Trial Lover 28 (Patreon)

Main Story 27 - One Piece Dress

RAW

On my recommendation, we have lunch at Delizioso Hagikubo, a pasta restaurant on the 8th floor, Romine's restaurant floor. By the way, Delizioso means delicious in Italian. I chose this place because Hiori once told me that “I like noodles in general.” It's delicious and reasonably priced, making it easy on a student' wallet.

Hiori orders carbonara and I order mentaiko pasta.

My memory is correct, Hiori also likes pasta. She seems to especially like cream-based and tomato-based sauces. That’s why she eats the carbonara so deliciously. It seems the flavor is very much to her taste, as she smiles happily. I am so immersed in that smile that I even forget to eat halfway through.

Halfway though, I exchange a bite of my mentaiko pasta. Hiori says that the mentaiko pasta is also delicious.

It was a very enjoyable lunch, partly because Hiori smiled at me.

“It was a very good lunch.”

“I’m glad. Seeing Hiori eating the pasta so deliciously makes me happy.”

“That carbonara was just the way I like it. The mentaiko pasta was refreshing and delicious. There was a lot on the menu, so I'd like to come back here again.”

“There's a lot of delicious pasta here. If you don’t mind, I want to come here with Hiori again.”

“Yes, with pleasure.”

As Hiori answers in a cheerful voice, she nods with a smile. That's probably just how delicious the pasta we ate at this restaurant was and how much she enjoyed eating lunch with me. My chest becomes slightly warm, and the warmth gently spreads throughout my entire body.

“So, where should we go next? Hiori, is there any place you want to go?”

“Let’s see...”

After muttering that, Hiori looks at her watch.

“It’s past 1:30 now, huh? Then, it’s time already. ...Akito-san. I'd like to go to the apparel shop called G and L on the third floor.”

“G and L... is it the apparel brand shop where my sister works part-time?”

“That's right. Actually, I received a message from Akemi-san yesterday. ‘I have a part-time job there from 1pm to 6pm, so if you'd like, come over during your date’, it said.”

Aneki... you talk about that kind of thing with Hiori? Is it because I told her that I would be going on a date in Hagikubo today after our at-home date the day before yesterday? She must have sent a message inviting Hiori because she has a shift today.

* (T/N: Akito has been referring to his sister as Aneki all this time, but it just feels wrong to use ‘aneki’ when talking about her to someone else. Maybe it’s just me.)

“I'd like to see Akemi-san at work, and G and L is a brand I know. So I'm interested.”

“I see.”

If she’s interested and wants to go, I guess it’s fine to go to G and L. I thought I’d stop her if she was only being considerate to my sister.

“I got it. Then, let's go to G and L.”

“Yes.”

We use the escalator near the restaurant and go down to the 3rd floor where G and L is located.

The 3rd floor is dedicated to women's clothing. Some are directly managed, while others are specialty apparel shops like G and L. My older sister and mother often buy clothing on this floor.

We reach the 3rd floor and head to G and L where my sister works.

When was the last time I came to this floor? I think the last time was last year when my sister and mother made me come with them to help them carry their clothing bargains. I've been to Romine countless times, but this feels fresh. Maybe it's because this is the first time I come with Hiori.

Perhaps because it's a women's clothing floor, a large percentage of the customers are women. I'm walking by the underwear section right now, and if I’m not with Hiori here, I would have been mentally drained.

“There it is. G and L.” (Hiori)

G and L. An apparel brand targeting women from middle school and high school students to women in their 30s. Their brand is quite popular due to its good designs and low prices.

Even now, the store is bustling with customers, mainly young women.

“My sister is... there she is.”

I point to my sister who is serving a group of high school age girls.

“She’s serving the customers with a refreshing smile. She also has a calm atmosphere. It feels like I can buy some nice clothes if I ask Akemi-san.”

“That's right. It's probably because she's been working part-time since she was a first year in high school.”

“I see.”

Immediately after she started working part-time, I went there with my mother to check on her. Back then too, she was serving customers with a smile, but she also looked nervous. It’s not a sight she shows at home, so I remember it vividly even now.

It's been 5 years since then. My sister is very calm now. After serving the group of customers, she goes to support another store clerk who is having trouble. Her reliable store clerk aura is on full display. Hiori is staring intently at such my sister.

“Ah, Akito and Hiori-chan!”

‘Oo─i’, my sister says as she waves her hand cheerfully and heads towards us. When we went to see her five years ago too, she was waving at me and my mother like this.

I wave my hand, Hiori bows slightly, and we head towards my sister.

“Hello, Akemi-san.”

“Good work, Aneki.”

“Thank you both for coming. Are you enjoying your date?”

“I'm enjoying it.”

“I'm enjoying it too. We went to a cat cafe and Animake. Also, we played a crane game in the game corner and I had Akito-san take a stuffed cat for me.”

“Heeh, that's great! Akito has always been good at crane games. By the way, is the one you got the cat whose face is slightly sticking out of your tote bag?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“That's a cute stuffed animal! Also, Hiori-chan is smiling today, you’re even cuter than before~”

Aneki is patting Hiori's head with her right hand and the stuffed cat with her left hand. Perhaps because it feels good to be patted on the head, Hiori smiles softly.

“Hiori-chan, have you ever been to our store before?”

“Today is my first time. I know about G and L.”

“I see. Then, I hope you’ll like our shop even a little bit more after today. For now, do you want to take a look inside? I'll show you around.”

