Vol. 1 Chapter 2 – A Memorable (Not) First Date

It happened that night, after I ended up going out with Mizushima on a『trial』basis.

After eating dinner, I was watching a movie in my room when a notification appeared on my smartphone’s lock screen.

It was a chat from Mizushima. Come to think of it, she had forced me to exchange contact information with her during lunch break.

【Let’s go on a date tomorrow.】

When I opened the chat app and looked at my talk screen with Mizushima, that short and simple message had arrived.

【Why so sudden?】

【Tomorrow is Saturday, so we have the day off, right? So I thought I’d like to go on a date with Souta.】

【A date, huh? That’s pretty sudden.】

Don’t say that the night before. The night before. At least check whether I have plans first.

…Well, I don’t, though.

【Besides, what are you going to do about Ena-chan? Do you understand? You’re saying you’ll leave your lover alone and go on a date with someone else on a day off.】

【That’s fine. I told Ena-chan that I have modeling work on Saturdays and Sundays, so I can’t really spare much time in my schedule. She accepted that too.】

Uwaaah… Is this girl serious? Actually, I’m surprised Ena-chan accepted that.

Was she fine with not being able to go on dates with Mizushima on days off? Even when she was dating me, she was the kind of girl who would say,『On days off, I want to spend as much time together as possible』.

Somehow, it seemed like they were dating in a much drier way than I had expected…

I felt something tugging at me but I decided not to think any deeper about it.

Ena-chan was already Mizushima’s lover. As her ex-boyfriend, I had no right to butt into every little detail of how the two of them dated now.

【Even so, you don’t have to go so far as to lie just to meet me on a day off.】

I sent that chat half in exasperation and Mizushima replied immediately.

【Well, I only have one month to capture your heart, after all. I can’t waste even a single day, right?】

I see. From Mizushima’s position, that certainly had a point. So that was why she had immediately invited me on a date like this.

That said. No matter how hard she tried or what she did, there was no way I would be captured by Mizushima in just one month. Good grief, she was desperate too.

【So, come on. Let’s go on a date.】

【Fine. I’m free on days off anyway.】

To be honest, staying home and lazily watching movies or playing games would be much better.

But if I rejected her strangely and she thought I had 『run away』or『chickened out』that would be annoying too.

【Yay. Then tomorrow at ten in front of Sakuragichou Station.】

【Yeah, yeah.】

【Our memorable first date, right?】

【For me, it’s not memorable or anything like that.】

【Come on now. You say that but aren’t you actually looking forward to it a little too, Souta?】

【Go to sleep.】

Brushing off Mizushima’s annoying pestering in one blow, I immediately closed the chat app.

“Phew. You don’t get many nights before a first date where you feel this not nervous, huh.”

While smiling bitterly, at the same time, I recalled the day of the most nerve-racking date of my life.

Four months ago.

I still clearly remember my first date with Ena-chan after we became lovers.

Back then, the two of us went to a movie theater a little farther away, didn’t we?

For me, it was a true, genuine first date, so I was nervous from beginning to end.

Even after we sat down, I kept sneaking glances at Ena-chan’s profile beside me and I barely watched the screen at all.

Well, in that sense, I guess it’s good that I’ll be able to take it easy tomorrow.

※

“…Or so there was once a time when I thought that.”

Then came the next day, Saturday.

Arriving at the plaza in front of Sakuragichou Station five minutes before the meeting time, I found myself nervous in a different sense.

“Um, um, are you maybe『Sizu-san』!?”

“Kyaa, seriously, it’s the real thing! Seeing Sizu live is insane! She’s divine!”

“I always look at your Instagram!”

The small clock tower in front of the station, which was our meeting place for today.

Around it, there were already roughly ten young girls gathered.

And at the center of them was…

“Ahh, haha. This is awkward.”

Just as expected, it was Mizushima. Surrounded by high-pitched squeals of『kyaa, kyaa』she was scratching her cheek with a troubled look.

Judging from the situation, it seemed she had been spotted by girls who were apparently fans of hers.

Because of my bias from seeing her as my『sworn enemy』I had almost completely forgotten.

Come to think of it, she was a popular model and popular influencer, wasn’t she?

“Um, could we take a picture together!?”

“A picture? Sure. Ah, but just don’t post it on social media, okay?”

“The gloss I’m wearing today is the one Sizu-san used in a magazine before!”

“Ohh, really? Yeah, it suits you. You’re cute.”

While being overwhelmed by the pressure of the girls swarming around her, Mizushima still responded to their fan service without showing even the slightest displeased face.

The way she made those girls go weak-kneed with her sweet face and gentle words was exactly like a refreshing handsome guy.

And on top of that, it seemed she herself had absolutely no intention of flirting with them, which made it even more troublesome.

“…Do I really have to cut into that now?”

The time I had agreed to meet Mizushima had already passed.

That said, I did not have the insane courage needed to charge into that army of outgoing girls.

If I wandered out there, the most likely outcome would be getting cold stares and being driven away.

“Right, guess I’ll go home!”

At that rate, she probably would not be able to move for a while and even she would probably rather prioritize interacting with her fans over a date with someone like me.

