Volume 1 - CH 20

Chapter 20: Sweetness And Lightning

TL: Akabane

***

Ah ...... I ate too much ....... When I left the tonkatsu restaurant, I tapped my stomach, and Suzune saw it and giggled.

"S-Senpai ...... you look like a tanuki, you're so cute ......."

I felt a little embarrassed when Suzune treated me like a tanuki, so I let go of her hand from my stomach and said, "Well, let's go then ......" and went down the escalator with her.

The second floor of the mall was lined with fashion-related stores, mainly clothing stores. It wasn't my first visit to this mall, but I usually only visit the bookstore in the back, so the view of the mall walking alone with her was somewhat new to me.

Oh, I feel like we're on a date right now .......

"Wow ...... so cute ......."

And there, Suzune stopped in front of one clothing store. She then gazed at the mannequins displayed in the store with a twinkle in her eye.

The mannequin was wearing a light blue one-piece dress. The lower part of the long skirt was partially made of lace, allowing the mannequin's legs to show through. The mannequin was not only pretty, but also had a hint of sex appeal.

She approached the mannequin and rolled up the price tag attached to the hem of her skirt. Then she looks back at me and smiles bitterly.

"Ehehe ......,it was indeed a little out of reach ......."

Apparently, it was a little higher than expected. But she seemed to have some unfinished business with the dress, and looked at the mannequin enviously for a while.

It's strange that seeing her like that makes me want to buy it for her. When I think about how happy she would be if I bought her this dress ...... I want to see her smile.

I feel like I'm going to be a guy who pays his idol's salary in the future.......

And while I was looking at her, slightly pessimistic about my future, she unexpectedly ran up to me.

"I'm sorry ...... Do you bored when I looking at all the things I like ......?"

She looked up at me anxiously.

"No, I'm not. Just seeing Suzune-chan looking so happy is fun for me too."

I said it quickly, but as soon as I said it, I realized that I had said something rather drastic and suddenly felt embarrassed. Perhaps my embarrassment spread to Suzune, who blushed without answering.

An awkward atmosphere enveloped the two of us. But Suzune called me with her cheeks bright red, "S-Senpai ......."

"S-Senpai, we're going on a date today ...... so that I can help you with your novel, right?"

"Eh?　Oh, yeah, that's right ...... I think. ......."

And that's when I remembered my original purpose. Well, Suzune had asked me out on a date that day.

"So, if that's the case, then ...... if we don't look like a couple, it won't help your novel, will it?"

She quipped. But I didn't understand what exactly she meant.

When I looked a little confused, she suddenly extended her right hand to my left hand.

And then, she reached out with her right hand to my left hand.

"Eh ......"

She intertwined her right hand with my left hand. In other words ...... in short,...... this is the act of holding hands. In addition, she intertwines her own fingers with mine in what is called "couple holding."

I felt my heart rate rising as I felt the warmth of her fingers between my own.

I think it's strange, because we have never been a couple. We must have repeated embarrassing things for the sake of the novel, which even couples don't do. And yet, more than any of the extreme favors I've repeated, I was thrilled by the act of entwining her hands, something that is normal for couples to do.

"S-Senpai ...... this, is this a little ...... helpful?"

Suzune asked, her face still bright red.

"Umm, yes...... thanks to Suzune-chan, I think I can write a good novel......."

I answered as if my voice was strained, and she smiled slightly while her cheeks turned bright red and replied in a small voice, "Oh, I'm glad I could help you. ......."

We walk off, hand in hand.

I don't know ...... what's going on, my hands can't stop sweating .......

"S-Sorry, my hands sweating...... is it sticky?"

As expected, I didn't want to make her uncomfortable, so I asked that without thinking. But she shook her head with a slight smile.

"No, I'm not uncomfortable with Senpai's sweaty ...... hands. I can see that you are also nervous, and it makes me a little nervous ......."

I can't stop sweating even more because of what she said. But I could tell that Suzune was nervous, too, by the slight thump of her heartbeat in her palm.

In the end, we walked through the mall without much conversation. The next time we spoke was when she spotted a hair clip in a grocery store.

"S-Senpai ...... this, don't you think this is cute?"

Saying this, she picked up the hair clip. The hair clip had a small flower on it.

"I think ...... it's cute."

I replied, and she gave me a small smile, happy that I shared her opinion. She looked at the little hair clip in her palm for a while.

Then.

"Umm, I ...... I will buy this ......."

Apparently, she had decided to buy it. She gently let go of my hand and turned to walk toward the cash register. But as I watched her back, I couldn't stay still.

"That's ...... I'll buy it for you."

When I said that, she stopped and looked back at me. Then she waved her hand in front of her face with her cheeks bright red.

"Well, that's indeed bad for Senpai. ......"

"That's fine, that much. I can't thank Suzune-chan enough for the novel, and I don't think I can repay you with something like this, but at least let me repay with this much."

"Well, that's just my Senpai's ability. ......"

"Well, I'd also like to buy that hair clip for Suzune-chan."

............"

Suzune fell silent with a blush on her cheeks at my words.

My novel has won first place in the daily rankings. It was unquestionably thanks to Suzune's support. First place for one day?　I couldn't believe that I, a mere bottom-tier writer, would receive such an honor. She made it happen.

But more than that, I wanted to buy her that hair clip.

"Is it ...... okay if I buy it?"

To be honest, I was scared. If I told her I would buy it too insistently, it would be too intrusive. There is nothing more miserable than buying something for someone who is trying to get them to pay attention to you.