“I’d love to. Akito-san, can I take a look?”

“Of course.”

“Thank you very much.”

Then, we look around inside the shop with my sister's guidance.

Hiori and my sister are talking happily, probably because it’s about clothes. It's a nice sight. Also, the way my sister explains the store and answers to Hiori's questions gives her the air of a veteran store clerk.

Anyway, the tops, bottoms, and one piece dresses sold at this store... all of them look good on Hiori.

“This is how our shop  is. What do you think?”

“It's a wonderful shop with a lot of clothes. The prices are reasonable too, I can see why it’s so popular.”

“That's good to hear. Are there any clothes you're interested in or want to buy?”

“There was one one piece dress that I thought was nice.”

“I see!”

We head to the one piece dress section. As we do, I receive Hiori’s tote bag from her.

There are many one piece dresses hanging on the hanger rack. I wonder which one Hiori is interested in?

“This is it.”

What Hiori takes in her hand is a blue one piece dress with a collar. At first glance, the length of the sleeves looks like it's shorter than short sleeves.

“A blue one piece dress with French sleeves, I see. It's perfect for the upcoming season.”

“Yes. I like blue, and I think the design is nice.”

“I'm glad. Then, why don't you try it on? Sometimes the impression you get is different when you try it on than when you see it like this. And of course, to check the size too.”

“That's true. If I try it on and think it's nice, I'll buy it.”

“Okay!”

My older sister nods with a bright smile. She is probably happy to hear the words, “I'll buy it,” from Hiori's mouth, although it's not definite.

We head to the front of the fitting room that has its curtains open.

“Akito-san. I'm going to try it on. Once I do, I'd like to hear your impression on it.”

“I got it. I can't wait to see how it looks on you.”

“Yes.”

“I'll help too.”

“Wait a minute.”

I firmly grab my sister's right shoulder.

My sister looks back at me with a mysterious look on her face. Then she tilts her head a little.

“What’s wrong?”

“Aneki didn’t need to enter, right? She’s not a small child.”

“There’s no way to know what's going to happen, so it’ll be safer if I’m there as a store clerk, right? Our fitting room is spacious, so it’ll be okay even if I go in.”

“I see. Well... I guess it’s best if someone’s there.”

“Looks like you understand. Now, Hiori-chan. Let's go in.”

“Yes.”

Hiori and my sister enter the fitting room and they close the curtains.

She did say she wanted to hear my impressions of the one piece dress she’ll try on, so let’s wait in front of the fitting room.

The customers and clerks around me don't look at me strangely. Probably because I’ve been with Hiori and my sister all this time.

“Hiori-chan, your style is so good! Your breasts are big and your waist is just right. Your skin is also white and beautiful. I'm so jealous.”

“Thank you very much.”

I can hear that conversation coming from inside the fitting room. Aneki’s main purpose in entering the fitting room is seeing Hiori in her underwear and her bare skin, isn’t it?

“Is there anything you usually do for that?”

“After taking the bath, I take care of my skin and do some stretching.”

“I see. That might be why you smell so good.”

“Hyaah. Please don't touch my side so suddenly. I’m weak there...”

“Sorry, sorry. You just had such beautiful skin, that I...”

“Also, your breath tickles...”

“Aneki. If you do anything more to Hiori, I'll throw you out of the fitting room.”

“Ye─s.”

That's a good answer.

Anyway, I'm glad Hazuki-san and Himura-san aren't here. Because I feel like if Hazuki-san hears the current conversation between Hiori and my sister in the fitting room, she’ll say something like, “I can feel the girls love vibe-ssu!” and get excited. And Himura-san won’t be able to hold back and rush into the fitting room.

Perhaps because I warned her, Hiori no longer makes any strange noises.

“Akito-san. I tried the one piece dress.”

“I see. How is the size?”

“Seems good. It's comfortable.”

“That's good. I'm right here, so you can open the curtains.”

“It looks really good on you! I'm sure Akito will also say it’s cute and beautiful.”

“I hope so...”

I'm sure my sister’s prediction will come true. I'm about to see it soon, so I’m excited.

The curtains in the fitting room open. There I see Hiori wearing the blue one piece dress with a collar. Hiori looks at me nervously. In contrast to Hiori, my sister has a refreshing smile on her face.

Hiori’s arms are exposed until close to her shoulders, and the length of the dress is just long enough to cover her knees. I think this will be good for the upcoming season. Also, the dark blue color shows off Hiori's white, beautiful skin.

“What do you think? Akito-san.”

“It looks really good on you, Hiori. It's beautiful and cute, and it feels refreshing and wonderful.”

“Thank you very much.”

Hiori smiles happily and her cheeks turn slightly red.

“What does Hiori think?”

“It's a very nice one piece dress. I like it. So I'll buy it.”

“Thank you very much, Hiori-chan.”

Perhaps because Hiori has decided to purchase it, my sister seems very happy. I wonder if this is how people usually feel when someone tells them, “I'll buy it.”

“I found some nice clothes. The weather forecast said it will be warm the day after tomorrow, so I think I'll wear this when we all go to Tohto Dome Town then.”

“I see. That makes me look forward to the day after tomorrow even more.”

When I say that, Hiori gracefully laughs, “Fufu.” Looking at Hiori now, she looks mature. It won’t be strange if she’s seen as my sister’s classmate if she walks around the university campus with her.

After that, Hiori changes into her original clothes and purchases the blue one piece dress. Not only Hiori, but my sister also looks very satisfied.

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