Why does a rose have thorns?

Yuu wasn't sure how often she saw him in her dream after that kiss, but after that kiss, he hardly came to visit her, so when he suddenly appeared before her, the impact that he brought was so much that she couldn't say anything for a while and just stayed in a daze, staring at him. 

"What's wrong? Did you miss me?" 

Watching his cheeky smile, Yuu snorted and looked away as if she didn't want him to see something from her expression. She didn't really understand the reason, but at the same time, she also couldn't utter a word as she realized that she might have missed him. 

They were in the same school, but even so, it wasn't like they had many chances to talk, especially when they were in different classes. Still, if they wish to, they should be able to talk or stay with each other more as he was in the 1-1 Class and she was in the 1-3 Class. Moreover, their home was relatively close to each other, so instead of meeting him only once a week, they should be able to meet more often. 

Yet, with Yuu's passive and indecisive nature, it was hard for her to take the initiative. 

Meanwhile, Mizuto was surrounded by many girls, and when he had time for himself, he used it so well that he would just ignore everything else around him. 

Still, as she was in the middle of thought, Mizuto had already sat on her side. 

"What's wrong?" 

His voice was gentle, like before, staring at her so close, which reminded her of when they kissed each other. 

"Pervert." 

"Why?!" 

Still, due to their usual exchange, Yuu somehow felt calm and then let out a long sigh. "I got the "Little Prince" in the French version." 

"Thanks Yuu. I love you!" 

Yuu only rolled her eyes, but she wasn't sure why her chest felt so stuffy when he said those words. Even though she knew there wasn't much meaning behind his words. "Here is the book." She took out his book from under the table as she had been waiting for him. 

"Thanks." Mizuto took out some money, paid it, and then asked, "Can I read it here?" 

"Did you ever remember to ask permission to read the books in our bookstore for free before?" 

Hearing her tease, Mizuto rolled his eyes and started to read his new book. 

Watching him, who had started to read without care, Yuu asked curiously, "Can you learn the French language already?" 

"C'est facile." 

"...what?" 

"It means it's easy." 

"...." Yuu stared at Mizuto speechlessly since she didn't expect that he would learn the French language so fast. "...you are really a genius." 

"Right?" 

Yuu rolled her eyes and thought that she shouldn't praise him, but then, she asked, "By the way, you should have read the Little Prince, right? Do you want to read it again in the French language?" 

The "Little Prince" was a popular book even in Japan as it even had its own theme park. 

"I do." Mizuto nodded. "It's the most popular French novel in the world, and I might be able to learn something different when I read it again." 

After all, one's understanding when one is young and when one is an adult is different. When you read something when you have experienced many things, your understanding of the same book would be different when you read it for the first time when you didn't know anything. 

Moreover, the book was quite thin, so Mizuto thought that he could finish it soon. 

"You are right." Yuu nodded, and to be honest, when Mizuto asked her to search for the "Little Prince," she also started to read this novel again, and she had to say, it hit her differently. 

The story of the "Little Prince" was quite simple, and it was about the story of a stranded pilot who fell into the desert and then met a little prince. As they longed for companions, considering they were in the desert, they started to bond, especially when a little prince began his story. 

The journey of the little prince from his planet then dies for his beloved rose. 

It was such a moving story that Yuu kept reading it, trying to understand the emotions of little princes who fall for the rose. 

Yes, the love story in the novel had always been great, she thought. 

Yet, in reality?

Yuu couldn't understand it, and she thought that she was incapable of understanding it, yet sometimes, she wished to meet her own rose, the beautiful flower with thorns on its stem. 

"By the way, how is "Le Diable au corps"?" 

"....." 

Mizuto stopped reading and then looked at Yuu in surprise. "Did you learn French?" 

"I only try to read the title of that raunchy novel, though." 

Yuu tried to pronounce the "Le Diable au corps" all the time after that day, especially when she had nothing to do. Still, as expected, her tongue couldn't move as smoothly as his, especially when there was no "L" letter in Japanese.

Mizuto closed the novel since he thought that he could read it later. It was rare to meet Yuu, so he might as well talk with her, especially when he had promised to tell her the story of the "Le Diable au corps." 

"It's great." 

Yuu blushed and felt a bit shy at his praise. "I still can't say the "L" part that smooth, though." 

"Try to say "L" in front of me?" 

"Eru..." 

The word "L" was like "R" in Yuu's mouth. 

"Open your mouth for a bit to let me see when you say "L" letter." 

"...." 

While his instructions were a bit weird and quite lewd, Yuu followed him obediently. "Eru..." 

Mizuto stared at her pink tongue that moved awkwardly from her parted, thin lips. Looking at the scene in front of him somehow evoked his memory of when they kissed each other. Frankly, he didn't think too much at then as a kiss was nothing for him.

If he wished to, he could kiss anyone as long as they were beautiful women and healthy. 

Yet, it might be different for Yuu. 

He still recalled how her expression was so womanly, blushing, shy, yet eager for the pleasure of the kiss they exchanged. 

*Gulp!*

"...pervert." 

"Ah, can you tell?" 

Watching his awkward expression, Yuu let out a helpless sigh. She thought that he was trying to teach her, yet somehow, when she started to talk, his expression became like that of an animal. While she was helpless, strangely enough, her body also became hotter, and she also didn't hate that exchange. 

Even worse, she wished him to kiss her like that again. 

Yet, it was definitely impossible for her to say that. 

Still, she had to say that he was so handsome that it made her feel a bit scared as she thought that she might not reject him if he tried to do something between a couple in the shoujo manga. 

'No, if it's him...' 

If it was him, what she might encounter wasn't that sweet and fluffy love that the handsome guy in the shoujo manga showed. Instead, he might become a beast that would eat her whole, like in the smutty manga or novel. 

Her eyes couldn't look away from him. It was as if she was drawn into his and unable to escape. At the same time, she thought about the question of the Little Prince toward Pilot from the novel "Little Prince."

"Why does a rose have thorns?" 

Was it because it wanted to protect itself from the animal?

Or was it wanted to trick and hurt those who were attracted to its beauty?

Yuu didn't know, and Mizuto wasn't a rose, but when she thought he would do something. 

"But I won't do anything." 

"....." Yuu. 

While she was confused, she saw his finger pointed somewhere, so as she followed, she saw him pointing at a security camera inside her bookstore. 

"..." 

Taking a deep breath, strangely enough, Yuu felt a bit disappointed. 

---

I have to say writing action and fight novels is easier than a slice-of-life novel.