Chapter 4: The First Outing
The three of them arrived at a shopping mall a short distance away. It was a weekday, but the place was crowded. Yuuki was worried Hatsushiro might get overwhelmed, but she seemed to be holding up okay.
The mall was home to a variety of stores, including restaurants, a movie theater, a bookstore, a drug store, a music shop, and a sporting goods store. For fashion, there were about twenty different brands and select shops.
“What kind of clothes do you like, Hatsushiro-san?”
Ootani asked inside one of the women’s brand stores.
“Umm…”
Hatsushiro looked around, her eyes darting everywhere. She had probably never been to a place like this before. She couldn’t seem to pick anything out.
And Yuuki was just as unaccustomed to this environment.
(What a weird place.)
He felt out of place surrounded by so many clothes.
To be honest, Yuuki had zero interest in fashion.
In fact, he didn’t really see the point of spending time on it. This was a guy who had spent his entire middle school life in either a uniform or a school-issue tracksuit. For him, the only criteria for clothes were “cheap,” “easy to move in,” and “easy to care for.”
But.
If he was asked whether he wanted to see his cute girlfriend all dressed up…
(Of course I do!!)
So, he was actually quite enthusiastic.
“Hatsushiro-san. With this stuff, you just have to go with your gut,” Ootani said to the hesitant girl.
“O-Oh, really? Then…”
Hatsushiro shyly pointed to one of the mannequins.
“Alright, I’ll buy the whole set!”
Yuuki started to head for the register, but…
“Hold on a minute.”
“Gueh.”
Ootani grabbed him by the back of the collar and stopped him.
“What is it, Ootani? I’m no expert, but I think this would look really good on Hatsushiro.”
The outfit she had chosen was a chic, dark-toned design. He thought it would perfectly suit her fair skin, long black hair, and pure, elegant vibe.
“Well, it’s not bad, but…”
“Is there a problem?”
Yuuki tilted his head.
“I think it would suit her too, but it’s not that different from the uniform she’s wearing now.”
“Ah. Now that you mention it, that’s true.”
The uniform for her prestigious school also had a conservative design.
“But what’s wrong with that?”
“Since you’re buying new clothes anyway, don’t you want to try a slightly different look? It might be hard for you to understand, but that’s part of the fun.”
I-I see. It’s a deep world. Yuuki was impressed.
“Why don’t you pick something out for her, Yuuki? She’s dressing up because she wants you to see her, after all.”
“Huh? Me?”
“And I’m sure Hatsushiro-san won’t complain about whatever you choose, right?”
Hatsushiro nodded at Ootani’s words.
“A-Alright. Here I go!”
And so, he looked around the store, but…
(This is bad. I have no idea what I’m doing.)
He was full of motivation, fired up to pick out the perfect outfit for Hatsushiro, but he was so fatally lacking in knowledge and taste that he couldn’t form an image in his mind just by looking at the clothes.
He asked Ootani, “...Hey, what criteria should I be using to pick something?”
“I just told you. Your gut. Your feelings.”
“Easier said than done…”
“You’re a guy, right? Just pick whatever makes the little guy in your pants stand up and salute.”
“Hey, watch your mouth, you’re a high school girl.”
“I think it’s an efficient and effective selection method. ‘Believe in the you that is in you.’”
Worst. Pep talk. Ever.
“Well, if you told her you picked it based on that, you’d probably get slapped,” she added.
“Probably.”
Putting the crotch talk aside, if he were to choose based purely on his feelings, he would have picked the same outfit as Hatsushiro, since it was close to what he was used to seeing. Maybe they were two of a kind in that regard.
“This is getting us nowhere… Hey, Hatsushiro-san. Since we’re here, is it okay if I pick something out?”
“Eh? Oh, yes. If it’s not too much trouble…”
“Trouble? Are you kidding? Picking out clothes for a cute girl like you is fun.”
“W-Well, then, please…”
“Alright, time to show what I can do.”
◇
“Phew.”
Yuuki was sitting on a bench in the mall, reading a math textbook he’d brought with him. Ootani had told him, “I’m gonna blow your mind, so go wander around until we’re done.”
“It’s true what they say about girls taking forever to shop. I’ve already finished the chapter on integrals.”
