Chapter 6: 5

Chapter 5 - It's Better to Be Careful in Choosing Clothes on a First Date

 

 

University cafeteria.

When I was looking for a place to sit with omurice in hand, I found one spot in the crowded cafeteria that was unusually empty.

Sure enough, Kokoro-san was sitting in the center of it, and when she saw me, she looked away once before looking at me again and showing me her palm.

I guess she was too shy to raise her hand or wave it.

"Hello, Kokoro-san."

"Hello, Kakeru-san."

I greeted her lightly and sat down next to her.

I was greeted with envious and annoyed looks from the people around me, and it stung my heart.

"You ate omurice today."

Kokoro-san said so when she saw the omurice in my hand. Kokoro-san herself ate the same katsu curry as yesterday.

"Do you like omurice?"

You're not good at the word "Shu" are you, Kokoro-san?

[TL: As usual, she's a fussy talker].

"Well, I like it. Kokoro-san herself likes katsu curry, right?"

"I had it yesterday and it was delicious. .....Kakeru-san likes omurice so much that she even registered it as her profile picture."

"I don't like it that much."

"Then why did you put it ...... in your profile picture?"

I don't understand the reason myself.

Why did I go through all the trouble of finding the omurice photo I took a year ago and listing it?

Unfulfilled love for Hikari.....

When that thought crossed my mind, I hated myself for being so effeminate. We each have new relationships now, so just forget it and move on.

"This is omurice from my favorite restaurant. That's why..."

"I understand."

Kokoro-san looked like she wanted to say something, but she didn't pursue it any further.

Probably because she was busy munching on her katsu curry.

"By the way, Kokoro-san. Have you found someone suitable in Connect?" I asked, trying to change the mood and topic.

I was just curious.

"No, no, ........ Kakeru-san, did you make any progress with that ex-lover you mentioned yesterday?"

As if she knew what I was thinking, she touched on the issue that was bothering me.

"The last time we met again, I unknowingly brought her umbrella home. So I met her again to return it."

"I see. ......"

The conversation stopped there, and we finished our meal in silence.

Just as I finished my meal, Kokoro-san, who had started eating before me, finished her katsu kari and gulped down her water in one gulp, and then started talking with her fists on her trembling lap.

"I have a question to ask you, Kakeru-san."

"What is it? If there's anything I can do, I'll do it for you."

"I'm very shy, and I'm very bad at talking to men."

Well, that's the reason she started Connect. I heard about it yesterday.

"But when I talk to you, Kakeru-san, it's rather pleasant, and even now I rarely bite my tongue. It's easy to talk to you, isn't it...."

Hoho, she bit her tongue right after she said that. That's kind of funny.

"That's why--!"

"Yes, yes!"

She said in a loud voice to cover up the fact that she was bitten. Surprisingly, her voice was as loud as my normal voice.

"If it's okay, Kakeru-san, can we have lunch together like this, or, you know, go for a walk or something...? Of course, I'll treat you to lunch! Ah......"

She bit her tongue again at the last minute and her face turned bright red.

It must have taken a lot of courage for Kokoro-san, who was shy and not used to talking to men, to suggest such a thing to me to overcome her shyness.

But if it wasn't me, she could have been taken advantage of.

She's beautiful like an idol and has a very protected aura that men love.

That's why I feel that I should teach her how to protect herself from now on.

"I'm a guy too, and of course, I'm no exception, but you know, there are some weirdos on dating apps, like guys looking for sex, right?"

"Yes. -------"

"So, shouldn't you be more careful? We've only met twice."

"Yes, that's right. We've only met twice, right?"

"......"

"But..."

In this conversation, Kokoro-san looked into my eyes for the first time.

And not just looked.

She usually looks away as soon as our eyes meet, but now she kept looking at me without taking her eyes off...

"I know you're not a horrible person, Kakeru-san."

Her cheeks were still red, and she said this to me without biting her tongue.

Since she had already told me that much, I couldn't ruthlessly refuse the request that she was so nervous about asking.

"Okay, I understand. But please don't offer to buy me food or anything like that. We have to be equal."

Yes, we should be equal.

I thought saying that to him was the best I could do to show my sincerity for now.

