Hinata wore a snow-white yukata, the plain white color shimring with a clean halo under the light.
The collar had exquisite embroidery, using silk threads to outline delicate and beautiful patterns, like blooming flowers quietly blossoming in the pure white snow, complenting her already fair skin.
Strands of hair playfully fell beside her cheeks, making her face appear even more delicate.
She slightly lowered her gaze, long eyelashes casting faint shadows under her eyelids, her eyes carrying her unique gentleness and shyness.
At this mont, Hinata had her hands folded in front of her, holding a handbag.
It seed to be because she was too nervous.
Her fingers were slightly pale from gripping the handbag too tightly.
"Ao... Aoba-kun, what do you think of my outfit?"
Aoba ca back to his senses upon hearing that, and used his hand to tidy Hinata's hair beside her temples, "Very beautiful, it suits you very well."
"Mm, thank you. Aoba-kun also looks very nice," Hinata's small face slightly blushed, and the movent of her hands gradually relaxed, revealing a happy expression at the sa ti.
She quickly added apologetically, "Sorry, I think I'm late."
"No, I ca too early. I just got here too," Aoba said, "And the others haven't arrived yet."
Hinata imdiately looked around and found that the three, Tenten and the others, indeed hadn't arrived.
In her lowered gaze, a hint of joy erged.
"Let's wait a little longer, they should be arriving soon," Aoba said with a smile to Hinata.
Just as Aoba finished speaking, he suddenly felt a tug.
'Hm?'
Aoba turned his head to look, only to see Hinata's lowered head, and a hand reaching out, grabbing his sleeve.
"Ao... Aoba-kun, have you had dinner?"
"Not yet. I was thinking there must be lots of good food at the festival, so I haven't eaten," Aoba answered truthfully, with a guess in his heart.
'Could it be... Hinata is hungry?'
"In that case, how about the two of us eat sothing first?", Hinata said softly.
"There seems to be a food stall over there...", As she spoke, she let go of Aoba's sleeve and pointed to a nearby stall selling grilled skewers.
Although the festival was on top of the Hokage Rock, actually, there were snack stalls set up at the foot of the mountain already.
This way, villagers could buy so snacks before climbing the mountain and enjoy them on the way up.
Aoba looked at Hinata and noticed that she was getting nervous again.
Her hands tightly gripped that poor handbag again.
But because her head was lowered, Aoba couldn't see her facial expression clearly.
He didn't say much, only smiled and said, "Then let's check it out. I was already tempted by the sll earlier."
That stall was right next to the spot where the group had agreed to et, and it was also outdoors.
Once Tenten and the others arrived, they would easily spot them.
Hearing Aoba's response, Hinata lifted her head, joy overflowing in her heart, "Then let's go over together."
"Mm, let's go," Aoba walked to Hinata's side and naturally held her hand, walking toward the nearby stall.
Hinata followed a step behind him, letting Aoba hold her hand, her small face blushing as she followed behind.
When Aoba held her hand, Hinata could clearly feel the warmth from his palm.
That warmth seed to seep through the skin of her palm and into the depths of her heart, calming her previously nervous heart bit by bit.
Hinata looked again at Aoba's side profile, the street lights just happened to shine on his face, gazing at that gentle face of his.
At that mont, Hinata felt that the bustling crowd and the noisy world around them all quieted down.
Between just the two of them, there was a subtle feeling gently flowing through the air.
She really wanted to hold Aoba's hand and run up toward the festival, leaving Tenten and the others behind.
But considering the possible consequences afterward, she restrained that bold thought.
She didn't want to make Aoba-kun feel troubled.
The two quickly arrived at the skewer stall.
Looking at the nu hanging beneath the signboard, Aoba hesitated for a mont.
Considering Hinata's appetite, he didn't know how much to order.
Hinata thought Aoba was worried about money, so she raised her handbag and smiled, saying, "Aoba-kun, don't worry, I brought plenty of pocket money today, you can eat as much as you want."
Aoba instantly thought of that of the loli handing over a credit card.
He didn't act pretentious, after all, Hinata really didn't lack money.
"Then I won't hold back..."
Aoba and Hinata sat at a small square table in front of the shop, and the table in front of them was already filled with all kinds of grilled and fried skewers.
But most of it was ordered for Hinata. Even Aoba's maximum appetite couldn't compare to one-third of Hinata's usual portion.
He looked at the grilled at in front of him, covered in sweet sauce.
Taking a bite, he found that although the taste was okay and slled good, it had already lost the soul of grilled at.
"This grilled at without cumin and chili is like it's lost its soul."
Hinata, sitting next to him, also picked one up and tasted it, thinking the taste was pretty good too. She blinked, "Aoba-kun seems to really like spicy food."
"Actually, the soul of grilled at isn't chili, it's cumin," Aoba said seriously.
"But isn't cumin used for making curry?", Hinata had previously wanted to make a bento for Aoba herself, so she learned to cook with Hyuga Hiashi.
"Of course not. When there's a chance in the future, I'll make grilled at for you. Then you'll understand."
"Then... when is that future?", Hinata looked expectant. If they could go out together alone, it'd be even better.
Aoba thought for a mont, "When spring cos, we can go for a picnic outside. I'll grill for you then."
"Okay, I'll look forward to it...", Hinata's eyes curved in a smile, but soon, the smile on her face froze.
"I see, so you two plan to go out alone at that ti?"
Aoba swallowed the at in his mouth, "Of course..."
Just halfway through his sentence, he suddenly realized that the voice and tone of that question just now didn't sound like Hinata's.
He turned his head and saw the friendly-looking Tenten, Ino, and Sakura.
The three were all dressed up tonight, each with their own style, but Aoba had no ti to focus on that now.
"Why did you stop? What cos after 'of course'?" [T/N: Suffering from success]
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