Vol 2 Chapter 2 (2/2)
shi+ori said, in an unusual high pitch
“Well, if you want to say it’s a date…”
I could get embarrassed too with that word out of my mouth
“Kind of We’re usually in school anyway”
I though of a lot, but I decided not to pursue in asking her relationshi+p with Kaori Since Kaori was escaping the problehtless questions
And more importantly, I enjoy the time I had with shi+ori now
“It’s a date, isn’t it?”
“Well, um, I can’t say it’s not”
“I’m excited A date in the weekends has always been my dream”
With her repetition of the word date, I wanted to take off and hit ho my feet into the snow
“So let’s meet here after I finish tomorrow’s lessons”
“Sure”
“So, for the ood rest today”
“…I know So, see you tomorrow”
shi+ori gave her usual bow and left
I was overcos both of expectation to see her excited outside school and also how I should respond to her referral of this as a date
A date meant I had to take her somewhere as a male But I had just cos in the past, places I knohere quickly exhaustible
Was this a good idea?
And so the weekends arrived
“Woah There are so many people”
shi+ori expressed her novel awe at the wave of people in the shopping district
“Sorry shi+ori, you must have come so many times you don’t want to anymore But this is the only place I can think of”
“I haven’t”
shi+ori shook her head
“I don’t go out usually, so the last time I’ve been here hen I was a child”
“Really?”
“Yes If this shopping district hasn’t changed, I remember there’s a shop I like around here”
As if picking up her memories, shi+ori walked around, and I followed behind
“There It’s that shop”
At the corner of the shopping district, beside the arch door, there was a s kid stuff
“There…you say”
When I first ca to this town, I had also stopped in front of this shop
In front of the door of the shop were a e bottles filled with nostalgic glass pebbles It was a shop loaded with all kinds of stuff
When I was small, I had also come to this shop
And I…
“Good afternoon”
“And right when I have alot my hands on my memories, you crashed into me”
I turned around
“Ah?”
The toy feathers shook behind the bag
“Ah”
shi+ori also turned to the voice
“Eh? You’re…”
“I’m shi+ori You’re Ayu-chan, am I correct?”
Shoiri greeted Ayu with a smile Ayu said, “So you’re shi+ori”, and returned a smile
“So you’re with Yuichi-kun today?”
“Yes We met several ti me out to play”
“I see You did say you were in the same school as Yuichi-kun”
They were in the same school, sure, but Ayu didn’t even notice the odd situation of shi+ori wearing causal clothes but Yuichi wearing a school uniform
“You’re by yourself today, Ayu-chan?”
“Yeah”
shi+ori was a bit nervous, but Ayu was so friendly she seemed like an old friend
“Yuichi-kun, are you two dating?”
“Does it look like that?”
Asking her back, I was troubled that Ayu’s question could make my heart jump
“Not-Not really”
“Then what does it look like?”
“Hm…like a close brother and sister, I say”
“Is that so…”
shi+ori looked deplorable, but then she ied it into a smile
“If you don’t ?”
Hearing shi+ori’s question, I almost couldn’t hold down thrown-off voice
“Is it okay?”
Ayu exchanged glances with shi+ori and me
Was it really okay for shi+ori?
She said it was a date, and she looked forward to it
“It’s okay”
But shi+ori only nodded, s I could only follow suit
The three of us went for a stroll at a CD shop
I looked for the new albu their heads behind me
“Yuichi-senpai, you like to listen to this music “
“shi+ori, which ones do you like?”
“I can’t tell you”
I asked her several ti her smile
“Yuichi-kun,” Then, Ayu whispered, “I saw Ayu holding onto so”
“Which one? Is it really so?”
Ayu’s face tensed
“I don’t know, but there were scary drawings on them”
“…”
Well, the cover
I too tensed my face and nodded
After a roundabout trip in the shop, ent to the arcade
I was good at this stuff
…still
“What? You haven’t played video games before, shi+ori?”
