Senpai: "I… You want me to pick the place, right?"
Nagatoro: "Yep."
Senpai: "And you'll go with me regardless?"
Nagatoro: "Mhm! As long as it's legal, it should be good. And if you chicken out, I'll make sure that you still come!"
Senpai: "In that case…"
Senpai blushed and shuffled his feet, causing Nagatoro to blush as well. She gulped back a tease that she was dying to let out.
Senpai: "Would you like to…"
Nagatoro: "Yes? Would I like to?"
Senpai: "Forget it."
Senpai: She's just gonna tease me about it again…
Nagatoro: "No, I won't. You can't just bring up dancing and not expect me to- er- get you to show me!"
Senpai took a deep breath and pushed up his glasses.
Senpai: "Fine then. In that case, will you go to the valentines dance with me?"
###
Nishikata: "I'm sorry, what did you just say?"
Takagi: "I said that you need to ask me out on a date. You know what? I'll give you another option. If you can turn this trip into a date, I'll be more than willing to waive the punishment."
Nishikata: Wait… I was supposed to wait for Hayase to ask out Naoto first… "Hang on, didn't I ask you to the dance?"
Takagi: "And you're calling that a date?"
Nishikata: "Huh?!"
…
…
Nishikata: "Let's race down!"
Even with a slight head start, Takagi managed to get down slightly quicker than Nishikata.
Takagi: "So you were saying?"
Nishikata: "I… uh… Do you want to make this a date?"
Takagi: "What was that?"
Nishikata: "Do you want to make this trip a date?"
Takagi began beaming from ear to ear.
Takagi: "Sure! And before you ask, the valentine's dance is whatever you want it to be."
Nishikata: "What does that- nevermind."
###
Nagatoro: "Sure, Senpai."
The 2 of them turned red and averted their gaze before locking eyes again, only to look away once again.
Senpai: "T-thank you for not…"
Nagatoro: "I know. There's plenty more of that on it's way, don't you worry! I won't give you too much of a break, beansprout Senpai! Anyways, here's how you do a wedge turn."
Nagatoro demonstrated a flawless wedge turn. In turn, Senpai wobbled into a semblance of a turn.
Nagatoro: "Pfft, you call that a turn? You still really have a lot of room for improvement, huh beansprout Senpai? Still, not bad. It's way better than last time. Only minus 50 points!"
Gradually, Senpai got better and better at skiing. By lunchtime, he'd mastered the wedge turn and by dinner, he could kind of do a slalom.
Nagatoro: "Hey, not bad, Senpai! You're really getting the hang of this!"
Senpai: "W-well, it's mainly thanks to you. I'm no good at skiing."
Nagatoro blushed at his first comment but quickly morphed her face into a scowl.
Nagatoro: "What are you saying? It takes skill to learn anything that fast, even with a teacher as skilled as myself."
When they reached the bottom, Senpai stopped completely without even wobbling.
Nagatoro: Great job! Looks like beansprout Senpai has upgraded to noodle Senpai!"
Senpai: "That's an upgrade?"
Nagatoro began noodling away at Senpai as they headed onto their next hill.
###
Nishikata: "Man, I'm beat! I'm glad that they had that ramen with fish cake!"
Takagi: "Remember that time we had that cup ramen in the candy store?"
Nishikata: "Uh… yeah. I do."
Takagi: "I really liked that experience."
Nishikata: "Why, because you got to tease me?"
Takagi: "That's part of it."
Nishikata: "Why don't we grab a seat?"
Takagi: "There's an open table over there!"
Nishikata: "I dunno… Shouldn't we sit with-"
Takagi: "Nishikata… Remember?"
Nishikata: "R-right. Date."
The 2 of them sat down at the table.
Takagi: "Ahh-"
Nishikata: "What are you doing that for?!"
Takagi: "Isn't it obvious? I want you to feed me."
Nishikata gulped and blushed as he stared at Takagi, who had her eyes closed and mouth open. He slowly cut off a small amount of ramen and grabbed a piece of naruto and brought them into her mouth. Takagi bit down and chewed. After a few moments, she swallowed.
Takagi: "Aren't you going to eat anything?"
Nishikata: "Right! Yeah-"
Takagi: "Close your eyes and open your mouth~"
Nishikata recoiled, but did as he was told after a few moments. He felt some noodles, naruto, and meat get spooned into his mouth all at once.
Takagi: "So how is it?"
Nishikata: *gulp* "That was amazing! How'd you get that much in just 1 spoonful?"
Takagi: "I used my chopsticks to hold it down."
Nishikata: "Ha! You're so childish, Takagi!"
Takagi: "Yep! I really like being a kid!"
Nishikata: "I see…"
Houjou: "Nishikata! Can you talk to me for a moment?"
Houjou had run over and was slightly pink.
Nishikata: "Huh? W-why me?"
Houjou: "W-well, you're one of Hamaguchi's friends, right?"
Nishikata: "If this is about him, shouldn't you ask Takagi? She's way better at- Hey, where'd she go?"
Takagi darted around the corner and sat down by herself, straining to listen in.
Houjou: "I wanted to know if Hamaguchi was going to ask me to the dance…"
Nishikata: "Huh?"
Houjou: "P-please don't make me ask again…"
Nishikata: "W-well… I don't think that he'd be against you asking him-"
Houjou: "Hey! I was asking if he would ask me?"
Nishikata: *genuine shock* "Why? Wouldn't it work the other way too?"
Houjou: "It'd be too scary! Besides, isn't it way easier for guys to confess? I'd bet you did that with Takagi the first week you met her!"
…
Nishikata: "W-well, I didn't realize that I liked her until a bit more than 2 years after I met her."
Houjou: "Seriously? I thought that your immature games were your way of expressing affection."
Nishikata: "Hey! They weren't mature… They might've been our way of doing that, but I didn't realize it until recently. Also, It's kinda… I don't know how to put it… Kinda annoying to say that guys have it easier?"
Houjou: "How can you say that?"
Nishikata: "W-well, we're just as nervous as you! *slightly defeated* I swear, the amount of times that Hamaguchi asked us about how to be more attractive to you is astonishing. I think he's way more nervous than you are and he's been thinking about this for a while now. Still, none of us can convince him to do anything about it. Besides, what makes you think it's easier for girls?"
Houjou: "I-I mean, we set our minds on 1 guy! If we get rejected, it's way bigger! Meanwhile, you guys just bounce back!"
Nishikata: "Wha- if Hamaguchi got rejected by you, you think he'd just bounce back?!"
…
…
Takagi had jumped about a foot in the air while Houjou just stood there, shocked. Meanwhile, Nishikata's expression instantly turned to one of horror.
Houjou: "No, but-"
Nishikata: "I'm sorry… I shouldn't have yelled like that…"
Houjou: "No, you're right. I was just making excuses… In truth, I'm just worried about what'll happen if I ask him. What if something bad happens at the dance? Or he turns me down, or he gets sick…"
Nishikata: "Do you want to hear my opinion?"
Houjou: "Yeah."
Nishikata: "Just ask him. I'd bet you haven't asked anyone else for help, so this is already a good step. I'm just saying, there's no way he'll turn you down. I'll give him a heads up too."
Houjou: "Wait! Don't!"
Nishikata: "Huh? Wait, you don't want me to? Alright then, sorry…"
Houjou: "A-actually, do it! Yeah, that'll force me to do it!"
Nishikata: "Ok then."
Nishikata ran around the corner and out of sight, right on course to Hamaguchi's table.
