Trial Lover 10 (Patreon)

Main Story 9 - After School Date -Part 1-

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I don't have a shift at my part-time job today, and Hiori doesn't have any club activities. So, we are planning to stroll around Kasagaya Station and go to the shops that Hiori often goes to and shops that she likes. We decided on this while we were eating lunch during lunch break.

But, Hiori is on cleaning duty. So I decided to wait in the hallway until they finished cleaning.

“Hello-ssu, Kamitou-kun.”

When I was about to play a puzzle game on my smartphone, Hazuki-san called out to me. Our eyes meet and Hazuki-san gives me a small wave.

“Hazuki-san. Thank you for your hard work today too.”

“Thank you for your hard work-ssu. Are you waiting here for Hiorin-ssu? Are you going on an after school date-ssu?”

“Hiro and I are talking about going to shops around Kasagaya Station. So... I guess we'll have an after-school date.”

That sounds nice, an after-school date.

Tomorrow is a holiday, but I have a shift at my part-time job. Because when I submitted my shift request, I never expected to become a trial lover with Hiori. I can't change my shift now after all this time. That's why I want to enjoy today's after-school date to the fullest.

“I see-ssu. Enjoy your date-ssu. But, just because you're alone with Hiorin, doesn’t mean you can go to strange or suspicious shops okay-ssu~?”

“Of course.”

Himura-san said the same thing to me earlier. Both of them were probably advising me as Hiori’s friends. But, in Himura-san's case,

“You're not allowed to go to places where high school students aren't allowed to go! Also, I won't forgive you if you do anything obscene to Hiori!”

She said it like a warning. Did I have the image of loving strange and suspicious shops? Also, even if there were such a shop near the station, high school students in uniform probably won’t be allowed to enter.

“Then, I have a part-time job after this. I came here to take a look at Hiorin's face before I go-ssu.”

“I see. Good luck with your part-time job. Also, I read your short story about girls' love yesterday. It was interesting.”

“Thank you-ssu! Gratitude-ssu! My motivation is rising-ssu!”

Hazuki-san peeks into our classroom and waves, saying, “Hiorin! See you tomorrow-ssu!” And then, she immediately walks towards the stairs.

After that, I play a puzzle game on my smartphone until Hiori's cleaning duty is over. I'm feeling pretty good today.

“All right, I got a good score.”

“That's pretty high isn’t it? I've never had a score that high.”

Before I know it, Hiori is standing right next to me, looking at my smartphone screen. Hiori is carrying her school bag. I was so focused on the game that I didn't notice her at all.

“Hiori. So you finished cleaning.”

“Yes. Just a few minutes ago. But Akito-san was engrossed in your smartphone, so although it was rude of me, I looked into your screen. Then, I saw you playing a puzzle game, so I waited until you finished playing.”

“I see. Thank you for your consideration. Thank you for your hard work on the cleaning, Hiori. Also, Hiori play this puzzle game too, I see.”

“Yeah. It's a nice change of pace from studying and writing. I'm not very good at it, so I can't get a good score, but I enjoy doing it.”

“It's good that you're enjoying it.”

Also, my image of Hiori is that she doesn’t play games much, so this was surprising. We might even have fun talking about games.

“Then, let's go. On our after-school date.”

“...This is certainly an after-school date, isn’t it. Let's go.”

We leave school and walk toward Kasagaya Station. The sunlight pouring down on us feels warm.

“Hiori lives on the north side of the station, right? Does that mean the shops you often go to and the shops you like are also near the north exit?”

“That's right. The places I want to go to after this are all near the north exit.”

“I see. Then, I’ll park my bicycle  there. I wonder if there's a bicycle parking lot there. Up until now, when I hang out with my friends around the station, I park my bike in the parking lot near the south exit, so I don't know.”

“I see. If I recall correctly, I think there is a bicycle parking lot near the north exit. I think it’s free for up to two or three hours.”

