The next morning, after finishing his early morning study session, which didn't progress as much as usual, Haruto took a shower, changed his clothes, and styled his hair using a hair product he rarely used. Finally, he checked his appearance in the full-length mirror.
“Alright, nothing looks off.”
Haruto nodded after making sure he was presentable. As someone who would be escorting a lady, maintaining a neat appearance was the minimum standard of etiquette. Following his grandmother’s teachings faithfully, Haruto finished getting ready and headed towards the entrance.
“Granny, I’m off.”
“Yes, yes, be careful out there.”
“Alright.”
After being seen off by his grandmother, Haruto made his way to the station building, the meeting spot with Ayaka. It took about twenty minutes by train from Haruto’s town to where the station building was located.
For the past few days, the weather had been so persistently clear that it was as if all other weather conditions had been forgotten. Haruto, weary of the relentless heatwave, left the comfort of the air-conditioned train and headed to the designated meeting spot with Ayaka.
“Hmm, I got here about twenty minutes earlier than planned.”
Though he had left home with plenty of time to spare, it seemed he overestimated how much time he needed. Thinking this, Haruto made his way toward the plaza in front of the station building. The plaza had benches and large sculptures, making it a popular place for meeting up.
Today as well, several people were either sitting on benches or leaning against the sculptures, fiddling with their smartphones while waiting for someone. Haruto noticed that a corner of the plaza seemed unusually bustling.
“Hm? I wonder if something’s happening?”
Occasionally, street performers would put on shows in this plaza. Since he had some time to kill before his meeting, Haruto decided to check it out, assuming it was a street performance. As he approached the commotion, he overheard the conversations of the people around him, especially the men.
“Hey, isn’t that crazy? Could she be a celebrity?”
“Is she waiting for her boyfriend? Should we try talking to her?”
“No way she’s just an ordinary person, right? A model? An idol?”
“Look at her figure, it’s insane!”
Haruto tilted his head, puzzled by what he was hearing. It didn’t seem like they were watching a street performance. Maybe there was a model or an idol there for a drama or magazine shoot, attracting a crowd of onlookers.
Figuring he might as well take a peek himself, Haruto gave in to his curiosity and lightly pushed through the crowd to catch a glimpse of this idol or model that everyone was focused on. Finally, the figure at the center of attention came into view.
In an instant, the summer heat Haruto had been feeling vanished completely.
“Tojou-san!?”
Haruto couldn’t help but blurt out her name. A few people nearby gave him strange looks. Ayaka, seemingly aware of the gazes directed at her, stood there with her head slightly bowed, looking somewhat uncomfortable.
Her outfit consisted of a black flared skirt on the bottom and a white off-shoulder top with a thin cardigan draped over it. The off-shoulder wasn’t overly revealing, and the design was quite modest. With the cardigan on top, her appearance was elegant.
However, her excellent figure still managed to draw the attention of men, and combined with her beauty, even passersby couldn’t help but glance at her once or twice. Haruto once again realized just how extraordinary Ayaka Tojou, the “idol of the school,” truly was.
He felt a slight twinge of fear, thinking that if he dared speak to her now, he might get beaten up by the jealous onlookers. However, not speaking to Ayaka wasn’t an option either. Just as he was steeling himself to take the plunge, Ayaka, who had been staring downward, suddenly looked up and their eyes met.
In that moment, her uneasy and anxious expression transformed into a radiant, beaming smile.
“Otsuki-kun!”
Ayaka’s smile, as bright as the sun, caused several men to sigh, with a few standing there slack-jawed. Quite a number of people turned to stare at Haruto, who was the recipient of her smile.
Receiving all these gazes at once, Haruto smiled back at Ayaka, who was now half-running towards him.
“Sorry, Miss Tojou. Did I keep you waiting?”
“No, no! I just got here too, so it’s totally fine!”
