A date with Aisa

I look up at the mysterious monument in front of the station, a red bridge soaring above the pedestrian overpass.

The heat was swelteringly unbearable. Naturally, that bridge was used by no one but birds, looking down on us.

We’d agreed to meet in front of the station, so I thought it might take a bit to find each other, but…

“What’s that look for…?”

Aisa was easy to spot.

“Couldn’t you wait somewhere cooler?”

There’s a department store connected to the station just a short walk away, so there’s no need to stand out here…

In a place like this, with people constantly coming and going, Aisa stands out like a sore thumb. Well, I suppose it’d only get worse if we went closer to the station… Being a beauty must be tough.

Aisa was wearing a breezy white dress with light blue accents, topped with a straw hat featuring a striking blue ribbon. If I didn’t know her, I might’ve mistaken her for some celebrity and stolen glances myself. Even now, I could feel uncomfortable stares stabbing into me.

I mean, they’re probably wondering what kind of guy gets to be with a girl this cute, only to see someone like me show up…

“Let’s go.”

“Y-Yeah, sure.”

Aisa suddenly grabs my hand and starts pulling me toward the department store in the station building. The crowd around us buzzes slightly.

“Hmph!”

Was Aisa bothered by the stares, or did she pick up on my discomfort?

Holding hands as we walk seems to have warded off the guys who were about to approach her, which is a relief. But… if someone from our class saw us like this…

“What?”

“Nah… that outfit looks good on you.”

“Wha…?”

Whatever. I decided today’s all about making Aisa happy.

If a terrifying penalty game of doing whatever she says ends with just being her errand boy for a day, that’s a small price to pay.

◇

There was a time when I actually thought that…

Manami-san warned me, “Girls take forever when they shop, you know?” but I never imagined it’d be this bad.

Luckily, the department stores are clustered around the station, so we don’t have to move much, but to my eyes, Aisa’s obsessing over tiny details that barely seem different, dragging us back and forth between similar shops.

Before I know it, the bags in my hands keep multiplying, and I’m running out of space to hold them with just one hand.

“Hey! Are you even listening? Which one’s better…?”

“Oh, sorry.”

I zoned out for a second there.

Aisa holds up summer clothes against her body, asking for my opinion. Even though she looks a bit annoyed, her overall mood today is good, so her expression stays soft.

And when that happens…

“Uh… both are cute.”

“…Ugh! Kouki, you keep saying that, so I can’t decide!”

Basically, when it comes to someone like Aisa, it’s almost like it doesn’t matter what she wears—she looks good in anything. Even if it’s something different from her usual style, the unexpectedness just makes it work. So, in the end, I can’t make up my mind.

Manami-san told me to compliment her honestly and give proper opinions, but this caught me off guard. My honest opinions aren’t helping at all.

“So, you ended up buying both?”

“I mean… I couldn’t decide, okay?”

This cycle of indecision leading to more bags keeps repeating itself.

“Alright! Next up—”

As I stare at Aisa, who’s clearly enjoying herself, she seems to misunderstand something and suddenly looks deflated as she speaks.

“Oh, you’re tired, aren’t you? Sorry…”

“No, it’s not that…”

“You were spacing out… Maybe we should call it a day…”

Then I remember Manami-san’s words again.

◆

“Be honest and compliment her today! If she’s cute, say she’s cute. If you’re mesmerized, tell her you’re mesmerized!”

“Won’t that, like, piss her off…?”

“Who would get upset over a compliment? If Onee-chan gets mad, I’ll handle it!”

◆

“I was just mesmerized, that’s all. So, where to next?”

“You were mesmerized…? Huh?”

Getting a reaction like that makes me embarrassed, so stop it already.

“Mesmerized…?”

“Let’s get moving.”

“W-Wait! Don’t pull me like that! And you don’t even know where we’re going, Kouki!”

Trying to hide my embarrassment, I grab her hand and start walking aimlessly through the department store. Aisa resists at first but soon quiets down. Her usual spunk fades, and she mumbles “that way” or “this way” to guide me, her head lowered.

This quieter Aisa reminds me a little of the old days.

1. 1. ◇

Following Aisa’s directions, we arrive at a place that’s, well, a bit awkward to step into.

“Here…?”

“Yeah…”

“Alright, I’ll wait outside, then…”

“Wait.”

I try to back off, but she grabs my arm, leaving me no escape.

“You promised to stick with me all day.”

Aisa’s face is bright red as she avoids looking at me. No wonder—she must be just as embarrassed as I am, standing here together.

“I want you to pick out… my swimsuit.”

Of all places, our final destination is a swimsuit shop.

Why, oh why…? But then I remember what Manami-san told me. It hits me now…

“I’ll… do my best.”

“Mm…”

Stepping into the swimsuit shop is fine and all, but the air between us grows quiet and awkward.

Aisa, maybe desperate to keep me from bolting, clings tightly to the hem of my shirt.

“Uh… I’m not gonna run off, you know.”

“Mm…”

She responds but doesn’t let go. Fine, I give up.

“But, like, picking one out while staring at all this is…”

At that, Aisa, who’d been looking down, suddenly lifts her head with a bounce.

“R-Right! Let me just… find some options…”

She starts browsing the swimsuits, muttering things like, “This… my size will be obvious…” Please, spare me.

I glance around, hoping to find something, and my eyes catch a single swimsuit.

“Oh.”

“Hm?”

It’s a light blue swimsuit, like her outfit today, with a rare cherry blossom pattern for summer wear—really pretty.

“This one?”

Aisa follows my gaze and picks it up.

“The size… it’s here! I’m gonna try it on!”

Before I can stop her, she calls over a staff member and heads to the fitting room.

While waiting, a staff member says, “Your girlfriend’s super cute!” and I’m hit with awkwardness. Denying it would only dig me deeper, so I just look down silently. The staff member laughs cheerfully and walks off.

After what feels like an eternity, I sense Aisa coming back. Manami-san’s mission was clear: compliment her properly.

I brace myself, but when Aisa emerges, she’s back in her regular clothes.

“Huh?”

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t expecting the swimsuit. I’m completely thrown off, feeling a strange sense of loss, almost regret.

“Hehe… You don’t have to look so disappointed. I’m buying it.”

“No, that’s not it.”

I hurriedly deny it, but Aisa’s soft smile renders it pointless.

“You sure about that one, though?”

I only picked it out on a whim, not with any real thought.

“You chose it, Kouki, so it’s perfect.”

Aisa clutches the swimsuit to her chest, looking down with a shy expression that makes my heart skip a beat.

“Got it.”

That’s all I can manage to say.

“Disappointed you didn’t get to see it, huh?”

Her playful laugh reminds me she’s definitely Manami-san’s sister.

And then she lands the final blow.

“You know what you need to do if you want to see it, right? You heard.”

Whispering so only I can hear, the little devil heads to the register.

Her face is redder than mine, though…

“…Guess I’ll have to step up.”

As I wait for her, I desperately recall Manami-san’s advice, thinking of what to say when she returns.