That night I was writhing on the floor in front of my phone, on the verge of getting down on my knees.
[“About Sunday, Souji-kun, is there anywhere you want to go? If not, can we go somewhere I want to go?”]
I fainted at the fact that Hiria-chan was typing my name, my official name. I was horrified to imagine that Saionji-san was typing it.
It was so far from my image that it was hard to match, but I’ve always been a guy who thinks all girls are cute and has the potential to like most of them.
Saionji-san was extremely cute, and if I wanted to, I could fall in love with her in about three seconds.
I just assumed that it was easy to have a crush on Saionji-san, but absolutely impossible to date or get involved with her. There was no reason to think about this “impossibility”. If you think about it, she’s really Hiria-chan, and there’s nothing wrong with that as long as she’s happy.
＊
The appointed Sunday arrived.
It was to be in the city next to the station where I live. It was her choice. She chose it because she hadn’t explored the area yet and because it had her favorite Gyudon chain.
So, five minutes after our noon meeting, we were walking towards the Gyudon restaurant.
Saionji-san, who was wearing a very expensive-looking dress, looked radiant today.
The Gyudon shop was close to the station, so it was easy to get there, but she was looking around in a strange way.
“Ah, it was forbidden when I was in middle school.”
“Eating Gyudon?” (TN: Gyudon is a beef bowl.)
“I mean, students are not allowed to go into restaurants alone.”
“Ah, since it’s middle school.”
“I think it’s the same in high school. They also forbid part-time jobs.”
“That’s a high-class ladies’ school for you.”
In the meantime, we arrived in front of the restaurant.
Saionji-san, who was walking in front of me, turned around to hide behind me.
“…Sakura-kun, you go in first.”
Saionji-san was nervous about something. She seemed to be more hesitant than usual, but she also seemed to be excited, and she was pushing me hard. I almost laughed, but bit it back and went inside.
Perhaps it was because it was early in the morning, but the store was still empty.
Saionji-san faced the menu with a serious face.
“Sakura-kun, have you already decided?”
“Yeah, it’s only Gyudon related stuff…”
“You should be more particular! They also have sukiyaki. What about pork miso soup? Don’t you want to add pork miso soup?”
“Maybe I should…”
“Sakura-kun! You’re not serious enough!”
“Ye-Yes.”
The beef bowl was then placed in front of us. Saionji-san had a big smile on her face.
It was a smile that made me think that if she had a bowl of rice on her desk at school, she would be able to make friends easily. But it was also a dangerous smile that could cause the boys around her to start chomping on her desk.
“Itadakimasu.”
Saionji-san put her hands together and expressed thanks for the beef bowl.
I picked up my chopsticks and started to pick up the beef bowl.
It tasted like an ordinary Gyudon. I didn’t dislike it, but it wasn’t something that impressed me.
However, I had to nod my head vigorously as Saionji-san broke into a smile as she ate it and asked me to agree that it was delicious. Something in my mouth turned into a shiny substance. I feel like I’m eating something amazing.
Saionji-san wasn’t a very fast eater, so I finished first. I was too afraid to stare at her eating from the front, so I stared intensely at the bottle of red ginger.
Still, I was curious and suddenly looked at her face.
Saionji-san had just finished eating and was drinking her tea.
“Sai…oh”
“Eh?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Oh, come on, tell me. It’s making me itchy.”
“Yeah… um… next to your mouth…”
A grain of rice was there.
I don’t know if it’s okay to say this. I’ve been agonizing over whether or not I should tell girls that they have nose hairs, but there’s a difference between a grain of rice and nose hair.
“Eh, really? Say it fast.”
Saionji-san started to chuckle, though I was not sure what was so funny.
It’s amazing. It was so pretty, like a flower had bloomed. So cute. So cute that I felt like I could almost eat a bowl of rice.
“Cute…”
The words just leaked out of my mouth, and Saionji-san’s face turned serious and a little red.
I slammed my face down on the table. I was aware that my face was a fierier red, a blood-red.
“…Sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing?”
“Just because….”
“Shall we leave?”
Saionji-san loosened her mouth and let out a small breath.
We walked out of the store, but it was still early in the morning. I didn’t know what to do now. I had a meeting with Warako-chan, but it was completely fruitless.
“How many kilometers can a girl walk on a date…?”
“Eh, I hadn’t really thought about it in terms of kilometers, but I guess it depends on the person and how they play.”
“That’s true, but in general.”
“I’d say for an average girl, it is about a kilometer.”
“That’s not much!”
“I’m sure there are a lot of girls out there with less than a kilometer range… But I’m more of a walker… So, I can do about 7.5 kilometers!”
7.5… 7.5?!
Warako-chan cascaded across my brain.
“I want to go explore, for now, let’s walk.”
Saionji-san said and started walking quickly.
However, she quickly turned around and stopped.
“Nekura-kun… Souji-kun.”
“Yes.”
“I want to hold hands.”
I reflexively tried to scrub my hand, but my hand was grabbed with a quick movement.
