Ichinose (Seeking Everything)

"Little Kikyo is truly thoughtful; I'm almost falling for it. However, I can still agree to some minor requests. If Little Kikyo asked for nothing at all, I would actually feel more uneasy." Watanabe Hayabara wore a faint smile, his deep eyes gazing at Kushida Kikyo with the gentleness of warm winter sunlight.

Seeing this, Kushida Kikyo's face blossomed into a sweet smile, like a flower in full bloom during spring. She skipped lightly over to Watanabe Hayabara, then playfully extended five fingers and said in a coquettish voice, "Hayabara-kun, how about giving me 50,000 points?"

After speaking, Kushida Kikyo's gaze remained fixed on Watanabe Hayabara like a nimble little deer, as if she wanted to capture the slightest reaction on his face.

Watching Kushida Kikyo's innocent display, Watanabe Hayabara couldn't help but find it amusing. The smile at the corners of his mouth deepened slightly as he drew out his tone, responding, "Oh?" The tail end of the word seemed wrapped in a touch of playfulness, making his true thoughts difficult to discern.

His gaze fell slowly onto the girl's raised hand. Those five fair fingers were like tender branches sprouting in early spring, the nails trimmed round and neat with a faint pink hue, looking incredibly adorable. This innocent appearance didn't look like she was asking for a significant sum of money at all; it was more like a child asking an adult for a piece of candy.

[What a greedy little request.]

"I recall that Little Kikyo doesn't spend points recklessly. You should still have quite a surplus, right?" Watanabe Hayabara played the part of a curious child, seemingly concerned about where Kushida Kikyo's points were going.

Kushida Kikyo tapped her toes against the ground, her skirt rippling with the movement. She deliberately softened her voice, the inflection rising with just the right amount of feigned naivety: "It's only 50,000 points; that shouldn't be much for Hayabara-kun, right?" As she spoke, her eyelids drooped slightly, casting a small shadow beneath her long lashes that concealed the flash of calculation in her eyes, leaving only the perfect amount of expectation.

Watanabe Hayabara suddenly let out a low chuckle, the sound vibrating through his chest. He leaned forward, tapping his fingertips lightly against the back of the girl's hand, his tone fluctuating in temperature: "Kikyo, you're certainly direct." Sunlight grazed his pupils, and a hint of realization surfaced in his amber eyes. "But, for no reason at all, why should I give you so many points?"

"Didn't I help Hayabara-kun? Even if it was voluntary," Kushida Kikyo blinked as if stumped, then broke into an even brighter smile, reaching out to hook her arm through his and sway gently. "But Hayabara-kun is the best to me." She leaned her cheek closer, the scent of citrus from her hair mingling with the smell of sunlight. "I have a use for these points; maybe they'll be able to help Hayabara-kun in the future."

Watanabe Hayabara just smiled, then pulled out his phone. The blue light of the screen reflected on his calm face as he transferred 500,000 personal points to Kushida Kikyo. With a soft chime, the notification of the points arriving sounded.

Kushida Kikyo immediately cheered and jumped away. After confirming on her terminal, she turned and bowed to him, her smile dazzlingly sweet: "Thank you, Hayabara-kun! I knew you were the best!"

"Since Little Kikyo has received these points, why not go shopping? I won't disturb you any further."

"Hayabara-kun, do you really want to brush me off just like that?" Her voice was soft and gentle, carrying a trace of imperceptible grievance, like a kitten abandoned by its owner, stirring a delicate sense of pity in one's heart.

"After all, didn't Little Kikyo make it public that you wouldn't have a boyfriend? If others found out and it spread to the school forum that we were acting intimate, causing unnecessary gossip, wouldn't that add trouble for you? I'm doing this for Little Kikyo's sake," Watanabe Hayabara explained.

"Alright, goodbye then, Hayabara-kun." Kushida Kikyo looked reluctant as she waved at Watanabe Hayabara.

Watanabe Hayabara stood where he was, his hands still in his pockets, though his fingertips had long since gone cold. The gentle smile that had been on his face was wiped away as if by an invisible hand; the curve of his lips gradually flattened, and the warmth in his eyes cooled bit by bit, leaving only a bottomless calm. He narrowed his eyes slightly and scanned his surroundings. Finding no one, he continued his stroll through the park.

After Watanabe Hayabara finished appreciating the scenery of the park, he sat down on a bench by the pond that had been warmed by the sun. He let out a deep breath, his back sinking lazily into the curve of the chair, enjoying the quiet comfort of the setting sun.

I don't know how much time passed before a voice as soft as cotton candy suddenly drilled into his ears, like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly shattering the peace.

"Hello, excuse me, could you please do me a favor?" The girl's voice carried a cautious politeness, the tail end rising slightly like a feather brushing against the heart.

The soft, sweet voice drifted over, like a tangerine candy melting on the tongue. Watanabe Hayabara's eyelashes fluttered, and the corner of his eye caught a glimpse of swaying pink before he blinked, letting his blurred vision slowly focus.

Her long pink hair shimmered with the luster of mother-of-pearl in the sunset, the curls at the ends like the edges of a perfectly baked soufflé. The girl stood three steps away, her school uniform tie knotted into a neat bow that rose and fell with her breathing. Most eye-catching was the curve of her chest, strained against the fabric of her uniform into a soft, beautiful arc. The buttons at her collar seemed ready to burst at any moment, and every time she leaned forward slightly, those stunning contours swayed with a heart-stopping rhythm.

Watanabe Hayabara shifted his gaze from that swaying arc to meet her eyes: "What is it, Ichinose-san?" His voice carried the laziness of someone who had just woken up, the tail end trembling slightly.

"Eh?" The girl jerked her head up, pink strands sweeping across her cheeks. "You know my name?" Her pupils reflected the shattered light of the sunset, and confusion rippled through them. "I... don't seem to have any impression of you."

Watanabe Hayabara sat up straight, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the cracks on the edge of the bench. He watched the girl's lips, which were slightly parted in surprise, their lines as if carefully traced with a cherry-blossom-colored lip liner. "Ichinose-san is a celebrity at school." He suddenly chuckled, the lines at the corners of his eyes softening. "You ranked first by an absolute margin in the 'Girl I Most Want to Date' list released by the Student Council last week. There were so many people crowded in front of the hallway bulletin board looking at it."

"Ah... is it that list?" The girl's cheeks flushed a deep red, even her earlobes stained pink. She hurriedly waved her hands, the pink bow in her hair dancing with the movement. "Th-that was just everyone being kind to me." She took a deep breath, putting on a standard sweet smile again, and bowed slightly with her hands clasped over her abdomen. "Let me introduce myself formally. I am Ichinose Honami from Class 1-B. Could I trouble you..."

"Watanabe Hayabara, Class 1-D." He interrupted her, his gaze landing on her trembling long lashes. "Whatever it is, I'd be happy to help."

Ichinose Honami looked up in surprise, her pink hair sliding over her shoulders. She noticed that the boy in front of her had a pair of shallow dimples when he smiled.

"He's so handsome..."