"Oh, thank you so much! Awawa, I'm so nervous...."

It was the first time I saw someone say "awawa" out loud, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Wait, what are you laughing at?!"

"Hahahaha."

I was a little excited because things were going to be fun from now on.

 

***

[Hikari's POV]

After meeting my ex-boyfriend again, I felt a change in my feelings.

I wonder if I have no regrets? If I had no regrets, why did I smile at Sho's LINE "Sorry, umbrella."?

"Haa...."

I don't think I still love Sho. But maybe instinctively, I still have feelings for him.

When we met again, my words and demeanor were unfriendly, but my true feelings were different. I was probably very happy when I saw her for the first time in a year.

It's hard to admit, but that's the reality.

Otherwise, I wouldn't have gone to a cafe with my ex-boyfriend and eaten waffles in the park.

I don't like being bothered by men.

I don't want to do that with a man I don't care about.

The fact that I was willing to get soaked in the remains of that night, and the fact that I'm suffering now, is proof that I have regrets.

Even if it was my true desire to start over with Sho, it would be difficult to make it happen.

When Sho and I broke up, I was so depressed that I wanted to say that it was the end of the world, and I did a lot of research on reconciliation.

As a result, it seems that reconciliation itself is not very common, and couples who will continue together for a long time after reconciliation are quite rare.

In addition, I think I acted out of character on our last date and came across as a rather annoying woman.

Even if Sho wanted to start over, he wouldn't think so any more after seeing my actions.

He said he met ...... a girl he met in Connect who went to the same university as him.

As I was reviewing my messages on Connect with Sho, I received a notification.

I scrolled down from the top of the screen to the bottom to see if I had received a message from Sho.

I thought I got a message from Sho.

But I was wrong.

[Do you want to have lunch tomorrow?]

No, it's from a guy other than Sho.

He was a tall, handsome man with a clean look in his photo. He was also a good conversationalist.

"What....."

I realized that the word "what?" came out of my mouth, and I felt a prolonged frustration and blurred emotions, knowing that my previous hypothesis was correct.

I had no choice but to admit it.

But at the same time, I should probably give up.

I was the one who behaved like that. So, to forget her as quickly as possible, I have to be interested in someone other than Sho.

Besides, Sho already has a new partner.

I had exchanged a few messages with this handsome man, and since I was free tomorrow and had no reason to say no, so I decided to meet and arrange a meeting place.

"That tote bag is cute, it looks suitable for you, Akari-chan."

"Thank you. ......."

When I met that guy, I found him to be as handsome as his picture.

I could trust his face more than thin words like cute face, and I got compliments on my sense of self-assertion, and compliments on my stuff.

I didn't feel uncomfortable.

The content of the message was, "I want to get to know you better, so why don't we talk more casually?"

I was impressed by his honesty.

I thought that it might be a joke, but I decided to forget about Sho for now.

"Hey, Akari-chan. Is there something you're worried about?"

When asked, my consciousness turned to the man as if I had lifted my head from the surface of the water.

I had been thinking about him for so long that I wasn't sure what I had done just now. and that handsome man was looking right through me.

"N-Nothing. ....."

"Really? If you don't mind, you can talk about it with me."

"Nn......"

"But Akari-chan, you're thinking about something, right?"

He could see through everything. He was a mysterious handsome man.

He must be popular.

But there must be a reason why he uses dating apps.

I'm 9/10 sure he must be a jerk. If that's the case, I won't give up on her.

I don't drink, and I don't want to meet her at night.

If I did, I might get taken advantage of by this handsome man.

Since he's handsome, he must have a lot of experience in relationships.

I've never been with anyone other than Sho, and I don't know what men think.

If this handsome guy is experienced, then I just need to ask for relationship advice, or........

"Actually-------"

I then told the first guy I met that day that I had reconnected with my ex-boyfriend on a dating app.

When I got home, I thought.

Why did I tell all that to a guy I didn't know?

 

***

[Kakeru's POV]

Until I installed Connect, I never paid attention to it when I saw dating apps in YouTube ads.

But lately, I've been thinking about it a lot.

(Connect ad.......)

