We met at the main entrance of the shopping mall.
Yuki arrived ten minutes early.
She was nervously shifting from foot to foot, tightly clutching a small handbag to her chest.
The moment she saw me, she breathed a visible sigh of relief.
“K-Kurisaki-kun…”
“Good evening.”
I nodded.
“Good evening.”
We walked inside at a leisurely pace.
The mall was already crowded. Families with children, groups of schoolkids, couples. The smell of popcorn drifted from the cinema.
I glanced at the huge poster and smiled.
“Tomorrow’s Saturday, after all.”
Yuki nodded.
“Yeah…”
“Perfect.”
I stopped and turned to face her.
“Then tomorrow, you’ll invite Sakurai-san to the movies.”
She stared at me for several seconds, as if she hadn’t heard properly.
“Huh?..”
“On a date.”
Yuki instantly turned bright red.
“A-a date?!”
She frantically waved her hands.
“N-no… I… We… That’s…”
I calmly raised my palm.
“Relax.
For starters, it’s just a casual trip to the cinema together.
Don’t overthink it in your head beforehand.”
Yuki took a deep breath.
Then slowly exhaled.
“O-okay…
But…
I’m scared…”
I smirked.
“That’s why I’m standing right here.”
She nodded quietly.
“Then…
Give me your phone.”
Yuki obediently opened the messenger.
Her chat with Hayato was almost empty.
A few messages about homework.
A couple of questions about anime.
That was all.
Her fingers trembled as she began typing.
“Hayato…”
I shook my head.
“Not like that.
Write naturally.”
She deleted the message.
Started over.
Sakurai-kun, tomorrow a full-length movie from “Star Chronicles” is coming out…
She stopped.
Looked at me.
“What next…”
“I can’t…”
I smiled calmly.
“Write what you really want to say.”
She took another deep breath.
Her fingers touched the screen again.
Would you like to go to the daytime showing together?
Yuki froze.
“Send it?..”
“Of course.”
“But what if…”
“Send it.”
She squeezed her eyes shut.
And pressed send.
We stared silently at the screen.
The reply came in less than a minute.
Sorry! I really want to, but I have boxing club training tomorrow afternoon. The president said I can’t miss it…
Yuki lowered her phone.
Her shoulders immediately slumped.
“I…”
She forced a weak smile.
“It’s too late after all…”
I shook my head.
“No.”
She looked up in surprise.
“You only did half of the attempt.”
“What?..”
“Offer the evening showing.”
Yuki looked lost.
“But…
He already refused…”
“He refused the time.
Not you.”
She stared at me silently for a few seconds.
Then slowly nodded.
She opened the keyboard again.
Then… maybe in the evening? After your training? If you’re not too tired…
This time we only had to wait about ten seconds.
The phone vibrated.
I can do evening! Let’s go! I’ve actually wanted to watch this movie for a while.
Yuki stared at the screen for a few seconds.
And then…
“It worked…”
She whispered it so quietly I barely heard.
A moment later, joy finally broke through.
“It worked!”
She jumped in place, clutching the phone tightly to her chest.
Her face lit up with happiness.
But a second later she realized what she had done.
She looked around.
Her cheeks instantly turned crimson.
“S-sorry…
I…
I think I got too excited…”
I couldn’t help smiling.
“That’s exactly the kind of Amano-san I wanted to see.”
She shyly raised her gaze.
“Really?..”
“Of course.
People like sincere emotions much more than constant apologies.”
Yuki smiled quietly.
It seemed she really was starting to feel more comfortable around me.
I clapped my hands.
“Excellent.
Now the real training begins.”
She tilted her head in confusion.
“Training?”
“Yes.”
I took a step back and pointed at my own chest.
“Imagine that today, I’m Sakurai-san.”
Yuki blinked several times.
“Eh?..”
“We’re going to fully rehearse your date tomorrow.
From the meeting at the station…
To saying goodbye in the evening.
We’ll break down every phrase.
Every awkward moment.
And every possible mistake you might make.”
Yuki swallowed nervously.
“This is…
Very embarrassing…”
I smirked.
“That’s exactly why we’re training today.
So that tomorrow you won’t be afraid.”
Yuki stared at me silently for a few seconds.
