Chapter 9 - Welcome Party
(1)
On Sunday, the local shopping mall was crowded with people.
I head toward the shopping mall by bicycle.
The meeting point is the plaza.
The other two had already arrived by bicycle.
Being beaten to the punch is a common matter, though.
When I woke up this morning, it was 9:30.
The meeting was at 10:00.
There's no way I'll make it.
It takes about 20 minutes from my house to the shopping mall.
While I was getting ready in the morning, time flew by.
"Geez, you're so slow,"
Kanna complains the moment she opens her mouth.
I noticed that her casual clothes weren't a skirt.
She was wearing denim short pants with a shoulder blouse, and a tank top underneath.
As expected, she had a body that looked like she might become a model in the future.
"Good morning. You're late, Toya-kun,"
Airi is smiling, but she gave me a gentle warning.
Well, I go out to play with Airi often, but I'm usually late.
At my worst, I once made her wait for two hours.
At that time, she was naturally in a bad mood all day.
Airi was dressed quite neatly in a one-piece dress and a cardigan.
Either way, she's cute.
For my part, I had a denim shirt thrown over a T-shirt and was wearing seven-eighths length pants.
The two of them drew the gazes of people passing by, while I became faint in presence.
"So, where are we going?"
"Toya-kun, did you think about it properly?"
Airi asked.
Actually, I had received a phone call from Airi last night.
"Think about where we'll go tomorrow, okay?"
"Eh? We're going to the shopping mall, right?"
"That's why I'm telling you to think about where we'll play."
"Wouldn't it be fine to just watch a movie and go to the arcade like usual?"
"What movie will we watch?"
"I wonder what kind Kanna likes?"
When I go with Airi, we usually watch what Airi wants to see.
Since this is supposed to be Kanna's welcome party, wouldn't it be best to choose what Kanna wants to see?
"Think about it a bit more seriously!"
I was warned.
"Then, where do you want to go?"
"Thinking about that is Toya-kun's role. Now, think about it, okay?"
She said, and the call ended.
After that, when I tried to ask Kanna, she nailed me down with a message saying, "Asking Kanna is off-limits, okay?"
And so, I did think about it for the time being, but...
"For now, maybe the bowling alley next door..."
"Since we're here, let's look around the shops! This is my first time coming here,"
Thinking about it had been a waste of time.
"O-Oh, Airi, how about these clothes?"
"Eh, my style isn't that good."
"That's not true, you've actually got some chest, don't you? Wear clothes like this and seduce Toya."
Or something like that.
"This is a bit too flashy. Rie-chan will get mad at me."
Rie-chan refers to Airi's mother.
Including my own mother, Airi often calls people by their first names.
"Idiot, if you don't have underwear like this, you'll be in trouble with Toya when the time comes."
"That's impossible. We're still middle schoolers."
"That's why I'm saying you don't get it. Even Toya is already 13. Toya, you think so too, right!?"
It's troubling to be called out loudly in the girls' underwear section.
I endured while bathed in the cold gazes of the girls around me.
"Heh, this is cute."
"Ah, you're right."
"But they really have everything here."
"Don't they have it in Tokyo?"
"They do, but I usually just buy at individual stores since it's far."
"Hmm."
While talking like that, we visited three general merchandise stores.
"Hey, Toya. Come over here."
"What is it?"
"Wouldn't this look good on you?"
She's bringing me into it too.
Kanna tries holding the clothes up to me.
"Hey, Airi. Don't you think it suits him?"
"You're right, Toya-kun, why don't you try buying clothes like this?"
"What's your size, Toya?"
It seems it's been decided that I'm buying something.
I was made to buy it as told.
Having girls choose your clothes might be something to be envious of.
"Feel honored, Toya."
Well, maybe it's not so bad.
"I'm finally getting hungry. Let's eat."
Two hours had already passed.
We had a meal at a normal hamburger shop.
The shop was crowded.
It can't be helped because of the time of day.
"So, what are we doing from the afternoon?"
Kanna asked while drinking orange juice.
We had mostly seen everything in the shopping mall.
The only other things I could think of were bowling or Karaoke.
Considering the distance, it would be bowling, but...
"Let's go to the arcade!"
Kanna said.
If you've already decided, don't ask...
"Before that, can we stop by the bookstore? There's a book I want a little."
Airi said.
Just do whatever you want already.
(2)
The game center.
Also called an amusement facility.
Literally, there are arcade games, crane games, sports games, purikura machines, and so on.
Actually, I didn't like them very much.
There are card games and such, but I consider them a waste of money.
And so, I have nothing to do.
I bought a juice, sat in a chair, and watched other people play games.
Then, it inevitably reaches my ears.
"Hey, Toya-kun. Let's take purikura?"
The purikura that I'm always forced to take whenever I occasionally come on a Date with Airi.
