NOVEL NEXT Chapter 31
My fun way to spend a day off when I have no one to hang out with involves spending the day in my “Holiday Room,” filled with all sorts of decadent items: a super-large LCD TV, a high-performance two-seater electric reclining sofa, bookshelves filled with more manga and light novels than my own room, and a refrigerator stocked with drinks.
While munching on delivery pizza and pre-prepared snacks, I lazily read manga and light novels, watch streaming anime and videos on TV, and play games.
…Of course, all by myself!
However, recently one thing has changed.
“Sato-chin, grab volumes 6 to 10 of ‘The Quintessential Quintuplets.'”
That change is the addition of Kise-san to my decadent time.
While reading manga and fully utilizing the electric reclining sofa, Kise-san hurries me along.
Ever since I showed off this holiday room when she came over to borrow “OshiAi,” she liked it, and now Kise-san comes over on weekends.
“Ah, grab some Coke too.”
“Alright, alright…”
I hand over the requested manga and Coke, sit next to her, and pick up the TV remote.
“…Is it okay if I watch anime on AmaPlus Video?”
“Mm~”
With permission from Kise-san, who’s reading manga, I start watching anime on a streaming site and suddenly realize.
…This is way too familiar.
“Oh, this manga is pretty interesting. By the way, Sato-chin, who’s your favorite character?”
“Um… if I had to pick, maybe the second or third daughter?”
“Wow, you’re such a nerd!”
Shut up!
“I see… So you like characters who openly show affection.”
“Not really, it’s not like that…”
It might be…
“And you have a tendency to like service-oriented girls who do various things for you.”
I… oh no, she’s starting to uncover my quirks.
“Anyway, why is Kise-san here? I always thought you’d be hanging out with someone on your days off.”
“I was just wandering around the city getting hit on, and I got tired, so I stopped by. Today was a bit much.”
“Same old, same old, huh?”
“Hey, wait up. You gonna get a beating? I was decently popular in junior high, you know! And there are days when I do get hit on!”
“Ah, is that so…”
“I get treated to delicious food, have fun shopping, and play… all of course, at the expense of the man!”
“You’re terrible.”
“No, no, I get to buy what I want and eat what I want. They get to date a cute girl. It’s a mutual agreement. But I guess you wouldn’t understand since you’ve never dated.”
“Grrrr…”
“Hey, is that? ‘The Quintessential Quintuplets’ is getting an anime movie?”
“Oh? Yeah, they’re going through to the end it seems.”
“Will you go watch it?”
“No, going to the movies alone is a bit much…”
“Hmm? So, want to go together?”
“Eh!?”
“Don’t be so flustered! Ahaha!”
You… this parasitic creature that only depends on others! I’ll break off our friendship!
“Ha, that was funny. So when are we going?”
“Huh?”
“No, not ‘huh?’ We’re going together, right?”
“Uh, yeah!”
I really like Yayoi! I love her! We’re best friends!
“…By the way, what kind of casual clothes do you have? You’re wearing room wear now, right?”
She points to my ‘I don’t want to move’ T-shirt.
“Of course, this is just my room wear. I have proper clothes for going out.”
“That’s good. I was worried about what to do if you said we were going to the movies in that.”
“Ha ha, really, Kise-san. I think my sense is quite good, you know?”
“…Just to be sure, can I check what kind of clothes you wear?”
“Eh? Well… sure, do you want to look in the dresser in my room?”
“Let’s see!”
“Ah, the second drawer has my underwear, so definitely don’t look there!”
“As if I’d look!”
With a bang, she energetically closes the door and enters my room.
Twenty minutes later, while I’m playing with my phone, she returns.
“What the heck is this!? So lame!”
“What!?”
“Especially this T-shirt with weird English fonts that’s so common among middle school boys! So uncool!”
“It’s German, actually…”
“I couldn’t care less! And those clothes with tons of zippers, and chains, and skulls and wings, and partially torn parts! Your fashion sense is totally stuck in your emo phase! Do you seriously think that’s cool?”
“From my perspective, everyone else is just too plain… Besides, I was planning to wear silver accessories on my arms when going to the movies.”
“If you say another word about fashion with that smug face, I’m done with you.”
“…”
“You’re hopeless no matter what you combine… Sigh, can’t be helped. Do you have money now?”
“Eh? Uh… I do, but…”
“Great, let’s go shopping for clothes right now!”
“Eh? For Kise-san?”
“For you, Sato-chin! Oh, just wear your tracksuit, that’s a thousand times better.”
How harsh…
“No, not just clothes… we should also get a wallet and bag… ”
“But I’m not sure if I’ll have enough money for all that.”
“It’s fine, I’ll cover the rest. Ugh… to think my first sugar daddy would be Sato-chin… Just hurry up and change into your tracksuit!”
“Y-Yes…!!”
And so, I headed out to the city to shop with Kise-san, dressed in my tracksuit.
It goes without saying that we drew quite a few stares along the way.