Then, very slowly…
But still resolutely, she nodded.
“Okay…
Kurisaki-kun…
Please…
Teach me how to go on a proper date.”

We slowly walked through the floors of the shopping mall.
Friday evening had turned it into a real anthill. Families with children, noisy groups of students, and young couples were everywhere. The aroma of fresh pastries and coffee came from the food court, and calm music played softly overhead.
Yuki walked beside me.
Compared to our first walk, she had changed a lot.
She no longer stared at her feet the whole time.
Sometimes she even started conversations herself.
She allowed herself to smile or laugh quietly.
But the moment the conversation turned to her personally, all her confidence instantly disappeared.
I stopped near a large women’s clothing store and nodded toward the display.
“Here.”
Yuki looked first at the store, then at me in surprise.
“Clothes?”
“Exactly.”
She obediently followed.
We slowly walked along the racks of summer collections.
I silently sorted through items for several minutes, carefully evaluating the styles.
Too bright.
Too flashy.
Too strict.
No…
Not that either.
Finally, my gaze settled on a light summer dress.
I took it off the rack and handed it to Yuki.
She looked at the dress…
And literally froze.
“K-Kurisaki-kun…”
Her voice became very quiet.
“This is…
Too much…”
I looked at her calmly.
“Did you see what Mio was wearing today?”
Yuki, still blushing, whispered while looking down:
“Yes… but this is too…”
I smiled slightly and continued gently but firmly:
“You saw her weapon — her sporty, toned lower body. But you have an even stronger argument.”
I paused briefly and added more quietly:
“Sorry if this embarrasses you. You can call me a pervert and leave if you want. But… you have the biggest and most beautiful breasts among all the girls around Hayato.”
Yuki stopped breathing.
Her eyes widened.
Her cheeks instantly flushed a deep crimson.
She clutched the dress tighter to her chest, as if trying to hide behind it.
Her shoulders slumped slightly.
Her breathing quickened.
In her eyes, I saw shame, embarrassment… and a hint of timid gratitude.
She had clearly expected anything.
A tease.
A joke.
Awkward silence.
But not a calm, serious conversation.
Yuki was silent for a few seconds, nervously biting her lower lip.
Then she whispered very quietly:
“…I’ll go try it on.”
And she almost ran behind the curtain of the fitting room.

I leaned my shoulder against the wall near the fitting rooms.
The saleswoman gave me a curious look, but seeing Yuki’s calm expression, she simply smiled understandingly and continued folding clothes.
Behind the curtain, the quiet rustle of fabric could be heard for a long time.
Then everything went silent.
Almost a minute passed.
I was about to knock when the curtain moved cautiously.
Yuki peeked out just a little.
At first, only her head appeared.
Then, after taking a deep breath, she stepped out fully.
The dress looked stunning on her. The deep neckline beautifully revealed the cleavage between her full breasts, emphasizing their shape and size. Yuki stood there, awkwardly hugging herself with her arms, clearly unsure where to look.
She kept glancing at the mirror.
Then at me.
Then back down again.
“Well… how does it look?” she asked very quietly.

I didn’t answer right away.
For a few seconds, I calmly looked over her entire appearance.
Not just the dress.
Her hairstyle.
Her posture.
The way she instinctively tried to hide.
Then I nodded honestly.
“You look beautiful.”
She shyly raised her eyes.
“Really?”
“Really.”
I smiled.
“You look like a girl people want to look at.”
Yuki blushed again, but this time she didn’t turn away.
She just stood there, lightly biting her lip, looking at me from below.
There was something new in her eyes.
Not just embarrassment.
It was as if she was starting to believe the words she had never heard directed at her before.

From Yuki’s Point of View

I was still standing in front of the mirror in the fitting room when I heard Ren paying at the checkout.

“Hey! Wait!”

I hurriedly stepped out, still wearing the new dress, and saw him already picking up the bag with the purchases.
“Kurisaki-kun! What are you doing?! I can pay for it myself!”
He looked at me calmly and smiled slightly — that same confident smile that always made my heart flutter for some reason.
“When a beauty like you is involved, someone has to pay.”
My face instantly burned.
“A-a beauty?!.. You… you’re teasing me again?!”
He just shook his head.
