Chapter 36 The Changing Distance Between Us

The Changing Distance Between Us

The morning we spent together for the first time was a little strange, but I realized that the distance between us had changed in a good way.

We were already very close before we started dating, but now it feels like we’ve lowered the reservedness of each other?

I think I have been able to say and do things that I would have hesitated to say or do before for fear of being disliked.

And not just me, but Iroha-san as well.

I think that by sharing our honest feelings about s🬀x that we couldn’t tell anyone before and by hugging and kissing, our trust as lovers has grown stronger.

That’s probably why we’ve become less hesitant.

I think communication, whether it’s talking or physical contact, is very important, even between lovers.

When I thought about my past failures, I felt this thought even more strongly.

It was almost noon, and we were going on a date, so we had instant miso soup and canned food for breakfast.

Iroha-san also said, “It’s okay to slack off sometimes,” so when I said, “Of course. But since it’s our first date, let’s make an effort to get ready,” she greeted me by imitating me and saying, “Got it!”.

She’s in a great mood.

I guess she was happy to see the morning wood.

After breakfast, laundry, and cleaning, Iroha-san went to the bathroom with her clothes and makeup.

By the way, I’m wearing the suit I wore for my entrance ceremony at Iroha-san’s request.

It had been hanging in the closet for a long time, but I never thought I would wear it on a date. My father and mother, who bought it as a congratulations gift, probably never thought I would wear it on a date.

I tried on a navy suit with a light blue shirt and a green and yellow striped tie, but when I looked at myself in the closet mirror, I didn’t look very good in a suit.

I look like a total country bumpkin.

Oh well.

It’s true, I am a country bumpkin.

Oh, my nose hairs are sticking out.

Iroha-san will take a while, so I’ll cut it now.

Wait, did my nose hair stick out when we hugged and kissed?

Did Iroha-san notice?

Oh, that’s right, Iroha-san wasn’t wearing her glasses, so she probably didn’t see it.

That was a close call.

I have to be more careful when checking my nose hair from now on.

Just as I finished checking my nose hair, the doorbell rang.

I answered the door, and it was a delivery, so I opened the door and took it. It was the usual food from my parents’ house.

Lately, especially since I started dating Iroha-san, I’ve been eating at her house more often, so I’ve had a surplus of food sent from my parents’ house. I’ve asked them to send less, but they sent another whole box this month.

I called Iroha-san in the bathroom, and she said she’d be there for a while, so I decided to open the box and check the contents.

Maybe because it was the end of the year, there were things like rice cakes and soba noodles.

I bought seaweed and bonito flakes for the crab pot yesterday, so I can make year-end soba noodles and ozoni (tl: new year’s soup).

That’s right, maybe I should ask Iroha-san to make Fukui-style ozoni.

I immediately called my parents to tell them that the package had arrived safely and to thank them, and they told me to come home soon for the holidays.

Honestly, thanks to my happiness, I don’t really care about my hometown anymore.

Well, more like I don’t care about Chika.

I still hate seeing her face, but I think I’ve gotten over it.

In fact, I don’t want to be separated from Iroha-san any more than I want to go back to my hometown. Since Iroha-san is staying here instead of going home, I want to stay here with her.

But honestly, if I told her that, I knew my mom would get mad at me, so I pretended to still be struggling with it and made an excuse, saying, “I'm still finding it a bit tough to be back home.”

While I was on the phone with my mother, Iroha-san finished getting ready and came out.

I quickly said, “I’ll call Mom back later,” and hung up to look at Iroha-san. She said, “Sorry to keep you waiting,” so I replied, “I was just on the phone with my family because a package arrived,” and looked at her whole body.

She was wearing a burgundy knit top that fit her body perfectly, a high-waisted gingham miniskirt, and black tights that showed her legs up to her knees.

Her hair was down and only held back with a hairpin, but she wore contact lenses and full makeup. Her pale skin and bright pink glossy lips were particularly striking.

Isn’t she even more stunning than at Christmas?

She’s so beautiful.

My girlfriend is so beautiful!

“Wow… so beautiful….”

“Oh no! Don’t tease me like that.”

She’s blushing.

“No, no, no, no! I’m not teasing you! You are incredibly motivated, aren’t you? I said we should put a lot of effort into preparing, but this is way beyond my expectations!”

“Oh, Taichi-kun, you’re giving me too much of a compliment… but thank you.”

“Seriously, aren’t you the prettiest in our university? If you had participated in the beauty pageant at the school festival, you could have won. You should have entered this year.”

“Oh no! You’re teasing me again!”

“I said I’m not teasing you. I’m really impressed.”

I think it’s what they call “transformed by makeup,” but she’s really beautiful. I’m so impressed.

“In fact, ever since I started dating Taichi-kun, I’ve been asking Shirakawa-san (白川), Hida-san (飛騨), and Gujou-san (郡上) for makeup advice. They all cooperated. It took me a long time to make you wait, but since you’re so happy, it was worth it.” Ufufu.

Shirakawa-san, Hida-san, and Gujou-san are three of our female friends who we often take classes with and eat with at the university. I’ve actually asked Shirakawa-san about Iroha-san before.

I have to thank them when college starts again.

“Taichi-kun, you look good in a suit, too.”

As I stared at Iroha-san with admiration, she blushed and said that then reached for my tie and adjusted the knot.

“Ah! Can I take a picture? It’s been a while since I’ve seen you in a suit, Taichi-kun, since your entrance ceremony!”

Iroha-san took out her smartphone and said that, so I took out my smartphone and tried to take a picture of Iroha-san too. But she scolded me and said, “No! Please stand up straight! I’m going to take your picture!”

After Iroha-san took many pictures of me and was satisfied, she finally let me take a picture of her, and then we took many selfies together.

I looked at the pictures I took, and Iroha-san looked so beautiful in each one that I wanted to show them to someone. So I sent a selfie to my older sister and said, [My girlfriend! Isn’t she super beautiful?].

We were too excited to go out, but since our date was the main event of the day, we put on our coats and I put on the scarf Iroha-san gave me and went out.

Just before we walked out the door, I suddenly remembered and asked, “Before we go, can I kiss you?” Iroha-san seemed a little startled and straightened up, but she looked at me intently and raised her chin slightly to make it easier for me to kiss her, so I kissed her gently on the lips.

Iroha-san still seemed nervous, but she accepted my kiss. I was so happy that I got carried away and kissed her many times, but she scolded me and said, “That’s enough!”.

Even though she had put on makeup and looked so beautiful, she was still the same caring girl as always. She scolded me and said, “You have lipstick on your mouth! Oh my!” and took a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped my mouth.