Chapter 20: 19

It was past ten o’clock when I left home and arrived at the movie theater with Ryoko. It was Saturday, but the area in front of the station was quite crowded.

“You’re early.”

“Really? So are you guys.”

In the midst of all this, Ryoko and I spotted Kiryu in no time. Well, how should I say this.. She stands out. She certainly looks beautiful, but her “ojou-sama” outfit makes her seem out of place in this town, which is only a suburban city.

“Huey. Kiryu-san, you’re looking beautiful.”

“Thank you. You also look pretty, Kamo-san.”

“Really? Well, I also love this dress.”

Ryoko smiled at her and Kiryu smiled back and bowed her head towards me and Ryoko.

“Thank you for inviting me here today.”

“You don’t have to be so formal… Let’s enjoy our time, shall we?” 

“If you say so. And? How much do I owe you for the ticket?”

“Ah. It’s fine. It’s on me.”

“I’m sorry. I’m getting in your way.”

“I’m the one who invited you, so don’t worry about it.”

Kiryu was about to take out her wallet when I waved my hand at her. Ryoko gently held Kiryu’s hand down.

“Kamo-san?”

“Kiryu-san, let Hiroyuki-chan take care of this. It’s called a man’s worthiness.”

 (T/N: A “man of worth” is a man who can take care of his woman/children with only his own income. It’s not a great explanation but I hope you get the gist of it)

“Is that so?”

“It’s not really about me showing you my worthiness or anything like that though.”

To begin with, this is just an apology to Tomomi and Ryoko. While I don’t think buying a ticket as an apology is a thing, if Ryoko and Tomomi are okay with it, then it’s fine.

“I mean, I don’t know what Tomomi would say if I let you pay for it here. So It would be nice if you just let me.”

She will definitely complain. Something along the lines of  ‘Huh? You’re apologizing to me and Ryoko! You’re supposed to buy the ticket for us(them), so why are you making us(them) pay for it?!” She’s pretty argumentative. 

“Really? I’ll take your word then.”

Smiling at the sight of Kiryu, who put his wallet back in his bag with a reserved smile, Ryoko took Kiryu’s hand.

“Then, let’s go. Kiryu-san!”

“Y-yeah. Let’s go.”

Ah, she looks a bit troubled. Well, It’s her first time going to a movie theater with a friend, so it’s normal that she’s a bit nervous and also confused by Ryoko’s distance with her. Yeah, her getting friends is a good thing. 

“You… are thinking of something rude again, aren’t you?”

“I just thought it’s nice to see two beautiful girls getting along.”

“B-beautiful girls?!”

“Come on, let’s go.”

While pushing a confused Kiryu, we enter the movie theater. I thought it would be crowded on a Saturday, but the theater was emptier than expected, and we sat down in a pretty good place in the center.

“…”

Soon after, the movie begins. It is a movie that might have broken the record for the highest Hollywood production budget in history,  and it has been getting a lot of TV commercials lately. The content itself is like a watered-down version of Alice in Wonderland and The NeverEnding Story, and divided by three…Well, it’s just something I’ve heard before and it seems to be the type of film that parents and children can enjoy together. At least, it was not my cup of tea. Probably not Tomomi’s tastes either.

“Ahh. That was fun!”

Ryoko suggested that it would leave a bad taste in her mouth to just break up after leaving the movie theater, so the three of us settled down at a coffee shop in front of the station.  I was thinking alone, while the two of them were sitting side by side opposite to me peeking at the pamphlet while giggling.

“That heroine was cute, wasn’t she?”

“I know! The story was interesting, too. I think I’ll go back and buy the original story after all.”

“Huh? Kiryu-san, were you planning to buy one? I have one, I can lend it to you if you want.”

“Is it alright? Ahh… thank you. But I’m the type of person who likes to keep books I like. I have a feeling I’m going to love this, so I’ll buy it for myself.”

“Oh, you too, Kiryu-san? Actually, I’m also the type who likes to keep it on hand.”

