It was Sunday.
I stood at the Station Front, waiting for Sara-senpai. I was early; we weren't supposed to meet for another thirty minutes. While there was an unwritten rule that the man should be the first to arrive, I had a specific reason for being so early.
If Sara-senpai were left to wait alone, the local pick-up artists would swarm her in a heartbeat. I couldn't bear the thought of making her deal with that, so I made sure I was the one—
"!!??……C-C—"
"Good morning, Takanashi-san. Did I keep you waiting?"
"……………"
"? Is something the matter?"
She wore a cute, white frilled shirt with a ribbon at the collar, a soft navy skirt that fell just below the knee, and white knee-high socks. It was a textbook example of a Virgin-Killing Outfit.
And that slightly bashful expression on her face was just...
Too cute! I’m going to die! How can she be this adorable? Why is Sara-senpai so cuuuute...? Wait, why was her face getting redder and redder?
"Um... I am very happy, truly, but... when you repeatedly call me 'cute' like that out loud... it is quite embarrassing..."
Darn it, my thoughts were leaking again.
Ugh... must... hold... it... in. If I laugh now, they’ll definitely spot me!
I had to admit, my coordination was perfect. Since Takanashi-kun seemed to view Sara as "cute" rather than "beautiful," combining her natural looks with an adorable outfit was the way to go. Even if some called it Calculated Cuteness, this was the right choice.
It was such a massive hit that his internal monologue was just pouring out of his mouth. I had to keep it together—no laughing!
Haa... haa... man, they were providing top-tier entertainment right from the start.
Now, how should I handle the tailing? If I just slinked around behind them, I’d look like a creep. Someone would probably call the police.
...Oh? Is that...?
Looks like I got here just in time.
But since when did Kazunari act like that? What was this, some kind of rom-com?
Well, speaking of characters, that woman was far from what I expected, too. The last time I saw her, she had a much harsher vibe, but looking at her again, she was actually quite pretty.
Normally, I’d say a girl like that was out of Kazunari’s league, but based on what I’d heard... No, looking at those clothes, she was clearly trying to impress him. He actually had a chance.
The problem was how to follow them without being noticed.
...Hm? Who’s that...?
"Ahem. Sorry, Sara-senpai. I didn't mean to make such a scene."
"No, well... being praised by you makes me very happy, Takanashi-san. Even if it was a bit embarrassing..."
So I really did blurt it all out. But honestly, being this cute was a total foul.
"...Let me try that again. Good morning. I know I’ve been making a fuss, but those clothes really suit you. You look... well, you look incredibly cute!"
I said it! Or rather, I finally said it properly. Good job, me.
"Thank you. To be honest, I have never worn anything like this before, so I was quite anxious..."
That made sense. Given Sara-senpai’s serious personality, I didn't think she would intentionally pick out such a tactical outfit on her own.
"Oh, really? Well, I’d be happy seeing you like this every single day."
"Hehe... I am glad to hear you say that. In that case, should I try to wear clothes like this whenever I go out with you from now on, Takanashi-san?"
From now on... She was talking about future outings. I’d follow her anywhere she wanted to go.
"I must make sure to thank Natsumi. She coordinated this for me. She was quite insistent that you would be pleased if I wore these clothes."
...I see. So that was it. I could almost hear Natsumi-senpai’s cackling in the distance. Still, she did a great job, so I’d let it slide.
"Hello. You're Takanashi-kun's Friend from the other day, right?"
"Hello. I thought it might be you. We didn't really get a chance to talk back then, did we?"
I was glad I wasn't mistaken. We hadn't exactly left the best impressions on each other last time, but judging by his vibe, he’d probably heard about me through Takanashi-kun.
"So, what brings you here?"
"Hmm. I was about to ask you the same thing."
"......"
"......"
The realization dawned on both of us at the same time.
"Hehehe..."
"It seems we have the same objective."
"Looks that way."
"In that case, want to team up?"
"Yeah. I was worried I’d look like a suspicious person if I followed them alone."
It seemed we were on the exact same wavelength. There was only one logical conclusion.
"Let’s go together."
I’d found an unexpected ally. This was going to make the tracking much easier.
"Well then, Sara-senpai, shall we head out?"
"Yes, let's go."
I’d already told Senpai that we were heading to the Shopping Mall today. It was only about a ten-minute walk from the station, which was convenient.
The sheer radiance of the girl walking beside me was staggering. She was drawing the gaze of every single man we passed. I even saw a few guys getting scolded by their girlfriends for staring. But honestly, with how cute Sara-senpai looked today, you couldn't really blame them for looking.
Her natural refinement was only heightened by the outfit. To be honest, I was still feeling a bit lightheaded myself.
Right, I needed to confirm the schedule.
"Senpai, how are you for time today? If you have other plans later, we can try to wrap things up early."
"No, I am free all day. Since I was finally going out with you, Takanashi-san, I made sure not to schedule anything else."
Perfect. That meant I’d have enough time to look for a present.
"In that case, would it be alright if you stayed with me for a bit even after we finish our Shopping?"
"Of course. I will follow you wherever you like, Takanashi-san."
All that was left was to find the perfect gift, no matter what.