It could not be helped, but here, the best thing would be for me to quietly withdraw.

It could not be helped. Ahh, it really could not be helped. It absolutely was not because everything had become too much of a hassle.

While thinking that, I quickly tried to turn around toward the station ticket gates.

“Ah, found you, Souta. Heeey!”

Mizushima, annoyingly sharp-eyed enough to spot me in the crowd, gave only a brief farewell to her fans before jogging over toward me.

Tch, she noticed me.

“Soutaaa.”

Actually, don’t keep calling my name out in a public place like this. It’s embarrassing.

“Good. You really came.”

Saying that, Mizushima approached me with a happy smile. She was dressed boyishly, with a hoodie and trench coat on top and denim pants below. But even if I wore the exact same outfit, I definitely would not give off this kind of stylish vibe.

She did seem to be wearing a newsboy cap on her head to try and avoid standing out, but who knew how effective that actually was.

It was frustrating but this girl really was insanely high-spec when it came to looks.

“You’re the one who invited me. I could’ve just stood you up, you know.”

“But you came, didn’t you? That kind side of you is what I like after all, Souta.”

“…Don’t interpret things in a way that’s convenient for you. I just didn’t want you thinking I ran away from the 『match』.”

Even at my rebuttal, Mizushima did not stop smiling.

Seriously, what an irritating face.

“Then, shall we go?”

“Yeah. No, wait, is that okay? What about them?”

I looked back at the girls who seemed reluctant to part in front of the clock tower.

“They’re your fans, right? Didn’t you want to talk with them a little longer?”

“It’s fine. I’m happy they support me but today is my private time too. Besides, more than anything, it’s my first date with Souta. This takes priority.”

Is that so.

Well, as an outsider, it was not my place to say anything about that.

“Haaah, Sizu-san was even cooler than in her photos.”

“Right? …Actually, what’s with that gloomy guy beside her?”

“Her manager or something? No, but he doesn’t look like someone from the industry at all. He’s so plain.”

“Right? He’s probably just some part-time office worker called in to carry her bags or whatever.”

“Even if that’s true, I really don’t want him getting too close to Sizu-san.”

Behind us as we started walking, the fan girls were whispering about something.

Th-their stares hurt. Actually, you girls are really merciless…Well, I really am a gloomy, plain introvert, though.

“…………Hmm?”

Mizushima, who had been walking beside me, suddenly stopped and glanced back at the girls by the clock tower.

Maybe it was just my imagination, but for that one instant, Mizushima’s eyes did not seem to be smiling.

“Mizushima? What’s wrong?”

When I called out to her in confusion, Mizushima smiled again.

“Ei.”

In the next moment, she suddenly hugged my right arm.

“Fwah!? H-hey, what are you doing…!”

“Don’t move, okay?”

Pressing herself against me with a gui, Mizushima then, for some reason, took a selfie of her own face with her smartphone.

“What are you doing?”

“Just wait. Then, this photo goes like this… Ei.”

“Wha…!?”

I peered at the screen of the smartphone Mizushima was fiddling with and froze in shock.

“Don’t tell me you just released that photo into the ocean of the internet!?”

“Yeah, I did. With『I’m off today, so I’m going out♪』”

“Don’t just say『yeah』! What are you doing on your own!?”

“It’s fine. Only my face is in it.”

“No, look, my right arm is showing a little!”

“I know. I did that on purpose.”

Saying that, Mizushima turned a triumphant look toward the fan girls by the clock tower.

Over there, I could see several of them, apparently having already seen the post, letting out shrieks like『What is this!?』and『Sizu-san, is that what this means!?』

Yikes.

“Ahahaha.”

“This is no time to laugh! Just hurry up and get away from here!”

If we stayed here any longer, there was no telling what those girls might do to me.

Dying after being stabbed by some hardcore fan driven mad with jealousy? Absolutely not.

Grabbing the hand of Mizushima, who was laughing carefree, I left the station plaza as if fleeing.

※

After moving away from the station plaza, we came to a large shopping plaza near the station.

Since it was a holiday, the inside of the facility was overflowing with shoppers.

If we blended into a crowd this big, we probably would not be found so easily.

“Hey, look, look, Souta. That photo from earlier is getting a little buzz.”

Saying that as if it had nothing to do with her, Mizushima showed me her smartphone.

On the screen was her Instagram post, along with the comment section.

〈Sizu-san’s first update in ages is here!〉

〈Off-duty Sizu-san is way too cool too!〉

〈Isn’t she linking arms? Who is she with?〉

〈Eh, who’s next to her? Her manager?〉

〈A friend sent me a sighting report. Looks like she was walking with a guy in front of Sakuragichou Station.〉

As expected, the comment section seemed to have more voices questioning the arm of mine visible at the edge of the screen than comments praising Mizushima herself.

“Ahaha, that’s hilarious.”

“It is not hilarious!? This isn’t getting a little buzz, it’s more like it’s turning into a small firestorm!”

“Really? Well, if it actually looks bad, my manager will probably put out the fire right away, so it’s fine, it’s fine.”

Saying that without a care, Mizushima just laughed lightly. She really was optimistic to the very end.

