Miss Ruiko was much faster than I'd imagined!?
While Rod's brain crashed, Saten Ruiko walked out of the kitchen, shaking her wet little hands as she smiled at him.
But when she saw Rod standing there in a daze, and caught sight of the item in his hand, Saten Ruiko's pretty face rapidly flushed red, all the way to her ears and the back of her neck.
The faint sound of a kettle boiling could be heard, as steam continuously rose from Saten Ruiko's little head.
"R-Ruiko?" Rod had no idea what expression he should be wearing right now. It was just awkward—so awkward he wanted to dig out a three-bedroom apartment with his toes!?
Could he say that he had brought this package of colorful little balloons himself? No, no, no—then he'd be socially dead!?
"N-No, no, no, that's not it!? Th-This is a m-misunderstanding!? I-I accidentally..." Saten Ruiko hurried forward and snatched the item from Rod's hand. Her flustered, stammering appearance, paired with her crimson face and anxious yet adorable expression—
Made Rod burst out laughing. Seeing that, Saten Ruiko puffed up her cheeks indignantly, then threw herself at Rod as though she had given up trying to explain, and started roughhousing with him.
"Really! B-Believe me, I accidentally put that in there. If I'm lying, I'm a puppy!" Saten Ruiko's pretty face still held a rosy flush as she stubbornly argued her case.
Watching the girl clinging to his chest and acting cute like a kitten, Rod chuckled again.
"Alright, alright~ I believe you, Ruiko."
As soon as he said that, the room fell quiet. Saten Ruiko lay against Rod's chest, her ear pressed to it, able to clearly hear his powerful heartbeat.
A dreamy look appeared in Saten Ruiko's eyes, and a faint pink heart seemed