Chapter 23: Just You and Me ( 23 )
They arrived at the cinema building and parked in the underground lot. After stepping out, Haruki closed the passenger door and walked around to meet Kyouko.
As they started walking side by side, Kyouko gently wrapped her hand around Haruki's arm.
Haruki blinked in surprise at first but relaxed when he saw how excited she looked—her eyes bright with a childlike spark, despite the crowd.
"Wow, Haruki... there are a lot of people here today," Kyouko said softly.
"Yeah," Haruki nodded, glancing around.
Then he noticed it—Kyouko's steps slowed a little, her grip on his arm tightening. She looked around uneasily.
"You okay?" he asked, tilting his head slightly toward her.
"Hmm? Ah, it's just... I feel a little awkward with this many people around," she admitted, keeping her voice low.
Without thinking much, Kyouko shifted her arm and gently wrapped it around Haruki's waist.
Haruki was caught off guard for a moment but then smiled, draping his arm over her shoulders and pulling her a little closer as they walked. He felt her body relax slightly beside him.
"There," he said quietly. "Better?"