Given the crowd that had gathered around her, the fact that she had “just arrived” was probably a lie. However, Haruto decided not to point it out— it would be rude to do so. Instead, he kept smiling and said:
“Well then, shall we get going?”
“Yeah!” Ayaka replied with great enthusiasm.
Walking beside her, Haruto could feel the mix of jealous and admiring gazes directed at him, and he had a feeling that today was going to be quite an exhausting day. Despite this, Haruto’s heart was racing just a little faster. Yet, he kept his composure, making sure not to show his excitement as they headed toward the station building.
“I’m really looking forward to the movie today,” Ayaka said, walking with a light, almost bouncy step and flashing him a warm smile.
“Yes, I’m looking forward to it too,” Haruto replied, feeling almost blinded by her radiant smile. After a brief pause, he finally mustered up the courage to speak.
“Tojou-san, you look... really cute today.”
“Wha— !? Do... do you think so?”
Ayaka was clearly dressed to impress today. Haruto had been thinking that, as a gesture of respect toward her effort, he should definitely compliment her. However, for a teenage boy, putting such feelings into words was rather embarrassing, and it took him until now to finally express it.
Upon hearing Haruto’s words, Ayaka’s shoulders twitched slightly, and she looked at him with a hint of embarrassment.
“Yes, today, Tojou-san... you have this elegant, mature aura, while still being really cute. I think... you look very charming.”
As Haruto spoke, he could feel his face heating up. Ideally, he would have liked to compliment her in a smoother, more casual way, but his embarrassment got the better of him, and his words came out awkwardly.
“Uh, th-thank you...” Ayaka whispered, her face downturned as she expressed her gratitude in a small voice.
Haruto couldn’t help but second-guess himself, wondering if his words had been too cheesy or if he might have come off as creepy. His mind began to spiral with doubts, wondering if he was truly acting like the gentleman his grandmother had advised him to be last night. As those insecurities started to creep in, Ayaka, who had been looking down, suddenly raised her head and looked directly at him.
“Um... you look really handsome today too, Otsuki-kun.”
With a shy, upward glance, Ayaka’s words completely obliterated Haruto’s anxious thoughts in an instant.
“You always do, but today, you seem... more mature,” she continued, her cheeks turning red.
Haruto’s heart pounded as Ayaka shyly praised him. At that moment, he fully understood why so many guys at school confessed their feelings to her. He was beginning to see a glimpse of the charm that earned Ayaka the title of “the school idol.”
With both of them blushing after complimenting each other, they made their way to the top floor of the station building where the movie theaters were located. The slightly dim lighting of the floor, along with the distinct scent of caramel that filled the air, tickled their senses.
After retrieving the tickets they had reserved in advance from the machine, they turned their gaze to the popcorn stand, which was wafting a sweet and tempting aroma.
“Tojou-san, do you usually buy popcorn or drinks when you watch movies?”
“It depends on the day, I guess. I can’t eat a lot by myself, so I usually end up sharing with friends.”
“In that case, how about we share some today?”
“Yeah, that sounds good.”
“Understood. I’ll go buy them, so please wait here for a bit.”
The area near the order counter was quite crowded, so Haruto asked Ayaka to wait while he lined up alone. Perhaps because it was summer break, the place was packed, and there were about three lines of people waiting to order in front of the counter.
“This might take a while,” Haruto muttered to himself, taking his place at the end of the middle line.
“Well, we have plenty of time, so it’s fine.”
Since they had arrived earlier than planned, there was still plenty of time before the movie started. As Haruto stood in line, which was slowly moving forward, he let out a light sigh.
Now that he was away from Ayaka, he no longer felt the intense stares that had been directed at him earlier, and he could finally relax a little.
“Does Tojou-san have to deal with these kinds of stares every time she goes out? That must be exhausting,” Haruto thought sympathetically. Out of curiosity, he glanced over to where Ayaka was waiting. There, he saw her looking troubled as three college-aged guys approached and started talking to her.
