About starting a part-time job as a rental boyfriend and then getting a lifetime contract from the most popular heroine at the university - Chapter 27 - Don't Mix It With the Taste of a Coffee Shop

“Sorry to have kept you waiting~. Here’s your omelet rice, pudding a la mode, and two cream sodas!”

Just as the complimentary coffee provided was running out, the ordered items were brought to the table.

The omelet rice, with a strong contrast between the yellow eggs and red ketchup, was served in abundance.

The pudding a la mode was decorated with fresh cream and fruits, with a pudding sitting firmly in the middle.

And then there were the alarmingly green cream sodas, topped with a scoop of ice cream and a cherry.

The epitome of retro café menu items was lined up on the table.

“Let’s eat.”

“Let’s eat.”

Haruya picked up his spoon and smoothly cut into his omelet rice. The ingredients of the ketchup rice varied, with sausages and bacon, but this shop seemed to use chicken.

From the eggs came the scent of butter, and from the chicken rice, the scent of ketchup. He brought the visually and aromatically appealing omelet rice to his mouth.

“Delicious…”

This was the comforting taste of omelet rice. The chicken was cut into larger pieces, adding volume to the dish.

“The cream soda is also good.”

Told so by Akiha, Haruya picked up the glass. With a sip, it tasted completely different from the omelet rice, with a clearly artificial flavor. However, that was delicious. The cream soda tasted much better than any 100% fruit juice when drunk in a café with a nice atmosphere. This was completely due to Haruya being swayed by the atmosphere of the place and the fixed idea that a café equals cream soda.

“Can I try a bit of the omelet rice?”

Akiha picked up a new spoon. She had learned from the earlier coffee incident that if she wasn’t careful, she wouldn’t be able to taste the flavors.

“Sure. Can I have some pudding a la mode?”

“Of course.”

Using new spoons that they hadn’t put in their mouths, they tasted each other’s dishes. The pudding a la mode was a triple punch of sweetness, with pudding, fresh cream, and ripe fruits. The bitter sweetness of the caramel balanced it out, creating a perfect flavor.

“This is delicious.”

“This is delicious.”

As the two exchanged the same words, a clinking sound echoed in the store. Ryoma and Ran entered the café.

“Sorry for the wait.”

“Wow, you guys are eating something delicious.”

Ryoma sat next to Haruya and Ran next to Akiha, finally completing the usual group. The time Haruya and Akiha had alone ended here.

“Haruya’s having omelet rice and Akiha’s having pudding a la mode, huh? What should I have?”

“For starters, you should have a cream soda. That’s what I wanted.”

Ryoma and Ran spread out their menus and began pondering their options, just like Haruya and Akiha had done earlier. In the end, Ryoma ordered spaghetti napoletana and Ran ordered a chocolate parfait. For drinks, they both ordered cream sodas. When their orders arrived, the pleasant smell of ketchup became even stronger.

“Ryoma, can I have some of your spaghetti napoletana?”

Once she had eaten some of her own dish, Ran asked Ryoma.

“Sure. In exchange, give me some of your chocolate parfait.”

“Okay… wait, don’t try to eat it with your ketchup-covered spoon! Use this one!”

“Alright, alright.”

Ran handed him the spoon she had been using. In response, Ryoma didn’t bother getting a new fork and spoon, but simply handed over his entire plate of spaghetti napoletana to Ran. And they both started eating the other’s dish without any particular concern.

“No way…”

“Wha-!? Indirect…!”

In stark contrast to Haruya and Akiha, who had completely lost the taste of their coffee, the two were clearly enjoying their dishes. They were exchanging comments like “This is good” and “So is that one”. Whether they were unaware of each other’s feelings, or whether they were aware but not particularly concerned, only God knew.

“Just date already.”

Haruya, completely ignoring his own situation, muttered his familiar complaint in his mind.

“Hmm hmm hmm hmm~”

A young girl, Hikari Natsukawa, was walking around the shopping mall area where Haruya and Akiha had their first date, singing a carefree humming song. While she appeared to be skipping around cheerfully, her heart was pounding in anxiety.

“I’m completely lost…!”

Having left the house with a grand promise to her worried mother that she would go shopping, she was now hopelessly lost. In reality, she should have been able to return home without getting lost. There was no train transfer, and the road was mostly straight. There were no elements for her to get lost, unless a cute kitten showed up from a slightly divergent path.

“I couldn’t help it, it was too cute…!”

Chasing after a kitten with her shopping bag in hand, Hikari had ended up lost on an unfamiliar road.

“Ah, there’s someone…”

In front of Hikari, who was wandering around, she saw a young woman’s figure. She didn’t feel like she could find her way back to the original road anymore. Hikari decided to ask for directions honestly.

“Excuse me, could you…”

“Yes?”

The woman turned around with a kind smile on her face.

“Wow! She’s a beautiful woman! And somehow she looks like Akiha-chan…”

Although her bright hair color and well-done makeup were the exact opposite of Akiha, her facial features looked very similar.

“I’m lost… I want to get to the station.”

“Oh dear, you’re lost? I’ll take you there.”

“Thank you!”

“No problem. By the way, what’s your name?”

“Hikari Natsukawa!”

“Natsukawa…”

“And your name?”

“I’m Kanon Fuyutsuki.”