“I like you, after all, Nekura-kun.”
She whispered. Please don’t do that, because I’m about to fall down on the street.
By the way, her hands are so small… They are so small that you can almost crush them… I even feel uneasy, like I’m holding a small bird in my palm.
“I’m starting to like Sakura-kun, but I still like Nekura-kun.”
“…I’m happy.”
“You’re happy? I thought it was a bit rude though…”
“Yeah, I’m happy.”
Sakura Souji was created by me and the people around me, and my body is more like Nekura.
She said that she liked the part of me that I couldn’t admit to for a long time. That makes me very happy.
“Have you found a matching point yet, Sakura-kun?”
“…not yet.”
“Me neither.”
The image of Hiria-chan in my mind and Saionji-san do not match easily. I can find a lot of similarities between them, but that’s as far as it goes.
So there I was, with all the guilt and shame of a two-timing man.
However, the date itself did not turn out to be as bad as I had feared.
It seemed that Saionji-san was used to hanging out by herself on a regular basis, and she didn’t mind my presence as an extension of that.
She would move here and there while talking, saying she wanted to see there and go here. When she was quiet for a while, I didn’t feel awkward because she didn’t seem to be expecting a conversation.
“Sakura-kun, look at this.”
There were cat tracks on the concrete she was pointing at. She took a picture of it on her phone with a serious look on her face and started walking again.
I was chaperoning a curious princess who embarked on an adventure in the castle town. Such a carefree feeling made me feel much more at ease.
I walked into a bookstore and Saionji-san, who was looking at the top shelf, looked around and then said to me as if she just noticed me.
“Sakura-kun, take that one.”
“Which one?”
“That one. ‘Dosu koi ☆ Chanko Daizen’.”
“Ah…”
She thought it would be faster to tell me since the step ladder was so far away. I reached out and got a little closer to her, and I could smell something really good in her hair. This smell. It’s not a boy. Eh? A girl? What am I doing right now? Am I with a girl, just the two of us? Oh, no. I’m going crazy.
No, this is a guy who smells good.
I can handle a guy. I love guys a lot. I chanted in my head and handed her the book.
“Thank you. I wanted to see the cover.”
She said, then checked the book and chuckled.
“This cover is cute. Isn’t it cute?”
She showed it to me with a hearty laugh.
The cover was a sumo wrestler in an apron, so it was kind of cute or more like funny. But Saionji seemed to really like it and ended up buying it.
TN: The Date is not over yet…
That night I was writhing on the floor in front of my phone, on the verge of getting down on my knees.
[“About Sunday, Souji-kun, is there anywhere you want to go? If not, can we go somewhere I want to go?”]
I fainted at the fact that Hiria-chan was typing my name, my official name. I was horrified to imagine that Saionji-san was typing it.
It was so far from my image that it was hard to match, but I’ve always been a guy who thinks all girls are cute and has the potential to like most of them.
Saionji-san was extremely cute, and if I wanted to, I could fall in love with her in about three seconds.
I just assumed that it was easy to have a crush on Saionji-san, but absolutely impossible to date or get involved with her. There was no reason to think about this “impossibility”. If you think about it, she’s really Hiria-chan, and there’s nothing wrong with that as long as she’s happy.
＊
The appointed Sunday arrived.
It was to be in the city next to the station where I live. It was her choice. She chose it because she hadn’t explored the area yet and because it had her favorite Gyudon chain.
So, five minutes after our noon meeting, we were walking towards the Gyudon restaurant.
Saionji-san, who was wearing a very expensive-looking dress, looked radiant today.
The Gyudon shop was close to the station, so it was easy to get there, but she was looking around in a strange way.
“Ah, it was forbidden when I was in middle school.”
“Eating Gyudon?” (TN: Gyudon is a beef bowl.)
“I mean, students are not allowed to go into restaurants alone.”
“Ah, since it’s middle school.”
“I think it’s the same in high school. They also forbid part-time jobs.”
“That’s a high-class ladies’ school for you.”
In the meantime, we arrived in front of the restaurant.
Saionji-san, who was walking in front of me, turned around to hide behind me.
“…Sakura-kun, you go in first.”
Saionji-san was nervous about something. She seemed to be more hesitant than usual, but she also seemed to be excited, and she was pushing me hard. I almost laughed, but bit it back and went inside.
Perhaps it was because it was early in the morning, but the store was still empty.
Saionji-san faced the menu with a serious face.
“Sakura-kun, have you already decided?”
“Yeah, it’s only Gyudon related stuff…”
“You should be more particular! They also have sukiyaki. What about pork miso soup? Don’t you want to add pork miso soup?”
“Maybe I should…”
“Sakura-kun! You’re not serious enough!”
“Ye-Yes.”
The beef bowl was then placed in front of us. Saionji-san had a big smile on her face.
It was a smile that made me think that if she had a bowl of rice on her desk at school, she would be able to make friends easily. But it was also a dangerous smile that could cause the boys around her to start chomping on her desk.