Upon seeing this, Haruto abandoned his spot in the nearly completed line and hurried back to Ayaka.
“Excuse me,” he called out in a slightly louder voice.
The three men turned around, noticing Haruto’s presence.
"Whoa, wait— so she really does have a boyfriend?"
One of the men with light brown hair and multiple piercings looked at Haruto with mild surprise.
"Oh, so you guys are on a date? My bad, didn't mean to interrupt," the other brown-haired guy said, raising a hand apologetically towards Ayaka.
"N-No, it’s... it’s fine," Ayaka stammered, sidling closer to Haruto, who had just returned. The third man, with bright red hair and piercings on his eyelids and lips, grinned broadly and spoke in an overly enthusiastic tone.
"Wait, seriously? He's really your boyfriend? He looks more like just a friend! In that case, why don’t all five of us hang out together? Karaoke or darts, maybe?"
"No, we’re actually about to watch a movie," Haruto replied firmly, maintaining a resolute demeanor in response to the pushy red-haired guy. But the man showed no signs of backing down, his grin unwavering.
"Is that so? No worries, we’ll wait then! Heck, we can even watch the movie together! Right, guys?"
When he turned to his friends, the brown-haired guy who had just apologized earlier gave a wry smile.
“Hey, stop being annoying, man. Leave these kids alone. They’re clearly on a date.”
"What? It’s not really a date, right? I mean, they’re just friends, right?” The red-haired guy leaned in closer, peering at Ayaka, who was half-hiding behind Haruto. Haruto, now feeling increasingly irritated, was about to snap back when Ayaka, surprisingly, beat him to it.
“He’s my boyfriend!” she blurted out. “W-We’re dating, and, um, we’re on a date right now, so... please, just leave us alone...”
Ayaka’s voice grew smaller towards the end, and Haruto quickly stepped in to support her words.
"That's right. So, we’d appreciate it if you stopped interfering with our date.”
For a moment, Haruto’s mind went completely blank after hearing Ayaka’s declaration. But he quickly regained his composure and shot a firm look at the red-haired man to reinforce their point.
"Oh, really? Is that so? Alright, let me make it up to you, then. Seriously, as an apology. How about that? An apology should be okay, right?”
Even after all that, the red-haired man continued to persist, reaching his hand toward Ayaka. At that instant, Haruto stepped sideways, blocking the man’s hand while fully shielding Ayaka behind his back. He gave the red-haired guy a sharp, piercing glare.
“You’re bothering us. Please stop,” Haruto said quietly, his voice lowered but filled with intensity. His eyes had the fierce determination of a karate match.
“W-What the hell? I was just trying to be friendly!” The red-haired guy flinched at Haruto’s intimidating aura, and the other two brown-haired guys quickly intervened to pull him away.
“Seriously, dude, knock it off! You’re scaring them! Let’s go already.”
“Yeah, sorry about that— enjoy your date!”
“Hey, hey! Cut it out! Stop dragging me!”
With that, the three men left noisily, leaving Haruto and Ayaka alone again. Haruto let out a long breath, releasing the tension that had built up in his body, which had almost gone into karate mode.
“Phew... that guy was pretty persistent,” Haruto commented.
“Y-Yeah... He was kind of scary. I’m glad you came back when you did,” Ayaka said with relief.
“No, it’s my fault for leaving you alone. I should have predicted you’d get hit on. I’m sorry,” Haruto said, bowing his head apologetically.
Ayaka hurriedly shook her head. “No, no! It’s not your fault, Otsuki-kun! If anything, I’m the one who should apologize... for, um, saying you’re my boyfriend like that.”
She lowered her gaze, looking guilty. Haruto, in turn, gave her a reassuring smile.
“It’s alright. That guy was pretty insistent, so you had to say something strong to get rid of him.”
Sometimes, with people like that red-haired guy, you had to be blunt to get your message across.
“Yeah, but... um, Otsuki-kun, did you mind it? That I... called you my boyfriend...?”
