Chapter 27

Yuriko and Takeru were walking in the middle of the wide walkway of the shopping district, the same place they went on their first date, as they held hands. Yuriko had a very bright and happy smile on her face, that combined with her appearance and clothes attracted the gazes of admiration from many people that passed by her, but Yuriko didn't notice nor gave a thought to those gazes as she simply enjoyed her walk with Takeru with a big smile on her face

"Nee, Takeru is there any place, in particular, you want to eat?"

"Not really"

"Is that so? Then do you mind, if I pick a place?"

"Not really"

"Great! I know just the right place to have lunch!"

With that Yuriko began to lead the way in a happy mood, after a relatively short walk, the two arrived in front of an Italian restaurant

"Is Italian food good to you, Takeru?"

"Yes"

"Then let's get inside!"

Yuriko clasped her hands with a big smile on her face, and then she pushed open the door of the restaurant and walked inside with Takeru following right behind her. A few moments later, a waiter came to receive the two

"Good afternoon, a table for two?"

"Yes, please"

"Understood, please follow me"

The waiter led Yuriko and Takeru to a free table, the two then sat down across the table, and gave each of them a menu. The two read the menu looking at the meal options the restaurant offered, they spent a few minutes looking at the options before Yuriko asked Takeru

"Have you decided on what you'll have, Takeru?"

"I think I'll go with the meal of the day"

"Fufu, I was thinking of having the same"

Then in almost perfect timing, a waitress came to them

"Buon pomeriggio. I am Cicilia, and I'll be your waitress for today. May I take your orders?"

"Ah! Perfect timing, we would like two specials of the day"

"Two specials, and what about the drinks?"

"I would like the pink lemonade, and what about you Takeru?"

"I would like the iced matcha... Hunh?"

"A pink lemonade and an iced matcha... Hunh?"

When Takeru ordered his drink, his eyes accidentally met with Cicilia's eyes. Then they both crunched up their faces and began to glare at each other, while Yuriko just made a troubled smile seeing the two act like cat and dog, but she also felt a little bit jealous as well

"Hunf"

"Hunh"

And with that Cicilia walked away to pass their orders to the kitchen, as they waited Yuriko remembered that she had passed by Cicilia once days earlier and that she and Takeru had both reacted the same way when seeing each other

"... Takeru, do you have something against, Cicilia-san?"

"Not really"

"Eeeeeeh? Then why did you act like that when you looked at her?"

"... ... ... I don't know"

"Eh? Really?"

"Yeah, the first time I met Cicilia we both reacted the same way, And the other time when I had to cook with her we also reacted the same way, although we still managed to hold short talks once in a while"

Takeru didn't know why he didn't like Cicilia to always react like that towards her and vice versa, but they just did and never bothered on asking why. But Yuriko now had another thing to ask

"Takeru, what did you say about having to cook with her?"

"?!"

Takeru felt a chill running down his spine when he heard Yuriko asking him that in a pretty intimidating tone and with a gentle smile

"I-I was just helping my cousin take care of his house... A-and I had returned from buying groceries since his fridge was empty, she was in his house... A-and we both started to cook for dinner since we were the better ones at doing that, and because she kept insisting to be the one to make the dinner for Yasu"

"... So she was intent on cooking for your cousin, and didn't want to leave that to anyone else but her, correct?"

"... Yes? I guess..."

"I see, I can understand why she wouldn't want someone else cooking for the person she likes"

"I-I see..."

Yuriko had returned to her usual happy and easygoing atmosphere, but Takeru still felt somewhat intimidated by her jealous side, especially since he knew how bad things could become if she became angry. Yet Yuriko noticed that he was feeling worried

"Fufu. Are you worried that something bad would happen to you if I didn't like the answer you said?"

"... ... ... Yes"

"Fufu. If you had answered me with an answer I didn't like, I would just end up making a pouting angry face towards you"

"... Just that?"

"Only for now, but after we returned to the apartment, I would have to punish you for making me angry"

"I-Is that so?"

At hearing that, Takeru's face turned slightly red as he had an idea of what Yuriko might be insinuating

"Yes, your punishment would be me tightly hugging you and filling you with kisses, and have you say 'I love you and I'll only look at you, Yuriko', and only then..."

"A-and then you would stop, right?"

"..."

Takeru's face was now completely red, as he could clearly imagine Yuriko doing that to him, he quite liked it to have her do it, but he also found it to be more embarrassing for him to not want to either. But when he asked her if she would stop, she only responded by giving him a happy smile and slightly inclining her head to the side, Takeru began to worry

"You would stop after all that, right???"

"Hmmm... Perhaps I would or perhaps I wouldn't. Fufu!"

"Eeeeeeeeehhh!?"

Yuriko had a pretty suggestive and amused smile as she said that, while Takeru couldn't help but feel that she had just bamboozled him

"Say Takeru, do you want to receive a 'light punishment' when we return to the apartment?"

"... ... ... I prefer not to... Hm?"

Takeru closed his eyes for a moment and thought about what Yuriko just said, and he decided not to accept her proposal, but when he opened his eyes and looked at her again. He saw that was she angrily pouting toward him, before bringing back her smile

"Fufu! So that's what you wanted, after all, Takeru"

"... Eh?"

Hearing Yuriko says that and seeing her look at him as if he was the dessert, made Takeru's eyes spin around as he felt his face getting even hotter

"Here are your drinks. Hm? Did something happen?"

"Nothing to worry about"

"... Okay then. I'll bring your meal once they're ready"

"Thanks"

Cicilia walked away once without bothering to ask anything further and left the two by themselves once again

-

(A/N Notes: Yuriko only accepts one answer and nothing more)