CH 21

“Are you okay..?”

“… Yeah, I’m fine.”

We got off the train at the nearest station and walked straight to our apartment. 

I’m sure that my complexion wasn’t looking so good right now.

I knew Tojo-san was worried about it, but I wanted her to understand that my condition was not due to any physical condition. It was from mental fatigue.

At the same time, I wanted to praise myself for how I kept my wits about myself.

The train was a painful place for me, so much so that I wished it didn’t happen in a way that was out of character for me. In many ways.

“Shall we go home? I’ll make you another delicious meal today.”

“Ah, that’s going to be fun―hm?”

I somehow felt some eyes on me, and I turned around on the spot, but there was no one in sight.

There were only a few passersby and the occasional passing car.

“… Did something happen?”

“No… I thought I felt someone’s eyes on me…”

“—I’m sure it’s all in your mind. Right?”

“Eh? Ah, yeah… Probably.”

“Look, if we don’t get going soon, we’ll have less time to be lovey-dovey!”

I felt like she was avoiding the topic, but I didn’t have any proof that someone was watching me either, so I was swept along and went inside the apartment. 

It’s just a feeling―but I don’t think it was a good one.

If I talked about it seriously, I’d sound like a crazy person, so I didn’t mention it anymore… However, a strange feeling of uneasiness remained in my heart.

◇◆◇

The next day.

I changed into my usual clothes and waited for Tojo-san at the entrance.

Today, a holiday, was also the day of the shopping trip I had promised her.

“I was sorry to keep you waiting. I’m sorry, I was a bit overzealous in my preparations…”

I gasped in amazement when I saw Tojo-san.

It’s not that I had never seen her in plain clothes before, but in most of the times I had talked with her, she was wearing her work or school clothes. Now that I had seen her again in a well-lit place, I was shocked.

A pure white one-piece dress with a simple belt wrapping above her waist, emphasizing her ample b*****s, and a necklace that could only be considered an accessory.

It looked like something that the one wearing would need to be 100% aware of their attractiveness to use it.

“Is something wrong?”

“Oh, no, I just thought… it looks great on you.”

“R-Really⁉ Haa… Thank goodness. I was a little worried that I might have put too much effort into it and got carried away.”

Tojo-san’s face looked a little different than usual as she patted her chest, and that’s when I finally noticed that she was wearing makeup.

Even though she was wearing makeup, it was the so-called natural one, so no significant changes were apparent. It appeared to merely be light-coloured lipsticks and some light touches around her eyes and cheeks.

I wouldn’t say that her face was more attractive than before, but I was really happy that she had put on makeup just for the sake of going out with me.

I felt as if I had become special and that the affirmation filled me with a sense of fulfillment.

“I’m starting to feel like… I’m not fit to be walking next to you.”

“It’s fine! Haruyuki-kun is always cool and attractive!”

Although she said so, it was obvious when you compared Tojo-san’s and my outfits.

I was wearing a cheap white T-shirt with half-minded English writing and long navy blue pants. No accessories of any kind, and even my hair was unkempt.

Unfashionable—is what I’d like to think I wasn’t, but I was too out of place to walk next to Tojo-san, who was perfectly dressed up.

“Are you dissatisfied with that?”

“It’s not that I’m unhappy… but I feel bad about it.”

“If that’s the case, let us stop by the clothing store first today.”

“I don’t mind. Why?”

“I know we’ve talked about buying clothes before, but since we’re going to go through all this trouble, why don’t we just buy them first and then go on a date dressed like that?”

While going through the mentions of the date part, I felt embarrassed.

I really appreciated her suggestion, though. I couldn’t afford to spend a lot of money, but I could probably afford to buy better quality clothes with my living expenses.

“And if you can, buy the clothes I choose. I will pay for everything.”

“Ha!?”

“It’s only natural that I ask you to buy me clothes that I like. Haruyuki-kun only wears the clothes I want him to wear, so there is no need to worry about whether they match or not. I will be very happy because I can dress Haruyuki-kun in the clothes I want him to wear. It’s a win-win relationship where neither party loses anything!”

Since I wouldn’t be paying for anything at all, it would cost Tojo-san quite a bit since she’ll be paying, no? Yet she refused to mention any of it, either because she was trying not to see the point or because she didn’t actually see it.

(Is this what it feels like to be supported by..! Oh, it’s exciting! I understand this feeling!)

I couldn’t say this to the person in question, but she was quite the strange one.

By the end of it, we visited a shopping mall close to the station following Tojo-san’s dictum.

Although I was very prejudiced, I had thought that a so-called rich person like her would patronise more specialty stores that sell brand-name products.

However, according to her, it was enough to have a few pieces of clothing for special occasions, while more simple ones are enough for normal trips.

For her, clothes were not a hobby but a necessity.

“Haruyuki-kun has a firm but slim body, so I think he would look good in skinny pants. I want to make his legs look s**y. I would prefer a navy blue colour, which suits you best, rather than being adventurous with colours. The top looks good enough with your current white t-shirt, so you should have a new t-shirt of good fabric and a light blue shirt that you can wear over it. If you make it too mature, it won’t match your face, so this should be enough manliness. Later, we can buy a pair of white sneakers as well, and lastly, a silver necklace would complete the set.”

“What do you think⁉”

When she asked me with a smile, all I could do was nod my head.

Tojo-san, I bet you know more about me than I do.