Chapter 9: Beyond the Home Date
“What? What do you want to talk about?”
At 8:30 PM, in front of Remi’s house entrance.
Remi, in her loungewear, spoke with an openly displeased voice.
“Go on a date with me next week.”
“Go home.”
“Wait, wait!”
As she was about to close the door, I forcefully held it open.
“You… Coming suddenly at night to ask for a date, are you crazy!? There are plenty of other ways, like phone or LINE!”
“But you never answer your phone!”
“I have a policy of not answering calls at night!”
“Then it’s impossible, isn’t it!?”
“We’ll see each other tomorrow anyway! Besides, why should I go on a date with you…!”
“Huh? You gave me a date ticket, remember? It’s about getting used to girls!”
“Oh.”
…This girl had already forgotten.
It’s embarrassing that she thought I was seriously asking her out on a date.
“B-But still, don’t come to my house. It’s troublesome if someone sees this situation.”
“What about when we’re on the actual date then? Besides, you forgot, didn’t you?”
“I didn’t forget. And I can easily explain away a date.”
“I don’t understand that saltiness at all.”
As I sighed, Remi tilted her head.
Her well-maintained hair flowed smoothly.
“Well… fine. It’s a date, but why don’t we do it today? I have games, we can kill time.”
“Um, are you trying to turn this into a home date because it’s troublesome?”
“Not at all.”
Remi answered with a face that clearly said it was exactly that.
I responded with an exaggerated gesture.
“Oh, so a home date is fine then! If that’s the case, you can’t complain if things get a bit adult, right?”
“I’ve decided I’ll kill you if you try anything, so there’s no problem.”
“I won’t! It’s a joke!”
Especially after becoming aware of my feelings for Hanazono.
In my heart, I couldn’t even think of such things.
Rather, I felt guilty just entering a girl’s room.
Though I still didn’t know if we could even date.
“You, how did you know my parents weren’t home today?”
“Ah. You’ve always been alone on Thursdays since long ago. I used to stay over often, so I remember at least that much.”
“Wait, don’t remember any more. I feel like there might be embarrassing memories.”
“There are plenty, for both of us.”
As I replied, Remi narrowed her eyes.
Then, sighing and saying “I guess so,” she made way for me.
“Anyway, come in. If any bugs get in, you’re taking responsibility.”
“Huh? No, no, here is fine.”
“The hallway would disturb the neighbors.”
“Then shall we go to the park?”
“I’m in my loungewear, you know? I don’t want to change.”
Looking down, Remi was only wearing a tank top with a thin hoodie over it. Below, she wore hot pants, quite revealing.
It was more exposed than her school uniform.
That’s precisely why I hesitated to enter.
“Come on, hurry up.”
“So I’m really coming in? Is that okay?”
“I said it’s fine, didn’t I?”
I hesitated a bit but eventually entered her house.
I’m not visiting a girl’s house.
I’m entering my childhood friend’s house, I told myself.
Remi watched me enter with her arms crossed.
“…”
“…If you’re nervous, want to play a game?”
“…That would help.”
I wish I could do something about my nature of showing nervousness so easily on my face.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
Shortly after entering her house, we played games in the living room for about an hour.
It was a fighting game we used to play for hours during summer breaks in elementary school.
We were both incredibly rusty, but as we played several matches, we started to remember the feeling, cheering each time we pulled off difficult combos.
“Got you! Got you!”
“Stop saying that, it’s annoying!”
Every time she got caught in a combo, Remi let out a genuinely frustrated voice.
Sitting next to each other on the sofa, we spent time filling in the gap of our years apart.
Come to think of it, around the time I thought I was getting close to Remi, opportunities to play together under the same roof like this disappeared.
At the time, I thought it was because we had grown up in sixth grade, but looking back, maybe it was just because I became strongly aware of her as the opposite sex.
Of course, I’m much more aware of Remi as a woman now.
“Ah.”
“Yes! Take that!”
My character was sent flying spectacularly, making it 5 wins and 5 losses.
To wrap up the match, I put the controller on the sofa.
It’s easiest to end on a tie.
Remi seemed to understand and spoke up right after putting down her controller.
“So, Ryota. Why did you suddenly decide to use the date ticket?”
“Hm? Ah.”
I fiddle meaninglessly with the TV remote while considering.
In the end, I decided to tell her.
“Because I like someone.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“That’s a weak reaction!?”
Surprised by her seemingly uninterested response, I raised my voice.
I thought she would tease me more.
Then, Remi shrugged nonchalantly.
“It’s Hanazono-san, right?”
“Eh!?”
“I’ve been watching since the day you ate lunch together in the cafeteria. It’s obvious you’re still conscious of her.”
“…Was it that obvious?”
“Totally obvious. And what’s with that overreaction?”
Remi giggles as she turns off the game.
Our silhouettes were reflected in the now-dark TV screen.
“…Do you think she knows too?”
“If you’re really close with Hanazono-san, then yeah. Compared to how you treat others, you’re too polite with her.”
Now that she mentions it, I’m aware that my usual way of speaking is quite rough.
But with Hanazono, I don’t want her to think that way about me, so I’m a bit more careful than when I talk to others. From my childhood friend’s perspective, that difference was apparently obvious.
“Damn, if others have noticed too, it’s going to be troublesome… If I get teased by everyone like with Yuzuha, I’d feel really sorry for Hanazono.”
As I speak gloomily, Remi frowns.
“Weren’t you getting teased quite a bit in the cafeteria too? Wasn’t that the first time?”
