"..."

Silence reigned between the people seated on the table.

Shuuya couldn't help but bite her inner cheek in awkwardness. Ever since they came, Grandma Maeda stared at her, she almost thought she was going melt. When both Soma and Mrs. Maeda disappeared to order for food since this was mostly a self-serving restaurant, neither Yuma nor Shuuya wanted to say anything.

"...girl," A raspy voice suddenly came from across her.

"Yes!" Shuuya squeaked out in surprise. Surely, the elderly woman was pertaining to her.

"You have to eat more. You're too thin." the old lady commented, "Your parents aren't taking good care of you."

"...ahaha," she could only feign a laugh but in actuality, she was pissed. It wasn't Shuuya's fault she couldn't add on weight even if she wanted to. If Grandma Maeda wasn't an elderly she wouldn't even have a chance to slander her parents.

After a long, agonizing wait, the son and mother came back with trays of piping hot bowls. Shuuya almost couldn't see what was ahead of her because of the smoke.

"We've ordered a lot. Udon, ramen, donburi, mazemen, curry rice... eat whatever you like,"

Mrs. Maeda's words were simply the temptation of the devil. As much as Shuuya wanted to keep her dignity and act refined, her mouth couldn't help salivating at the sight of the dishes in front of her.

It's like a buffet! Everything was laid out in front of her eyes, dishes subjecting themselves to her mercy. But of course, Shuuya had to only pick one since the others would have to get their share.

But the problem is, what was the difference of these dishes? She couldn't quite tell. They were a lot of its kind.

She was about to choose the nearest bowl in random but her hand was immediately grasped, to her surprise. She looks up questioningly at Yuma who was sitting beside her.

"That's seafood mazemen. There's shrimp in there,"

"Oh," she widens her eyes in shock. Had it not been because of his intervention, she wouldn't know. She'd probably be rushed to the hospital before she even knew why.

At the sight of her pale face, Yuma already understood that she must've been quite overwhelmed, having been able to save herself at the last minute.

In consideration, he looks around and then settles on the bowl which was about to be haggled by Soma, to which the guy protested at.

"Hey!"

—but Yuma was already deaf to his complaints. "Eat this one. It's beef udon." he offers to her.

Shuuya looks up at him, and only then did he finally see her face light up once again, albeit slowly. He inwardly sighed in relief.

"If you don't like drinking the broth, you don't need to push yourself. You could always pour it in my bowl."

"Thank you!" Her eyes sparkled in glee. It was so infectious, Yuma couldn't help but grin himself at her happy air.

"..." Grandma Maeda, Mrs. Maeda, and Soma couldn't help but exchange looks with each other as they watch the scene in front of them unfold.

Never in their years would they imagine this boy of theirs to be this attentive. He usually was so prideful and unfillial. He wouldn't even serve them food at home, but in front of his girlfriend, he's docile?

While Shuuya was munching a mouthful of noodles, she was suddenly reminded on why she was here in the first place. Right, this wasn't a free meal.

"So, how long have you been meeting?"

The question she's been waiting for was finally dropped by the mother of two. Mrs. Maeda still had the same kind smile as earlier, but it seems like this time it was more genuine. Or maybe it was just her imagination?

"Well, two weeks," it was true. They've only met this month but a lot had already happened, Shuuya thought it was already months.

Mrs. Maeda almost chokes on the water she's drinking. 'Two weeks? And Yuma's already changed this much?'

"You must be quite a woman," Grandma Maeda couldn't help but laugh. It wasn't out of ill intent, however. It was more of an amused and admiring one. This young lady looked a bit plain at first sight, but if she managed to straighten this troublesome grandson of hers, maybe she wasn't too bad afterall.

"It's a misunderstanding," Shuuya genuinely says, but it seems like she was commenting casually and was naturally ignored.

Soma was enjoying the show so far, he couldn't help but lean back on his chair comfortably. While he did plotted Shuuya at the start, it was all because of his brother.

He wasn't stupid. He knows his brother is interested in this kouhai. Else why would he stop hanging out with him and their friends just so he could send her to and from home?

I'm such a good younger brother, he can't help but mentally give himself a pat on his back. Yuma was moving too slow. Did he really think simply being an escort would catch a maiden's heart? There needs to be events that'd trigger feelings between them!...such as this one.

But what's happening tonight was surely out of his expectations.

Yuma's really down bad for her. He couldn't help but sigh. Is that how a man who's a slave of love looked like? Suddenly he doesn't seem too excited to fall in love.

"You look like a fool," he snickers at his brother, to which Yuma frowned at in confusion.

The evening was spent leisurely, with them casually chatting about school, the twins' childhood, and whatnot. Shuuya wasn't too interested, but was really relieved that the Maeda family didn't really ask anything about her relationship with Yuma too much after that. Because at the moment this family would only want to see and hear what they want. She already has assumptions based on their eldest son alone.

When it was finally time to go, Shuuya almost shouted in glee. Luckily she stopped herself in time.

I'm finally free!

"Let's drive you to your house." Grandma Maeda suggested, to which she immediately refused.

Drive to my house and let my parents meet you? No way! She was afraid of even more mind-aching misunderstandings.

"I can just walk home by myself, the noodle shop's not too far from our house anyway,"

She wasn't really sure, but she just had to stop them from sending her home. Whatever it takes.

But suddenly the Maedas were quiet.

D-Did I say something wrong? She looks up at Yuma in panic, but he wasn't even looking at her. This guy...really....

"Or, let Yuma send her home. Like always." The guy sporting an almost-identical face with Yuma spoke up for the family.

"..." Honestly, she wasn't even surprised at this point. This Soma guy seems to be out for her blood.

"Right, how can you leave a girl as small as her wonder the dark streets," Grandma Maeda began climbing to the backseat of the car, where Shuuya and Yuma sat previously.

"I'd send her home myself even if you don't tell me," Yuma says casually as if it's just a matter-of-fact. "You guys go ahead."

This made the two mothers smile in satisfaction.

And so began the journey of Shuuya and Yuma in the dark night, walking side-by-side.

"That was insane," Shuuya finally breathes a sigh of relief. "They're really not letting me off."

The taller lad beside her laughs apologetically, "I'll try to explain to them when I get home later."

"Thank you."

As they turned to a corner, they've found a lone vending machine full of beverages. Yuma stopped in his tracks to inspect it.

"Are you thirsty?" he asks her even without looking at her.

"No." Shuuya wasn't, but cold milk would really taste good right now, especially after eating high-carbon food. If she only had extra money—

Clang.

Yuma bent and rose to pick up the cold milk beverage. Shuuya was dumbfounded and didn't even manage to instantly accept the cold milk in his hand that he was offering to her.

"What? You don't want it?"

"I do!" she finally snaps out of her reverie and accepts it in her equally cool palm.

The feeling of it on her skin...

She couldn't help but feel warm, but from the inside.

How come he knows she wanted cold milk? Was he so observant to see her burning stares toward the certain drink?

...Wait a minute.

At the noodleshop earlier...

He even gave her beef udon. Not anything else. It's as if he knew that she loves beef best.

He even told her to pour her broth in his bowl as if he knows that she doesn't like broth too much. They haven't even had similar food together, so how did he know?

And— and—

He stopped her from getting the shrimp-infused seafood mazemen.

As if he knows that she's deathly allergic to shrimps.

She couldn't stop her jaw from dropping open. Shuuya looks up at him, and in turn, he meets her gaze and was smiling at her tenderly.

...was it really just a coincidence?