The next day, Saturday, Kazuki Fuwa came to the plaza in front of the station.
Thinking that since they lived in the same apartment building, they could just go out together, Akeno had said, "Since it's a special date, I want to meet up properly," so they had arranged to meet here at ten o'clock.
Just a little past ten, a cute girl wearing a dress with frills came running up to Kazuki, slightly out of breath.
"Haah, haah, I'm sorry, Kazuki... I'm late."
For a moment, shamefully, Kazuki didn't realize who the girl in front of him was. Her current appearance was so far removed from her usual impression.
"Kazuki?"
"Huh? ...Oh, yeah... It's fine, Akeno."
Yes, the cute girl before him was none other than Akeno Himejima, the one he was waiting for. She had let down her usual ponytail, her hair flowing freely.
'Amazing... Can someone's impression really change this much...?'
Since they lived together, Kazuki had seen Akeno's casual clothes many times. Usually, Akeno often wore clothes with a calm atmosphere, giving an impression more mature than her age, but now Akeno looked so cute, just like a teenage girl her age. It wasn't that it didn't suit her; it suited her current self perfectly.
The girl he was so used to seeing seemed like a girl he was meeting for the first time, yet felt somehow nostalgic. Caught in this strange sensation, Kazuki stared intently at Akeno.
"...Staring so much makes me embarrassed. ...Does this outfit not suit me?"
"No, it suits you perfectly! Usually, Akeno feels beautiful, but today you're incredibly cute... Honestly, I was mesmerized."
Noticing Akeno's anxious look, Kazuki hurriedly spoke, and Akeno smiled with relief.
"Really? I'm glad."
Akeno showed her joy openly and hugged his left arm. Looking at her like that, words unconsciously spilled from Kazuki's mouth.
"...Somehow, today, rather than Akeno, you feel more like 'Aa-chan'."
At the casual words that slipped out, Akeno looked up in surprise. And then she smiled, genuinely delighted, happily.
"Hehe ! Is that so? Somehow, that makes me happy! —Let's go, Kazu-kun!"
Akeno flashed an adorable smile and pulled on his arm. Kazuki, as if drawn in, broke into a smile and followed.
"Yeah, let's go, Aa-chan!"
For a moment, they returned to being childhood friends and started walking side by side.
Two hours had passed since their date began…
They were having lunch at an Italian restaurant inside the huge department store in front of the station, the place that was the stage for the Sitri match.
After entering the department store, they had gone around to various shops. At the boutique, Akeno asked him to help her choose clothes. However, having her pick out even underwear in public was something he wished she'd spare him, as the stares from the shop assistants and other female customers were a bit much; well, he ended up helping her choose anyway.
They also looked at magazines and new books at the bookstore, and browsed through small goods and accessories at the miscellaneous goods store.
Akeno was in a great mood the whole time, happily spreading smiles everywhere. Just seeing her like that made Kazuki feel happy, too. He felt like he understood why couples in love kept going on dates.
After finishing dessert, they came to the movie theater to see a film Akeno wanted to watch.
The movie was a so-called family film about a married couple on the verge of divorce who regain their family bonds through their children's crisis.
Although the plot was cliché, it ended with a happy ending where a new family member was born, and it was quite interesting. It was interesting, but...
"Uuu... That was a good movie, wasn't it?"
"Yeah, it was."
"Sniff... I'm glad they could all live together as a family..."
"Yeah."
Akeno had become unusually emotionally invested in it.
'I see... Akeno doesn't have much connection with her family either...'
Thinking about it, Akeno had lost her mother, and apparently, she was estranged from her only remaining blood relative, her father, so she might be starved for family love. Her father was the fallen angel Baraqiel.
Baraqiel was apparently an executive of the Grigori, the Watchers of God's Children, and a combatant known as "God's Thunder."
Because Kazuki knew... about that, his impression of him wasn't bad at all. He wished he could help mend their relationship, but what should he do...
"Kazu-kun? What's wrong?"
Akeno's voice brought him back to reality.
"Ah, sorry. No, I was just thinking that baby was cute..."
"Huh? Baby...!?"
'Huh?' He thought he was talking about the movie and answered casually, but for some reason, Akeno's face turned bright red.
Wondering why, he looked around and realized they had somehow come to a less crowded street, and in front of them stood a building modeled after a white castle.
'Um, this is...'
It was unmistakably a love hotel.
Which meant he had just brought up the topic of babies in front of his lover, right in front of a love hotel... which meant Akeno might be misunderstanding that he wanted a baby...?
"Kazu-kun... Let's go in?"
Akeno, tugging lightly at his sleeve, her cheeks flushed, was so cute he wanted to do unspeakable things to her.
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