Chapter 284: Chapter 282: A World of Two in the Rain_1
Shinjuku, Central Park.
To avoid having lunch here, Ayatsuki Ayaka had specifically set the time for their date at one o’clock in the afternoon. This way, she could save money on a meal, opting instead for a simple post-lunch walk.
She liked to arrive early for dates and was already standing at the entrance to Shinjuku Central Park by twelve-fifty.
Most of the rainwater on the ground had already evaporated, with only a few spots still pooled with water.
The shoes Ayatsuki Ayaka wore had very smooth soles.
If she stepped on a wet spot, it would feel as if she were wearing ice skates. How to step on a wet spot, how to fall into Aozawa’s arms—all this required her to improvise on the spot.
Regarding techniques, Maru had taught her everything she knew; the practical application was now up to her.
As Ayatsuki Ayaka mentally rehearsed the techniques, she recalled how she used to think the experiences Maru and Saeko shared were incredibly simple. But once she tried it herself, she discovered that love was indeed a profound and complex subject—easy to hear about, but difficult to execute well in practice.
It was like watching a cooking video; it seemed as if simply following the steps would guarantee success. But when it came to actually cooking, various problems arose. The vegetables not being as perfectly cut as the blogger’s was a minor issue; the real problem was that the final dish often turned out to be an unrecognizable, dark concoction. This happened even though she followed the video’s steps exactly.
Ayatsuki Ayaka couldn’t understand why and could only attribute it to her lack of cooking talent.
Instead of focusing on culinary skills, she decided it was better to concentrate on learning the arts of love. At least in love, she wasn’t completely useless; she still had her strengths.
For example, when it came to showcasing her fashion sense, she didn’t need Maru’s opinion and could confidently coordinate outfits on her own.
Considering it might rain in the afternoon, she definitely couldn’t wear a camisole. Doing so would mean losing the tantalizing transparency of rainwater drenching her shoulders. She couldn’t wear short sleeves either.
Ayatsuki Ayaka had deliberately chosen a loose, thin, long-sleeved summer shirt. It featured a large, distorted, and deformed skull on the front. Her black miniskirt, adorned with bloody handprints, completed the cool look.
Around her pale neck, she wore a choker, which made one instinctively search for a matching chain. And then, one would discover a chain actually did trail down her left leg. It was a decorative accessory for her thigh-high stockings. Only a small section was visible on her thigh, yet it was enough to spark a man’s curiosity and the urge to give it a playful tug.
Dressed so fashionably while waiting at the entrance, she attracted the attention of many passersby, though no one approached her to chat.
Ayatsuki Ayaka felt a wave of relief; she didn’t have the energy to deal with any advances right now.
As she continuously replayed strategies in her mind, a familiar figure approached from the direction of Shinjuku Station.
Seeing him, Ayatsuki Ayaka quickly stood on her tiptoes, waved, and called out, "Aozawa, I’m over here!"
She called out Aozawa’s name loudly, not feeling the least bit shy despite the surrounding crowd.
After all, there were no familiar classmates around, so she didn’t need to worry about strange rumors spreading at school if she called his name here. Her current relationship with Aozawa was complicated, hovering somewhere between dating and not dating. If students spread false rumors about them dating, it might confuse Aozawa. She remained meticulous about these things. Not dating meant not dating.
Ignoring the envious and jealous looks from those around, Aozawa walked over. He carried a compact umbrella in case of rain later. For the date, Aozawa wore a light blue short-sleeved T-shirt with matching light blue sweatpants and sandals, a practical choice to avoid rain-soaked sneakers.
"Iroha, that outfit of yours is really cool!"
Aozawa smiled as he complimented her outfit. His gaze landed on the skull, which, due to some mysterious distortion, looked particularly ’ferocious’.
"Hehe, when it comes to fashion, I’m always confident!"
Ayatsuki Ayaka couldn’t resist a surge of pride. She feigned modesty and said, "As a reward for your punctuality, I’ll let you hold my hand."
It wasn’t the first time they had held hands, but each time Ayatsuki Ayaka made the request, her heart still throbbed.
Perhaps this was what Maru meant by the intense heartbeats that come only with first love. She hoped she could always maintain this excited feeling, and that Aozawa could too.
"Sure."
Aozawa smiled and took her hand. It was soft, feeling as if squeezing too hard would crush it, yet it was also smooth as jade to the touch. He had to apply a little pressure to his grip to prevent her hand from slipping away. He smiled and said, "Let’s go."
Aozawa held Ayatsuki Ayaka’s hand as they walked through Shinjuku Central Park.
The park scenery was beautiful. The lush green trees, lawns, and distant, towering buildings formed a striking contrast. The urban forest possessed a different kind of beauty compared to a pure Primitive Forest. However, Aozawa found himself admiring Ayatsuki Ayaka more than the park’s scenery.
