Instant Summer Break, What?! (2)

"So what brings you here today, my hero?" Momo returned the same flirty sentiment.

"Hehehe, that's a good one." Shouichi giggled at her odd joke. It was her usual style of nicknaming. "May I get... um?"

"Matcha with red beans?" She completed his sentence.

"My, you read my mind, Momo-chan!" He beamed brightly at the girl, handing her cash.

"Momo, after you finish with this order, just take a break, okay?" A sudden command from her big sister came from the back of the store. Once Momo settled the bills, she disappeared to make his drink.

"Shouichi-kun, here is your drink." Momo stepped out of her stall to hand it to him in person.

"Since you're going on break anyway, would you mind hanging out with me for a bit?" Shouichi asked casually while sipping on his cup. As expected, the matcha with red beans, made with love by the beautiful maids, was ecstatically tasty. Shouichi believed that customers wouldn't receive this added value anywhere but at Momo's store.

"Huh?" The petite maid's face turned slightly red at his sudden request. "Is... is that really okay?" Momo spoke, anxious and hesitant.

"Of course. Come with me, Momo-chan. I'll show you the world." Shouichi raised his arms to the sky.

"Fufufu." She giggled.

The two secured a bench under the shade. Shouichi couldn't help but notice his friend sweating profusely due to the heat. Pervertedly, he glanced down at her exposed upper bosom with joy. Her soft, moist skin was undeniably attractive. He recalled his experience with her maid costume. After all, he had been the one to unstuck her corset's zipper.

"Huh?! Shouichi-kun?" She caught his eyes already.

"Nothing, nothing. I was just thinking... you must be really uncomfortable." Shouichi managed to change the subject with his quick wits. As a matter of fact, he was ranked number one in the entire second year at Seihei School.

"Yeah, beauty has a price, don't you agree?" Momo kept pulling at her blouse's neckline to ventilate. Each time, Shouichi caught brief glimpses of her black lacy bra underneath.

"Totally."

"Say... Shouichi-kun, how are you doing?"

"I'm doing just fine, as you can see." He beamed to reassure her. "What about you?"

"I mean, it was really scary when it happened, right?" Her expression shifted to serious.

"Truly horrifying... I was glad you were absent that time." Shouichi reached up to give her a head pat. Momo was irresistibly cute and adorable.

"Yeah, I heard a lot of students lost their lives... it's so awful. How could it happen at our school?"

"... Yeah, I still have nightmares about it." Shouichi glanced at the passing pedestrians.

"I was so worried about you and Shinji. He boasted to me about everything... playing heroes might end up getting you hurt, or worse. You know that, right?"

"Oh... Damn it, Shinji. You should keep your mouth shut sometimes," he scolded his silver-haired friend in his mind.

"You guys are good guys — cool, smart, and athletic..." Momo said with admiration in her voice. "But you both need to be careful, alright? Don't throw your lives away, Shouichi-kun."

"Hehe..." Shouichi forced a weak smile as he exchanged a quick glance with Momo. Her blue eyes were full of concern.

"I'm serious. Would you listen to me for once?" She pleaded, grabbing his wrist firmly.

"Eh?" Shouichi's eyes widened with surprise.

"Yes, I'll be more careful next time, Momo-chan," Shouichi answered with an honest face.

"G~Good boy." Momo reached out to pretend to pat his black hair this time.

"Thanks, Momo-chan." The boy smiled at her.

"For what? I haven't done anything."

"Oh, you've done plenty," Shouichi said, sneaking another glance at her chest.

"Wanna hang out at my place? I can show you the world. Fufufu." The cheerful maid teased him back.

"Hahaha. Don't you have to work? You can't leave your big sis alone, can you?" Shouichi asked, considering her tempting offer even though he knew it was just a joke.

"That's true. Maybe another time? You can bring Morimura-san with you too."

"Wait, what?" Shouichi's face flushed a deep shade of red. An erotic scene floated into his mind — two sexy maids, Momo vs Ayane, sandwiching him.

"You never told me you guys weren't dating, though." Momo pretended to be mad, puffing her cheeks cutely.

"Sorry about that, hahaha." He paused to think. "I'm actually single now. I got cheated on." Shouichi felt at ease around Momo. Perhaps she was the perfect consultant for this sort of thing, something he couldn't discuss with Ayane.

"Well, don't be mad at me, okay? Shinji told me everything when he stopped by with his girlfriend a few days ago."

"Damn you, Shinji!" He cursed in his mind.

"Man... that's embarrassing. I'm so pathetic." Shouichi hid his face with both hands.

"Cheer up, Shouichi-kun. I'm here if you need someone." Momo brushed his soft hair gently with her fingers. It was kind of soothing.

"I'm so lucky to get the special service from a beautiful maid." He quipped sarcastically.

"Right? Fufufu." She chuckled gleefully.

After a short conversation with Momo, he contemplatively reflected that his life was precious and should be lived to the fullest. With no time for mourning any more, the boy decided to push forward with everything he had.