Honmei-choco / Giri-choco (part 3)

“I want to try out some new clothes, and there’s this cute cafe there that I think you’ll like.”

“Cute cafe?”

“Yeah. I think you’ll enjoy it.”

She grabbed his hand, leading him into the mall.

“I’ll show it to you.”

****

Ryota and Mai walked through the mall. There were a bunch of people there, but they didn’t care.

"Look." She pointed at a clothes store. “Isn’t it cute?”

Ryota nodded, trying to look interested.

“Come on,” she said. “Let’s try on some new clothes.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

She grinned at him, pulling him into the store. A sales clerk looked at them with a smile, greeting them as they walked in.

“Welcome to our store. What are you looking for today?” she asked, approaching them.

“Uh... clothes?” Mai replied.

“Obviously! Just kidding.” The clerk laughed. “If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Thank you,” Mai said, nodding.

“Is this your first time here?”

“Yup.”

“It’s always nice to have new customers. I’m sure you’ll enjoy yourself.”

Mai glanced at Ryota. He was staring at the shop’s displays with a curious look. She smiled and walked over to him, grabbing his hand.

“Come on, Ryota-kun,” she said.

He looked down at her and smiled.

“So... um... what should I wear?” she asked.

He glanced around the store. A variety of clothes filled the shelves: dresses, T-shirts, skirts... There were even some cosplay outfits. He couldn’t help but be intrigued by them.

“I... don’t know,” he said, looking back at Mai. “What do you think?”

“Hmm... I like the idea of a cute outfit.”

She looked at the store’s displays. Her eyes stopped on a short skirt, and she grabbed it.

“Oh, I think this will look great on you. Try it on,” Ryota said.

“Really? I mean... yeah, sure.”

She smiled, taking the skirt and heading toward the dressing room. Ryota watched her walk away, then sighed and looked around the store. He didn’t want to admit it, but he had no clue what she should wear. He wished she would know what to do.

“Okay, how does it look?”

He looked toward the dressing room to see her emerge from it. She wore a bright red skirt with a white T-shirt she picked from one shelf. He stared at her in amazement, and she smiled.

“So... um...” He struggled to find the words. “You look...”

He wanted to tell her she looked cute, but he didn’t know what to say. Instead, he blushed.

“I think the skirt looks nice on you.”

She giggled, looking at herself in the mirror.

“Yeah, I think so too.”

Ryota nodded, his cheeks reddening.

Walking into the dressing room, she said, “Let’s try something else.”

He waited outside, glancing at the displays and trying to come up with ideas for her next outfit. A few minutes later, she returned with another outfit. This time, she was wearing a green dress and a white hat. She looked adorable in it.

“How is it?” she asked.

Ryota didn’t answer. He couldn’t help but stare at her with a blank expression.

“Um... I’m sorry. Did I do something wrong?”

“Oh... no. I...” He chuckled. “I just didn’t expect you to look this good.”

“You really think so?” She smiled. “Okay, let’s try one more.”

She returned to the dressing room and came out a few minutes later in a black coat and brown skirt. She stood in front of Ryota and gave him a twirl. He stared at her, trying to process what he saw.

“What do you think?”

“Uh... um... I like it.”

He had to admit; she looked stunning in that outfit. But it was also too much for him to handle. His heart was beating so loudly that he feared it would escape his chest. Drums were beating inside his head, and he could hear the blood rushing through his ears.

“This is the best one,” she said, grinning at him.

He glanced away, struggling to control his feelings.

“Yeah,” he replied.

“Okay, let’s pay for them and go outside. You don’t want to be in here too long, right?”

“What?”

“You’ve been sweating a lot, and I’ve been feeling a little warm. Let’s get some air.”

“Oh... that... is... uh...”

She giggled, grabbing his hand.

“Come on, let’s go.”

He followed her outside, where they went to the cafe she mentioned. The place was called “Purrfect Brew Café” with cute cat decorations everywhere. Ryota didn’t mind the place; he was surprised they had a coffee shop like this in this city.

The major attraction of the café is its resident cats, which are allowed inside. The café had scattered comfortable seats designed to resemble giant cat beds or nests. Cat trees and climbing posts are placed strategically throughout the space, allowing the resident cats to play.

It was the perfect place for them to relax, away from the crowds and the hustle and bustle.

Mai was enjoying her coffee, her “Meowchai Latte” as they called it.

Ryota sipped his coffee, a “Feline Frappé” and a muffin. He watched the cats as he ate his muffin, admiring their cute faces.

“Do you want to go say hi?” Mai asked, looking at him.

“No... it’s fine.”

He felt embarrassed by the thought of petting one. But then he noticed her face and how excited Mai was.

“I know you like cats,” she said. “So I think you should go pet one. That’s what people come here to do.”

“I know that, but...”

He sighed, glancing at the cats. They were all sitting in different spots, enjoying their break. They were cute, but it still felt weird to approach one of them and start petting it.

“Do you need a push, Ry-o-ta-kun?” she asked with a smile.

“No.”

Ryota stood up, walking toward one cat that was lying in the corner. He kneeled down next to it, giving it a gentle pat on the head. The cat purred and rubbed against his hand while he continued to pet it, making him chuckle.

“See? That wasn’t so bad,” Mai said.

“It’s kind of fun,” he replied.

He turned back to Mai, who was watching him. She smiled, and he could tell that she was happy.

“You know, the café doubles as a cat adoption center.”

“Is that so?”

He inspected the cats, realizing that some among them had the words “available for adoption” on their collars. He thought about adopting one, but decided he was too busy to take care of it.

“I can’t adopt one. I don’t think I’d be able to look after it.”

“I want to adopt one,” Mai replied. “You can visit me and play with him whenever you want.”

“Really?”

“It’s for my sake, though,” she said. “Not yours.”