I Accidentally Got a Date, and Now I Might Die?!

Saturday arrived faster than I expected, and before I knew it, I was standing outside a trendy café, staring at my phone like an idiot.

Yuki: Be there at 3. Don't be late, loser.

It was 2:55.

I was never early to anything in my life, but fear is a powerful motivator.

Aoi had been unusually smug ever since I told her about this whole situation.

"You rejected her first, and now she's forcing you on a date?" she had mused, tapping her chin. "Hmm. Interesting."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I had asked, frowning.

"Oh, nothing~" she had replied, smirking like she knew something I didn't. Which was terrifying, because she absolutely did.

And now, here I was, sweating bullets, waiting for the hottest girl in class, who probably still wanted to kill me.

Awesome.

At exactly 3:00, Yuki arrived.

And, uh… wow.

She wore a white off-shoulder top with a short black skirt, paired with heeled sandals. Her golden hair was tied up in a high ponytail, and she had the smallest hint of makeup—just enough to enhance her already unfairly beautiful features.

She looked… amazing.

She also looked really annoyed.

"You're early?" she said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, well, I value my life," I muttered.

She smirked. "Good. Let's go."

The café was a cozy little spot, and we somehow got a window seat. I awkwardly sipped my iced coffee while Yuki scrolled through her phone, looking bored.

"So, uh… why'd you ask me out?" I finally asked.

She clicked her tongue. "I didn't ask you out. We're just hanging out."

"Right. Totally."

She rolled her eyes. "Look, idiot, I was just… curious."

"…Curious?"

She played with her straw, avoiding my gaze. "You used to be completely invisible, and now everyone won't shut up about your 'perfect stepsister.'"

"Ah. So you're not actually interested in me, you're just here to investigate Aoi."

She flinched slightly. "…Shut up."

I smirked. "Did you just get embarrassed?"

"I will pour this coffee on your head."

Message received. I wisely shut up.

After the café, we walked around the shopping district, stopping by different stores. Yuki dragged me into a clothing shop, forced me to try on different outfits, and criticized every single one of them.

"Ugh, no. That color washes you out."

"…I don't even know what that means."

"It means you look worse than usual."

"…Thanks."

Eventually, she settled on a black hoodie and a pair of jeans, shoving them into my arms. "You're buying these."

I blinked. "I am?"

"Yes. You can't walk around looking like a disaster forever."

"Geez, Yuki, if you wanted to fix me so bad, you could've just said so."

She scoffed. "Please. Fixing you would take a miracle."

I sighed dramatically. "And here I thought this was a date."

Yuki's face turned slightly pink. "I-Idiot! Who said this was a date?!"

"Oh? So you just normally drag guys out for shopping trips and force them to buy clothes?"

She crossed her arms. "Maybe I do."

"…Do you?"

"…Shut up and buy the hoodie."

After hours of being bossed around, we finally sat on a park bench, eating ice cream.

Yuki seemed… relaxed. Like she wasn't actively trying to kill me anymore.

"Hey," she said suddenly. "You're not… as pathetic as I thought."

I blinked. "Uh. Thanks?"

She smirked. "Don't get me wrong. You're still pathetic. Just… a little less than before."

I sighed. "You really know how to compliment a guy, huh?"

She laughed—a rare, genuine laugh that made my heart skip a beat.

"…Tch. Why are you looking at me like that?" she muttered, suddenly flustered.

"Nothing, nothing." I grinned. "It's just… you should laugh more."

She threw a napkin at my face. "Shut up, loser."

Yeah.