Kotonoha froze, visibly flustered. "Is that… okay?"
"Hurry up. You want to waste the whole day like this?"
After a moment's thought, she extended her index and middle fingers to lightly pinch the hem of his jacket.
Takashi looked down and was speechless.
Seriously? With that kind of grip, you'll fly off before you even realize it.
But he didn't say anything.
He simply started the bike, revved the throttle—and suddenly slammed the brakes.
The bike lurched, and due to inertia, Kotonoha was thrown against his back.
She instinctively wrapped her arms tightly around him.
Heh, gotcha now.
Takashi grinned smugly and gunned the throttle. The bike shot off like lightning.
Kotonoha clung to him even tighter.
…
Takashi wasn't driving fast, but the bike itself was high-performance, so it took less than fifteen minutes to reach Shiba Park 4-Chome.
Tokyo Tower, located in Minato, Tokyo, officially named the "Japan Radio Tower," is one of the city's iconic landmarks.
It was designed by Tachū Naitō, nicknamed "Dr. Tower," who spent his entire life building towers across Japan.
The six tallest towers in the country were all designed by him.
Tokyo Tower is over 300 meters tall.
Before the Skytree was built, it was the tallest tower in Japan and slightly taller than the Eiffel Tower. It was completed in 1958.
Standing below the tower, Takashi and Kotonoha looked up at its towering form. She couldn't help but gasp in admiration, "It's beautiful."
"It's even prettier at night."
Takashi had seen how stunning Tokyo Tower looked when it was illuminated at night.
They admired the exterior for a while. Takashi then pulled out his student ID and paid for discounted tickets before leading her inside.
Since it was the weekend, the area was packed with tourists. The crowds were overwhelming, and people kept bumping into each other.
Kotonoha didn't like crowded places.
She'd get nervous if she accidentally brushed against a guy.
So far, Takashi was the only boy she didn't feel uncomfortable touching.
"Don't worry. I'm here."
Knowing she was uneasy around men, Takashi gently intertwined their fingers, reassuring her.
His warm grip helped her relax.
"Take the elevator or climb the stairs?"
Visitors to Tokyo Tower's main observation deck could either take the external staircase or wait for the elevator.
Kotonoha thought for a moment. "Let's take the stairs."
Though she wasn't in great shape, she wanted to spend more time with Takashi, so she chose the stairs.
"Then let's climb."
They made their way toward the tower's red-colored external stairs, still holding hands.
Climbing wasn't difficult for Takashi—he had even climbed Mount Hua before. Compared to that, Tokyo Tower wasn't even a real mountain.
If not for Kotonoha, he could've made it to the top in one go.
They climbed while enjoying the view.
As they ascended, the people, stores, and cars below shrank in size. Their field of vision widened, and so did their hearts.
The staircase was long—over 600 steps. Near the top, Kotonoha ran out of energy and had to stop to rest.
Takashi looked up. They were only about 150 meters from the top—not far at all.
He glanced at her, then suddenly scooped her up in a princess carry.
"Ah!"
Caught off guard, she let out a surprised yelp.
As she realized what was happening, she panicked. "Kitahara-kun, put me down! I'm heavy!"
"Bleh, no way!"
Sticking out his tongue, Takashi ignored her and continued carrying her up the stairs.
Because of that sudden scream just now, people around them all turned their heads toward her.
Seeing Takashi carrying Kotonoha with ease while walking swiftly, some girls with boyfriends glanced at their own men—
who were already out of breath after just three minutes and couldn't even carry them—and looked at them with disdain.
Noticing the attention, Kotonoha curled up like a quail in Takashi's arms, her face nearly burying itself in her ample chest.
"You could bury your face in my chest instead, I wouldn't mind. Because—"
Takashi lowered his head and leaned in close to Kotonoha's ear, practically nibbling it as he whispered, "Today, I'm all yours. Do whatever you want. Hoo."
To top it off, Takashi teasingly blew a gentle breath into her ear.
Kotonoha's blush still hadn't faded, and upon hearing his words, her body trembled slightly, her ears flushing red.
"Kitahara-kun, you're bullying me again."
Kotonoha muttered softly, so quietly it was almost only audible to herself.
"What was that? You're not giving it to me?"
Even though she had spoken so softly, Takashi still heard her.
He raised an eyebrow and smirked mischievously. "I am bullying you. So what? Weren't you the one who came to me, practically asking for it?"
Kotonoha pouted, her lips so puffed they could hang an oil bottle, but she had no retort.
Wasn't it true?
Takashi hadn't even wanted much to do with her at first, and yet she had eagerly thrown herself at him.
"Don't say I'm bullying you. I'll give you one chance. I'm asking you—if I bully you, will you let me?"
Kotonoha bit her lip and stayed silent.
"Well? Will you or won't you? Hoo hoo~"
Takashi once again blew warm, damp air into her ear.
Feeling the breath seeping into her ear, hot and sticky, Kotonoha couldn't take it anymore. She turned her face slightly into Takashi's chest and whispered, "I will."
In front of someone you love, the first to fall is always the one who compromises.
Facing Takashi, Kotonoha admitted defeat.
Takashi grinned triumphantly.
Cradled in a princess carry, Kotonoha sneakily examined his sharply defined features—his fox like eyes and that smile against the backlight—and thought to herself,
He can bully me for the rest of my life, and I'd be fine with it.
After all, she had fallen for this scoundrel.
What else could she do?
When they reached the Tokyo Tower Main Observatory, a staff member was stationed there.
Seeing Takashi carrying Kotonoha up, the staff handed each of them a card, commemorating their ascent of Tokyo Tower on foot.
These cards were really meant for children.
But seeing Takashi haul his "girlfriend" up all the way, the staff gave them one each anyway.
It wasn't worth much anyway.
Once they reached the observation deck, Takashi set Kotonoha down.
The two of them gazed out together—the entire Tokyo Bay lay before their eyes.
Ships sailing, cars driving along the bayside roads, and the dense crowds of people below looked like ants.
As they stood side by side admiring the view, a pair of eyes from behind locked onto them.
More precisely, locked onto Takashi.
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