Sᴘʟᴀsʜᴇs & Sᴛʀɪᴋᴇs | Nagi Seishiro √

12. 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬

It was four in the afternoon when the group congregated at the bustling amusement park. The Mikage siblings, Nagi, Kaori, Bachira, and Kai were amidst a sea of activities. Children darted excitedly from one attraction to another while couples lingered on park benches, basking in the park's ambience.

"Where should we start?" Bachira inquired, eyeing the varied attractions. "Shall we take a stroll and grab some bites from the food stalls?"

Rea's face lit up at the mention of food. "If it involves food, count me in, Bachira-senpai," she exclaimed, prompting an impromptu race to the nearest food stall, leaving the rest of the group amused and momentarily befuddled.

"Those two are always brimming with energy," Kaori remarked, sighing. "Shall we go, Reo-senpai, Nagi-senpai?"

The two seniors nodded, Reo paired up with Kaori, listening attentively as she discussed her artistic endeavors. Observing her cheerful nature, Reo couldn't help but marvel at how someone like Takashi Kaori managed to strike a friendship with his typically reserved sister, Rea Mikage.

Meanwhile, Nagi and Kai walked in tandem, the former scanning the surroundings until his gaze landed on Bachira and Rea, engrossed in devouring bowls of ramen. As Nagi made to notify the others, Kai Aoki spoke up abruptly. "Rea and Bachira are already there; let's join them."

Nagi exchanged a puzzled glance with Kai, who seemed taken aback when their eyes met. Without a word, Nagi turned on his heels and sauntered off, leaving the group momentarily surprised by his abrupt departure.

"Why does Nagi-senpai seem off?" Kaori queried, turning to Reo. "Wasn't he coming?"

"He's been a bit out of sorts lately, Kaori-chan," Reo chuckled knowingly. "Don't worry; he'll sort himself out soon enough."

Kai and Kaori exchanged questioning glances, sensing an undercurrent between Nagi Seishiro and the Mikage siblings. However, they chose not to probe further, confident that if it were a significant issue, their friend would confide in them.

Meanwhile, at the ramen stall, Bachira and Rea were engaged in a competitive eating contest, drawing a small crowd of curious onlookers. The two contestants had quite the audience, including a robust man who had already polished off fifteen bowls, a young eight-year-old girl, matching Bachira's pace with her sixth bowl, and a teenager struggling with his fifth serving. Meanwhile, Rea was on her eighth bowl.

As the countdown began, the contestants hurriedly savored their dishes. To everyone's surprise, Rea decided to call it quits, announcing, "I'm stuffed."

Nagi arched an eyebrow; it was unlike Rea to give up easily. As the countdown reached zero, the winner was declared: the burly man in the corner who had devoured a staggering twenty bowls. As Bachira and Rea hopped off their stools, they noticed Nagi observing them with a quizzical expression.

"Nagichchi!" Bachira grinned, watching Nagi swipe the sauce from the corner of Rea's mouth with his thumb and lick it. Rea's eyes widened, her ears flushing crimson. Observing both Rea's and Nagi's reactions, Bachira seemed to unravel something brewing between them. Their eyes spoke louder than their words. As if adding fuel to the fire, Bachira playfully shook Rea's upper arm.

"Rea-chan, there's something I've been meaning to ask," Bachira chimed, drawing their attention. "Are you free tomorrow after school?"

"Uh, yeah, I don't have plans. Why?" Rea raised an eyebrow, puzzled by Bachira's sudden shift in demeanor.

"How about a date tomorrow?" Bachira suggested with a mischievous grin.

"We're not dating, Bachira-senpai!" Frowning, Rea attempted to decipher why Bachira was acting oddly. She hadn't received any signals from him suggesting an interest beyond admiration. He had never shown any romantic interest in her, only a dedicated fanboy.