The early morning streets were sparse with pedestrians, with only the occasional elderly person out for a walk or delivery vehicles passing by, but no one paid much attention to these two high school students in tracksuits.
Shioyaki Lemon held Imaizumi Keita's hand, enjoying this dating moment that belonged solely to her, her face full of smiles.
The holidays really are the best time to overtake on the curves!
Anna, did you see that?
This is my offensive!
...
Returning to his apartment, the first thing Imaizumi Keita did was walk into the bathroom and throw himself under the showerhead.
The cool stream of water poured down from overhead, washing away the stickiness from his body and cooling down his brain, which was slightly feverish from gorging on high-quality emotional energy.
What surfaced in his mind was Shioyaki Lemon's face, a mix of shyness, determination, and a dazed look.
She really is cute.
The shy look of a tomboy athlete girl—only those who get this kind of fetish understand how enticing it is.
The emotional energy surging from her was pure and hot, like an ice-cold carbonated drink; one gulp was incredibly refreshing.
This was completely different from the feeling Anna gave him.
Anna's emotions, after experiencing an initial fragility and explosion, had now become sweet and soft, wrapping around you tightly and making you drown in them.
Lemon, on the other hand, was more like a sudden rainstorm—direct, fierce, catching one off guard yet being incomparably exhilarating.
Truly... a luxurious trouble.
Imaizumi Keita smiled, turned off the faucet, and grabbed a nearby bath towel to dry his body.
...
On the other side, in Shioyaki Lemon's room, a chaos comparable to a world war was playing out.
"Aaaah! What should I wear!"
Shioyaki Lemon held her head and knelt before her wardrobe, which had already been turned into a mess, letting out a wail of despair.
Half of her wardrobe consisted of easy-to-move-in T-shirts, athletic shorts, and various styles of tracksuits.
The remaining half did have various types of everyday clothes, but they were all on the conservative and simple side.
These... none of these are 'decisive battle' clothes!
The image of Yanami Anna uncontrollably surfaced in her mind.
Anna always knew how to dress herself up just right...
No, I absolutely cannot lose!
Shioyaki Lemon's eyes scanned the wardrobe, finally landing on a piece of clothing tucked away in the furthest corner.
It was a black halter-neck, cold-shoulder top, paired with a blue-green botanical print midi skirt.
Beside it lay a pair of small, cute Lemon earrings that her mother had forced upon her.
She had bought this last summer under her mother's urging, but because she felt this slightly mature style was incompatible with her, she had never worn it out once.
But now...
She glanced at her beautiful shoulders and collarbones, then looked down at her chest which, while not as grand as Anna's, was definitely shapely.
This is it!
Gritting her teeth, she changed her clothes, then rushed into the bathroom to clumsily apply light makeup, and for the first time ever, used a curling iron to give the ends of her short hair a playful curve.
When she finally hesitantly put on the pair of Lemon earrings and stood before the full-length mirror, even she was a bit stunned.
The girl in the mirror had wheat-colored skin that looked even tighter and more radiant against the backdrop of the pure black top.
The unique design of the halter-neck and cold-shoulder revealed her beautiful collarbones and neck lines without reservation, carrying a touch of just-right sexiness.
The high-waisted printed skirt made her long legs, which she was proud of, look even more stunning, and the blue-green botanical pattern was full of summer freshness.
The finishing touch was the pair of bright yellow Lemon earrings on her earlobes, swaying playfully and instantly brightening the entire look.
She looked like a completely different person from the tomboyish athlete girl she was on ordinary days.
"Good... let's go with this!"
Shioyaki Lemon took a deep breath, subconsciously touched the Lemon pendant by her ear, and pumped her fist at her reflection in the mirror.
"Lemon, it's time for your offensive!"
...
Exactly 9:00 AM, at the Clock Plaza in front of the Station.
Imaizumi Keita leaned against the railing, looking down at his phone as he replied to messages from his editor regarding the new volume of his novel.
Suddenly, he felt a slightly hesitant and nervous gaze fall upon him.
He looked up, his breath hitching for a split second.
Not far away in the sunlight, a girl was standing there somewhat awkwardly.
