After the friendly match that day, the rest of the week passed relatively peacefully, with him strictly maintaining his training and school routine.
The only thing truly worth noting was that Alya finally seemed to be genuinely starting to act like his girlfriend.
And, ironically, the reason for that had been completely stupid.
The day after the game, several girls ended up confessing to Isagi after the match’s impact spread throughout the school.
Some were students from the same school, while others came from different classes just to speak to him personally.
Naturally, he rejected all of them calmly, kindly, and politely, but the whole thing backfired…
Some girls left even more in love with the “polite prince” who rejected people with a gentle smile on his face.
Others ended up emotionally devastated to the point that even Isagi started wondering whether he should have been colder when rejecting them…
But, in the end, maybe he should actually thank those girls.
Because it was precisely after that incident that Alya finally started acting like his girlfriend, since she got “jealous”…
And one of the main reasons he thought that was because the two of them had practically started acting like a couple without realizing it.
They began walking home together almost every day, started having lunch side by side in the cafeteria, and during classes, Alya no longer tried to maintain that artificial distance between them.
But that wasn’t all.
The two of them even ended up holding hands a few times on the way home, something that would have been unthinkable just a few days earlier.
Isagi also managed to steal a kiss or two from her, which normally ended with Alya completely red, irritated, and trying to threaten him in Russian while hiding her face.
And perhaps the greatest victory of all…
He finally managed to take her on a real date.
And it was on that Saturday…
Aeon LakeTown in Koshigaya, Saitama, was bustling as always on weekends.
The enormous open-air complex, with its modern stores, restaurant area, and artificial lake reflecting the blue sky, was one of the favorite spots for young people in the region.
Isagi walked calmly through the main corridor, wearing a simple black shirt and jeans.
His right hand firmly held Alya’s as she walked beside him.
Alya was visibly embarrassed.
She wore a light white short-sleeved dress that accentuated her figure, with a thin cardigan over it.
Her silver hair shone beneath the sunlight pouring in through the skylights.
Despite trying to maintain her usual cold expression, her cheeks were tinted red, while she obviously seemed happy…
even if she did not want to admit it.
“…You don’t need to hold so tightly…” she murmured, looking away while trying unsuccessfully to lightly pull her hand free.
Isagi smirked slightly, intertwining their fingers even more firmly.
“But I want to.
Couples do this, don’t they, Alya?” Alya turned even redder and quickly looked away, muttering softly in Russian: “…Идиот.
Все смотрят…” (“Idiot.
Everyone’s looking…”) Even while complaining, she did not let go of his hand.
As they talked, the two continued walking through the wide corridor.
“Hey, let’s go in there…” Isagi suddenly said, gently pulling her toward a sunglasses and accessories store.
Alya blinked in surprise.
“Why?
Do you need glasses?” “No.
But I think you’d look good wearing some.
Besides, we’re here to have fun, okay?
So let’s check out every store and enjoy ourselves!” “I don’t need sunglasses…” she muttered, but she did not resist when he pulled her into the air-conditioned shop.
The interior was modern, with illuminated shelves and various models on display.
Soft music played in the background.
Isagi released her hand only to pick up a round pair with a thin golden frame before turning toward Alya.
“Try these.” Alya crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow.
“Are you treating me like a doll now?” “No.
I just want to see how they look on you.” He brought the glasses closer to her face.
“Come on, just for a second.” She huffed, but eventually took the glasses from his hand with a resigned sigh.
After putting them on, she glanced quickly at herself in the nearby mirror.
The round frame contrasted nicely with her silver hair and delicate features.
Isagi stayed silent for two seconds, simply watching her.
“…They look good…” he said, his voice slightly lower.
“Actually, they look amazing.” Alya immediately felt heat rising to her face again.
She quickly removed the glasses and handed them back to him.
“They’re just glasses.
Don’t exaggerate.” “I’m not exaggerating.” Isagi picked up another pair, this time square-shaped with a matte black frame.
“Now these.” “Are you going to make me try on every pair in the store?” “If necessary, yes.” Alya rolled her eyes, but she still took the second pair and put them on.
This time, she looked at herself in the mirror for longer.
“Those make you look like a model…” Isagi commented, stopping right behind her while looking through the reflection.
“Like those Russian girls from perfume commercials.” “Idiot…” she muttered in Japanese, though her lips twitched slightly as she fought back a smile.
In Russian, almost inaudibly, she whispered: “Ты специально me deixa sem graça…” Isagi, who understood perfectly, chuckled softly and rested his chin on her shoulder for a moment.
“Of course I do it on purpose.
You look even prettier when you blush.” Alya stiffened, her blush deepening.
She removed the glasses with a sharp motion and placed them back on the shelf.
