Chapter 39: Irl School Festival Event 3

Refresher on what Izumi looks like:¹

 As for our first destination, it has to be a haunted house!

'Hmm should I pretend to be scared?'  I thought, soon running the scenario in my head.

 "Aahh!! Izumi!!"

"No need to be scared, Hiroshi! I'll protect you!"

"Thank you, Izumi! You're so brave!"

"Ugh..! No way!"  I mentally recoiled from imagining such a thing. 'Nope! No way in hell I'm doing that!'

Meanwhile beside me, Izumi is left wondering what I'm doing. 'What's Hiroshi thinking about?'

Not long after, our turn to run the gauntlet of scares finally arrived. 'I've never gone to a haunted house before, so this'll be interesting no matter what.'

"Um, Hiroshi, if you get scared, you can cling to me, okay?"  Izumi says. Her hand clenched into a fist pump.

"Pfft- I should be saying that to you. I'm older than you, remember?"  I say, and a small chuckle escapes me shortly after. Seeing Izumi try to act tough is both funny and cute. Neither of which she wants.

"! Y-Yes, but you're still a boy! You're bound to get scared easily!"  she retorts. Which might be true for some guys, but I'm not the type to be scared easily.

'Queue Izumi screaming in 3, 2, 1...'

.

.

"AHHHH!!!!"  Izumi screamed out loud, desperately clinging to my arm. 'Called it~'  I thought, holding my hand over my mouth in an attempt to not laugh.

Though, to be fair, for highschoolers they did an amazing job. Not just the environment, but the costumes are unsettingly detailed. 

Especially the masks. 'I wonder if they rented them from a scare store or whatever they're called.'

Our haunted house experience essentially went like this; Izumi screaming at every turn while I admired every detail and costume. 

After stepping out, I followed Izumi to the nearest stairway. Her hands flat against the wall, head hanging down as she focused on collecting herself.

"Haah..! How, how did you not scream once?!"   Izumi asks, glancing at me from the side. 'At least she isn't that pale anymore.'

"Well, I was busy admiring the effort they put in. And I just, forgot to get scared, I guess."  I explained, scratching my cheek as I did.

"How do you forget to get scared?!"  Izumi yelled. However, she isn't wrong to think so. Even I'm surprised I didn't get scared even once. 

"Alright, alright. Enough of that. Since you're lively again, let's go tour the stalls! I've been aching to taste festival food for a while now!" I say. Both fists clenched into fist pumps from how excited I am.

'.... Most guys aren't like this, right?'  Izumi thought. 

With one final breath, she pushed off the wall and stood straight again. "Let's make this clear. I'll be paying, okay? I might have spent my monthly allowance to rent you out, but I still have tons of money saved up!"

.

.

"Gone."

"Hm?"

"My wallet is gone! No- wait. I forgot to take it from my bag! Stay right here, I'll be right back-"

"Hold it!"  I call out just as Izumi is about to bolt.

Currently, we're standing infront of a yakitori²chicken skewer stand. Having ordered two skewers, Izumi was about to pay when she realized she forgot her wallet.

"Hold these for a moment."  I say, handing Izumi the two skewers.

Izumi looks at the skewers in her hands for a second before shifting to me. "No! I'll pay! Just give me a minute to get my-" 

"Shush!"  Before Izumi could finish, I pushed my finger against her lips. "It's fine, Izumi. Just think of it as me treating you. No need to sweat paying me back. Just focus on enjoying yourself, okay?"

"But, but I'm..."

"Here you are."  Ignoring Izumi's protest, I hand the money to a student working the stall. "Thank you! Please enjoy the festival!"  she said with a bow after receiving the payment. Glancing briefly at Izumi in the short moment her head was down.

"....."  And Izumi caught that brief look. A knot of shame starting to grow inside her. 'A boy paying for me... How embarrassing...'  she thought. Hanging her head for the nth time today.

"Hey, come on. Eat your skewer before it gets cold."  I say, taking a skewer from Izumi's left hand and eating a piece off it. The saucy chicken and vegetable soon fills my mouth. 'Gah. I'm craving rice again...'

"...."  Izumi stares at her skewer for a couple seconds before biting a piece off. Chewing on the chicken, the savory taste fills the insides of her mouth. 'It's good...'

Reaching out, I clasp Izumi's hand with mine. Our digits mingling as I hold her tightly. "Come on. Didn't I just tell you to enjoy yourself? It's just a little bit of money, so don't be hung up about it, okay?"  

