Chapter 21 The Two of Us on a Day Off (1)

The Two of Us on a Day Off (1)

“Kakizaki-san, are you ready?”

“Ah, a-aahhh… j-just a second!”

When I called out to Kakizaki-san in the washroom, her flustered voice came back in response.

Well, it’s normal for girls to take their time getting ready, right?

Speaking of which, Hiyori used to… Wait, why am I thinking about her now…?

I shook my head to clear those thoughts, but as I did, I realized something.

Ever since I started living with Kakizaki-san, I’ve been thinking about Hiyori far less than before.

Back then, I tried so hard to forget her… to erase her from my mind completely. But now, I barely think of her even once or twice a day.

Haha… To think I spent almost four years suffering… What a fool I am…

Just then—

“N-Naoe-kun…”

From behind the curtain separating the washroom and the room, Kakizaki-san peeked out timidly.

“H-how do I look…?”

She stepped out, dressed to the nines, looking so different from her usual self.

She wore a white blouse, a slightly snug maroon long skirt, and a beige vest.

Of course, her usual cherry-colored lips had a faint touch of rouge, giving her a fresh and elegant vibe.

My impression? Well, obviously…

“Yeah… You look really beautiful…”

“Ahh… T-thank you…”

Despite being the one to ask for my opinion, Kakizaki-san’s ears turned bright red, and she looked down shyly.

But honestly, I’d never cursed my lack of vocabulary more than at that moment.

“W-well then, shall we go?”

“Y-yep…”

Feeling a bit awkward, we left the apartment together.

“So, what are we shopping for today?”

“Well, since you always cook such delicious meals, I thought we could get more kitchen tools. We’re still short on tableware too. Oh, and maybe we could look for a slightly bigger table…”

As I listed the items one by one, counting on my fingers…

“Yeah… I doubt we’ll manage all that in just one day.”

Kakizaki-san shrugged her shoulders as she spoke.

“Haha, of course not. We’ll stop at a good point—we don’t want to waste the whole time on errands.”

“T-time…? For what?”

“Of course, to spend some fun time with you.”

When she asked hesitantly, I replied with my best smug face.

After all, that’s the main reason for today…

“O-okay…”

Kakizaki-san replied softly, her brows knitting slightly.

“Oh, and just so you know, no crying today, okay? We’re here to have fun.”

“Ugh… but… Naoe-kun, you’re the one who always makes me cry…”

Apparently, my comment didn’t sit well with her. Kakizaki-san pouted and turned away with a small huff.

But it was only for a moment.

“Hehe… Let’s go already!”

“Huh? W-wait!”

Suddenly, she broke into a cheerful smile and darted off, leaving me scrambling to chase after her.

“Yep, yep, I’m totally satisfied.”

While admiring the large haul of kitchen tools and tableware we picked up at the general store, Kakizaki-san nodded happily.

“Ugh… but don’t you think we bought a bit too much…?”

“A-ah… b-but, with all this, I can make even more delicious meals for you!”

Carrying the mountain of items, I timidly voiced my concern, but her quick, earnest reply left me speechless.

Well, with that, I couldn’t help but nod along.

“F-for now, let’s store all this in a coin locker.”

“Okay.”

And so, we stashed everything away and headed off.

“Alright… It’s getting late. How about we grab some food first?”

“Yeah!”

I took Kakizaki-san to an Italian restaurant near the station.

Fufu… Actually, I’d scoped it out beforehand last night.

“What do you feel like having?”

“Ah, um…”

For some reason, Kakizaki-san kept glancing between the menu and my face.

“U-uh… What’s wrong?”

“Ah, w-well… It seems kind of expensive…”

Curious, I leaned closer as she whispered softly in my ear.

“Haha, don’t worry about it. I’ve got it covered.”

“B-but! We should split the bill properly!”

“It’s fine. Today’s on me.”

“T-that’s… too much…”

Hearing that, Kakizaki-san looked more uneasy than happy.

“Alright, how about this, Kakizaki-san?”

“H-huh?”

“Today’s my way of thanking you for all the delicious meals you always make. So please, let me do this.”

“Ah…”

It might’ve been a little pushy, but this way, she wouldn’t feel guilty about accepting it, right?

“So, please let me thank you properly today.”

I placed my hands on the table and bowed slightly.

“Mou… Naoe-kun, you’re so sneaky…”

“Sneaky or not, it works, doesn’t it?”

Still bowing, I waited for her response.

“…Alright. I’ll graciously accept your thanks.”

“Really? That’s great!”

I sat back up and let out a relieved sigh.

In times like these, a little theatrics go a long way.

“Seriously, you’re just…”

“Oh, and crying’s off-limits, okay?”

“I-I know! My eyes just got a little itchy, that’s all!”

After that, we ordered a slightly pricey lunch course and enjoyed the meal to our hearts’ content.