I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

"Senior, could I have a chocolate banana?"

"Why should I?"

Despite being asked that question, Yuu Tenkuji still obediently walked towards the stall and asked the owner for a chocolate banana.

To be honest, he had already prepared to treat her to food and drinks tonight, and he was even planning to pay for the candied apple for her. However, Iroha Isshiki stopped him with the excuse that "I can pay for this little bit of money myself." Before he even took out his wallet, she paid for it herself.

Boys are always a bit vain. In certain social occasions or gatherings with friends, it is common to see everyone vying to pay the bill. If you don't let him pay, he will be unhappy.

Yuu Tenkuji wasn't the kind of person who would be so stingy as to insist on splitting the bill with his female companion when they went out to eat. So when he heard Iroha Isshiki ask him to treat her, he actually felt a sense of relief, as his vanity was finally satisfied.

After paying cleanly and efficiently, Yuu Tenkuji handed her the chocolate banana.

"Why should I? Hmph, of course it is~"

Iroha Isshiki suddenly grinned mischievously, glanced around, and then took Tenkuji Yu's hand, leading him to a shady spot next to the stall. She let him use his broad body to block the view of the crowd outside. Then, she picked up a chocolate banana, her moist eyes slightly raised, and she blinked twice in a tempting manner.

"Tap tap tap tap! Starring Aya Yu, this is the most popular fan service scene among boys!"

"..." Yuu Tenkuji fell into a brief silence.

She waved the banana triumphantly: "How about that? Isn't it a pleasant surprise? I know, when you bring a girl to the temple fair, you're definitely hoping for this scene to happen... Hmm? Wait a minute..."

Is it a bit inappropriate to do that in public?

Suddenly realizing this, Isshiki paused, meeting Tenkuji Yu's slightly strange gaze.

A playful expression appeared on her face, as if she had only just remembered to be shy. A deeper blush spread across her cheeks, and her expression became somewhat embarrassed.

But since she had already done it, it seemed even more awkward not to continue. So Iroha could only pretend to be calm and cough twice, her flushed face tense, but her voice unconsciously getting lower and lower.

"Let me make this clear first, this is a special perk only for seniors, okay? If you don't cover it up properly and others see it, I won't let you off the hook..."

"Don't worry, it's already blocked."

He suddenly spoke, his deep, magnetic voice brimming with confidence.

Yu Tenkuji eliminated the possibility of being spied on by using the "walls have no ears" principle.

The girl had already let go of his hand and stood in front of him without any defenses, as if he could reach out and hug her tightly at any moment, pulling her slender and graceful figure into his arms, carefully savoring the girl's softness and fragrance.

The way he held a chocolate banana but didn't take a bite was rather strange...

However, cuteness is justice, and being cute is not a problem.

"Hey, what exactly is this so-called welfare? And what does it have to do with chocolate and bananas?"

Looking down at her, who hadn't made a move yet, Tenkuji Yu blinked her pure and innocent eyes, her gaze filled with childlike curiosity, her mind simply anticipating her next move.

His acting was natural and full of emotion.

"You're asking a question you already know the answer to. Your perverse sense of humor is really going too far!"

With her little nose wrinkled, Isshiki glared at him angrily, like a performer forced to perform a shameful act.

She was already starting to regret it—her idea of ​​using this kind of "private scene" to flirt with her senior and make him fall for her had completely failed the moment she became shy.

But I've already bought the chocolate and banana, and I've said I'd show him the fan service scene. I can't just shove the banana into his mouth and pretend nothing happened, can I?

Breaking my promise isn't the worst part; the most important thing is that I don't want to be looked at by my seniors like I'm some immature younger sister, and I don't want them to look down on me...

I'll do it! I'm very daring!

After taking a deep breath, Isshiki Hatake mustered her courage and recalled the actions from the short videos she had watched yesterday, bringing the banana to her slightly open mouth.

