I could feel Fushimi’s warmth as she held my right hand.

What should I answer…? She means she wants to hold my hand for the entire day, right?

H-how are we supposed to go to the bathroom?!

My mind was going crazy thinking about how that could even work, when:

“W-wait, I have to go to the restroom.” She let my hand go and walked right to the bathroom.

Y-yeah. Obviously, she’d let go if she wanted to go…

I leaned on the wall and sighed. Yes. I wanted to say yes, but I panicked. More than anything, I wanted to ask why, but I couldn’t summon the courage for that, either.

Isn’t that kind of thing only for couples? She wants to hold my hand even though we’re not going out?

I surveyed the area and saw many couples here and there.

They were holding hands or gently locking arms. Normal couple stuff.

“…”

The mere thought of us doing something similar set my brain on fire.

I was lucky that she gave me some time alone. Otherwise, I would’ve overheated and been unable to say anything for the rest of the day. I put my hands in my coat’s pockets and found a Band-Aid inside one of them.

“What’s up with this?”

I didn’t remember putting it there…or having a plan to use one. Maybe Mana was the culprit again.

Is she worried I’ll trip and graze a knee or something?

Fushimi came back while I was trying to figure out the mystery.

“Sorry for making you wait,” she said. “Let’s go.”

Oh, she’s acting pretty normal.

I started walking, and Fushimi followed right by my side.

I glanced at my hand, but she didn’t try anything similar again.

Is she not doing it…because I didn’t answer?

Agh, I don’t get it. I usually understand what she’s thinking at school or on our way home, but now…

She said she wanted to eat something sweet just as we got into the elevator, so we looked at the guide and got off at the floor that had all the restaurants.

“Ryou, do you like sweets?”

“Yeah.”

“You haven’t changed, huh?” She giggled.

We entered a café, and normalcy finally returned. Once we got to our seats, we talked about school, our work as class reps, and where we should go next.

…It was all normal. She was acting exactly like the Fushimi I knew.

Once we finished our cakes (the cheapest on the menu) after an hour or so, we left the café.

“Are you sure you don’t like gyarus, Ryou?”

“How many times must I answer the same question? I don’t.”

“So…you didn’t like the clothes I borrowed from Mana for today.” She seemed a bit dejected.

Oh, is that what she meant?

“They look good on you.”

“Hee-hee. Good to know.”

Why is it that praising her directly takes so much brain energy?

Afterward, we looked around a fashionable boutique, and a cute member of the staff caught my eye.

“I see. So I should be wearing clothes like these…”

She took that as indication that she should study the woman’s style.

Fushimi’s fashion sense was only as awful as it was because she never went out with friends, so it should get a bit more reasonable if she started studying.

“I have to consult with Miss Mana.”

Mana was a great cook, responsible, and fashionable, so she was quite knowledgeable despite dressing like a rebel.

“I don’t get why she doesn’t have a boyfriend,” I commented.

“Ryou…you don’t know…?” She seemed appalled.

“Huh? Know what?”

“Nothing, forget it.”

Fushimi looked away, then grabbed a dress that seemed to have caught her attention and turned to a mirror to see if it would work on her.

“It would look amazing on you!” The attendant I’d glanced at earlier approached and called out to her.

“Huh? Ah, y-yeah…? You t— I mean, thanks.”

Heh, I heard that little slip.

“Let me know if you’d like to try it on, too.”

“Th-thank you.” Fushimi was anxious.

I understood that feeling. I’d be nervous myself if someone suddenly started talking to me.

The attendant smiled at her, as if she were peacefully watching over a kitten. “So you’re here today with your brother?”

“…”

Fushimi’s eyes rolled back into her head! Why must the most beautiful die so soon?!

“Hey, Fushimi, don’t leave us!” I shook her shoulders, and she regained consciousness.

“Ah… I just had a dream… Where someone mistook us for brother and sister.”

It wasn’t a dream.

I guess it was too much for her brain, and she short-circuited?

The attendant realized her error and forced a smile. “Please take your time,” she said in an especially high pitch, then hurriedly left.

Fushimi kept studying herself in the mirror with that dress she liked.

I checked the tag on another one of the same kind. It was 3,000 yen.

…So I’m guessing she wants it, but she can’t afford it after paying for my movie ticket.

I took a picture and sent it to Mana. She immediately replied, it’s so cute!

“Ryou, what do you think?” Fushimi turned around, holding on to the dress.

I thought she’d look good in pretty much anything… Well, anything not totally bizarre like the outfit she wore to my house this morning.

I wasn’t sure about how correct my opinion would be, but considering Mana also said it was cute, I could have some confidence.

“I think it looks good.”

“I see, I see. Okay,” she said as she folded it and put it back in its place.

“You don’t want it?”

“Mmm… Not today.”

“What size do you need? Is this one okay?”

“Yes, but…what? Why?”

“In honor of our first outing together after a hundred years…I’ll gift it to you.”

“What?! No, I’m fine!” she argued, but I didn’t pay her any attention and took the dress to the register.

The attendant from earlier was there, and our eyes met.

Please don’t give me that “Oh, so you’re buying it for her? Good boy” look!

I paid for it and gave Fushimi the bag. “Have this as a souvenir from today.”

“A-a souvenir of our first date…”

Hey, I didn’t say that.

Is that really how she saw today…?

Fushimi started overheating again as she hugged the bag to her chest.

“Thanks, Ryou.”

I couldn’t look straight at her, so I turned around and muttered, “S-sure.”