Suzune was silent for a while at my words.

But suddenly, she blushed.

"T-Thank you very much. ......"

She replied in a small voice.

***

When I finished shopping and went out of the store, Suzune was still waiting for me, looking a little shy. I handed her a small paper bag containing a hair clip and she took it and pressed it against her chest.

"S-Senpai ...... thank you. B-But, is the money okay?　It was quite expensive ......."

Suzune looked up at me happily, but also a little worried. I said to her, "Don't worry. I've been wanting to thank you for a long time," with a slightly wry smile.

Yes, that's right ...... it was quite expensive.......

I mean, it's a hair clip, right?　It's usually about 500 yen, right?　When I went to the cash register and was told it was 2,000 yen, I honestly felt my blood run cold. I opened my wallet and checked what I had in my hand. If I had been short of money, I would have been ashamed of myself. ......

But fortunately, I just barely had enough. I was wondering if I should buy a juice from the vending machine earlier, but if I had, I would have died. ......

Well, at any rate, I was able to repay her in some small way. And this was the first time I realized how much fun it is to give a present to a girl.

Only now I understand a little bit how guys who pay tribute to cabaret girls feel. ......

Suzune replied to me, "I-I'm glad ......" and took a hair clip out of the bag and looked at it happily for a while. Then, she looked at me and said, still a little embarrassed.

"C-Can I try it on?"

I nodded as she said this. She touched her hair to the side, put it over her ear, and attached the hair clip she had given me.

"Which, how do you like it?"

Suzune asks shyly, which makes me embarrassed too.

She is cute ...... ridiculously cute.

The cosmos flowers in her hair complemented her daintiness, yet they were modest without being too assertive.

"I- think it looks good on you. ......"

That was all I could manage to reply. In truth, I would have liked to send her the highest compliment. I wanted to send something more witty. But if I did, my chest would tear out from embarrassment. In the end, that was all I could say, but she still seemed satisfied and replied, "Oh, thank you. ......."

***

We continued to window shop in the mall for the rest of the day. All the while we kept holding hands.

Amazingly, I still haven't produced any kinky trophies since I held hands with her. I was holding hands with Suzune Minazuki, a beautiful, innocent, perverted girl, you know?　To hold hands with her and not produce a pervert trophy is as impossible as a soldier taking a picture of his fiancée to the battlefield and coming back unscathed. ......

Me and Suzune came back to the nearest station, still astonished by such a fact. As expected, when we got back to the nearest station, I started to get worried about being seen too. So I tried to gently let go of her hand, but she took my hand again and squeezed it so tightly that I couldn't stop my heart from pounding. I looked at Suzune next to me, but she didn't look at me and kept her head down.

"S-Senpai ...... today's date ...... can it help Senpai's creation a little?"

She asked that, still not looking at me.

To be honest, I'm not sure if it will help my creation or not. Because my memories of the first time holding hands with her are dim.

"Well, yeah, ...... at least as a reference for the dating scene--"

"Well, don't you think it's not enough ......?"

And that's when she interrupted me.

"Eh?　Not enough ......?"

"Don't you think it's not enough?"

Suzune asked the same question again.

Oh, hey, wait a minute ...... this is .......

Suzune then let go of my hand and turned to face me, looking up at me with her cheeks dyed.

Seeing her like that, I was convinced.

In other words, Suzune has given me permission to do that, two letter thing that starts with "ki" and ends with "su".

"Wait a minute, Suzune-chan. I really don't mean that ......."

Sure we dated for reference for our novel. But it was only a simulation, and kissing is crossing the line. No, I crossed the line long ago with the string candy play and all, but I felt like I was crossing the line in a different way.

Seeing me upset, Suzune's eyes widened in surprise.

"S-Sorry ...... I ......."

She turned her head away from me in embarrassment, as if she had indeed realized that her suggestion had gone too far.

I was relieved to see her, but she suddenly pulled something out of her skirt pocket.

It was a candy ball.

"Suzune-chan?"

"Yes, that's right. ......Senpai, what you're writing was a sensual novel, wasn't it?　A normal kiss is not a reference, right?"

Oh, no. ...... I'm not trying to talk about method, I'm talking about the other step.

Also, what are you going to use that candy ball ...... for?　I'm only getting very obscene fantasies?

I was upset that Suzune was jumping over the hurdles in my mind so easily, but it seemed that she finally noticed me, and she suddenly made an embarrassed face and turned her child away from me.

"S-Senpai, d-do you want to k-kiss me......?"

And her words were so destructive that I almost ascended for a moment.

I don't want to?　K don't want to kiss Suzune Minazuki?

There's no way that's words exist!

"No, that's not true. But are you okay with it, Suzune-chan?"

When I asked her that, Suzune replied, "Well, I want to be of help to my Senpai's novel ......."

Since she said this, as a man, I couldn't run away.

I made up my mind and put my hand on her shoulder. As if on cue, Suzune slowly closed her eyes as she looked up. Then, I slowly moved my face closer to Suzune's face.

Oh, sh*t...... I'm going to kiss her. I'm going to kiss Suzune.......!

And that was when their lips were finally about to touch.......

"R-R-Ryutarooool!"

[TL: (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻ ]

Just before my lips and Suzune-chan's lips were about to touch, such a voice broke my ears.

I and Suzune hurriedly turned our heads toward the voice, and there was a familiar face.

Shota Minazuki was staring at me with a devilish look on his face.

Apparently, I had lost a 50-50 bet.