The soft hum of the car engine was drowned out by the thudding of Kokoro's heart. He sat beside Mika, her slender fingers entwined with his, refusing to let go since the moment they entered the vehicle. The AC breeze from the car vents cooled his face, but it did little to mask the rising heat beneath his cheeks. He subtly tried to free his hand, not because he disliked it, but because the sensation was far too stimulating for a boy his age. Yet each time he even shifted, Mika would tighten her grip and gently hush him.
"It's our date, Kokoro. Couples hold hands on dates," she whispered, a soft smile dancing on her lips. Her voice was velvet-smooth, and it made Kokoro shut his mouth with a silent blush of defeat. She was impossible to argue with, especially when she looked at him with those soft ashen-gray eyes.
Mika tilted her head, peering at him through thick lashes. "Aren't you forgetting something?"
Kokoro blinked, caught off guard. He stared at her for a moment, trying to understand. "I don't think so..."
But when he saw her suddenly shy expression, a faint blush blooming on her porcelain cheeks, it clicked. As a budding manga artist, Kokoro had drawn countless romantic scenes just like this. His eyes widened in realization, and his lips curled into a small, embarrassed smile.
"You look... beautiful today. Very, very beautiful," Kokoro murmured, sincerely.
Mika's eyes widened before she turned her face away, hiding the red that swiftly colored her ears. "Thank you," she whispered, stealing a shy glance back at him. "You look handsome too."
Without another word, she leaned her head on his shoulder, nestling against him with the contented sigh of someone finally where they wanted to be. Kokoro froze at the unexpected contact. He stared ahead blankly, his muscles locked in place, the scent of Mika's floral perfume clouding his thoughts. His heart raced even faster, his body tense, but he didn't dare move. Control yourself... you're still young... he thought to himself.
To say the ride was exhausting would be an understatement.
When the car finally rolled to a stop, Kokoro quickly unlatched the door and stepped out, taking a long breath of air like a drowning man who'd reached the surface. He stretched his arms toward the blue sky, his back popping slightly from the tension.
"You okay there?" Mika giggled, stepping beside him.
Kokoro turned to her and blinked. Behind her stood an enormous amusement park gate, vibrant and full of life. Music floated on the wind, kids ran past with balloons, and the aroma of buttered popcorn and fried snacks filled the air.
"This... is our first stop?" he asked.
Mika nodded with a mischievous smile. "I was planning to rent out the entire amusement park for us, but then I thought... dates like these need people, noise, and a little chaos. It'd feel so lonely if it were just us."
Kokoro stared at her, stunned. Rent out the whole park? How rich was she?
"Come on! Stop thinking so much or you'll ruin the date," Mika teased, grabbing his hand again and pulling him toward the entrance.
Across the street, behind tinted windows of a long, luxury car, a man watched them.
His expression was unreadable—stone-faced with sharp black eyes and hair combed perfectly back. He wore a tailored suit and rested one gloved hand under his chin.
"So... that's the boy Mika likes?" he asked.
A respectful bow came from the butler standing beside the open passenger door. "Yes, Master. His name is Katsuragi Kokoro. A first-year student."
The man's eyes softened slightly, his voice lowering. "I see... I see. So she's changed. All thanks to him..."
He leaned back, eyes misting with rare emotion. "Since her second year of middle school, she's never opened up like this. If he makes her happy... then I am happy."
He looked to the butler. "Find out more about him. Everything. His family, his grades, even what manga he draws."
"As you wish, Master," the butler replied with a nod.
The luxury vehicle pulled away, followed by two sleek black cars, all disappearing into traffic. The man inside—Watanabe Shiro, CEO, tycoon, and most importantly, father—gazed one last time through the back window with a faint smile.
His little princess was growing up.
---
As the ornate gates of the amusement park parted with a mechanical hiss, Kokoro and Mika stepped through, welcomed by a cheerful employee dressed in a striped uniform and a straw hat, who beamed at them and bowed slightly. "Welcome! I hope you both have a wonderful day!"
Before them unfolded a dazzling landscape of sound, color, and motion. The park stretched far and wide like a city of joy and thrill. Ribbons of screams from excited riders echoed from towering roller coasters that curled and twisted into the sky, while the rhythmic chugging of a ferris wheel provided a calming contrast in the distance. The scent of buttered popcorn, sweet crepes, caramel apples, and fried snacks wafted from food stalls lining the brick paths, blending into a delicious chaos.
To their left, a colorful shooting gallery beckoned participants to aim at rows of moving ducks and tin cans for prizes like plush toys and keychains. A small crowd had gathered around a ring toss stand, cheering each other on. Children raced around with helium balloons, while couples walked hand-in-hand, snapping photos with mascots and occasionally stealing kisses. The park was alive—a vibrant tapestry of laughter, conversation, music, and joy.
