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Main Story 15 - Invitation to an Amusement Park

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Friday, April 30th.

April ends today. This marks the end of the first month of my second year of high school.

When I started the new school year a month ago, I never imagined that I would be in the same class with Hiori and that we would be dating on a trial basis.

“Good morning, Hiori.”

“Good morning, Akito-san. Shall we go?”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

I've gotten used to meeting up with Hiori under the overpass and going to school together. And I am happy with that feeling.

As I walk next to Hiori, I remember that yesterday... we sat next to each other on cushions in my room, talking about our impressions of the latest volume of Miyabi-sama, and watching the anime Blu-ray. It was a very fun and happy time.

“Akito-san, what's wrong? You’ve been staring intently at me. Also, it's dangerous if you don't look ahead even once in a while.”

“That's true. I have to be careful... we are next to each other now, so I was remembering what happened yesterday.”

“We've been sitting next to each other since halfway through our talk about our impressions on Miyabi-sama after all. Yesterday was a lot of fun. I hope we can spend some fun time together at my house tomorrow.”

“Me too.”

Tomorrow I'll be able to go to the house of my trial lover and also the person I love, Hiori. I can't help but look forward to it even now. That alone will make me do my best at school and at my part-time job today.

“Um, Akito-san. There's something I'd like to discuss with you about tomorrow.”

“Okay. What could it be?”

“Tomorrow... can we eat lunch together, Akito-san? Of course, I'll make it. The other day, when you said that the egg rolls I made were delicious, I was happy. My family too, they said Akito-san can eat with us.”

“If that's what your family says, I'm happy to oblige.”

“Thank you very much.”

Will I be able to eat the food that Hiori is going to make for lunch tomorrow at Hiori's house? That'll make me very happy. Since I'm going to be with her family, it looks like I'm going to get nervous though.

“What kind of food would you like to eat?”

“Should I decide that too?”

“Of course. Anything is fine.”

“Got it. Then...  ramen, I guess. I like ramen.”

“I see. Me and my family all like ramen. I like noodles in general.”

“I see.”

Hiori likes ramen, huh? Knowing that makes me feel a kinship with her.

“What flavor would you like your soup to be?”

“I like all the major flavors. But, I haven't had miso ramen lately, so I want miso.”

“Miso, is it, I understand. We serve miso ramen with boiled vegetables though, are there any vegetables that you don't like, Akito-san?”

“Not particularly.”

“So, there is none. That's admirable.”

To think I’d be told that I was admirable when it came to food when I was a high school student. I hated green peppers and carrots when I was little, but I'm glad I overcame them while I was in elementary school.

“Is there any vegetable that Hiori doesn't like?”

“There is none now. But, when I was little, I didn't like eggplants, green peppers, and radishes. Even now, I can't eat a lot of those three things.”

“I see. You were able to overcome those three things too, so Hiori is also admirable.”

“Thank you very much.”

Hiori puffs out her chest a little. I wonder if she's happy to be called admirable.

I might have to cook for Hiori in the future. So, let's remember what Hiori just said.

“Let’s go back to the topic, I'm going to make miso ramen tomorrow.”

“Okay. I'm looking forward to it.”

The tamagoyaki the other day was also delicious, so I'm sure I'll be able to enjoy some delicious miso ramen. Thinking of that makes me look forward to tomorrow even more.

Because we were talking about tomorrow's lunch, we arrived at Kasagaya High School in no time.

Today as well, I go to the Year 2 Class 2 classroom while receiving stares from the students.

“Good morning! Aki! Aoyama!”

“Good morning, Kamitou-kun, Hiori-chan.”

I enter the classroom through the front door, and Kazuo and Shimizu-san greet me with their smiles. I’m being glared at quite by students I don't know, so I'm happy that they treat me the same way they did before I started dating Hiori.

I place my bag on my desk and, together with Hiori, head towards Kazuo and Shimizu-san.

“Good morning, both of you.”

“Good morning, Miu-san and Kuraki-san.”

“Kyoko-chan was here just now, but she's going to the bathroom now.”

So says Shimizu-san.

Shimizu-san and Himura-san were seated close to each other, and they had been talking occasionally since they became second years.