Her fingers pressed down on the side hair by her ear to prevent it from slipping, revealing half of her delicate and lovely blushing cheek, which also made the girl's movements completely undisguised.

She slowly lowered her head, her small, glistening lips exhaling warm breath, preparing to envelop the tip of the chocolate banana, to show this detestable senior that she also had a mature woman's side, and that even if it was shameful, she would make him fall for her—

Tenkuji Yu suddenly spoke again: "Did you know? According to online surveys, the actions that women take to easily attract men include what you are doing right now."

"Huh?"

Taking advantage of Iroha Isshiki's surprised glance up, he snatched the chocolate banana, bit off half of it, and mumbled between chews, "The gentleness of that lowered head is like a water lily shyly trembling in the cool breeze... The gesture of lowering her head to tuck her hair in is so beautiful that it's unforgettable and makes one's heart flutter."

Seeing that she seemed a little confused, Yuu Tenkuji couldn't help but chuckle. He pinched her soft, hot cheek with his fingers, looked into her eyes and said, "Idiot, if you're shy, don't force yourself to tempt me with chocolate and bananas. What kind of manga plot are you imitating?"

Isshiki blinked, her fingers still tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She stared at him blankly for a long while, then suddenly uttered these words:

"...So, as long as I do this much, my senior will be tempted?"

"Probably." Yuu Tenkuji withdrew her hand and put the remaining half of the banana into her mouth.

It's strange that, even though the actions are almost identical, women need hundreds of words to describe them, while men only need a sentence of less than fifteen words.

Is this what gender inequality is like? I'm so angry and cold.

"Really?"

As her shyness and determination gradually faded, her eyes began to light up, and she excitedly pressed for more information.

Tenkuuji Yu replied dismissively, "Really, why would I lie to you?"

"So, senior, you're smitten, aren't you? You can't help but fall for me, can you?" While still holding her hair up, Iroha Isshiki leaned closer, grinning mischievously, looking extremely excited.

"I didn't expect you to be so easy to win over, senior!"

"Alright, alright, I've finished appreciating the perks. Let's continue browsing."

Yuu Tenkuji shoved her face away impatiently, ending his "walls have no ears" mode, and turned to walk towards the brightly lit street.

Iroha quickly followed, as if she had discovered a new continent, her movements joyful and bouncy, her wooden clogs making a crisp sound on the stone road.

"Senior, are you shy?"

Yuu Tenkuji rolled her eyes: "Aren't you the shy one? Do you want me to mimic your expression from earlier? Or do you want to try another chocolate banana?"

Isshiki Hachiman quickly comforted her, "Alright, alright, don't be angry, senpai. How could someone as shameless as you be shy? I was just joking."

"Which one?"

"Don't worry about such trivial things... Look, I've styled my hair again!" She started playing with her hair, her head bobbing wildly from side to side like a madwoman. "I styled the left side, then the right, then the left. See, this angle is pretty good, isn't it? Hehe~ But if you want to see it, senior, I'll style it for you anytime~"

"It looks nice, but I don't particularly like this move. Too many of them are annoying."

Too lazy to look at Isshiki Hachiman, Tenkuji Yusuke sighed wearily.

I should have refrained from comforting her. Wouldn't it have been better to let her endure the shame and suffer the consequences of her actions by pretending to eat a banana?

You can see adorable scenes with beautiful girls without being harassed like that.

Indeed, a gentle and tolerant attitude is the root of all evil.

As I was thinking this, my arm was suddenly enveloped by something soft.

"However, I especially like your slightly awkward gentleness."

Gently taking his wrist, Isshiki Hatake let down her hair, which was tied up, to cover her fair and rosy cheeks, and said in a casual, soft voice:

"Really, I would never get annoyed no matter how many there are."

"...Well, whatever makes you happy."

She answered with a sigh, but a smile involuntarily crept onto her lips.