Izumi raises her head, and looks me in the eye. "But I'm a girl. I should be the one paying for our date."  she says, and I can see how much it's weighing on her by the look in her eyes.

'I underestimated how much this affects girls in this world. The 3 to 1 gender ratio likely amplifies it even more...'  I thought, recalibrating my strategy.

Raising my hand, I bring my index finger to my cheek. "Hmm. Then what's worse? You being hung up on not paying... Or me getting sad because you're not enjoying our date?"  I say, putting on the best sad-pouty face I can.

"! No, no! I- I'm enjoying myself! See- see!?"  Izumi perked up and hurriedly put on a wide smile. Seems the latter is worse than what she's feeling. 'I'm glad it worked, but I'd rather not use this card again.'  

"I don't know~ Boys are emotionally-sensitive creatures, so I'll pick up the sliigghtest hint of bad energy." 

"So if you don't want to make a boy cry, then-"  I reach out and boop Izumi on the nose; pressing it like a button. "Smile and enjoy our date, okay?"  I say with a cheeky smile on my face.

Izumi stares at me with an almost flabbergasted expression. "R-Right..."  she mutters.

"Alright. Now that that's settled."  With my free hand, I grab Izumi's hand once more. Interlocking our digits. "Let's try out some more stalls!"  I say with a wide smile on my face as I lead Izumi by the hand to our next destination.

'... I really can't predict what he'll do next.'  Izumi thought, staring at Andy's back.

After browsing several other stalls, one finally peaked my interest. 'Authentic Japanese takoyaki!'  I thought out loud.

'I quite liked takoyaki back in the Philippines, so I'm curious how authentic ones will taste.'

Eager to try out the aforementioned dish, I approach the stall with Izumi in tow. 'Even if it's made by highschool students, I'm sure it will be good.'  I thought. Having just finished our skewers earlier, the timing is perfect as well.

"Excuse me. A six-piece set please."  I say, and a male student from behind the stall perked up and turned to me. "Got it!"  he responded with a smile before getting to work on our order.

While waiting, I turn to Izumi next to me. Giving her hand a couple squeezes. "I forgot to ask, but is takoyaki fine with you, Izumi?"

At my question, Izumi nodded briefly. "Yeah. I don't mind. I haven't had any in a couple years anyways."  she says, hesitantly squeezing my hand in return.

"Great."  I say. A relieved smile on my lips from confirming Izumi isn't against eating takoyaki. 'I shouldn't forget to ask for her opinion next time.'

"Here you are!"  the male student from earlier spoke out. In his hands is the serving of takoyaki I ordered. After paying for it, we went over to a nearby bench to eat at our own pace.

"Oo- Cold!"  I muttered. The wooden surface sent a wave of cold through my cheeks the moment I made contact. 

"Ack?! So cold!"  Izumi exclaimed next to me. Also getting assaulted by the cold bench.

"Hahahah. Guess we should have kept standing, huh?"  I chuckled, finding amusement in the situation.

After a few seconds, the surface below my rear warmed up enough to be somewhat comfortable.

"Alright. Let's eat before these get cold too."  I say, picking up a piece using the toothpick provided. 

I slowly raise it to my lips, careful not to let it fall. 'It's still steaming hot, huh?'  I observed, seeing the faint steam emanating from the takoyaki.

I part my lips, then form them into an O shape. "Huuu~"  And blow on it.

Gulp

Meanwhile to the side, Izumi is staring at Andy's lips. 'They're pink... And they look soft too...'  she thought. 

Izumi intently watched his lips like they're the most fascinating thing in the world.

'I'm a pervert. I'm a pervert. I'm a pervert. I'm a pervert..."  Yet she still kept staring. She tries not to, but she imagines what his lips would feel like against her own. 

And on other places as well...

"Ahh~"  Finally, Andy opened wide. Bringing the warm, round takoyaki into his mouth. "Um~"  Andy closed his mouth, and in turn, he started chewing. "Hmm~! That's really good!"   he exclaimed. A bright, innocent expression on his face.

With the taste of takoyaki still in my mouth, I turn to Izumi by my side. "It tastes amazing, Izumi! Here, try it!"  I say, stabbing a piece and bringing it to her lips.

"Ah- uh, thanks..."  she muttered, staring at the elevated takoyaki.

'I should blow on it, right?'  she thought, but an idea suddenly appeared and made itself known.

"Om!"

"Wow, Izumi! You ate it without blowing on it! You're so womanly!"

 "Heh- That's not the only thing womanly about me."

