Trial Lover 17 (Patreon)

Main Story 16 - Hiori’s House

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Saturday, May 1st.

May starts today. And the 5 consecutive holidays of Golden Week also start today.

During the holidays, I have a lot of plans, including an at-home date, part-time jobs, and going to the amusement park with everyone. I want it to be a fun holiday. To that end, I completed all of my assignments last night and this morning.

“So warm...”

As I leave the house, the strong sunlight pours down on me. Since it's May, just a little exposure to the sun is enough to envelop me in warmth. So, I roll up the sleeves of my dress shirt to near my elbows.

Today I’m having an at-home date at Hiori's house. I'm planning to meet up with Hiori around noon at the usual place under the overpass.

“All right, let's go.”

I leave the house and head to the meeting place.

I use the road I always take when I ride my bicycle to school. But since I'm walking it right now, the scenery looks a little different than usual. When I walk this road to school, it’s usually when it rains or snows.

After 15 minutes of walking since leaving the house, I see the meeting place under the overpass. There is still about 10 minutes left until noon, but I wonder if Hiori has arrived yet. I walk toward the underpass a little faster.

“...There.”

Under the overpass stands Hiori wearing denim pants and a V-neck vertical sweater with three-quarter sleeves. Perhaps because she is wearing such an outfit, the lines of Hiori's body are clearly defined, and her good style stands out. The ivory color of the vertical sweater gives a refreshing impression.

‘Hiori’ when I call out her name, Hiori turns toward me and widely waves her right hand.

“Hello, Hiori.”

“Akito-san, Hello.”

“Did you wait?”

“No. I just arrived here too. Meeting Akito-san walking in this place is refreshing, isn’t it?”

“I've been riding my bicycle until now after all. I wanted to walk with Hiori, so I walked here today.”

“You did say you wanted to walk around the neighborhood of my house.”

“I did... Hiori's clothes today look good on you. I think it's nice and refreshing."

When I honestly tell Hiori my impressions of her clothes, the corners of Hiori's mouth turn up slightly.

“Thank you very much. Akito-san too... you look good in a dress shirt.”

“Thank you.”

“Then, shall we go to my house?”

“Yeah.”

I hold hands with Hiori and we start walking towards her house. According to Hiori, we will arrive at her house in 5 minutes.

Shortly after departing, the surrounding scenery became unfamiliar to me. That said, it's a residential area and the atmosphere isn't that different from the area around my house.

“Akito-san, you're looking around a lot.”

“I've never been around here before after all. The atmosphere is similar to my neighborhood though.”

“I see.”

After school yesterday. Hiori went to Himura-san's home with Himura-san and Hazuki-san. It was, of course, at Himura-san's invitation. It seems they did homework and watched anime at her house. Hiori also enjoyed looking at the bookshelf in Himura-san's room.

Also, on the way to Himura-san's house, they apparently went to a tapioca drink shop in Himura-san's area where she works part-time, and enjoyed some tapioca drinks.

“Yesterday, while Akito was working part-time, I sent you a lot of messages and photos. Was it okay?”

“It's okay. I looked at it during my break and it was soothing. I was even looking forward to it during my part-time job.”

“I'm glad to hear that.”

Hiori pats her chest in relief. Well, more than half of the messages and photos sent during my part-time job yesterday were from Himura-san though.

[I’m drinking tapioca drinks with Hiori! The tapioca peach milk that I exchanged from Hiori was exceptional!]

[Hori is coming to my house! Isn't this a dream?]

[Hiori is really smart, isn’t she?! Saaya too, as expected of a science student!]

Things like that. I'm sure Himura-san is happy to spend time with Hiori and Hazuki-san after school and to have them come to her house. I was really jealous when I saw the two-shot photo of her and Hiori clinging to each other. Hiori was really cute in that photo, so I saved it on my smartphone.

Before we know it, we are walking beside a park. At that moment, the noon chime rings.

“Is this the park near Hiori’s house that Hiori was talking about the other day?”

“That's right. On holidays like today, when the weather is nice, there are often children playing here, like right now.”

When I look at the park, I see children playing happily on the playground equipment and in the sandbox. There are also children playing with their parents. I hear their happy voices. So these voices can reach Hiori's house, huh.

“Is Hiori's house nearby? Your family is home, right?”

“Yes. My little sister has club activity in the afternoon, but we still have time to eat lunch together.”

“I see. I'm getting nervous. I can understand how Hiori felt the day before yesterday.”

“I see. At that time, Akito-san was by my side, so I felt safe. So, now it's my turn to make Akito-san feel safe, even a little.”

As she says that while looking at me, Hiori once again grabs my left hand tightly. As a result, I feel a stronger warmth coming from Hiori.

That's right, I have Hiori next to me. So I'm sure it'll be fine.

“Thanks to Hiori, I feel a little less nervous.”

“That’s good. ...We’re here.”

Hiori stops. There is a stainless steel nameplate on the side that reads [Aoyama]. It's stylish.

As I slowly look up, I see a two-story house with a distinctive pale beige exterior. The atmosphere is calm. I feel like it's bigger than my house.

“It's a wonderful house.”

“Thank you very much. Shall we go in then?”

Hiori slowly opens the front door.

“I’m back.”

“Sorry for the intrusion.”

The inside of the house... is very spacious and beautiful. Perhaps because it's Hiori's home, I feel like the air is very clean. I try breathing it in and... the air is delicious.

“Hiori, welcome ba~ck.”

“Welcome back.”

“Onee-chan, welcome back!”

Right after I hear those voices, I see a man wearing glasses and a soft and comfortable woman. And then a middle-school-aged girl with semi-long hair and a blue headband that looks good on her appears. Also, all three of them have the same silver hair as Hiori. Most likely, they are Hiori's parents and younger sister. I bow my head towards the three of them.

