Volume 1 - CH 2.1

The next day, a Saturday…

Aoi-san and I went to a nearby shopping mall.

It was one of the two largest commercial facilities in the city.

There were movie theatres and hot springs on its premises so that people of all ages would enjoy it, so, on weekends, many people gathered there. Even now, the facilities were filled with families and students.

There was no other place to have fun, something typical in the countryside.

“Let’s start with the clothes. I’m sure you’ll be feeling uncomfortable in your uniform.”

“Yes.”

Aoi-san and I went to a nearby apparel store.

I was surprised that there were no men in the store, as it was meant only for women’s apparel.

Thinking that I should have gone to a store like ZU or UNIQLO, which had both men’s and women’s clothing, I looked around the store, feeling completely at a loss.

Aoi-san couldn’t seem to decide which one she wanted to buy.

“There’s nothing you like much?”

“No, not really. But I’m feeling a little overwhelmed.”

“I see. You can take your time.”

“What kind of clothes do you think would look good on me, Akira-kun?”

“No, don’t worry about my preference. Just choose what you like, Aoi-san.”

“But since you’re paying… it’d be great if you could choose for me.”

Seriously? I was not expecting to have a significant role in this.

To be honest, I don’t know much about women’s clothing.

I mean, it’s not just me, but all men that aren’t familiar with it.

However, I have at least fantasized about my ideal date while browsing the Internet with my smartphone, thinking, ‘I would be happy if she wore this kind of clothes on a date with me,’ if I ever had a girlfriend.

By the way, if I were to tell you my ideal look, I would choose a neat and clean one.

The bottom should be a long skirt that is more comfortable than a mini skirt, and the top should be in a colour that matches it. If it’s in the season, a brighter shirt or blouse would be good too.

Especially with a pleated skirt, it would be great.

I want to look at a pleated skirt that a girl is wearing and trace the creases with my fingers forever.

Does anyone understand me?

Aside from my propensity, I don’t know what a gal’s favourite outfit is…

“I guess flashy clothes would be better?”

“What? Flashy clothes? Why?”

I got asked in return.

When thinking of a gal, one would think of an exposed navel and mini-skirt, but is that not the case nowadays?

Even if we say ‘gal’ as a single word, the appearance varies from era to era.

It is thought that in the past, the most common type of gal was the ‘black gal’ who had their skin almost burned black from the tanning salons, but later on, in contrast, the concept of ‘white gal’ appeared. They were very conscious of beauty and were concerned about the paleness of their skin.

Leaving aside the black and white Othello-like contrast, why do I know so much? [EN: Othello is a modern variant of reversi.]

It’s because I couldn’t figure out how to treat a gal, so before I went to bed, I looked it up on my phone.

“I prefer to wear something more formal.”

“Are you okay with something neat?”

“Yeah.”

Well, it seems to be the third force, the neat and tidy gal group. That’s good.

That being the case, I looked around the store again and searched for something close to my image.

Then a mannequin displayed in the store caught my eye.

“Aoi-san, how about this combination?”

The mannequin was wearing a pale pink cardigan with a long white skirt underneath. The colour was simple and not too flashy, and it had a neat and clean feel to it.

You might think that choosing the set that the mannequin is wearing is a bit of a no-brainer, but I think it’s safer to trust the sales clerk’s sense of style than my own, who doesn’t have much insight.

“Okay, I’ll take this one. I’ll just try it on.”

“Yeah. I’ll be waiting for you at the entrance.”

“Okay. Wait for me.”

I saw Aoi-san off to the fitting room and sat down on a bench in the corridor in front of the store.

After all this time, why are we here at the mall?

The reason goes back to last night…

＊

“It’s cold today…”

The rain started falling in the afternoon and became heavier by the end of the school day. At night, it was raining so heavily that the sound of the raindrops hitting the windows echoed in the room.

It was early June, early summer according to the calendar, and I couldn’t help but feel a little chilly when it rained.

It was cool enough to make me pull out my thick loungewear.

“Aoi-san would be cold in that loungewear…”

The one I gave Aoi-san was a light summer one, albeit long-sleeved.

I thought about this as I went through the wardrobe in my room to find thicker loungewear for Aoi-san to wear.

Aoi-san said that she only took what she needed when she left home, but I guess it was really just the bare minimum of her personal belongings. She had nowhere else to go, so there was a limit to what she could take out.

She probably didn’t bring her own clothes, since she always wears my loungewear when she’s at home.

As expected, I can’t have her not afford more clothes of her own in the future.

It’s not just personal clothes.

As a girl, you have to have some things you need for your life.

Thinking about this, I went back to the living room to get a change of loungewear.

“Aoi-san, it’s cold today, so you should put this on after you finish taking a bath.”

“Is that okay? Thank you.”

When I handed her the loungewear, Aoi-san placed it on her lap and thanked me.

The expression on her face was still apologetic, even as she said thank you.

“By the way, Aoi-san…”

“Hmm?”

“Tomorrow, do you have any plans?”

“No, I don’t. There’s nothing tomorrow. I used to work part-time on weekends, but I was asked to work only after school during weekdays from now on. I have to go to school. I promised Akira-kun.”

“I see. Why don’t we go shopping together?”

“What?”

When I suggested this, Aoi-san looked surprised and held her tongue.

She turned her head down with her cheeks dyed red as if she was embarrassed.

“I don’t mean to force you, but…”

Did I say something strange?

“No, it’s okay. It’s okay. It’s just that it’s my first time going out with… a guy.”

“… Eh?”

At that moment, I realized why Aoi-san was embarrassed.

Aoi-san thinks I’m asking her out on a date?

“No, that’s not it! I didn’t mean it like that. I was just going to buy some things for you to live in our house. There are daily necessities, clothes, and other things that are better to have, right? I thought I’d help you with the luggage since I don’t want you to have to go out and buy all that stuff by yourself!”

I quickly thought about it and said something that sounded like an excuse, also using body language.

That’s what people generally call a shopping date.

“I see. I was a little surprised.”

“No, I didn’t explain it well enough. I’m sorry…”

“No, I’m sorry. I misunderstood.”

The air got filled with a subtlety that was hard to put into words.

“”…””

Awkward as ever!

I know it’s not just Aoi-san, but my face was starting to heat up too!

“It’s nice of you to ask me out, but I don’t have much money on me. My next part-time job doesn’t start until the end of this month, so I can’t spend any money until then.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll get you the money.”

“That’s not fair…”

“I’ve always had money saved up for emergencies without wasting it, and I never use it unless I have an opportunity like this. I don’t mind using it to make our lives more comfortable.”

“… Thank you.”

Aoi-san always has a troubled look on her face when she thanks me.

It was probably unavoidable, considering the circumstances.

But my heart ached a little to see her making that face.

＊