“Haa… I don’t really get it, but won’t people at your agency get mad about this kind of thing? If it affects your modeling work, I’m not taking responsibility, okay?”

“You’re exaggerating. My agency isn’t that big and to anyone outside the girls who read the magazines I appear in, I’m still just a high school girl in the end. It’s not like I’m some big-name celebrity, so I doubt it’ll turn into that big of a deal.”

Hmm, was that how it worked?

Well, it was true that even as we walked through the crowd like this, it did not turn into a situation where people gathered around Mizushima like earlier.

There were a fair number of people who turned to look at her as they passed by but that was probably only with the feeling of,『Whoa, that person just now was seriously good-looking.』

“Besides, I decided to take this whole month off from all my modeling work.”

“Huh? Why?”

When I instinctively asked back, Mizushima answered as if it were obvious.

“Obviously, because I’ve decided to spend as much of this month with Souta as possible.”

“You’ve definitely got your priorities wrong…”

Was this girl really that serious about『capturing』me?

For a mere prank or hidden-camera joke, it also felt like she was putting in a little too much effort, but…

“Now, now, the little details don’t matter. Today is our precious first date, after all.”

Taking my hand while I was lost in thought, Mizushima strode off.

“H-hey. Don’t pull me. Actually, where are you planning to go?”

When I asked, Mizushima smiled proudly with a『fufun』and said,

“A fashion show.”

“A fashion show?”

Still not really understanding what she meant, I was led by Mizushima up the escalator.

The place we arrived at was a large apparel shop on the third floor of the plaza.

Across the huge sales floor, all sorts of clothes were lined up, from children’s clothing to business suits.

“Hey. Do people even hold fashion shows in a place like this?”

“They do. I’m going to.”

“Excuse me?”

“Because of my job, I get plenty of chances to wear all kinds of clothes but the people I’m showing them to are basically always girls. So I thought I’d like to hear what a boy my age thinks once in a while.”

I see. So that was what she meant by『fashion show』.

Apparently, this girl was telling me to『help her choose clothes』.”

“No, no, wait a second. I’m a complete amateur when it comes to fashion, you know? What am I supposed to say to an active model like you?”

“I’m not asking for an opinion. I just want your impression.”

“That’s basically the same thing either way.”

Even if she asked for my impression, I barely even knew what was stylish and what wasn’t.

“You’re so dense, Souta.”

As I stood there confused, Mizushima shrugged as if to say, good grief.

“To put it simply, I want to know Souta’s tastes. As your girlfriend, that is.”

“…I see.”

In other words, this was also part of her strategy to『capture』me.

She probably intended to start by shaping her outfits to suit my tastes, making me more conscious of her as a『lover』.

“Okay, I get it now. I’ll accept that challenge.”

But how naive. How naive you are, Mizushima.

If it were Ena-chan, that would be one thing, but I’m not the kind of guy whose heart can be changed by something as minor as clothes.

Charismatic model or popular influencer, none of that matters.

No matter what kind of fashion you show me, I, Sakuhara Souta, shall not waver in the slightest!

“『Challenge』? What exactly are you fighting, Souta?”

Mizushima giggled as she placed her hand on the fitting room curtain.

“Then I’m going to try on a few outfits now. At the end, pick the one you think is best among them.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

I watched Mizushima enter the fitting room and close the curtain, then sat down on a nearby chair.

Good grief. I said I’d accept the challenge, but waiting around sure was boring.

“Come to think of it, I never went to places like this with Ena-chan.”

Since I had nothing to do, I found myself thinking back on that with a deep sense of nostalgia.

When I went on dates with Ena-chan, we usually either watched movies together at the cinema or talked about the works we liked at a café.

That alone was plenty fun for me, but…maybe from Ena-chan’s point of view, she wanted to go on more『normal dates』like this too.

“Haaah… Maybe this lack of consideration was one of the things that made me no good.”

“Souta, are you properly still there?”

Just as I sighed, Mizushima called out to me from beyond the curtain.

“Yes, yes, I’m here.”

“Good. Then I guess I’ll show you the first outfit right away.”

Now then, what was going to come out?

Well, no matter what kind of fashion she came in, I definitely would not be shaken by…

“Ta-dah.”

“Pffft!?”

Beyond the curtain that slid open with a sha.

At the sight of Mizushima standing there in a perfect pose, I instinctively sprayed.

“That’s a swimsuit!”

Yes. What Mizushima was wearing was a swimsuit with a refreshing feel, based around cobalt blue. The top was an ordinary bikini, but the bottom was shaped like what you would call a pareo.

“How is it? Does it suit me?”

“No, you, a swimsuit is different! A swimsuit is different! What happened to this being a fashion show!?”

“A swimsuit is still clothing, isn’t it?”

“Ugh… Well, I guess that might be true, but…!”

Th-this woman! She had calmly used a roundabout attack right from the very start!

There was a limit to how unexpected it was to bring out a swimsuit.

Because of the words『fashion show』I had unconsciously excluded that possibility.

Damn it, so I had fallen perfectly for this girl’s misdirection!

“Fufufu. Souta, do you like this kind of thing?”

