Telling my childhood best friend that a maid girl I had just met told me to talk to her little sister to glean more information about her probably isn’t the best idea.

There is a way to go about this with more tact.

“A maid girl I just met told me to talk to your little sister so I could glean information about you so I can get to know you better.”

All tact has gone out of the window for me.

Koi’s frown shows prominently as she cocks her head.

Since she doesn’t say anything, I decide to fill the silence and elaborate further – maybe I can get myself out of this hole I’m digging.

Because that has definitely worked in the past.

“Apparently, I come to a lot of assumptions by myself, which I have come to realise is not a great trait. It comes into fruition a lot more when the information I’ve been given is sorely lacking.”

Why am I phrasing this so analytically?

This is the most awkward I’ve felt in a long time with my speech. Filling the void is harder than I had thought.

Also, I don’t think that this is getting me very far out of the hole.

Be honest, Akira.

All these misunderstandings spawn from lack of information and false information; if you want to continue to grow this relationship, someone must be straightforward.

“That was a lot.”

My world comes crashing down as Koi mutters those words in response to my utterly painful information dump.

As if all my feelings have been rejected or dismissed.

Like my personality has been questioned.

It’s hard to explain.

Before I can say something in response, she continues.

“So where did you meet this maid girl?”

That’s the part of that you latched onto?

Get your priorities straight!

Koi’s disposition is calm and composed, almost too calm if you ask me – there is a scarily innocent inflection in her voice.

A high pitch and smile that is so happy it’s almost scary.

“At a maid café.”

Please don’t probe further into this.

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Unflinching, Koi’s manner stays exactly the same as before.

“Naturally. Do you find yourself frequenting such establishments very often?”

A beat of sweat runs down my forehead.

Her hands lay together on top of the table as my foot taps on the floor – this is feeling more like an interrogation by the minute.

When I asked you about vtubers, I was super cool with it. We were even joking about it all.

Why is this conversation so intimidating?

Stop being so together about all this – your normalcy in itself is not normal at all!

“That would’ve been my first time, Ms. Aizawa.’”

The formal questioning is even affecting my speech, though Koi continues as if it’s the most common thing in the world to be referenced with such esteem.

Don’t get used to this treatment, okay!

“I see. Do you find this maid attractive?”

Think about your words very carefully, Akira. You have all the time in the world, don’t mess up the landing on this one.

“I could imagine someone saying that she isn’t unattractive.”

Trying her best to maintain her composure, Koi’s eyes light up a little at that last comment. She bites her lip, attempting to hold back any expressions that may jump out.

“I see.”

That’s all you’re going to say this time?

Why do I feel like I’m in trouble or something?

Please, break this silence!

I want to say something, but nothing comes to mind – this atmosphere is oppressive.

“How much time did you spend there?”

“We stayed for a few hours and then left.”

There was probably a better way to phrase that.

Koi pushes herself up, now much more visibly agitated and starting to get red in the cheeks.

“Your own maid for a few hours and you left with her. That’s quite the treatment.”

The contents of everything she just said seemed like positive things, so why does her tone sound so sarcastic?

“It was abnormal treatment, I will admit – but she just wanted to help me.”

“Help you?”

So I decided to tell her everything – that I went to the maid café after our conversation, that I met Chika there and she wanted to help us reconnect.

She seemed pleased to hear that the interactions I had with the maid were not only platonic, but also in her own interest.

“After that, I did what Chika suggested and called up Sakura. It was a weird call, to say the least, but well - it ended up with us here.”

“I take it that’s a good outcome for you?”

Yet again, Koi brushes past leagues and scores of information just to ask something relatively simple – hanging onto one thing I’ve said instead of addressing the whole.

As if the rest of it didn’t phase her much, or that it wasn’t a surprise…

“I-I mean, it’s definitely not a bad one.”

Answering this question is hard, okay?

You know damn well that I’m happy about this outcome, don’t make me just come out and say it!

Koi’s chest puffs out as her arms wrap underneath her breasts. Everything is so well defined from her collar bone, all the way up to her jawline as she looks away in a pout.

So. Freaking. Pretty.

“I’m happy that this was the outcome of everything, okay? Is that what you wanted me to say?”

Koi’s eyes shift over to me as she attempts to remain assuming the pouting pose.

“I didn’t want you to say anything of the sort!”

Tell that to your entire body language right now! I’m a dense shut-in who apparently misses signs that are right in front of him and even I can tell that’s what you wanted.

For someone so secretive and private, she sure does wear everything on her sleeve.

“Also, me too…”

What was that?

Did I just hear something pleasant leave the mouth of the tsundere?

Is this finally the time where she will admit her true feelings and stop giving me the cold shoulder? Being more dere than tsun?

Now that I’ve said it, that feels less likely to become true now.

“Sorry, I didn’t quite catch all that. Could you speak up?”

Tssk.

Koi turns back to face me fully as her cheeks start to flare up.

That’s the childhood best friend that I know and lo-

Anyways…

“If you didn’t catch it all then you should probably get better reflexes.”

Hot and cold! Hot and cold!

It was my fault for getting used to the cute Koi for a few moments there.

Despite the jab, her rage is subdued in a moment. Her moods never seem to last very long in the first place.

“Also, if we’re being truthful now, then I have something I should probably say.”