“That’s enough.
You’re just messing with me!” “I’m not messing with you.” Isagi picked up the first pair she had tried on, the round golden ones, and walked to the register.
“I’m buying these.” “Wait!” Alya grabbed his arm.
“I didn’t even say I liked them!” “But you did.
I saw it in your eyes.” Alya opened and closed her mouth without an immediate response.
After a second, she muttered while turning her face away: “…Just because you’re paying doesn’t mean I’ll wear them every time you ask me to…” Isagi smiled while handing his card to the cashier.
“It’s just a gift, relax…” Alya huffed quietly, crossing her arms, but when Isagi picked up the shopping bag and offered his hand again, she held it without complaining, although she kept looking away, clearly embarrassed.
After leaving the glasses store, Isagi still carried the small bag containing the round golden pair he had bought for her.
Alya walked beside him, holding his hand a little more firmly than before, though her gaze continued wandering around as if she feared someone they knew might see them.
“Next stop,” Isagi said, pointing toward a medium-sized women’s clothing store with elegant displays and warm lighting.
“Let’s go in here.” Alya hesitated for half a second.
“…You want me to try on clothes now?” “I want to see you wearing pretty things.
It’s a date, right?
Let me spoil you a little.” She bit her lower lip, clearly torn between her pride and her desire to respond properly as his girlfriend.
In the end, she let out a resigned sigh and murmured: “…Fine.
I was already planning to buy some clothes anyway…” Isagi smiled, satisfied, and gently pulled her inside.
The store felt pleasant, with cool air conditioning, soft music, and few customers.
A young saleswoman smiled at the couple upon seeing them enter, but did not approach immediately, giving them space.
Isagi went straight to the clothing racks, selecting pieces with considerable care.
First, a light summer dress, off-white, with subtle lace details on the sleeves.
“This one.
Try it on.” Alya took the piece, looked at the price tag, and frowned.
“It’s expensive…” “I’ll pay.
Go change.” She stared at him for a few seconds as if wanting to protest, but eventually nodded.
She entered the fitting room while Isagi waited outside, seated on a nearby sofa.
When the curtain opened, Alya stepped out looking slightly insecure.
The dress fit her perfectly, accentuating her slender figure while the pale color beautifully contrasted with her silver hair.
Isagi fell silent for a moment, simply staring.
“…Wow.” Alya crossed her arms, embarrassed.
“What?
Just say it already.” “You look beautiful,” he said sincerely.
“Pure white dresses look especially good on you since your skin is milk-white.
It seriously emphasizes your clean and feminine appearance.
I didn’t think you could get any cuter, but here we are.” “…?!
O-oh…
Really…?” Her cheeks immediately flushed red.
Alya turned her face away, trying to hide it.
“…It’s just a normal dress.
You don’t need to exaggerate.” “I’m not exaggerating.
You genuinely look amazing in it.
Spin around a little?” Alya hesitated, but eventually turned slowly.
The light skirt swayed softly.
Isagi let out a low whistle.
“Perfect.
We’re buying this one.” “Wait!
I haven’t even decided whether I like it yet…” “I liked it enough for both of us…” he replied with a teasing smile.
Alya huffed, but she could not hide the faint smile forming at the corner of her lips as she returned to the fitting room.
It did not take long before she came out wearing a new outfit…
Isagi praised her without restraint: “You look really stylish in that outfit.
You’re more beautiful than cute, if that makes any sense, so this set really suits you too.
Jeans seriously emphasize how amazing your body is compared to skirts…” “O-oh?
I’ll keep that in mind.
Thank you.” This time, Alya accepted the excessive compliments without getting flustered and thanked him with a smile, something unusual…
“Let’s move on to the next outfit, then.” “Alright.” From that point onward, her resistance slowly began to melt away.
She changed clothes and posed in front of the mirror before showing herself to Isagi, who praised her using every compliment he had ever learned from manga, video games, and anime.
Her sense of embarrassment gradually diminished as Alisa began genuinely enjoying herself.
She had never had friends to go shopping with, and whenever she went shopping with her sister, Maria would simply say, “Oh, you’re so cute,” no matter what Alisa wore, so this was the first time someone had complimented her in such detail.
What should I choose next?
Decisions ♪, decisions.
She was in such a good mood now that she even hummed to herself while choosing clothes.
Anyone could tell she could be easily charmed, but Alisa herself lacked enough self-awareness to notice that.
Instead, she happily reached for clothes she normally would not wear “just in case.” This is a little too much…
isn’t it?
I’m sure Isagi will still compliment me, though.
It was a shorter skirt and camisole more daring than anything she had ever worn before.
The skirt looked especially short because Alya naturally had very long legs, to the point where describing it as below the groin was more accurate than above the knees.
