“Hey, Eriko did you know?”

“Uh...?”

Sotoka started to talk while biting the tip of her plastic bag of ice cream. There are days when we bought the normal and classic branded ones, but these ones are way cheaper than the others, and are really tasty too, so the ice cream that came in plastic bags is our usual choice.

But since the choice of words that Sotoka made didn't leave me much room to answer her question, I simply gave her a sound that made clear that I was willing for her to elaborate a little bit further while biting the tip of my own plastic bag of ice cream.

“Did you know?!”

“How am I supposed to know what you are talking about?!

“Huh?!”

Somehow Sotoka looked honestly surprised at my reaction. No, I’m even more surprised than her, knowing that she really thought that I knew what she was talking about.

I let out a surprisingly long sigh and then resumed the topic of the conversation.

“Anyway, what were you talking about?”

“Oh, right. Did you know, Eriko?”

“...”

I decided to remain silent this time. Sotoka was eating her ice cream, and so was I. But I could help but feel that she was somehow expecting me to answer her question. The same question that I had no idea how I was supposed to answer.

Right when I was about to say something to change the topic, Sotoka started talking again.

“You can drink tea too.”

“Huh?!”

Those words were so surprisingly nonsensical that I stood from the wooden bench and looked at her, not knowing how to continue the conversation she was trying to have.

While I was standing there, shocked, Sotoka remained sitting, calmly eating her ice cream.

What is this, Manzai? Am I supposed to play the Tsukkomi or something like that? While I was there, thinking about what to do, Sotoka decided to finally elaborate on the topic.

“During summer, people decide to eat ice cream to calm their thirst. But did you know? You could also drink tea for that, since the reaction comes from the lack of water in the body. Of course, thirst is also a symptom of overheating, so tea won't work in that kind of situation, unless it is cold tea or something like that.”

“...”

I remained silent to those words. It was indeed an interesting fact, I've never thought about it until now. But there's something else bugging my mind. How the hell was I supposed to know that she was talking about that?! That's right, I'll go with that answer.

“How the hell was I supposed to know you were talking about that?”

“How the hell was I supposed to know you were talking about that?!

“Huh?!”

Sotoka repeated my words at the same time while putting her hands on her waist. She was obviously mocking me, but how did she…

“Fu.”

“Fu…?”

“Fufufu~!”

“Eh…?!”

“You are so funny, Eriko. Fufufu~”

“...”

“Did I surprise you? Fufufu~”

“You were mocking me?!”

“Of course I was!”

Sotoka was laughing with all her strength. She told me that she was trying to predict my reaction to a senseless talk. Luckily for her, and sadly for me, I fell right onto her trap.

It seems like we have been together for such a long time, that even an airhead like her managed to guess my reaction to something. Maybe I should try to do the same to her one day?

I sat by her side while thinking about that. We continued talking and eating our ice cream just like always.