Too stubborn? Nico opens her mouth to protest, and promptly snaps it back shut. Oh-- is she trying to challenge her into accepting? In a way it's almost kind of clever, but Nico won't fall for such an obvious trap.

"What does it matter? Everyone paying for themselves is just normal for friends hanging out, right?"

And she lays a trap of her own, fingers squeezing Akiha's palm: "Or you're telling me this is a date?"