Just as he was thinking that…
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Yuuki.”
He looked up from his textbook to see Ootani standing before him, hands on her hips. She looked incredibly pleased with herself.
“It turned out to be quite the masterpiece. When you have good material to work with, it’s really rewarding.”
“Oh, yeah? That’s exciting… but where’s Hatsushiro?”
Just then, he realized she was hiding behind Ootani.
“...Um, Ootani-san. It’s really embarrassing.”
“What are you talking about? You came here to buy clothes to show Yuuki. And this guy is dying to see you.”
“...Is that so?”
Hatsushiro peeked out from behind Ootani’s back.
“W-Well, yeah. But if you’re really embarrassed, you don’t have to force it. We can wait until we get home and you’re more comfortable…”
“And yet you’re leaning so far forward you’re about to fall over…”
Ootani said with an exasperated look at Yuuki, who was practically buzzing with anticipation.
“...Um, okay. Then…”
Hatsushiro hesitantly stepped out from behind Ootani.
The moment he saw her.
“……………………………………………………………………………………………………….”
Yuuki’s jaw dropped, and he froze.
“...Um, how do I, look? Is it not strange?”
“You’re so freakin’ cute!!”
The words just flew out of his mouth.
“...O-Oh, is that so.”
“Yeah, it’s amazing. Wow, so this is a completely different kind of cute.”
Ootani, grinning at his reaction, proudly explained her coordination choices.
“Her usual black uniform gives off a calm vibe, so I wanted to go for a more active impression. That’s why I paired a light beige long cardigan with a newsboy cap for an accent.”
“I see. It’s cute.”
“I thought a skirt would suit her too, but I decided to go bold with white-gray pants for a sharp, streamlined look.”
“I see. It’s really cute.”
“But, of course, her main appeal is her elegance, so I kept her feet simple with mules and chose a shirt with a rounded collar—”
“I see. It’s the cutest thing ever.”
“...You’re not even listening, are you.”
Ootani sighed, exasperated.
To be honest, with his complete lack of fashion knowledge, what Ootani was saying might as well have been a magic spell from another world.
But the fresh cuteness of the girl standing before him came through loud and clear. She was already a stunning beauty, so this was just unfair. He noticed that people passing by, both men and women, were sneaking glances at her.
“...I’m glad to be alive.”
“Yeah, yeah. As the one who picked it out, I don’t mind you going on and on about how cute she is. But if you don’t stop soon, your girlfriend is going to collapse.”
He looked, and Hatsushiro’s face was as red as a boiled octopus.
“Ah, sorry. It’s embarrassing to have someone shout ‘cute, cute’ at you over and over, isn’t it.”
“...No, um, thank you.”
Hatsushiro looked up at him, still blushing. She seemed to be wearing a little makeup, because her lips had a slight shimmer. Ah, this is bad. I want to hug her.
As Yuuki fought his impulses, Ootani grabbed his shoulder.
“Alright, you’re next.”
“Huh? Why me?”
“It’s a crime for you to stand next to the newly polished beauty of Hatsushiro-san in that drab uniform. Therefore, you are under arrest. Now, let’s go to the men’s section.”
“Seriously?”
◇
They had Hatsushiro wait at a cafe on the same floor while Yuuki and Ootani went to a men’s clothing store.
“Alright, for you… this, this, and this one here.”
“Hey, you’re picking out my clothes pretty quickly.”
“Well, compared to Hatsushiro-san, as raw material… you know.”
“Hey now.”
Her comment was incredibly rude, but as he remembered how Hatsushiro looked just now, he had to admit that compared to her, he fell short.
“Just kidding, just kidding. You’re actually tall and have a solid build. The type that’s surprisingly ripped when you take your shirt off, right?”
“Well, I was in a sports club in middle school, and my part-time jobs are mostly manual labor.”
Studying used his brain, so he figured he’d give it a rest during work.
And moving his body helped him sleep soundly, which was a nice bonus.
“As for your face… well… if it were just a little better overall, you’d probably be popular.”
“Isn’t that just a total rejection of my entire face?”
“Not really. I’m sure there are people who like your type… probably.”
“‘Probably’… Well, whatever. I have Hatsushiro, so I’m good!”