“There’s no way I’d mind. In fact, I was kind of happy about it.”
“Really!?” Ayaka’s face lit up, her previous anxiety melting away.
“Absolutely. If you need to, feel free to use me to ward off unwanted attention anytime,” Haruto said.
“Th-Then... um... well... actually, I was thinking... but, uh... never mind.”
Ayaka hesitated, starting to say something but then stopping herself. Haruto tilted his head, puzzled.
“What is it? If there’s something on your mind, don’t hesitate to tell me.”
“...Are you sure?” she asked cautiously.
“Of course,” Haruto replied with a warm smile.
"Um... well... would you... like to hold hands?"
Ayaka's voice was barely more than a whisper, her face flushed bright red all the way to her ears.
"H-Hold hands?" Haruto repeated without thinking, blinking in surprise. Ayaka gave a shy, almost imperceptible nod.
"I mean... only if you don’t mind, Otsuki-kun... But, I thought it might make us look more like a couple... And maybe, if we did, something like what just happened wouldn’t happen again..."
“Ah... I-I see.” Haruto could see her point. Walking hand in hand would certainly make it obvious to anyone around them that they were a couple, leaving no room for doubt. That way, they wouldn’t have to deal with persistent guys like the ones they just encountered.
“But... are you okay with it, Tojo-san?”
“I... yeah,” she nodded softly, then added in a voice so faint it was almost inaudible, “If it’s with you, Otsuki-kun.”
"I see... In that case, shall we hold hands?"
“Y-Yeah,” she stammered.
Haruto, slightly awkwardly, extended his hand toward her. Ayaka hesitantly reached out her own. Haruto cautiously took her slender, pale hand in his, and the moment their hands brushed together, they both jumped slightly, instinctively pulling back.
"........."
"........."
They exchanged glances in silence, then quickly looked away. Gathering his resolve, Haruto reached out again, this time firmly grasping Ayaka’s hand. She flinched slightly but then responded by gently squeezing his hand in return.
“...Oh, should we, uh, get some popcorn?” Haruto asked, suddenly remembering that was what he had been doing before.
While looking at their joined hands, he noticed that the area around the counter was still quite crowded. It would probably be inconvenient to hold hands while waiting in line.
“...No, it’s okay. I... don’t want to let go,” Ayaka whispered, her voice barely audible. Her face was now redder than ever.
“Alright...” Haruto, feeling his own face growing warm, softly tugged on Ayaka’s hand.
“Let’s head to the movie, then.”
“...Yeah.”
Ayaka obediently let herself be led by Haruto, her delicate hand still in his. At that moment, the envious stares from onlookers around them no longer mattered to him. Together, they walked into the theater, fingers intertwined. Haruto used his free hand to check their ticket numbers as they made their way to their seats.
Since they had arrived well before the movie's start time, the theater was still quite empty. They managed to reach their seats without needing to let go of each other’s hands.
“These are our seats,” Haruto said.
“Yeah...” Ayaka had been noticeably quiet since they started holding hands, her responses short and her voice faint.
“Shall we sit down?” Haruto asked.
“Yeah.”
To unfold his seat, Haruto had to release Ayaka's hand momentarily. But as he started to pull away, Ayaka squeezed his hand a little tighter, as if to say, Don’t let go.
It was just for an instant, but it left Haruto feeling slightly uneasy. Still, he gently let go of her hand, and they both sat down in silence.
As Haruto settled into his seat, he couldn’t shake off the lingering feeling from how Ayaka had squeezed his hand just before letting go. But then, he felt a soft, warm touch on the back of his hand.
He looked down to find Ayaka’s small, delicate hand resting on his. When he lifted his gaze, he saw her looking down, avoiding his eyes.
Does she want to hold hands again? Haruto wondered. Testing the waters, he turned his hand over to meet hers. As soon as he did, Ayaka clasped his hand tightly.