But, after the incident at lunch break the day before yesterday, Himura-san became friends with Hiori. That means she also became friends with Shimizu-san who had been friends with Hiori before that.

“Ah, Hiori is here! Good morning!”

As soon as Himura-san returned to the classroom, she rushed over and hugged Hiori tightly. She looks so happy.

“Good morning, Kyoko-san. But, I get startled when you hug me so tightly all of a sudden.”

“I-I'm sorry. But, yesterday was a holiday, so I couldn't wait to meet Hiori. Before I knew it, I was hugging you tightly. I'll be a little more gentle next time.”

“Please be gentle.”

It’s okay to suddenly hug her as long as it’s gently?

The scene now reminds me of the time yesterday when I hugged Hiori in my room as she was about to fall. That feeling when I hugged her... it was so good.

I'm really jealous of Himura-san, who was able to hug Hiori tightly as soon as they met. I guess it's allowed because they are friends of the same sex.

“Ah, Kamitou too, good morning.”

“Good morning, Himura-san.”

As always, Himura-san talks as if I am Hiori’s add-on. It’s like she sees everyone other than Hiori to be blurry.

“I've already told Miu, but should I tell everyone as well?”

“Did something happen? Kazuo.”

“Yeah.”

Kazuo takes out two tickets from his blazer pocket and places them on the desk. I look at the ticket,

“Discount tickets for the Tohto Dome Town Attractions free pass, huh. And it's half price.”

Tohto Dome Town Attractions is an amusement park located in central Tokyo. It is a popular vacation spot due to its central location and various attractions. I went there once with my family when I was in elementary school.

I heard that Kazuo and Shimizu-san went to Dome Town last year.

“My father got it from work. One ticket gives you a discount for up to three people. Since we have two tickets, we can get a discount for up to six people.”

“Kuraki's father, you got something amazing, didn’t you?”

“Does Himura think so? The time limit is until the last day of Golden Week, so he asked me to go with Miu and friends. So, if Aki and the others are okay with it, do you want to go to Dome Town together? Miu and I have decided to go.”

“I want to go!”

Saying this loudly, Himura-san raises her right hand with a snap.

“I guess Himura has decided. What about Aki and Aoyama?”

“I'm thinking about going. How about Hiori?”

When I ask her that question, Hiori slowly turns her gaze towards me.

“I'd like to go there. I haven't been to Dome Town since I was in elementary school with my family.”

“Then, Aki and Aoyama have also decided to go. That's five people. We can get a discount for one more person. Is there anyone anyone wants to invite?”

“...Um. I'd like to invite Saaya-san.”

Hiori raised her hand slightly and said so. Hazuki-san is Hiori's best friend, and she also knows me, Kazuo, and Shimizu-san. I think it's a very good idea.

“Saaya-chan, huh? I think it's good!” (Miu)

“Hazuki, huh? I think it's good too.” (Kazuo)

“Me too.” (Akito)

“Wait a minute. Who is Saaya you guys are talking about?”

Himura-san tilts her head. I see, so she is the only one who doesn't know Hazuki-san.

“Could it be, is it the girl who came here during lunch break several times and ate with Hiori?”

“Yes. She is my friend from the literature club.”

“I see. As long as she’s Hiori's friend, I don't mind either.”

“Then I'll contact her.”

Hiori takes out her smartphone from her skirt pocket.

It would be best if Hazuki-san decides to go, but if she declines, should we invite someone else? Or should we go with just the five of us?

“She replied. Saaya-san also wants to go. Also, since she just passed the school gate, she will be coming here soon.”

“All right, I got it. With this, we've decided on the members. All that's left is the date. Miu and I have a training camp for the track and field club from the 2nd to the 4th day. So, we can only go on the 1st or 5th.”

“I have a part-time job on the 1st. I can go on the 5th.” (Kyoko)

“Akito-san and I also have plans on the 1st. We're having an at-home date at my house.”

“An at-home date at Hiori's house... I hope you have a fun time. Also, it looks like you had fun at yesterday's at-home date, huh?”

Himura-san... her mouth is smiling, but there's something scary about the way she looks at me. Is she feeling jealous? Or is she warning me not to do anything that Hiori doesn't like?

By the way, Himura-san asked me a lot of questions about our at-home date at my house last night. Of course, she also asked Hiori.