It was something she normally would never wear under any circumstances, and even if she did, she would never wear it in front of a boy.
However, Isagi’s constant compliments helped drown out the weak voice of reason in her head.
Without thinking too much, she stepped out of the fitting room.
The moment she stopped in front of Isagi, he simply…
froze.
His eyes widened slightly and his mouth parted soundlessly.
He remained speechless for several long seconds, merely staring at her with a completely captivated, almost stunned expression.
His gaze slowly traveled down her legs before rising again, as if he could not believe what he was seeing.
Alya felt the weight of that gaze and, for the first time since entering the store, fully regained awareness of herself.
“…W-what?” she asked, her voice faltering.
Her hands instinctively moved to the hem of the skirt, trying to pull it lower, but the fabric barely moved.
“Stop looking at me like that…
It’s weird.” Isagi blinked slowly, as if snapping out of a trance.
“…Alya.” His voice came out rougher than usual.
“You…
look really beautiful.
Seriously.
You look unbelievably beautiful.” The words were so direct and filled with genuine admiration that Alya felt her face heat up violently.
She knew she looked good—in fact, she had actually liked what she saw in the mirror before stepping out—but hearing him say that so sincerely while staring at her with such a lost expression…
it was simply too much for her heart to handle.
She bit down hard on her lower lip, trying uselessly to suppress her reaction.
Her heart beat far too fast from the mixture of embarrassment and happiness, yet her natural shyness had already begun winning the battle.
The more Isagi looked at her like that, the more she wanted to hide her face and run away before exploding from embarrassment.
“…Idiot.
Don’t stare at me so much…” she grumbled, quickly turning around to return to the fitting room.
“I’m taking this off right now.” That was when it happened.
As she tried pulling down the camisole’s side zipper, it got stuck halfway.
Alya pulled harder, but the zipper simply would not move.
She tried again, twisting her body awkwardly inside the cramped fitting room.
“…No…
seriously?” she muttered in frustration.
After several more seconds struggling, she opened the curtain slightly and peeked outside.
“Isagi…
is there any saleswoman nearby?” He looked around.
“I don’t see anyone right now.” Alya frowned, clearly bothered.
She tried one more time by herself, but the zipper genuinely seemed stuck.
Her face began burning with embarrassment just imagining the situation.
She closed the curtain again and remained silent for nearly an entire minute, internally struggling.
It’s fine…
He’s my boyfriend.
We’ve already kissed…
Even so, her voice came out low and hesitant when she opened the curtain slightly again.
“…Isagi.” “Hmm?” She took a deep breath, mortified.
“…The zipper’s stuck.
I can’t take it off by myself.
Can you…
come in here and help me?” Isagi blinked in surprise.
Then a faint smile formed at the corner of his lips.
“Are you sure?” “If I wasn’t sure, I wouldn’t be asking…” she replied irritably out of embarrassment.
“Just…
hurry up.
And don’t stare too much.” He stepped into the fitting room, which suddenly felt far smaller with both of them inside.
Alya stood with her back to him, holding her silver hair to one side with one hand.
The pale skin of her back was partially exposed by the stuck zipper.
Isagi approached.
His fingers lightly brushed her skin as he held the fabric.
“It really is stuck…” he murmured, focused.
“I know…
Just hurry and take it off.” He carefully pulled the zipper down, slowly.
The soft metallic sound echoed quietly through the small space.
Alya felt his fingers brushing against her back with every inch it descended and bit her lip hard.
When the zipper finally reached the bottom, fully exposing her back, Alya clutched the front of the camisole against her chest so it would not fall.
“…Thank you,” she murmured without turning around.
Isagi did not step away immediately.
Instead, he leaned slightly closer and spoke near her ear in a low voice: “You know…
you look even prettier from the back…” Alya stiffened.
“You…
idiot!” she hissed, turning her face just enough to shoot him a sharp glare.
“Don’t say things like that right now!” Even while complaining, the blush on her face and the faint tremble in her voice revealed just how shaken—and secretly pleased—she was.
Isagi chuckled softly and stepped back, respecting her space.
“I’ll wait outside.
Call me if you need more help.” After he left, Alya let out a long sigh and rested her forehead against the fitting room wall for several seconds.
“…Seriously…
what am I even doing?” she murmured almost voicelessly.
“Letting him help me take off clothes in the middle of a shopping mall…
I must be crazy.” But even while saying that, a small embarrassed smile appeared on her lips.
She was happy.
Far happier than she wanted to admit.
_____________________ (A/N: First of all, thank you for reading this story.
Your support there also helps a lot in keeping the story updated consistently.
I hope you continue enjoying Isagi’s completely cursed new life in this crossover world.)