NABC Page 114
Page 114
Yuuki Takada finally realized that what he had just witnessed was all just his wild imagination. "No... no, I was just thinking about some unbelievable things."
"Really, don't make such a fuss over such a small thing. It makes me feel a little embarrassed too," Sato Miwako murmured softly, her head lowered.
“Strange…” Takada Yuki watched her drink the strawberry smoothie in her hand and thought to himself: Has Sato Miwako always felt like this?
Why does something always feel off?
Yuuki Takada tried to suppress the inexplicable sense of unease in his heart and focused his attention back on his cup of chocolate smoothie.
The shaved ice did indeed have a rich, bittersweet flavor, just like his mood at that moment.
Yuuki Takada secretly glanced at Miwako Sato across from him.
She was sipping her pink strawberry smoothie, her eyelids lowered, her long, thick eyelashes casting a faint shadow on her cheeks, and a faint smile seemed to linger at the corners of her mouth.
The setting sun shone through the glass windows of the dessert shop, dancing on her soft hair and creating a quiet and beautiful scene.
The scene was pleasing to the eye, but Yuki Takada just couldn't convince himself to fully immerse himself in it.
Today, Sato Miwako was unusually proactive, and her intimacy seemed somewhat... deliberate.
As the shaved ice in the glass gradually dwindled to the bottom, that subtle sense of unease, like the unmelted ice crystals in the glass, quietly settled in Yuuki Takada's heart, not completely dissipating.
He followed Miwako Sato out of the dessert shop, watching her enthusiastically plan her next destination, her words "there are so many places I want to go" still ringing in his ears.
“Let’s go there next!” Sato Miwako pointed to a shop across the street with a cute cat paw sign – Cat Relaxation Center.
With sparkling eyes, Sato Miwako exclaimed with undeniable excitement, "I've always wanted to go with you!"
"Ah, okay." Yuuki Takada suppressed his thoughts and nodded.
Perhaps I'm just overthinking it. After all, being able to spend time alone with her like this is something to be happy about.
Pushing open the glass door of the cat lounge, you're greeted by soft music and warm, inviting air.
The air was filled with a faint aroma of coffee and the warm scent of animal fur.
A dozen or so cats were scattered throughout the enclosure. Some were lazily dozing on the cat tree, some were curiously observing the new guests, and a few bolder ones had already gracefully approached.
Chapter 138 Clamp Doll
"Wow! So cute!" Sato Miwako was instantly attracted, squatted down, and carefully stretched out her finger to gently touch the chin of a calico cat that came closer.
"Great, they've all gotten used to me."
The cat purred contentedly and rubbed affectionately against her fingers.
"Wow, amazing! A place like this is full of cats."
As Yuuki Takada watched this scene, his tense heartstrings seemed to be gently plucked by the soft touch and warm "gurgling" sound.
He found a seat by the window, but his gaze involuntarily followed the figure of Sato Miwako.
Miwako Sato seemed to be very familiar with the cats here, calling their names softly. Several of them responded and came running around her feet.
She took some cat treats from the shop assistant and carefully distributed them to the cats. Sato Miwako's profile looked especially gentle in the soft light.
Although I'm used to seeing Sato Miwako's smiling face, based on my first impression of her, I still can't believe how quickly she's changed recently.
I never imagined I would feel this way.
"You're such a good girl."
"Takada-senpai, won't you come and pet it?" Sato Miwako walked over carrying a quiet Chinchilla cat, sat down opposite him, and gently placed the docile cat on her knees. "It's very well-behaved, and it's really soft and fluffy."
Yuki Takada reached out and stroked the Chinchilla's thick, soft fur.
The cat squinted comfortably, sprawled out in his hand.
“It seems it really likes Takada-senpai too,” said Miwako Sato with a smile, casually stroking the cat’s chest fur with her fingers.
The atmosphere seemed to become peaceful and harmonious as a result.
"She really is quite cute." Sato Miwako looked at Chinchilla sitting next to Takada Yuuki, then hugged her and said excitedly.
“No…” Takada Yuuki looked at her, “Since you came here, it seems like you’ve been repeating that same sentence over and over again.”
"This is all because my wish came true!" Sato Miwako exclaimed, looking at the Chinchilla in her hand with a beaming smile. "Meow..."
“Takada-senpai…” Sato Miwako looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with anticipation and a hint of uncertainty. “Look, do we… look like a couple on a date?”
Yuki Takada paused slightly as he stroked the cat.
This is the first time I've heard Miwako Sato deliberately steer the conversation in this way.
Yuki Takada looked up at Miwako Sato, whose face held just the right amount of shyness, but whose eyes were unusually bright, as if she were waiting for a predetermined answer.
The cat on my lap seemed to sense the subtle atmosphere and let out a soft "meow".
Yuki Takada did not answer immediately.
Reflecting on all of Sato Miwako's flattering words and actions today, and this almost blunt question at this moment.
The sense of unease in her heart became clear again—today, Sato Miwako's behavior was too perfect, strictly following some ideal date script.
Yuki Takada was silent for a few seconds, then picked up the coffee the barista had just brought him, took a sip, and used this action to sort out his thoughts.
The bitter liquid slid down his throat, making him even more alert.
“Miwako…” He put down his coffee cup, his voice calm, with a hint of barely perceptible inquiry, “You seem particularly concerned about this date today.”
