Drips of Ice Cream

While Mitsuki stayed behind, I stepped over to the station, where a young man greeted me.

"Hello, sir!" he grinned. "Do you need time to decide?"

"No, I'm ready. Let me get a vanilla cone with chocolate drizzle on the top. And..."

I looked back at Mitsuki. The moment she saw me glancing over, she turned away with her arms crossed.

"Make that two, please," I said.

"You got it!"

He went off to various machines in the back to fixed up two ice cream cones. Thankfully, it didn't take long, as he came running back with two ice cream cones in his hands. I paid with my card and took the cones from him.

"Is the other one for your little sister? Or are you just fat?" she snickered.

"Nope. It's for you. I bought it anyway, so you might as well."

"What? Hah..."

Mitsuki reached for her sunglasses and pulled them off, revealing that familiar annoyed look on her face. But this time, it didn’t seem as harsh as all the other times, and for once, I didn’t feel tense.

"Unlike you, I have an image to keep," she said. "See this face? This is only possible because I control what I eat."

"Uh-huh. Sure, but put your sunglasses back on before someone recognizes you again."

"I can do whatever I want. Handling a bit of fans? That's nothing."

"Even without your bodyguards here?"

"Well, I have you, don't I? You can protect me if it comes to that."

"Wha... Do I look like a bodyguard to you?"

"Nope. Lacking a bit of muscles there."

"And somehow, you've turned this against me. I'm not even surprised.

"Hehe, I'm glad you're getting used to it."

I sat down on a nearby bench and began eating my ice cream while the only one still rested in my other hand, cold but slowly melting.

"So? Do you want it?" I asked.

"Eh?! D-didn't you hear what I had just—"

"Yeah, I did. But, come on. I'd imagine you're only gonna get this chance once. Wouldn't be so bad to relax for one day, would it?"

For a moment, Mitsuki didn't move, her eyes fixed on the ice cream cone in my hand. Then, she looked up at me, and there was something different in her gaze—almost like she was caught off guard. For once, she, the beauty queen who always spoke to me with a hint of contempt, seemed hesitant.

"...Fine," she said as she took the cone. "Look at you, smiling as if it's so~ natural to you now. Gained a bit of bravery, did you?"

"Huh? Was I smiling?"

"And there you ago again, feigning ignorance. Whatever."

Mitsuki sat down next to me, keeping her gaze on the cone as if debating whether or not to eat it.

"If you're not gonna eat it, then give it to me," I scoffed.

"R-relax!" she exclaimed. "Just give a moment to compose myself."

"For what? To eat ice cream? Do you know dumb that sounds?"

"Tch... Easy for you to say."

Finally, she took a small bite from the top where the chocolate drizzle was. Her eyes lit up instantly, like stars flickering to life. She slowly licked the edges of her lips before going back in for another taste.

I watched as she took another bite, then another. With each one, it seemed like she was enjoying it more and more.

In a way, it made me a little sad. Even though it’s something she clearly enjoys, she has to repress it—all because she has to keep herself from gaining weight. All because she’s an idol.

Oh well. Whatever. It was her choice to become an idol, so she must’ve been ready to give it all up. At least today, I’m glad she was able to try something new.

We sat in silence for a bit, until I decided to look back to see her progress.

"Huh...? W-wait, what the—?!" I gasped.

"Hm? What?"

"Your ice cream... Where did it go?"

"I ate it."

"All of it? Already?"

"...What's that supposed to mean?"

"Ah, n-nothing."

She finished that way too fast. I'm surprised she didn't get a brain freeze. As she sat patiently, I finished the rest of mine.

"See? That wasn't so bad," I said.

"Yeah. And then I'm gonna go home and weigh myself to find that I gained a whole ten pounds."

"Oh, come on. One ice cream is not gonna do that to you."

"You would know, huh?"

"...The hell is that supposed to mean?"

Mitsuki let out a faint giggle. She turned to face me, and my entire body froze. There was a smile. Not the fake or taunting one I was so used to, but a genuine smile. It was warm and gentle, one that I hadn't ever seen from her before.

"I'll leave you guessing on that one," she winked as she stood up for a stretch.

"Hah. You're weird for a famous idol."

"Me? Weird? Don't be stupid, Yozora. I'm just being cautious. Even if I don't like it, I have an image to maintain. It's the price of being famous idol."

"Doesn't that get tiring?"

"...Huh?"

I looked up to see her confused expression, which made me confused as well.

"What's with the face? I'm just asking if it ever gets annoying, because I sure as hell would think so. Having to keep a standard regardless of what you wanna do... It sounds like a hassle, and for what? Staying slightly more in shape than yesterday just to keep your fans happy? Like, damn. You know what? I take it back. It's not you who's weird. It's those fanatic maniacs who call themselves fans."

For a while, Mitsuki didn't reply. I tried my best to ignore that fact, but I ended up taking a peek. The moment I saw her face, my heart dropped. It wasn't her usual expression. In fact, there wasn't an expression at all. No smile, no frown, not even a subtle look of anything. Through and through, it was just a blank stare, her gaze fixed on seemingly nothing.

"Mitsuki?" I called out. "Are you... okay?"

"I..." She then quickly turned around and took a deep breath. "I'm fine. Totally fine."

"Did I say something I wasn't supposed to?"

Her head twisted back at me, and as weird as it sounds, I was relieved to see her frowning.

"What? No, that's not it. We told you before, remember? Whatever's on your mind, don't hesitate to tell us."

"Still, there's probably a limit to the things I should say, no?"

"Well, if such a limit really does exist, then it hasn't been set yet. Until then, just keep doing what you do and saying what you say. Got it?"

"...I think so."

Mitsuki suddenly smiled, taking a single, important breath away from me.

"Good," she said.

She sat down next to me again with her legs crossed. However, no words were exchanged for a while. The awkward silence was starting to get me.