Welcome to Heaven | ✓

15-2: Vanilla Ice Cream

I honest to goodness thought I was seeing things. But it was him. My sluggish underclassman sauntering from the house across the street, wearing a Setoguchi Antiques t-shirt.

"What are you..." I watched as he grabbed the handlebars of the miniature vehicle and lift up a helmet. "Why do you have a delivery bike?"

"Because I'm making deliveries for my grandpa. That one was the last house." Right as the words left his mouth, he not so appealingly shivered and fervently rubbed his arms to stay warm. "It's so cold..."

I chuckled. "Obviously. You're wearing a t-shirt in the middle of February."

He dramatically trembled again. I cracked a hopeless smile.

Chiaki was definitely the last person I'd expect to cross paths with, much less in front of my apartment. Considering he was making deliveries, did that mean he worked at an antique shop? Was it a family business?

Since he was the laziest person I knew, imagining him working had honestly been pushed to the back of my mind as a possibility. Though, considering how tuckered out he looked now, maybe he did work, but just not often.

"Do you live here, Teru?"

His question transferred me from my thoughts. He'd parted a single eyelid to see me amidst his attempt to stay warm.

"Yup. In that apartment. Not too fancy, I know." I pointed over my shoulder and lit up. "Oh, do you want to come inside? There's heat."

His lips met in a frown. He peeled his hands off his arms and shook his head. "I really think I should be heading back—"

"I'll give you ice cream."

He was already halfway up the front steps. "What's your apartment number again?"

I giggled. Typical Chiaki. Didn't he just complain to be freezing a second ago?

Although my initial plan was to grab the mail, I might as well save this dear underclassman of mine from freezing to death.

Hastening after him, I led him into the building. Upon entering, he immediately savoured the heat that enveloped him and I guided him toward the elevators and up to the room. I twisted open the lock. Chiaki grinned like a content child upon learning that my house was a lot more humid than everywhere else. He slipped off his shoes by the entryway and I directed him into my living room.

"Sit wherever you'd like."

"You're my saviour, Teru," he said, beaming as he accepted the warmth. "Thank you."

Somehow, his childish compliment made me laugh again. After shedding my coat and tossing it onto the couch, I slipped into the kitchen and headed toward the freezer where multiple palm-sized tubs of ice cream lay inside. My mom had bought in bulk after seeing they were for sale yesterday, which I wasn't going to complain about.

By the time I reentered the living room, I handed him one tub of vanilla and a spoon. Keeping one for myself, I collapsed in front of the kotatsu directly across from him.

"Thank you," he repeated upon receiving it. More than I deemed possible, he was glowing from immense happiness as he peeled back the seal and dug right in. He was already on cloud nine. "I'm in heaven."