Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/2912051597934651646/episodes/2912051598396479367
As he scrolled through the food delivery app, Houtarou spoke matter-of-factly.
“I’m going to order from the soba shop in front of the station. Is that okay?”
“Oh, sure. I think that might be my first time eating there. I’ve walked past it before, though.”
“Is that so?”
With a curt “Mm-hmm,” he set his smartphone down in the center of the table.
The screen was filled with photos of the delivery app’s menu.
Every single one looked delicious, with steam practically rising from the plates—just looking at them made her stomach growl.
(What should I order? They all look way too good.)
As she peered at the screen, a brilliant idea suddenly popped into Seika’s head.
Order the same thing as the person she likes.
This was the ultimate act of synchronization for a home date—and surely the best chance to close the distance between them.
(But how should I ask what he ordered? “What did you order, Achi-kun?” …No, that sounds like a police interrogation—too heavy. Trying to order the same thing when we’re not even dating yet… is that too creepy?)
Flattening her invisible ears against her head, Seika brooded to herself.
Seeing Seika fall unnaturally silent after overthinking things in circles, Houtarou tilted his head in puzzlement.
“What’s wrong?”
“Woohoo, Houtarou-kun, what did you order?”
The brain with a 530,000 IQ, now in a state of panic, came up with a response that was way too much like a ditzy gal’s vibe.
With a level of hyperactivity that even she found off-putting, she found herself flapping her hands up and down unnaturally.
“…I’m about to eat. I’m having a katsu don.”
“That’s it! I was just thinking I really wanted to eat that too, nyo!”
“Nyo?”
Houtarou’s eyebrow twitched slightly as he stared at her with calm eyes.
“Ahaha, it’s nothing, nyo!”
(“Nyo”?! Ugh, I’m such an idiot, idiot, idiot!)
Seika inwardly clutched her head in despair at the mysterious suffix that had slipped out in her panic, and slumped her shoulders in defeat.
She’d freaked out so much that her character had completely collapsed.
He must have been totally turned off. He must have thought she was a total loser.
Seika felt like she was about to collapse to her knees in despair, but Houtarou’s reaction was unexpected.
He didn’t comment on Seika’s odd behavior or strange speech at all, instead lowering his gaze back to his smartphone.
“Got it. Two katsu donburi, then.”
With a series of mechanical taps, he confirmed the order with smooth, unhesitating movements.
He didn’t complain about her ridiculous antics, didn’t make the atmosphere awkward, and just got things done efficiently.
The words “Order accepted” appeared on the screen, and the sweet aroma of the broth unique to soba shops seemed to tickle her nostrils even before the food arrived.
(No way, he’s too kind. He’s way too sweet!)
Seika covered her bright red face with both hands, desperately fighting the urge to collapse onto the floor in sheer ecstasy.
Behind her, an invisible tail was being wagged so vigorously it seemed it might snap off.
Behind his detached, aloof demeanor lay a bottomless capacity for compassion.
And so, once again, the innocent gal sank deeper and deeper into the bottomless swamp that was the man known as Achi Hotarou.
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