Curious about her expression, Haruto quietly peeked at her face. When their eyes met, Ayaka was blushing deeply, but there was a small, shy smile on her lips— a mix of embarrassment and happiness.
That adorable expression sent Haruto’s heart racing. He wanted to keep staring at her, to take in that charming face forever. But Ayaka, perhaps feeling too flustered from their eye contact, quickly turned her gaze back to the movie screen.
In front of them, the massive theater screen remained blank. Yet, Ayaka stared at it intently, as if it were already playing a movie.
“We still have quite a bit of time left,” Haruto remarked.
“...Yeah.”
“Not even the previews have started yet.”
“...Yeah.”
“The number of people here is increasing, huh.”
“...Yeah.”
“.........”
“.........”
As the conversation fell into a series of dead ends, Haruto glanced around, searching for something— anything— that might serve as a new topic. Then, in her usual soft voice, Ayaka spoke.
“...T-Today’s weather is really nice, isn’t it?”
“Huh? Oh, uh, yeah, it was really sunny.”
“Yeah... It was sunny...”
“Right... Uh...”
Their conversation hit another roadblock. The fact that they were discussing the weather inside a dark, windowless theater was proof enough that they had run out of things to talk about.
“...I wonder if the previews will start soon.”
“...They probably will.”
More people were now filing into the theater. As the minutes ticked by and their awkward conversation continued to falter, Haruto started feeling increasingly anxious. However, he decided to take a different approach— to stay calm and composed, projecting an air of confidence.
“............”
“............”
The silence between them seemed to stretch endlessly. Because of that silence, Haruto found himself hyper-aware of Ayaka’s hand still clasped in his. Her slender, pale hand, which had been a bit cool when he first held it, now felt warm.
Ayaka Tojou— the “school idol” known as the most beautiful girl in their school. The fact that he was sitting beside her in a movie theater, holding hands, made Haruto’s heart beat faster, whether he wanted it to or not.
As he tried to keep his thoughts from spiraling, he wondered, We’re holding hands to keep other guys away, which makes sense. But... during the movie? Is there really a need to keep holding hands?
Yet, it didn’t seem like Ayaka had any intention of letting go. This made Haruto’s mind entertain a more hopeful interpretation of the situation. He glanced at Ayaka from the corner of his eye. She was still gazing at the screen, her cheeks tinged pink.
Looking at her delicate profile, Haruto reconsidered his thoughts. He reminded himself that he had only recently gotten to know Ayaka. In that time, there hadn’t been any particular event or action from him that would warrant her developing feelings for him. He subtly shook his head.
She doesn’t dislike me, but that doesn’t mean she likes me, either. Haruto tried to stay realistic and pushed away any overly optimistic interpretations.
As he was lost in thought, still glancing sideways at her, Ayaka suddenly turned her gaze from the screen to him. Their eyes met perfectly.
“Ah—!”
“Eek—!”
Haruto quickly turned his gaze forward, and Ayaka looked down. The tension between them was on the verge of growing even more awkward, but at that exact moment, the theater lights dimmed a notch, and advertisements began to play on the screen.
“The commercials have started,” Haruto said, attempting to break the silence.
“Yeah, they have.”
Their conversation was still brief, but at least the commercials playing on the screen provided some distraction from the awkwardness.
Haruto absentmindedly watched a flashy anti-piracy dance* commercial while pondering Ayaka’s reactions. Could it be...? Her earlier response had given him a glimmer of hope. But he quickly reminded himself that he could very well be misinterpreting things.
[TL Note: Just like most theaters that play an ad encouraging people to report illegal movie recording, Japan has its own version. In this ad, the thief has a camera for a head and dances around, while the theater staff, with a police siren for a head, enthusiastically confronts him. ]
Despite spending a lot of time with Ayaka lately, Haruto still saw her as someone who would never fall in love at first sight.