Before conflicts arose, love was like sweet honey, immersing one so deeply they couldn’t pull away. That sweet taste could lend charm to any mundane topic, making both of them completely forget the passage of time.
Simply walking along the path, holding Iroha’s hand, and seeing the happy smile on her face filled Aozawa with a sense of satisfaction.
"...Saeko was furious, insisting her cooking skills were definitely better than Kaoru’s. Kaoru, not to be outdone, claimed her culinary abilities were superior. Then, the two of them cooked a simple meal and presented it to Maru and me, wanting us to judge."
Ayatsuki Ayaka always enjoyed recounting stories about herself and her best friends. Aozawa never tired of listening; in fact, he found them amusing. He asked, "You must have felt really torn at that moment, right?"
"Yes."
Ayatsuki Ayaka nodded repeatedly, her expression perfectly mimicking the troubled look she’d had back then. She frowned and said, "I just had to be fair and speak my mind. Kaoru’s egg-fried rice was too salty, and Saeko’s was too bland. I mixed their egg-fried rices together, and the flavor was just right."
"You’re really clever."
Aozawa pinched her nose. Ayatsuki Ayaka showed a pleased grin and said, "Of course! They both praised me for being smart back then."
At this point, she looked up at the sky. Dark clouds covered the sky, indicating imminent rain. The distance to Shinjuku Station wasn’t too far yet, so she needed to lead them further away from it, not closer. That way, if it rained, the walk to the station would be even longer.
"Let’s keep going forward."
"Hmm."
Aozawa nodded.
Just as she predicted, rain began to fall within minutes; a light drizzle began. Aozawa quickly opened the compact umbrella. A moment later, the drizzle turned into a heavy downpour, lashing against the umbrella and the ground.
Ayatsuki Ayaka knew her chance had arrived. She took a large step forward, only to find the ground beneath her feet wasn’t solid. It felt as if she were standing on ice, or rather, a shifting ice floe.
"AH!" she cried, stumbling into Aozawa’s chest. The forceful impact of her body didn’t make him waver in the slightest. His well-trained physique easily supported Ayatsuki Ayaka’s weight.
"Are you okay?"
Aozawa instinctively wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"Mmm," Ayatsuki Ayaka murmured, nestling against his neck. A blush spread from her cheeks to her earlobes, like pink jam on toast, looking utterly delectable.
Aozawa couldn’t resist leaning closer, curious if her earlobes tasted sweet.
"AH..." Ayatsuki Ayaka gasped as if electrocuted. Her breathing quickened, and she lightly bit her lip as a flame slowly kindled in her heart.
Aozawa let go of her earlobe and shifted his attention to her pale red lips, which looked like strawberry jelly. His gaze met her bright eyes, finding a slight mistiness in them, hazier than the rain outside.
They stood in the downpour but felt none of its chill. Instead, it seemed a fire between them was burning away all the rain and coolness.
A few people without umbrellas rushed by. Seeing the couple, they paused, suddenly losing interest in shielding their heads from the rain.
One such passerby thought it didn’t matter anymore whether he got wet or not. This world, so full of malice towards singles—it should just hurry up and be destroyed! He roared internally, walking towards Shinjuku Station with a hint of desolation.
Aozawa had always disliked rain, but now, he felt it wasn’t so bad after all. Especially on a day like this. When the umbrella opened, it was like a natural barrier, leaving only him and Ayatsuki Ayaka in their own little world.
The four-minute exchange of saliva left Ayatsuki Ayaka’s eyes misty when they finally parted. Her wheat-colored cheeks were flushed bright red, and her mouth was tinged with his taste.
She couldn’t help but swallow, imagining she could detect a faint, sweet taste. Even though she was fully clothed and under the umbrella, she still felt wet.
"Iroha, the rain is too heavy. Should we find a room nearby to take shelter?" Aozawa suggested gently.
Ayatsuki Ayaka understood very well what finding a room nearby to take shelter meant at this time. She was almost ready to agree. However, remembering the warnings from Saeko and the others, she shook her head and whispered, "It’s about time. I should go home and rest."
"Alright." Aozawa didn’t press the issue. He put his arm around her soft shoulders and said, "The rain is heavy outside. Come a little closer."
Ayatsuki Ayaka glanced at where his arm was resting. "Aozawa~"
"Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention." Aozawa, unfazed, moved his hand up to rest properly on her shoulder. They then headed towards Shinjuku Station.
Her face flushed, Ayatsuki Ayaka snuggled against his shoulder as they slowly made their way through the rain. Her shoes were slippery, making it difficult for her to walk alone. Relying on Aozawa, however, made her steps steady.
This meant Aozawa had to support Ayatsuki Ayaka’s weight, but it was a burden he was more than willing to bear. In fact, he wouldn’t mind if it were even heavier.
Walking in the rain really was a very romantic thing. Aozawa felt it was more wonderful than sharing an umbrella with the class president.