SWNOVELXO Chapter 37 - Date with Reina - Part 1
Whew, I’m nervous.
Going for a drink after work…
I’ve met with my older sister during the daytime, but…
Spending the daytime on a day off with just the two of us, this is a first.
No… when was the last time I went out with a woman?
…Let’s not think about it, I want to enjoy today.
“Is this outfit okay? I don’t need to dress up too much, right?”
We’re not dating or anything…
If we go to karaoke or bowling, it’s better to be in comfortable clothes.
“But… I can’t embarrass myself standing next to that beauty.”
Especially during this season, it’s hard to choose what to wear…
There’s a big temperature difference between day and night…
I’ll take a hoodie in the car…
“Blue jeans that cost a decent amount, a long-sleeved T-shirt, and a black jacket should be safe…”
The watch is the one my sister bought me as a celebration gift when I joined the company…
Sneakers would be better… okay, I have those nice Nike ones…
“Money… I should pay for everything since she always takes care of me…”
Nowadays, it’s not always expected that the man pays…
She’s paid for drinks before…
“Wallet, cell phone, I’ll buy the ingredients on the way back… okay, let’s go.”
I carefully check everything, leave the house and get in the car.
I arrive at Reina’s house in about thirty minutes.
I park the car and send a message.
“Ah… please wait five minutes… well, that can’t be helped.”
I’ve been told this many times by my sister…
Getting ready as a woman is harder than it is for a man.
After about five minutes of me getting out of the car… there’s a noise from upstairs.
“Oh, she’s coming… Oh crap…”
Down the stairs… an extremely cute girl appears.
Her makeup has a softer atmosphere than usual.
Her hair is in a side ponytail, and her bangs are falling.
Her outfit… a red checkered miniskirt…!?
She’s wearing a casual white long-sleeved T-shirt and a black cardigan…
She’s beautiful and cute… in short, she’s just my type.
“I’m sorry! Have you been waiting…? Ah—- No, I don’t mean I wanted you to wait, that’s not why I was late… um… I want to start over…”
…What is this?
It’s cute, isn’t it?
Her clumsiness is not half-hearted.
…Calm down, I’m supposed to be cool today… but I’m not calm already.
“No, don’t worry about it.”
“Um… um…”
Hmm? She seems a bit uneasy.
…Ah! This must be what my sister was talking about!
“Um… you look very nice.”
“Really!? Wow…!”
Reina smiles like a blooming flower…
Whew, it seems I was right.
…I can’t just stand here admiring her.
“…Shall we go?”
“Y-Yes…!”
“You don’t need to be so nervous.”
I say, but I’m the one who’s nervous!
“Y-Yeah… It’s my first time…”
“Eh?”
“Nothing! Let’s go!”
“O-Okay.”
For now, we get in the car and I start driving.
“Mitokun, you look stylish, don’t you?”
“Eh? D-Do I? Thank you.”
I thought it was a very ordinary outfit…
Speaking of which… sexy.
No, no! The thighs visible when she sits are sexy…!
That’s sexual harassment that would make Reina uncomfortable!
“What are we doing today…?”
…I can’t think straight because of my nerves, her cuteness, and… her sexiness.
After all, I’m not used to leading…
“…First, let’s go to karaoke.”
“Karaoke…! It’s been a long time, hasn’t it…?”
“Same here. Since I don’t go to those kinds of gatherings, I rarely have a chance to go.”
“That’s right! Even if I want to go, my friends have babies and it’s hard to go…”
“I understand. When you get to our age, people get married, have kids. That naturally changes lifestyle habits and values.”
“That’s right! Exactly! Uuu… I’m having fun…!”
Phew, I’m glad.
I managed to have a natural conversation…
And it seems she’s already enjoying herself.
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“Um… do you have a desire to get married, Mitokun?”
“Eh?… I wonder…”
I don’t have a very good image of marriage.
Or rather, of family in general.
Why did Mom marry such a person?
“Oh—- I see! I’m sorry…”
Hmm? Oh right, I think I mentioned a little about it…
“No, don’t worry about it. Just talk naturally. I don’t think there’s anything you could say that I would find unpleasant.”
“Eh…? What do you mean?”
…Indeed… it just came out naturally.
What does it mean… probably this?
