Volume 2 - CH 3.3

The city began to gradually show its liveliness when it was about past 9 am.

Christmas songs began being played, and decorative lighting began flickering despite the clear weather, perhaps to stand out in order to attract customers even if a little.

“You sure can call this uselessly raising your electricity bill, I guess.”

“Don’t they use, like, light bulbs that don’t use much electricity for this kinda thing? I feel like our cafe got something like that, too.”

“Oh, I see…”

“A place with a good atmosphere spotted! C’mon, let’s go there. Looks like they just opened up, too.”

Pulled along by Shino, they entered the shop that had standing signboard written with: Couples Only Discount.

“Welcome.”

“For two please~.”

“Would it be as a couple?”

“Yes.”

“Well then, please have a seat over there. Once you have decided on what to order, please call the staff with the bell.”

Taking a seat on the shown seat, they picked up the menu.

The menu was apparently special only for today; everything was written with Couple Style, and then the picture was also unique. All of the drinks came with a heart-shaped straw, and for light meals as well, such as the sandwich sliced into the word: LOVE.

“They sure are thorough… Does your part-time job do stuff like this, too?”

“I think we’re not doing something like this. I mean, like, the customers are basically all women.”

“Ah…”

There were certainly almost only female customers to be seen at the cafe Shino was working at.

There would be male customers showing up occasionally, but they would mostly be the employee’s boyfriend, who would come there for the same reason Sandai would be waiting for Shino’s part-time job to end.

“We do events that like could be enjoyed with only women, but we don’t do stuff like discounts for couples.”

“Women-only, space-like atmosphere is the selling point, so when couples come crowding it, the general idea would go to waste, something like that?”

“The Assistant Manager’s also saying something like that!”

“Assistant Manager… Sure feels like I’ve seen the person before. Someone who seems overly serious, is it?”

“She’s overly serious, true, but she’s kind, you know? …Looks like Mei-chan isn’t good with her, though.”

It seemed Chocolate Cornets aka Mei had a hard time dealing with the Assistant Manager, but certainly, he did feel like the person in question grumbling about this and that.

An overly serious person has the impression of being difficult to approach, but they often have a fixed standard. As for Sandai, he was on the side that thought that that was a likable factor, so he couldn’t really sympathize with having a hard time dealing with one.

However, each person does feel about another person differently.

It is also natural for both ways of thinking and how a person feels to be different, so it is a waste of time only thinking which is right or wrong.

If Sandai were to go and start talking about such a thing, it would lead to the matter of him and Shino dating as well: as the world they lived in was different, they should break up.

He would hate that.

“Speaking of Chocolate Cornets, about the matter the other day… her compatibility with me is really bad, so I sure don’t wanna be left alone with her at all anymore.”

“Chocolate Cornets… Mei-chan will get angry if she hears that, so don’t say it in front of her, okay? If Mei-chan gets her hairstyle made fun of…”

“If it did?”

“She’ll go sob sob.”

“So gonna cry, huh. Well, that hairstyle seems like it would take time to do, so I guess she wouldn’t want it to get made fun of.”

“Right, right.”

Shino didn’t really show jealousy when it came to Mei, but probably because Shino could affirm that improper misconduct absolutely wouldn’t happen.

Sandai didn’t dislike Mei to that extent, and Mei was probably also the same, but nevertheless, there was a clear wall up between the two.

Well, leaving that aside, they would have to order something as long as they had entered a shop, so they began chatting while looking at the menu.

“Hnnn… It’s not like I’m hungry either, so I guess I’ll just go for a drink.”

“I’m also not that hungry either here.”

“It’ll be just drinks then. Wanna order one and drink it together? Or do we each order what we want? In any case, it’ll come with a heart-shaped couple straw, though.”

“Right… We can each order one, and then share a sip or two, can we?”

“All right, let’s do that then. I’m gonna order the strawberry juice~.”

“I wanna drink something refreshing, so I guess I’ll go with the pineapple.”

They both had decided what to order, so they called for a server by pressing the bell. It wasn’t food, so what they had ordered quickly came.

