My date with Fate-san had begun in the midst of unexpected tension. The whole thing felt strangely embarrassing, so we hadn't even tried to hold hands. We walked side by side, yet a cautious gap remained between us.
However, this delicate distance—neither too close nor too far—gave off the distinct aura of a first date, making me feel incredibly self-conscious. This was actually our second date, but it certainly didn't feel like it.
"...Um, Fate-san."
"Y-Yes! What is it?"
That innocent, nervous reaction was truly dangerous. It felt like our tension was feeding off each other in an endless loop.
"E-Er... where should we go?"
"Ah, s-sorry. Actually, I haven't thought about that at all. I was so preoccupied with the fact that we were actually going on a date that I didn't have the mental capacity to think that far ahead..."
Fate-san, please... stop blushing like that. It made me want to writhe in embarrassment.
"No, please don't worry about it. In that case, let's just wander around for a bit without thinking too deeply."
"Yeah. Thank you... Kai-chan."
"..."
"..."
What should I do? I can't keep the conversation going! She was so different from her usual self that every little gesture made my heart skip a beat. Every time I tried to break the silence, an awkward gap opened up again.
B-but the longer the silence lasted, the harder it would be to start talking again. I had to force the conversation, even if I was clumsy about it.
"...Ah, er... it's a little hot today, isn't it?"
"Y-you're right! Even though it should be getting cooler around this time of year."
"..."
"..."
I was in serious trouble. I couldn't find the next thing to say. It was bizarre. I’d been on plenty of dates with Kuro and the others, so I should have been able to lead at least a little... yet, out of sheer bashfulness, I couldn't even look Fate-san in the eye.
I couldn't let this continue. In fact, I felt like avoiding her gaze was only making me more nervous. Alright, I'd just turn toward Fate-san casually and make some small talk. I'd mention Alice since we both knew her—anything to change the atmosphere and steer away from the current awkwardness.
"—!?"
Fate-san and I turned toward each other at the exact same moment. Our eyes locked perfectly, and we both froze.
Ah, this is bad. Everything I’d just been planning flew right out of my head. Um, what was it? What was I going to say? Um, um...
"...Fa-Fate-san! W-why don't we buy something to drink!"
"Y-ye-ye-yes, you're right! It's hot, and I'm thirsty! Let's do that!"
"Th-then, let's go to that stall over there!"
"R-roger!!"
I was stuck in a strange state of high tension, but the situation wasn't entirely bad. A drink would give us something to do with our hands and hopefully help us calm down. With that in mind, I walked briskly to the stall and bought a juice for each of us. Since it felt awkward to keep standing, we moved to a small nearby plaza and sat side-by-side on a bench.
"..."
"..."
Silence fell once more. Fate-san looked just as lost as I was. I really wanted to take the lead here. Taking a deep breath, I tried again.
"...Maybe it's just because I was thirsty, but this is delicious."
"...Yeah."
"Spending time like this, just relaxing... it’s not so bad, is it?"
"...You're right. Yeah. Something like this... might be nice."
Thanks to my efforts to speak calmly, a bit of composure finally started to return to Fate-san's voice. Just as I was hoping to use that momentum to ease the tension, she spoke up in a low voice.
"...Kai-chan, I'm sorry."
"Eh? For what?"
"I thought I'd be able to handle this date better... but I'm useless. I feel all floaty yet restless, and I have no idea what I'm doing. My mind keeps going blank, and I haven't even been able to talk to you properly."
"...Actually, I feel exactly the same."
"...You too, Kai-chan?"
Seeing the apologetic look on her face gave me a strange sense of relief. Knowing that she was struggling just as much as I was made me feel much better.
"It's a bit pathetic, but I haven't been able to say anything I planned to for a while now... I've been completely at a loss."
"Then we're in the same boat."
"Yeah, we are."
"...Hehehe."
"Ahaha."
We looked at each other and shared a wry smile. That was right. This was a date; there was no point in me agonizing over everything alone.
Neither of us was in a position to lead properly, so it was better to just talk it out together. Sensing my tension ebb away, I stood up with my juice in hand and smiled at her.
"Fate-san, what should we do... next?"
"...I'd like to see the sea."
"Then let's head to the harbor."
"Yeah!"
She responded to my suggestion with a smile and stood up. There was no need to rush; we still had plenty of time. I decided to push aside the pressure to remain calm or take charge. For now, the most important thing was to enjoy this date with Fate-san as much as I possibly could.
Dear Mother, Father—I was nervous, I was spinning my wheels, and I couldn't even hold a proper conversation... and yet, it didn't feel bad at all. We were still navigating the distance between us, bit by bit, but I was certain of one thing—the distance between me and Fate-san was slowly closing.
Serious-senpai: "Aaaaaagh?! Waaaaaaah!!"
???: "...Hmm, Fate-san is quite something, isn't she? That shy, hesitant vibe is such a departure from the heroines we've seen so far. It makes me want to writhe just watching them."
Serious-senpai: "I’m done! I want to go hoooooome!!"
???: "But this is your home, isn't it?"