Enji told me that the Connect ad has been up for a while.......

While eating omurice in the cafeteria and watching YouTube with my Bluetooth earphones, I saw a shadow in front of me.

Since he looked familiar these days, it was him.

"Hello, Kokoro-san."

"Hello, Kakeru-san."

It's been almost a week since we started eating together at the cafeteria on weekdays after her request.

Compared to the first time, she has become much calmer.

"Today I ordered omurice in imitation of Kakeru-san.......!"

Now she can say words without biting. I feel like a parent watching their child's growth.

"Then, I'll copy Kokoro-san and order katsu curry."

"I'll probably take some of yours then...."

"Haha, let's share half and half"

Right now, I no longer feel nervous with Kokoro-san in our conversations, and she's become a very comfortable person to be with.

I didn't engage with many people at first, which I found uncomfortable.

The only people with whom I've engaged for a long time without feeling stressed are Enji and Hikari.

"Lately, I've been enjoying every day."

I thought it was a very unusual attitude for Kokoro-san to suddenly say that.

"Kakeru-san, even though I'm a shy and useless person, you never denied me and always ate with me because of my selfishness."

"That's because I like it. Otherwise, I wouldn't be willing to eat with you every day."

"I'm so glad you accept me like this. I'm really happy."

Kokoro-san put the omurice spoon on her plate and started searching for something on her cell phone.

"So, I want to know more about you and get to know you better. ......So I hope you don't mind......."

"......?"

"Will you come with me here?"

On the screen displayed, it was the site of a certain cafe.

The cafe's site was familiar to me, and I remembered searching for the same site a few days ago.

"This is the omurice restaurant you like, right......? I also want to like what you like."

I was very happy to see her looking me in the eye, even though she didn't usually make eye contact with me.

Even though she had a cute face, I could see her face, which I normally couldn't see because she was lying face down, and since she said that she wanted to like what I liked, then....

"Let's go there!"

Well, that was it.

 

***

This was my first time at Sannomiya Station after a few days of absence.

It is home to Kobe citizens and is like a hometown. At least for me.

It's sunny today, unlike my date with Hikari.

The weather gradually became warmer in the second half of February, and today I wore a slightly thicker cloth suit instead of a fur coat or leather coat.

A white shirt was used as an inner layer for a clean look, it was the perfect date outfit.

"Thanks for waiting!"

Kokoro-san who saw me just before exiting the ticket gate ran me.

She was wearing a long beige skirt and a tighter knitted top, and her lace underwear was peeking out from her neck.

I've seen this style of clothing around town many times, but it was so cute.

"I just arrived."

After saying the phrase I heard somewhere, we started walking.

Our destination was a cafe. The same cafe that Hikari and I used to go to.

"I feel more nervous than usual...."

"Even though we also wear casual clothes in college, the atmosphere is different, isn't it?

"I always dress comfortably, so I put in a lot of effort today.... And I did my hair too!"

Kokoro-san clenched her fists in front of her chest.

Her every move was childish.

"Maybe it's just my imagination, but ....... are you dressed a little fashionably today too, Kakeru-san?"

I usually try to dress in a way that suits my appearance and TPO, and today I dressed with her date in mind. I'm the same as Kokoro-san in that I usually dress comfortably in a hoodie or something similar at university.

You are reading story Matchinguapuri de Moto Koibito to Saikai Shita at novel35.com

[TL: I don't know what TPO is.]

"Yes, that's right. I was a little nervous when I realized it...."

"I'm glad you're nervous about me. ......."

Can you stop looking at me while saying that? I'm afraid that I'll fall in love with you.

It's just a 3-minute walk from the station, a stylish space surrounded by plants and trees.

This kind of cafe is more expensive than regular family restaurants and fast food restaurants.

But that doesn't mean it tastes better than family restaurants or fast food restaurants. It's just customer preference.

The reason why many people still go to these kinds of cafes is that they pay for the comfort, the great interior, and the experiences and memories that can only be had at these restaurants. I think that's the reason why they're willing to pay for it.

Thanks to Hikari, I realized even when we were dating that I surprisingly liked visiting cafes.