With her hands clasped behind her back, Mizushima struck a pose as if to show herself off.

Her white skin looked visibly smooth and delicate, and her healthy limbs were neither too thick nor too thin. The area around her stomach, with its firm waistline, was moderately toned, and there was almost no unnecessary muscle or fat at all.

And more than anything, what drew the eye was the voluptuous bust wrapped in the blue bikini.

Even when she was wearing her uniform, its size had been obvious, but once she took it off, it was even more incredible. It had a weighty, substantial fullness, yet did not lose to gravity at all, forming a beautiful, large chest that perked upward.

I had vaguely felt this for a while, but… in contrast to her cool, boyish face, this girl’s feminine appeal from the neck down, in an erotic sense, was way too high!

Did she ask whether I liked this kind of thing?

Something like that… Something like that was obviously something any healthy high school boy would like!

“Your face is bright red, you know? Did you like seeing me in a swimsuit that much?”

“I did not like it! Not at all, not one bit, not even the slightest!”

“Liar. I mean, Souta, you’re super excited.”

“I-I’m not! Even if I was excited, it wasn’t because of you, it was only because of your body… Hah!?”

Oh crap! I got too worked up and ended up saying something that sounded unbelievably scummy!

When I hurriedly looked back, Mizushima wore a blank expression for a moment, then began laughing as if she truly found it hilarious.

“Aha, ahahahaha! The way you said that!”

“N-no, that’s not it! I mean, I admit that Mizushima has a good figure and proportions, but that doesn’t mean I’ve accepted you yourself!”

“Haaah, I see. So Souta is only interested in my『body』huh. In the end, I’m just a woman with only her body to offer… No, but maybe that’s fine in its own way?”

“You watch your wording too! Stop using expressions that invite misunderstandings! The looks from the women around us have been hurting since earlier! They’re stabbing into me!”

Unable to endure the suspicious gazes from around us, I pushed Mizushima back into the fitting room and closed the curtain.

“Just hurry up and change already!”

“Sorry, sorry. I guess I really did go too far with the joking. Well, the swimsuit was half a joke, so from next time, I’ll come out in proper outfits.”

“So it really is still going to continue…”

Honestly, I was already at my limit… But even so, that had still only been the first outfit.

I could not shamefully raise the white flag this early, right at the very beginning of the beginning.

Already exhausted, I steeled myself and sat back down on the chair in front of the fitting room.

“Then let’s keep going.”

“O-okay! Come if you dare! No, wear it if you dare!”

After that, I ended up being thoroughly dragged along with Mizushima’s『fashion show』.

However, while she had pulled a ridiculous prank with the first『swimsuit』Mizushima showed off perfectly serious outfits after that.

As expected of a model, no matter what she wore, she looked completely natural in it, and honestly, I thought that was amazing.

That said, whether it was deliberately wearing oversized shirts or always choosing pants instead of skirts for the bottoms, Mizushima’s choices were still all boyish.

There was little exposure too, and none of them had the same impact as the first one. I did think things like,『It suits her』or『That’s stylish』but nothing particularly clicked with me.

Well, I also think that’s because my own fashion sense is devastatingly poor.

“Hmm. So this one wasn’t to Souta’s taste either.”

After trying about five or six different coordinations like that, even Mizushima started to look troubled.

“I guess there’s no choice but to go with the sexy route after all.”

“No, I told you, that’s enough of that.”

Stopping Mizushima as she tried to run toward seduction yet again, I voiced something I had suddenly started wondering about.

“Actually, haven’t all the clothes you’ve been trying had pretty similar vibes since earlier? Kind of menswear-like, or cool and handsome.”

“Well, yeah. That’s my… That’s『Sizu’s』style, after all.”

While hanging the new clothes she had brought from the sales floor on the fitting room hanger, Mizushima said that as if it were only natural.

Then, in a joking tone, yet somehow with a hint of self-mockery, she shrugged and muttered.

“School uniforms aside, if I wore a fluttery skirt or a blouse with ribbons, you know. Even if I dressed in such an obviously『girly』way, it wouldn’t suit me, right?”

“Really? I don’t think it necessarily wouldn’t suit you. I dunno, though.”

At the line I said casually, Mizushima furrowed her brows in puzzlement.

After staying silent for a while with a blank look, she gave a bitter smile again and waved her hand.

“No, no, no. Out there, my character is basically seen as a『beautiful woman in men’s clothing』you know? It just doesn’t fit me. That kind of thing is… not the me everyone wants to see.”

The hand Mizushima had used to grab the clothes tightened slightly.

“Then let me ask you instead. Why did you think girly clothes would suit me?”

“Because you’re a girl too, so there’s nothing strange about dressing in a girly way, is there?”

Mizushima’s eyes opened wide and round, as if this time she really was surprised.

Wh-what? Did I say something that weird?

“I see… Fufu, I see.”

But contrary to my worry, for some reason, Mizushima had a bright, refreshed smile on her face.

“That’s right. I’m a girl too, after all.”

“Eh? Y-yeah. Why are you saying something so obvious now?”

“Ahh, sorry, sorry. I haven’t really had someone say that to my face like that before, so it just felt kind of fresh and surprised me a little.”

