Another Memory For Us
Kuwata truly understood the meaning of lovestruck. Even though his outfit was not particularly his style, and he normally would have been grumbling, Kuwata found himself drifting along multiple cloud nines as he peered at the smiling Super High School Level Gamer. The quaint frozen yogurt shop swarmed with sweetness and fruity scents, and idle chatter bounced off the walls. The store was decorated with assorted hearts fixtures, and the demure rounded tables had white and red striped tablecloths draped over them. Fresh orders were delivered to customers, but when their treats arrived, Kuwata was too enamored with his girlfriend's appearance to thank the waitress.
Compared to Kuwata's pale pink and red checkered shirt and crimson jeans, Nanami wore a cotton dress adorned with multiple lace scarlet hearts. The dress ended by her knees, sashaying as she crossed her ankles. To accessorize, she wore a deep pink headband, cherry pumps, and her normal hairpin was replaced with a scarlet heart barrette Kuwata had given to her. Nanami beamed, brushing stray hairs behind her ear as her rosy lips spread in a gentle grin. When Kuwata first saw her outside of her dorm room, he roared with joy and clenched his fist. Several minutes of Nanami thanking him for his extravagantly abundant compliments ensued before they made their merry way to the local frozen yogurt shop.
Nanami politely thanked their waitress while Kuwata gazed at her, and Nanami imagined hearts forming in his pupils. She inspected her medium-sized cup of chocolate raspberry frozen yogurt decorated with cherries, strawberries, and specialized pink marshmallows in the shape of candy hearts. Nanami hummed, gingerly plucking her bubblegum plastic spoon, and she hovered her utensil over her treat only to hesitate.
Kuwata sighed, resting his cheek in his palm. He slouched in his seat, unknowingly placing his goatee in his blueberry frozen yogurt. The hot chocolate and caramel syrups tickled the ends of his goatee, and Nanami opened her mouth in a slight gawk.
"Kuwata-kun, you haven't stopped staring at me since we arrived," Nanami said, and Kuwata blinked, leaning back and lifting his elbows off the table in sudden surprise.
"Oh! Sorry, Nanami-chan. I always get starstruck when I see such a beautiful girl," he said, winking.
A bashful blush painted her round cheeks. Nanami chuckled, noticing that when Kuwata hauled himself backwards, the syrups flicked against his lean neck. Kuwata grinned, ready to enhance his accolades when Nanami plucked a napkin from the table's dispenser. Reaching over, she gently tugged on his goatee and murmured she was cleaning him to Kuwata's blundering bewilderment.
"Uh, did I get some on me already?" he asked, wincing when she opened the napkin to reveal the messy scrawls of the syrups mingling with slippery blueberry frozen yogurt. Quickly rubbing his chin, he mumbled his stark surprise and clenched his free fist under the table.
"It's okay, Kuwata-kun. You didn't ruin your frozen yogurt," Nanami replied, setting the napkin aside.
"I know, I know. I just hate lookin' uncool is all," Kuwata said, scratching through his hair.
Nanami's smiled faded by a couple molars. She hummed, lightly puffing out one cheek and slowly tilting her head. Discerning her faint displeasure, Kuwata broke into a swift grin and uttered a circumspect laugh.
"N-not to say that all I care about are appearances, y'know. I'm not really that shallow," he blurted, hurriedly flapping his hand in front of his face as if to brush off her concerned contemplation.
Nanami earnestly listened as he listed his other interests. Kuwata was always trying to prove himself in other fields other than baseball such as becoming a singer or guitarist. Kuwata had been reprimanded by the school officials in order to remain as a prolific baseball player, urging him to focus on his sporting career instead of engaging in his untapped musical prowess. Even though, at times, he possessed an uncouth side, the way Nanami viewed Kuwata was as a person who always pursued his interests vigorously regardless of what an establishment enforced.
It was Kuwata's drive to become better that enchanted Nanami. She saw Kuwata as a confident young man who treasured both his friends and talents. He was not someone miserably tied down to his gift. Instead, he embraced baseball and music, hoping for them to mix and create something wonderful for his future as long as he continued striving for his goals..
Nanami related, wanting to unite her friends through her talent. Making memories was the end goal for both of them. She remembered how she met Kuwata at a gaming tournament she organized for Hope's Peak Academy, observing him use his musical and athletic prowess to blast through rhythm and sports games alike. She was captivated by his charming grin and boastful personality without any trace of malice towards his classmates. How he laughed and clapped his opponents' backs in good sportsmanship tugged her lips into a smile. Kuwata was her final opponent, and while she destroyed him to secure her victory, she adored the way his expression brightened when he saw her as a worthy, winsome opponent. He drizzled her with compliments over her skills afterwards, beginning the start of their relationship.
When they came together, Nanami was certainly aware of the rumors. Kuwata was an infamous playboy at his middle school, but with her, he was nothing less than an wishful gentleman. He wanted to listen to her enthuse about video games and hold her close as she played. He challenged her in gaming and laughed with her. A cruel bone never existed in his body around her.
Kuwata scratched his cheek, nervously tittering, "Uh, I kind of rambled there. Sorry."
"I don't think you're shallow at all. I believe you're a kind person, Kuwata-kun," Nanami said, reaching out and gripping his fingers. "That's what I like about you. You're always trying your best."
The faintest touch would always bring color to Kuwata's lightly tanned cheeks, but he was left slack-jawed at her genuine comments. Every time Nanami's honeyed voice trilling soft words of sincerity left Kuwata's heart pounding in his chest. She was like a true ray of sunshine brightening his day. The way she lightly squeezed his fingers immediately shot through his wariness like a truth bullet blasting through false statements.
"Nanami-chan, you're so precious and cute!" Kuwata gushed, clasping his coarse palms around her lithe hand. "What did I do to get a pretty and sincere girl as you to be my girlfriend?"
As Kuwata took a breath to continue his eager complimenting, a spoon was swiftly shoved into his mouth. His eyes widened, tasting creamy blueberry frozen yogurt spreading along his tongue. The cool sensation delighted his senses, and he hummed.
Nanami chuckled, holding the end of the spoon in Kuwata's mouth and said, "I saw the opportunity and took it."
"I'm glad ya did," Kuwata remarked, gnawing slightly on the spoon. "Try yours! It's delicious!"
As Nanami brought her spoon to her mouth, Kuwata abruptly halted her. Nanami crooned her confusion as Kuwata fished through his breast pocket. Retrieving his smartphone, he raised it above their hands and cupped his frozen yogurt. Nanami chuckled, imitating him as Kuwata readied the camera. The flash went off, and Nanami swiftly turned her head, pecking Kuwata's cheek. Kuwata bumbled out a garbled grunt as the image appeared on his camera. He cupped his face, sputtering only to break off into a delighted grin.
"Quick time events really helped me increase my reaction time, I think," Nanami cajoled, and Kuwata laughed with her, continuing their Valentine's Day date.