Yuu Tenkuji looked up at the starry sky. The road and stalls stretched upwards along the curve of the hills, and the lights on both sides warmed the gloomy woods. At the end of the mountains and the fires was the vast and boundless night sky, with a few small stars hanging in the sky, seemingly close at hand, yet so far away that they could not be touched.

At this moment, the girl casually put her hand back into his, claiming that there were too many people and she didn't want to be separated from him.

Yuu Tenkuji didn't say much. He squeezed the cold, sweaty little hand again, feeling his heartbeat and the twinkling of the stars seem to be in sync.

But perhaps that was just an illusion created by the excitement of the festival.

"That's right, just like a dream."

The powerful sound of taiko drums emanated from the shrine on the mountain.

He held her hand and continued upwards under the warm night sky.

Chapter Fifty-Two at the Shooting Stand

Halfway through the temple fair, in order to finish off all the snacks and drinks they had bought along the way, the two had to let go of each other's hands and walk side by side, eating and drinking as they passed by various stalls. They bought any fragrant food they saw and joined others to watch the interesting game stalls, enjoying an indescribably leisurely and comfortable time.

So I went up the slope, and the number of plastic bags hanging on my wrist gradually increased. The night grew darker, but I didn't feel tired at all. Instead, I became more and more energetic.

"Senior, there are so many fun stalls along the way, why don't you try any of them?"

While biting the small spoon used for shaving ice, Isshiki suddenly nudged him with her elbow and tilted her head curiously to ask.

The two had just left the water balloon stall and did not join the other children in the game. Instead, after watching the little girl struggle to fish up the water balloon and jump around excitedly, only to accidentally throw it back into the pool, they continued to the next stall.

"Aren't you the same?" After taking a bite of her melon-flavored shaved ice, Tenkuji Yu mumbled, "You must have been really interested in that goldfish scooping stall, right? Why didn't you go try it?"

Isshiki Iroha gave him a questioning look that seemed to say, "Are you really that clueless or just pretending?" and then pouted and huffed inexplicably.

"This is a brand new yukata, you know. It wouldn't be good if it got wet."

With her slender arms outstretched to the sides, she flicked her light blue patterned sleeves, her waist swaying gently from side to side, as light and lovely as a butterfly fluttering its wings.

Then she clenched her fists and put them on her hips, deliberately straightening her face and puffing out her chest, saying in a very serious tone, "Unless you, senior, will take responsibility for buying me a new yukata, I will absolutely not do anything today that would cause this yukata to wrinkle!"

"It's just a yukata, not a kimono for a coming-of-age ceremony..."

Unable to comprehend this persistence, Yuu Tenkuji shook his head speechlessly.

Although we have the money to buy a yukata, there's no need to let Isshiki Hatake run around and play everywhere. Let her do as she pleases.

...Wait a minute, something's not right.

Suddenly realizing that things weren't so simple, Yuu Tenkuji was taken aback, then glanced at Iroha Isshiki with a slightly subtle look.

Does this sentence imply...?

I don't mind doing things that will wrinkle the yukata, as long as you can buy me a new yukata and take responsibility.

That is, the Obon Festival version of "Are you confident you can help me put on my kimono?" - For some reason, Yuu Tenkuji clearly remembers this famous scene, but can't recall which work it comes from.

too weird.

He took another bite of the honeydew melon-flavored shaved ice, smacked his lips in disgust, and quickly rinsed his mouth with juice to clear away the chemical sweetness. He had made up his mind: even though it wasn't summer yet, he would buy an ice shaved ice machine tomorrow and make a few jars of his own naturally sweet jam!

As for Isshiki Hatake, seeing her innocent and unfazed demeanor, seemingly having no connection to the matter at all, Tenkuji Yuu also dismissed any thoughts of impropriety and pretended nothing had happened.

"Even though I can't play, I want to watch my seniors play!"

She gently bumped her shoulder against mine, and in a voice as sweet as melon jam, she said coquettishly, "Senpai~ Don't you want to show off a little in front of me? Little Ayaha will look at you with such adoration~"