Saying that with a fluttering wave of her hand, Mizushima clasped her hands tightly in front of her chest.

“…………Mmm, I really do like him after all.”

Then, after muttering something under her breath, she pointed her index finger straight at me.

“Okay, then the next one will be the last outfit.”

“I see. Good grief, so this fashion show thing is finally ending.”

“It’s still too early to act like it’s over. Souta, you still have to decide which one was the best.”

Ah, come to think of it, that was the rule, wasn’t it? Crap, I had not thought about it at all yet.

“Then I’m going to go to the sales floor for a bit. Souta, could you close your eyes?”

“Huh? Why?”

“Just do it.”

No sooner had she said that than Mizushima quickly headed off to the sales floor.

What was that about? Well, I guess I’d do as she said for now.

Sitting on the chair in front of the fitting room, I squeezed both eyes shut.

After waiting like that for a few minutes.

“Souta, I’m done changing.”

Mizushima called out, apparently finished changing, and I opened my eyes.

“Then I’ll open it.”

Together with that call, the fitting room curtain slowly opened.

Sure enough, Mizushima, who appeared from beyond the curtain, had completely changed her atmosphere from the cool and boyish outfits she had been wearing until now.

“Ehehe… How is it?”

Mizushima gave a shy, embarrassed smile. She was wearing a frilled blouse and a skirt with suspenders, a complete reversal into a very girly fashion style.

It seemed she had changed her hairstyle to match the outfit too, tying part of her smooth, slightly long short hair into a half-up style at the back of her head.

How should I put it? She had seriously transformed into someone with the atmosphere of a proper, classic beautiful girl.

“Y-yeah… I guess it’s good?”

Despite myself, I ended up thinking she was cute.

I answered bluntly as if to cover it up, but my voice might have cracked a little.

Damn it. So this was the so-called『gap moe』huh?

Maybe I should not have said something unnecessary like,『There’s nothing strange about dressing in a girly way』.

“Really? Well, it’s a little embarrassing, but…actually, I do like this kind of outfit quite a lot. Though after I started modeling, I basically stopped wearing them.”

Mizushima’s voice as she said that sounded just a little regretful.

I did not know the details, but maybe the reason Mizushima did not really wear girly outfits like this was because she was trying not to damage her image as the model Sizu.

Thinking about it that way, being a model seemed like it had all sorts of difficulties too.

“Now then. Souta, give me your judgment.”

“Hm? Ah, you mean which one was the best?”

Asked by Mizushima, I thought it over.

“The swimsuit after all?”

“That one is excluded from consideration!”

How much was this girl going to push the swimsuit?

Actually, now that I thought about it, was it really okay to so easily tell this girl my preferences?

I had agreed to go along with her fashion show, but going out of my way to answer honestly would be like giving aid to the enemy.

In that case, maybe I should deliberately choose something at random here.

Or maybe I could dodge the question by saying they were all good, so I could not decide.

“Let’s see. I…”

Just as I said that much and raised my face, I saw Mizushima gazing happily at the mirror, like a girl who had been allowed to wear a dress for the first time.

Unlike her usual mature atmosphere, she was showing a glimpse of a girlishness suited to her age.

Faced with that side of her…

“…I think that one’s the best, isn’t it?”

Before I knew it, I had answered that in an entirely natural way.

※

“Nfufu, Soutaaa.”

“Enough, you’re annoying! Let go!”

“Nooo.”

After leaving the apparel shop, we decided it was about time to have lunch and headed toward the food court in the shopping plaza.

By the way, after finishing the fashion show, Mizushima ended up buying the girly outfit I had chosen in the end. She changed into it right there and apparently intended to continue the date like that.

On top of that, she kept clinging even more closely to me in that outfit, which completely threw me off.

Until a little while ago, there might have been a chance that we looked like two male friends, but thanks to this, now we probably looked completely like a couple.

“This feels kind of fresh.”

“What does?”

“Well, when I go out with someone, I’m almost always the one doing the escorting. I’ve never really had a chance to act spoiled with someone like this.”

Saying that, Mizushima turned an innocent smile toward me.

“So today, I think I’ll let myself be spoiled by Souta as much as I can.”

“Hmph. I’m not going to do anything special. This date is strictly one part of the『match』between you and me. As your boyfriend, temporary, I’ll do the bare minimum, but I have no intention of getting overly chummy with you. Don’t misunderstand.”

“Eh, are you being tsundere?”

“No, I’m not!”

When exactly did I ever show you the dere side?

Well, okay, the swimsuit stuff does not count.

“For now, get off my arm for a bit.”

“…? Why?”

“You look genuinely confused from the bottom of your heart!? I’m saying let me go because I need to use the bathroom.”

“Ah, I see. My apologies.”

Finally letting go of my arm there, Mizushima pointed at a nearby circular marble bench.

“Then I’ll wait on that bench over there. I’ll buy us something to drink while I’m at it.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Giving her a half-hearted reply, I headed toward the nearest men’s bathroom.

Seriously, that Mizushima, acting like we were some lovey-dovey couple already.

She had not forgotten that she was my『sworn enemy』had she?