“Do I look like someone who’s joking right now?”
I fell silent, confused.
No…
Actually, the opposite.
He was completely serious.
Ren handed me the bag with my old clothes and calmly nodded toward the exit.
“Let’s go. It’s getting late.”
I could only clutch the bag tighter to my chest and silently follow him.
We slowly left the store.
The saleswoman saw us off with a kind smile and a slight bow.
“Thank you for your purchase! We hope to see you again!”
I just nodded briefly in response, still not fully understanding what had just happened.
The bag with my old clothes stayed with Ren, and I walked out in the new dress.
Every step felt unfamiliar.
The light fabric moved freely as I walked, completely unlike my usual loose sweaters and long skirts.
I kept glancing at the shop windows.
Not because I was looking at the items.
But because in the reflections, I kept seeing… myself.
And every time, I couldn’t help but stare for a few extra seconds.
“Is that really me?..”
“Do I actually look like this from the outside?”
I had never worn anything like this before.
I had always been too afraid.
Too used to hiding.
I could literally feel dozens of eyes on me.
Girls looked with envy. Some with slight surprise. Guys… guys looked completely differently. Hungrily. For a long time. Some didn’t even try to hide it.
I instinctively started slouching, trying to cover my cleavage with my hands.
Suddenly — a quick but not hard smack on my back.
“Ouch!”
I straightened up instantly and even let out a small squeak.
Ren calmly withdrew his hand and said in a stern tone:
“I told you — don’t slouch.”
From his smack on my back, a strange wave ran through my body. A pleasant, warm tingling spread below my shoulder blades and slightly lower… right to that same place he had accidentally touched last time. I felt a hot, slightly damp sensation inside.
Why… why does one touch from him make me feel like this…
“You jerk!” I whispered angrily and tried to get revenge by tickling his sides.
But my fingers met hard, rock-like muscles. He didn’t even flinch.
“I’m not ticklish either,” he laughed in a low voice.
I stood there, red as a tomato, looking up at him from below. My heart was pounding. Only one thought was spinning in my head:
Why do I feel so small next to him… but at the same time… so safe?
And another, even more embarrassing thought:
And why do I… like it when he corrects me like that?
I quickly turned away so he wouldn’t see how hard I was blushing and quietly muttered under my breath:
“Pervert…”
I angrily puffed out my cheeks and demonstratively turned away.
“Let’s go already,” I grumbled, trying to sound annoyed.
“Or all the stores will close soon.”
“Of course.”
Ren calmly walked ahead, as if my outburst of indignation hadn’t happened at all.
That’s what annoyed me.
I had already tried so many times to put him in an awkward position.
To insult him.
To tease him.
To embarrass him even a little.
But every time it ended the same way.
He would either smile calmly…
Or laugh.
I caught up with him and walked beside him.
We were silent for a few seconds.
The mall was living its own life. Somewhere children were begging their parents to buy toys, the aroma of freshly ground coffee came from the café, and an announcement about the start of an evening sale played over the loudspeaker.
Ren suddenly glanced at his watch.
“Perfect.”
I looked at him questioningly.
“What?”
He turned to me with that same calm smile.
“It’s the perfect time to move on to the next stage.”
I blinked in surprise.
“Next stage?”
We went up to the floor with the cinema.
People were already gathering in front of the huge posters. Some were taking photos near the displays, children were running around with huge buckets of popcorn, and a line was gradually forming at the ticket counters.
I involuntarily stopped near the poster for tomorrow’s premiere.
“Tomorrow… we’ll be here…”
Catching myself thinking that, I blushed again.
Kurisaki-kun, as if noticing nothing, calmly looked at the schedule of showings.
“Good.”
He nodded to himself.
“Now listen carefully.”
I immediately took out my phone.
“Should I write this down?”
“Yes.”
He spoke so seriously, as if giving instructions before an important exam.
“First.
Arrive about ten minutes early.
A girl who makes a guy wait on the first date immediately creates unnecessary tension.”
I quickly wrote it down.
He continued.
“When you meet, don’t stand two steps away from him.
Stay close.
People start conversations much more easily when they’re close to each other.”
I nodded again.
“Good…
Second.
When you go to the auditorium, try to take his hand yourself.”
