[39] Onisaki Kirara
The atmosphere grew increasingly awkward, the air seemed to thicken with the silence between them. The girl stared at the drink can in her hand with a blank expression, before muttering softly, "This isn't the drink I wanted." Her voice felt like a sharp sting in Kaoru's ears, and in an instant, her words hit him like a bullet to the head. An overwhelming sense of embarrassment consumed him, as though the world around him was collapsing. If there had been a hole nearby, Kaoru would've leapt into it to avoid the suffocating shame.
'This is embarrassing... so embarrassing!' Kaoru thought, barely able to keep his face composed. His heart raced, and although he was normally full of confidence, this moment left him feeling awkward.
Trying to regain his composure, Kaoru cleared his throat. "Ahem..." He reached into his trouser pocket and quickly pulled out some cash. This time, he didn't want to take any chances. "Alright, please choose for yourself, miss," he said, his voice slightly shaky but still friendly. With nimble hands, he inserted the money into the vending machine, then gestured for the girl to make her selection.
The girl looked at Kaoru for a moment, as if assessing the sincerity of his action. Finally, she brought her finger to the buttons on the machine, selecting a drink with the same neutral expression that hadn't changed much. This time, Kaoru stayed silent, refraining from making any comments, hoping he had managed to salvage the situation.
When the right drink finally came out of the machine, the girl took it without saying much. Though there was no smile or heartfelt thanks, at least she didn't seem angry anymore. Kaoru could only sigh in relief, though his embarrassment had yet to fully subside.
"Thank you," the girl mumbled, her voice slightly more audible now, though still far from friendly.
Kaoru nodded, maintaining a thin smile on his face. "You're welcome… anytime," he replied, trying to stay calm even though, inside, his wounded pride still trembled.
The tension still hung in the air, the awkwardness making time feel as if it had come to a standstill. Kaoru's mind raced, trying to find a safe yet interesting topic to talk about. His gaze occasionally flicked towards the girl in front of him, who was still focused on her drink can. In his mind, there was an urge to discuss something intriguing—maybe about her bold choice to wear such revealing battle armour in the middle of combat. 'Wearing something like that... in a fight?! She's brave,' he thought. But his instincts quickly scolded him. He was a hundred percent sure that if he brought up that topic, he'd likely end up with a slap that could send him flying across the room.
'No, no, not that,' he scolded himself internally. 'If I say that, I'll just end up as a sleazy guy in her eyes.' Kaoru tried to control his thoughts, searching for a way out of the situation that was making him more and more anxious.
Then, an old memory resurfaced—a piece of advice from his father that now seemed very relevant. "When you approach a girl, start the conversation with something light. Don't get too heavy or personal. Start with something simple, make her feel comfortable," his father's advice echoed in his mind. It was a piece of advice he had long forgotten, but now it felt like a lifeline in this awkward situation.
Kaoru took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves that had spread throughout his body. He needed to tread carefully this time. With a voice as relaxed as he could muster, trying to suppress the awkward tremble at the corners of his lips, he said, "So, is this your first time buying something from a vending machine?" A friendly smile graced his face, like a ray of sunshine trying to pierce through the icy layer of tension.
The girl slowly turned her head, her gaze still as cold as the ice that hadn't melted. But this time, there was no flash of disgust in her eyes. Kaoru hoped, with all his humility, that this light and neutral topic might at least thaw the hard surface of the girl's demeanour.
Unexpectedly, the girl suddenly flinched, and her expression changed drastically. "D-don't underestimate me!" she exclaimed with a voice full of emotion, wiping away the cold attitude that had served as her shield all this time. It was as if Kaoru's simple question had triggered a hidden switch, revealing a more emotional—perhaps even vulnerable—side of her. Kaoru, who had only intended to make light conversation, was taken aback, slightly stunned by the sudden shift.
'Ah, so she's a tsundere,' Kaoru thought, quickly analysing the situation. The girl's tough exterior clearly hid something softer beneath. Kaoru's past experiences with girls like her began to surface in his mind. Deep down, he smiled. This wasn't the first time he had encountered a girl with such emotional defences, and Kaoru knew exactly how to handle them.