“One month of this, huh…”

Sure, Mizushima was certainly beautiful, and having a girl on her level as a girlfriend would be every guy’s dream. If she kept making such aggressive appeals to me, then even I might…

“Wait! No, no, no, no, no way, no way, no way!”

As if shaking off the wicked thoughts that had suddenly surfaced in my mind, I splashed water over my face at the bathroom sinks.

Get a grip, Sakuhara Souta. If you let yourself get moved like that, you’ll be playing right into Mizushima’s hands.

Even if it was a one-sided feeling now, my heart still belonged to Ena-chan.

No matter if the other person was that Mizushima Shizuno, I was not going to hand it over so easily.

“Phew. Okay, cooldown complete.”

Wiping my wet face with a handkerchief, I took one deep breath.

“Still… just how far is she actually ‘serious’?”

Looking back on Mizushima’s words and actions so far, I suddenly found myself thinking about that.

At the very least, today she looked like she was seriously enjoying her date with me.

To her, I should have been nothing more than some background boy A from school, someone she had not even spoken to until just a few days ago.

And yet, she had gone so far as to propose this strange “match” because she wanted to become my lover…

Just what was making her go that far?

Or was she just teasing me and having fun after all?

“Hmm. I really don’t understand what that girl is thinking.”

Turning that over in my head, I left the men’s bathroom.

Well, I guess there was no point thinking about that right now. Whatever she intended, either way, there was no way I would accept her confession and become her lover.

“Hm? What’s going on?”

At that moment, I noticed that the floor in front of the bathrooms had somehow become noisy.

On the floor where large numbers of shoppers were coming and going, several customers had stopped shopping and formed a small crowd.

At the center of that crowd was the circular bench where Mizushima should have been waiting.

“Did she maybe get caught by some fans again?”

With an optimistic sigh like that, I also looked toward the circular bench through a gap in the crowd.

There, I saw…

“Come on, it’s fine, just hang out with us a little.”

“We just happen to be free too, y’know. C’mon, it’s fine, right?”

“No… um…”

Mizushima was surrounded by men who looked like flashy university students at a glance.

Even if it was a holiday, maybe they had been drinking since midday because the university guys seemed pretty drunk.

Their footing was unsteady and they were doing whatever they wanted, shamelessly putting their hands around Mizushima’s shoulders and trying to take two-shot photos without permission.

“Uwaaah…She’s gotten tangled up with some seriously annoying-looking guys.”

It was true that with her current outfit, combined with her naturally high facial appeal, Mizushima looked like a beautiful girl who would make anyone turn around. It was not strange at all for one or two guys to try hitting on her.

Still, getting bothered by guys like that was rough luck for her.

Well, she was probably used to being approached by men and she would surely dodge them skillfully with her usual easygoing attitude.

Or so I assumed.

“Hey, hey, don’t ignore us.”

“Actually, how old are you? Do you live around here?”

“Ah… u…”

What was going on?

Where had her usual aloof and composed attitude gone? Mizushima had completely changed, looking frightened and unsure.

The way she trembled with a furufuru and shrank back was like a small animal cornered by wild beasts.

Even from this side of the crowd, I could clearly tell that she seemed genuinely scared.

“Hey, hey. What the hell happened to her?”

If it were the usual Mizushima, she would have brushed off guys like that with some affected line like,『I’m happy for the invitation, but I already have plans today. Sorry, okay?』and left them confused.

After clinging to me so much, I doubted she was actually afraid of men or anything like that.

“Alright, then let’s just go somewhere for now!”

“Miss, you’re probably around the same age as us, right? We’ll treat you, so let’s drink!”

“Ah, w-wait!”

Taking advantage of the fact that Mizushima had frozen up, the drunk guys finally grabbed her arm and tried to drag her away.

The atmosphere was becoming seriously unsettling, but none of the shoppers who had been watching the whole thing showed any sign of stepping in to help.

As if thinking,『Someone will stop them eventually』everyone only watched from a distance.

‘What’s wrong, Mizushima?’

Blending in with the onlookers, I unconsciously clenched my fist tightly.

‘Guys like that should be nothing for you, right?’

From society’s general point of view, my current behavior would earn a failing grade as a『boyfriend』.

After all, even though my girlfriend was being harassed by other men, I was just standing here, waiting for her to do something about it herself. I was a scumbag whose hundred-year love would go cold in an instant.

But I was not actually her real boyfriend. There was no love there that I would be troubled by if it cooled.

If she got taken away like this, it would actually be convenient for me, since I would be getting rid of a nuisance.

So there was no reason for me to go out of my way to step in and save her…

“Ah… Souta…”

Suddenly, my eyes met Mizushima’s as she looked toward the crowd.

That face of hers, usually so cool and dignified, now had an expression plastered across it that helplessly begged for rescue.

‘Tch… Why are you so sharp-eyed, damn it?’

Before I knew it, I clicked my tongue and was pushing my way through the crowd.

“Sorry, Shizuno! The bathroom was crazy crowded, so I’m late!”

Having made up my mind and jumped in, I peeled the drunk guy’s hand off Mizushima’s arm.

Then, this time, I grabbed Mizushima’s hand with my own.