As trailers for upcoming movies filled the screen, Haruto tried to focus on them to clear his head. Eventually, the theater darkened completely, and the familiar logo of a film studio— waves crashing against rocks, forming a triangular emblem— flashed across the screen.
“It’s starting,” Haruto said quietly.
“Yeah... I’m excited.”
“Me too.”
After this short exchange, the movie began. The story opened with a high school boy, played by a handsome young actor, and a high school girl, portrayed by a rising idol. The film started with scenes of their ordinary, everyday lives right before summer vacation.
For Haruto, the start of the movie was a welcome relief from their stilted conversation and the uncomfortable silence that kept creeping up on them. However, just as he began to relax, a new dilemma started to weigh on his mind.
The movie they were watching was one of those so-called "heart-throbbing youth romance films." Thus, scenes like a tender head pat, a back hug, a wrist pull, or a chin lift were generously scattered throughout.
Each time such a scene unfolded, Ayaka would let out a soft "ah" or "oh" with sparkling eyes fixed intently on the screen. If that were all, Haruto wouldn't have minded. He'd simply think to himself, "So, Tojo-san is surprisingly, no, very much a romantic," and that would be the end of it.
However, the two of them were currently holding hands. And every time Ayaka unconsciously sighed, she would lightly squeeze Haruto’s hand. Every time she did, Haruto’s heartbeat would quicken, and he'd steal glances at her to see her face light up in awe at the movie, eventually finding himself captivated by her side profile.
As this went on, the contents of the film stopped registering for Haruto entirely.
Time passed in this manner until the movie reached its midpoint. Ayaka continued squeezing his hand unconsciously, putting Haruto's heart under constant strain. At this point, Haruto began to feel a sense of rivalry. He was the type who hated losing, even just a little bit. He wasn't content to simply be at Ayaka’s mercy, his heart racing because of her. While he didn’t dislike the current situation, it wasn't in his nature to always be on the receiving end.
Determined, Haruto waited for the right moment. He pushed away all unnecessary thoughts, desperately trying to calm his racing heartbeat, keeping his eyes glued to the screen to find the perfect timing.
Then it came: the scene where the main characters shared a kiss, hidden behind curtains in an empty classroom. The instant that scene appeared, Haruto thought, “Now’s my chance!” and braced himself.
As he predicted, at that exact moment, a breathy "ah" escaped from beside him, and he felt Ayaka’s hand squeeze his once more. But this time, Haruto squeezed back.
“──!?”
From beside him, a small, stifled gasp escaped Ayaka. When Haruto glanced over, he saw her eyes widened to the point of being almost comical, frozen as she stared at the screen.
Maybe she was just overly moved by the scene earlier, Haruto thought. So, he tried squeezing her hand a few more times. At that, Ayaka looked away from the screen, her gaze lowering as if deflated, like he could almost hear a “pshhh” sound effect.
Seeing Ayaka’s unexpectedly intense reaction, Haruto wondered if he might have gone too far. Confused, he stopped squeezing her hand. But then, Ayaka, who had been looking down, lifted her eyes to glance up at him.
“...Ugh…”
It was as if she was protesting something. Yet, at the same time, it felt like she was seeking something.
With the dim light from the screen barely illuminating her face, there was something ethereal and captivating about her expression, causing Haruto to stare at her in awe. At that moment, Ayaka gripped his hand with a force much stronger than before. Her upturned gaze fixed on him, and the intensity of her grip made Haruto blush furiously, as if he could almost hear a "boing!" sound effect. Embarrassed, he quickly turned his face back toward the screen to hide his expression.
Haruto had been utterly defeated in this silent battle. In the midst of his flustered state, he heard a faint giggle from Ayaka. That soft laughter was like her declaration of victory, and Haruto, who was usually competitive, accepted his defeat without any sense of bitterness this time.
From that point on, the two quietly watched the movie with their hands still entwined. By now, Haruto had completely lost track of the plot. But in order to avoid being “defeated” by Ayaka again, he kept his eyes fixed on the screen.
