Kouhei and Hina continued walking side by side, their footsteps echoing softly along the pavement as their awkward date dragged on. Despite the hours spent together, the heavy tension in the air remained unchanged. It felt like an invisible wall stood between them, making every interaction stiff and unnatural. The atmosphere was far from romantic—if anything, it had deteriorated even further. The awkward silence between them seemed to press down harder with each passing minute.
They had already visited multiple spots throughout the day. First, they'd watched a movie, sitting beside one another in that dimly lit theatre, where even the flickering screen couldn't break the ice between them. Then, they wandered into an arcade, filled with flashing lights and mechanical beeps. Kouhei had put in effort and he'd managed to win her a stuffed toy after several tries, the soft plush animal now hanging loosely from her hand. For a moment, it seemed like her mood had lightened, but even that faint glimmer quickly faded. Whatever small improvement it brought was shallow, like a ripple that disappeared before it reached the shore.
Now, Kouhei found himself completely at a loss. The weight of uncertainty dragged on him. He had absolutely no idea how to salvage the mood or steer this date into something enjoyable. Nagisa's advice echoed in his head. She had told him to follow his own pace. But Kouhei couldn't help but wonder... how could he possibly do that when he felt like every step he took was a misstep?
"Kouhei," Hina suddenly spoke, her voice cutting through the silence like a soft bell.
He turned to look at her, and she gently pointed in the distance. "Let's go there."
Following the direction of her fingertip, Kouhei spotted a modest-looking shop nestled along the street. Its signboard was simple, yet it carried a charm that spoke of familiarity. From the displays visible through the glass windows, it was clear that the place specialized in selling manga and light novels.
Kouhei glanced at her again, his brow faintly furrowed in surprise. He hadn't known that Hina had any interest in this kind of place. Nevertheless, not wanting to disappoint her, and hoping perhaps this detour could lift her mood, he nodded and followed her inside.
As for Hina, she hadn't chosen that shop at random. She had pointed it out not simply because it piqued her curiosity—but because she was trying to understand Kouhei better. She knew he liked anime and manga. And from what she observed, he had not indulged in any of those interests since they had gotten involved. Perhaps, she thought, bringing him here might allow him to enjoy himself again—at least for a moment.
Kouhei stepped inside and immediately found himself surrounded by tall shelves lined with colorful volumes. Each shelf was tightly packed with manga and light novels, some freshly released, their covers vibrant and eye-catching, while others were long-standing titles that had survived the test of time. The familiar smell of paper and ink filled his senses. He used to be an avid reader, spending hours diving into these fictional worlds.
But now wasn't the right time to get lost in nostalgia. He reminded himself that Hina had brought him here, and that meant something specific had likely caught her eye.
"Uh, Hina-san, that's…!"
His words came out in a flustered stammer as he noticed her heading toward a particular section of the store. A place discreetly marked and slightly hidden behind a corner shelf. It was a space people rarely ventured into openly, and only if they were of age. The R-18+ section.
Kouhei felt his throat tighten. While he himself was already eighteen, and Hina—despite her youthful looks—was also well beyond that age, having lived many years already, he instinctively wanted to shield her from it. He didn't want her to be surprised, or worse, disturbed by what she might see. But before he could say anything more, she had already entered.
Hina now stood inside the adult section of the shop, where the shelves displayed an overwhelming collection of perverted materials. Erotic manga with explicit covers, provocative anime figures frozen in risqué poses, and adult-themed artbooks surrounded her on all sides. It was likely the first time she had seen such an open display of lewd content. Her eyes calmly scanned the scene without flinching.
"Kouhei, do you kind of stuff?" she asked, her voice neutral as she gestured toward a nearby rack brimming with explicit titles.
Kouhei's gaze darted away. A warm flush crept up his neck, and he struggled to maintain composure.
"I… I do," he admitted quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Well, you are a boy after all," Hina replied, her tone unreadable. She reached out and picked up one of the more perverted manga. Her eyes calmly studied the cover, which featured a naked woman, her body tightly coiled and restrained by dozens of writhing tentacles. The rubbery limbs groped her exposed breasts and limbs, making the imagery overtly lewd.
After a few moments of silent inspection, she gently placed the volume back on the shelf.
