“Oh?”

“Urk…” I frowned along with a disgusted face to the sight of who was in front me on a Friday afternoon at the supermarket nearby.

“I wasn't expecting to see you here, Ryou-kun”

That's right, only one person calls me that, and that's none other than the person I loathe the most. Fuyuko Furushira.

“Can this day get any worse….” 

“You're saying as if that's my fault.”

Because it certainly is! Bossing me around, asking me here and there. Yes, I could decline her, but for some reason, I can't. I could slightly do so before, but now, she's just getting stronger against me, so much that I can't even turn her down anymore.

Well, whatever. I just want to buy some food right now. Best to ignore her.

I say, but…

“What even is happening…”

Wherever I go, we coincidentally collide with each other. To the sauce section, the meats section, basically anywhere, we somehow collide against each other.

“Don't blame me for what's happening. But for now, can you get that for me? I can't reach it.”

I don't know if she's toying me or what, but she is smaller than I am, so of course, there are some heights she can't reach.

“Well, you are small so I'll take it for you.”

“Wha—”

“... here.” I handed her the soy sauce she was asking me for, and took one for myself as well. 

This soy sauce has great acidity and flavor for a reasonable price so I use it, I didn't know she uses it as well though. Actually, does she cook for herself as well?

“Yes, I do. I live alone, after all.”

“Is that so? I didn't even say anything.”

“Your face says it otherwise.”

Really? Did my face really show that I'm thinking about how she lives? Wait, that sounds weird. I was only thinking if she cooks for herself, I don't care about how she lives or whatever! 

“What are you doing? Weird.”

Ah, shoot. I was waving my head in disagreement to my thoughts, I didn't know I was doing that unconsciously though. That caught me off guard. Well, whatever.

“Ah, can you get me one as well?”

Why is she even here again? Right now, I'm crouching down at the seasonings section, getting some curry powder and a few other seasonings. But why is she here again?! Well, whatever, if that's what's gonna happen here, I have no choice but to follow her until I get home. Besides, I'm landing counters right now, so it's fine.

“What? Got too much weight eating so much that you can't crouch down anymore?” I looked at her from below, and smirked at her.

“Wha— you…!” her face turned bright red from embarrassment as she clenched her fist and frowned.

“What do you need? Let's just get this over with, I'm getting hungry.”

“You…! Haa— Curry powder, salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric, bay leaves, and peppercorns.”

What the hell is that incantation?! Oh wait, those were seasonings, right? She said it too fast that it literally sounded like an incantation. Uhm… so… are these correct?

“Here…?” I handed her some of the seasonings she asked for. Turns out, I got half of them correct, so it's fine.

“Haa—” she sighed after taking the seasonings. “How bad at remembering… or did you just not focus on what I said?”

“W-Well, sorry for not understanding your incantation!”

“What incantation are you talking about? Well, whatever.” she sighed in exasperation and crouched as well.

She brushed her smooth, silvery hair with her delicate, beautiful, snow-white fingers, revealing one side of her face.

I haven't seen this side of her once, but now that I see her up close, I'd have to say… she really is beautiful…. But leaving my guard down like that, staring at her was a huge blunder. After all, the person I'm staring at right now is… Fuyuko Furushira.

“What? Captivated by my beauty?” she turned to me and smirked as she rested her head on her hand.

“Wha—!” I definitely let my guard down, but I won't admit defeat that easily! Not against her! So I began my own attack as I stood up and said “Nothing, I just thought that you didn't gain much weight to not be able to crouch down.”

“What?!”

“Well then, I'm done now so I'm heading to the counter.” I left her crouching down at the seasonings section as I waved the back of my hand at her, leaving her mouth half opened in shock of my own counter.

It's already been 2 weeks and she's still doing that to me. Did she took a liking to toying with me or something? But then again, the supermarket isn't safe anymore. But still, just like last time, I can't just stop coming here just because of today, I'd basically just be admitting defeat. 

But, no time to think about that now, I'm getting hungry~

Is what I said, but… this really won't end until I get home, huh?

“Oh, we meet again, Ryou-kun.”

“Tsk.” I clicked my tongue in irritation, but I just want to go home already, so I asked her “Well, whatever. What do you want now?”

“Well, we're going the same direction, so—” she pushed the cart with the shopping bag, a rather large one at that to me, as if saying…

“So you want me to carry it until you get home, huh.”

“That's right. It's nice that you're quick on the uptake.”

“Haa— yes, yes. I just want to eat so I'll get this over with. Actually, how do you even know which direction I'll go?!”

“What? I simply asked Tsuyoshi-kun your address.”

“That guy… Well, I just have to put more locks on my door. Maybe I should cover my windows as well… and add an alarm or something?”

“Your thoughts are coming out. What the hell do you even think of me, a robber? I don't care about you nor the contents of your house, so rest assured.”

“I'll still increase the locks.”

“Do whatever you want. Here, it's heavy.”

“Why do you even want me to carry it? It's not like a gorilla like you can't carry this.”

“Gori—... What, you're gonna make a beautiful girl like me carry that?”

“Huh?! Who are you calling beautiful?! You must be dreaming!”

“You say that, but you were clearly gawking at me earlier.”

“Urk…”

“Heh.” she smirked once again.

“Haa— give it to me. It's getting late, and I want to go home. I'll agree with you for now, and walk you home. I can't let a “beautiful girl” like you walk home alone this late, right?” I purposely emphasized the “beautiful girl” part and took the bag.

“That's right. It's good that you're understanding. And you also just admitted that I am beautiful, right?” she smirked.

“Yes, yes. You're beautiful, Furushira-sama.” I said nonchalantly.

I won't ever say that to you. So keep dreaming for now. I just want to get home, I don't care one bit about what happens to you!

“Give it to me.”

“What, we're here already? That wasn't really far.”

“That's right.”

And there she goes. Took the bag from my hand and entered her house, which is probably the same size as mine. Without a single care in the world.

Haa— well, at least I can rest now. And I have the weekends without seeing her, so I'll just relax as much as I can.