Summer Ice Blues
From BugBug magazine, April 2012
TL: Mezase, Yuritopia
It’s not like we had a countdown, but we both opened the lids to our ice cream at the same time.
Even though September’s started, the heat’s still coming. Today’s a scorching 30 degrees out, too. ‘Cause of that, we figured it’d be nice to have some ice cream, so I’m snacking on some with Aki after lunch. So, well, I’ve gotta thank this heat a bit, at least.
We bought our ice cream at the school store nearby. Aki went with maple vanilla. Apparently, it’s got some espresso-somethin’ kinda ice cream mixed in, making a maple leaf pattern in the cup. But, espresso? I figure they could just use chocolate if they need somethin’ brown, but dunno, maybe there’s somethin’ special about it?
I bought the roasted soybean powder ice cream. To be real, I went with it as a joke. Dropping 130 yen on a gag to make Aki laugh was a bit pricey, tho’...... but, no, it’s not! Aki’s smile is priceless! Well, I thought she’d laugh, but...
“For that one, it’s good if you mix it together with the kuromitsu syrup in the middle.”
“Wait, wha-...?”
“And then, at the end, you’ll want to scoop up some of the syrup and drizzle it over.”
...that’s what happened instead.
I only learned about it after we became friends, but Aki’s passion for ice cream seems to go pretty deep. When I learned that she goes around and visits a buncha different ice cream stores on her days off, I was totally shocked ‘cause I wasn’t expecting that at all. ‘S like, I wasn’t thinking she’d be into sweet stuff, y’know? She seems more like the type that’d be into matcha and traditional Japanese sweets and all that. But well, ‘course, an ice cream-loving Aki’s nice too, yeah?
Anyways, my point was that Aki had already fully explored the store’s whole freezer section. My gag was doomed from the start. Aki’s a hard one to outplay, ain’t she?
“Ice cream ends up melting if you don’t eat it quickly, right?”
“Mhm.”
Like the time when I asked her why she liked ice cream so much.
“That’s why I like it. You only have a fixed amount of time to enjoy it. If you waste time, it’ll melt, and you won’t be able to enjoy it anymore.”
“Wait, seriously?! That’s why?!”
“Well, that was just a joke.”
Yeah, sorry, but I really couldn’t tell that you were joking there.
Turns out, Aki’s into ice cream just because she is. Just ‘cause she thinks it’s tasty. A nice ‘n simple reason, yeah? My feelings towards rock are the same way. I don’t have a reason for liking it! Good things are just good! When you’re into somethin’, you don’t think about why you like it, you just feel it with your soul!
“Mm, this kuromitsu goes along pretty good with the soybean powder.”
“Right?”
“How about yours, Aki? How’s it taste?”
“It’s good. I can taste the espresso’s flavor coming through properly.”
“Espresso’s coffee, right?”
“Yeah. It’s common to see gelato flavors that use espresso, too.”
“Mmm, I haven’t had it before, so I dunno anything about it. The bubbly foamy bit kinda puts me off, so...”
“Pfff...”
As Aki laughed, her hand wavered a bit, making her spoon graze against her cheek.
“Hey, Aki, you’ve got some ice cream on your face.”
“Hm? Ah... Where is it?”
“R-right there.”
Aki wiped the ice cream off her cheek with her thumb. Whoa, the way she did that was kinda hot. It made my heart skip a beat. Made me look away in embarrassment, too.
“Yeah, you got it off.”
“Youka.”
“Hm?”
Aki called my name, so I raised my head... only to find that very same thumb... in front of my face.
“!?”
Her thumb was right by my lips, so I just, reflexively opened my mouth a bit. Then, she put her finger in... and then, out of reflex, with my tongue, I...
Ah, it’s sweet..... And a little bit bitter.....
“How was it? It’s good, right?”
“Y-yeah...”
I stared at Aki’s face—my eyes as wide as saucers—as she cracked a smile. Man, Aki really pulled off some crazy stuff right there.
“I-it’s amazin’.”
Pulling off somethin’ like that while still keeping that stuffy disciplinary committee member act up... it totally got me by surprise. Damn, you’re rock as hell, Aki!
The school festival’s almost here. Wait for me, Aki! I’ll give you a rock as hell performance, too!