“Then, I’ll use that place.”

So there is also a bicycle parking lot near the north exit where I can park my bicycle for free. I heard something good.

We turn at the intersection near the station and walk towards Kasagaya Station. As we are approaching the station, we see many people other than students of Kasagaya High School. Among those people, there are many who turn their gaze toward Hiori. If such a beautiful girl enters your field of vision, you’ll probably end up turning your gaze towards her.

“Still, maybe it's because it's almost May, it's getting hotter just by walking around a little bit.”

“It’s because we’re wearing a navy blue jacket. That’s why it’s warm. The store I like may be perfect for Akito-san right now.”

“Ooh, I see. I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of shop it is.”

A perfect shop for me who feels hot right now, I wonder if it's a place where I can enjoy cold food.

Shortly after that, we arrive at the south exit of Kasagaya Station.

A sign at the entrance says, [Please push bicycles through]. So we go through the station and out the north exit of the station.

I haven't been to the north exit much before, so the scenery feels fresh.

As Hiori said earlier, there is a bicycle parking lot near the north exit. The information board says [Free for up to 3 hours]. This place is nice. Let's remember it.

Since it’s evening, there are many bicycles parked here, but there is an opening at the end. I park my bicycle there.

“All right, we're good to go.”

“I'm glad you were able to park here. Now, let's go to the shop. It's near here.”

“Yeah.”

I hold hands with Hiori and start walking towards the shop she likes.

As we walk in front of the station, both in uniform and holding hands, I realize that we are on an after-school date. As I start being conscious of it, my heart starts racing and my body is getting hotter.

“Th-the north exit also has a pretty nice atmosphere, doesn't it? There's a lot of shops, too.”

“That’s true. I'm very familiar with this area, so I'm glad you said that. How about Akito-san’s area... the area around Hagikubo Station? I haven't been to Hagikubo much.”

“Hagikubo has a similar atmosphere around the station. I'm sure Hiori will like it too.”

“I see. I want to walk around that place with Akito-san sometime soon.”

“Then, let’s stroll around Hagikubo Station during the upcoming holidays.”

“Yes.”

When she answered like that, Hiori's voice sounded more energetic than usual.

After that, I continue walking along the north side of the station with Hiori.

As we do, we pass by Zosol Kasagaya North Exit branch, which Hiori has also visited. When I look inside the store from the window, I see that the interior of this place also has a nice atmosphere. But, the Hagikubo North Exit branch where I work part-time seems to be larger.

“This is the place.”

A few minutes after walking from the bicycle parking lot.

Hiori said that and stopped. The shop right next to us is a tapioca drink shop. Inside the shop, there are many young women who are in uniform or look like university students.

“A tapioca drink shop, huh? It's certainly the perfect shop for me right now.”

“Isn’t it? This tapioca shop opened about three years ago. They have a wide variety of drinks and they're delicious. I've been here many times with my sister and Saaya-san. Does Akito-san drink tapioca drinks?”

“Yeah, I do. I sometimes buy it at stores like this and drink it, and sometimes I buy it at convenience stores and drink it at home. Also, Zosol, where I work part-time, also sells them.”

“I see. That’s good. Let's go in now.”

I enter the shop with Hiori.

I can feel a refreshing and calm atmosphere inside the shop. They have both counter seats and table seats, so we can enjoy the drinks inside.

We go to the counter and order a tapioca coffee for me and a tapioca matcha latte for Hiori.

There is an empty table for two, so we go there and sit facing each other.

As we sit down on the chairs, Hiori takes out her smartphone from her blazer pocket.

“It's my first time coming to this shop with Akito-san, so I thought I'd take a photo as a memento.”

“That’s nice. I'll take some with my smartphone too.”

After that, we have a photo session for a while. I of course take a photo of the tapioca drink I ordered, but I also take a photo of two drinks lined up and a photo of Hiori holding the cup of matcha latte. I'm happy to have more Hiori-related photos on my smartphone.