“Yeah, yeah, you two are so lovey-dovey. Now hurry up and try these on.”
Ootani shoved a set of clothes at him.
He took them and went into the fitting room, where he was greeted by a full-length mirror he wasn’t used to seeing.
(The last time I saw a mirror this big was when I was buying my high school uniform…)
He thought, as he started to change into the clothes Ootani had picked.
“Ugh, these jeans are so tight.”
“They’re called ‘denim’ now.”
“Well, they say fashion is pain. If this makes Hatsushiro happy, then it’s worth it.”
“If you’re complaining about wearing tight denim, you’d get slapped by every woman on the planet…”
Ootani’s exasperated voice drifted from behind the fitting room curtain.
The conversation paused for a moment, then Ootani’s voice returned, her tone a little lower.
“...About Hatsushiro-san.”
It sounded like she was getting serious. Yuuki listened intently as he changed.
“I’m gonna look into it.”
Look into it—she must have meant Hatsushiro’s past. She’d mentioned having a friend at that prestigious all-girls’ school.
“Hey, you can’t—”
“After talking with her all day, it’s painfully obvious that Hatsushiro-san is carrying around some heavy baggage. I don’t know how she ended up crashing at your place… Did you just find her standing in the rain, heartbroken or something?”
“...Yeah, something like that.”
She’d definitely been heartbroken and standing in the rain, but Ootani couldn’t have possibly guessed she’d also been about to jump off an abandoned building.
“I’m not gonna try to dig that out of you, and I know you want to let Hatsushiro-san tell you when she’s ready. So this is my own thing. I’m going to look into her past because I’m curious. If you don’t want to know what I find, I won’t tell you. Basically…”
Ootani paused, then her voice brightened.
“I’ve taken a liking to her, so I feel like meddling.”
That sounded just like her. A small smile crept onto Yuuki’s face.
“You’re a good woman, you know that?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Didn’t you know? I’m one of the best women in the world.”
“And there’s the ego.”
“...So, are you done changing?”
“Yeah.”
Having finished while they talked, Yuuki opened the fitting room curtain.
“How’s it look, Ootani?”
Honestly, he couldn’t judge for himself, so he had to ask her. His own assessment was that it probably wasn’t too bad.
“...Yeah. A classic, chic, black-based mode-and-casual look. It suits you way better than I expected. I’m surprised.”
With that, Ootani picked up her bag.
“Hm? Where are you going?”
“Home. It’s almost my curfew.”
This was the first he’d heard of Ootani having a curfew. Then again, it was probably normal for parents to set one for their high school daughter…
“Didn’t I see you at the family restaurant until late last night, drawing your manga?”
He’d been there cramming for an exam at the same time.
“Who knows? Maybe you did. More importantly, you should go show Hatsushiro-san how you look in those clothes. You still have time, so you two could wander around for a bit before you head back.”
With that, Ootani waved and walked out of the store.
“...Was she being considerate of us?”
If so, that was pretty damn cool of her. She really was one of the best women in the world.
“Thanks… Well, in that case, I think I’ll take her up on that and walk around with just Hatsushiro for a bit.”
Aimlessly wandering around was something he never did, but with Hatsushiro, it actually sounded fun.
“...Wait, isn’t that a date?”
And so, Yuuki unexpectedly found himself on his first date with his girlfriend.
◇
“...A date, huh.”
Yes, a date. The thing that boyfriends and girlfriends the world over were said to do.
There was just one problem.
(What are you even supposed to do on a date?)
Yuuki couldn’t really picture it. He understood the basic idea was for the two of them to walk around the mall. But was that it? He had the impression that there was a bit more to it than that.
(Well, no point worrying about what I don’t know. For now, let’s just decide on one thing to do. Yeah…)
An image surfaced in his mind.
Yeah, I want to walk while holding her hand.
He pictured the two of them, fingers intertwined, walking side by side.
Yeah. That’s nice. It feels… warm. And it’s definitely date-like.
Lost in thought, Yuuki arrived at the cafe where Hatsushiro was waiting.
He scanned the fairly crowded interior and spotted her right away.
“S-Sorry to keep you waiting, Hatsushiro.”
His voice cracked slightly, a product of the anxiety of showing his girlfriend a different look for the first time.