Then, turning toward Kouhei with a spark of interest in her eyes, she asked, "If I asked you to recommend me something in here, what would you pick?"
"R-Recommend? But this is the hentai section, Hina-san…" he responded nervously, hands half-lifted as if trying to steer her attention elsewhere. "Um, if you want, I can recommend you something else instead. particular manga, for example…"
"I want you to pick from here, Kouhei," Hina interrupted firmly. Her eyes held a determined glint, and the way she stood her ground made it clear that she wasn't going to back down. If he didn't give her what she asked, she wouldn't let the matter rest.
Realizing there was no way out of this, Kouhei sighed heavily and lowered his head, accepting his fate with quiet resignation.
He turned back toward the shelf and searched for something—anything—that wouldn't be too extreme. Eventually, his eyes landed on a particular title. In terms of content, it was relatively mild—certainly more reserved compared to the others. It carried a softer tone, and although it was still hentai, it had a surprisingly wholesome story.
With a bit of hesitation, Kouhei reached out and grabbed it, offering it as his recommendation.
"U-Um, I don't exactly know how I'm supposed to recommend a hentai manga, but..." Kouhei's voice trailed off slightly, his eyes flickering with a mix of embarrassment and resignation as he held up the volume, "...the premise of this story revolves around a girl and a boy who are in a relationship. The girl, well, she experiments with all sorts of cosplay, dressing up as different characters and acting in those roles to entertain her boyfriend. They take things a step further and engaged in roleplay, immersing themselves in fantasy, and having sex while she's in character. It's basically a hentai manga that revolves around cosplay sex. But, uh, despite that... it's actually pretty wholesome all the way through. No crazy stuff. Just them enjoying each other."
As he finished, the tips of his ears turned a faint shade of red, and his gaze drifted downward, unable to meet Hina's eyes. He wasn't even finished trying to recover from the mortifying task of recommending it when she silently reached for the manga.
Without a single word of hesitation, Hina took the volume into her hands and approached the cashier with calm, steady steps, as if she were purchasing a romance novel and not an R-18 book with suggestive artwork. Kouhei blinked, mouth slightly agape. Before he could even try to talk her out of it, the manga was already being neatly placed in a paper bag, its contents sealed away like a secret between them.
And just like that, they exited the shop and stepped into the bustling street.
"Now then," Hina spoke, her voice casual but composed, "I suppose I should read it now, so I can understand exactly what it is that appeals to you about this." With that, she reached into the paper bag, her fingers brushing past the crinkled edges as she began pulling the book out in plain sight.
"Wait—!" Kouhei's voice came out louder than intended as he instinctively reached out, halting her hand before the cover could be revealed to the public. "Uh, Hina-san… I really don't think it's a good idea to whip that out here. I mean, this is still a public space. Worse, we could actually get arrested for public indecency..."
Hina paused, her eyes calmly settling on him, and for a moment, the air between them felt thick with anticipation.
"Then… would you prefer to read it with me somewhere else?"
That was, in truth, the most ideal option given the circumstances. It was certainly more sensible to read it in private rather than out in public. However, the fact that she explicitly said she wanted to read it together with him left Kouhei unsure. What exactly did she mean by that?
"Uh… I guess the better place would have to be..." Kouhei racked his brain for somewhere—anywhere—that would be appropriate, a place discreet enough but not too suspicious. A park? No, still too public. His apartment? No, too sudden. Somewhere safe… somewhere private...
Before he could even finish forming a single viable idea, Hina's soft voice cut through the haze in his mind.
"Here." Her tone was quiet but firm as she pointed to a building just beside them.
Kouhei turned to look where she was pointing—and his eyes widened.
A love motel stood there, discreetly nestled between two taller buildings, its exterior modest but unmistakably designed for intimacy. The sign flickered softly under the early evening sky, as if inviting them in.
Certainly, if privacy was what they sought, this place offered it in full. Kouhei had actually thought about the idea—secretly, of course. He had planned to maybe invite Hina there tonight... but only when the timing felt right. When her mood had lightened, when things had shifted more naturally. But this...
His heart thudded against his ribs like a drum as he stood there frozen, struggling to process what exactly was happening.