I nearly dropped my phone.
“W-what?!”
“Take… his hand?!”
He shrugged completely calmly.
“If you get scared, you can just lightly touch his sleeve.
But if you feel the moment…
Take his hand.”
I covered my face with my palms.
“I-I can’t…
I’ll die…”
“You won’t die.”
He even smirked.
“At most, you’ll blush.”
I groaned quietly from embarrassment but still wrote down this point too.
“Third.”
He looked at the bag with the purchases.
“Remember the perfume we bought?”
I nodded.
“Yes…”
“Use it tomorrow without fail.
But just a little.
The scent should only be noticeable when Hayato is close.”
I looked up in surprise.
“Is that important too?”
“Of course.
People remember scents much better than they think.
If he feels good being near you, his brain will start associating that aroma with positive emotions.”
I made another note.
“He even thought about that…”
“How much does he actually know…”
He continued in the same calm tone.
“After the movie, don’t rush home.
Suggest taking a short walk.
If the conversation becomes awkward, don’t panic.
Sometimes it’s enough to just walk side by side.
You don’t need to fill every second with words.”
I quickly wrote down point after point.
The notes page was almost full.
“What a guy…”
“So reliable…”
“And so thorough…”
“He really wants me to succeed…”
I couldn’t help but smile.
We were already almost at the cinema ticket counters.
I looked up, about to check the schedule for tomorrow’s showings again.
And suddenly…
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a man.
He was standing a few meters away from us.
His phone was pointed…
Directly at me.
I froze.
No…
I wasn’t imagining it.
He raised his smartphone a little higher.
Click.
An unpleasant chill ran down my spine.
I instinctively took a step closer to Kurisaki-kun.
“K-Kurisaki-kun…”
He immediately looked at me.
“What?”
I carefully pointed with my eyes toward the man.
“He…
Is he taking photos?..”
I didn’t even have time to finish.
Kurisaki-kun’s expression changed.
His calm face disappeared.
Coldness and open contempt appeared in his eyes.
Without saying a word, he suddenly took off.
So fast that I didn’t even have time to stop him.
The man noticed him too.
And flinched back in fear.
I barely managed to take another step when Kurisaki-kun was already next to the man.
So fast that the man didn’t even realize the distance between them had disappeared.
People around us immediately started slowing down.
Some stopped near the counters.
Others, on the contrary, hurried to move farther away.
It was clear from Kurisaki-kun’s expression:
He was truly angry.
Not irritated.
Not hot-tempered.
Truly angry.
His gaze was so cold that even I felt uneasy.
“What the fuck are you doing, you bastard?” he asked in a low, icy voice.
The man (about forty, in an expensive shirt) shuddered and tried to keep up appearances.
“What are you talking about, kid? I was just taking photos of the showtimes on the posters!”
Smack.
Kurisaki-kun gave him a quick, hard smack on the back of the head without warning.
The man groaned and nearly dropped his phone. His pompous pride instantly vanished like a mask.
“Delete the photos. Right now,” Kurisaki-kun said coldly.
The man, with trembling hands, opened the gallery and began quickly deleting the pictures, constantly looking around. He no longer looked important — just an ordinary coward.
I walked closer, still shaking from the fear I had experienced.
There really were photos of me in the gallery.
Not one.
Several.
From behind.
From the side.
Even close-ups.
Just seeing it made me shudder.
“Delete them from the trash too, you creep!” I couldn’t hold back.
Smack.
Another smack on the back of the head — harder this time.
The man was already crying for real.
He started apologizing long and sincerely, bowing and muttering something about “a mistake” and “it won’t happen again.”
I watched this and felt a strange, warm sense of superiority… and even a slight sadism that surprised me.
That’s right…
Exactly like this.
I said quietly but loudly enough:
“Let this pathetic worm go, Kurisaki-kun.”
The man shuddered at my words.
Kurisaki-kun looked at me.
He was silent for a few seconds.
As if checking whether I had really calmed down.
Then his shoulders relaxed a little.
He gave a short nod and stepped back.
“Disappear.”
The man literally ran away without looking back.
Only when he had completely disappeared into the crowd did I notice that dozens of curious eyes had gathered around us.
Some were quietly whispering.
