It was the 22nd day of the Second Month of Fire. I had just arrived at the Royal Capital of the Hydra Kingdom—a place I’d visited once before.
I was there for my date with Fate-san. As for why we’d chosen this particular city, it was simply because she’d requested it.
It was a memorable location, a spot where we’d spent time together on a previous date. Back then, I’d been treated to a side of Fate-san I’d never seen before; it felt fresh, and despite all the usual chaos, I’d genuinely enjoyed myself.
Though it might seem a bit rude to say so after we’d already gone on a date, I honestly hadn't imagined she would harbor... well, something like romantic feelings for me.
Up until now, her affection had always felt somewhat calculated—she’d even admitted as much. While I knew she liked me, I figured it was less about romantic attraction and more about her having found an "interesting toy" to play with.
Yet, at some point, things began to shift. I think neither of us really noticed it at the time, but our feelings had been gradually evolving.
For example, there’s that phrase Fate-san is so fond of: "Support me." When we first met, she meant it with every fiber of her being; she was practically vibrating with the desire to live a lazy, self-indulgent NEET life on my dime.
Lately, though, she says it more like a recurring joke. She doesn't seem to mind when I turn her down; she just seems to find the banter itself enjoyable.
There were changes in other areas, too. Before, whenever she visited me and Chronoa-san came to fetch her, she’d throw a fit like a toddler. She’d cling to my leg or try to use me as a human shield.
But these days, she just sighs and says things like, "Oh? You’re here already? The God of Space-Time sure is a restless one," before heading back to the God Realm without a fuss. Whether she actually gets any work done once she’s there is a different story, but at least she isn't making a scene and causing me trouble anymore.
When I looked back at it that way, I realized I could name quite a few things that had changed about her. And frankly, the same could be said for me.
To be honest, I initially found Fate-san a little hard to deal with. While she wasn't exactly a ravenous predator, she was constantly trying to create a fait accompli whenever I let my guard down, always pushing her selfish desires to the forefront. She wasn't exactly the relaxing type.
But lately, that feeling had vanished. Fate-san is honest about what she wants, for better or worse, and that lack of a hidden agenda actually makes her quite refreshing. Before I knew it, talking with her had become effortless.
She was older than me by a vast margin, yet she often felt like a high-maintenance younger sister... and I’d truly started to enjoy our time together. At the very least, I enjoyed it enough to feel a pang of loneliness if we went too long without seeing each other.
"...K-Kai-chan... Sorry to keep you waiting."
"Oh, no, it’s fine. Good aftern—noon... Fate-san?"
As I was lost in thought, I heard Fate-san’s voice behind me. I turned toward her and immediately froze. It was her, without a doubt, but her appearance had been completely transformed.
She was wearing a white one-piece dress with a subtle floral pattern, but the real shock was her hair. She’d undone her usual twin-tails, letting her hair fall straight and sleek, held in place by an elegant hair ornament.
What? No way... seriously? Just by changing her outfit and hair, Fate-san could transform into such a refined, sophisticated beauty?!
I mean, I knew she was pretty to begin with, but this was a different world. There wasn’t a trace of her usual lethargy. Instead, the way she blushed with a hint of bashfulness was so lovely that I found myself staring, utterly entranced.
"...Um, s-so? Do I look weird?"
"N-No, it suits you perfectly. I mean, it’s just... the vibe is so different from usual, I was taken by surprise."
"A-Ahaha... To tell you the truth, I got a little advice from Shaltan and... tried dressing up for a change. I mean, it is a date, after all... right?"
Wait, that shy little smile... Fate-san was being incredibly cute. Since I was so used to her usual self, the "gap" between that and her current appearance made my heart skip a beat.
So this was "gap moe," huh? In that moment, I finally understood the true meaning of the term.
"Um, well... I think you look really beautiful."
"Th-Thank you... It's, um, a little embarrassing."
"Ah, r-right, sorry. I wasn't really thinking and just showed up in my usual clothes..."
"No, it's fine. It's very you, Kai-chan, and I... well, I like that."
"...Thank you."
"...Y-Yeah."
Wait, what was with this atmosphere?! I was so nervous! This shouldn't be happening—this was our second date!
And yet, why did it feel as awkward and innocent as a couple of high schoolers on their very first outing?
Then the realization hit me. There was one major difference between this date and the ones I’d gone on with my other lovers: the total lack of composure from the person I was with.
My lovers were all older than me. Perhaps because of that, they’d all managed to stay relatively calm, even on our first dates.
Even the painfully shy Lilia-san had a bit of a buffer, since our first official date didn't happen until after we’d already become a couple.
Fate-san, however, was still in the middle of grappling with her own confusion. I could feel her trepidation as she tried to navigate this date while weighed down by emotions she’d never experienced before.
That was why she looked so uneasy and kept tripping over her words. Ordinarily, I should have been the one to take the lead, but I was so thrown off by her transformation that I’d lost all my composure as well.
Our mutual anxiety was feeding back on itself, creating an atmosphere that felt thick with sweet-and-sour tension.
Dear Mother, Father—overthinking every single word, wondering what to do next... my date with Fate-san began in this aura of youthful innocence. But I have a feeling that today, I’m going to be even more flustered than I ever imagined.
Serious-senpai: "G-Guh... To think she’d unleash such unexpected Heroine Power..."
???: "Oh? See, Serious-senpai? It isn't just sweet, is it?"
Serious-senpai: "I hate the sweet-and-sour stuff toooooooo!"