They say one of the happiest things in the world is going shopping with your girlfriend and her beautiful best friends.
Sure, it takes some effort, but in return, you get to see your girlfriend looking stunning in outfits you've never seen before. And, of course, her friends too.
For Kure Ragna, though, this wasn't just a casual shopping trip—it was something far more chaotic.
To any onlooker, his current situation didn't resemble a normal outing. Instead, it looked like an intense love triangle, the kind that would make anime fans explode with speculation.
Normally, in a setting like this, the "girlfriend" would be on one side, while her "best friend" would be positioned at a polite distance.
But in Kure Ragna's case, he had one girl on each arm.
If this were a rom-com, the audience would already be placing bets on which girl would win.
And if the wrong side won? Well, the fanbase would riot.
"Alright, we've got our clothes. Where to next?" Kushida Kikyo asked, holding several shopping bags in her hands.
To be precise, both she and Kei Karuizawa had four bags each—eight in total. Kure Ragna had watched them try on six of those outfits, but as for the last two?
(…Guess I'll find out later.)
"Milk tea!" Karuizawa exclaimed excitedly.
For her, shopping followed a strict routine. Step one: Check out all the clothing stores, even if you already visited them last week. Step two: Buy milk tea, no exceptions.
It was like ordering fries and a drink at a fast-food place—mandatory.
"Sounds good to me~" Kushida agreed without hesitation.
But when they reached the milk tea shop, a large promotional poster caught their attention.
The shop was still open, and business was booming, but instead of milk tea, most customers were ordering cold drinks.
The reason?
A special buy-one-get-one-free event for couples.
And if you brought two partners? Buy one, get two free.
The sign even joked that if a single person brought an entire class and they all agreed to it, they could technically get drinks for everyone.
(…So in theory, you could just buy two drinks for the whole school?)
Kure Ragna decided not to think too hard about it.
"I want a strawberry sundae!" Karuizawa announced, her eyes locked on the advertisement.
"Then I'll take vanilla," Kushida added.
Kure Ragna glanced at them. "Not getting milk tea anymore?"
"Yeah!" they answered in unison.
(…Guess that's decided.)
The Sundae Incident
The line was long, but the staff worked efficiently, and within ten minutes, it was Kure Ragna's turn to order.
Behind the counter, the cashier—a young man—wiped the sweat off his forehead and forced a smile. He was clearly exhausted, but professionalism held him together.
"Welcome! What would you like?"
"Three sundaes. One strawberry, one vanilla, and one coffee," Kure Ragna said, taking out his student ID to pay.
The cashier hesitated, glancing behind him at the two girls.
"Uh… You know we have a couple's discount, right? If all three of you are… together… you qualify for a free sundae."
"Ah, well, the blond one with the ponytail is—"
Before Kure Ragna could finish, Kushida Kikyo suddenly latched onto his arm.
She leaned in, looking up at the cashier with an innocent smile, but her eyes were filled with mischief.
"Me too~" she declared playfully.
"K-Kushida-san?!"
Karuizawa, who had been standing behind them, froze.
She peeked out from behind Kure Ragna, her expression a mix of shock and confusion.
Kushida only giggled, tilting her head.
"Oh, don't worry, Karuizawa-san~ It's just a joke! A little white lie for a free sundae~"
"This… I mean… I guess that makes sense…"
Karuizawa mumbled, still looking like she had seen something she shouldn't have.
Meanwhile, the cashier had already signaled to the kitchen, confirming their order.
(…That escalated quickly.)
A Taste Test
Five minutes later, the three of them sat near the semi-open-air seating area of the mall.
Walking and eating would've been an option, but considering the number of bags the girls were carrying, it was better to sit down.
"Wow~ As expected of the mall's most popular milk tea shop! The sundaes are amazing!" Kushida praised after taking a bite.
"Yeah, totally!" Karuizawa agreed, fully focused on her strawberry sundae. The sweet, creamy flavor instantly washed away all the awkwardness from earlier.
She happily took a few more bites—until she suddenly hesitated.
Her eyes darted toward Kure Ragna, and after a moment's hesitation, she shyly turned toward him.
"Um… Do you want to try mine?"
Before he could respond, Kushida struck first.
"Student Kure! Try my vanilla flavor!"
She moved quickly, her graceful confidence completely overshadowing Karuizawa's hesitant offer.
"Oh, sure," Kure Ragna said casually, taking a small spoonful from Kushida's sundae. He took a bite, raising an eyebrow in mild surprise.
"Not bad. Actually better than I expected."
Kushida playfully pouted. "So, you thought it would be bad?"
"Not exactly. I just never considered vanilla for a sundae. In my mind, vanilla is something you use for cooking—like cold black fungus or tofu soup."
Kushida blinked.
"...Kure Ragna, I think you mean coriander, not vanilla."
"…Wait, what?"
Kure Ragna immediately sat up straight.
Kushida sighed, lowering her voice so only he could hear.
"Idiot."
Then, as if nothing happened, she turned back to Karuizawa with a warm smile and offered her sundae.
"By the way, Karuizawa-san, would you like to try mine too?"
"N-No… I'm fine…"
Karuizawa shook her head stiffly and silently focused on her own sundae.
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