CH 72

Act 3 - The School Festival

19-1 Opportunity

――――I think Rei and I have done it a few times already.

"What flavor do you like?" (Mia)

"I like the soy sauce butter one." (Rintaro)

"What a coincidence. I'm just about to choose that flavor too." (Mia)

Caramel and salt are also good, but personally, I get bored easily with caramel, and salt is slightly bland.

Then again, soy sauce butter would be the perfect one for me.

"Then, let's go inside after we buy it, shall we?" (Mia)

"Sure." (Rintaro)

It's almost time to go in.

After buying popcorn and drinks, we enter the cinema.

The seats filled up quickly, and soon enough, it was full.

Is this the power of the latest popular movie?

"There's a unique sense of excitement in a cinema before it even starts, isn't there?" (Mia)

"I can understand that. I've never had much sympathy for it, but I actually don't mind watching trailers for other movies that are inserted at the beginning of a movie." (Rintaro)

"Me too, I can understand that feeling. I feel like I'm getting something out of it when I see a trailer for a movie I've seen before, or a trailer for a movie I'm really interested in." (Mia)

While we are chatting like this, the lights dim out in the hall.

And, the next day.

I got up as usual, washed my face, brushed my teeth, and is examining at my clothes.

As was the case with Rei, this is the most difficult part when going out with the opposite sex.

I don't have a lot of clothes, to begin with, and I'm not confident that I have a good style.

Some of them were forced on me by Yuzuki-sensei――――.

"......After all, safe is best, right?" (Rintaro)

I let out a sigh and put on a loose-fitting 3/4 sleeve T-shirt and a pair of skinny jeans.

No. This is too one pattern.

As I thought, I should have more of a repertoire, right? When Yukio returns, I'll ask him to go shopping with me. I promised him to go shopping for a mug anyway.

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I leave my house with my shoulder bag containing my wallet and other things on my back.

I head for the train station.

It is one hour before the appointment, and I plan to kill some time at a coffee shop, as I had originally planned.

As soon as I step outside, the heat of the sun pours down on me from above and the reflected heat rises up from the asphalt, burning my body.

It's seriously hot. Summer break will be over soon, but the summer is still far from over.

(I'll definitely have an iced coffee when I get there.......!)

With that in mind, I stomp my way to the front of the station.

Soon I get near the meeting place and find a surprising sight.

"What...... Mia?" (Rintaro)

A girl with a familiar face is standing in front of the statue we agreed upon as our meeting place.

She is disguised in a long black wig, just like Rei done.

She has been constantly pulling out a hand mirror and checking her face over and over since a while ago.

With a surprised look on my face, I approach her.

"Hey, why are you here so early?" (Rintaro)

"Eh――――Rintaro-kun!?" (Mia)

She looks up and looks at me with a surprised look on her face.

"B-back at you...... There's still an hour to go, remember?" (Mia)

"I was planning to cool off at the coffee shop and then come here." (Rintaro)

"S-so...... that's it. Ah, I was also planning to do the same." (Mia)

Then why are you here――――I swallow that question.

Somewhat impatiently, she fiddles with her wig, and her gaze is wandering restlessly.

Don't tell me this lass was looking forward to this so much?

If that's the case, I find that Mia has a cute side too...... unlike her usual self.

"......Then, let's go to the coffee shop. We still have time before the show anyway." (Rintaro)

"Y-yes...... You're right." (Mia)

The two of us then make our way side by side to the coffee shop in front of the station.

"By the way, you are very good at disguising yourself." (Rintaro)

"I can't walk out of the house properly unless I do this. How? Does this suit me?" (Mia)

"Yeah, your MIA-ness is fading, but your beauty hasn't diminished at all." (Rintaro)

"......Rintaro-kun, are you used to giving compliments?" (Mia)

"Not really. I just simply say what is in my mind, so it's not a hard thing." (Rintaro)

In the first place, she asked me for my opinion about her appearance, so I think it would be wrong if I don't answer her honestly.

"Hey, Rintaro-kun." (Mia)

"What?" (Rintaro)

"For a lover, I think holding hands is a kind of skinship, so what do you think?" (Mia)

"Sorry, but I can't do that." (Rintaro)

"......Why can't." (Mia)

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Seeing Mia with a somewhat sullen look on her face, I let out a sigh and then speak.

