Blessed Beauty

Chapter 2

"I'll give you this Garigari-kun, so please go out with me!"

Never, in her sixteen years of life, had Fukumoto Hitomi ever been proposed to with a popsicle stick.

No, not the popsicle. It was the stick from which the ice cream came from. So, just a plain, wooden stick.

She thought she had seen it all, but apparently, she hadn't.

Flowers, chocolates, jewelry, and any other material object one could think of. Heck, one guy even genuinely proposed with a diamond ring.

...But a popsicle stick?

Hitomi was floored. She just stared at the stick, processing what just happened. She had just walked out of the convenience store, only to be in this situation. She was too surprised to even have her normal cold glare.

Regaining her senses, her eyes travelled from the stick to the hand holding it out to her and to the face of the daring boy.

He had sparkling, hopeful eyes paired with a large grin.

Well, that probably wouldn't last for long.

She noticed that she had to look down at him. For a Japanese female, Hitomi was quite tall, standing at 5' 8''. Coupled with her slender build and pretty face, many people were led to believe that she was a model or could at least become one.

Most boys her age were either around her height or taller. Since it was the late afternoon, he had no uniform on. He was in simple black shorts and a bright red T-shirt. Perhaps this boy was younger? Middle school? Maybe even elementary?

Regardless, she would reject him. Especially after a confession like that.

Hitomi gave the most minimalist bow. "No, thank you. I have no need for other people's trash."

The boy audibly gasped with a horrified expression. "It's not trash! It's the winner!" He flipped the popsicle stick straight up, revealing some writing on it. Winner! It was the type of brand that would let one claim a free ice cream if they got lucky. Apparently, he was one of those lucky winners.

The boy gasped again, this time in realization. "Could it be...you don't like Garigari-kun? But how could anybody not like Garigari-kun! They have the best ice cream! The best popsicles! Especially the soda flavor!!!"

Hitomi blinked. "It's not so much me not liking the ice cream as it is just me not wanting to date a complete stranger. Pardon me." She gave a minimalist bow again, quickly trying to walk past him.

Unfortunately, the boy quickly recovered. He turned around and dashed in front of her, blocking her path. He gave an overly eager ninety-degree bow, in which Hitomi had to hastily back away a little so that his head wouldn't bump into her. "My name is Nishinoya Yuu! I'm a second-year at Karasuno High School! Nice to meet you!"

Her eyes widened a little. He was the same year as her? Then he really was just rather short. Not that she really had anything against short people. She was once that height, too. Well, that really didn't change anything. She would still reject him.

"I can't say the feeling is mutual. Good day." She curtly responded, walking around him again. She felt a tug on her wrist. His hand was thin, almost bony.

"Wait! Maybe you're just not in the mood for ice cream? I have other stuff too! Hang on!" He let go of her wrist to dig into the shopping bag. He pulled out several items from the bag, inspecting them as if even he, himself, was unsure of what he bought. The bag contained several cooking ingredients and miscellaneous items. His mother probably sent him out on an errand.