your print!"
"…I tripped," Chiaka said, crossing her arms.
"I noticed."
"That doesn't count."
"I didn't say anything."
"I'm just making sure we're clear!"
"Crystal."
"…Good."
Both of them waited quietly.
As they stepped out of the photo booth, Chiaka was still laughing, fanning her flushed cheeks.
"I told you not to make that face in the last one!" she giggled, clutching the tiny strip of photos like it was evidence of a crime.
Kaito smirked. "Not my fault your face got too close to mine."
Chiaka's steps faltered slightly.
"…Sh-Shut up. That was the camera angle. Don't get ahead of yourself."
But just as she opened her mouth to fire back, her smile froze.
Her eyes narrowed at something in the distance.
"H-Hey," she whispered, tugging Kaito's sleeve.
"Now what—?"
She grabbed his arm. "Hide. Hide hide hide!"