CH 34

October 24, Saturday.

When one thinks of amusement parks, they would imagine exciting rides like Roller coasters, ships, Pendulum rides, speedway, etc.

However, even though the one we planned to visit was not that famous, the quality and the wide range of attractions and different rides made this place relatively popular among the youngsters and now the amusement park is categorized as one of the most popular date spots in our area. It is also located close to our high school, so traveling there was very convenient.

The meeting time we planned was 10:00 AM, the same time as the opening of the park.

I previously have had the opportunity to go on dates with my cousins and homeroom teacher, but this is the first time for me to go on a proper date with a girl who is the same age as mine.

I arrived 30 minutes earlier than the meeting time, trying to calm down my exciting nerves.

I quickly carried out the advice I had received from Hanamura-senseiHanamura-sensei yesterday: “Reach the planned spot ahead of the time, girls don’t like to be waited for long.”

And he also gave me some important tips on what to reply in case anything goes wrong.

Though I couldn’t trust his words too much, because even though he was acting so confident about his experience in dating, deep down I knew he was also a novice. But I didn’t have anyone else to talk with about this topic so he was my last resort.

While I was contemplating my talks with Hanamura-sensei which happened yesterday after school hours, a tap on my shoulder woke me up from my stupor.

“Good morning, Segawa-kun.”

“Hmm? Oh, good morning Shinozuka-san, did you make a mistake with the meeting time?”

When I arrived at the fountain near the amusement park where we were supposed to meet, Shinozuka-san, with a cheerful smile plastered on his face, approached me.

I had previously assumed that Shinozuka-san would arrive on time, but this came off as unexpected. And now I was thinking of what to reply to her.

“No, it’s not like that. I was quite excited about today so I accidentally came a little earlier. By the way, aren’t you the same, Segawa-kun?”

“Well, it’s been a while since I visited the amusement park, so… maybe I was also a little excited?”

“I see. Well, let’s have a lot of fun today, shall we?”

“Sure, why not.”

I was acting really awkward around her. Well that can’t be helped as I have no dating experience.

“That’s fine by me, but there is still some time for the park to open. What should we do for the time being?”

“Hmm… Why don’t we play some word games?”

“I think that’s the last resort left…”

Shinozuka-san smiled awkwardly and scratched her cheek with her fingers. But as if she thought of something to pass our time, she started rummaging through her bag.

After a few seconds she took out a deck of cards and began shuffling them in front of me. Her movement of hands were very fluent and she looked a lot experienced in the card tricks.

“Then, please accompany me in my magic. Thanks to you, Segawa-kun, I’ve improved a lot since then.”

“No, I didn’t do anything to help you though.”

“It looks like you don’t remember about it properly. It was thanks to Segawa-kun that I could perform the magic tricks without making any mistakes. When I was a freshman, you accompanied me every day after school, right? If it weren’t for that, I probably would have quitted it already.”

While shuffling the cards, she recalled our old memories and smiled shyly.

In the first year of our school, Shinozuka-san and I were in the same class.

We both came into contact with each other and were on familiar terms later on because we were part of the same committee.

It’s not an interesting or important story, but I didn’t do anything to earn her gratitude.

“Okay then, choose one of these cards.”

Shinozuka-san, after shuffling the cards for a while using different techniques so that they can properly be drawn randomly, asked me to pick a card randomly from the deck.

“You can take a look at it.”

It was an A of hearts.

“Now cover the card with both of your hands so that it is not visible with your eyes anymore.”

“Like this?”

He covered the entire surface of the card with both of my hands. But the card was still slightly visible from the gaps of my fingers, I couldn’t hide it properly but it was still in the acceptable margin.

“Okay then. Now, if you’ll excuse me…”

“What…?”

Shinozuka-san approached me and touched both of my hands as if to wrap them with hers. I didn’t expect something like this from her, it was a little bold of her.

“Don’t let go of the card anyhow, okay?”

“Sure…”

“Now, look into my eyes.”

“…..”

I shifted my focus to her face and our eyes gazed at each other. When I saw her face up close properly now, I noticed that she Indeed has a well carved face, a cool and aloof beauty type, her face was more on the cute side and her looks can easily rival those of the idols. I guess it was not an exaggeration that she won the beauty competition.

Her long eyelashes, round eyes, plump red cherry like lips, and a sweet smell waffling in the air emanating from her which stimulated my nostrils.

Shinozuka-san held my hand for a while and then let out a smile.

“It’s time. You can now open your hand.”

“Oh, okay.”

I finally freed my hand and looked at the card which I tightly grasped from a while ago.

But surprisingly it was not an A of hearts.

“I thought one heart was not enough so I made it ten. Aren’t I amazing?”

“Wow, how did you do that?”

I am sure that the first card I picked up was A of hearts but now it was a 10 of hearts. I wonder how she did that without even touching the cards directly or averting my direction to somehow change them. I was left baffled for a while because I couldn’t comprehend how she actually did it.

“Hahaha~ it’s so rewarding when you’re that surprised.”

“It’s amazing… I had no idea how it worked.”

I’m glad to hear you say that. The first time I showed you my magic trick, Segawa-kun, you were really disappointed in it.”

“No, I didn’t do anything like that.”

“I wonder if it is true.”

Shinozuka-san was looking at me with a smirk adorning her pretty face like she finally got her revenge on me. I broke into a cold sweat when I noticed it.

“Well then, let me show you more amazing magic tricks.”

“Yes, that’s fine. Then the next one—”

_____________________________________

[Point of View] Kaede Ayase :

“Woah, magic! Look Nee-san, that person is a magician.”

I’m currently hiding in the shadows, stalk— ahem! Observing Mi-kun from afar.

Shi-chan looked at the girl next to Mi-kun with an ecstatic expression on her face while tugging the sleeves of my clothes.

From this distance, I couldn’t really see what she was doing. However, Shi-chan, who had relatively good eyesight, could easily tell what they were doing.

I was so excited to see her, but I didn’t know if she was a magician or not.

“Magicians…!! Is that person Mi-kun’s girlfriend?”

“Umm… I guess it’s wrong to follow them after all.”

Yumi-nee who was also with us hesitated to follow them, but I straight declined her while shaking my head.”

“Why are you so intimidated after coming this far, Yumi-nee?”

“Alright, let me ask you something… What would you do if you really were Segawa-kun’s girlfriend?”

“At that time— Ugh, I don’t really know.”

I thought about many possibilities if that were to be the case, my dream would have come true. But thinking about it carefully I didn’t know in which words I should describe that feeling.

While I was still frustrated while rummaging through my thoughts, Shi-chan turned her attention to Yumi-nee.

“Yumi-nee, do you know about her?”

“Hmm? Ah, yes I am her homeroom teacher. She is actually quite a nice girl with a cheerful and outgoing personality.”

“I see. So, she’s very nice.”

“”Ugh…””

Shi-chan’s remark made both of us hold our stomachs as a sickening effect affected us.

But in the end all I could pray was that there wouldn’t be any more people targeting my Mi-kun.

_____________________________________