Chapter 31 Date 2: A Day Spent with the Child of God
After passing through a bamboo-lined path known only to locals, the view suddenly opened up before me. The entire hillside of early-blooming sunflowers swayed gently in the morning light, even more spectacular than I had imagined.
Risa couldn't wait to run towards that dazzling scene.
"Yukimura, come and see!" She turned around and waved.
Yukimura stood rooted to the spot, the camera unconsciously following her figure. The girl stood amidst a sea of flowers, her smile radiant and vibrant. He instinctively pressed the shutter, freezing the moment in time.
"Taking photos without permission will incur copyright fees." Risa lifted her skirt and ran back, reaching for the camera.
Yukimura took a step back and held the camera above his head. Risa couldn't reach it even on tiptoe, and could only glare at him angrily.
"Matsuno-kun," Yukimura waved his camera, "would you like to take a picture together?"
Before Risa could answer, he had already stopped a passing tourist.
Amidst the flower field, Yukimura naturally stood half a step behind her, maintaining proper social etiquette while ensuring their figures blended perfectly in the frame.
"Smile."
His voice brushed past her ear, and his warm breath sent a shiver down Risa's spine. She forced a smile, and just as the shutter clicked, something soft brushed against her cheek.
Turning my head, I saw Yukimura holding a sunflower, a smile playing in his eyes.
"Yukimura!" she glared at him, but she couldn't muster any anger.
The sun shines brightly, the air is filled with the fragrance of flowers, and the boy stands in a sea of blossoms, a sight that takes your breath away.
Even if the King of Heaven himself came, it would be difficult for him to have a temper.
From afar came shouts from tourists: "Come on, look at the camera, let's take another one!"
Risa glanced at the boy beside her out of the corner of her eye. He stood tall and straight, his profile sharply defined in the sunlight, his eyelashes casting dappled shadows, half-concealing his eyes, focused yet aloof.
(What is he thinking right now?)
She suddenly had a wicked idea and quietly stretched out her index finger to hook his little finger, which was hanging by his side.
His fingertips were slightly cool, and trembled slightly upon contact, as if burned.
Risa couldn't help but chuckle to herself, and was about to leave—
Yukimura suddenly took the initiative. His long, slender fingers slipped between hers, their fingers intertwining tightly.
(!)
Risa's eyes widened, and her heart suddenly raced.
"you--"
He tilted his head slightly, his lips brushing against her earlobe, his voice low and deep:
"Next time, let's go see the sea."
A warm breath brushed past her ear, and Risa trembled.
Her fingertips instinctively curled up, but he held them firmly.
(...they were retaliated against.)
She opened her mouth, but only managed to utter, "...Okay."
When the passerby returned the camera, Yukimura discreetly hid their clasped hands behind his back and politely thanked him.
Only after the others had gone far away did he hold it up to the sunlight to examine it closely.
Sunlight filtered through their intertwined fingers, casting tender silhouettes on the stone steps.
"Your hands are so small," he chuckled.
"It's clearly because your hands are too big!" she retorted, but then froze when she looked up.
The boy stood backlit, the sunlight gilding his back with a golden edge. In the shadow cast by his brow bone, his violet-blue eyes resembled a galaxy filled with stars, making her heart skip a beat.
(...This is terrible.)
(This level of beauty attack...)
Risa closed her eyes in despair.
(Even a seasoned actress who has seen it all... couldn't handle it at all...)
"What are you thinking about?"
He suddenly leaned closer, his warm breath brushing against her cheek.
"Thinking of you..." Risa stopped abruptly, almost biting her tongue, "...your tennis club's training plan!"
Yukimura chuckled softly and pressed his thumb lightly against the web between her thumb and forefinger: "If you lie, you'll be punished."
Risa suddenly remembered the miserable scene of being dragged away by him to "escape" last time, and was about to admit defeat when she inadvertently caught a glimpse of the faint blush in his hair.
(etc……)
Her eyes widened.
(Could it be...?)
An incredible thought flashed through my mind.
(This composed son of God... is actually nervous too?)
