When I left the movie theater, a chilly winter wind brushed my skin. The difference in temperature between inside and outside made me shiver. Saito, who was next to me, was the same, shivering and cowering slightly.
[I-Itās cold outside]
[I guess so. Especially since itās so warm inside the theater]
[Yeah. Letās hurry up and eat. By the way, do you already know where weāre going to eat?]
[Yeah, Iāve got a reservation at a pancake place, I thought you would be interested. I heard itās pretty famous]
[I see, Iām looking forward to it]
Saitoās face lights up and smiles as I say this.
I had thought so ever since I saw her eating ice cream and cake, but Saito has a sweet tooth. I nodded in my heart, thinking itās worth the trouble of looking for a suitible place for her.
[Yeah, look forward to it]
[Is this by any chance the pancake shop near the train station that opened about a year ago?]
[Yeah, that one]
[I had it once before and it was delicious. I canāt believe Iām going to eat it again. Iām looking forward to it]
[Thatās a relief. Pancakes are quite popular arenāt they? I was a little worried about whether youād like them or not since I imagine it to be like hotcakes, but Iām glad youāre looking forward to it]
[What are you talking about, pancakes and hotcakes are totally different]
[I-I see]
She seemed to be bothered by my words and stared at me with a serious expression. Her beautiful, clear eyes turned to me.
[May I? Pancakes are a sweet treat that has all Japanese women in a frenzy. On the contrary, itās no exaggeration to say itās something not only women love but men of all ages as well. Itās very different from hotcakes]
[A-Ahh, I see. Iāll look forward to it]
I involuntarily flinched and bit my words in front of Saito as she spoke enthusiastically. Apparently, pancakes were her favorite. Iāve never seen her talkative except when she talks about books, so it must be a big thing for her.
When I hurriedly nodded my head, Saito smiled in satisfaction and said [Yes, Iām sure Tanaka-kun will be captivated by it].
Pushed by the cold, we walked onward to our destination, the pancake shop. On the way, I was told how delicious the pancakes are, which continued until we arrived.
[Ah, weāre here]
[It looks like it]
Saito, who spoke enthusiastically, was cute and I wanted to watch her forever, but I broke off our conversation when we arrived. With a clang of a bell, I opened the door and went inside.
The interior is dark and feels somewhat chic. The calm and quiet air could be felt on the skin.
The waitress guided us to our table and I sat down across from Saito, facing her. The waitress gave us the menu and left.
[Iāve never been here before, but I like the atmosphere. Iām making good progress with my book]
[Geez, why is your standard a bookā¦]
Saito smiled somewhat dismissively. But she seemed to sympathize, saying [I canāt help but understand]
I opened the menu and looked at what was inside. The menu was lined up with everything Iād seen when I searched the internet.
[Which one did you have the last time you were here?]
[It was this one. Itās the most popular one. It has vanilla ice cream and syrup on top, while being both moderately sweet and delicious]
[I see. That sure sounds good]
Saito pointed to a photo showing three white pancakes lined up, with vanilla ice cream and a thick, sweet-looking golden syrup on top.
The delicious-looking picture whetted my appetite, and I gulped.
Saito seemed to be looking at other pages of the menu, her eyes were sparkling and moving slowly. Perhaps sheās also excited, as her mouth is relaxed and her eyes are glued to the menu.
[Which one does Saito want?]
[Well, Iām going to pickā¦ right now Iām torn between this and that]
She then pointed to the green tea pancakes and the limited-time-only strawberry pancakes. Both looked delicious, it was no wonder why she couldnāt pick.
But, what caught my eye even more were the words ālimited-time-onlyā. I think the last time we stopped by an ice cream shop, it was because she saw a limited time offerā¦
[Saito likes limited time items, right?]
[Yes, but is that bad?]
She blushed slightly and looked at me as if thinking she was being too simple.
[No, I donāt mind it. I just thought youād care about that kind of thing]
[But itās only for a limited time, you know? If you miss it now, you might not be able to eat it anymore]
[Well, yeah. Then, why donāt you get the limited time one? Iāll get the matcha one]
[Is that okay?]
[Yeah. Iām a fan of matcha, and Iām also curious about the strawberry one]
I actually like matcha, and I think the strawberry one looks good too. But the number one reason is to give her a chance to eat the strawberry one.
Satisfied that the plan was going well, I called the waiter and ordered the food.
After a while, two pancakes arrived with a sweet aroma. As soon as theyāre placed on the table, a soft and savory smell tickled my nose.
[Wow, it looks delicious] (TN: It sounds delicious)
Saitoās eyes sparkled brightly as she said this. Her somewhat innocent expression, being full of anticipation and her eagerness to eat it, was adorable.
The gap between her usual nonchalant demeanor and this casual one made me burst to laughter.
[Then, letās eat]
[Yes, itadakimasu]
After she put her hands together and thanked the food, Saito carefully moved her fork closer to her pancake. She cut a bite-sized piece with the knife, gently stabbed it with the fork, and popped it straight to her mouth.
The moment it went in her mouth, she let out a somewhat sweet voice and said [Mmm!], and rolled her eyes. But soon, her eyes narrowed and her face relaxed as if savoring the experience.
[Is it good?]
[It is! Not only is it sweet, but itās really delightful with the tartness of the strawberries]
Saito gave me a big smile, as if she was a flower. Itās a really warm, soft, and charming expression.
I took a bite of my own matcha pancake. The moment I took a bite, the bittersweetness of the matcha filled my mouth. It was so delicious that it satisfied my palette.
[How is it?]
[Yeah, itās delicious]
Saito was staring at me as if to see how mine tasted, so I told her what I thought, and her mouth relaxed, looking relieved.
I thought that was the end of it, but she seemed to still have something on her mind and glanced at my hand.
Just as planned. This would lure her to try it out.
[Do you want some?]
[Yes]
[Alright, then, here]
I cut it into bite-sized pieces and brought it to Saitoās mouth with a fork. Saitoās cheeks blushed, and her gaze wandered around as if sheās hesitating a little.
[Ah, uhmā¦]
[Whatās wrong, I thought you wanted some?]
[I-I do!]
I knew she was hesitating because she was embarrassed, but I baited her by lowering the fork, and Saito snapped into it with some impatience.
[How is it? Is it good?]
[Itās goodā¦]
She muttered in a thin, small voice and looked at me with a downcast look on her face. I could tell she was embarrassed from her expression, which was tinged with red, and I knew that my strategy had worked.
Satisfied my plan worked, Saito then suddenly cut one of her strawberry pancakes into a bite-sized piece and brought it to my mouth.
[Uhh, Saito?]
[Itās just something for you. Here, eat it]
She looked at me with a slightly resentful, yet teasing look, and wouldnāt back down. I didnāt expect her to pay me back but I bit into the pancake she offered, feeling slightly embarrassed.
[How is it?]
[Y-Yeah. Itās good]
[I see. Then, here, another one]
She brings another piece to my mouth as she said so.
[Eh? Ah, no thatāsā¦]
I canāt think of what to say, I canāt find any words. Without being able to process it, I freeze in front of the pancake thatās being offered.
[Donāt you want it?]
[I-I do. Iāll eat it]
Then another bite.
Being made to do it a second time like this makes me even more aware of it, and my cheeks heat up. As I let the heat escape, I looked at Saito and saw that she was smiling with satisfaction.
[Here, one more]
[O-Oh]
Then I went with the flow and was forced to eat it several more times.