Sweeter Than Sweet Pt. 3

We drifted along with the crowd, stopping at nearly every stall as Chloe meticulously examined each one like she was on a sacred quest. I, on the other hand, was ready to buy the first thing that looked remotely appetizing and call it a day. But no—Chloe insisted we see everything before making a decision.

From sweet mochi to sizzling bowls of ramen, the variety was endless. My patience, however, was not. I had already downed two bottles of water just from how long this was taking.

She really is a relentless foodie. How does she have this much energy?

"Can you just pick something already?" I groaned for what had to be the fifth time.

"Impatient, impatient," Chloe sang, wagging a finger at me. "That's the problem with you humans. Always in a rush. Then again, with only a hundred years to live, I guess I can understand the need to maximize every second."

"Uh-huh. So what I'm hearing is... we're still deciding?"

"Fine, fine. We'll settle for whatever you pick," she said, pausing before adding, "but you're paying."

I squinted at her. "You never even had money, did you?"

"W-well, I didn't expect the teleportation to mess up, so can you really blame me?!"

"You don't carry your wallet wherever you go? Tsk, tsk. For a goddess, you sure are irresponsible."

"Can you stop making fun of me?!" she huffed, crossing her arms in a pout.

I couldn't help but laugh at her reaction. Goddess or not, she acts just like a normal person—whiny, indecisive, and all too easy to mess with. In a way, it made this whole bizarre situation feel a little less surreal.

"Alright, let's go," I scoffed.

"Ah! So you're paying, right?" she perked up immediately.

"Yeah, yeah."

Not even two minutes later, I stopped at a stall selling boxes of bite-sized fried chicken. Two minutes. Compared to the forty we spent just wandering, that was practically record-breaking.

"Whoa, this looks amazing!" Chloe exclaimed.

"We walked past this stall four times," I reminded her flatly. "And every single time, you said we had to keep looking."

"You have to assess everything before making a decision. Athena told me that."

"Uh-huh. And something tells me you don't actually follow that advice."

"Hey!"

Before I could react, she slapped my arm—not playfully, but with enough force to make me flinch and yelp. It wasn't Lana-level pain, but it still stung. Hard.

"Haha! You two remind me of my youth," a booming voice chuckled. A burly man emerged from behind the counter, grinning as he wiped his hands on his apron. "What'll it be today?"

"Two orders of fried chicken, please," I answered, still rubbing my arm.

"Gotcha! One moment."

He disappeared into the back, where the sound of sizzling oil filled the air. The rich, mouthwatering aroma of freshly fried chicken wafted around us, making my stomach rumble in anticipation. If nothing else, at least all that waiting was about to pay off.

"Um, excuse me," a voice called out from behind us.

Chloe and I turned around to find a well-dressed man standing there, looking just a little older than me. Well, older than me for sure. As for Chloe… well, this guy could be a hundred thousand years younger than her and still be none the wiser.

He towered over me by several inches, exuding a gentlemanly air as he adjusted the cuff of his sleeve. Then, with a practiced voice, he spoke.

"I couldn't help but notice your otherworldly beauty," he said, carefully enunciating each word like he was reciting poetry. "If it is not too much trouble, may I have your Line ID?"

Chloe blinked, silently and emotionlessly.

The poor guy held out his phone, waiting for a response that clearly wasn't coming. Not that I could blame him for trying. Even at school, the most popular guys hadn't managed to get her contact info, and some of them were way better candidates than me.

While waiting for our order, I unscrewed my water bottle and took a sip.

"Sorry, I'm taken," Chloe suddenly declared—and before I could even register what was happening, she latched onto my arm.

I nearly spit out the entire mouthful of water. Instead, I choked, forcing it down my throat in a violent gulp that sent me into a fit of coughing.

"O-oh, I see…" the man muttered, clearly deflated. "I'll leave you be, then."

As soon as he was out of sight, I turned to Chloe, still wheezing. She, on the other hand, looked very pleased with herself.

"What… was that?" I asked.

"A-ah! Sorry!" she yelped, instantly letting go of my arm. "I just… needed a scapegoat to get out of that situation."

"A heads-up would've been nice."

"It's not like I had time to whisper the plan to you! He was looking right at me! If I pulled you down and started strategizing, that would've been suspicious."

"Fair point, I guess…" I sighed, finally regaining my composure. "I take it this happens a lot?"

She shrugged without meaning to. "Too many times to count. But I'm on the lower end compared to my sisters. They... get approached way more often than I do."

Something about the way she said that made me pause.

For just a fraction of a second, I swore I saw something flicker across her expression—something I'd never seen before. A subtle dip in her tone, a momentary shadow in her eyes. But just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone, replaced by her usual carefree self.

Before I could dwell on it, she tilted her head at me. "What about you, Aikami? Do you ever get approached?"

I scoffed. "Me? A fateless?"

The realization hit her like a brick to the face. Her eyes widened before drooping ever so slightly, a hint of guilt creeping in.

"Ah… I'm sorry, Aikami… I didn't mean it like that."

"N-no! Don't apologize!" I quickly reassured her. "I know you didn't mean it that way."

"Are you sure…?"

"Positive. So quit sulking. It makes me feel like I'm the one who did something wrong."

"Eh? But you didn't do anything wrong!"

"Exactly. And neither did you. Just keep being the way you usually are. I'm not the type to get offended by words, so relax a little, alright?"

Chloe fidgeted with her fingers, staring at the ground as if deep in thought. Then, after a small breath, she lifted her gaze with a smile—one that was different from her usual ones.

It wasn't just cheerful. It was grateful. Warm.

"Thank you, Aikami. I'll keep that in mind."

For a second, I forgot how words worked.

Normally, I just chalk it up as cute whenever she does something adorable. It's just the way she is, and I'm sure anyone could see it.

But right now… the way she was looking at me… All that was going through my mind was how cute she was.

That's not weird, right? Totally normal reaction… right?

"Alrighty!" the cook announced, setting down two small boxes of fresh, golden-fried chicken. "That'll be seven hundred yen."

I handed him the exact amount and picked up the boxes, passing one to Chloe, who accepted it with a gleeful sparkle in her eyes.

As we turned to leave, the cook suddenly called out, "You lovebirds enjoy!" his words chased by a deep, rumbling laugh.

I nearly choked again. Is this really what it looks like?

My gaze flickered toward Chloe. She was mid-bite, her chewing slowing as an awkward smile crept onto her face.

"Lovebirds... huh?" she mumbled under her breath.

"D-don't listen to guys like him," I said, clearing my throat. "They'll say that to any two people who look even remotely like they're on a date."

"A date… Heh. Is that what this looks like to you?"

I paused, tilting my head over to her.

She was holding the box of fried chicken just high enough to hide her lips, but her eyes peeked over the edge, slightly squinted—her cheeks dusted with the faintest hint of red.

"Uh... I..."

Before I could even attempt a response, she suddenly giggled.

"Hehe~! I'm kidding, Aikami," she laughed, her voice light and carefree. "Come on! This fried chicken isn't gonna last forever. We need to figure out what to eat next!"

With that, she darted forward, leaving me standing there, momentarily dazed. But just as I was about to catch up, she turned back around—her expression bright, her smile so effortlessly breathtaking that it almost knocked the air out of me.

"Hurry up!" she called out.

At last, I shook off my stupor and strode forward with a sigh. "Hah… Now you care about hurrying up."

"Hey."

"I'm joking, I'm joking."