"Haven't you told me? I don't have to do anything I don't want to. Holding hands or displaying such a definite appearance of being a lover to those around is not a thing I want to do."

Holding hands, linking arms, and so on.

Such behaviors can leave Mia with no excuse if her disguise were to come undone.

Also, my hands are sweating a lot because of the summer sun.

To hold hands with her in such a state is certainly embarrassing.

"......Humph. Well, fine then." (Mia)

Mia puffs out her cheeks and walks half a step ahead of me.

What is it? Somehow, today's her seems to be a bit childish.

"Come on, hurry up." (Mia)

"K-kay." (Rintaro)

Is it just, my imagination?

◇◆◇

After killing some time at the coffee shop, we head straight to the cinema.

The ticket we bought together is titled "Harusaku Koi".

It is a story about a boring high school girl who is approached by a rich, good-looking guy and a nice, athletic guy.

The love triangle of her with two boys is said to be the appeal of the story――――.

"......Anyhow, aren't there so many girls here?" (Rintaro)

Most of the people who have been going in and out of the cinema since a while ago are all girls who look somewhat sophisticated.

It's not that there aren't any boys or adults, but I feel a little uncomfortable.

"That's natural. The actors are very popular among the girls right now. Here, this is your ticket." (Mia)

"Ah, thanks......" (Rintaro)

I take the ticket offered by Mia and stare at it for a few seconds.

"...... It's a bit late, but were you sure for paying for all." (Rintaro)

"It's really late for that. But, as I said before, I'll pay for the whole date. I think it's my duty as the person who gets you to spend the day with me." (Mia)

"No, But I don't think it's right if it's not the man who pays for the whole date." (Rintaro)

"It doesn't matter if you're a man or a woman. All you need to do today is to indulge me." (Mia)

Hmm, well, that's okay.

As long as you treat me, I shall treat you back in all honesty. It saves money.

The pride I had kept in my heart is easily shattered.

"Do you like to eat popcorn? I'm thinking of buying some." (Mia)

"Ah, well, I guess I am......?" (Rintaro)

I'm thinking of buying some," he said. "Then, let's share a large size, shall we? Fufu, I feel like we're becoming more and more like one." (Mia)

That "like" probably refers to being more like a lover.

When you think about it, sharing a snack together is very much like being a lover.

――――I think Rei and I have done it a few times already.

"What flavor do you like?" (Mia)

"I like the soy sauce butter one." (Rintaro)

"What a coincidence. I'm just about to choose that flavor too." (Mia)

Caramel and salt are also good, but personally, I get bored easily with caramel, and salt is slightly bland.

Then again, soy sauce butter would be the perfect one for me.

"Then, let's go inside after we buy it, shall we?" (Mia)

"Sure." (Rintaro)

It's almost time to go in.

After buying popcorn and drinks, we enter the cinema.

The seats filled up quickly, and soon enough, it was full.

Is this the power of the latest popular movie?

"There's a unique sense of excitement in a cinema before it even starts, isn't there?" (Mia)

"I can understand that. I've never had much sympathy for it, but I actually don't mind watching trailers for other movies that are inserted at the beginning of a movie." (Rintaro)

"Me too, I can understand that feeling. I feel like I'm getting something out of it when I see a trailer for a movie I've seen before, or a trailer for a movie I'm really interested in." (Mia)

While we are chatting like this, the lights dim out in the hall.

In the darkness, the movie trailers that we have just been talking about are starting to play on the huge screen.

This is when I feel that I have come to a cinema the most.

The size of the screen, the impact of the sound. Everything feels special.

[This is a story that happened in the dull spring of my life――――]

After the trailer ends, the film begins with such a monologue.

The heroine is a boring high school girl who gives off the impression of being a bit of a dowdy girl.

However, because she is played by a popular young actress, she has a well-defined face behind the round glasses she wears.

Apparently, this is not for the convenience of the actress, but because the manga on which the story is based describes her as something like――――a simple jewel that shines when polished.

I can't help but wonder what a "simple jewel" is, but if I were to nitpick at every little thing like this, I will never be able to enjoy a work, so I'll just put it to the back of my mind.