“Ah, Yuuki-san. How was it…?”
Hatsushiro looked up at him, and her reply trailed off.
“...H-Hey. What’s wrong?”
She had a slightly dazed expression. Had the strain of being outside for the first time in a while exhausted her?
When Yuuki leaned in to get a better look, she quickly turned her face away.
Ah, could it be…
“Is it… that bad? Does it not suit me?”
He’d thought it looked pretty good… What a disappointment.
“N-No… that’s not it. It’s the opposite, actually…”
Hatsushiro turned back to face him, her cheeks faintly flushed.
“...You looked so cool, I couldn’t help but look away.”
“...O-Oh, I see.”
Now Yuuki was blushing, too.
Hearing that from Hatsushiro, who herself was radiating a new and different kind of cuteness, made it all the more embarrassing.
“Ah, right… Ootani said she had a curfew, so she went home ahead of us.”
“I-I see… I’ll have to thank her next time…”
“Yeah…”
“Yes…”
Dammit.
The conversation just died.
They both sat in silence for a moment, their faces red.
“I-I’m just gonna go to the bathroom real quick.”
It was getting too awkward for Yuuki, and he beat a hasty retreat.
◇
“DAMMIT! WHY DID I CHOKE LIKE THAT?!”
Yuuki clutched his head in front of the sinks in the men’s restroom.
The mood was perfect!
All I had to do was hold out my hand and say, ‘…Let’s go, Hatsushiro,’ and we could have walked out holding hands!
Overcome with frustration and regret, he started smacking the hand dryer next to the sink.
“Dammit, you piece of sh—Panasonic! Spitting out just enough lukewarm air to leave my hands in that weird half-dry state!”
He was completely taking it out on the machine. It wasn’t its fault.
(The model installed in this restroom was an older one; the newest models dried hands quite thoroughly in a short time. The progress of technology is a wonderful thing. You’re amazing, Panasonic.)
“...Phew. Okay, wait. It’s not time to panic yet.”
Yuuki took a deep breath to calm himself.
“Alright.”
This is our first date. I’m going to do this right and make sure she has a good time.
◇
Despite Yuuki’s renewed determination…
“Hey, c’mon. You’re not busy, are you?”
“There’s a cool place nearby. Haven’t had dinner yet, right? It’s on us.”
When he returned from the restroom, two college-aged guys with bleached hair were hitting on Hatsushiro.
She was looking down, frozen solid.
Crap, he thought.
Even setting aside his boyfriend bias, the Hatsushiro of right now was an absolute knockout. And she wasn’t exuding the quiet, reserved aura of her usual uniform; her brightly-colored outfit made her stand out. It wasn’t surprising that a guy or two would try to make a move on her if she was alone.
“Hey, why are you ignoring us? That’s not very nice.”
Are you blind? She’s obviously terrified.
Yuuki hurried over.
“Hey, sorry to keep you waiting, Hatsushiro.”
“Who the hell are you?”
One of the guys shot him a glare.
“Don’t get in our way. C’mon, let’s go. I’ve got my car parked outside.”
The other guy reached for Hatsushiro’s arm. Yuuki grabbed his hand.
“What do you think you’re—ow-ow-ow-ow.”
Oops. Guess I squeezed a little too hard.
His grip strength, honed by hauling luggage at his part-time job, was considerable.
“My bad, my bad.”
“What the hell is your problem?!”
This is bad, Yuuki thought.
He’d provoked them.
As a special scholarship student, getting into a fight was the last thing he needed. Even if he didn’t throw a punch and just got beaten up, he could still get dragged into some messy trouble.
Just then.
“Huh? Yuuki?”
A voice came from behind them.
It was Ryouta Fujii—the perfect specimen who was friendly, the ace of the baseball team, and consistently in the top ten academically, but also the slightly pathetic pretty boy who was head-over-heels for Ootani.
Today he was in casual clothes instead of his uniform. Yuuki wasn’t confident in his own fashion sense, but he could tell Fujii’s was good. His outfit was simple and unpretentious, giving off a refreshing impression.
“Hmm.”
“W-What do you want? You with him?”
The college guys, though slightly intimidated by Fujii’s six-foot-three frame, tried to act tough.
