Enjoy~
TL: ALT
Chapter 57 – Unimplemented Event in My Life
After completing the procedures for joining the guild, Haitani-san put the documents in a large envelope and said,
“Now, let’s end this wild talk, shall we?”
“Eh, I thought that was the main topic of conversation?”
“I think it is for me. But if that were all, I would have come here instead of asking for Kurashiki-san’s help.”
“Then?”
I asked her, but she didn’t answer me,
“Then, master. I wish you the best of luck.”
After saying that, she quickly left the room.
Serika, who was left behind, looked nervous for some reason.
“Uh…”
“What’s wrong?”
While I tilted my head at Serika’s slurred speech, Serika took a deep breath and, said, “Alright,” and steeled herself.
…What is it about? I’m getting all worked up too.
It’s not like we’re in a relationship where we have to get into it right now, I thought.
But the next thing Serika said completely froze my brain.
“Let’s go on a date.”
…………。
…Eh?
I feel like I heard something incredible.
And, uh.
A date?
“A date? You don’t mean that date?”
“What other date would that be?”
“I opened the app on my phone and tried to use it, but a pop-up appeared and sent me to the app store. Apparently, there’s a bug fix.”
“That’s an update, right?”
“There are some topics that should not be discussed, such as being polite to a friend. Such topics are called…”
“Yes, sensitive topics! I know you can hear me already!”
“Sorry, I couldn’t think of anything else to make a big joke about except those two.”
“Date is such a short word! It’s hard to mishear!”
“Just to be sure, I’ll ask you again… date, you mean that date, right?”
“Probably right about that date.”
“The one where the boyfriend and girlfriend go?”
“Boyfriend and girlfriend, the kind you go on with someone you think you might have a chance with.”
“I-I see…”
After thinking about it for a while,
“Hah!?”
And then I suddenly turned around.
“There’s no one behind you! I’m definitely talking to Yuto! I’m asking Yuto out on a date! Don’t make me say so much already!”
Serika shouted, her face flushed.
“…This is ridiculous… was dating ever been implemented in my life?”
And with such a cute girl (she’s already an adult, though)?
Are you kidding me?
“Hey, you don’t want to! You don’t want to go on a date with me?”
“N-no, that’s not true!”
I shake my head from side to side.
“Then it’s okay! Let’s go!”
“I-I understand. But what shall we do?”
“Let’s go to the movies first. The show time is… Wow, it’s so late! We have to hurry!”
So I’m going on a “date” with Serika, it seems.
Eh, really?
After watching the movie, Serika and I had a late lunch, and we exchanged our impressions of the movie.
We were a bit awkward at first, but by this time, we had managed to get back to a level where we could have a conversation.
The fact that we started with a movie, something we could just watch together without talking, was a big plus.
This date plan must have been made with that in mind.
Somehow, I could picture Haitani-san’s face as she said to Serika, “I wish you the best of luck.
“Let’s see, next is…”
As three o’clock approached, Serika started to search the schedule in her brain.
“Do you want to go shopping or to the aquarium?”
“Well…”
I’ve heard that shopping for women is long and difficult… but that’s a far-fetched boast of the popular ones.
Or maybe it’s the sneakiness of the unattractive ones.
However, since there is nothing in particular that I want to buy, I think I would enjoy the aquarium more.
I would love to accompany Serika on her shopping trip, but I don’t think I would be able to make a witty comment on women’s fashion.
But it reminds me of a conversation I had with Serika a while ago.
“We were talking about you looking at my clothes, right?”
“That’s right. Fufu. You remembered.”
Serika smiles happily.
“Then let’s go shopping. Let’s look at Yuto’s clothes.”
“I can’t afford anything too expensive.”
“It would be nice to have at least one fashionable outfit, right? Even if it’s expensive, it’s not like you’re going to buy a brand-name item.”
“I’ll leave it up to you.”
Well, it is not impossible to buy some expensive clothes now.
I just haven’t had the opportunity to buy expensive clothes yet.
The headquarters of the Explorers Association is located in Shinjuku, which is, of course, a convenient place for shopping.
Serika walked with a familiar gait through a fashionable place that I had never set foot in before.
“Oh, that looks good on you.”
Serika picked up a spring jacket.
“Does it? You think it looks cool?”
“A little style doesn’t hurt. The rest of the jacket is simple…”
“Yeah, I could wear this.”
“Maybe you could wear this with this. The jacket is the same, only the innerwear is different.”
“Doesn’t it match the pants a little?”
“Hmm, yeah, I guess so… Then let’s buy the pants as well. What about this one?”
“Hey, hey, how many items do you want me to buy?”
“We’re just looking at them.”
Serika uses me as a dress-up doll while she tries to coordinate the clothes.
After a few minutes,
“Is this okay?”
Serika says, looking at me from behind as I stand in front of the mirror.
The tip of Serika’s hair brushes gently against my shoulder.
The distance between us is so close it’s intimidating.
“It’s okay, right?”
It took a while, but it didn’t feel painful.
I had never been into fashion before, so this was a new experience for me, and surprisingly, I enjoyed it quite a bit.
Serika gave a small nod,
“Ah, Shopkeeper-san, I want all of them!”
“A-all of them?”
“Hey, Serika!”
“I’ll pay with this card.”
“T-This card? Please wait a moment!”
Serika took out her credit card, and the shopkeeper’s attitude suddenly became more polite.
I don’t know what this is, but it seems to be a great card.
“Would you like to wear what is being tried on?”
“Yes, please just take off the price tag.”
“Very well.”
The shopkeeper removed the price tags from the clothes I was trying on.
Meanwhile, another shopkeeper appeared and wrapped the clothes Serika had bought in wrapping paper.
The wrapped clothes were placed in an expensive-looking paper bag that could not be easily thrown away. My clothes were also neatly folded and placed in the same bag.
The two shopkeepers saw us off, and Serika and I left the store.
“Hey, Serika. I can pay…”
“That’s okay. It’s a gift. I have more money than I can spend anyway. Can you just accept it?”
“All right. Thank you.”
“Yeah, okay!”
I was taken aback by Serika’s wide smile and involuntarily turned my face away from her.
“…What’s wrong Yuto?”
���N-no, it’s nothing.”
“Is something wrong?”
Serika tilted her head.
Maybe she really doesn’t understand.
Serika has always been so unguarded.
If she doesn’t realize how attractive she is, it would be hard for me to be with her.
I leave the store with the paper bag in my arms.
The sun was hiding behind the downtown buildings, and the sky was painted a gradient of red and indigo.
“I made a reservation at a restaurant. Let’s go.”
Serika smiled.
Serika’s smile, tinted deep red, is dazzling, and not just because of the setting sun shining through the cracks in the buildings.
“O-okay.”
I just staggered along with my childhood friend as if under some kind of “fascination” spell.