After the movie, we decided to head over to Anumate to pick up some Breast-Kyun merchandise.
(We’d already promised to hit up Anumate even before the movie date, after all.)
The commercial complex inside the Neighboring Town's Station housed various shops, including the arcade where I first met Ichinose, and Anumate was one of them.
Once we reached the sixth floor and spotted the familiar Anumate sign, Ichinose’s eyes lit up like a child entering a theme park.
"Whoa... this is literal heaven."
"Is this your first time coming here?"
"Pretty much. Until now, the bar was just too high for me to come in alone."
I totally got that feeling.
In Ichinose's case, her gyaru appearance probably made her stand out in a weird way, making it harder for her to walk in. But even for a creepy otaku like me, I remember feeling like I was trespassing on sacred ground the first time I entered Anumate. It was nerve-wracking.
(Well, once you get used to it, you can walk in like it’s a fast-food joint, though...)
"Since Ryouta’s with me today, I feel super safe!"
"I-Is that so?"
"Yup!"
This was bad... Having spent my entire life never being relied upon, being suddenly counted on made me so happy I felt like I might actually pee myself with joy.
"Ah, they have a Breast-Kyun special corner!"
Spotting the display tucked in the corner of the shop, Ichinose practically lunged toward it, her eyes glued to the merchandise.
I’d had the impression that Anumate focused more on female-oriented series lately, but Breast-Kyun’s popularity was clearly on the rise if it had its own dedicated section.
"Whoa! A Milk-tan oppai mousepad? That’s the best! I also really want that baby bottle modeled after Milk-tan’s massive breasts...!"
"Whoa, hold on, they actually make merch like that for Breast-Kyun!?"
I didn't know the series went that far, so I was genuinely stunned.
I mean, what the hell is a baby bottle modeled after a massive-breasted character?! I feel like both the people buying it and the people selling it are crossing some major lines!
"Ryouta! Hey, give me a sec to decide what I want, okay!?"
Ichinose was just as hyped as she had been right after the movie ended.
"A-Ah, sure. Take your time."
Looks like this was going to be a while... All right.
While Ichinose was agonizing over her Breast-Kyun haul, I decided to check out the light novel section across from the special display.
I’d already finished reading "Opa-sui" which I bought the other day, so I needed something new... Hmm?
One particular light novel caught my eye.
(Hoshino Hoshino... what a dorky pen name.)
The author's name was weird, but it looked like a popular artist did the illustrations... maybe I'll give it a shot.
I decided to buy the volume based on the art alone, then turned back toward the Breast-Kyun special corner to check on Ichinose.
"How’s it going? Decided what to get?"
"Hmm. Ryouta, which do you think is better: the baby bottle or the oppai mousepad?"
Normally, a date with a girl involved flirting at a clothing store, asking things like, "Which of these outfits do you think is cuter?" In our case, the options were a baby bottle or an oppai mousepad... What kind of choice was that?
"Don't you think the oppai mousepad would be more practical?"
"Hmm, I guess, but I really want to experience Milk-tan's Breast Milk Splash, you know?"
Since I was an otaku who knew the Breast-Kyun anime, I understood exactly what she meant, but if Miyama or Kuroki heard her saying that, their jaws would probably hit the floor.
In the end, Ichinose ended up buying both.
☆☆
"Phew, that was a pretty good haul."
Ichinose walked out of Anumate in high spirits.
She was now completely an otaku wearing the skin of a gyaru.
Seeing a gyaru with a large chest and thick thighs carrying that iconic blue shopping bag was a truly refreshing sight.
"...Wait, this bag."
"Hmm? What's wrong? Is there a hole in it?"
"Ah, no, it's nothing! Never mind!"
What was that about?
Ichinose flailed her hands around as if she were trying to hide something.
"B-By the way, Ryouta. You were staring at my thighs again just now, weren't you?"
"How do you always know?"
"Obviously I'd know when your gaze is pointing straight down! Come to think of it, when you were with Airi at Snoto the other day, you were staring intensely at her chest, too, weren't you?"
"That... I-I won't deny it, but..."
"Sigh... Seriously, you otaku. Well, fine. Airi is oblivious anyway, so I doubt she'd even notice."
Come to think of it, Ichinose called me out on it constantly, but Miyama never had.
Incidentally, in Kuroki's case, neither trait was particularly exaggerated, so I could always talk to her while looking her straight in the eye... or rather, I just got drawn into her face.
"I-In my opinion, I'm more confident in my chest than my thighs anyway."
"N-No way, your thighs are your trademark!"
"Hey! Don't just decide what my trademark is!"
Ichinose retorted with everything she had.
"Seriously, Ryouta, you have zero delicacy. You really shouldn't do that kind of thing to anyone but me."
"I-I'll keep that in mind."
"Anyway, what are we doing next? I have one more place I want to go."
"A place you want to go?"
Ichinose nodded and started walking.
"The arcade, obviously."