“And this isinto an arcade”
“I only know those rab dolls”
“I see”
With that ae, I wouldn’t i combat skills
So I decided to play those coames for starters
Air table tennis was one
“This should be easy Grab this oval object and hit the red flat ball You lose if the ball falls into the hole in front you”
“Sounds easy”
“I understand”
“Ayu and shi+ori Try and play against each other”
Sending the copper coins inside, I stood in the centre to view their battle
“Let’s start over here Go!”
Pang
Ayu swung her aretically, but the ball moved on the table like a snail
“My heart is beating so fast…it’s co…heh”
Pang?
shi+ori countered it seriously, but the ball moved even slower
“Ugu, it’s scary Yo!”
Plank?
“Ayu-chan Let’s do this Go!”
Pang?
“Enough!”
I couldn’t stand their conversation that disfigured the game’s beat
“It’s my bad that I let you two battle But, hey, shi+ori, you should take off your cape when you’re playing Ayu, won’t you put down your bag before you move?”
“I see”
“I didn’t notice”
I was so drained I couldn’t evenmachine
Whac-a-mole
“You should know this, right? You only need to use this ha from those holes”
I handed the plastic hammer to shi+ori
“I’m so nervous”
“Good luck, shi+ori”
Ayu cheered her at a side
Coins inserted and button pressed, the ame commenced
“…Um”
shi+ori’s eyes swathe hammer
“It started”
“I-I’m aware of that”
At last, shi+ori hit on a hole with nothing there
“Your ti, shi+ori”
“It’s here, shi+ori”
“I know…it’s just…oh…wait…”
shi+ori called for theht, yet themalice
After two minutes…
“It’s over”
shi+ori put down the hammer sorrowfully
Thefor their victory, and the score was displayed
“This is the first time I saw a score of zero”
“I don’t have any sporty nerves after all”
shi+ori threw the cape over herself, a bit grumpy She had moved for a while, yet no sas on her body
“Well, that’s a kind of skill and achievement on its own”
“I hate people who say things like that the most!”
“I’”
“It still hurts me”
“Yeah, it’s your bad, Yuichi-kun”
Ayu stood at her side
“By the way, the next one is you?”
When I decided to give Ayu the hammer, she raised her hand in rejection
“I don’t want to play this”
“Why? Isn’t this a good chance to challenge and reach a double score record?”
“Ugu…I’m fine with that”
Ayu pointed at the doll-grabbing machine”
“Okay, let’s play that, then”
“I’o now”
“What’s the matter?”
“Well, I just re for”
“Speaking of which, it’s evening now”
With shi+ori’s reminder, I looked at the clock at the service counter
“Then we should leave too”
It was about time we returned home
“So, see you”
Ayu parted ith us at the small shop where we met
I waved my hand to the Ayu as about to run off, “Rery, don’t eat and drink without paying”
“Ugu…I’ve got into good terms with the taiyaki old man”
Turning around for a short reply, Ayu ran off
shi+ori and I stood together, seeing those pair of dancing wings off
The sun was reaching the horizon, long shadows casted on the streets
“Ayu-chan looks healthy”
“Because that’s the only good thing about her”
“…I’m a bit envious”
With her back facing the setting sun, shi+ori looked at theover the lower part of the sky
“You’re going to become healthy soon, aren’t you?”
I stole a look at her face
“Yes”
She threw a glance at me and smiled
After a short walk, so district, ent down our own paths home
“Today was enjoyable”
“Yes, but…”
I murmured almost in an inaudible voice
“I hope next time it’ll only be you and me”
“Yuichi-senpai…”
shi+ori looked embarrassed and surprised
“But it’s not because I hate Ayu”
“I’m happy”
The last drop of the setting sun fell on shi+ori’s raised face, dying it with a beautiful colour
“You didn’t want to call it a date, so I orried whether it was boring to be with me”
“…”
That hy she invited Ayu
Again I felt that behind her thoughtless ss and emotions
“I’m sorry”
Following the natural course of action, I touched her face, feelings its coldness, feelings its softness
“Let’s have a real date next time, shi+ori”