Strawberry Milkshake

Ken, Will, Briar, and Rebecca separate from the others after school to work on the project.

"Let's go to McDonald's." Briar marches as the group leader, with the other three right behind them.

It takes them about ten minutes to reach the nearest McDonald's.

"Huh, it's pretty crowded." Briar comments.

"It's still lunchtime, and most of the students come here to eat." Will says.

"Are you getting the usual?" Ken asks them.

"Yes!" Briar says.

"For me, add some spicy chicken wings." Will tells him.

"What? Missing Nora already?" Ken grins at him, and Will chuckles ironically.

"What will you have?" Ken then turns to Rebecca.

"Uh... it's my first time here... I don't know..."

"Ah, come with me." He leads her to a sign with the menu. "Personally, I recommend one of these." He points to a couple of sandwiches on the menu. "They're my favorites. You can also have fries if you order a meal, and there are other tasty options like chicken wings..."

"I think I'll have a meal then, with this sandwich." She points to one of the two sandwiches he recommended.

"Great choice."

Meanwhile, Briar pulls Will aside.

"You know what I'm thinking...?" They grin, looking at Ken and Rebecca.

"I'm not sure if it's a good idea. They're already stumbling over themselves."

"But can't you see how they flirt with each other?!"

"That's not flirting, I know Ken like the back of my hand. He's too dumb when it comes to love."

"Mhh..." They grin smugly. "Well, if we can't throw a wrench in their plans, we have to do the exact opposite..."

"You don't mean..."

"We have to act like cupids~"

"Nah, I'm out."

"Why?! It's a good plan!"

"If things go out of control, Ken will get mad at me, and it can be quite scary to see him angry."

"For real?"

"For real."

"Wow. But that won't stop me."

"Okay, guys, let's go sit down." Ken and Rebecca join them again after ordering at the counter.

They find a seat almost immediately, despite the place being filled with other high schoolers. Ken sits across from Rebecca, and Will and Briar sit facing each other. The food arrives promptly.

"Am I wrong, or are they more efficient than usual today?" Will reflects after the waiters bring trays with fast food.

"Thanks to the presence of my important self." Briar jokes, munching on a fry.

The others start eating as well.

"How's the sandwich?" Ken waits for Rebecca to take a bite before asking. She takes her time savoring it, chewing slowly.

"It's good."

"I'm glad."

"Is it your first time trying this sandwich?" Briar asks her.

"It's my first time at this place..." She says, embarrassed.

"Then try this sauce, it's fantastic!" Briar takes a fry and dips it into the sauce, bringing it close to their mouth. Rebecca opens her mouth, but Briar accidentally smears sauce on the side of her mouth.

"Oh! Sorry, I didn't mean to." They cover their mouth with their hand, feigning remorse.

"How clumsy of me... oh, I don't have a tissue to clean you up..." They wink at Will, who sighs and remains true to his earlier words, not doing or saying anything to help them. Briar mimics a "tsk."

"It's just sauce, it's okay..." Rebecca tries to wipe it with a tissue but fails.

"Wait, I'll do it." Ken takes one of his own tissues, leaning closer to her and holding her face by the jaw as he cleans her up, avoiding her eyes, blushing slightly.

"There you go."

"Thank you..."

Briar grins at Will, who is meanwhile eating and enjoying the spectacle. The others quickly return to their meals.

* * *

As soon as they leave, Briar pulls Will aside again.

"Did you see that blush?! No way he isn't crushing right now." Will rolls his eyes.

"You can't tell for sure."

"You're pretending! I know you know what goes through your best friend's mind!"

"Why don't you think about your own love life instead of others'?"

"You know me... I'm a very romantic person, that's why I want their potential to come to light. But despite that, I'm not actively looking for love. It has to come to me~!" They say in a flirty tone.

"You should apply that reasoning to others too..."

"No way. It wouldn't be funny then."

After that statement, they quickly arrive at the café, leaving Will confused and speechless. They sit at the first available table.

"Will, shall we share a dessert~?"

"Nah, I'm not hungry."

"Aww! I thought you were a gentleman, but I was wrong!"

"I am, just not for you." Ken lets out an "oooh," and Rebecca covers her mouth to stifle a laugh.

"Do you want to share a dessert, then?" Ken then asks Rebecca.

"Sure. Did you have anything in mind?" She looks at the menu.

"No, you can choose." Ken drops his menu on the table, leaning back in his chair.

"How about a strawberry milkshake?"

"You really like it, huh?"

"I recently discovered that strawberries are really good..." She plays with her thumbs.

"'Recently'? You've never eaten strawberries before?" Briar asks.

"N-no... it's just that I never felt the need to... I had them when I was little..."

"What do you usually eat?" Ken seizes the opportunity to ask her.

"M-my parents don't spend much time at home due to work, so they give me free rein on groceries and what I cook for myself... um... I usually eat things like pasta, rice, and vegetables..."

"It can't be easy." Will thinks aloud, and Briar kicks him just below the knee. He instinctively grabs it, his face showing pain.

"If you want, you can come eat at my place!... No, I'll come to eat at your place!" Briar suggests.

"I-I could never take advantage of your hospitality like that! And Ken and his mom already go out of their way to cook for me occasionally... I'm fine, really." She gives a small smile. Ken and Briar look at her, smiling, while Will maintains a poker face.

"Let's order now!" Rebecca says, raising her arm to get the attention of a waiter.

Rebecca and Will take out their laptops.

"I'll take care of the presentation." Rebecca says.

"Then I'll do the research." Will replies.

"Leave something for us too! Will, give me your laptop~!" Briar reaches for it, but Will pulls it towards himself.

"You should have brought your own."

"You know I only have a desktop computer, and we have to share it in the family!" They pout.

"Too bad."

"K-Ken, do you want to use my laptop?" Rebecca asks.

"Don't worry, I'll help Will with the research. I brought the textbooks that might be most useful."

Again, their orders arrive promptly. A strawberry milkshake for Ken and Rebecca, and a couple of cupcakes for Briar.

"Then, I'll take care of the aesthetic with Rebecca." Briar leans in closer to Rebecca to get a good view of her laptop.

Some time later, Rebecca is entering the information gathered from Ken and Will online. They've made good progress. She continues typing, and Ken reads while they both sip from the straws of the milkshake they decided to share, locking eyes for a moment and quickly pulling back, surprised.

"S-sorry!" She apologizes.

"N-no, it was my fault..."

They smile at each other, while Briar and Will discuss something.

They finish working on the project as it's already dark outside and agree to meet another day at the same place to assign and rehearse their parts.