Eventually, the movie reached its final scene. Somehow, despite not understanding any of the developments, the protagonists were united in the end, walking along a riverbank bathed in the light of the setting sun. The final shot zoomed in on their joined hands, fingers interlaced in a classic "lovers' grip," and with that, the movie concluded.
As the ending theme played, the credits began to roll on the screen. Some audience members were already getting up and heading toward the exit.
Ayaka seemed like the type who would watch the credits to the end, or so Haruto thought, turning to look at her. He noticed she was still watching the rolling credits while her hand began to move slightly, as if fidgeting.
Thinking she wanted to let go of his hand, Haruto loosened his grip. They had been holding hands since before the movie started— over two hours. He had been self-conscious about his sweaty palms and figured he’d use this opportunity to wipe his hand. But that plan was thwarted.
Instead of pulling away, Ayaka interlaced her fingers with his, tightening her grip once more.
Their hands, which had been clasped before, were now upgraded to an interlocking “lovers' grip.”
“Um... Tojo-san?” Haruto couldn’t help but call her name.
“...Ootsuki-kun, are you someone who watches the credits until the very end?”
“Huh? Oh, yes,” Haruto responded, confused by Ayaka’s lack of acknowledgment regarding their interlaced fingers. She averted her gaze, her cheeks tinged with embarrassment, before speaking again.
“Then... let’s watch it together... until the end.”
Faced with Ayaka’s adorable request, Haruto could only respond one way.
“Yeah, of course.”
This movie, though its plot remained a complete mystery to Haruto, would undoubtedly become an unforgettable one for him.
※
After watching the movie, the two of them went to a café located one floor below the movie theater.
It was a trendy café Haruto had researched the night before, with a great view of the city from the window.
They were seated by the window, and Ayaka expressed her delight at the view from the high floor, which made Haruto smile naturally.
“Wow, the view is beautiful!”
“I’m glad you like it.”
Haruto felt relieved that his choice of café was not a mistake.
“Thanks for looking up the café.”
“No… it was nothing.”
Ayaka flashed him an irresistible, charming smile. To hide his blushing face, Haruto spread the menu in front of him.
“Well, I’m thinking of ordering an iced coffee. What about you, Tojo-san?”
“I’ll go with iced café au lait.”
“Got it. Do you want to order anything else?”
“No, I’m good.”
“Alright.”
Once they had decided what to order, Haruto called over the waitress to place their order. Afterward, he took a sip of water.
Ayaka then asked him, “So, how was the movie, Ootsuki-kun? Did you find it interesting?”
“Huh? Oh, well… I think it’ll probably be a movie I’ll never forget for the rest of my life,” he replied ambiguously, not able to say that he had been so distracted by holding Ayaka’s hand that he hadn’t taken in any of the movie’s content.
“What about you, Tojo-san?”
“It was super interesting! But…”
“But?”
“Um… after a certain point, I didn’t really understand the plot anymore.”
She was likely referring to the part when Haruto decided to retaliate.
“I see…” Haruto replied.
“Yeah… but, I think this movie is one I’ll never forget too,” Ayaka said shyly, and her smile made Haruto’s heart race.
“…I guess we’re the same.”
“Yeah… we are.”
After they exchanged those shy words, a brief silence followed.
“Oh, by the way, about the zoo trip,” Haruto said.
“Oh, right! We need to decide on that,” Ayaka replied, nodding as if she had just remembered.
Though the movie had been nice, it was more of a side event; the zoo trip was the main plan, and it seemed that Ayaka had forgotten all about it until now. Haruto smiled wryly at her.
“Is there a particular zoo you want to go to, Tojo-san?”
“I’d like to go somewhere where I can interact with the animals.”
“Sounds good.”
Haruto agreed with her, remembering how the idea for the zoo trip had started when Ayaka had been so excited to see the puppies at the home center.
“Actually, it’s not exactly a zoo, but how about going to the ‘Animal Forest Park’?”