"It's the omurice that fascinates you, Kakeru-san.......! It looks delicious.......!"

Kokoro-san salivated at the omurice that came. She shouldn't have to make a face as she came home from war like that.

"Then, let's eat."

She clasped her hands neatly and then held the spoon.

It showed good teaching.

"In that case, me too."

When I clasp my hands together in the same way.....

* Kasha.

In front of me, Kokoro-san captured the moment when I clasped my hands together in front of the camera, with a big smile.

"I got a good picture!"

"Are you sure you want a picture of me, not the omelet?"

"Yes, Kakeru-san is fine."

Perhaps there was no deep meaning.

But even though I knew that I was still embarrassed.

Even if there was a deeper meaning, there was no way Kokoro-san would say such an embarrassing sentence so easily.

I imitated her and pointed my cell phone at her as she was about to take the first bite.

*Kasha.

"I'm sloppy. ....... Did I make a funny face.......? If so, please delete it.......! It's so embarrassing-----"

Kokoro-san's expression on my phone was caught off guard.

There, she was happily carrying omurice in her mouth.

What's different from usual is that her smile here is natural and relaxed which is quite unexpected.

This is not her usual stoic expression, but Kokoro-san's extraordinary original expression.

"Awawa, I get embarrassed ....... if the photo is bad, I want to disappear ....... someone, please bury me......!"

I won't bury you, because if you disappear, I'll be alone.

"Oh, this is delicious. .....!"

Kokoro-san reacted as if she was a human eating omurice for the first time.

The omurice here is indeed delicious, but I wonder if Kokoro-san has never eaten omurice before?

No, I saw her eating it in front of me a few days ago.

I love it when a girl eats something delicious. I realized it when Hikari and I first came to this cafe.

I still think of Hikari every time something happens to me.

Hikari didn't call my name even once that day when we met again. Maybe Hikari was telling me that she had no regrets.

So, I had to cut off my unresolved feelings for Hikari.

There was a good girl in front of me now.

"Thank you for the food!"

Just as she did when she started eating, she also put her hands together.

The motion of wiping her mouth is also elegant and beautiful.

Hikari, on the other hand, always has tomato sauce on her cheeks.

Hikari loves to eat, and it's hard to take care of her when she's so engrossed in her food.

Hikari would come up with one thing after another that she wanted to eat, and since she wasn't good at researching, I was the one who would research on her behalf, finding out where the restaurants were and how they were rated.

But when she was hungry, she would become impatient and annoying.

Whenever I went out on a date with Hikari, I would always put a bag of snacks in her bag and give it to her when she got too picky due to hunger. That would put her in a good mood.

She was annoying.

"Kakeru-san, is something wrong?"

"Oh, no, nothing."

I was on a date with Kokoro-san, but I was thinking about Hikari again.

I'm sure I still can't forget her for a while.

 

***

After leaving the cafe, our next stop was Kobe Station, which is two stations away from Sannomiya Station.

Since we both love walking, we decided to walk between the two stations.

The walk took about 20 minutes, but it wasn't boring, as there is a famous street called Sakaemachidori that is filled with fashionable cafes and shops.

"I thought I would only be able to experience this through stories, but thanks to you, one of my dreams came true," she said happily, warming her hands with the bread she bought in Chinatown.

What she missed, perhaps, was this "date" experience.

In reality, Kokoro-san was probably just going out with me to get used to men, but for her, who couldn't speak well in front of men, this kind of experience was very difficult.

In her profile, she says that she likes shoujo manga and romance dramas.

I guessed that she was interested in romance.

She's nice, but her shyness makes it difficult.

If not for that reason, it is no wonder that such a sweet girl has never been in a proper relationship at the age of 20.

Kokoro-san was trying to decide between meat buns and sesame dumplings, and in the end, she chose meat buns, so I chose sesame dumplings, even though I didn't want to eat them.

I thought I could eat both if we split them.

"Here, please eat."

The sesame dumplings came in a pack of four.

I ate two of them and handed the rest to Kokoro-san along with the container.

Then, Kokoro-san suddenly remembered something and looked at the steamed bun in her right hand.

"Sorry, I've already eaten more than half of it...."