"Eh?! Y-You don't mean..."

"Would you like to see what else is womanly about me?"

"I-Izumi..."

"Hiroshi..."

"Heheheh...."  A strange smile stretched across Izumi's face as she let out an equally strange laugh.

"Izumi?"  

"Y-Yes?!"

"Are you okay? You just... started laughing out of nowhere. Is the cold getting to you?"  I ask, a look of genuine concern on my face.

"Uhh- no! I'm fine, I'm fine!"  Izumi says, waving both hands infront of her.

"Okay. If you say so..."

Izumi shifts her gaze to the takoyaki in my hand. 'I have to show Hiroshi I can be womanly!'  With that thought, Izumi locked on to the steaming hot takoyaki. Parting her lips, she pounced. Swallowing the hot takoyaki in one gulp.

And unfortunately for her, it was way too hot still. "AHHH HOT- HOT!!"  Izumi yelled, spitting the takoyaki out. The discarded ball fell to the cold, hard floor with a splat.

"! I'm sorry, Hirosh-"  Before Izumi could finish, I reached out and grabbed her cheeks. With my thumbs, I pried her mouth open. "Heerohshi?? Wat arr-"

"Huu~ Huu~"  I hurriedly began blowing air into her mouth. Unaware of the gravity of my actions.

"Huu~ Huuu~"  I keep blowing into Izumi's mouth, hoping to alleviate the burn even a little bit.

"Herohshi?!?!"  Izumi managed to say. Her body growing hot from embarrassment, and something else she isn't aware of yet.

To everyone else, it must look strange without context. A hot guy blowing into the mouth of a girl wearing a trench coat with bandaged arms.

Izumi could push him away at any time, but she remains frozen stiff. Which, is a reasonable response.

After what feels like forever, yet also brief, Andy finally stopped. 

"Does it still hurt, Izumi?" 

"H-Huh? O-Oh, yeah! I'm all good now. Thanks Hiroshi!" she says with flushed cheeks. 'I can never predict what this guy will do next!'  Izumi yelled internally.

Hearing her say she's fine, a wave of relief washed over me. "I'm glad you're feeling better, but be careful next time, okay? Overly hot food can cause nerve damage and ruin your tongue! Then you'd lose your sense of taste!"

"I think that's an overexaggeration-"

"So you're going to do it again?"  I cut her off. My eyes narrowed into a reprimanding gaze. 

Izumi flinched. "! N-No! I won't do it again! Promise!" she says, frantically waving her hands infront of her.

Satisfied, I relaxed and shifted back into boyfriend-mode. "Here. I'll feed you this time."  I say, stabbing one takoyaki and bringing it to my lips. 

"Huu~ Huu~"  After blowing on it a few times, I bring it towards Izumi. Hovering close to her lips. "Say ahh~"  I beckoned. 

Izumi stared at the takoyaki for a moment. Her throat flexed from swallowing her spit. "A-Ahh~ Om~"  Once she closed her mouth, I pulled back the toothpick. 

Izumi started chewing the warm treat. "! It's delicious!"  she exclaimed. Her eyes wide with pleasant surprise. "Hahah- I'm glad you enjoyed it."  I chuckled. Finding joy in Izumi's reaction. 'Food really is tastier when you share it with someone.'

After that, we took turns feeding each other. Every time it was her turn to feed me, she was so nervous that I found it cute. 

And unbeknownst to us, Izumi received several jealous glares from passing girls and female visitors.

"Alright. Let's go find our next meal-"  Before I could finish, I'm cut off by the sound of ringing. The source coming from Izumi's pocket. "Yes? Yamada-san? ... Eh? You need me to come back?"

'What? But Izumi still has plenty of time remaining in her break.' I thought. Soon, Izumi finished the call. She turned with a disappointed gaze. "I'm sorry, Hiroshi, but I have to go back. The girls for the next shift didn't show up, and so I have to help out."

"But what about our date? Will you be satisfied with this?"  At my question, Izumi stared for a few seconds. "..... Yeah. Even though it was short, this has been a dream come true for me. Going on a school festival date is something many girls don't get to experience."  she says, her lips curved into a small, bittersweet smile. 

'I can tell she wants to keep going, but I have a feeling she'll choose to help out still. She's just that type of person...'

"Okay. Good luck, Izumi."  

I lean in, and bring my face closer to Izumi. 'I'll give her another forehead kiss as a last goodbye.'

"Wait! Could you, um, follow me for a moment?"

"Huh?"

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