"Teasing Cafe: Spoonfed?"

Shiriku, now expecting some form of disappointment, cautiously confirmed, "Yes." However, to his surprise, Fuyumi chuckled a little, putting him at ease. She reassured him not to worry about it and offered to pay for everything. In return, she playfully demanded that Shiriku spill the beans on why he found himself penniless for a cafe visit. Shiriku hesitated for a moment, a nervous but happy smile forming on his face, and eventually, he accepted Fuyumi's offer, thankful for her understanding and generosity. The two then proceeded into the cafe, leaving the awkward financial hurdle behind them.

Shiriku and Fuyumi stepped into the cozy atmosphere of the cafe, scanning for a suitable table. As they were about to choose one, a friendly worker approached them, offering a warm greeting, "Oh, hello and welcome to our cafe. Are you lovely young couples looking for a table for two?" The worker's assumption hung in the air.

Shiriku, ever the pragmatic one, was about to correct the worker's assumption, but before he could utter a word, Fuyumi smoothly intervened. She flipped her hair with a touch of playful confidence and responded, "Why yes, yes we are." Fuyumi then casually placed her hand on Shiriku's shoulder, as if claiming him in a playful gesture.

Feeling a bit caught off guard, Shiriku let out a nervous laugh, realizing that Fuyumi was steering the ship of this little charade. He decided to play along, unsure of where Fuyumi was leading with this unexpected twist in their cafe visit.

Seated at their chosen table, Shiriku let out a sigh, his expression revealing a mix of guilt and unease. He turned to Fuyumi, admitting, "Fuyumi, we've got to stop pretending like a couple when we're not. I think we've done that for 3 to 4 times already, and it's really making me feel guilty whenever I lie." Shiriku's face bore a hint of sadness, and his tone carried a nervous undertone.

Fuyumi met his gaze, and with a compassionate smile, she responded, "Don't worry, I'll stop. It was just exhilarating." Fuyumi's smile concealed a layer of disappointment, though, as she hid her true feelings about what Shiriku had just shared. The moment lingered with a mixture of honesty and a tinge of regret.

While Shiriku was still immersed in the menu, Fuyumi, eager to change the topic, inquired about his preferences. Yet, Shiriku, engrossed in choices, couldn't decide. It was then that Fuyumi suggested indulging in the parfaits, the very reason she had chosen this cafe over the others in the mall. Shiriku, nodding in agreement, smiled and thought, "Ahh, it's not like I have the right to order something expensive. I'm already embarrassed that Fuyumi is paying for everything." They placed their order, and the worker informed them it would take 15 minutes.

Seizing the moment, Fuyumi asked Shiriku about the reason behind his financial constraint. Shiriku, meeting her gaze, sighed and confessed, "Well, I figured since Sachi only told me to accompany her to the mall to buy something, it never crossed my mind to ask for more than taxi money from my dad." He smiled while averting his eyes, and Fuyumi responded with understanding.

"Oh, is that so? But, Shiriku, you know when you're going out to the mall with somebody, you should always bring some extra cash. You'll never know when that person might ask you to hang out more and not just help her buy something she needs." Fuyumi spoke proudly, accompanied by a smile. Shiriku couldn't help but laugh a little, thinking, "She's definitely talking about herself right now." He continued to chuckle, attempting to conceal his incredulous look. The exchange added a layer of lightness to the atmosphere, allowing them to enjoy the cafe experience together.

Shiriku responded with a respectful tone, saying, "Yes, understood, Miss Class President." Fuyumi, surprised by the sudden formality, looked at him seriously and asked, "Huh? Why are you suddenly being so formal?" Her expression conveyed a hint of annoyance.

Shiriku, quick to pick up on her mood, chuckled nervously and explained, "Ahahaha, it was just my way of thanking you for your explanation... about me not carrying extra cash, haha." He wore a big, happy smile on his face, attempting to lighten the atmosphere.

Fuyumi, still looking a bit annoyed, eventually relented. "Well, okay... You know you already have the right to call me Fuyumi." She spoke in a serious tone before adding in a lower tone, almost mumbling, "And if you want, you can also add the 'Chan' for Fuyumi - chan."

Shiriku, not catching the mumbled part, asked, "What? Are you saying something?" Fuyumi quickly dismissed it with a laugh and replied, "No, no, haha." The exchange brought a playful dynamic to their conversation, hinting at a growing camaraderie between them.

After 15 minutes had passed, their orders arrived at the table. Shiriku gulped audibly, prompting Fuyumi to note, "I guess he's really hungry, huh?" Shiriku, eager to savor his parfait, was about to dig in when Fuyumi interrupted, asking him to wait. She pulled out her phone and took a picture of their food, capturing Shiriku mid-tasting in the second shot. Fuyumi's inner thought expressed amusement, "Heh, he looks so cute in the midst of tasting the parfait."

Fuyumi then thanked Shiriku and gestured for him to go ahead. As Shiriku tasted the parfait, his expression revealed genuine delight, and Fuyumi couldn't help but think, "Looks like he really likes it. This is a perfect scenario for me to cool off about Sachi swapping with Shiriku without telling me. But now I have to keep this up to make the date longer, memorable, and, for that..." Fuyumi trailed off, her mind working on the plan to extend the enjoyable moment between them.

Fuyumi, with a nervous tone, stammered, "Shi-Shiriku, my parfait is really good too. So here, say ahh." Her inner thoughts revealed her desire to experience the classic romantic gesture of feeding each other, inspired by manga and romance anime.

On the other hand, Shiriku's inner thoughts raced, bewildered by the unexpected situation. "What the hell? Why is this girl trying to spoon-feed me her food when we ordered the same thing? But wait a minute, doesn't this always happen in romance animes? Especially with couples or if that person likes you? Nah... I'm sure she's playing with me. She'll eventually drag that spoon back to her and laugh. I mean, this is Fuyumi we're talking about," Shiriku mused.

However, he noticed Fuyumi's serious look and her face turning slightly red. Perplexed, Shiriku thought, "Wait, is she serious? Won't other people misunderstand this situation as a couple thing? Maybe this is also a friend thing. Right... This might be a friend thing too." Meanwhile, Fuyumi's inner thoughts echoed her frustration, "Umm... Why isn't he opening his mouth? My arms are getting tired, and it's melting too."

As Shiriku contemplated the situation, Fuyumi continued to hold the spoon, her patience wearing thin. Finally, Shiriku, realizing the food was melting, decided to play along and opened his mouth. Fuyumi successfully fed him a spoonful of her parfait, prompting her to inquire, "Is it good?" Shiriku, still a bit confused, simply responded, "Yeah, it's good."

Fuyumi smirked, pleased that Shiriku had played along with her unexpected plan. In her inner thoughts, she celebrated a small victory, thinking, "Hehe, he actually took it. He actually let me feed him. First phase check, now for the second phase."

Fuyumi, adopting a flirty tone, gazed at Shiriku and said, "Shi-Shiriku, now I'd like to try yours too, please." She added a touch of cuteness to her demeanor.

Shiriku, maintaining a serious face but panicking internally, questioned himself, "What the hell? Why is she asking me to do that stuff? It's embarrassing, and besides, our food is literally the same. Is she teasing me or something? Now she wants me to spoon-feed her back too?! But then again, I should just ignore the surroundings. After all, Fuyumi is the one that paid for this, so I'll just play along with her teasing as a sign of repaying the debt. Hehe."