"Sorry to keep you waiting, Hayato-kun."
Yoko Okino hurried over, her face brimming with joy.
She slid into the car, buckled up, and flashed a warm smile at Hayato Masaki. "Want some water, Hayato-kun? I grabbed an orange juice from the vending machine."
"Sure, thanks," Hayato said.
As he took the juice, he noted her appearance.
Yoko's makeup was flawless—her glossy lipstick looked freshly applied, likely touched up minutes ago.
"How'd the shoot go today?" he asked.
"Smoothly. We nailed all the planned scenes, and everyone said I did great," she replied.
"Sounds like you were phenomenal."
"Not that amazing," Yoko said, a bit shy.
Her eyes sparkled as she watched Hayato drive attentively.
"Something up?" he asked.
"No, nothing. Just… isn't it a bit early for dinner, Hayato-kun?"
"Yeah, so let's cruise around first… Also, you haven't told me the restaurant's address yet."
"Oh!" Yoko blinked, then laughed sheepishly.
She quickly shared the location, then shifted topics. "What'd you do today, Hayato-kun?"
"Went to see a psychologist."
"Huh?" Her eyes widened.
"Surprised? I just got diagnosed with time orientation disorder," Hayato said, eyes on the road.
He briefly explained the issue.
Yoko's face showed surprise, but after a brief pause, she looked at him earnestly. "That must be tough for you, Hayato-kun."
"A little, maybe."
"But if the doctor says it's not serious, I'm sure you'll recover soon."
"I'm pretty confident about that," Hayato said with a chuckle.
He wasn't lying.
From what he'd pieced together, the time chaos began when Kudou Shinichi shrank—when the plot kicked off.
Once the story wrapped, time should normalize.
But then again…
If the plot never ended, time looping in the "year" of Shinichi's shrinking could be a twisted kind of immortality.
Hayato didn't drive Yoko around long.
Rush hour was nearing, and cruising in traffic was a drag. They soon reached the reserved restaurant.
"Your party has a private room. This way, please," the host said.
Given Yoko's celebrity status, dining in the open wasn't wise, so even for two, they got a private room.
A massive round table, fit for a dozen, dominated the space.
"Not exactly date-friendly, huh?" Hayato teased gently.
Yoko giggled, covering her mouth. She naturally sat beside him—sitting across at such a huge table would've felt absurd.
"Last time, I had their soup dumplings. So good," she said.
"Then I'll try them today."
"Mhm, and the sweet almond liqueur… but you're driving, so no drinks for you."
"You can have some if you want, Yoko."
Ordering didn't take long.
Yoko got a glass of almond liqueur.
The chilled, sweet drink, laced with ice, brought a flush to her cheeks after one sip.
"Too bad we can't clink glasses…" Yoko said, then smiled. "Maybe next time we'll take a cab?"
Already planning the next outing?
She was bolder than he'd expected.
Gazing at Yoko's lovely face, Hayato couldn't deny her charm—her idol status only added to the allure.
He couldn't always let her take the lead.
"Next time, let's find a cozy spot for drinks," he said.
"…Mhm," Yoko murmured, glancing at her glass demurely.
Soon, the food arrived.
Yoko clearly loved the soup dumplings, picking one first. As she carefully lifted it to her mouth on a spoon, Hayato spoke.
"Yoko."
"Hm?"
"No vinegar?"
"You mean this red stuff?"
"Yeah. Over in some places, eating soup dumplings without vinegar's practically a crime."
"What! For real?" Her eyes went round as chestnuts.
Hayato laughed. "Kidding."
"Hayato-kun!" Yoko pouted, half-playfully sulky.
Still, she tried the vinegar.
The restaurant's vinegar, infused with red ginger, was crisp. Paired with the dumplings, it lit up Yoko's face with delight.
Hayato tried it too.
The place was top-notch, flavors he hadn't savored in a while. A pleasant rediscovery.
Dinner wrapped up.
They hurried back to the car. Seeing Yoko don sunglasses and a hat for a mere few meters, only removing them inside, Hayato realized dating him came with risks for her.
"Something wrong, Hayato-kun?" she asked.
"…Nah. You sure you're full, Yoko?"
"Yup, gotta watch my figure."
"Keeping in shape, huh…" Hayato said, then grinned as she looked puzzled. "Another way to say it is you're already happy with your body. So, Yoko, your figure's basically perfect."
"Totally. I'm super confident about it," Yoko said, not shy but proud.
A touch of narcissism could be cute.
Chuckling, he asked, "So, where to now—"
Ring-ring!
Yoko's phone buzzed.
Checking the caller, she pressed a finger to her lips, signaling Hayato to hush.
She answered.
"Hello? It's me."
"What… I'm out right now. Can't it wait till tomorrow?"
"Come on, cut me some slack."
"…Fine."
"No, no way."
After the brief call, Yoko's mood deflated.
Before she spoke, Hayato said, "Gotta head back for something?"
"Yeah… Sorry, Hayato-kun. I slipped out, but they just dumped more work on me."
"No biggie. Just tough you've gotta dive back in."
"I'm okay energy-wise, just bummed…" she sighed.
"How about we plan for your next day off?"
"Mhm, sounds good."
Yoko didn't hesitate.
She perked up, and Hayato drove her to her agency. After a quick goodbye, she dashed inside.
Hayato didn't linger.
It was still early. He considered a longer route home, but at a quiet intersection—
Screech!
His brakes squealed, tires burning rubber.
Stopping, Hayato shifted to reverse, backed up five meters, lowered the window, and asked, "What're you two doing here?"
By the roadside stood a chubby guy and a tall one, both in black—the Black Organization's odd couple, Vodka and Gin.
***
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