“Well… It’s not often I get teased that blatantly. Oh, thanks for trying to defend me then.”
“It’s fine, I couldn’t do anything in the end because of someone.”
“I was happy about the gesture.”
The old Remi used to express her emotions straightforwardly too, and that felt nostalgic.
As Remi went to unplug the game console, I threw words at her back.
“Hey, Remi.”
“Hm, what?”
“I’ll support you aiming to be refined and gentle as a given, but the Remi from that time was cool too.”
Remi turned around and blinked, seeming a bit confused.
“I’m glad. Even if you say that, I still want to maintain my refined character basically. It’s only been two weeks since I transferred.”
“Haha, I thought you’d say that. At this rate, you might become the school madonna.”
“That would be nice. That kind of character makes it easier to subtly convey where the boundary is with you. …Sorry, but I’ll go back to my old self in front of you, so please bear with it.”
“It’s fine. I don’t have the right to restrict you.”
The high school Remi probably has worries that she didn’t have back then.
There might even be parts that are common with Hanazono’s worries.
Getting confessed to isn’t as joyous an event for girls as it is for boys, apparently.
Takeru’s words cross my mind.
…In the end, he was right. In other words,
“Being beautiful must be tough.”
Remi’s face turned slightly red.
She took the remote from me and turned off the TV.
“…You say ‘beautiful’ so casually. Even though you were so nervous when we reunited and just earlier. Getting cheeky as soon as you get used to it, huh?”
“Won’t you just accept it as a compliment?”
I make an X with my fingers over my mouth, sensing that Remi might start berating me more if I leave her be.
I had no ulterior motive and wasn’t teasing her. I was just stating a fact.
…I wish I could do this with Hanazono too.
But not being able to openly verbalize my feelings is probably proof that I have a crush.
“You shouldn’t casually call girls beautiful. Unless you’re really close, they’ll either find it annoying or creepy.”
“If I could say it easily, I wouldn’t be struggling.”
“Then what’s your intention in saying it to me?”
Remi approaches and pinches my upper arm hard.
I let out a “Gyah!” and Remi laughs through her nose.
“It’s just easier to say to Remi because we’ve gone back to our old atmosphere! We’re childhood friends after all!”
“I see. You never really thought of me as a girl anyway.”
“Well, that’s–“
–The scene at the park flashes through my mind.
“That’s… true, but…”
“…? Right. But then even if we went on a date, I might not even be good practice for you.”
…That’s not true at all.
It’s true that for a long time, I thought of Remi almost like a male friend.
But there was actually a time when I was very conscious of her.
Even now, I’m not unaware of her as a girl.
No guy wouldn’t be aware of the current Remi, and that’s precisely why I hesitated to enter her house.
Because just lowering my gaze a little reveals a symbol of femininity.
I’m not so dense that I don’t feel her womanhood when I see the swell of her tank top.
If I conveyed these inner thoughts, Remi might be disappointed.
Because I’ve developed much worse impure thoughts than the boys she used to hate so much when we were little.
As I’m lost in these swirling thoughts, Remi tilts her head.
Then, while putting the controllers back in the box, she continues speaking.
“Well, Hanazono-san seems hard to read, so I understand that going in unprepared would be quite difficult. I’m not even sure how close you really are with her.”
…It’s natural to think that if you’ve only seen our interactions in the classroom and hallway.
Even I didn’t feel things were going well at that time.
“You’re right, I don’t think Hanazono is without her hidden sides. There are times when I can’t tell what she’s really thinking.”
What comes to mind is the confession scene.
The word “sex” that flowed out so naturally is still shocking even now when I think back on it.
Face to face, she doesn’t seem like someone who would say such a thing at all.
“But I feel like having hidden sides is normal. Seeing Remi after she transferred, I thought maybe everyone puts on a bit of a facade when they become high school students.”
Remi had said on her first day after transferring:
–We’re not at an age where we can just say everything we think anymore.
When we were in elementary school, people with hidden sides were derided as having bad personalities. Remi had quickly risen to become a leader precisely because she clearly had no hidden sides.
However, things change when you become a high school student.
For us, who need to develop a certain level of social skills, constructing our “public face” might be an essential skill.
“I think so too. But there are varying degrees of gap. I think mine is quite large.”
“So you’re aware of it.”
“Shut up!”
Remi raised her voice and cleared her throat with a cough. Scary.
“But don’t you think Hanazono-san has just as much of a public face as I do? Do you really have a chance with someone like that?”
…I’m not sure since when, but Remi’s insight is sharp.
There should hardly be any students in our class who can see through Hanazono’s facade. I deliberately avoided mentioning that and answered her question.
“A chance, huh? Well, about a year ago, we had a moment of ‘good vibe’ where things seemed to be going well. Maybe.”
“Oh, that’s pretty good. Then shouldn’t you have a shot?”
“I told you at the cafeteria. I often misread the atmosphere when things seem to be going well. I’m unsure about my perception of those situations.”
Remi nodded, seeming to understand.
“I see. That’s what it’s about. Come to think of it, you seemed like you wanted to ask something, but we got sidetracked talking about dates.”
Remi lay down on the sofa and gazed at the ceiling, as if trying to recall something.
Two weeks had passed since reuniting with my childhood friend.
Remi and I had already returned to a relationship where we could ask each other anything.
If that’s the case, I need to ask.
If I’m going to pursue romance—I should at least be able to discern when things are “going well.”
For that, I need to know.
Was that time really going well?
Did she like me back then?
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