Fujii assessed the situation and hummed.
“Hey guys, let’s just calm down here. Give me one second.”
He walked over to a group of three high school girls sitting at a nearby table.
“Hey, you three. Me and those college guys over there are looking for some girls to have dinner with. What do you say?”
It was a simple, direct approach, but being hit on by a guy handsome enough to make actors and models jealous, the girls, though flustered, agreed after a little more convincing from Fujii.
“So, what do you think? Wouldn’t it be more fun to hang out with them instead of bothering a girl who already has a boyfriend? I’ll even be joining you.”
Fujii said with a brilliant smile.
The college guys looked at each other, and their faces broke into wide grins.
“You’re the man, high school kid!”
“Alright, leave the bill to us! Oh, and hey, you’re her boyfriend, right? Our bad. Buy yourselves something nice with this.”
The guy placed a five-thousand-yen bill from his wallet onto the table.
They were a bit short-tempered, but apparently they were generous guys.
Then the two of them eagerly made their way over to the high school girls’ table.
Yuuki immediately turned to Hatsushiro.
“You okay, Hatsushiro?”
“...Ah, yes. I was a little nervous, but… um, thank you very much.”
Hatsushiro bowed her head to Fujii.
“Yeah. Thanks from me, too, Fujii.”
“Nah, it was nothing. Besides, you saved my butt once, Yuuki.”
Fujii said with a casual wave of his hand.
He said Yuuki was his benefactor, but Yuuki had no memory of doing anything to deserve such a title.
Fujii had been saying it for no apparent reason since their first year. And whenever he asked, Fujii would never tell him what he was talking about.
“Still, that was some smooth work, Fujii.”
“It was nothing, really. That group of girls looked like they were bored and just waiting for someone to talk to them… More importantly.”
Fujii looked at Hatsushiro.
“You’re Yuuki’s girlfriend?”
“Y-Yes.”
Hatsushiro nodded. Fujii stared at her, dumbfounded.
“Whoa, I’m shocked. I heard Yuuki going on and on about how cute you were, but you’re even prettier than I imagined.”
He had the same reaction as Ootani.
“Right? Right? Hatsushiro is—”
“Hey, how about you dump this Yuuki guy and upgrade to me?”
Fujii said with a playful grin.
“Hey, you.”
“...Um.”
Hatsushiro said, looking a little troubled.
“I appreciate the offer, but… Yuuki-san is a wonderful boyfriend, more than I deserve…”
“R-Right…”
Yuuki blushed at the direct compliment.
“W-Why are you blushing…?”
Now Hatsushiro was blushing, too.
Seeing the two of them, Fujii burst out laughing.
“Hahaha, I’m kidding, I’m kidding. I’ve already got my Shouko-chan, after all.”
He clapped Yuuki on the shoulder.
“Hatsushiro-chan, was it? You’ve got a great girlfriend.”
“W-Well, yeah.”
“Alright, I’m gonna go have some fun over there. You two enjoy yourselves.”
With that, Fujii walked over to the table with the college guys and the high school girls.
◇
“...He’s an amazing person. Fujii-san, I mean.”
Hatsushiro murmured after the college guys and Fujii had left.
“Yeah, he is. The guy’s incredible.”
“And he seems to be good friends with you, Yuuki-san.”
“Yeah, well, we talk a lot, I guess.”
Though, to be fair, since he spent nearly all his free time at school studying, Ootani and Fujii were pretty much the only people he talked to.
“I might be… a little envious…”
“Envious?”
“...Yes. I’d like to see what you’re like at school, Yuuki-san.”
“O-Oh, right…”
Man. Getting compliments from this dolled-up version of Hatsushiro was making him all flustered.
“...Anyway, we should probably get going. Since we’re here, let’s just walk around for a bit.”
“Y-Yes. But, um…”
Hatsushiro fidgeted and said, “I-Is this… a date?”
She had a slightly anxious look on her face.
Seeing that she was just as nervous as he was, Yuuki felt his own shoulders relax a little.
“Yeah, it’s a date. C’mon, let’s go, Hatsushiro.”
He said it in a clear, firm voice, so she wouldn’t feel anxious.
Right. I have to be the one to take the lead here.
“Y-Yes.”