Instead of answering Sato Miwako's question directly, Takada Yuki gently tossed it back at her.
"Of course I'm really looking forward to our date," said Miwako Sato with a big smile.
“Takada-senpai, next…” Sato Miwako suddenly looked up, interrupting his thoughts, her eyes flashing with a sharp light, “Next, shall we go check out that arcade over there? I remember you guys are the boys who like going to those kinds of places the most!”
Yuki Takada's heart skipped a beat.
"Okay." But he couldn't suppress his excitement and nodded. In any case, Takada Yuuki didn't want to spoil Sato Miwako's rare moment of elegance.
The arcade was bustling with noise, and the music and various special effects were deafening.
Miwako Sato seemed a little uncomfortable with the environment, frowning slightly, but quickly broke into a bright smile and pulled Yuki Takada straight to the Taiko no Tatsujin machine.
"Takada-senpai, let me see your skills!" Sato Miwako handed him the game coins she had exchanged, her tone full of encouragement.
Yuki Takada took a deep breath and chose a piece of music of moderate difficulty.
As the familiar rhythm began, he waved his drumsticks and struck the beat precisely.
He played very well, his attention was highly focused, he quickly got into the zone, and when he finished the piece, he received a good review.
"Amazing!" Sato Miwako clapped softly from the side, her smile radiant.
"It's alright, I haven't played in a while, so I'm a little rusty." Yuuki Takada wiped non-existent sweat from his forehead and handed her the drumsticks. "Want to give it a try?"
Sato Miwako quickly waved her hands, a hint of embarrassment on her face: "I... I can't do it. I'm completely bad at this kind of rhythm game. I'll definitely make a mess of things and embarrass myself."
"It's okay, it's just for fun," Yuuki Takada encouraged.
But Miwako Sato insisted on refusing, only pushing Yuki Takada to go play one more time, saying that she would just watch.
Seeing that he couldn't persuade her otherwise, Yuuki Takada had no choice but to play another song, during which he could feel Miwako Sato's gaze always on him.
The gaze, filled with appreciation and even a hint of worship, made Yuuki Takada feel a stiffness in his back.
Leaving the Taiko no Tatsujin machine, the noisy environment and the exploratory interaction he had just experienced made Yuuki Takada feel that he needed some space to breathe.
His gaze swept across the noisy area, finally settling on a relatively quiet corner—an area where several claw machines were neatly arranged.
"Miwako, shall we go take a look over there?" Yuuki Takada suggested, pointing towards the claw machine.
The pace there is a bit slower, which might be more suitable for conversation and allow him to temporarily detach himself from the feeling of being constantly watched.
“Okay!” Sato Miwako readily agreed, her sweet smile still on her face, as she followed beside him.
All sorts of plush toys were crammed into a transparent box, looking adorable under the light.
Sato Miwako's eyes were immediately drawn to a machine filled with cat plush toys.
Of course, at the same time, there were many other styles of dolls displayed next door, which even attracted the interest of many people.
"Ah, let's play this!"
"Takada-senpai, doesn't this look a lot like that Chinchilla from earlier?" Sato Miwako pointed excitedly at the British Shorthair plush toy, her eyes sparkling, then added somewhat shyly, "But, these kinds of machines are usually hard to grab, right..."
"I'll only know if I try." Yuuki Takada walked up to the machine and inserted a coin.
The metal claw moved slowly under his control, emitting a soft hum.
Yuki Takada was completely focused, adjusting the angle and trying to get the doll's body into position where it was most vulnerable to stress.
Sato Miwako stood close to him, holding her breath slightly, her hands unconsciously clasped in front of her chest, as if she were praying silently.
Her attention was completely focused on the waving paws, and that natural anticipation was slightly different from the "perfect date feeling" she had been trying to create.
On the first attempt, the metal claw did manage to grab the British Shorthair plush toy, but with a slight jerk during the lift, the toy slipped off just inches from the point of impact.
"Ah—what a pity!" Sato Miwako let out a soft sigh of frustration, her shoulders slumped, her expression genuinely disappointed rather than an act to fit the mood.
This subtle change in expression caught the eye of Yuuki Takada.
He didn't say anything, but simply inserted more game coins.
This time, Yuki Takada was even more cautious, almost holding his breath as he moved the joystick.
Observing the stuffing and posture of the doll, I chose a more tricky angle and then pawed at it.
This time, Miwako Sato didn't say anything, but moved even closer, her warm breath almost brushing against Yuuki Takada's arm.
Suddenly, Yuuki Takada could clearly smell the faint fragrance in her hair.
The metal claw descended, firmly covering the doll's head and half its body, then contracted and lifted it up.
The doll was separated from its companions, wobbled as it rose to its highest point, and then... precisely fell into the drop chute!
“That’s great, Takada-senpai.”
"We did it!" Sato Miwako practically jumped up, her face beaming with an unreserved, radiant smile.
Miwako Sato pulled the small British Shorthair plush toy from the exit, hugged it tightly, and gently tapped its little bow tie with her finger. "Thank you, Takada-senpai, you're amazing!"
This smile was brighter and more genuine than any of the gentle smiles I had deliberately crafted at the cat cafe.
Seeing her undisguised joy, Yuuki Takada felt his sense of unease lessen somewhat.