What Shino had ordered was a syrupy strawberry milk, and what Sandai had ordered was a pineapple juice with slices of pineapple inside the glass.

And then the couple straw was in either glass.

“…The glass is surprisingly big. Bigger than I thought. Actually, I even got a fork on mine, though.”

“It’s so you can eat the pineapple inside, isn’t it? The fork’s got no use other than for that, right?”

“I guess so.”

“Well, I think you don’t have to force yourself to eat it, though. I think it’s like an option for people who wanna eat it, you know? That aside, let’s quickly use the straw and drink together.”

Since Shino seemed to want to quickly use the couple straw, as told, he took a couple of slurps of the strawberry milk Shino had ordered first together with her.

It’s got a strong sweetness, I feel like it’s a bit too heavy to drink in the morning, Sandai was commenting on the strawberry milk, but a bit later he noticed that Shino was staring at him.

“What’s up?”

“The strawberry milk…”

“Something wrong with it?”

“It totally didn’t get to me at all, though? You’re slurping too hard!”

It seemed Sandai had slurped it a little too strong, making the juice not go to Shino.

You would need to have a knack for using a couple straw, so to say.

“Careful, okay?”

“Got it.”

“Then one more time!”

This time being careful, Sandai consciously slurped it with just the right amount of power. And then Shino was happily slurping it, apparently strawberry milk properly going to her.

Continuing from there, they similarly shared a couple of slurps of Sandai’s pineapple juice as well. The pineapple’s sourness was a bit strong, enough that Shino pursed her lips, going, “Hnn~,”  but combined with the concentrated taste, it was pretty good for Sandai.

As for the pineapple inside, he only ate half. Although he wasn’t that hungry to begin with either, the juice additionally bloated up his stomach.

“A bit complaining, but the other day Miki said she wanted a cat, and it’s just troubling.”

“A kitty?”

“Yeah. But I told Miki she wouldn’t be able to look after it. Even if I tell her to cherish it since it’s another life, she’s probably gonna say nice things and look after it only at the start anyway. It’s so clear it would be me or Mom who’d end up looking after it in the end.”

“Cats are cute. So that probably made her want one.”

“You just can’t keep one just because it’s cute. I mean, like, a cat is a living thing with a life. Besides, it’s still better if it’s adopting a shelter cat that might’ve had a rough life in the past and making it happy, but what do you think Miki said?”

“What did she say?”

“She said she wanted a Persian cat. Because they’re so fluffy, she said. No other reason.”

“…Sure seems like it’s gonna cost six figures.”

“She’s toooooooootally not gonna look after it, that Miki. It’s so obvious she’s just wanna pet it or bury her face in its fluffy fur.”

As they continued leisurely having such a chat, the number of customers were gradually increasing, and the seats inside the shop started to be filled up. Both Sandai and Shino had also finished drinking up what they had ordered, so they paid the bill and left since taking the seat for too long seemed to cause only convenience.

After that, they went around having fun. However, they were getting tired before long, so they switched it up, turning it into a home date.

After welcoming Shino into his apartment, Sandai suddenly realized a certain something and began to rummage through the closet.

“…What’re you doing?”

“Well, I thought it’s winter and all, so this.”

What Sandai had taken out was a kotatsu. It wasn’t as if it was necessary either since there was an AC, but a kotatsu really was one to match the mood of winter.

It would have been perfect had he realized and set it up this morning or yesterday, but well, nothing could be done since he had remembered just now.

“A kotatsu! Let’s go get in. Cozy snugly~.”

When he turned on the kotatsu, Shino became like a turtle, with everything but her face inside.

Previously, Shino had scolded Miki, telling her not to treat Sandai’s home as if it was hers, but… with the unauthorized setting up of her daily necessities and so on, it did feel like Shino was losing her right to warn Miki for this and that.

Well, she was probably thinking that she was special since she was his girlfriend, and Sandai was also allowing Shino’s behavior.

If there was an exception, it would be his PC. It was packed with porn images and videos, and with some games as well actually, so only the PC he absolutely wouldn’t let her touch.