As if pulled along by his voice, Hatsushiro stood up.
And in that moment, thump. Her knees gave out, and she collapsed back into her chair.
“Hatsushiro! What’s wrong—?”
Then Yuuki noticed. Her body was trembling.
“I’m sorry… Yuuki-san…”
“...Hatsushiro.”
Ah, I get it now.
Of course.
“...You were scared. When those two guys cornered you.”
“...Yes. I’m sorry.”
It was obvious when he thought about it.
Just being outside in a crowd must have been a huge strain on the current Hatsushiro.
“...It’s okay. I’ll stand up in a second.”
“No, you don’t have to force yourself.”
“No…”
Hatsushiro shook her head and said in a slightly stronger voice, “...I want to go on a date with you too, Yuuki-san.”
She smiled as she said it.
It was a slightly stiff smile. He could tell, without a doubt, that she was desperately enduring her fear and pain so as not to worry him.
She’s so brave, he thought sincerely.
He wanted to go on a date with this precious girl of his; he was really looking forward to it.
That’s why.
“...Yeah. Hatsushiro, let’s go home for today.”
At his words, her eyes widened.
“No, you can’t… That’s not right. I’m okay. I’ll stand up right away.”
She placed her hands on the table and tried to stand.
But her trembling limbs wouldn’t obey.
Yuuki spoke in the gentlest voice he could manage.
“...It’s okay. I told you before, when we first tried to hold hands, right? It’s meaningless if you’re not happy too, Hatsushiro.”
“No, I am. I want to go on a date with you, too…”
“Even so, it’s meaningless if you have to force yourself to endure something painful. I can’t drag you all over the place when you’re like this. So, let’s just go home and rest today, okay?”
“...Yuuki-san.”
Hatsushiro looked down. Knowing her, she was probably blaming herself, feeling like she’d been a burden.
That’s why.
Yuuki said in a cheerful voice, “In exchange, will you walk home holding hands with me?”
“...Eh?”
“And not just a normal hand-hold, of course. We’re doing the lovers’ grip. We’ll walk home with our hands clasped tight like this… To be honest, that’s what I wanted to do more than the date itself.”
As Hatsushiro stared at him, dumbfounded, Yuuki held out his right hand.
She stared at it in silence for a moment, then met his gaze.
Yuuki said nothing, just offered a small smile. He had a naturally stern look that Ootani had once compared to a yakuza’s. He hoped he was managing to smile gently. They held each other’s gaze, his hand still outstretched.
“...So, Hatsushiro. Let’s hold hands, and walk home together… okay?”
He asked again.
Hatsushiro lowered her eyes slightly.
“...Sniffle.”
Tears welled in her eyes.
And then, her left hand came to rest on top of his outstretched right one.
“...Really, Yuuki-san… how kind are you going to be to me before you’re satisfied?”
Yuuki intertwined his fingers with her trembling ones, holding them tight.
“I’m just doing what I want to do,” he said.
“...Even so, it makes me happy.”
The trembling in her hand subsided a little.
“Can you stand?”
“...Yes.”
Hatsushiro slowly rose from her chair.
She was still a little wobbly, leaning on his hand, but she stood firmly on her own two feet.
“Alright then… shall we head home?”
“...Yes.”
And so, the two of them began to walk.
They left the mall and walked home, holding hands the entire way.
After a while, the trembling in Hatsushiro’s hand stopped completely.
Her expression softened, and she was back to the usual Hatsushiro he saw in his apartment these days.
“...Yuuki-san.”
“Hm? What is it?”
As he replied, Hatsushiro squeezed his hand tightly.
“Whoa!”
The suddenness of it made him yelp in surprise.
“...Fufu.”
She let out a small laugh at his reaction. He felt like he’d lost somehow.
“You little rascal.”
So, Yuuki squeezed back.
“...!”
Hatsushiro let out a small gasp of surprise. He grinned.
“Mmph.”
She puffed out her cheeks.
“Hmph.”
“Whoa!”
She squeezed his hand again.
“Take that.”
“...!”
So he squeezed back.
And so, Yuuki and Hatsushiro walked the rest of the way home, playfully squeezing each other’s hands… For Yuuki, the walk home might have been the most tiring part of the day. But he’d been happy.
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