I was standing in front of the station ticket gates, playing with my smartphone with a straight face.
The agreed time was 10:00 AM, but the current time is 9:30 AM. I was so fidgety that I left the house early, and ended up arriving more than twice as fast as I expected.
It has been two weeks since Hiyori invited me to the shopping mall.
Today is finally the day.
Hiyori made a joke about it being a date, but it really feels like one.
“……A date, huh?”
I gave a small smile as I muttered that, swallowing down the thing catching in the back of my throat.
Hiyori had said, “I wouldn’t go on a date with someone I don’t even like.”
So this isn’t a date.
I felt like if I miscalculated that, I wouldn’t be able to turn back.
Thinking that I had way too much time to spare and wondering if I should duck into somewhere to kill time, I heard a familiar voice right in front of me:
“Huh?”
Startled, I looked up, and Hiyori was standing there. It was still about 30 minutes before the promised time… Thinking the same thing, Hiyori also had a surprised look on her face.
“Morning, Hiyori. You’re awfully early.”
Ignoring my own situation, I called out to her like that.
“Good morning. That’s my line. Why are you so early?”
Never expecting that I could say I was too excited for our date and arrived early, I gave a wry smile.
Hearing that, Hiyori looked down, pouted her lips, and sulked.
“Today is my turn to be the escort, so I wanted to get here earlier than Mikoto-senpai…”
Hearing her mutter things like that, my reason felt like it was about to fly out the window.
What cute things is she saying.
I gently pet Hiyori’s head.
Hiyori looked up and softly gazed at me.
“Sorry, sorry, come to think of it, you’re right.”
“…As long as you know. Let’s go.”
With that, Hiyori takes my hand and starts walking. I stumble a little bit as I follow behind her back.
Hiyori is talking happily about how we should do lots of shopping today, but I’m so preoccupied with our joined hands that I don’t know what kind of reply to give.
That’s because we aren’t holding hands normally; it’s the kind commonly called a lover’s hold.
The hands tightly intertwined are slender and smooth. I felt like if I squeezed too hard, they might break.
“Hiyori, um… our hands…”
At that, Hiyori, who was walking ahead, turns around with a question mark floating over her head.
“It’s a date. Isn’t this much normal?”
At those words, delivered as if they were the most natural thing in the world, my heart gave a big thump.
A date, I see. Because it’s a date…
Even as I found a strange sense of acceptance, I lowered my gaze, still feeling just a tiny bit embarrassed.
No, this isn’t a date. I mustn’t miscalculate.
Telling myself that, I stepped up right beside Hiyori.
After walking for about 30 minutes, we arrived at the shopping mall. Maybe because it’s a holiday, it’s a little crowded.
I had thought we might just do some window shopping, but Hiyori marches straight ahead into the depths of the mall.
“Do you have something specific you’re looking for?”
Without answering, Hiyori pulls my hand and leads me into a clothing store lined with calm, subdued colors. Under the white lighting, a mannequin wearing a black coordinate is shining.
“Here! I thought this would look absolutely amazing on Mikoto-senpai.”
This brand was the kind of shop I wouldn’t usually choose. Overall, it’s chic and sophisticated.
After looking around the store for a bit, Hiyori picked up a dress.
It has a white base, scattered with blue flowers, and even though it has long sleeves, there is no fabric over the shoulders. Normally, I would never choose something like this.
“Eh, this? Isn’t it a bit too mature for me?”
That’s the best part. …Here.”
Hiyori pulls my hand and makes me stand in front of a mirror.
She stands right next to me and holds the dress up against my shoulders. The distance between us is unusually close, making my heart race.
When our eyes meet in the mirror, Hiyori smiles with satisfaction.
“It suits you after all.”
“……You, think so…?”
“Go on and try it on, please~”
Pushed by my back by Hiyori, I entered the fitting room.
When the curtain closed, I felt a slight wave of relief. Today, Hiyori is way too close for comfort.
I stare at the dress in my hand. When I held it up to the mirror earlier, I really couldn’t imagine it suiting me, and I’m super nervous about wearing it out.
However, since Hiyori says it suits me, I think to myself and start taking off the clothes I wore today.
“Mikoto-senpai, are you done changing?”
At Hiyori’s voice, I stepped out of the fitting room.
I had actually finished changing a little while ago, but I really didn’t think it suited me and couldn’t bring myself to step outside.
The moment I stepped out, my eyes met Hiyori’s.
Hiyori looks me over thoroughly from the top of my head to the tips of my toes.
A silence lingers for a while.
“W-Weird, huh…?”
When I ask, Hiyori shakes her head vigorously.
“It suits you so, so, so much!! It suits you so well I’m amazed.”
“Really?”
“Really. Why would I lie?”
Hiyori says that with a smile.
The depths of my chest feel a little light and fluttery. A dress that Hiyori said “suits you.” A dress that Hiyori chose for me. Just from that alone, this dress has become something special.
If Hiyori says it suits me that much…
“Then, I guess I’ll buy it.”
“Eh, no way. I’ll buy it. I’m the one who picked it out, after all.”
“……No, seriously, I couldn’t possibly let you.”
Really, it would be bad of me to let her go that far. Clothes aren’t that cheap, after all.
When I said that, Hiyori’s face fell a little bit, but soon she raised her head back up.
“In that case, next up, Mikoto-senpai, please pick something out for me.”
Taken aback by the unexpected proposal, I lost my words for a second.
“Eh, me?”
“Yes! Because it’s a date. It’s a shift system.”
Saying that, Hiyori smiles smugly. I find myself smiling along with her.
“That’s a heavy responsibility.”
When looking at online shops, I sometimes think that outfit would look cute on Hiyori, but when it comes to actually choosing one myself, I get a little nervous.
“Fufu, it’s okay. Whatever Mikoto-senpai picks for me, I’ll be happy with it.”
Just hearing her say that makes me happy.
I decided I would pick out the absolute best outfit that suits Hiyori.