"Oh, I don't mind, please eat it all."

I also had no intention of taking it in the first place.

After dating Hikari, I learned that girls eat more than I imagined. But apparently, Hikari's case was special, and I found out that girls eat less than guys.

"No, no! We should be equal!"

Kokoro-san pushed a piece of steamed meatloaf to me with dialog that made her sound more like an alchemist than a college student.

"Well, I'll take it then...."

I did tell her that we should have an equal relationship, so I can't break my promise to her, so she stuffed the steamed bun into my mouth, covered with the scent of the rest of the female college students I got instead. I think this is creepy.

"Guhuk!"

I took a bite of the steamed bun, and as I started chewing, Kokoro-san turned red and hid her mouth.

"M-M-I'm sorry.... !!!!! I didn't do it on purpose.........!!!!"

"......?"

I couldn't say anything because I was still chewing, but I didn't know what made her say that.

"I just got carried away......!!!! It wasn't anything else or anything!!!"

A word that shouldn't have come out of Kokoro-san's mouth is now a mosaic because she bit her tongue. What a nice coincidence.

Perhaps, Kokoro-san was afraid that I would think of her as a bad girl for trying to make me eat the steamed bun she was eating.

To be honest, so am I.

"Haha, I don't mind. I'm sorry if you don't like it. Should I spit it out?"

After swallowing everything and emptying my mouth, I jokingly made a gesture of sticking a finger inside my throat.

"M-I'm sorry for letting you take my DNA ...... if you don't like it, please just spit it out.......! I'll take care of the rest....

"No, no! I'm just kidding!"

I won't let my vomit pollute Kobe, a city known for its fashionable atmosphere.

The first place to enter after arriving in Umie is Nike, an apparel store that has a wide variety of facilities, interior decorations, cafes, and outdoor activities right next to the entrance.

I often buy furniture and clothes here.

At first, I only knew the name of the store, but Hikari liked it so much that she often came here with me, and I was hooked. Ah, I'm talking about Hikari again........

"Kakeru-san, what do you think?"

Kokoro-san wore date glasses with round frames and looked at me with peace signs in both hands.

Wait, she has a very small face and well-defined parts, so it's not like it doesn't look good on her. It's just, what the heck is that tacky pose?

She's standing there with double peace signs and a smile on her face.

"Pfft, hahaha. It looks suitable for you, very suitable, hahaha."

"You're laughing! It sounds like a lie because you said it twice! Mou!"

Embarrassed, she put her glasses back on the shelf, turned her back, and walked away.

She probably didn't want me to see her expression. How cute.

fetching her stuffed animals from the game crane in the past, she would say,

"Oh, no. I can't eat it. I want something else!"

I hope that she can learn from Kokoro-san.

And for the umpteenth time, I put in 100 yen.

"Kakeru-san, look, just give up now, huh...."

"No, it's not cool ...... don't think about ....... contents ......."

In the end, after about 30 attempts, during which there was no sign of getting it at all, I ended up with only uncool results.

I remember that time too, I didn't get it.

--- "Let me try."

When Hikari did, she got it in one try.

"Sorry ...... for saying I'd get it for you."

"No, it's okay. I don't want an ugly stuffed animal...."

Poor results make Kokoro-san......

"However, when you said you would take it, I was very happy."

"Eh?"

"This kind of situation often happens in dramas. I'm glad Kakeru-san is willing to do his best for me."

So, the reason why your face lit up earlier was that you were moved by the fact that you could have the same experience as in the manga and drama?

"I should have been able to get it, but I failed instead. I was probably subconsciously able to detect Kokoro-san's true feelings and took a shortcut."

"Ah, really?"

"Yes."

We left the arcade and wandered around Umie.

There were many clothing stores in Umie, and I took Kokoro-san, who said she didn't usually come here to shop, with me to various stores.

Although she doesn't usually come here, she dresses fashionably and seems to enjoy fashion.

"Where do you usually buy clothes?"

"I usually just use mail order. I never shop in person, or rather, I can't......."

I went to a store that sold both men's and women's clothes, and while looking at the women's clothes, I tried to find something that would look good on Kokoro-san.

When I looked at Kokoro-san, she was walking while looking down.

