Fushimi was in high spirits as she and I wandered about the mall.

Before we realized it, it was dark outside—it felt safe to say it was already night.

“Oh, it’s almost six o’clock.”

“Time flies, eh?”

She hadn’t told me she had a curfew or anything, but I figured it wouldn’t be good to stay out too late.

“Shall we go home?”

The joy left Fushimi’s expression the moment she heard me say that. “…Yeah. We should.”

“I’d never gone out like this before. It was fun.”

“I—I had fun, too!”

When we’d hung out before, it’d always been in a more childish way: playing at the park or doing something at home—as if we were still in elementary school. This was the first time we passed the time like normal high schoolers.

“There’s one last place I want to go,” Fushimi said as we were heading for the exit. “I heard there’s a pretty garden on the rooftop that gets lit up at night.”

She wanted to see it, so we made our way there.

We found the garden as soon as we stepped off the elevator. There were flowers and other seasonal plants, plus an artificial streamlet.

“It’s so pretty.”

The lighting was carefully placed to illuminate the leaves and flowers.

“It is,” I replied while we walked through the garden.

But the streamlet’s running water wasn’t the only sound I could hear—there was something smacking.

What’s that?

I soon found the source of the mysterious noise: a couple sitting on a bench, cuddling and smooching.

“!”

R-right here?! In public?! I get this is a romantic spot, but man.

I turned back to Fushimi, and she was frozen in place.

“…”

The sight of the couple was too graphic for us inexperienced kids.

“Oh no. No further.”

“C’mon—nobody’s watching.”

The shock was like walking into the adult corner of a video shop for the first time when you’re too young for it. Like having your world forcefully expanded in a way you didn’t expect.

“F-Fushimi, l-let’s go…”

Her brain had completely stopped, so I pulled her hand and led us through the garden.

However…most of the benches were occupied by couples. Talk about a steamy situation.

“I don’t think we b-belong here…”

“Y-y-yeah…”

We hastily made our way out of there, staring at our feet.

“…Why? They’re outside… The garden was so pretty… Th-they shouldn’t be doing that there.” Fushimi was almost crying.

For her, that was probably like clicking a cat video only to be greeted with gore. I sympathized.

“And I thought this would be a great way to end our date…”

“The garden itself was pretty, so it’s fine.”

“If you say so…”

But yeah, they seemed ready to jump each other right there and then…

We were still too pure for the make-out garden, so we fled like low-level adventurers retreating from a high-level dungeon.

“Ouch…” Fushimi crouched down.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I’m fine. It’s just that my shoe slipped off a bit…”

I took a look, and some of the skin on her heel had been scraped off, enough to make me feel the pain, too.

…

Oh. So that’s what it’s for.

“Here, I have a Band-Aid. Take it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. This is probably why I have it.”

“?”

That damn gyaru is too smart.

Fushimi sat down on a bench right next to a vending machine, then put her leg up.

Wait a second, Fushimi—they’re going public…

“W-wait. I’ll put it on for you.”

“What?! N-no, I’m fine.”

“I can’t let you do it like that. C’mon—put your foot over here.”

“I-I’ve been walking all day long—I—I—I—I—I can’t let you!”

“But your panties are showing!”

“Bw-w-w-uh?! Don’t look!” Fushimi closed her legs in a panic and pulled her hem down.

“It’s not like I did it on purpose. They just appeared…”

“Grrr…” Fushimi growled like a dog on guard, then gave me the Band-Aid and plopped her foot on my knee.

“D-don’t sniff it, okay…?”

“Why would I do that, you idiot?! I’m not a degenerate.”

“Hold your breath, just in case.”

“So you’re just that sure you have smelly feet?”

“Godddd, stop iiiiit!”

“Hey! Hold on! Don’t kick—I’ll…”

Too late— I saw her panties again…

I wrestled her leg and put the Band-Aid on.

There we go.

“You’re so mean.” She puffed her cheeks.

“You’re the crazy person making me hold my breath…” I couldn’t contain my laughter.

“And now you’re laughing…”

“Sorry, sorry.” I apologized again and again, but she didn’t forgive me.

While we were on our way back to the station, Fushimi said, “Thanks for the Band-Aid. It really worked.”

“Ah, Mana’s the one who gave me that, so thank her.”

She giggled. “You could’ve kept your secret and taken credit for being so considerate and reliable. You’re so honest.”

“I don’t need a reputation for being considerate.”

“And I don’t think I’m as good or honest as you think, Ryou.”

“Maybe not by your standards, but by mine, I’m pretty sure you are.”

“Not at all,” she said.

It was almost eight PM by the time we got to the station closest to our houses.

“Sorry we stayed out so late,” I said.

“No, I was the one who said I wanted to go somewhere else first.”

Even though the road was the same one we took from school every day, walking down it at night had a totally different feel.

Both the townscape and Fushimi by my side felt as if they were from a parallel world.

“Ryou, do you have more Band-Aids?”

“Did it slip off? Sorry, I only had the one.”

“I see. Oh well, we’re almost there.”

We should’ve gone on bike. But the parking fee was too much for my poor high-schooler wallet.

She started walking more slowly, as if she was hurting.

“…”

I looked around to confirm no one was watching—not that anyone would recognize us in the middle of the night—and I crouched down in front of Fushimi.

“Here, get on.”

“Huh? N-no, I’m too heavy.”

“It’ll be faster like this. And it hurts, right?”

“…Okay… If you say so.” She put her arms around my neck and clung to my back.

…Not that I was expecting anything else, but I really couldn’t feel anything from her chest area.

I made no comment about it, since that would give her free rein to bash my head from above.

“Am I heavy?”

“You are not.”

Her arms around my neck tightened, and she whispered into my ear, “…Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

With Fushimi on my back, I walked down the street among the glow of the streetlights.