“Let’s go.”

“…Y-yeah.”

After that, I turned my back on the drunk guys and started walking.

“Eh, what, what, what?”

“W-wait, who are you?”

The drunk guys, apparently confused by the sudden development, hurriedly called out to stop me.

Facing their stupid-looking faces, I said it as firmly as I could.

“…I’m her boyfriend. Got a problem with that?”

※

“Have you calmed down, Mizushima?”

After leaving the shopping plaza as if fleeing from those drunks, we came all the way to a seaside park a little distance from the plaza, just to be safe.

Since it was a holiday, there were still a fair number of people in the park but even so, it was much quieter than the middle of town.

A pleasant sea breeze was blowing too, so it was probably just right for regaining one’s composure.

“Mm… Thank you, Souta.”

Sitting down on the grass, Mizushima took a sip of the bottled water I had bought from a nearby vending machine, then let out a『fuu』. It seemed the trembling in her body had finally stopped.

“Hmm. I really was kind of scared back there.”

“…I thought you’d at least know how to handle guys like that.”

“Well, normally, I probably would have.”

Listening to the sound of the waves washing in and pulling back, Mizushima slowly hugged her own knees.

“I can’t deal with them… drunk men.”

“You mean you’re bad with them?”

“Yeah. Well, something like that.”

The vague way she said it bothered me, but I decided not to pry any deeper than that.

Even if she was a perfect superhuman, good at both academics and sports, and a charismatic high school girl, when I thought about it, Mizushima was still a high school student just like me. Of course she would have things she was bad with and weak points too.

No matter how much she was my sworn enemy, I had no interest in digging into that kind of thing.

“Thank you for saving me. You were cool back there, Souta. You were like a hero.”

It seemed she had recovered quite a bit of her usual mood. Looking up at my face as I stood beside her, Mizushima smiled.

‘Like a hero… huh.’

At Mizushima’s innocent gaze, however, I mocked myself inwardly.

“Thanks, I guess. But I’m not anything as impressive as a hero.”

“That’s not true. It was like,『Ally of justice, Souta-man has arrived!』”

“What kind of weak-sounding hero name is that?”

Saying that with a sigh mixed in, I turned to face Mizushima.

“Listen,『justice』is something vague. I can’t trust anyone who claims to be on the side of something like that.”

I spat out those words, but Mizushima did not seem to fully understand what I meant.

As she tilted her head slightly, I asked her a question.

“For example. Let’s say you’re on a packed train, and an old man is standing in front of the seat you’re sitting in. What would you do?”

When I asked, Mizushima answered without a moment’s hesitation.

“Of course I’d give him my seat.”

“Figured. But that old man might not necessarily want that. There’s also a chance he’d feel offended instead and think,『Don’t treat me like an old man.』”

“Well… yeah, I guess that could happen. Then what would you do, Souta?”

“That’s obvious.『I wouldn’t move until I was asked.』”

It was not like I was some delinquent boy rebelling against everything in the world.

If someone told me,『I’d like your seat』I at least had enough common sense to honestly give it up.

But when no one had said anything… when no one had asked for help, acting only on your own sense of justice and trying to help someone anyway. Someone like that was not a hero or anything of the sort, just a meddlesome busybody.

That was all I knew.

“In short, for everything, it’s best to leave well enough alone. Heroes are more than enough inside fiction. Got it?”

“Yeah, I got it. In other words, Souta is the kind of hero who appears in fiction, right?”

Mizushima nodded energetically.

I instinctively covered my face and looked up at the sky. This girl did not understand at all.

“Listen, were you even listening? I’m telling you, I’m not a hero.”

“Then why did you save me earlier? I didn’t say it, you know? I didn’t say,『Help me』.”

“Th-that’s…”

Having been hit where it hurt, I instinctively grimaced.

As if fleeing from Mizushima’s straightforward eyes, I turned my gaze toward the sea.

“Well… when you made『that kind of face』I couldn’t exactly ignore it.”

“Eh?”

“Nothing. If you’ve calmed down, let’s go get something to eat soon. I’m hungry.”

“Ah, you dodged the question.”

“I did not.”

“Hey, why did you save me? Was it because it was me? Hey, was it because it was me?”

Mizushima peered into my face while repeating,『Hey, hey, hey』.

Annoying. Extremely annoying. Also, her face was too close.

“Enough already, stop clinging to me every single time. You’re annoying. Rest assured, that is absolutely not the reason.”

“Ehh, you’re so cold….Well, whatever. You called me 『Shizuno』earlier, after all.”

“No, that was…”

“And you properly introduced yourself as『my boyfriend』too. At this point, can we just say the feeling is mutual?”

“Absolutely not. Don’t make such a wild leap.”

Haa, seriously. Just when I thought she had shown a rare moment of weakness, she was back to this.

I really couldn’t let my guard down around her.

※

After that, Mizushima and I moved to the food court of another mall along the harbor.

After the two of us finished lunch, the afternoon was spent wandering around town while I somehow dealt with Mizushima, who kept clinging to me and acting spoiled.