“I took some great photos. Thank you for listening to my request.” (Akito)

“No, no. I took some great photos too. Then, shall we drink?”

“Yes. Let's drink.”

I drink the tapioca coffee through a straw.

We walked under the clear sky for about 10 minutes, so the coldness of the coffee is nice. The coffee is black, so it has no sweetness, but the tapioca is sweet, so personally, I think this drink has a good balance of flavors.

“Coffee sure is delicious.”

“Matcha latte is also delicious.”

As she said that, Hiori drinks the matcha latte again through the straw. The way she holds the cup with both hands and sucks on the straw is so cute. Usually she looks mature, but now she feels young. I can watch this forever.

“Akito-kun, what's wrong? Is there something on my face?”

“No. I was just thinking how cute Hori is, drinking a matcha latte.”

“Cute... is it? This is the first time someone told me their impression of me drinking.”

“Haha, I see.”

Normally, people share their impression about the taste of the tapioca drinks.

“I thought you were watching me because you were interested in the matcha latte.”

“...Certainly, I've never had a matcha-based tapioca drink, so I'm curious about what it tastes like.”

“Is that so? ...Then, would you like to have a sip?”

“He-?”

I didn't think she’d ask me if I wanted to take a sip, so I ended up letting out a strange sound. Perhaps because of that, Hiori's eyes widened. I wonder if I startled her.

Taking a sip of Hiori's matcha latte means──

“W-we’ll have an indirect kiss, are you okay with that, Hiori? We do have a rule that we don't kiss mouth-to-mouth.”

“T-that’s true...”

Hiori's cheeks turned red and her gaze flickered. That's the most emotion on her face I've ever seen.

We have a rule against kissing mouth to mouth. Will she approve it because our lips won't touch directly? Will she prohibit it because even though it’s through a straw it’s still a kiss? By the way, I think indirect kissing is OK.

After getting lost for a moment, Hiori's gaze landed on my eyes.

“I think it's okay because it's indirect. Also, girls give a sip of their drink and exchange them with each other. I have never done it with boys before. But if it's Akito-san... I think I’m fine with it.”

“...I got it. I also think it's okay if it's indirect. I think I'll write it down on my notepad later.”

“I'll write it down too. I'll add a rule that says, [Indirect kiss is OK].”

“Aah. Then, I’ll exchange a sip of my tapioca coffee too. Can you drink coffee, Hiori?”

“Yes, I can. I've had that tapioca coffee before, too. Then... shall we exchange a sip?”

“Yeah.”

We hold out the cup with our drink in front of the other person.

I take Hiori's matcha latte cup. Perhaps because Hiori was holding it until just now, I can feel her warmth a little.

“Then I'll have a sip of your matcha latte.”

“I'll have some of the coffee too.”

I take a sip of Hiori's matcha latte through the straw while still nervous about the indirect kiss.

The matcha has a strong bitterness, but the richness of the milk makes it easy to drink. I can feel the sweetness of sugar from the tapioca. The matcha latte I bought from a vending machine before was sweet, so I thought this one might be sweet too.

“The matcha latte is delicious. The bitterness of the matcha and the sweetness of the tapioca go perfectly together.”

“I'm glad you liked it. The coffee is also delicious. It tasted better than when I tried it before.”

Maybe because of the indirect kiss, as well as the one sip exchange. Hiori's cheeks are redder than before.

“Akito-san. Thank you very much.”

“No, no. Thank you to you too.”

We each put the tapioca drink cups back in front of the other person.

I drink the tapioca coffee again. Maybe it's because the matcha latte remains in my mouth. Or maybe it’s because Hiori put her mouth on it. It tastes better than before. Come to think of it, Hiori also said that it tasted better than before.

Because of the indirect kiss, even the cold tapioca coffee couldn't ease the heat in my body. But, unlike when we were walking, this heat in my body feels comfortable.

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