"No offence meant, truly," Kaoru responded in a calming tone, raising his hands to show a sign of peace. "I was just trying to be friendly. Vending machines can be tricky, especially if you're not used to them." He added that with a light smile, trying to avoid another emotional outburst.
The girl, clearly accustomed to keeping her distance from others, averted her gaze with a look that still conveyed tension. Though her face remained cold, Kaoru, with his keen eyes, could detect a small change—a crack in the thick emotional armour. It was a signal that perhaps this girl wasn't entirely closed off to conversation.
"Forget my earlier question," Kaoru said with a softer, more relaxed tone, trying to shift the focus. "By the way, I see you're a Taimanin, right? Do you know Asuka Koukawa?" he asked warmly, as if wanting to make the conversation more familiar and friendly.
The girl suddenly flinched, her icy blue eyes widening in surprise. "Asuka? Yes, I know her. How do you know!?" her voice carried a mix of confusion and excitement.
Kaoru smiled slightly, his brown eyes glinting with genuine interest. "Hmm~ Of course. Maybe it's her clumsiness in certain situations that's a bit like yours. So, let me guess—you two are close friends, aren't you?" Kaoru asked, folding his arms across his chest, as if making a light-hearted guess full of curiosity.
The girl was startled, her expression shifting to a mixture of pride and embarrassment. "Yes, we're close... But that doesn't mean I want to be approached by you just because you know my friend!" she said, slightly blushing but with a firm tone that drew a clear boundary.
Kaoru, initially surprised by the girl's emotional reaction, couldn't help but let out a soft laugh. "Turns out you both do share some similarities," he said with a smile, his laughter light and warm. "You know, I was only trying to have a friendly chat. But it seems Asuka and you have similar ways of showing your feelings."
The girl looked a little confused by Kaoru's reaction, but gradually, her expression began to soften. Her icy blue eyes, once cold, now seemed gentler, though a hint of caution was still evident. The tension around her began to ease, like morning dew evaporating under the sunlight. There was a growing sense of interest and curiosity replacing the coldness that had initially shielded her.
Just as Kaoru was about to continue the conversation and deepen the connection, a sudden authoritative voice shattered the silence. "Kaoru?" called Asagi, her voice laced with a mixture of surprise and slight disapproval. "What are you doing here?" Asagi stepped closer, her expression a blend of confusion and suspicion. "Ah, Kirara, aren't you supposed to be in the training room?"
The name "Kirara" made the girl standing before Kaoru flinch, and she immediately turned with a slightly embarrassed expression. It seemed she had either forgotten her training schedule or her presence here wasn't part of the plan.
Kaoru raised an eyebrow, looking at Asagi with slight admiration. "So, this is Kirara?" he said with a friendly smile at the girl, though his smile couldn't fully hide the burning curiosity inside him.
Kirara, her cheeks slightly flushed, tried to steady herself. "Yes, I—I should get back to training," she said with a somewhat shy and awkward tone, before glancing at Asagi and then back at Kaoru.
Asagi nodded, seemingly relieved to see Kirara getting back on track. "Alright, Kaoru, I've finished the report. Let's head to the test room," she said in a more formal and firm tone, signalling that their conversation should end for now.
Kaoru gave Kirara one last meaningful smile before following Asagi towards the test room. "Alright, let's go," he said lightly, though his curiosity about Kirara still burned within him. He knew now was the time to focus on more pressing matters.
As they walked together, Kaoru couldn't resist the temptation to make a small comment. "By the way, you all seem to have quite a unique taste in battle attire, don't you?" he said with a cheeky smile, referring to Kirara's bikini-like battle outfit. "I doubt that's the usual choice for combat."
Asagi flinched, and her expression turned slightly pink, clearly showing that Kaoru's comment about Kirara's battle attire had bothered her a little. She sighed deeply, as if gathering the courage to admit something embarrassing. "Yes… maybe that's true," she said in a slightly embarrassed tone,