After that, Riran was smiling all day long, looking at her earrings in a hand mirror every chance she got.
If it made her this happy, I should have given her a present much sooner.
“Still, Akito, you’re quite bold.”
“Eh?”
Bold? What is she talking about?
Riran gave a fed-up smile as if to say, “As I thought, you don’t know,” and then stroked the anemone earrings.
“The Flower Language for anemones in general includes many negative meanings, like ‘innocent sacrifice for jealousy,’ ‘Forsaken,’ ‘fleeting love,’ ‘pain of love,’ and ‘fading hope.’”
“Eh. S-Sorry. I didn't know that when I...”
Moreover, considering the relationship between Riran and me, those are all unfitting meanings.
Is she... going to get mad at me?
However, Riran didn’t look angry; she slowly shook her head and smiled shyly.
“Don’t worry, I’m not mad.”
“R-Really...? I thought this was a situation where I’d definitely get scolded no matter how I looked at it...”
“Yes. Because the Flower Language of a red anemone has another meaning too.”
“Another meaning? Which is...!?”
Suddenly, Riran hugged my arm, causing her voluptuous breasts to squish and change shape against it. They completely wrapped around—or rather, sandwiched—my arm. They were just so soft, soft, soft, soft, soft, soft, soft, soft, soft, soft, soft, soft, soft, soft, soft, soft, soft, soft, soft, soft, soft, soft, soft, soft, AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
“The Flower Language of a red anemone is—‘I love you.’”
AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH... huh?
“...I love you?”
“It’s the Flower Language of a red anemone. It’s wonderful, isn’t it?”
Riran snuggled against my arm happily.
Between the embarrassment of being watched by others, the euphoria of the person I love snuggling up to me happily, and the warmth of Riran transmitted through my arm, my brain was practically leaking dopamine.
“Fufu. I was told ‘I love you.’”
“Ugh... D-Don’t tease me.”
“Oh? You won’t love me?”
This time, she wore a mischievous smile.
This girl, she’s enjoying watching my reaction.
It was the same during our shopping trip before we started dating, but is Riran the type who wants to tease the person she likes? Please graduate from that behavior; you're not an elementary schooler anymore.
“...I love you.”
“...Eh? W-Wait, one more time! I didn't hear it properly! Say it one more time! And let me record it!”
“I-I’m not saying it again today! Also, don’t try to record me!”
“Ah, wait up!”
I covered my mouth with my hand, stood up quickly, and walked away.
Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from grinning.
◆Bystanders◆
“””””...So sweet...”””””
◆
After moving away from the shopping mall, a small gathering had formed in the square near the station.
“I wonder what it is?”
“Who knows... let's go see.”
I headed toward the gathering with Riran in tow.
It seems lively... oh.
“...Eh, an alpaca?”
Inside a fence set up in front of the station was, of all things, an alpaca.
It walked around the fence while munching on something and stopped right in front of me.
In front of the station, the alpaca and I face each other. A useless haiku moment.
I tilted my head.
The alpaca also tilted its head, imitating me. Oh, what's up, you wanna go, punk?
“Ah, that’s not fair, Akito! I want to do that too!”
“Even if you say it’s not fair... ah, it left.”
“Ahhh. Alpaca...!”
She must have been quite disappointed because her shoulders slumped.
Still, why is there an alpaca... ah?
“...A Mobile petting zoo, huh.”
Looking around, besides the alpaca, there are also goats, sheep, ponies, rabbits, guinea pigs, hedgehogs, and dogs.
It seems you can interact with them, and it’s quite busy.
“What do you want to do? Shall we look around? ...Huh, Riran?”
Riran, who was next to me just a moment ago, is gone. Where did she go?
...Ah, there she is.
Inside the interaction area, she’s hugging a Golden Retriever with all her might.
“Hafu... so happy...”
“Kuu?”
The Golden Retriever didn't move either, accepting Riran's hug.
I like dogs too, but... you’re lucky, Golden Retriever. Switch places with me.
As I approached Riran, who was radiating a happy aura, a Kuro-shiba approached me.
It sat down next to me and stared at the Golden Retriever with beady eyes.
“...Do you like that dog too?”
“Waf.”
“So we both had our favorite person taken away, huh.”
“Kuun.”
“Rough life, isn’t it?”
I knelt down and stroked the Shiba Inu's head.
It has a nice coat. Yeah, yeah, dogs really are great. So Fluffy. Fluffy.
The Shiba Inu also seemed to enjoy it, accepting my petting.
“Fufufu. Here? Does it feel good right here?”
“Waf!”
“Good boy. Right here, right?”
“Kuu~n!”
Perhaps it felt too good because it laid down on the floor and showed me its belly.
As expected of a doggy. So calculated. Calculatingly cute.
Just then, a female staff member who was making her rounds approached with an “Oh.”
“This one doesn't usually take to people unless they're familiar with him. He’s always together with that Golden Retriever over there.”
“Is that so? ...Is this one a male?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“And the Golden Retriever is a female?”
“Yes.”
I see. So we unintentionally split up by gender.
“Well then, from today on, you and I are Team Netorare.”
“Wan!”
“Huh?”
...Um, I’m sorry. I also thought I might have crossed a line. But I just really wanted to say it.
So please, stop looking at me with those 'What is this creep' eyes.