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Landmine
It was Monday. The school was on a break since a part of the school festival was over the weekend, so Hiiragi-chan and I went on a date in the city for the first time in a while.
“Things were quite hectic when we were preparing for the school festival. When was the last time we went on a date like this?”
Hiiragi-chan, who was holding my hand, was so happy enough to start humming this morning. However, her eyes are a little bit intense… and slightly bloodshot so it’s a little bit scary.
“Haruka-san, when did you sleep yesterday?”
“I couldn’t sleep… I kept thinking about things. Let’s do that, or this, for instance…! Then, the morning just…!”
“Are you an elementary schooler going on a field trip?”
“I can’t help it! It’s been a while since we’ve had a date like this!”
I tried to calm Hiiragi-chan down. Although we are disguised, I would still like to avoid attracting attention.
Today, Hiiragi-chan was wearing her fake glasses and a flat hat. More than just a disguise, it was quite fashionable, and looked nice on her.
“Haruka-san, that hat is cute. It suits you.”
“Eh! Really!? Thanks ♪”
Tehehe~, Hiiragi-chan is full of smiles.
“Seiji-kun as well, those tinted glasses suit you pretty well. It gives off a nice feeling.”
“Thanks”
My disguise consisted of glasses and a cap. The glasses are actually my own. Normally, it’s not that I can’t see. I only wore it a few times when my seat was in the back of the classroom.
But man, weekdays are nice. There aren’t many people, and there aren’t any lines at any of the stores.
As we were enjoying our window shopping, Hiiragi-chan turned back to look at a store that we passed by.
She really wants to go but seems a little reluctant.
It’s a bit casual, but she seems to be interested in the slightly pricey clothing store.
“Since we have the chance, do you want to check it out?”
“Is that okay? Won’t you be bored, Seiji-kun?”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. They have men’s clothing as well it seems.”
“Then, let’s just for a little while…”
And so, we made a U-turn and returned to the store that we had passed. When we entered, due to it being a weekday morning, there were only a few employees inside the store.
We split up once we got inside. Hiiragi-chan to the lady’s corner, and I to the men’s corner.
Inside a clothing shop with no customers… there’s a silent pressure that can be felt… So, it’s just me…? I feel like I’m being watched…
I tried searching around, but I didn’t see anyone focusing on me. I guess it was just my imagination. I’m too self-conscious, sorry.
“If it’s for our dear customer, then how about this~”
Unlike the self-conscious me, Hiiragi-chan was being recommended various clothes by a female employee.
“Fumu fumu…! Then, with this, what shoes…?”
She’s asking a lot!? Quite passionate too. These are certainly fashionable, and made with good quality I think. But…
My eyes momentarily glanced at the folded t-shirt that was placed on the shelf.
Ugeh. 8000 yen!? E-expensive…
For me, I don’t spend too much on clothes, so it’s fairly expensive. However, from the perspective of the Hiiragi family’s Haruka-ojousama, that probably isn’t the case. Is it different for a lady?
Unlike me, the fashionable Hiiragi-chan might not care as much about price.
“Then, give me the skirt from earlier please.”
“Thank you very much~”
Oh? It seems she bought something.
I stretched a bit to see if I can take a look into the back.
“About this skirt, it matches really well with the coat from earlier as well, you know?”
“Hmm… Then, I’ll take that as well…!”
Hiiragi-chan… rather than being a fashionable person, isn’t she just taking suggestions as they’re given…?
“She’s… a duck…! A nice plump duck.” [1]
I overheard a whispering employee. Hiiragi-chan, will she be okay? I’m a little worried, so I approached her in order to be able to follow up when needed.
Hiiragi-chan quietly spoke.
“Ummm, excuse me… Do you maybe have some more p-perverted tights?”
“…Yes, we do.”
“P-please…”
What are you requesting with your face red like that? It’s got a name, right? A name. Perverted tights! That really makes me curious!
It wasn’t just me that was curious, but also the other employees.
“Next is shoes it seems…!?”
“No, it’s not just that, but accessories too!”
“That customer, the more you recommend, the more she buys…!?”
“Is her budget infinite or something!?”
The employee carried the various clothes and accessories that Hiiragi-chan said she would buy, but one person wasn’t enough so another was asked to help.
“This one piece… what color should I go with…?”
Hiiragi-chan was considering the color of a knit one piece. White or grey.
I met eyes with Hiiragi-chan.
“Which one do you think is good?”
She showed me two one pieces that were hanging from a hanger.
… Which one…? Isn’t it fine for Hiiragi-chan to pick whichever one she likes?
“I don’t know very much, you know?”
“It’s fine, it’s fine.”
“I think both of them look good”
“That’s not it.”
“Then, white.”
“Hmm. I guess grey then?”
Then don’t ask! Didn’t you already decide?
Ufufu, one of the female employees laughed a bit.
“Siblings?”
“Eh————?”
Hiiragi-chan’s movements froze.
“You’re really close with your younger brother.”
“…T-that’s not… it…”
Hiiragi-chan’s movements slowly started up again. This is bad. The employee probably stepped on a landmine.
“He’s… not… my brother…”
Your eyes are dead, your eyes are dead! Since she also didn’t get much sleep, her eyes are really scary!
I purposely coughed loudly and spoke.
“She’s my girlfriend.”
“Ah, I sincerely apologize.”
She lowered her head towards me.
“…”
Hiiragi-chan, who was originally smiling and excitedly shopping, suddenly had her mood drop to the bottom.
“…That… this… that too, umm, nevermind …”
Well, we weren’t browsing the store while holding hands, and we didn’t do anything that was very couple-like, so it probably can’t be helped that they wouldn’t see us that way.
Unable to bear the mood, I went outside and waited for Hiiragi-chan.
“Geeez, we definitely aren’t siblings.”
After coming out Hiiragi-chan pursed her lips in a dissatisfied manner… Still, she ended up buying things in the end.
“Haruka-san, what did you buy?”
“Eh!? … Umm… it’s fine, it isn’t anything really.”
She seems like someone that would display something the instant she bought it, and yet, she hid it… Which means, it’s probably the perverted tights! Why did she only buy that?
“I guess I’ll just look forward to finding out what you bought when the time comes.”
“Yup. Look forward to it ♪”
I wonder what kind they are. The half-see through ones?
“Are they a little bit transparent?”
“Eh!? Eh!? W-what are you talking about?”
I was right.
I nodded knowingly as Hiiragi-chan crossed her arms.
“Things that only couples do together… we’re going to do aaaaa loooot of that, Seiji-kun.”
“Just how I wanted it.”
After looking around for a bit, Hiiragi-chan gave me a kiss.
“What do you want to eat for lunch?”
Just like this, we enjoyed our lovey-dovey date for the rest of the day.
TN:
- A duck in Japanese can also refer to an easy mark. Basically she’s a pushover and easily baited into buying things.
Thnx for the chapter!
Kinda wondering when the mcs parents will find out about them. lol I have a feeling it will be one of the times they are out on a date. XD
They look like siblings not a couple? Could that be the reason they separated?
in the age difference dept?
Age difference and not even holding hands. Doesn’t look very couple-like from an outsider’s perspective.
Thanks for the chapter!