Volume 2 Chapter 6

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♥

It’s been a week since the date was postponed due to unavoidable circumstances.

And the date day came once again.

After discussing it beforehand… we decided to not rent a car but to use mine.

We agreed to meet at my house’s parking.

9:55 am.

I came out of the house 5 minutes earlier than the appointed time… and at the same time, Takkun also came out of the house next door.

“Good morning, Ayako-san.”

“G-Good morning, Takkun.”

He looked a bit nervous and I returned his greeting with a slightly tense voice.

“…How are you doing?”

“Perfectly fine. I slept 8 hours every day this week.”

“Haha… That’s very healthy.”

Despite having a sympathetic exchange, the conversation was sort of empty.

Probably because we were conscious of one another.

Conscious of each other as man and woman.

This was our first date.

Even if we had planned one before, the tension and the anxiety hadn’t disappeared…

“Ayako-san…” Said Takkun after a brief silence. And looking straight at me, he continued. “Your clothes today fit you really well.”

“…”

“And your hairstyle is a bit different from usual, it gives you a fresh look… You look… really beautiful.”

“…W-Well, even I have dating clothes.”

I was so embarrassed that I put on a tough attitude. But in reality, I had bought these clothes specifically for this date.

Uuh… This is bad.

I can’t get embarrassed over an attack like this. If I get flustered from something like this… What will happen when the date actually starts?

“S-Should we go now?”

“Yes. Well, then… I’ll be borrowing your car.” He bowed slightly and walked toward the driver’s seat.

“…Are you sure you want to drive? If you want, I can do it.”

“It’s fine, I can do it, I think. You have the same car as my mother, and I’ve already driven it a lot of times.”

After saying that, it would be rude for me to keep insisting.

I sat in the passenger’s seat and Takkun on the driver’s seat.

“Then… Where will we go to today?” I asked while adjusting the seat and the rear-view mirror.

“Uhm, well… you’ll see.” He replied mischievously.

Is everything going to be alright? He’s trying hard for me again, isn’t he…?

Maybe because he saw the anxiety in my face, he said:

“Oh, don’t worry. It’s not a weird place.” And added, “You’ve been there before.”

He looked a bit unsure of himself, but since he had practiced beforehand, Takkun’s driving was very smooth.

In fact, he did it even better than me. He was driving and changing lanes naturally, and when we entered the highway through the intersection, he kept driving steadily and calmly.

We drove for approximately 1 hour.

We drove out the prefecture through the highway… and reached our destiny.

“This is…”

When I came out the car, I was speechless.

More than half the cars in the parking lot… were big family cars. Many families were walking from the parking lot to the entrance.

A roller coaster and a Ferris wheel could be seen behind the entrance.

“An… An amusement park?”

We were in an amusement park from outside the prefecture.

A theme park that could be said to be the biggest one in all of Tohoku.

And I… Couldn’t really hide my surprise.

Where would Takkun bring me for our date? I had imagined a lot of things, but I never thought that he’d bring me to an amusement park.

Besides, here’s…

“I came here during spring for a welcome party that the faculty organized for new students. First years had to look for their seniors around the park and solve riddles… Well, we had quite a lively event for university students.” Takkun came out of the car, came to my side and said, “Ayako-san… You’ve been here before, haven’t you?”

“…Yes. A long time ago.”

When Miu was still in elementary school.

The two of us came to this amusement park together.

“I remember that you came here with Miu a long time ago… You also showed me some pictures. A lot of pictures of Miu having fun.”

“But,” Takkun continued.

“There were almost no pictures of you.”

“…”

That… was true.

After all, the person who took Miu’s pictures… was me.

If you go to the amusement park with your little daughter, it’s normal for the mother to be the one taking the pictures. As for the pictures the pictures of the two of us, I had asked the staff to take a couple of them.

The children are the stars of the show after all.

What’s most important is the child’s smile and it’s not right for parents to leave them behind just so they can have fun on their own.

I never thought of it as a bother.

As long as Miu had fun… as long as I could take a picture of my daughter having fun, that was enough for me.

Even if I barely showed up at all on the album, that didn’t bother me.

But…

“That’s why I’d like to take a lot of pictures of Ayako-san here today.” Said Takkun. “During the last 10 years, in every fun event, you’ve been placing Miu above everything, right? But today… I don’t want you to think about your daughter, but rather have fun yourself. I want you to enjoy the amusement park to the fullest.”