Some were looking at Kurisaki-kun with caution.
And I…
For some reason, I only felt relief.
As if nothing could threaten me when he was around.
The people around gradually began to disperse.
Some still glanced back at Kurisaki-kun, but most had already lost interest and returned to their own business.
I finally managed to breathe calmly.
Only now did I realize that I had been tightly clutching the hem of my new dress the whole time.
My fingers had even turned white.
Kurisaki-kun shifted his gaze from the crowd to me.
It seemed he noticed it.
Without saying a word, he took a small step closer.
Then slowly extended his hand.
I looked first at his palm, then at him.
He spoke in the same calm, even voice:
“If you feel uncomfortable, I’ll let go right away.
But you need to practice before meeting Hayato-kun.
Holding hands.
When you start getting embarrassed next to him, it will be much harder.
So first get used to the feeling itself.”
I felt my heart start beating faster again.
“This… is just training.”
“Yes.”
“Just training…”
Very slowly, I placed my palm in his.
And almost immediately froze.
His hand was… huge.
I had noticed before that Kurisaki-kun was tall.
Very tall.
But only now did I truly feel the difference.
He was almost two meters tall.
While I barely reached one hundred and sixty centimeters.
My palm practically disappeared in his.
It felt like he could completely cover both of my hands with just one.
For a second, a completely ridiculous thought flashed through my head.
“He could probably crush me like a bug with one hand…”
From that thought, I felt a strange, warm sensation below.
But…
Nothing like that happened.
On the contrary.
His fingers only gently closed around my palm.
Without the slightest pressure.
As if he had been carefully watching the whole time to make sure he didn’t cause me even the slightest discomfort.
That strength I had seen during training…
That strength with which he effortlessly lifted enormous weights…
Disappeared without a trace now.
He controlled every movement so precisely that holding his hand felt… unexpectedly calm.
We slowly walked along the gallery of the mall.
At first, I felt terribly awkward.
It seemed like absolutely everyone around was looking at us.
I even wanted to carefully pull my hand away several times.
But every time I remembered his words.
“This is training.”
“I have to get used to it.”
After a few minutes, my breathing became steadier.
My shoulders relaxed on their own.
I stopped thinking about the glances of passersby.
The conversation gradually became light.
We talked about school.
Morning runs.
Even the new anime series I had watched the night before.
At some point, I laughed myself at one of his jokes.
And only after that did I realize…
I had been holding Kurisaki-kun’s hand for several minutes without even thinking about it.
It felt… natural.
As if it was supposed to be this way.
I smiled shyly to myself.
“If I can do this calmly now…”
“Then maybe…”
“Someday I’ll be able to do it with Hayato too…”
This thought gave me even more confidence, and I continued the conversation first, no longer feeling so shy.
After everything that had happened, we decided to have dinner at a small sushi bar on the upper floor. Kurisaki-kun declared that this was also part of my preparation.
“Tomorrow on the date, you’ll definitely want to feed Hayato with chopsticks,” he said completely seriously, as if explaining a new training program. “So we need to practice first.”
I nearly dropped my cup of tea.
“Are you serious right now?..”
“Absolutely.”
His calm face only made it worse.
I quietly groaned from embarrassment but still nodded.

And now I was sitting opposite him with chopsticks in my hands…
Kurisaki-kun was indecently tall.
When I carefully tried to bring the sushi to his mouth, he had to lean far over the table, while I, on the contrary, had to stretch forward with all my might.
It looked so ridiculous that I could barely hold back my laughter.
“Ah… am…” I muttered, trying to aim accurately.
He calmly took the piece in his mouth, chewed it unhurriedly, and, like a real trainer, gave his verdict:
“Not bad.
Just gentler.
Not like you’re trying to force-feed me.”
I instantly burst out laughing, covering my mouth with my hand.
“Sorry…
It’s just that you’re so huge.
I have to stretch like I’m feeding a giraffe in the zoo.”
He looked at me questioningly.
“What’s so funny?
You’re the half-pint, not me being tall.”
I immediately puffed out my cheeks in indignation.
“I’m average height!”
I grabbed the next piece of sushi and, with a sly smile, tossed it slightly upward.
“And you’re a giant!
Catch!”
Kurisaki-kun didn’t even flinch.
