“Darling, darling, darling... is this right?”
Aoi Sakasaka said with a naive smile, her pronunciation becoming more and more accurate.
“Aoi-san has a great talent.” Yan Xi said.
Aoi Sakasaka: …
“This ‘Sakasaka’ is?”
“Isn’t it you? I think you’re in the next class, Aoi Sakasaka.” Yan Xi said with a smile.
Aoi Sakasaka’s eyebrows twitched, she knew she had been tricked.
Just now, she was still speaking her name in Japanese… Ugh, so embarrassing!
“Ahahaha… Yan Xi-kun recognized me.”
Aoi Sakasaka used laughter to deflect the awkwardness, her tone frivolous, returning to her usual badass state from Shuuchiin Academy.
Now, time to use that trick!
“I don't know when it started, but there was a boy in my eyes.”
“He doesn’t come from a wealthy family, you could even say he’s poor, but he’s optimistic, kind, and always willing to help others. He wasn't defeated by the environment or people around him.”
“I think, I must have fallen for this boy.”
Aoi Sakasaka twirled a strand of hair falling over her ear, a girl’s shyness spread across her face.
Yan Xi thought, Aoi Sakasaka’s romancing game proficiency must be super high, even he was a little moved seeing this.
“But Yan Xi-kun knows, I am a badass, right? Suddenly telling him I like him, it might be troubling, so I can only try to become the kind of person he likes.”
Aoi Sakasaka’s lie was flawless, because she never mentioned who ‘he’ was specifically.
Even though from the context, it could only be Yan Xi, but without clear confirmation, it's your problem if you misunderstand.
Tea Ceremony MAX!
Yan Xi was also a veteran of the dating game, he asked with a smile: "So who is this 'he'?"
Aoi Sakasaka: …
Did you fail your elementary school Chinese class?
Can’t you read between the lines?
Aoi Sakasaka shyly glanced at him, lowered her head and whispered: “How can a girl like me say that kind of thing. Yan Xi-kun, you’re so mean~”
That ‘mean’ was so sultry!
Yan Xi shuddered, knowing Aoi Sakasaka’s true personality, it was kind of disgusting.
“Who will understand if you say it like that.” Yan Xi shrugged, his steel straight-man persona fully on display.
“…”
Aoi Sakasaka finally understood, this Yan Xi looked like a kind person with thick eyebrows and big eyes, but actually, he had a wicked heart!
“That's not important!” Aoi Sakasaka shoved Yan Xi, saying, “Rather than that, let's go to the coffee shop next door, my treat, to make up for bumping into you!”
The shop next door just happened to be where Yan Xi worked.
Aoi Sakasaka had come to specifically meet him, if you say this is a coincidence, Yan Xi wouldn’t believe it.
The girl’s face was redder than anything, just covering it up directly without a word.
Yan Xi was half-pushed and half-dragged to the coffee shop.
The manager saw Yan Xi, showing a surprised expression.
Wait, isn’t it normal for Yan Xi-kun to come to work? Why is he surprised?
“Cough, manager, this classmate wants to treat me to coffee.” Yan Xi said.
The manager nodded and smiled: “I see, so Yan Xi-kun is the guest today.”
“Feel free to sit wherever you like, what would you like to drink?”
Gabriel didn’t come today, the manager was personally greeting them.
Aoi Sakasaka sat opposite Yan Xi, took the menu from the manager, and said thanks.
“Did Yan Xi-kun work here before?” Aoi Sakasaka asked curiously.
It was actually a rhetorical question.
The manager smiled and gave a helping hand.
“That’s right, Yan Xi-kun is a very reliable good boy.”
The manager didn’t know the relationship between Yan Xi and Aoi Sakasaka, but from the girl’s occasional peeking and then shyly lowering her head…
The girl’s face was redder than anything, the manager understood.
On the one hand, he felt happy about Yan Xi’s popularity with the opposite sex, and then he felt nostalgic about his own youth.
Time really flies.
“It really is, Yan Xi-kun is also very reliable at school.” Aoi Sakasaka said with a smile.
Aoi Sakasaka’s goal was to get closer to Yan Xi, to gain the favor of a friend beyond just friendship.
Even though there was a little hiccup along the way, coming to the coffee shop where Yan Xi worked was indeed part of the plan.
Just like children take pride in their parents’ pride.
Being praised by a friend in front of their parents, the person involved will naturally feel proud.
Yan Xi’s parents weren’t around, so the closest person to that role was the manager, who took good care of him.
So, Aoi Sakasaka tried to speak highly of Yan Xi in front of the manager, in order to draw closer to each other.
Yan Xi sat opposite her with an unchanging expression, he didn’t feel anything.
Aoi Sakasaka muttered ‘difficult’ to herself, and turned to the manager: “Manager, can I have coffee made by Yan Xi-kun?”
Ah, again?
The manager felt like he had heard this before, wasn’t it said yesterday?
He was happy that Yan Xi was so popular with the opposite sex, but don’t take away his joy of making blended coffee!
“Of course.” The manager smiled: “But you have to ask Yan Xi-kun’s opinion, after all, it’s not his workday today.”
“Yan Xi-kun, is that okay?” Aoi Sakasaka used that cute expression that no guy can resist.
Normally, guys would be caught off guard, but against Yan Xi, she was losing confidence.
Damn it!
Yan Xi glanced at Aoi Sakasaka, and said with a smile: “I’m fine with it.”
Aoi Sakasaka’s heart rang an alarm, she sensed something unusual from Yan Xi’s smile.
What if he brings up a strange coffee?
Aoi Sakasaka subconsciously swallowed, a cold sweat broke out on her forehead.
…
“I’ve kept you waiting.”
A steaming cup of coffee was placed in front of Aoi Sakasaka, releasing a faint aroma.
From the looks of it, it’s normal coffee, but Aoi Sakasaka needed courage to drink it.
“Gulp~”
“How is it?” Yan Xi asked.
“Mm, it’s delicious!” Aoi Sakasaka showed a smile.
“Good if you like it.”
“But…” Aoi Sakasaka paused slightly, and asked: “Did Yan Xi-kun mix up the sugar and salt?”
“Really? I wouldn’t be so careless, would I?”
“…That’s true.” Aoi Sakasaka swallowed the salty taste.
Leaving the coffee shop, Aoi Sakasaka was a little lost.
What was her mission today?
It seems to be building a friendly relationship with Yan Xi.
Is this considered successful?
“Yan, Yan Xi-kun!” Aoi Sakasaka called out to Yan Xi, who was walking ahead.
“Hm?”
“In the future… can we still hang out together?”
Aoi Sakasaka, like a pure girl, engaged in a conversation that sounded like a confession.
Yan Xi’s face was full of strangeness.
Again?
Are you a masochist?
…………
PS: This is Chapter 1.