“As Hiori said, we have an at-home date on the 1st. We can go on the 5th.”

“I also can go on the 5th.”

“Roger. Then, our first candidate is the 5th.”

Now we just need to see if we can match Hazuki-san's schedule. Hazuki-san works part-time at her local bookstore. What kind of shifts does she take during the consecutive holidays? If she has one the 5th, it would be difficult for 6 of us to go to Dome Town.

After about 3 minutes of talking about the date,

“Everyone, good morning-ssu.”

Hazuki-san finally arrived at our classroom. Hazuki-san enters through the rear door and comes here with a smile and a wave of her hand.

However, the moment she turns her gaze to Hazuki-san, Himura-san’s hand stops moving.

“Hi-Hiorin. There's the girl with the red ponytail-ssu. Are you okay-ssu? Hasn’t she been glaring at Hiorin up until now-ssu?”

Does she know that Himura-san was glaring at Hiori because she has been eating lunch with Hiori in our classroom?

“It's okay. The reason she was glaring at me was because she had a crush on me. She said it was so she wouldn't grin when she saw me. Now that I know that, we're friends.”

“Oh my god! The reason for that glare was girls love-ssu!”

Hazuki-san's eyes sparkle as she looks back and forth between Hiori and Himura-san. The quick movement of her head makes her brown hair, which is tied to the side, sway violently.

Hazuki-san once said that girls love is her favorite. She must be excited to know that Himura-san has a crush on Hiori.

“When I hear Hiori herself speak about my feelings for Hiori, I kinda feel embarrassed...”

Himura-san's cheeks turn slightly red and she looks at Hiori with a dreamy look on her face. Perhaps because of Himura-san's reaction, Hazuki-san lets out a high-pitched voice, “Ooh!”

“Saaya-san. I'm sorry when you’re so excited, but I've already turned her down. I have a trial lover named Akito-san anyway. That's how we became friends.”

“I see. I understand now-ssu. Now that I know the cause of the glare, I can see that you are a very cute girl-ssu.”

“I think so too.”

“...Hiori called me cute again.”

‘Fufu’, says Himura-san, smiling happily.

“...She really likes Hiorin-ssu. Well, I'm relieved to see that she doesn't have any unpleasant feelings for her-ssu. Ah, I'm Hazuki Saaya from Year 2 Class 5-ssu. I’ve been with Hiorin since I met her in the literature club right after we entered the school-ssu.”

“I'm Himura Kyoko. From the go-home club, I work part-time at my local tapioca drink shop. Please take care of me, Saaya.”

“Please take care of me-ssu!”

Himura-san and Hazuki-san shake hands.

“I often give nicknames to girls-ssu.”

“Heeh, I see. I wonder what nickname you will give me.”

“Let’s see-ssu...”

Hazuki-san folds her arms in a serious manner, and,

“...Himuko-ssu.”

She said in a quiet tone. Hazuki-san is nodding, saying, “Uh-huh,” so I guess she thinks it's a good nickname for her.

Himura Kyoko... shortened to “Himuko,” huh? Isn’t it fine as long as we know that it's Himura-san's nickname? Kazuo and Shimizu-san are giggling though. Perhaps because of that, Himura-san mutters, “Himuko, huh...”' with mixed feelings.

“Himuko, is it? I think it's nice. It’s distinctive.” (Hiori)

“I like Himuko!”

Himura-san looks satisfied, a complete change from before. Seeing this change sure is interesting.

“Now that we've decided on Himura's nickname... Hazuki. It's about the date we're going to Tohto Dome Town Attractions, the only date that works for all five of us is the 5th. How about Hazuki?”

“The 5th-ssu? I'll check-ssu. I wrote it in my smartphone schedule.”

Hazuki-san takes out her smartphone from the breast pocket of her blazer. Now, what is Hazuki-san's plan for the 5th?

“I don't have any plans for the 5th-ssu. So I can go too-ssu.”

“Roger! Then, let's go to Dome Town with the six of us on the 5th!”

When Kazuo says that in a loud voice, Shimizu-san claps happily, saying, “Ya─y!” The five of us clap along with her.

To think that I would be going to an amusement park with Hiori. It looks like this year's Golden Week will be the most fun holiday ever.

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