He just slightly raised his head and calmly caught the sushi with his mouth.
I couldn’t hold it in.
Laughter literally burst out of me.

“You’re like a seal in the zoo that I’m feeding fish!”
This time even Kurisaki-kun looked slightly embarrassed.
Just barely.
A tiny bit.
He looked away and quietly muttered:
“I’m not a seal…”
That was the last straw.
I was already holding my stomach, laughing until tears came.
It seemed people at the neighboring tables had even started turning to look at us.
I was laughing so hard I even bent over the table a little. At the same time, I instinctively moved closer, and my chest (which looked especially full in this dress) rested against the edge of the table.
I expected… well, at least some reaction. A glance downward. Embarrassment. At least something.
But Kurisaki-kun was only looking me in the eyes. Calmly. Attentively. As always.
This… for some reason annoyed me.
Why isn’t he looking?! All the other guys stare, but he…
I felt a strange, warm irritation in my chest.
Kurisaki-kun, as if reading my thoughts, smiled slightly.
“By the way, good move.
Do the same thing with Hayato without fail.
During the conversation, sometimes lean forward slightly, don’t hunch over and don’t try to hide all the time.
You don’t even realize how natural it looks. Do the same with Hayato and you’ll definitely get a very embarrassed reaction from him.”
I blushed again.
“K-Kurisaki-kun!”
He quietly laughed, looking straight into my eyes.
And I… sat there feeling warmer and warmer inside.
Why do I feel so calm with him? And at the same time… so excited?

It was already quite late when we finally reached our building.
It had long been dark outside.
The corridor of our residential complex was unusually quiet. Only the ceiling lights hummed softly, and somewhere far away a door slammed.
We stopped in front of our apartments.
I was still holding the bag with the purchases.
After this evening, it felt surprisingly heavy.
As if along with the clothes, I was carrying home all of today’s memories.
Kurisaki-kun put his hands in the pockets of his sports jacket and looked at me.
He was silent for a few seconds.
Then a familiar smile appeared on his face.
The same one.
Light.
A little mischievous.
As if he had already come up with another silly thing.
“Well, that’s it,” he said. “I won’t kiss you. Hayato definitely doesn’t have the balls for that yet.”
I instantly turned bright red. My face, neck, even my ears — everything burned.
“K-Kurisaki-kun!!!”
I grabbed the bag with the clothes and started shyly hitting him on the shoulder.
“You… you’re doing it again! Pervert! Idiot!”
He laughed loudly.
He easily dodged my clumsy hits, as if he already knew every movement in advance.
“Careful.
You’ll tear the bag.”
“It’s your own fault!”
I hit him with the bag on the shoulder again.
He took a step back, still laughing.
“You’re all red!
Even your ears.”
I instinctively covered them with my palms.
“Don’t look!”
“Too late.
I already saw.”
I angrily stomped my foot.
“Horrible person…”
“Remember,” he said, still smiling, “if tomorrow you get as embarrassed in front of Hayato, consider the date already a success.”
“I-I won’t get embarrassed!”
“We’ll see.”
He smirked, opened the door to his apartment, and was already almost inside when he turned around one last time.
“Good night, Amano-san.”
His voice sounded surprisingly calm for the first time all evening.
Without the usual teasing.
“Tomorrow is an important day for you.”
I froze.
For some reason, these simple words stuck in my mind more than anything else.
“…Good night, Kurisaki-kun.”
He gave a short nod.
The door closed quietly.
I was left alone in the middle of the corridor.
The bag was still pressed to my chest.
My heart was pounding.
My cheeks continued to burn.
“A kiss…”
I involuntarily touched my lips with my fingers.
He said it so simply…
As if it was even possible.
I imagined how on a real date Hayato would suddenly gather his courage…
And immediately squeezed my eyes shut.
“Idiot…” I whispered quietly to myself. “What are you even imagining…”
I quickly opened the door to my apartment and almost slipped inside.
But even after closing the door behind me, I stood there for a few more seconds, leaning my back against it.
A small smile appeared on my face by itself.
I laughed so much today…
Probably more than in the entire previous year.
And for some reason, it felt like tomorrow everything would definitely work out.
From this thought, my heart felt surprisingly warm