I Thought Strawberry Smells Sweet, So Why Does This One Smells Like Blood?

Chapter 8: Without Suspicion

🎓Nagisa🔪

"So Nagisa, how was it?"

I paused eating my breakfast and looked up my mother, tilting my head to the side in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh come on." She said and cut a piece of pancake. "You know what I mean."

I frowned and also cut my own pancake. "Like I said, I don't know what you're talking about." She huffed and chewed the piece and then swallowed before talking again.

"Your date." She said and pointed his fork accusingly, making me lean back.

"Mom, that's dangerous!" I exclaimed when she leaned forward. "The fork!"

She looked at her hand startled and immediately retreats, flashing an apologetic smile and a peace sign. I sighed and pouted a little.

"And also, I didn't have any date." I said, eating the last bit of my pancake.

"Oh? But you said yesterday that you're going out with that strawberry." Her head tilted to the side as if she was confused, making me sigh again.

"He's my best friend, mom. Best. Friend. And it's not a date." I explained then chugged my glass of milk. Mom hummed in amusement before finishing her meal, too.

"Well, whatever it's called, how did it go?" I paused. Should I tell her what happened?

Of course, I should. She's my mother.

"It went pretty well. But Karma-kun brought us to a restaurant. Geez, I even told him it was fine if we only visited a cafe or something." I pouted a little. "And also, there was this manager who called me little. His name was...um, Toshiro-san, if I remember right. And yeah, nothing much. The steak was delicious even the chocolate cake."

I did say I'll tell her, but it doesn't have to be all of it, right?

"Hoho~ so you enjoyed it, huh?" Mom teasingly commented, hiding her grin behind her hand's fingers.

"Well, I did enjoy it since it's been long when we hanged out." I said, probably also to myself.

"But still..." I turned to look at her when she hummed. "Why are you still calling him with honorifics? You don't do that in the past."

I paused.

"I mean, you call your closest friends by their names without one, and Karma is your best friend.  Do you think he might become jealous?"

Jea...lous?

I smiled at her, catching her off guard.

"....I don't think so."

🔪🎓🔪🎓🔪🎓🔪🎓🔪🎓🔪🎓🔪

"Good morning, Nagisa!"

"Good morning Kayano."

Kayano and I walked together up the mountain and talked while on our journey. When we reached the top, we saw Okuda-san by the entrance.

"Ah, good morning Okuda-san!" I greeted and Kayano hugged her. Okuda-san smiled at us.

"G-good morning...S-Shiota-kun." She was quite embarrassed, though I don't know why.

"Nagisa is fine, Okuda-san." I said with a smile. She seemed surprised at what I said and fidgeted her fingers.

"T-then...call me Manami, Nagisa-kun." I looked at her a-bit-blushing form before chuckling a little.

"Got it, Manami." She smiled and Kayano patted her back.