“Where should we go?”
That was probably the third time she’d asked today.
Unlike the previous times when she’d asked for a general plan, this time she was standing in front of the train station map, clearly asking for a specific destination.
“Hmm…”
Standing beside me, looking at the same map, Yukari gave her answer.
“Let’s not waste time traveling. Somewhere nearby would be better.”
“Got it.”
She picked one of the nearby downtown areas — the closest one from here. Just a single train ride, no more than thirty minutes away.
And so, we passed through the ticket gate.
While chatting idly, the train slid into the platform. As long as we didn’t board in the wrong direction, any train stopping at this station would take us straight to our destination. No transfers, no branches.
Being the start of Golden Week, the train was decently crowded, and it was clear at a glance that there were no seats left. We quickly walked to the opposite door and stood there.
That was my first mistake.
The moment I found myself face-to-face with Yukari, I realized it. Having such a beautiful girl standing this close made it impossible to relax. I had to be careful with my hands, my gaze—anything that might be misunderstood.
I sighed, wondering if I’d be in this same situation with Minase tomorrow.
“Something wrong?”
“No, nothing…”
Yukari asked, either oblivious or pretending not to notice my discomfort. I turned my face away, replying vaguely.
“Really? Then face me properly. It’s polite to look people in the eye when you talk.”
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
“You’re overthinking it.”
She smiled playfully. Clearly, she was aware of my awkwardness and was enjoying my reaction. Not that I could really do anything to fight back—that only made it worse.
“Doesn’t this feel weird to you?”
Standing this close to a guy should be uncomfortable for her too. I couldn’t help but ask, honestly impressed that she didn’t seem to mind.
“Because it’s you, Sakura.”
Yukari smiled.
“If it were some random guy, sure, I’d hate it. But you? You’re different. We’re childhood friends, remember? We used to play together all the time. We even went to the pool in the summer, didn’t we? …Oh, that’s an idea! How about we go again this summer? I know a good place.”
“Absolutely not.”
I shot her down immediately. What kind of terrifying suggestion was that?
“Oh, come on. I thought you’d agree right away.”
“Swimming with you? You think I’ve got that kind of nerve?”
Maybe someone like Kuki—the wild, athletic type—could handle that, but not me.
Yukari was gorgeous, and on top of that, she had an incredible figure. Saying I didn’t want to see her in a swimsuit would be a lie, but the anxiety outweighed any curiosity. I’d rather not put myself through that.
Sure, we’d gone swimming together when we were little—just a small community pool with a lazy river and a short straight waterslide, nothing fancy. Back then, we even wore our school swimsuits, and neither of us cared about things like gender.
But now… it was impossible not to be aware of it. I wondered if Yukari really didn’t feel anything at all. When I glanced at her, she was smiling again, clearly enjoying my reactions.
The door on our side finally opened—more than halfway to our stop.
§§§
After about thirty minutes, the train brought us to one of the city’s main downtown districts. There were larger ones elsewhere, but this place had everything you’d need for a weekend outing—compact, convenient, and lively.
I knew that much, but for the finer details, I’d have to rely on Yukari’s guidance.
We grabbed an early lunch at a fast-food place inside the station concourse before it got crowded. Now, we stood outside, looking up at a towering shopping complex.
“Here?”
“Yeah, it’s the safest choice,” Yukari replied.
I remembered this building—it had nearly ten floors. The ground level was filled with fast food and crepe stands, the lower floors were casual fashion stores, and the upper ones were for luxury brands. The top floor was all restaurants, and above that was a rooftop garden. For our purposes, the ground, lower floors, and maybe the garden were our best bets.
“So, where should I take Minase?”
“Beats me.”
“Wait, what?”
Her casual answer left me speechless.
“I don’t know her tastes, so you should just let her pick. You can follow her lead.”
“That’s your advice?”
“Sure. You can’t predict everything ahead of time, so that’s the best approach.”
When she said it like that—with full confidence—it was hard to argue. If even a girl like Yukari didn’t know what Minase might like, I definitely had no chance.
“Then what’s the point of this whole scouting trip?”
“Oh, don’t worry. I’m not wasting my time. I’ll show you some shops girls usually like.”
“So basically, I’m supposed to study in advance?”
“Exactly.”
It felt like cramming for a test. She’d give me the topic range, and I had to prepare for whatever questions might come.
“You don’t have to overthink it. Just learn enough to hold a decent conversation. You’d rather that than wandering around clueless, right?”
“Fair point.”
It wasn’t about planning the perfect date—just avoiding disaster. Knowing a bit about the places she might bring up would help me keep the conversation flowing and avoid awkward silences.
With that decided, Yukari and I began our tour around the shopping mall.
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