119 - A Game Just for Two

RAW

After thoroughly teasing Haruto and Ayaka about Ryota’s “Wedding Fund Piggy Bank,” Tomoya and the others said their goodbyes to Ikue and Kiyoko before leaving.

Since there was still time before dinner, Haruto and Ayaka returned to her room and decided to study until the meal was ready.

"Ugh... that was so embarrassing..."

As soon as they got back, Ayaka collapsed onto the table, burying her face in her arms with a loud sigh.

"Ryota's piggy bank is probably going to be the topic of jokes for a while," Haruto commented with a wry smile.

"Shizuku will definitely tease us about it," Ayaka grumbled.

Haruto chuckled nervously, knowing full well that it was an inevitable outcome.

"Honestly, Shizuku always teases too much. Even Saki and Akagi joined in this time…"

Remembering how even Saki, who rarely indulged in teasing, had joined Tomoya in mocking them with a smirk, Ayaka puffed her cheeks and glared at the untouched snacks on the table. Her gaze landed on a box of Pocky.

"Not just the piggy bank… Shizuku was also the one who brought up the Pocky game. There’s no way I could do something like that in front of everyone. Right, Haruto?"

"Yeah, if we did it, it’d just give them more material to tease us," Haruto replied, nodding in agreement.

Ayaka quietly stared at the Pocky box for a moment before sitting up and reaching for it.

"But… isn’t it normal for couples to play games like this?" she mused.

"Uh, well… I think Shizuku was just making stuff up," Haruto said, scratching his cheek.

"Still… I don’t think what she said was entirely untrue."

With that, Ayaka got up and retrieved a manga from her bookshelf, returning to sit beside Haruto.

"Look at this scene," she said, opening the book and showing it to him.

Haruto glanced at the cover and grimaced slightly.

"My Possessive Boyfriend is Too Much for Me?"

"Yes! Or as the fans call it, OreSuki! It’s super popular and really good!" Ayaka said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Haruto groaned inwardly. So this is why her idea of what couples do is so warped…

The scene Ayaka pointed out featured a bold and mischievous male lead pressuring a shy female character into playing the Pocky game. The girl, clearly flustered, seemed hesitant but not entirely opposed.

"They're not even dating yet?" Haruto asked.

"Nope! But think about it—if they can do this even before dating, doesn’t it make sense that couples should be doing it too?" Ayaka concluded confidently.

"Uh… I guess that makes sense…" Haruto replied hesitantly, feeling like he had no choice but to agree. He couldn’t help but marvel at how much influence a single manga could have on someone’s romantic perspective.

With the teasing from earlier fading from her mind, Ayaka picked up a stick of Pocky, put it in her mouth, and turned to face Haruto.

"Okay, Haruto, let’s try it," she said, tilting her head up slightly to match the height of the Pocky with his mouth.

Watching her determined expression, Haruto couldn’t help but feel nostalgic, reminded of the times she had pushed him into "practicing" romantic scenarios during summer vacation. Whether it was exchanging sweet words, giving lap pillows, or other couple-like activities, Ayaka always took the lead.

Ayaka, the school idol, was surprisingly assertive in private. Haruto couldn’t help but wonder how their classmates would react if they ever found out. The thought brought a small smile to his lips.

"What’s so funny?" Ayaka asked, her voice muffled by the Pocky she held in her mouth.

"Nothing," Haruto said, shaking his head.

With that, he leaned forward and bit down on the other end of the Pocky.

"This is kind of embarrassing," Ayaka said, her cheeks tinged pink.

"Yeah… we’re closer than I thought we’d be," Haruto admitted, his own face heating up.

"Okay, let’s start. Ready? Go!" Ayaka announced.

At her signal, Haruto began nibbling on his end of the Pocky stick, slowly moving closer. Ayaka mirrored his actions, her eyes darting nervously to him as the distance between them shrank. Soon, they were so close that Haruto closed his eyes out of embarrassment. A moment later, a soft, warm sensation brushed against his lips.

Haruto opened his eyes to find Ayaka blushing, her shy smile filling his vision.

"Well… we ended up kissing," Ayaka said, giggling nervously.

"Yeah," Haruto replied, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he chewed the last piece of Pocky.

"So… who won?" Ayaka asked.

"Doesn’t the loser let go of the Pocky before kissing?" Haruto said, recalling the rules.

"And if they kiss?" Ayaka tilted her head.

"Maybe the one who eats more of the Pocky wins?" Haruto suggested uncertainly.

"Hmm… I wonder who ate more just now?"

"Not sure. I closed my eyes at the end."

"Me too."

Giggling, Ayaka reached for another Pocky.

"Let’s do it again."

"Alright. This time, whoever eats more wins, right?"

"Yup!"

With the rules clarified, the couple grabbed another stick and started again. As Ayaka leaned forward, she suddenly blurted, "Haruto, I love you!"

Startled, Haruto froze for a second, allowing Ayaka to quickly eat her way down the Pocky, sealing the game with another kiss. This time, her smug grin said it all.

The two continued playing, each time finding new ways to surprise—or outmaneuver—the other. For Haruto and Ayaka, it was less about winning and more about the laughter and affection they shared in these moments just for the two of them.