COTE: Horikita Is My Childhood Sweetheart

Chapter 131: Date with Ichinose Honami

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"The dormitory kitchen is so small; it's not easy to cook."

"Yes, the kitchen space in the dormitory is indeed very small. It's difficult to maneuver, and I can't do much," Horikita admitted with a hint of distress and regret.

If the kitchen in the dormitory had been slightly bigger, Horikita wouldn't have felt so constrained when cooking. Even just preparing a few dishes felt like a struggle due to the limited space.

"Breakfast is served. I'll be heading out now."

"Take care~"

"Mm."

Horikita turned and began to walk away, but after taking just a couple of steps, she suddenly stopped, turned back, and looked at Rin, who was about to close the door.

"Matsuoka, have you folded your quilt?"

"I haven't folded it yet. Why bother folding it, anyway?"

Horikita gave Rin a few assessing glances. Seeing that he had no intention of asking her to clean up the room, she turned and walked away.

Rin watched her slender figure disappear down the hall, his mind filled with subtle curiosity. "Why do I feel like she was expecting something just now?"

'Narrator, What do you think Horikita was expecting?'

[The system detected it, but the system won't say anything.]

"…"

Rin couldn't help but sigh. His narration system was truly one of a kind—it either froze up completely or knew the answer but refused to share.

After returning to his dorm room, Rin happily devoured the delicious breakfast Horikita had prepared for him. Once he was done eating, he tidied up the dishes and sat at his desk. Plugging a USB drive into his laptop, he began to focus on his work.

Time flew by, and before long, his phone's alarm began to ring. Rin glanced at the clock—it was already 9:30. He promptly stopped what he was doing, rubbed his slightly sore eyes, and stretched.

"It's 9:30 already. Time to head out for the meeting."

After putting on a refreshing and casual outfit, Rin grabbed his phone and left his dorm room.

As usual, Rin arrived at the meeting spot half an hour early. To his surprise, Ichinose like Sakura were already there, standing near the entrance of the dormitory building.

Ichinose stood gracefully under a parasol, her figure eye-catching as always.

She was wearing a light blue dress with a modest collar that exposed her smooth, fair shoulders. Her ample chest pushed against the fabric of the dress, creating an alluring, seductive curve.

A lace waistband just beneath her bust hugged her slender waist tightly, accentuating her figure beautifully. It was as if she were a delicate branch adorned with lush, ripe fruit.

The hem of the dress stopped midway along her thighs, revealing her long, shapely legs. Those legs, encased in shiny black stockings, added a layer of sophistication and allure.

As is widely known, black stockings are unrivaled when it comes to shaping the perfect legs.

With their subtle sheen, Ichinose's legs appeared even more round, straight, and slender, captivating everyone who passed by the dormitory entrance.

As soon as Ichinose spotted Rin approaching, her pretty face broke into a radiant smile, brighter than the sun itself.

"Matsuoka-san~ Over here, over here!"

Rin quickened his pace and walked over to Ichinose's side.

"Ichinose, you're early. Didn't we agree to meet at ten?"

"Well, that was the plan," Ichinose replied cheerfully. "But I didn't have anything to do in the dorm, so I decided to come early."

Glancing at the street lamp clock nearby, she smiled brightly and added, "It's still not ten yet, Matsuoka-san, but you're early too."

"Of course. I'm a guy. It's only proper for me to arrive early and wait for the girls."

"I don't agree with that. Men and women are equal. There's no rule that boys have to arrive early and wait for girls," Ichinose corrected with a slight pout.

"Yes, yes, you're absolutely right," Rin replied casually. Raising his hand to shield himself from the blazing sunlight, he continued, "The sun's even stronger than yesterday. Let's not stand here—how about we move to the shade under those trees?"

Ichinose, standing gracefully, extended the parasol she was holding toward Rin, shielding him from the sun. She said playfully, "The sun is so bright today. Didn't Matsuoka-san bring an umbrella?"

"I thought about it, but I realized I don't even own a parasol," Rin said, spreading his hands in mock helplessness.

"Then let's buy one later when we go to the mall~" Ichinose suggested cheerfully.

"Sounds good."

With that, Ichinose held the parasol closer to Rin as they walked together toward the shade. Many students near the dormitory entrance couldn't help but notice their closeness, their figures seeming almost inseparable.

Unlike the shy Sakura, Ichinose had a bright and outgoing personality. She didn't mind being seen with Rin, exuding confidence and natural charm. However, despite her boldness, even Ichinose would feel a little flustered if her classmates from Class B caught her walking so intimately with Rin.

Meanwhile, the other students near the dormitory were silently lamenting their misfortune. Heartbreak was written all over their faces.

The pink-haired beauty, known for her stunning looks and captivating figure, already had a boyfriend?!

Their hopes of winning her over had been crushed before they even had a chance to blossom.

"What? You're saying that guy isn't her boyfriend?"

"Impossible! If he weren't her boyfriend, why would she share her parasol with him so naturally?"

Ichinose, on the other hand, was equally surprised by her boldness. Shading Rin under her parasol had been an instinctive gesture—she hadn't even considered whether it was appropriate.

Her heart fluttered as she stole a glance at Rin, her lips curving slightly into a shy smile while her eyes curved like crescents.

'Luckily, Matsuoka-san didn't seem to mind. It would've been awkward if my actions had made him uncomfortable,' she thought to herself, feeling both relieved and a little embarrassed.

"Ichinose, where should we sit now?" Rin's voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

Startled, Ichinose quickly replied, "Anywhere is fine! It'd be great if there's air conditioning, though. Or maybe we could just go to Keyaki Shopping Center?"

The shopping center, known for its central air conditioning, was a perfect escape from the scorching summer heat.

Rin, however, licked his lips thoughtfully. After spending two and a half hours working at his laptop earlier, he was craving a sweet, refreshing drink. But the Keyaki Shopping Center was more than twenty minutes away, and he didn't feel like waiting that long.

"Let's skip the mall for now. How about we find a drink shop nearby to sit and relax?" Rin suggested.

"Okay, I'll follow your lead," Ichinose agreed with a sweet smile. Her tone and demeanor exuded a sense of harmony, almost like a wife obediently listening to her husband.

Rin decided to take her to Mirai's drink shop, a place he frequented and enjoyed. The shop wasn't far, and the drinks were always satisfying.

As they entered the shop, the doorbell chimed softly, and a wave of cool, refreshing air greeted them. Both Rin and Ichinose instinctively paused, their faces lighting up with expressions of pure relief and enjoyment.

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