Will They Flirt Outdoors?

One day in the third week of April.

It was around the time when first-year students were starting to get used to the university atmosphere.

Under the direction of Senpai Yashiro, who had been a senior since high school, members of the outdoor club gathered in a corner of the cafeteria.

 

"Alright, everyone's here. So, let's talk about the stalls we'll have at the cultural festival at the end of May."

 

Yashiro-senpai brought up the topic.

The discussion revolved around what to offer at the cultural festival's food stalls.

Our university's cultural festival was quite lively, and setting up a stall could significantly contribute to the club's activity funds.

Last year, we barely managed to plan and set up a stall, using the proceeds to purchase various outdoor equipment.

 

"Yeah yeah! I want to do a tapioca stand!"

 

Proclaimed Yuko Yamanaka, the freest spirit in the outdoor club.

To this, Yashiro-senpai responded with a somewhat resigned tone.

 

"It seems tapioca of the boiling type is prohibited, but if it's frozen or soaked in syrup, it should be fine. Mix that into juice, and you should be able to make a decent profit. However, as far as I know, about four other shops are already planning to set up similar stalls."

 

"Acha~. Our small club will probably be stuck in a corner for the stall... It's tough in terms of location too."

 

 

"That's right. So, does anyone else have any ideas?"

 

Yashiro-senpai locked eyes with me, as if urging me to say something.

So, I raised my hand.

 

"Um, how about cotton candy? If we have the machine, the raw materials cost almost nothing."

 

"Cotton candy is also popular, and there will be several shops offering it. It will turn into a price competition, and in the end, you'll be selling at a price where there's hardly any profit. So, go ahead and suggest ideas, and if it's profitable, we can use it for the club's activity funds!"

 

And so, the outdoor club discussed various ideas.

As time passed and the meeting became a bit tedious.

 

Squeeze.

 

My hand was suddenly held.

It squeezed tightly and then loosened gently.

 

"..."

 

I applied silent pressure to Suzuka, who was sitting next to me, but she ignored the unspoken pressure with an innocent expression.

Even if we have free time, don't play with my hand like this.

While thinking this, I counteracted by firmly squeezing back the hand that held mine.

 

"Nh, cough, cough."

 

Suzuka, who had leaked a small cough, pretended to cough to divert attention.

In response to the sudden tight grip, she seemed to convey through her eyes, "You squeezed too hard," and after that, she began to gently hold my hand.

Amidst the discussion of the cultural festival by the outdoor club, a strange sense of taboo arose as we held hands in the invisible space under the table.

Before we knew it, what was supposed to be just a little bit had turned into a continuous exchange of squeezing and being squeezed.

 

"Well, I have an important announcement to make!"

 

Yamanaka-senpai spoke up with a slightly louder voice.

‘What is it?’ I thought, but before I could ponder, Yamanaka-senpai continued.

 

"Because the meeting is boring, there are two impertinent people holding hands and fooling around under the table!"

 

The fact that Suzuka and I were caught holding hands under the table led to a hurried separation.

Clang.

A sound echoed as our hands accidentally hit the underside of the table.

 

"..."

 

"..."

 

Suzuka and I maintained a wordless exchange.

However, the people around us were now staring at us intently, having identified the source of the noise.

It seemed that the sound we made had quite an impact.

Unable to endure the pressure, we had to decide on a straightforward apology...

 

 

"Sorry about that. We were holding hands under the table."

 

"Haha~. Mr. and Mrs. Shindo are hot again today~. But~, you know, doing that during a meeting is not allowed, you know?"

 

Yamanaka-senpai rejoiced, followed by teasing remarks from those around us.

Yashiro-senpai gave us a disapproving look.

Originally, Suzuka and I were not the type to openly display affection in public.

Naturally, we were now extremely embarrassed, and our faces turned hot.

 

"Alright, since you two are so busy flirting during the meeting, I'll give you a punishment. It'll be tough for you to take the lead in planning the cultural festival activities... Well, let's have you plan the event for the outdoor club!"

 

Yashiro-senpai decided to punish the two troublemakers who were secretly holding hands during the meeting by entrusting us with the planning of the next outdoor club event.

 

"If Yashiro-senpai is willing to give proper advice, I'll do it."

 

"Yeah yeah. I'll give you proper advice, so don't worry. But don't think you can just throw everything to us and say 'That's it!'"

 

Reliable Yashiro-senpai.

It was indeed a fact that we were secretly holding hands.

There was no way to avoid feeling extremely embarrassed and hot-faced.

 

"Yes. Okay, we'll do it... No, please let us do it."

 

"Uh, yeah. I'll do my best too!"

 

And so, it was decided that Suzuka and I would plan the first event of the outdoor club after the cultural festival.

 

During the cultural festival meeting.

Regularly, everyone kept glancing under the table, and it was needless to say why.

 

 

On the way home after being caught holding hands under the table.

The embarrassment had faded, and Suzuka and I were laughing about it like it was a funny story.

 

"Ah, come on. Because of Yuki, everyone looked at us with such eyes."

 

"You were the one who grabbed my hand first, you know?"

 

"Hehe. Sorry?"

 

"Anyway, planning events while holding hands during a meeting?"

 

"Because I wanted to hold hands. Are you mad?"

 

"I won't get angry about something like this, so don't worry. Well, it's like this. Rather than being angry, I think it's cute..."

 

"Yay! Yuki said I'm cute again~. Hehe, I love it when Yuki says I'm cute~"

 

Suzuka laughed with a rich expression.

On the way home to our current residence.

Due to the somewhat distant station from the university, there were many alleys where we wouldn't encounter anyone.

Empty roads with no one in front or behind.

We couldn't hold hands on the road, being embarrassed by the eyes of others. So, it couldn't be helped.

 

"Since no one is around, is it okay if we hold hands?"

 

I nervously uttered those words, and in an instant, my left hand was forcefully grabbed.

There was no response, but actions spoke louder than words.

 

"Hey hey, holding hands in a place where no one can see, it feels kind of indecent, doesn't it? It makes your heart race."

 

"Well, yeah. Even now, it's just a normal kind of excitement to hold hands on a road where someone might pass by but hasn't yet."

 

"We're on the same wavelength~."

 

We were having this conversation when a woman on a bicycle approached from ahead.

Suzuka and I, holding hands, quickly let go due to embarrassment.

 

"Hehe."

 

"Pfft."

 

Both of us made strange laughs.

As soon as we realized someone was watching, we let go of each other's hands and made gestures as if to hide.

It was strangely amusing, and there was nothing we could do about it.

 

So, after confirming that there was no one around,

 

"Shall we hold hands?"

 

"There's no one around, so why not?"

 

We held hands again as we walked.