“Itadakimasu.”
Saionji-san put her hands together and expressed thanks for the beef bowl.
I picked up my chopsticks and started to pick up the beef bowl.
It tasted like an ordinary Gyudon. I didn’t dislike it, but it wasn’t something that impressed me.
However, I had to nod my head vigorously as Saionji-san broke into a smile as she ate it and asked me to agree that it was delicious. Something in my mouth turned into a shiny substance. I feel like I’m eating something amazing.
Saionji-san wasn’t a very fast eater, so I finished first. I was too afraid to stare at her eating from the front, so I stared intensely at the bottle of red ginger.
Still, I was curious and suddenly looked at her face.
Saionji-san had just finished eating and was drinking her tea.
“Sai…oh”
“Eh?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Oh, come on, tell me. It’s making me itchy.”
“Yeah… um… next to your mouth…”
A grain of rice was there.
I don’t know if it’s okay to say this. I’ve been agonizing over whether or not I should tell girls that they have nose hairs, but there’s a difference between a grain of rice and nose hair.
“Eh, really? Say it fast.”
Saionji-san started to chuckle, though I was not sure what was so funny.
It’s amazing. It was so pretty, like a flower had bloomed. So cute. So cute that I felt like I could almost eat a bowl of rice.
“Cute…”
The words just leaked out of my mouth, and Saionji-san’s face turned serious and a little red.
I slammed my face down on the table. I was aware that my face was a fierier red, a blood-red.
“…Sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing?”
“Just because….”
“Shall we leave?”
Saionji-san loosened her mouth and let out a small breath.
We walked out of the store, but it was still early in the morning. I didn’t know what to do now. I had a meeting with Warako-chan, but it was completely fruitless.
“How many kilometers can a girl walk on a date…?”
“Eh, I hadn’t really thought about it in terms of kilometers, but I guess it depends on the person and how they play.”
“That’s true, but in general.”
“I’d say for an average girl, it is about a kilometer.”
“That’s not much!”
“I’m sure there are a lot of girls out there with less than a kilometer range… But I’m more of a walker… So, I can do about 7.5 kilometers!”
7.5… 7.5?!
Warako-chan cascaded across my brain.
“I want to go explore, for now, let’s walk.”
Saionji-san said and started walking quickly.
However, she quickly turned around and stopped.
“Nekura-kun… Souji-kun.”
“Yes.”
“I want to hold hands.”
I reflexively tried to scrub my hand, but my hand was grabbed with a quick movement.
“I like you, after all, Nekura-kun.”
She whispered. Please don’t do that, because I’m about to fall down on the street.
By the way, her hands are so small… They are so small that you can almost crush them… I even feel uneasy, like I’m holding a small bird in my palm.
“I’m starting to like Sakura-kun, but I still like Nekura-kun.”
“…I’m happy.”
“You’re happy? I thought it was a bit rude though…”
“Yeah, I’m happy.”
Sakura Souji was created by me and the people around me, and my body is more like Nekura.
She said that she liked the part of me that I couldn’t admit to for a long time. That makes me very happy.
“Have you found a matching point yet, Sakura-kun?”
“…not yet.”
“Me neither.”
The image of Hiria-chan in my mind and Saionji-san do not match easily. I can find a lot of similarities between them, but that’s as far as it goes.
So there I was, with all the guilt and shame of a two-timing man.
However, the date itself did not turn out to be as bad as I had feared.
It seemed that Saionji-san was used to hanging out by herself on a regular basis, and she didn’t mind my presence as an extension of that.
She would move here and there while talking, saying she wanted to see there and go here. When she was quiet for a while, I didn’t feel awkward because she didn’t seem to be expecting a conversation.
“Sakura-kun, look at this.”
There were cat tracks on the concrete she was pointing at. She took a picture of it on her phone with a serious look on her face and started walking again.
I was chaperoning a curious princess who embarked on an adventure in the castle town. Such a carefree feeling made me feel much more at ease.
I walked into a bookstore and Saionji-san, who was looking at the top shelf, looked around and then said to me as if she just noticed me.
“Sakura-kun, take that one.”
“Which one?”
“That one. ‘Dosu koi ☆ Chanko Daizen’.”
“Ah…”
She thought it would be faster to tell me since the step ladder was so far away. I reached out and got a little closer to her, and I could smell something really good in her hair. This smell. It’s not a boy. Eh? A girl? What am I doing right now? Am I with a girl, just the two of us? Oh, no. I’m going crazy.
No, this is a guy who smells good.
I can handle a guy. I love guys a lot. I chanted in my head and handed her the book.
“Thank you. I wanted to see the cover.”
She said, then checked the book and chuckled.
“This cover is cute. Isn’t it cute?”
She showed it to me with a hearty laugh.
The cover was a sumo wrestler in an apron, so it was kind of cute or more like funny. But Saionji seemed to really like it and ended up buying it.
TN: The Date is not over yet…