Moreover, Sandai’s favorite lately was gyaru stuff. Actresses and characters looking like Shino had come to make up 80% of his folder.

He had been very anxious as well at times… shuddering at the thought of what if these were to get found out by Shino by some chance. When it came to possessing lots of porn behind the scenes while usually looking calm and indifferent about it, he would get misunderstood as a closet pervert.

Sandai would like to be thought of as a respectable boyfriend, and he got a strong awareness that he should be that way.

“When you got into a kotatsu, it does feel like it’s really winter~.”

“You’re right.”

“Ah… yeah, that’s right, wait a bit.”

Shino crawled out to grab her bag, and then crawled back with it. And then she placed the smaller bag she had taken out of her bag on Sandai’s lap.

“What’s this?”

“A Christmas present~.”

Wondering what could be inside, Sandai immediately opened it. What was inside was a muffler overflowing with a surprisingly luxurious feel.

“It’s a cashmere one so it’s soft and fluffy to the touch.”

Although not knowing what cashmere was, he could tell from its feel that it was an item as expensive as it looked.

“Thanks. I’m happy to receive this.”

“It’s great you’re happy with it!”

“Well then, looks like it’s my present next. Hold on for a bit.”

Sandai gave the wrapped, previously-bought lingerie to Shino.

“I wonder what’s inside~.” Shino was smilingly opening the wrapping and then froze up. “…”

“I thought it’s surely going to look good on you.”

“T-This is for me…?”

“That’s right.”

“So this means umm, y-y-you want me to wear this?”

“I bought it after giving it a lot of thought. I’d be happy if you could wear it for me.”

Sandai did think about how she would take it with lingerie for the present. However, it was too late to do anything about it now.

Besides, no matter what kind of circumstances behind it had been, it was no one but himself who had ultimately decided to buy this.

After having come this far with no way to turn back, Sandai’s mind was calm and unashamed.

“Awawawa…”

As for Shino, she unfolded the lingerie by pinching it with her fingers and got bewildered. However, seeing Sandai’s refreshing smile, she gulped down.

“I-I see… so it’s like… ‘I’m now ready. The rest depends on you’…”

“?”

“I got it! And the size looks fine, too… So then… I’ll bring it when we head to the hot spring, okay? I’ll also get myself ready!”

Without really knowing the meaning behind getting herself ready, Sandai tilted his head.

But for the time being, she didn’t seem to get creeped out.

That was great.

However, it was also true that he still only had one weight lifted from his shoulders. Sandai smiled wryly as it was still too early to relax.

He still had one big worry left.

“Before heading to the hot spring, I’ve gotta go and greet your parents.”

“…Right.”

“We’ve also got only a couple of days left. Should I head there sometime tomorrow?”

“It’s better if it’s not tomorrow, I think? I’ll be working all day long, so it’s gonna be at night if you want it tomorrow, you know? Besides, tomorrow is Christmas, and my dad’s saying about having a family dinner outside, so it might be absurd timing-wise.”

“That’s… a no, I guess.”

“Well, I think you can also tag along for the dinner and greet them there, though…?”

“It’s not so bad when it’s a dining out arranged with me greeting them in mind, but if I wedge my way into a plan where it’s supposed to be an enjoyable time for family only, I feel like my impression will be bad.”

“I don’t mind it, and my mom and Miki probably won’t mind it either, but… my dad’s certainly can be a bit. Then how about the greeting on the 26th the day after tomorrow? That day we start work in the afternoon, so we can quickly be done with it in the morning.”

“Can it be done quickly like that?”

“An hour two is what we need. Or could it be that you’re planning to go out somewhere together with my parents?”

“…Suddenly closing distance with someone like that is impossible for me.”

“So it’s gonna be in the morning the day after tomorrow then. I’ll also give my parents some explanation by then… Do you remember where my house is?”

“I remember it.”

As they were talking about the greeting little by little, Christmas Eve went by in a flash. It came to an end just like that.

They were smooching until each other was satisfied, and after that Sandai walked Shino to the station.