This accidental discovery allowed Risa to regain the initiative.
She narrowed her eyes slyly and tightened her fingers.
She tiptoed closer to his ear and asked, "So... what punishment does the Son of God intend to give me?"
As she had hoped, she saw the crimson color spread visibly to the side of her neck.
Risa mentally made a victory sign.
—They turned the tide.
The boy's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and his long eyelashes drooped, concealing the turbulent emotions surging in his eyes.
But their tightly clasped fingers betrayed their unspoken thoughts, the force so great it almost crushed her.
“You can give it a try.” He lowered his voice, which was unusually hoarse.
Risa: "..."
I was charmed.
(...Is it a tie?)
In short, the Best Actress will never admit defeat.
-
12:30 Farm Cafe
The glass house, which the flower grower converted from his own home, is located on the edge of the sunflower field. Sunlight pours down from the glass dome, making the wooden table feel warm and cozy.
Risa flipped through the menu, her fingertips hovering over the menu, finally settling on the "Honey Latte + Mango Mousse" combo.
“I’ll have this.” She closed the menu, but then heard Yukimura say to the waiter, “Please change the milk to plant-based milk. Also, I’ll have a blueberry cheesecake and a jasmine iced Americano.”
"OK."
The waiter took down the order and left.
"How do you know I don't drink milk?" Risa looked at Yukimura.
Yukimura rested his chin on his hand, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Last time during club activities, you took a sip of the milk tea that Marui treated you to, and your expression was priceless."
Risa: "..."
Yukimura: "I guessed you might be lactose intolerant, and after asking Akaya, it turned out to be true."
(This guy's observation skills are terrifying!)
The meal was served quickly.
Yukimura pushed the soy milk latte in front of her. The latte art was a delicate sunflower. Risa gently touched the petals with a silver spoon, and the milk foam swayed slightly.
She lowered her head and took a sip; the sweetness was just right.
As she flipped through the menu, the lunch options on the back caught her eye: tonkotsu ramen, grilled fish, and pork cutlet rice bowl.
Risa: "Would you like to grab lunch while we're at it?"
Yukimura smiled: "Of course. I'm hungry too."
He had originally booked a kaiseki meal in the next block, but looking at her bright eyes, he thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to change his plans at the last minute.
After lunch, the two rested on the sofa in the coffee shop for a while.
Yukimura had booked a sunflower essential oil extraction experience for 2:30 PM. Apparently, this is the most basic introductory program at the workshop.
Risa stared at the words "Beginner Friendly" on the brochure, her fingertips unconsciously tightening, causing the pages to wrinkle slightly.
—I've been underestimated.
However, when Risa stood in front of the workbench, she remembered that in her previous life she was actually terrible at practical skills and always barely passed chemistry lab exams with low scores.
"Essential oil extraction is the most basic service," the proprietress said with a smile, handing over an apron. "It's perfect for couples."
Risa paused, her hand tying a bow: "We're not..."
"I hope the experiment goes well," Yukimura naturally picked up the conversation, turning his head to look at her. "Right?"
Risa nodded, somewhat bewildered. She vaguely remembered that Yukimura's worst subject was chemistry, but this simple distillation project shouldn't be too difficult for him, right?
—That's incredibly difficult!
Extracting sunflower essential oil is far more complicated than she imagined, even more difficult than the chemistry experiments she had worked herself to the bone to pass.
When they made their Nth mistake, Risa finally admitted that they were probably, really, bad at practical operations.
The essential oil slid down the glass rod and clung to Yukimura's pale knuckles, spreading out a small golden mark.
Risa casually grabbed a tissue and used it to wipe his wrist.
The boy's fingertips were warm, carrying a faint scent of sunflowers.
The pulse beat through the thin skin, rapid and powerful, like a small animal trapped under a skin, restlessly pounding.
"Do you have an irregular heartbeat? Why is it beating so fast all of a sudden?" she teased with a smile, looking up at him.
Unexpectedly, they fell into a deep, dark sea.
