Chapter 60: Yumi’s Alluring Beauty

"Kitahara-senpai, here, over here!"

Matsuda Yumi, who had been looking around the entire time, finally spotted Kitahara among the crowd. Her eyes immediately lit up, and she raised one hand high above her head before waving enthusiastically in his direction. She called out his name, afraid that he might not notice her in the crowded street, and then quickly ran toward him with small, hurried steps.

Kitahara noticed her almost immediately.

Seeing Yumi running toward him, he also quickened his pace. Although there was no need to hurry, the sight of her waiting for him made him feel slightly guilty. He had already told her that he would meet her here, so he did not want to keep her waiting for even a moment.

As the distance between them gradually shortened, Kitahara’s eyes naturally fell on Yumi’s appearance.

Today, Matsuda Yumi looked especially beautiful.

It was obvious that she had put a great deal of effort into her appearance. Her makeup was more refined than usual, and every detail seemed to have been carefully considered. Nothing looked excessive or unnatural. Instead, everything blended together perfectly, making her originally ordinary features appear considerably more attractive.

Her eyebrows had been carefully shaped, naturally curved like delicate crescent moons. A light brown eyeshadow had been gently applied around her eyes, adding a subtle sense of depth to her clear gaze. There was also a faint shadow along both sides of the bridge of her nose, giving her facial features a more defined and three-dimensional appearance.

Her lips were coated with a light red gloss. The color was gentle and elegant, matching her overall appearance without looking too mature.

Kitahara could tell that Yumi had clearly spent quite some time preparing herself.

Her outfit was equally well coordinated.

Matsuda Yumi was wearing a pure white gauze dress with an off-shoulder design. The dress looked clean and elegant, while the slightly puffy hem swayed gently whenever she moved. Its length reached just above her knees, and each step caused the fabric to move naturally around her legs.

She paired it with white socks and brown sandals, creating a simple yet charming combination.

The overall impression was youthful, elegant, and slightly playful.

Kitahara liked it very much.

The Japanese really were impressive when it came to fashion and makeup. Even someone who already looked pleasant could appear completely different with the right styling.

Compared with yesterday, today’s Matsuda Yumi seemed to have improved by an entire level.

She looked like the kind of cheerful and lovely female university student one might naturally notice in a busy Tokyo street.

Of course, Kitahara also understood that the change was not simply because of makeup.

Yumi had put effort into herself because she cared about this date.

"Sumimasen, I’m late, Yumi-chan. You must have been waiting for a long time!" Kitahara spoke first, giving her an apologetic smile.

In truth, he was not actually late.

He had arrived at the agreed time, and Yumi was the one who had come earlier than necessary. Still, when a girl arrived first for a date, being polite and apologizing was never a bad thing.

At the very least, it could leave a good impression in her heart.

"No, senpai, I was the one who arrived early." Matsuda Yumi stopped in front of him and shook her head quickly. She looked up at Kitahara with a bright smile, clearly showing that she had not minded waiting at all.

"Yumi-chan is especially beautiful today!" Kitahara praised sincerely.

"Eh, really? Senpai, you mustn’t lie to me, okay? Do you really think I’m pretty?" Matsuda Yumi’s eyes widened slightly, and there was an unmistakable anticipation hidden in her expression.

"Absolutely true!" Kitahara answered without the slightest hesitation.

The moment she heard his firm answer, Yumi’s smile immediately became brighter.

That one sentence was enough to make all her effort today feel worthwhile.

For this date with Kitahara, Matsuda Yumi had deliberately changed her schedule.

She had not gone to work in the afternoon. Instead, she had directly asked for leave and returned home. She had spent almost the entire afternoon preparing herself, carefully choosing her clothes, doing her makeup, fixing her hair, and checking her appearance in the mirror again and again.

She had even spent quite a while wondering whether her chosen outfit was suitable for a date.

After all, this was not an ordinary meeting between colleagues.

This was a date with Kitahara.

Because of that, she wanted to show him her best side.

Matsuda Yumi had originally been a little nervous about whether he would notice the difference.

Now, after hearing his straightforward compliment, every trace of uncertainty disappeared.

The happiness in her heart was difficult to conceal.

"Hee hee, senpai, you look very handsome today too! Let’s talk while we walk. Let’s go take a look up ahead." Matsuda Yumi smiled happily as she stepped closer and naturally took Kitahara’s arm.

The simple gesture made Kitahara pause for a moment.

Yumi, however, acted as though there was nothing unusual about it.

The two of them soon began walking together.

The Golden Gai area truly lived up to its reputation.

Even though it was still early evening, the streets were already filled with people. Many office workers might still have been commuting home or working overtime, yet this area was already lively.

The narrow streets were packed with pedestrians.

People passed by from every direction, conversations overlapped, and the sounds of laughter occasionally came from the small shops along the road.

The shops on both sides of the street were already brightly illuminated. Neon signs flickered above their entrances, casting colorful light onto the surrounding buildings and making the entire district look much brighter than it otherwise would have been.

The atmosphere was completely different from the quieter streets they had passed through earlier.

Matsuda Yumi seemed particularly interested in everything around her.

From time to time, she would point toward a shop or glance through a window, sharing her thoughts with Kitahara. Kitahara also responded naturally, and before long, the initial awkwardness of meeting at the beginning of the date had completely disappeared.

The two of them walked side by side, occasionally leaning closer to talk because of the surrounding noise.

From an outsider’s perspective, they looked like a young couple enjoying an evening together.

Kitahara’s appearance was already above average, while his clothes and overall manner were neat and appropriate for the occasion. Beside him, Yumi had clearly dressed up carefully.

Together, they attracted quite a few glances from people passing by.

Matsuda Yumi noticed some of those looks, but instead of feeling embarrassed, she secretly became even happier.

She tightened her grip around Kitahara’s arm slightly.

After walking for a while, Kitahara and Matsuda Yumi began discussing where they should have dinner.

There were plenty of choices in the area, and almost every shop had its own appeal.

After considering each other’s preferences, they eventually decided to enter a yakitori shop.

The moment they approached the entrance, Kitahara noticed a sign advertising one of the shop’s specialties.

"Chochin yakitori."

The unusual name immediately caught his attention.

He had eaten yakitori before, but he had never tried this particular type.

Yumi also leaned closer to look at the sign.

"Senpai, do you want to try it?" she asked.

"Yeah. Since we’re already here, let’s give it a try." Kitahara nodded.

Yakitori, as the name suggested, generally referred to skewered ingredients grilled over a flame. In earlier periods of Japanese history, yakitori shops used a wider variety of ingredients, including quail, pheasant, sparrow, and other birds. In modern times, chicken had become the main ingredient, while vegetables, seafood, and other meats were also commonly used.

Chochin yakitori, however, was more unusual.

The name came from its appearance.

The dish used an immature egg yolk from inside a chicken. When placed on a bamboo skewer, the yolk hung beneath the chicken meat in a shape resembling a tiny lantern.

That was where the name "chochin," meaning lantern, came from.

Kitahara became even more curious after reading the description.

For him, trying something unfamiliar was one of the pleasures of visiting a place like Golden Gai.

He and Yumi exchanged a glance before entering the shop together.

The warm smell of grilled meat immediately greeted them.

Yumi smiled and followed Kitahara inside, her hand still lightly holding his arm.

The lively evening had only just begun.