The first thing he noticed was her wheat-colored skin, made even more dazzling by the pure black top, and the beautiful neck and shoulder lines that were boldly exposed.
What drew the most attention were the tan lines that the black top couldn't hide; the fair skin was half-exposed, looking particularly eye-catching.
Moving his gaze down, a blue-green printed skirt full of summer vibes wrapped around her slender waist.
Her short hair seemed to have been meticulously styled, the curves at the tips swaying gently in the breeze.
The face that was always full of energy now carried an uncommon trace of shyness.
It was Lemon, yet definitely not the Lemon he was familiar with.
He put away his phone and walked over, his face wearing his usual composed smile.
"Sorry Kin-chan, kept you waiting."
Seeing him walk over, Shioyaki Lemon nervously brushed her hair and asked somewhat uncertainly.
"No, I just arrived too."
Imaizumi Keita's gaze swept over her frankly, and then he praised her sincerely, "You're very beautiful, Lemon. This outfit suits you well."
Shioyaki Lemon's cheeks flushed instantly, and she asked with feigned casualness, "I-is that so? I just threw it on... So, where are we going now?"
"Hmm..." Imaizumi Keita pondered for a moment, then, like performing a magic trick, pulled two tickets from his pocket. "How about this?"
Shioyaki Lemon leaned in to look; they were tickets for a large Indoor Amusement Park that had recently opened nearby.
"An Indoor Amusement Park?!"
Her eyes instantly lit up.
"Correct."
Imaizumi Keita stuffed one of the tickets into her hand and then naturally took her hand in his.
"Let's go, my exclusive playmate. Today, your task is to make sure I have fun."
"W-who's your exclusive playmate!"
Shioyaki Lemon protested verbally, but her hand honestly gripped his back.
"Who's going to make who happy today isn't decided yet!"
"Yes, yes, yes."
Imaizumi Keita couldn't help but ruffle Shioyaki Lemon's hair, only to be pushed away by her look of disdain.
"You jerk Kin-chan, I spent so long on my hair, don't mess it up."
Shioyaki Lemon complained for a bit, then swung their joined hands and said, "Isn't holding hands enough to make you happy? You just have to mess up my hair..."
"Hmph..."
Shioyaki Lemon let out a soft snort through her nose and suddenly changed the subject, asking, "So, are you satisfied with today's experience?"
"Of course."
"S-satisfied is good... T-this way, we're even!"
Shioyaki Lemon nodded happily, clearly very pleased with this response.
Perhaps in Shioyaki Lemon's view, this was also a sign of catching up to Yanami Anna.
Imaizumi Keita didn't quite understand the girls' attitude toward progress and was just a bit confused by Shioyaki Lemon's wording.
"Even?" Imaizumi Keita raised an eyebrow and asked with a look of confusion, "In what way are we even?"
"It's... you saw me before..."
Shioyaki Lemon's voice dropped, vaguely indicating her meaning to Imaizumi Keita, "And then... I also helped you solve your trouble... Doesn't that make us even?"
"Oh..."
Imaizumi Keita nodded thoughtfully, his expression looking as if he were seriously considering the feasibility of her words.
After a moment, he spoke slowly, his tone full of amusement.
"Lemon-chan's logic seems to... have no problem with it."
"R-right!"
Having received validation, Shioyaki Lemon's confidence instantly surged.
She said righteously, "So, from now on, you're not allowed to use that incident to tease me anymore!"
"Which incident?" Imaizumi Keita asked intentionally.
"The... the time with the heatstroke!"
Shioyaki Lemon glared at him again with a bit of bashful annoyance.
Does this guy Kin-chan have to make her say exactly what it was?!
He's simply a meanie!
"Fine, I won't mention it."
Imaizumi Keita nodded very straightforwardly.
His obedient manner made Shioyaki Lemon feel delighted for a moment.
However, before she could be happy for long, she heard Imaizumi Keita add another sentence.
"But, Lemon-chan."
"Hmm?"
"This outfit... is really cute."
Wait?!"
With this sudden and long-unheard direct compliment, Shioyaki Lemon suddenly forgot how to respond.
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