“Oh, that sounds good!”
Ayaka agreed to Haruto’s suggestion.
The ‘Animal Forest Park’ was a vast, nature-themed park that had an animal interaction area, a playground with lots of equipment, and even a water play area for the scorching summer heat.
“Since Ryota-kun is coming along too, I thought having more activities would make it more fun for him so he won’t get bored.”
“Yeah, that sounds perfect!”
“And since there’s a grassy area, we could bring lunch, lay out a blanket, and eat there too.”
“Perfect! That sounds like a great idea!” Ayaka agreed with a bright expression.
“Then it’s settled! We’ll go to the ‘Animal Forest Park.’ Is that okay?” Haruto asked.
“Yeah! It’s decided! Now, about the date— when would be good for you, Ootsuki-kun?”
“Well, I don’t really have any other plans besides work, so any day I’m off would be fine,” Haruto replied.
“Oh, right,” Ayaka said, her expression turning slightly apologetic at the mention of Haruto’s part-time job.
“Is it okay if I come over on your day off too?” she asked, her tone hesitant.
Haruto’s part-time job was doing household chores for the Tojo family, so Ayaka might have felt bad about asking him to come over even on his day off.
“Of course! It’s no problem at all,” Haruto reassured her.
“Really? If it’s a hassle, don’t hesitate to tell me,” Ayaka said, still unsure.
“It’s not a hassle! I’m actually looking forward to playing with Ryota-kun,” Haruto smiled.
“If I tell Ryota-kun that Ootsuki-kun said so, I’m sure he’ll be really happy!” Ayaka giggled at the thought.
The two of them laughed together, imagining Ryota’s reaction.
“So, let’s go to the ‘Animal Forest Park’ next week when I have a day off, does that work for you?”
“Yeah, that’s fine,” Ayaka confirmed.
“Then I’ll make lunch, and I’ll come pick you up in the morning,” Haruto said.
Ayaka immediately shook her head.
“I don’t want to trouble you by having you make lunch. It’s your day off, so I’ll make it instead,” she insisted.
“It’s fine, really. I don’t mind cooking,” Haruto replied.
“But…” Ayaka still looked unsure. After a moment of thought, her face lit up with an idea.
“Then how about we make lunch together in the morning?” she suggested.
“That’s a great idea! Let’s do that,” Haruto agreed enthusiastically.
“Yeah!” Ayaka nodded happily.
So, they decided to make lunch together in the morning and then head to the park with Ryota. The two of them spent the rest of the time discussing the ingredients they would put in the lunch. After finishing their drinks, they left the café.
“Shall we head home then?” Haruto asked.
“Yeah… let’s go,” Ayaka nodded.
Once outside the café, they stopped for a moment.
“…Um…” Ayaka seemed like she wanted to say something but kept hesitating, fidgeting with her hands. Haruto tilted his head in confusion as he looked at her.
When she noticed his gaze, Ayaka blushed deeply.
“Is something wrong?” he asked.
“Well… that is…” Ayaka started, but then trailed off, unsure of what to say. Her right palm was repeatedly opening and closing as she stood there, shyly looking down.
Haruto noticed and, understanding her wish, gently extended his left hand.
“Shall we hold hands?”
“Eh?!” Ayaka looked up at him in surprise, her eyes wide.
“Well… if you don’t mind, since it might be troublesome if someone tries to hit on you,” Haruto explained, glancing away slightly, his face turning red. He shyly offered his left hand.
Ayaka’s face brightened, and with a big smile, she eagerly grabbed his left hand with her right.
“I don’t mind at all! I really don’t mind!” she said, gripping his hand tightly.
“Well then… I’ll walk you home,” Haruto said, his voice a little flustered.
“Yeah, please!” Ayaka responded with a radiant smile.
The two of them walked home, hand in hand. To anyone passing by, they looked just like a perfectly happy couple, so in love that no one would even think of trying to flirt with them.
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