“Well… because you always consider the other person when you speak… That’s true at work too, even though you’re harsh…”
“I’ll reflect on that…”
“But, I think you’ve been doing well recently? You’ve become a bit softer…”
“Really…? Then, it’s thanks to you, Mitokun!”
“Eh?”
“Because you listen to me and support me… I’m happy. Thank you.”
She blushes and plays with the ends of her hair… emotional? No, I’m not using it right.
“No, it’s all thanks to you, Reina. You gave me confidence…”
“S-So… ehehe… Your father, right?”
“Yes, that’s right. But, I’m thinking of reconsidering a few things.”
“I’m here if you want to talk about it!”
“How’s your relationship with your family, Reina?”
“Well… I guess we’re on good terms.”
She’s speaking in a suggestive way…
“Then, I’ll rely on you when that time comes.”
“Okay!”
It’s not a big deal… but who is this cute woman sitting next to me?
… No, I do understand.
I’m just taken aback by the considerable difference…
After that, we arrive at the karaoke place and get settled in.
“Wow! It’s so spacious!”
“… Ah, you mean that. Indeed, modern karaoke places are cleaner and larger than they used to be.”
“In the past, weren’t there sofas with tears and strange stains?”
“Yes, there were…”
Alright, it may not look like it, but…
I’m in a pinch… Yes, a pinch.
There’s an incredibly sweet scent pervading this whole room.
What is this? It’s not perfume… it’s Reina’s smell… terrifying.
“Mito-kun? Are you okay?”
“Of course!”
No good! I must sing before I’m dominated by earthly desires!
“Let’s see… these two, I guess.”
“Ah! Johnny’s!”
“It’s thanks to my sister’s influence. I was made to memorize their songs and made to sing a lot… I can sing most of them, from SMAP to Arashi.”
“Wow! It must be nice! Karaoke with your sister… Mine is much older, so our tastes don’t align…”
“A 10-year gap can indeed make it difficult.”
“That’s true. We didn’t have much money either, so we didn’t go very often…”
No good! She’s looking down!
“Oh, if it’s alright with you, I’ll accompany you!”
“Eh?!”
A cute sound just came from this cute person.
“To karaoke.”
“Ah… Yeah! I… I’ll pull myself together…!”
After that, when I sing…
“……”
For some reason, Reina is frozen…
“Reina-san?”
“Hyai?!”
“What’s wrong?”
“Well… As I thought, you have a good voice…?”
… As she thought?
“Do you think so? I can’t hit high notes, so it’s quite difficult.”
“But even with your low voice, you’re still on key… It’s good…”
“… Thank you.”
What is this?
I feel embarrassed… Am I a middle school student?
Then, Reina starts singing…
… The gap is too much…!
No matter how you look at it… Your voice should be husky, right!?
What’s with that… idol or voice actress-like voice…?
It’s cute… Can I make requests too?
“Phew… I… was nervous!”
“You were good.”
“Why are you grinning? Ugh… You think it’s strange, don’t you? My high-pitched voice…”
No good, I seem to have been grinning at her overwhelming cuteness.
“No, not at all! I was just thinking… you’re really cute.”
“…Eh? I-Is that so! Thank you…”
For some reason, we’re both fidgeting…
Huh? How old are we again?
After that, we enjoyed karaoke while listening to each other’s song requests.
Given our similar ages, we sang songs from Yu Yu Hakusho, Sailor Moon, Slam Dunk, and so on.
And the enjoyable time passed by in a flash…
“Ah! That was so fun!”
“Yes, I enjoyed it too.”
My heart was racing like crazy…
I was overwhelmed.
“Um, um!”
“Yes?”
“Is it okay if I take what you said earlier at face value…?”
“Um…?”
“The part about you accompanying me to karaoke…”
Is it the difference in makeup, or because she’s dressed differently than usual…
Her upward glance is – at this point, a weapon.
“…………”
“Mito-kun? Maybe I’m being presumptuous…”
No good, my thoughts have stopped.
… How many times have I said ‘no good’ today?
“No! I had fun too! Let’s go again, okay?”
“Ehe… I’m happy…”
Reina, who says so in a thin voice, is… just like a young girl.
I feel a strong pain in my chest… and I’m overcome with the urge to hug her.