“Dad, Mom, Nanami. I brought Akito-san, who I'm dating on a trial basis. Akito-san, this is my father Ryou, my mother Yuoko, and my little sister Nanami.”

“Nice to meet you. My name is Kamitou Akito. I've been dating Hiori-san on a trial basis since Monday of this week. We're also classmates. Please take care of me.”

I bow my head once again. This time deeper than before. I’m even more nervous than when I introduced myself on the first day of the new school year.

As I slowly raise my head, I see Youko-san smiling kindly, Nanami-chan looking excited, and Ryou-san... is expressionless, they are looking at me right now. I'm sure Hiori's coolness is something she inherited from Ryou-san.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Ryou, Hiori's father.”

“I’m her mother, Yuoko. Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, I'm her younger sister Nanami! I'm a second year middle school student! Please take care of me!”

Nanami-chan speaks clearly with a big smile on her face. Her atmosphere is the complete opposite of Hiori, who speaks coolly and calmly.

“Wow~, I thought you were good-looking when Onee-chan showed me your photo, but after seeing you in real life, you are even more good-looking! It’s not that you don’t look good in photos, okay?!”

“He’s good-looking, isn’t he? Seeing Kamitou-kun in person... he’s very wonderful.”

Nanami-chan and Youko-san take a step forward and stare intently at me. I'm happy that they call me good-looking and wonderful, but with Ryou-san nearby, I don't know how to react.

“Kamitou-kun.”

“Y-yes.”

Ryou-san calls out to me, and I straighten my back. I wonder what he’s going to say. I'm really nervous.

Ryou-san's expression becomes serious and he looks me firmly in the eye.

“I’ve heard from Hiori... but it seems like you were the one who confessed your feelings and suggested that you go out on a trial basis.”

“Yes, that's right. I love Hiori, and I confessed my feelings to her. I was also the one who suggested that we start dating on a trial basis. Hiori accepted my suggestion, and we started our relationship as trial lovers. It's been a few days since then, but thanks to Hiori, I've been able to spend happy and enjoyable days since then.”

As I am talking, Ryou-san looks into my eyes and nods a few times. When I finish speaking, he whispers, “I see...”

Also, Youko-san and Nanami-chan let out a voice of admiration, “Ooh!”

“Looking at the way Kamitou-kun was talking just now, I can tell that your feelings for Hiori are strong. Also, Kamitou-kun, I see you are having enjoyable days as well.”

“Yes. ...As well?”

“Yeah. Hiori was so cheerful when she talked about you. The day before yesterday during dinner, she looked like she had fun when she came back from your house.”

“That’s true, Dad.” (Hiori)

“Thanks to Kamitou-kun, the number of times Hiori speaks cheerfully has increased.”

“I see.”

I'm happy to be told that by her family.

The fact that she seems to be having fun talking about me, that means that Hiori shows her smile at her family. I want to secretly see what she looked like at that time.

When I look at Hiori, I see that her cheeks are slightly red. She might be embarrassed about the fact that she was talking about me.

“I was shocked when Hiori said that she started dating you on a trial basis. I even couldn't believe that she could have gotten a lover even if it’s a trial one. But, Hiori was talking seriously and even showed us the rules you set on your trial dating. That's why I didn't feel any aversion to it. As I listened to Hiori talking about Kamitou-kun, my feelings of shock disappeared.”

“...I'm glad that you had such a change of heart.”

That's probably how much Hiori enjoyed talking about me.

“Kamitou-kun. I would be happy if you continue to date Hiori sincerely. Also, I want you to make a decision that the two of you are satisfied with regarding your future.”

“I understand. I promise.”

“...Please take care of Hiori.”

After saying that, Ryou-san bows deeply towards me.

Ryou-san's voice just now is not, by any means, loud. But it was a voice that conveyed how much he cared for his daughter as a father.

Ryou-san then grabs both my shoulders firmly. He looks at me with serious eyes.

“But, Hiori is one of my and my wife's precious daughters. If you hurt her or make her sad, I  will never forgive you...”

As Ryou-san is saying that in a quiet tone, his grip on both my shoulders gradually becomes stronger. Um... aren't you putting a lot of strength into it? It hurts. It hurts though. Also, him not glaring at me is scary instead.

“I-I'll take good care of Hiori-san. Also, my shoulder hurts.”

“Oops, sorry about that. I accidentally put in too much strength.”

‘My apologies’ Ryou-san says as he takes his hands off my shoulders.

“I’ll say it as well, please take care of Hiori, Kamitou-kun.” (Youko)

“Please take care of Onee-chan, Kamitou-san. ...If possible, forever. I would be very happy to have Kamitou-san as my older brother.”

“G-geez. What are you talking about, Nanami? Don't say anything strange.”

Hiori looks at Nanami-chan and puffs out her cheeks a little. It's the first time I see her like this. She looks a little angry, but she looks cute because it’s Hiori. Also, I guess Hiori uses honorific language towards her family as well.

* (T/N: Hiori uses polite language when speaking (not too polite though), but I don’t know how to write that, so I just use standard english.)

By the way, I would also be very happy to have Nanami-chan as my younger sister.

“We can't leave Akito standing at the entrance forever. Now, please come in.”

“Ok. Sorry for the intrusion.”

“I'm going to make lunch right now. Where will you be waiting, Akito-san? You can do it in my room, or in the living room or at the dining table...”

“...I want to watch Hiori cooking, so can I wait at the dining table?”

“That’s fine. Then, let me show you to the dining table.”

Finally, I step foot inside Hiori's house.

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