Like the dark, swirling clouds before a summer thunderstorm, they pressed down heavily, startling her.
The air froze for a second.
Risa let go of her hand, turned around hastily, and pretended to stare intently at the distillation flask: "...It's sticky, it'd be better to wipe it clean."
Yukimura looked at her flushed ears, his Adam's apple bobbed, and he chuckled softly, "Yes, thank you."
To prove she wasn't clumsy, Risa then took on the challenge of making pressed flower bookmarks.
What was originally intended to salvage dignity quickly escalated into an even more disastrous scene.
"Here... it should be like this." A warm chest suddenly pressed against my back.
Yukimura approached from behind, his arms circling her, his index finger pressing down on the edge of the unruly petal.
His breath brushed against her ear as he spoke. Risa froze, her fingertips went numb, and her heart pounded wildly.
“Following the grain…” His hand guided hers, gently smoothing the wrinkles in the petals, “…otherwise they will deform when they dry, or even curl up.”
Risa froze on the spot: "...I-I understand."
(Too close!)
Is this karma for her speaking without considering the situation?
The workshop was packed with couples on dates, as well as heartwarming families. The proprietress, camera in hand, moved back and forth, frequently focusing her lens on the "perfect couple."
Let's capture those beautiful moments together.
The slogans on the workshop walls gleamed in the sunlight.
-
16:00 Workshop Restaurant
"It's so good to be young~" The proprietress pushed the golden-brown tempura in front of them. "This is made with flower petals that were just picked this morning."
Fifteen minutes ago, the two finished their hands-on activity.
While paying at the counter, the owner warmly invited me: "You two must try our newly launched couple's set meal!"
Yukimura politely declined. However, Risa succumbed to the temptation of the proprietress's "summer special dessert."
Risa stared at the extra heart-shaped fried egg on her plate, then glanced at the similarly shaped rice in Yukimura's bowl, and suddenly had a bad feeling.
"You two are a match made in heaven!" The proprietress clasped her hands together, her eyes crinkling into slits with laughter. "I wonder if we could use today's experiential video to help promote our shop?"
Risa's chopsticks hovered in mid-air: "..."
As expected! It was a trap!
“If it’s just regular publicity, I have no problem with it.” Yukimura put down his teacup, turned to look at Risa, a mischievous smile in his eyes: “Where’s Matsuno-kun?”
Risa put down her chopsticks and poked them into the fried egg, where the golden egg liquid slowly flowed out.
She was about to speak—
Under the table, someone's leather shoe lightly touched her ankle.
Risa was taken aback, then understood.
This cunning guy actually used her as a pawn, making her play the bad cop.
(but……)
(Who told me I couldn't resist the temptation of desserts and came along?)
Risa narrowed her eyes: "It's possible, but I have conditions."
The proprietress's eyes lit up, and she immediately leaned closer: "Please tell me! Please tell me!"
“First, our faces cannot appear in the video.” Risa raised her index finger. “Second, all photos must be reviewed by us before they can be published, and they can only be used in the Kanagawa region. They cannot be overexposed.”
She paused, then added, "Third, commercial rights to all photos require an additional fee. According to the market rate for ordinary tourists using portraits in the tourism industry, the one-time buyout price is between 10,000 and 60,000 yen per photo, depending on the quality of the shot."
The proprietress gasped, "This..."
She had initially thought that the two high school students were unaware of the industry and might even feel honored to be chosen as promotional models. She never expected that this seemingly gentle girl would be so shrewd when discussing business terms.
This is really like kicking a hornet's nest.
Yukimura chuckled softly, "Matsuno-kun, your negotiation skills..."
"What?" Risa raised an eyebrow. "Does the Minister have a problem with this?"
“No,” a hint of admiration flashed in Yukimura’s eyes, “I just think that he is indeed a person who can earn a million dollars from tennis merchandise business and has reached a cooperation agreement with Concept Store.”
The proprietress looked at this and then at that, and suddenly slapped her thigh: "How about this? I have a better suggestion."