Now that she was dressed in a girlish outfit, Mizushima had basically transformed into nothing but an unbelievably beautiful girl, and as always, she drew the gazes of the people passing by.

Even so, after that, we were neither surrounded by fan girls like this morning nor approached by troublesome pickup artists like earlier. The afternoon date was truly peaceful.

“A lot happened but I had a lot of fun today.”

By the time the sun was slowly starting to set.

We had returned once again to the plaza in front of Sakuragichou Station. I would be going home by train, while Mizushima seemed to be taking a bus from the stop in front of the station, so this was where we would part ways for today.

“Thank you, Souta.”

Tucking her short hair, which fluttered in the wind, behind her ear, Mizushima gave me a shy smile.

“It’s not something you need to thank me for. I told you, didn’t I? Today’s date was only one part of the『match』. It’s not like I went along with it because I wanted to make you happy.”

I deliberately said that in a way that pushed her away.

Even if we looked like a close couple from the outside, in the end, we were still in a relationship where one had stolen the other’s lover, and one had had his lover stolen.

To put it extremely, depending on the situation, it would not even be strange for our relationship to develop into a murder case.

Even though we had become lovers on a『trial』basis, I had absolutely no intention of getting friendly with her.

“Ehh. Then, Souta, did you not have fun on your date with me?”

“As if I had fun. I nearly got chased around by your fans and I had to deal with those annoying drunks. If anything, I’m completely exhausted.”

Seeing me maintain an entirely unfriendly attitude, Mizushima instantly made eyes like an abandoned puppy.

“I see… So you didn’t have fun…”

Ugh!? H-hey, stop that. Don’t look at me.

Don’t look at me with those eyes when I’m weak to tearjerker animal movies!

“I thought Souta would be happy, so I got all excited planning things like that『fashion show』… I see, so it wasn’t fun… Haha, hahaha.”

When Mizushima finally let out a dry laugh, even my conscience started to throb painfully.

This girl was my sworn enemy, and today’s date was surely part of her strategy to capture me. I knew that if I let myself get carried away by sympathy, that would be playing right into Mizushima’s hands.

Even so, it was also true that she had apparently thought about all sorts of things and prepared them for today.

In that case, maybe at the very least, thanking her for that much was only the bare minimum of decency.

“W-well, um…I get that you thought about a lot of things for my sake. Thanks. Thanks to you, I also, you know… wasn’t bored.”

Unable to keep watching Mizushima look so down, before I knew it, I had said that.

In the next instant, Mizushima, who had been casting her eyes down sadly until then, instantly changed back to her usual aloof attitude.

Even her dry laughter had, at some point, turned into quiet giggles as she tried to hold back her amusement.

“Fufufu…That won’t do. You should have pushed me away properly until the very end.”

“Wha…!?”

“Haaah. You’re so easy, Souta. Acting like that, will you really be able to reject my confession properly?”

“Y-y-you! You tricked me!?”

This girl! Just when I had gone out of my way to say one word of thanks, this was what she did!

I take it back. She really wasn’t a puppy after all. She was a vixen. A vixen!

Give me back the guilt I felt when I thought,『Maybe I was being too harsh on her…』even for a second!

“Ahaha, sorry. I just teased you a little.”

“Like I care! That’s it. I’ll never believe a single word you say again!”

“Don’t sulk, don’t sulk. No, but really.”

As I turned away with a huff, Mizushima suddenly hugged me from behind.

“Souta, you really are kind.”

The soft sensation that had been against my left arm earlier was now pressed against my back.

“Whoa!? You, let go!”

“Suuuu… Souta’s scent calms me down.”

“Could you not sniff me!?”

Mizushima had buried her face in my back, and I could feel her breathing through my clothes.

It was ticklish and embarrassing, so I peeled Mizushima’s arms off from around my waist.

“Ehh, I wanted to inhale a little more, though. Soutanium.”

“No. Why would I go out of my way to let you smell me… What the hell is Soutanium!?”

Seriously, just how much of this was she doing for real?

Even though we had spent the whole day together, I felt like I understood Mizushima even less than before. She really was impossible to get a read on.

“Ah. Looks like my bus is here.”

While we were doing that, a city bus entered the rotary where the bus stop was.

Apparently, it was the one Mizushima would be taking.

“Well then, it’s hard to part but I’ll go home for today.”

“Tch, just hurry up and go.”

“What should we do for our next date? I’m looking forward to it already.”

Ahh, I knew it, but there really was going to be a『next time』.

“Don’t tell me you’re going to run away, okay? Souta isn’t a chicken, after all, right?”

“Kh…Y-you don’t have to tell me, I know!”

I had to stand head-on in the ring she had prepared called『lovers, trial version』endure all of her attacks and appeals like today, and then firmly reject her confession. Only then would it be my『victory』.

It was not like I was thinking of doing something cowardly like keeping my distance from you and just letting the month pass by at this point… only a little.

“Then, once the details are decided, I’ll contact you again. Bye-bye, Souta.”

Leaving those final words behind, Mizushima boarded the bus.

Haaah. Seriously, today has been exhausting in all sorts of ways.

I should hurry home, take a bath, and go to sleep early today.

“…Looks like this month is going to be harder than I expected.”