Akira knelt on one knee, one hand gripping the heel, trying his best to avoid touching the sole of the shoe.
His other hand held Sajuna's ankle, gently feeling the texture of her long socks.
"Aki-Kun."
Sajuna repeated Akira's name, feeling a little less shy in her heart.
"Mm."
Akira responded, his hand gently applying pressure, easily slipping off Sajuna's leather shoe.
"My feet don't have any other smell, do they?"
Sajuna's cheeks flushed.
Akira was silent for a moment; it would have been fine if Sajuna hadn't mentioned it, but after she did, he felt his perverted thoughts starting to surface.
He shook his head and, using the same trick, took off the other shoe.
The black long socks concealed Sajuna's alluring arch, yet added a touch of mysterious charm.
Above the long socks, her milky-white skin glowed with a faint pink, as if this pink extended from within the socks.
Akira couldn't resist again and gently gripped Sajuna's entire foot.
His large hand, with fingers pressed together, completely enveloped Sajuna's instep, arch, and toes.
The remaining part of her ankle was held in his other hand.
Unlike before, Sajuna's soft skin had a faint warmth; a soft touch and gentle warmth were transmitted through his fingertips, faintly carrying a scent of a bath.
He just didn't know where it came from.
As Akira held Sajuna, her entire body tensed up. She called out Akira's name.
"Aki-Kun."
"Mm, I'm here."
"I, I'm a little shy."
Sajuna pleaded, despite being in the store.
But when Sajuna turned her head, the store clerk had disappeared at some point.
"Can we continue this when we get back?"
Sajuna tried to negotiate with Akira, even though she had already planned to reward Aki-Kun tonight when they got back.
Why was Aki-Kun making his move now?
"I can't resist."
Akira exhaled.
Time spent with a girl was always a test of a boy's self-control.
Akira felt he would definitely fail.
Sajuna saw that Akira hadn't agreed and tried to gently pull her calf away, but Akira's hand held her leg firmly in place.
Akira paused for a moment, then let out a heavy sigh.
He really was being presumptuous.
He reflected on his actions.
"Thank you for your tolerance, Sajuna."
Akira said.
Then he picked up the white sneakers on the floor and helped Sajuna put them on.
"How do they feel?"
Akira looked up and asked, noticing Sajuna's ankle twisting a few times in her new shoes.
"Are the new shoes too tight?"
"No, no."
Sajuna replied, a satisfied smile suddenly appearing on her face.
"It just feels so fulfilling to see Aki-Kun like this."
"It feels like a devoted couple."
"We still have a long time ahead of us, Sajuna."
Akira's gaze met Sajuna's in a straight line.
"It's still too early to say we're too happy."
The smile on Sajuna's cheeks grew even wider than before.
"Aki-Kun is so good."
....
"The total is 30,000 yen. Thank you for your patronage."
Sajuna took out banknotes from her wallet and paid for the clothes she had bought.
Akira felt it was a bit expensive for Sajuna.
After all, he was the one who suggested buying the clothes.
Akira felt a little regretful, but then he thought that the two of them didn't need to be so clear-cut.
After all, all his future money would be Sajuna's.
The two of them walked out of the women's clothing store, carrying two paper bags filled with clothes.
"Aki-Kun seems to really like buying clothes for me."
Sajuna mused.
"Because it always feels like playing a dress-up game."
Akira mused, "After all, Sajuna feels as adorably unreal as a female character in a game."
"Really?"
Sajuna unexpectedly didn't shyly lower her head; instead, she honestly looked up into Akira's eyes.
Akira nodded.
"I'm certain."
"Then, Aki-Kun, will you kiss me?"
Sajuna said firmly, her eyes wide open.
If she could feel it this time, then they could safely kiss anytime in the future, right?
Sajuna thought to herself.
"Now?"
Akira looked around the street; although there weren't many pedestrians, some were still passing by.
Previously, they had only been intimate when they were alone together; this was his first time being asked for a kiss by Sajuna in such a situation.
He felt that if he asked for it, it would seem impolite and disrespectful to Sajuna.
Sajuna didn't speak, but her eyes conveyed her affection.
Akira wanted to just kiss Sajuna's lips and see her acceptance level in public.
But as their faces drew closer, he suddenly changed his mind.
Akira slowly lowered the paper bags containing the clothes; the bags made a scraping sound on the ground.
However, Sajuna, with her eyes closed, wasn't paying attention to that; she only felt the warmth of Aki-Kun's breath on her cheek.
A pair of warm hands gently caressed her cheeks, and then she felt a heavy breath pressing close to her, followed by a soft sensation on her lips.
Sajuna felt her head spinning, but her reason was still protesting.
Don't faint, Sajuna!
Aki-Kun's first kiss has already been missed!
With a determined mind, Sajuna used all her strength to open her eyes and saw Akira's face with his eyes closed.
Akira's eyelashes trembled slightly, showing that he wasn't very calm at the moment, and his lips slightly parted and closed, as if something was about to come out.
The boy's intense aura instantly entered Sajuna's heart.
This was Aki-Kun's restrained love for her.
Sajuna's heart beat faster and faster.
The corners of her mouth couldn't help but curve into a smile.
Akira felt the change in Sajuna's lips and, confused, opened his eyes.
He saw Sajuna looking at him with deep affection, a smile involuntarily appearing on his lips, his tongue faintly visible, making one want to explore.
He felt that Sajuna was even more alluring.
What Akira noticed even more was a tear forming in the corner of Sajuna's eye.
Akira slowly leaned his face closer and kissed away that tear.
If a girl's beauty needed tears to adorn it, then it must be that the boy protecting her wasn't doing enough.
Of course, some situations require separate discussion.
Sajuna felt Akira's gentleness even more.
Looking at Akira, tears welled up in her eyes again, and she said,
"I felt it."
"I felt Aki-Kun's second kiss."
"Aki-Kun, I really love you."