“Kamo-san too! You’ll want to review it once in a while, a really interesting book. “

“Exactly! I can just use the library, but then I have to return the book… So I end up buying books I like even though I borrowed them from the library.”

“I understand. It happens to me sometimes too.”

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Well, Ryoko has always loved books, and since Kiryu studies a lot, I’m sure she’s an avid reader too. They’re so similar. The two of them.

“Kiryu-san too! Hiroyuki-chan, did you hear that? Can you still say  “Are you nuts?” to me? Hehe look, we are like-minded so I’m not the only one who’s like this!”

“I see. Good for you.”

Honestly, though, I think that there are two idiots now. I mean, if you want to read it again, why don’t you just go back to the library and borrow it again?

“You don’t understand. There is a possibility that someone else will borrow a book from the library so the book you are looking for will not be there. Besides, even the library’s collection changes once in a while.”

“So why don’t you just buy it when that happens?”

I don’t think it’s a bad idea to have a contingency plan, but I also don’t think it’s a good idea to waste money. Well, maybe it’s not money wasted for the readers.

“‘I want to read it right at that moment!’ It’s that kind of feeling!”

“That’s right, Hiroyuki-chan! It’s like a libido that’s rising up!”

“What in the world do you think you’re even saying?!”

I was surprised. Libido is not usually a word that pops up on a Saturday afternoon in a coffee shop.

“Hmm. Well that’s the common assumption but libido is not just a term for sexual urges you know. Psychoanalysis defines libido as mental energy that can be converted into a variety of desires. Therefore, in this case, Kamo-san’s remark ‘libido’ is an appropriate expression. There is nothing wrong with that.”

“Well, that may be the case but… Isn’t there a better way to say it? Libido is already perceived as such, you know?”

So I don’t think there’s the slightest need to use a misleading description. 

“Why?  Why do we have to change what we say to fit the world’s opinion of us, when we are not wrong? Why should I change the way I say things or the way I think because of the way people will look at me? It’s absolutely ridiculous!”

You, calm down a bit. What are you getting so excited about? Oh is it that? You’re supposed to be doing the right thing, but you’re being ostracized because of your villainous mouth and attitude, aren’t you? I’m sorry, but I think you got what you deserved.

“That’s true, Hiroyuki-chan! What’s right is right!”

You too, huh? Why are you even getting so excited about saying the word libido?

“Ah, all right.”

“Fu… I won.”

“That’s right! It’s our victory!”

Ryoko and Kiryu nodded at each other saying “Ne~”. It is nice that they get along so well.

“So, you guys, I’m going to talk about the “Doki-Doki! A big swimsuit-filled swimming party!” swimming competition. You shouldn’t care about what other people think, right?”

 (T/N: It’s a swimming competition in Japan where twelve idols and twelve gravure models compete against each other. It was famous in the 80s and 90s and has been recently revived.

They do games such as tug of war etc. I think you see where I’m going with this.

ドキドキ！　水着だらけの大水泳大会！is the Japanese name. )

“…”

“…”

“What? I’m not doing anything wrong, am I? I’m just excited to see who’s going to win the competition. 

“Yeah… but”

“Well…”

Huh? Why are you guys looking at me like that? Is what I’m saying that strange? 

“Why are you talking about something so indecent?!”

“Huh? Did you just forget your own line just a minute ago?”

“I haven’t forgotten… but that and this is different!”

“What?”

“It’s different things”

“Ahh. That’s enough, Kiryu-san. Hiroyuki-chan, leave it alone. Kiryu-san, what kind of books have you read lately?”

“Yeah.. I’ve been reading a lot of mysteries lately–”

Saying that they started talking to each other, ignoring me. It’s good that they are getting along.

“Oh, yeah! Let’s go to the library now!”

“Great idea! How about we share our book recommendations?”

“Oh, that’s good!　Let’s go then, Hiroyuki-chan!”

“Right. Let’s go, Higashi Kujo-kun!”

Aren’t you too eager to want me to carry the books you guys are gonna borrow? 

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