"Are you thirsty, Mochizuki-san? Let's go get a drink."
After basking in the sunshine and fresh air on the mall's open rooftop, my throat was starting to feel weirdly parched—maybe it was the sizzling batter from lunch, or maybe just the effect of happiness making me hyperaware.
"Yeah, now that you say it, my mouth is kind of dry too… That bubble milk tea shop we passed on the way in looked super popular. Wanna check it out?"
With her hand in mine, we strolled their way—her swingy skirt, my matching T-shirt, and every glance from passers-by adding to the 'date mode' tension. The shop was buzzing: COCO and Mixue franchises everywhere, the milk tea crowd clearly out in force this weekend.
"There are so many people lining up…"
Haruka's sigh was equal parts awe and resignation—this place was the talk of the city lately.
"Guess weekends mean every milk tea shop is swamped. Still, that just means it must be worth the wait, right?"
After what felt like half a lifetime in queue, we finally reached the counter. The staff greeted us with the urgency of an idol at handshake event.
"What would you like to order?"
After minimal debate (which was mostly me insisting she choose for us), we went with the classics. "Two cups classic bubble milk tea."
"That'll be 1600 yen," the cashier announced with the cheerfulness only a Tokyo barista on caffeine could muster.
"Wow, 800 a cup. Is this tea infused with gold?" Haruka quipped under her breath, office worker I shrugged, handing over two 1,000 bills and collected our drinks.
Usually, you're supposed to stroll, but luck was on our side—the outdoor seats were miraculously free just as we arrived.
"Hah… We scored. Milk tea, sunshine, and a seat. Not bad, right?"
"It's fate!" Haruka grinned, stowing her purse and getting settled.
Just as I was about to hand her her cup, she popped to her feet.
"Be right back—wait for me!"
I watched her disappear, curious, before her figure returned five minutes later, holding a cheerful pink box.
"Try this with it, Ginjo-san!"
"You went for donuts?" My eyebrows shot up.
She beamed. "You paid for the milk tea. This is my treat! Equal partners, right?"
She opened the box, picking out a chocolate-dusted ring and holding it out. I took a huge bite, letting the powder explode in my mouth.
Haruka followed suit, a little less aggressive (less risk for a powder disaster), and sighed. "Mm, delicious!"
I snorted and offered her my best 'milk tea and donut connoisseur' smile.
She polished off her treat, licked the crumbs from her finger, then scooted her chair right next to mine, phone at the ready.
"Photo time, Ginjo-san! I want to treasure this, just like our first date selfie."
She coaxed us together, held the drinks up for style points, and snapped the pic—her cheek pressed impossibly close, her lips curled in a way that made me wish I'd invented selfies.
"That's adorable," I admitted, peeking at her screen. "Wish you're always that photogenic when you're caught off guard."
She giggled, swiping between shots, eyes going dreamy.
"It really feels like a dream," she murmured, as if she couldn't quite believe it.
I leaned in, voice low. "Are you dreaming, Mochizuki-san?"
"Yeah… before I met Ginjo-san, dating always seemed like something distant, for other people. It was so unreal for me…"