I wondered why she wanted to take them so much.
"Why are you just idling around over there? Are you an old man?"
Saying that, Kanna pulls my arm.
The three of us took several types of purikura.
First, me and Airi. Then the three of us, next Airi and Kanna. Finally... Kanna and me.
"Is it okay?"
Kanna asks Airi.
"Today is special,"
Airi says with a smile.
Though her eyes weren't smiling.
"Well, shall we take it?"
Saying that, Kanna and I enter the purikura machine.
Kanna operates it with practiced hands.
During that time, looking at me and Kanna reflected on the screen, I think.
We're definitely mismatched.
"What are you spacing out for? Come on, we're taking it."
Saying that, Kanna presses her body against mine.
"D-Don't stick to me so much."
"It can't be helped. We don't fit in the frame."
Don't be blushing every single time, Kanna speaks while keeping her gaze fixed on the camera.
I glance at Kanna.
Whether she's wearing makeup or is flushed, her cheeks are faintly red.
While I'm captivated...
Flash!
Damn it!
Looking at the completed image, Kanna gets angry.
"Where were you looking! Get it together!!"
"Let go of him!"
That happened almost simultaneously.
Airi's scream is heard from outside.
"I'll handle the rest, so go check on Toya,"
Kanna says, so I go outside.
Then, for some reason, Urashima was there.
In a worn-out shirt and torn pants.
Males alone are supposed to be prohibited from entering this area.
It seems he came after finding Airi.
"What, it's Katagiri,"
Urashima, having found me, spoke as if spitting the words out.
"What are you doing, Urashima?"
I question Urashima.
"Nothing, I'm just taking purikura with Tosaka-san."
"Don't decide on your own."
"Airi clearly dislikes it. Let go of her hand."
"Shut up, I'm talking with Tosaka-san, so don't butt in. Besides, who were you taking purikura with?"
"What, it was you."
Kanna came out.
Urashima left the scene without saying anything.
"What was that? He's got a bad attitude,"
Kanna says as if spitting the words out, looking at the departing Urashima.
"Thank you. Are you okay?"
Airi thanks me. For some reason, it's embarrassing.
"That was nothing. So, why was that guy here?"
"That's..."
While we were taking purikura, it seems Urashima found Airi.
Urashima approached Airi while saying, "Hey, hey."
"What are you doing alone?"
"Waiting in line for purikura?"
"This one is open, you know?"
"Since we're at it, let's take one together."
It seems I appeared just as she was being pulled by the hand.
"What a creepy guy!"
Kanna said while drinking espresso at a coffee shop.
"Airi has it hard. Being targeted by someone weird."
"It's been like this since a long time ago, so I'm used to it, but I'm just not good with boys,"
Airi answered while drinking a frappuccino next to me.
"Even though you hate men, you actually started dating Toya."
"Back in elementary school, I was bullied not only by boys but by girls too, and Toya-kun helped me..."
Airi seemed to remember something and started laughing.
"What happened?"
"When I remember Toya-kun from back then, it's funny. It was good that he helped me, but he'd be pouting with a grumpy face, and there were times I didn't know if I was being hated or not."
"Ah, I have that too."
"Kanna too?"
"I was bullied too when I was over here. And he'd help me, but when I'd ask, 'Do you like Otonashi or something?' he'd get angry and say, 'It's not like that!'"
"I see..."
I listened silently without saying anything.
I'm just embarrassed.
After that, they continued to get excited talking about me.
At least, until I finished drinking my cafe au lait.
"Should we head out soon?"
I brought it up.
At this rate, the conversation doesn't seem like it will end.
"Ah, it's already this time."
Airi looks at her wristwatch.
"Now then, it's time to go home and study."
"I'll pass for today... give me a break at least on my days off..."
"There are no days off for exam students, Kanna."
"I'm tired today, so I'll do it tomorrow."
"I guess it can't be helped. Toya-kun will do it, right?"
Airi asks while smiling.
It seems there is no right of refusal.
Losing to the silent pressure, I reluctantly nod.
"Then, let's go home."
(3)
On the way back, we decided to go to Airi's house together first, and then drop off Kanna.
Though, since we're on bicycles, it's quick.
After parking her bicycle in the parking lot, Kanna came to my side.
"Today was my welcome party, right?"
"...? It was, but?"
"Then, could you grant me one last request?"
"...What is it? All of a sudden."
"Close your eyes!"
"...?"
I don't really understand, but I close my eyes as told.
!?
What I feel on my lips is a soft sensation.
When I hurriedly open my eyes, it was over.
"See you tomorrow then."
Kanna immediately turns around and goes home.
I stood there dazed for a while.
What happened all of a sudden.
My heart is pounding.
For a while, my mind was blank.
It goes without saying that I couldn't concentrate on my study for that day.