Episode 39 – Home Date 1

[I want to have a home date at your house, Seita kun.]

It was one day, a few days before the dinner, that Yua contacted me on the chat app.

[When?]

[Is Saturday okay?]

–Saturday, huh…….

I believe it was the day after her dinner with Azuki san’s fiancée. Does she need to relieve her tension before the important event?

If not that, Yua seems to be troubled about something these days. I want to be there for her as much as possible. But on Saturday, both of her parents are away at work until the evening. This means that I will be alone with Yua.

I think back to the time when we first met and hesitate to reply.

–Well.

The situation now is different from then. I have forbid excessive contact, and above all, our relationship is no longer the shallow, one-sided that it used to be.

[Okay.]

I replied without thinking too much about it.

◇

It was almost time for Yua to come over. I pointed to my room and did a final check.

“The floor is good. Desk, okay. Shelves, good. Cushions, good–“

I got up a little early and cleaned my room. I prepared hot drinks – coffee, tea, cocoa, and green tea – just in case Yua walked through the chilly weather. There were also cookies, crackers, nuts, and other snacks that would go well with the drinks.

Everything is ready.

“Bed, good.”

A bed with no wrinkle in the sheets.

–N-no wait, that’s not what I mean by everything is set, okay? This was just for the occasion, or rather, I was just cleaning up because it would have been strange if only this room was messy while the others were tidy, and I didn’t mean anything deeper…

Just then, the doorbell rang.

“Excuse me ! ! !”

I was taken aback by the voice.

It seemed Yua had arrived. I stumbled down the stairs and opened the front door.

“Welcome…….”

“Hello-“

Yua raised her hand as if giving a small salute. She was wearing a blouse, cardigan, and long skirt. In other words, it was neat and tidy version of Yua.

“It’s cold today. See.”

She touched my neck. It was as cold as a plastic bottle that just came out from the vending machine.

“Whoa !?”

“What do you mean ‘Whoa’?”

Yua laughed.

Her fashion is a version of neat and tidy, but her words and actions are the same as usual. It seems that we’re not going to have a neat date like before.

“Why are you dressed like that today……?”

“This is what my mom prepared for me to wear tomorrow.”

“For dinner? Is it okay to wear something like that?”

“I’d like you to take a look at it first, Seita kun. –What do you think?”

She looked up at me.

Needless to say, Yua’s appearance, as expected from the coordination selected by the owner of an apparel company, is so perfect that it would not look out of place even if it appeared in a fashion magazine as it is.

But I kind of don’t want to use the word  ‘It suits you’.

“Nice……, I think it’s the way you dress.”

“Phew, thank you. Though it might be a pity that it’s not revealing enough.”

“T-that’s not.”

“By the way, can I ask you to let me in?　My body is freezing.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Come in.”

“Pardon the intrusion.”

Yua went to my room first and I went to the kitchen.

–I didn’t ask her what she wanted to drink.

Cocoa would be a safe bet. I put the two cups of cocoa and the cookies on a tray and carefully walked up the stairs.

When I opened the door, I saw Yua sticking her butt out at me and sticking her hands under the bed. She rushed to sit upright on the cushions and smiled at me.

“Seita kun, you’re late. I got tired of waiting.”

“You seemed very content.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about-“

She puffed, and tried to whisper with her mouth.

–You seem to suck at whistling !?

“Even if you try to hide it, I already know.”

“I thought I forgot to look it up the last time I was in here.”

“‘Searching under the bed when you come into a boy’s room’ isn’t exactly a rite of passage, you know?”

“I know ! You know, look, what is it again….–Right ! A beauty of form !”

“But it’s not !”

“But I wanted to explore Seita kun’s fetish that I haven’t seen yet……”

“Don’t say it like you’re Columbus.”

“Geez ! Forget about that. Thank you for the cocoa.”

I put the tray on the small round table.

“Now, sit in front of me.”

“Yeah.”

That was my intention all along. I sat cross-legged on the cushions.

“Delicious sweets and Seita kun……. Now the preparations are complete.”

“Preparations?”

“I need your help with something.”

“Okay, so?”

“You’re not even asking me what it’s about? I might ask you to do something very naughty, you know?”

“O-of course it depends on what you’re asking.”

“I’m just kidding. –Are you disappointed?”

He smiled suggestively.

“I’m not !”

‘I’m making a serious request today. I’m sorry, okay?”

“I’m saying that I’m not……! More importantly, what do you want?”

“Okay. Actually…”

Yua said the details of her favor.