"Caterpillar" Xiao Bei

The thought made Hokubu Genkoma's heart skip. In an instant, a feeling mixed with anticipation and an indescribable, secret delight quietly melted inside her, like honey dissolving in warm water.

She didn't try to examine where this anticipation came from. She just instinctively felt that the idea was too tempting to resist.

She immediately pulled out her phone and tapped away at the screen, composing a text almost on impulse:

"Makoto! Are you free tomorrow? Let's go to the shrine for our New Year's visit again! Just the two of us!"

Her thumb hovered over the send button for a second before she finally pressed it firmly.

The confirmation that the message had sent popped up. She immediately clutched her phone as if she were holding a seed she hoped would sprout, waiting for a reply with both nervousness and excitement.

Just like when she'd asked for help with a foreign language earlier, her phone chimed almost the very next second.

Hokubu Genkoma perked up and quickly held her breath as she looked down.

On the screen was Yasui Makoto's familiar, concise reply:

"Sure. What time tomorrow? Where should we meet?"

"Hehe..."

Looking at the instant reply, Hokubu Genkoma froze for a moment. Then the corners of her mouth lifted uncontrollably, and she finally flopped onto the cushion, hugging her phone.

Like a child who'd gotten a beloved toy, she grinned foolishly. The little bit of nervousness in her heart was instantly swept away by a huge, pure happiness.

That simple joy filled her with energy she couldn't contain. Without thinking, she hooked her legs around the cushion and wrapped herself up in it like a spring roll, then happily rolled around on the spacious tatami in the living room.

After rolling a few times, she started feeling a little