The Crowd She Hadn’t Expected

The whispers were no longer discreet.

That illusion shattered when she noticed a girl outside the window, frozen mid-sip, straw hovering uselessly near her lips. Their eyes met for just a second too long. Then came another. And another. Phones started to appear, subtly hidden behind menus and under arms.

Takumi noticed as well. Of course, he did. Yet instead of stiffening, he adjusted with practiced ease. His posture shifted to be a little easier for others to see clearly, while still being as close to Akari as possible. As if this, too, was simply part of his daily routine.

Akari’s chest tightened. Still, she didn’t let her playful smile falter. Not even as she felt the weight of so many eyes sharpening, pinning her in place. She told herself not to look up again. Not to confirm what she already knew. But her gaze betrayed her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of the growing crowd. Some whispered behind their hands, others spoke without even bothering to lower their voices. Amongst all the stares there was curiosity. A glance here. A glare there. Something sharper than simple intrigue.

Disbelief? Judgment? Jealousy? Akari could not quite tell which one unsettled her the most.

Who’s she? Why her? Akari could almost hear the thoughts pressing in around them, heavy yet unspoken.

Takumi leaned closer, his voice lowered just for her. “Are you okay?”

Akari nodded without thinking. “I’m fine.”

It was almost true.

Then the sharp click of a camera snapped through the air.

The first question came as a surprise.

“Takumi! Is this your girlfriend?”

Akari’s breath caught.

Takumi laughed softly, glancing at her instead of the voice. “She’s someone important to me,” he said easily, the words warm, almost affectionate, “But we are on a date, after all.”

Her heart nearly tripped over itself. She knew this was his usual approach. His image. His harmless charm. But that did not make it any easier for her to hear such sweet words she knew were empty.

More people drifted closer, curiosity sharpening into attention. Phones were raised openly now. Camera lenses peeked out near the entrance. The café’s quiet murmur shifted, tightening into a single shared focus.

Another question followed. “How long have you been together?”

Takumi tilted his head, feigning thought. “Long enough to argue about what to order,” he said, smiling at Akari. “She’s very opinionated.”

“I am not,” she said instantaneously, and immediately realized she had stepped right into it. Heat rushed to her face as she forced herself to stay composed, clinging desperately to her role while the surrounding air grew thick with attention.

He grinned. “See?”

Soft laughter rippled through the room. Somehow, her flustered denial had come off as playful rather than panicked. The press seemed to take it as a charming exchange, and Akari felt the weight of their early approval settle on her shoulders.

Just keep the charade going for them, she told herself quietly, Just smile. Don’t react. And definitely don’t overreact.

“She's cute,” someone murmured. Akari pretended not to hear it.

Takumi leaned back in his chair, utterly relaxed, as though this was simply another pleasant moment on their date. “She gets shy,” he added, his tone teasing but gentle, “Please be gentle.”

Her pulse spiked. Please stop helping.

But the questions did not slow. Gentle, polite, but relentless.

“What’s your name?”

“Oh, uh, Akari Ishikawa,” she answered, unsure which direction the question had come from. She turned instinctively, then again, batting her lashes the way she’d been trained to for cameras. She was painfully aware that she probably looked completely airheaded now. But there was no room left to overthink it.

The cameras clicked more frequently now. Not aggressive, but persistent. Questions stacked, like how they met or what she did. And:

“What do you like about her?”

That was the one Akari didn’t want to hear. She wanted the truth so badly it hurt. And yet, she barely listened to his answer. She already knew it didn’t matter. Whatever he said would be just a lie meant to please the masses.

Takumi handled every question with effortless charm, always guiding the conversation back toward her. Deflections disguised as compliments. His gaze lingered on her a moment too long. His hand rested near hers, just close enough to suggest intimacy.

Until it did.

Warmth suddenly wrapped around her fingers. Akari’s eyes widened as she looked down to find Takumi’s hand gently threading through hers.

The camera flashes erupted. Takumi leaned closer, his smile soft and unguarded, the distance between them shrinking just enough to sell the illusion.

Every fiber in Akari’s being wanted to pull away, perhaps even smack him for this. But she couldn’t. Not without shattering the role she was meant to play. Not without risking the consequences she didn’t want to imagine.

So instead, she let her cheeks bloom into a vivid red. She raised her free hand, resting it lightly near her chin and lips as she turned her face away, hiding her expression before anyone could see the truth in her eyes.

“See, I told you she’s really cute and shy, didn’t I?” Takumi said smoothly, playing to the cameras without missing a beat.

Akari’s irritation flared.

A few more shots followed, flashes popping like distant fireworks. Then, at last, Takumi gave her hand a single, gentle squeeze. He leaned closer, lowering his voice so only she could hear. “Sorry about that.”

She shook her head, still refusing to look at him. “It’s fine.”

It wasn’t.