lend me your ears | bokuto kotaro

9 ' Nanao and Kotaro

"Nope, haven't heard of it," he answered her. "What about it?" he asked.

"Icarus wanted to escape from a tower with his father so you know what they did?" she began her story with excitement, much to his surprise. "What?"

"So make these wings and attached them to their backs. They do make it out of the tower but Icarus loved flying so much he came too close to the sun," she continued.

"Did he burn then? Is he okay?"

"No, silly, haha," she chuckled, slightly tapping on his arm. She put on a straight face again, "The wax melted and ended up falling down the sea."

"Does he get out alive? Can Icarus swim?"

"No, he doesn't make it out alive," she answered him, who was then feeling quite sad for the character.

"Well, what other works have you made, Hoshi-chan?" he changed the topic, moving on to happier subjects.

"Just a bunch of landscapes. Nanaki can't sit still even for five minutes, I can't have him model," she answered, giving him an idea.

"How about I model for you, Nanao-chan?!" he suggested, even raising his voice.

"N-Nanao?" her tone expressed her shock getting called by her first name. "Did, did you call me Nanao?" she confirmed, doubting her ears were any accurate.

"You said Nanaki, then I got reminded of your first name, Nanao," Bokuto justified. "Do you not like it?" he asked, on the verge of entering his emo mode.

"N-No, it's not that, I was just surprised," she explained, "I'm just, well, shy. I always call you Bokuto-san."

"Then call me Kotaro!" he suggested with a bright smile overtaking his almost forming frown.

"Kotaro?" she mumbled, unaware of her cheeks reddening just by calling him on a first-name basis. "Yup yup, Kotaro!"

"Kotaro-san, then?" she tried saying it, her heart racing for some reason. Bokuto didn't feel the need for the more formal honorific but agreed either way. He nodded at her and showed her a thumbs-up as an answer.

The two resumed their shopping, Bokuto ticking off the boxes on the list one by one. After having Hoshino double check his basket, they head to the counter to pay.

"Well, Nanao-chan, wanna eat?" Bokuto suggested as he looked left and right at the open restaurants.

"Aren't we supposed to go to where the jerseys are?" she reminded.

"We can go there after eating, plus it's just like, a box of jerseys, it won't take time," he reassured her and approached one of the restaurants.

She obliged with him and followed, "Okay, we can have an early lunch."

"Can we eat here? They serve meat in a sizzling plate, it's really nice," he added and pointed at the menu, trying to convince her.

"Please? Please? Nanao-chan?"

"Okay, we can eat here."

"Great! Thanks!"

As they entered the restaurant, they were greeted by the voices of the staff and the noise from the crowd. Hoshino hated that kind of noise and as just as she was about the do the old habit of turning off her hearing aids, Bokuto's voice interrupted her.

"Nanao-chan, are you okay?" he checked up on her and at the same time, leaned closer to listen.

"Yes."

"Are you sure?" he confirmed.

"Yes, I'm okay," she affirmed, putting on her best effort to smile.

"Okay! Well, what would you like? I heard their beef is the best in the menu."

° ° ° ° ° °
15 Minutes Later

T

he food arrived quite quicker than they anticipated, and as shown in the pictures, they really do serve food in a hot sizzling plate.

"Wow, it looks yummy," he remarked as soon as the plate landed on the table.

"Yeah, and really hot," she added, observing all the sizzling noises.

"Itadakimasu!"

"W-Wait, don't eat it yet. It's ho-"

"Nahnao, ish dehlishus!" he exclaimed and tried cooling his food on his mouth. "Try it!" he added and pointed at her plate.

"It's really hot though. I might burn my tongue."

"Oh, Nanao-chan, you're missing out!" he exaggerated before taking another bite.

She sighed and got her utensils. "Itadakimasu," she muttered before getting some of the food on her spoon. She blew it gently, very lady-like, even.

"You'll thake fohrever," he warned her with his mouth almost full.

"Won't you wait for me, Kotaro-san?" she joked, smiling.

"Of course, of course."

A few minutes later, Bokuto was surprisingly already done eating his meal, while Hoshino was still half-way through. He simply stared at her plate, as if wanting for more.

"Y-You want?" she asked before taking another bite. "I don't think I can finish all this," she continued.

"Can I, Nanao-chan?"

"Yeah."

"Are you sure? You're really really sure?"

"Uhuh," she hummed with a nod. Music to his ears.

"Thanks, you're the best!"