Kokoro stood still for a moment, almost overwhelmed by the sights and sounds. His eyes flickered from ride to ride: a teacup spinner to the right, a haunted house beyond the candy-floss cart, and in the center, a grand carousel turning under a golden roof.
But before he could fully process it all, his hand was tugged gently.
"Kokoro!" Mika called, her face glowing with excitement, her brown skirt swaying with her every step. She pointed ahead with sparkling eyes at a massive roller coaster, its iron frame painted a vivid red and black. Cars filled with screaming people zipped across its loops and drops.
"Let's ride that first!" she exclaimed, sounding every bit like a child who'd just spotted a treasure chest. Her cheeks were flushed, and there was a glint in her ashen-gray eyes that Kokoro couldn't say no to.
He couldn't help but smile.
Despite how intense Mika could be—whether with her gaze, her words, or her possessive charm—there were moments like this when she radiated a simple, sincere kind of joy that melted away the guarded wall around Kokoro's heart. It was disarming.
"Alright," he said with a chuckle, nodding. "Let's go ride it."
With a thrilled squeal, Mika grabbed his hand once again and pulled him toward the roller coaster, weaving through families and couples, her laughter joining the symphony of the amusement park.
Their first ride had begun.
---------------------------------
The sun was bright above the sprawling amusement park, casting golden rays across a dazzling sea of colors, motion, and life. As Kokoro and Mika made their way to the towering roller coaster, the laughter of children, the humming of machines, and the chaotic medley of music from various attractions filled the air like a strange kind of harmony. It was loud, vibrant, and full of energy—a world detached from the everyday grind.
They arrived at the roller coaster booth, and Mika, still clinging to Kokoro's hand, handed over their two tickets to the ride attendant. The young employee smiled, tipping his cap politely. "I hope you both enjoy the ride!"
Both Kokoro and Mika nodded in unison. Mika's grip tightened with giddy anticipation while Kokoro tried to suppress the bubbling anxiety in his chest. The roller coaster was massive. The intricate metal frame loomed high into the sky, like some steel beast waiting to roar. Mika pulled him along with determined steps, heading straight for the back seat.
"The back is the most thrilling spot," she declared, choosing their seats with zero hesitation.
Kokoro simply followed her lead, his mind somewhere between wonder and dread. He glanced around as people filled the remaining seats. Couples, excited teens, and even a daring elderly couple took their spots, some laughing nervously, others practically bouncing in their seats with excitement.
Mika sat beside him, her hand still firmly grasping his. She beamed, her eyes sparkling as brightly as the lights around the park. But Kokoro, who noticed the fine tremble in her fingers, understood her joy was layered with something else—perhaps a need to share a moment like this with him.
A crackling voice echoed from the speakers above: "The ride will begin shortly. Please keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times."
With a soft mechanical whir, the safety harnesses lowered, pressing down on their shoulders and hips. Kokoro shifted uncomfortably, gulping down his unease. Mika turned toward him, her voice playful and light.
"I hope you like rides like this," she said, grinning. "I plan on trying everything here."
Kokoro's face twitched with an exhausted half-smile. "I hope I survive long enough to keep up."
Mika giggled, her joy bubbling over. The coaster jerked forward with a creak, beginning its slow ascent up the metal track. Kokoro looked ahead at the winding steel snake of track, rising higher and higher. The cityscape beyond looked smaller and smaller, while his heartbeat drummed louder in his ears.
"This isn't so bad..." Kokoro murmured to himself.
Then, the chain lift stopped.
They hovered at the peak, the wind picking up, teasing Kokoro's bangs.
A moment of silence.
Then—a plunge.
The coaster dropped like a bullet.
Kokoro's stomach flew to the heavens as his body was yanked down with terrifying force. Screams erupted all around him. One man behind them screamed something absurd like, "Shit I should've updated my will!" and another wailed, "Tell my mom I love her!"
But beside him, Mika wasn't screaming in terror.
She was laughing.
Eyes wide with delight, face flushed from the wind and speed, Mika threw her arms up (as much as the harness allowed) and let out a joyful scream. She wasn't frightened—she was alive. Kokoro couldn't help but stare at her mid-drop, a flurry of wind whipping her snow-white hair behind her like a fluttering ribbon.
It was dazzling.
Even as the coaster twisted, turned, and looped, Mika's laughter and joy never faltered. And Kokoro, who was clenching his teeth and hoping his soul wouldn't leave his body, realized something far more dangerous than the roller coaster...
This girl might be too much for him to handle.
Their first stop of the date had only just begun.
And it was already wild.