"Hey, that's dangerous. Come on, let's walk side by side."

"No, no, but...!"

She was acting weird earlier.

She could speak Japanese normally, so communication wasn't a problem, but it was difficult if she walked like that.

"Are you guys looking for something?"

Someone approached me at the clothing store who made a voice that said "So".

There was actually one.

"Awawa ...... this is the end of the world. ......"

While protecting Kokoro-san, who was dizzy from looking at the store clerk, I thought to myself that this was too much.

"No, I'm not looking for anything special. ......."

"Oh, I see...! How about this cardigan? If you're looking for lightweight outerwear for spring, I recommend this trendy color!"

"Hee~"

"These two pieces look good on her, don't you think?"

"Kya!"

"Ah, sorry. Did I make a mistake?"

"No, no, it's okay. I-I..."

Seeing Kokoro-san's gesture after the staff arrived, I realized once again that she was very shy.

She looked fashionable and liked fashion, but I wondered why she didn't come to the apparel store and shop by mail order instead?

"Well, I'm sorry, I'll be back later."

The store clerk bowed his head to the end, even though we didn't buy anything, and he finally walked away from us.

Until the clerk was completely out of sight, Kokoro-san, who was denser than usual, trembled slightly.

"Sorry, I'm not sensitive enough."

I apologized for my lack of consideration, but I concluded that an explanation was probably unnecessary.

"No, it's my fault for being shy. .......But still, clothing stores and beauty salons are the only ones I've always been afraid of......"

"The two clerks at those two places do talk a lot."

"The employees at the clothing store were so mysterious that even if I didn't show any signs of my presence, they would still find me with their sixth sense, whereas at the beauty salon they would tie me to a chair so that I couldn't escape, and then they would ask me about my personal life in detail, and then peel my nails one by one. ......It's very scary......"

For me, it was just a place to get a haircut, but for Kokoro-san, it was a place of torture. Shame is a terrible thing.

"You must be tired, let's get some Starbucks and rest on a bench by the sea."

Kokoro-san's face beamed as she heard my suggestion.

It was the reaction I had hoped for.

Meriken Park is a short walk from Umie.

There was nothing special about it, just a square with a view of the sea. It's usually a place where students are skateboarding or dancing.

I bought a drink at Starbucks in Meriken Park and rested on a park bench.

Maybe this kind of situation is what Kokoro-san dreamed of in TV dramas or manga.

Meriken Park is a sacred place for couples. I thought Kokoro-san would be susceptible to such simple words.

In the evening, the night view of Kobe's port city and the illuminated Port Tower is very beautiful, and it is famous in my mind as a place where girls want to confess.

That's just my opinion, though.

On the other hand, daytime has its advantages.

You can look out over the vast ocean or take a boat ride.

I ordered a Soy Latte, and Kokoro-san ordered a Matcha Frappochino, but she said something dangerous like, "M-Macho's flat-handed hotchino, please!" so I translated for her.

"I've always admired Starbucks, but I never knew it was such a stuffy and stylish place...."

"It was a bit nerve-wracking for the first time, wasn't it?"

"Kakeru-san, you're already getting used to the adjustment....amazing...."

"I also said tar size at first."

"Oh! I promise not to repeat it again!"

"Hahaha!"

It is a common occurrence that when choosing the size, some female students cannot read the toll size and end up saying the tar size, but it is rare to find female students who cannot read it.

"Thank you for not only taking me out today to help me overcome my shyness, but also for letting me do many things I've always wanted to do."

"No, no, I also had fun today."

Placing the drink on her lap, her eyes sparkled as she looked at the sea, which reflected the waves.

"I'm still nervous about being with you, Kakeru-san, but I feel at home...."

Her hair swayed in the wind, and her beautiful profile faced me.

"Would you like to ........... date me again?"

I felt nervous when I heard the word "date" coming out of Kokoro-san's mouth, which she avoided out of embarrassment.

"Yes, if you don't mind. Let's overcome your shyness at this rate."

This was a very good day.

I think this was my first satisfying dating experience in a long time.

But at the same time, I was also angry with myself for remembering Hikari at a time like this.

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