The proprietress opened the workshop's online store and said in a low, mysterious voice:
"This is the prized possession of our workshop, a handmade sunflower preserved flower photo frame."
"If you two are willing to be our brand ambassadors, this is for you. It also includes 30 retouched photos, two custom photo albums, and all the original photos and videos."
Risa glanced at the 12,000 yen price tag under the picture frame. She was about to refuse when Yukimura suddenly spoke:
8%.
"What?" The proprietress's eyes widened.
“In addition to the conditions you just mentioned,” Yukimura said calmly, picking up his teacup, “we will add an 8% share of the turnover.”
Risa turned to look at him in surprise, only to see his deep eyes: "Or, you can also choose the first cooperation method we offer."
The proprietress rubbed her hands hesitantly: "Is 3% okay?"
Yukimura: "5%"
The proprietress pondered for three seconds with a pained expression, then finally gritted her teeth and nodded: "Okay!"
When I left the workshop, the sun had already set.
The country station was deserted, the benches warmed by the setting sun. Risa swung her legs, and Yukimura sat beside her, holding two cans of melon soda he had just bought.
"When did you become so good at negotiating business?" Risa couldn't help but ask him.
Yukimura chuckled: "I learned it from books."
Risa tilted her head, half believing and half doubting.
“The next bus is an extra one added during the flower season,” he said. “There will be very few passengers.”
Risa: "...You even checked the strategy guide beforehand?"
Yukimura smiled without answering and handed her a soft drink.
The extra carriage was almost empty, and the setting sun streamed in through the windows, bathing the entire space in an orange-red hue. Risa leaned against the window, a tiny sunflower petal somehow clinging to her hair.
Yukimura reached out, gently took it off, and waved it in front of her eyes: "Smuggler."
Just as Risa was about to speak, she caught a glimpse of his phone out of the corner of her eye—
The lock screen lit up with a photo of a sunflower field I took this morning. The center of the frame was a vibrant sea of golden flowers, while her silhouette was subtly framed in the lower right corner.
(When was this filmed?)
She pretended not to see it, turned her head to look at the fleeting scenery outside the window, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up.
After getting off the sightseeing bus, the two transferred to a tram.
Amidst the bustling crowd, Risa and Yukimura stood side by side on the platform waiting for their train.
"The next train is in three minutes." Yukimura glanced at his watch and caught a glimpse of several students coming downstairs, shoving each other as they approached them.
He subtly moved half a step to Risa's side, raising his arm slightly to shield her from behind.
Risa was looking down at the photos in Yukimura's camera when she suddenly felt a warmth behind her. She turned her head and saw the boy's hand hovering behind her, his fingertips just inches away from her clothes, as if he were embracing her.
(...is he protecting me?)
She pursed her lips and smiled secretly, deliberately leaning closer to him. Yukimura's hand stiffened slightly, but he didn't pull it back.
The tram slowly pulled into the station, with passengers boarding but not disembarking, making the carriage increasingly crowded.
In the crowded throng, a sudden stop caused Risa to lose her balance and fall backward.
A warm hand gently embraced her waist and pulled her back.
"……careful."
A deep voice came close to her earlobe, and warmth brushed against the tip of her ear.
Risa tilted her head back, their eyes met, and Yukimura smiled slightly. His gentle, iris-purple aura seemed to radiate water.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
She shook her head.
I looked away, my ears burning.
After transferring to another line, the number of passengers suddenly decreased, and the two found adjacent seats in a corner.
Risa was so tired that her eyelids felt heavy. The carriage swayed gently, and her head unconsciously bobbed up and down until it finally tilted to one side and rested on the boy's shoulder.
Yukimura paused, his gaze shifting slightly to the girl's peaceful sleeping face. Her eyelashes cast soft shadows beneath her eyes, and her breathing was even and gentle.
That evening, she slept soundly in the art room, just like that.
Yukimura slightly adjusted his posture to make her more comfortable.
"...What an unsuspecting guy."
The boy's whispers melted away in the rhythmic vibrations of the tram.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Finished retouching. [Slumped over]
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