Volume 2 - CH 31

V2 Chapter 31 | Love Comes Out of the Blue

“This one is cute, too. Don’t you think so? Would you like to try it on?”

“Isn’t that a little too short?”

It’s been a few minutes since Anri and Sugimoto started picking out clothes together.

We were accompanying them as they picked out their clothes.

“Tendo. I’m shopping with a girl my age for the first time, is this how it’s going to be?”

Sure enough, they pick up clothes in the same store, put them back, and then look at other clothes they have picked out.

Then, after choosing a few outfits, the two girls show each other their clothes, smiling at each other.

“Well, I don’t know. Isn’t this how girls shop?”

“No, my sister is even quicker. When she picks it up, she tries it on immediately and goes to the cashier after a few seconds.”

Takayama and I are watching the two girls from a little distance.

Half of the store is men’s and half is women’s clothing, but we are not interested in looking at the clothes.

So Takayama and I sit on a bench in the store and watch the two girls.

“Hey, Tendo. Haven’t they been exchanging the same kind of clothes since a while ago?”

“Yes, they are. A lot of the same clothes. Even Takayama has similar clothes, don’t you?”

“I know, the shirts and the jeans are similar. But don’t the clothes in Sugimoto’s hands look the same?

“I’m sure they are slightly different, like the construction details.”

“I see. But those clothes look good on her.”

Takayama, who is whispering in a low voice, looks at the two girls but is still concerned about the time.

Is it about time?

“Hey, you two. Which do you like better, this one or this one?”

Sugimoto holds two skirts in her hands.

Each skirt is in a trendy color and shape, but one is shorter and the other is longer.

Hmmm, I honestly think either one would be fine.

“Hey, you two. Which do you like better, this one or this one?”

Sugimoto holds two skirts in her hands.

Each skirt is in a trendy color and shape, but one is shorter and the other is longer.

Hmmm, I honestly think either one would be fine.

“I definitely prefer this one. It looks good on Sugimoto.”

The one Takayama chose was, surprisingly, the longer skirt.

“Takayama-kun, do you prefer the long one?”

“No, I thought the longer one would fit Sugimoto’s image better. I’m sure it will look good on Sugimoto and she will look cute in it.”

“I see… I’m going to try it on.”

Sugimoto entered the fitting room feeling a little flustered.

Anri walks toward us with two outfits in the same way.

In her hands, as expected, she is holding similar clothes. A light blue one-piece dress.

One is sleeveless with a slightly shorter skirt.

The other is a short-sleeved one-piece dress that goes all the way down to her feet.

“You see, Tendo. Women’s hearts are complicated, but there is an ironclad rule.”

Takayama, who was standing next to me, gave me an earful.

“Pay close attention to their clothes, hair, makeup, etc., and give them compliments. And for clothes and accessories, say things like, ‘That looks good on you’ or ‘You look cute.’“

That’s some very clear advice.

How do you know so much about it?

“Is a compliment enough?”

‘Oh, my sister absolutely demands my opinion of her. She gets in a bad mood if I say something inappropriate. The point is to praise her.”

“Well, which one do you think is better?”

Anri comes in front of us with some clothes.

To be honest, it looks like either one of them would fit her, and it’s a cute outfit.

I guess I shouldn’t say either one is fine here.

“Well, if it were me, I’d prefer this one with the longer skirt. I think it would look better on Himekawa-san.”

The shorter skirt is relatively short, coming to just above the knee.

Personally, I like short skirts, but long skirts look better on Anri.

“I see. What about you, Takayama-san?”

“Me? I prefer short skirts. It’s going to be summer from now on, and it looks cooler.”

“Hmm, what should I do…”

“Why don’t you try it on?”

“Yeah, I’ll try it on.”

Anri also enters the fitting room next to Sugimoto.

I wonder if it’s time to make a decision.

“Hey, Tendo. Does love come all of a sudden?”

That’s unusual for you to ask me something like that.

“I wonder. There are times when I find myself falling in love with someone, or falling in love at first sight. It depends on the person, doesn’t it?”

I fell in love with Anri. When I came to my senses, Anri was in my heart.

When did she fall in love with me?

“Is Tendo in love with someone?”

What should I say to that question?

Should I answer honestly? Or should I answer vaguely?…

“I’m in love. Are you in love, Takayama?”

“I see… I’m—”

The curtains of the fitting room opened.

It seemed that Sugimoto had finished trying on the clothes.

Takayama got up from his seat first and walked toward Sugimoto, followed by me.

“What do you think?”

Takayama was right, the skirt fits Sugimoto’s image.

“Oh, oh. It looks good on you. It’s as if the skirt was made for Sugimoto to wear.”

You’re going to praise her that much? Should I do the same?

“Yes, I think it suits you well, Sugimoto-san.”

She looked satisfied with it, even though her cheeks were a little red.

“I think I’ll settle for this one…”

The curtains close immediately.

From inside I could hear her changing clothes, but soon the curtain next to me opened as well.

“I put on the short-sleeved one, does it look weird?”

The moment I saw Anri, I was taken aback.

I have seen Anri’s casual clothes several times, but this outfit suits her.

It’s cute, and it suits Anri.

“It’s cute. It suits you very well.”

I said in my plain voice.

I come back to myself and feel a little embarrassed.

“Yes, it is. It suits you, Himekawa-san.”

“Oh, thanks. I think I’ll settle for this one.”

Anri also closes the curtains.

Then, Takayama and I returned to the bench.

“I’m sure those two will pick out some cute outfits.”

“Yes, I think so. Pretty clothes for pretty girls. We’re going to walk next to them. We have to dress accordingly.”

Takayama fixes the collar of his suit and tightens his tie.

But, isn’t a suit a little different? I looked at Takayama.

The two came out of the fitting room and went to put back the one they were not going to buy.

They each hold a piece of clothing in their hands.

“I’ll come back later to buy it, so I’ll talk to the clerk and ask him to put it on hold for me.”

The two girls who told me this smiled and walked to the counter.

Surely if I buy it now, it will be luggage, and I’d rather do it that way.

“All right, I guess it’s time to head to the cinema. It’s almost time to go.”

Takayama spoke to me while looking at his watch.

It’s about time. I’ve killed a lot of time by shopping.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Shall we go now?”

Sugimoto asked us.

“Yeah, it’s about time to go. Shall we go?”

Takayama, in high spirits, leads the way as he walks into the front.

Takayama is totally in charge today.

Sugimoto came up next to Takayama.

“Takayama-kun, are you tired?”

“Me? I’m super fine!”

“I’m glad to hear that. Don’t hesitate to tell me if you get tired.”

Sugimoto, smiling and talking to Takayama, is cute and talks a lot, which I can’t imagine at school.

And Anri, walking next to me, is still the same Anri I often see at school.

When she’s alone with me, she talks in a more broken-down way and rolls around on the couch.

Anri has yet to show her true self. No, she can’t let it out.

“Himekawa-san, are you tired?”

I love it when she smiles at me.

“I’m fine. How about you, Tendo-san?”

“Me? I’m fine too. The main event of the day is just beginning!”

”Yes, I’m looking forward to it!”

I am sure that if it were just the two of us, we would hold hands and head to the movie theater.

But right now, we can’t hold hands or cross our arms just yet.

I want to be closer to Anri’s side, but I can’t be.

I am walking next to Anri while killing that feeling.

My heart is in agony… I feel like I’m suffocating.