COTE: Horikita Is My Childhood Sweetheart

Chapter 141: This damn fate!

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Holding the bracelet, Karuizawa looked at Rin expectantly, "Shall I help you put it on?"

"Alright."

Karuizawa carefully stretched out her hands and tied the bracelet onto Rin's wrist, the one holding the necklace.

"It's really beautiful."

Karuizawa glanced at Rin and said coyly, "Now it's your turn to help me put on the necklace, Rin~."

"If you don't mind."

"I don't mind!"

Since Karuizawa didn't mind, Rin didn't let her down. He gently picked up the two ends of the necklace, leaned forward, and reached towards Karuizawa's slender white neck.

As Rin approached, the rosy color on Karuizawa's ,fair cheeks became more and more vivid. She closed her eyes full of shyness, expecting and waiting.

Rin stretched out his hands and passed them over both sides of Karuizawa's neck. The back of his hands touched her honey-colored hair. The soft hair gave the back of Rin's hands a slightly itchy feeling.

At this time, the silver necklace had already fallen on Karuizawa's exposed neck.

The slightly cool touch of the necklace made Karuizawa's delicate body shiver involuntarily. Her heartbeat accelerated, and her breathing became rapid.

With a gentle click, Rin successfully fastened the end of the necklace.

Rin, who put the necklace on Karuizawa, took two steps back and admired the girl who was worthy of this silver necklace.

The silver necklace and Karuizawa's snow-white neck skin complemented each other, adding a touch of refinement and elegance to her temperament.

With her eyes closed, Karuizawa could feel Rin leaving, and she couldn't help but open her eyes.

Karuizawa's eyes were full of shyness and joy, and she gently touched the necklace around her neck.

"Rin-san, does it look good?"

"Yeah, it looks good," Rin said with a smile.

"What? I was asking if I look good wearing the necklace you gave me," Karuizawa said coquettishly.

"It looks great and suits you very well."

"Hehe." Karuizawa showed a sweet, sweet smile. She stood up suddenly and hugged Rin's arm intimately.

"Rin-san, from now on just call me Kei."

"Okay, then Kei, just call me Rin or Matsuoka."

"Hmm~ Rin." Karuizawa curved her eyebrows and called Rin sweetly.

Rin felt a little uncomfortable with what Karuizawa called him. It was the first time that he was addressed so intimately by a girl of the same age.

Even his childhood friend, Horikita Suzune, only called him "Matsuoka" and never called him "Rin."

"Let's go to the beverage store."

"Mm."

Karuizawa held Rin's arm and walked towards the drink shop she remembered, but as she walked, Karuizawa gently frowned her delicate eyebrows.

"Why did Rin give me a necklace instead of a hairpin as a gift?"

Karuizawa clearly remembered that Rin was choosing hairpins before, so why was the gift he gave her a necklace?

Did he think the hairpin wasn't suitable for her, so he chose the necklace?

Karuizawa slightly opened her crystal-clear lips, and curiously asked Rin, "Rin, wasn't that the hairpin you picked out just now?"

"Yes." Rin, who had also bought the hairpin, nodded.

"Then why is it that you gave me a necklace?"

Rin turned his head to look at Karuizawa, "You don't like necklaces? You prefer hairpins?"

"No, I really like necklaces. I just..." Karuizawa hesitated, struggling to find the right words.

She wanted to know where the hairpin Rin had chosen went—or more precisely, who he intended to give it to.

However, Karuizawa felt that if she asked Rin this question, he might become unhappy. So, she chose to keep her curiosity to herself and refrained from asking.

But soon, Karuizawa's thoughts about the hairpin faded away.

After they left Keyaki Shopping Center, Rin opened his parasol, shielding both himself and Karuizawa from the sun.

This small gesture made Karuizawa feel a surge of happiness, sweeping away the lingering gloom in her heart.

Rin turned to look at Karuizawa, who was holding his arm more tightly than before. He asked gently, "Kei, aren't you hot holding me like this?"

"It's not hot."

But I am!

"Rin, you feel cool and refreshing. It's so comfortable to hold you."

This... Rin wasn't sure how to respond. While he did feel a bit warm, the softness and light fragrance coming from Karuizawa were undeniably pleasant.

After about ten minutes of walking, Rin asked, "By the way, Kei, where is this drink shop you mentioned? We've been walking for quite a while."

"We'll be there soon~," Karuizawa replied cheerfully.

Rin followed Karuizawa's guidance, but as they walked, the surroundings became increasingly familiar. A sense of foreboding crept into his mind.

Could it be that the drink shop Karuizawa Kei was taking him to was…

"We're here! This is it!" Karuizawa pointed at the shop in front of them with enthusiasm. "The cakes in this drink shop are amazing! Matsushita and I come here all the time."

Rin fell silent.

Because the drink shop Kei loved happened to be owned by the old lady who teased him about his frequent visits…

Yesterday, Rin had brought Sakura here. Mirai had teased him.

This morning, he came with Ichinose, and Mirai gave him a pointed look.

And now, this afternoon, Karuizawa was dragging him here again.

If Rin walked into this shop with Karuizawa, he could already imagine the expression on the old lady's face.

Three girls in one weekend? Even he had to admit it looked questionable.

"Rin, why are you so quiet?" Karuizawa asked, puzzled by his sudden silence.

"Uh… I come to this drink shop pretty often too," Rin replied tactfully.

"Really? Wow, Rin, it must be fate! We both love the same drink shop!" Karuizawa beamed with joy.

"..."

Yes, fate... the kind that tests one's patience.

Rin knew that walking into the shop with Karuizawa would earn him another strange look from Mirai.

But after walking for nearly twenty minutes under the sun, Rin decided he wasn't going to turn back. The allure of air conditioning and a cool drink outweighed his concerns.

He and Karuizawa pushed open the door of the beverage shop, and the cheerful chime of the bell announced their arrival.

Mirai, busy mixing drinks at the counter, looked up.

"Welcome, custome—oh?"

The older woman's eyes narrowed when she saw Rin and Karuizawa holding his arm so intimately. She swallowed her greeting and snorted in disdain at Rin.

Rin met her gaze with a resigned sigh. He could already imagine what was going through her mind.

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