“…”

I was speechless.

Takkun… was thinking about those things.

For 10 years, I’ve been putting my daughter above everything else… and I don’t regret it. Even though there were some hiccups along the way, I had far more nice and happy memories to remember.

But.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to do it.

I’d be lying if I said I was bearing with it and holding back.

Ah… I wonder what this is…

I felt a soft warmth on my chest.

Once more, I could see just how much Takkun had been observing me these last 10 years.

“Uhm… I-I’m sorry. As I though… an amusement park is a bit childish, right?”

While I was deeply moved in silence, he spoke in anxiety.

“N-No, it’s not that… I don’t dislike it at all… I’m very happy that you thought about me. I… always wanted to have fun in a place like this, but…”

“But?”

“I-It’s a bit embarrassing… isn’t it? That I have fun in a place like this…” I said what I was worried about. “I’m here without a kid… Is it alright for a thirty year old lady like me to have fun in a date at an amusement park…?”

“What? You’re worried about that?”

“W-Women worry about a lot of things!”

“As I’ve said before, you’re not old at all. Besides, age has nothing to do with having fun at an amusement park.”

“R-Really?”

“Yes. Well then, let’s get in.”

“…Y-Yes…”

I walked towards the entrance, led by Takkun.

And our first date in an amusement park… began.

When we went through the entrance, the extraordinary atmosphere became even stronger.

There were a lot of rides that made my heart jump just by looking at them and gift shops full of merchandise. And a lot of people walking with smiles on their faces in this exciting atmosphere.

“As expected, there are a lot of families since it’s a weekend.”

“That’s true, but… there are also a lot of couples.”

As Takkun said, there were a lot of couples in the park enjoying their dates.

But… all of them were young for the most part.

They were couples in their teens or 20s.

I could see thirty year olds with their children, but not one who had come alone with their significant other.

What do I do?

As I thought… I don’t belong here…

Yes, it was as if I was dreaming.

This doesn’t look real at all.

If I had told this to myself last year, I would have laughed it off.

I would’ve never imagined being in a date with Takkun at an amusement park…

“Ah, Ayako-san, take a look at that.”

I was restless and nervous when Takkun turned to me.

And pointed at… the merry-go-round.

“There was a picture of Miu riding that, right?”

“That’s right. Miu liked it so much that she rode it 3 times.”

I was flooded by nostalgia remembering it, but…

“Then… Would you like to ride it?” Takkun suggested something scandalous so casually.

“Eh?”

“Why don’t you ride the merry-go-round?”

“No, no, no… Wait a minute.”

The merry-go-round? Me?

I am going to ride a white horse on my thirties?

“I-I can’t, Takkun. I’m sure that… there must be an age limit for it! An age limit for older people… I think that it says that women over 30 should abstain from riding it…”

“That’s not written there, though.”

“But… I’m already an adult… How can I ride a merry-go-round?”

“What’s so weird about it? Look, there are a lot of adults riding it, aren’t there?”

“Those are adults with children. It would be different if I had a child with me…”

“Don’t worry, no one is going to mind.”

“E-E-Eh…”

Pressed by a stubborn Takkun, we got in line for the merry-go-round.

There weren’t that many people in line, so our turn came quickly.

We crossed the fence and I got on the white horse model.

I felt like it would be embarrassing to ride with my legs open, so I decided to sit with my legs together… No, this is also… Somehow, riding like a princess is also embarrassing. Ah, I don’t understand anything anymore… What must a thirty year old woman do in this case~…?

“Uwaa… It’s pretty high.”

“Are you okay, Ayako-san?”

“I-I’m okay… I’m okay, but…”

Is this alright? That an old lady like me enjoys such an attraction without a kid? Aren’t people going to think that I’m weird?

“Please be careful with the movement and hold tight. Well then, I’ll be waiting for you outside.

“Okay… Eh? …Ehh?! W-Wait a minute, Takkun!”

He was about to leave me alone in the white horse when I suddenly stopped him as quickly as I could.

“Where are you going?!”

“What do you mean where? I’m going to wait outside.”

“A-Aren’t you going to ride with me? Stay here.”

“Eh? What do you mean? I can’t to take photos of you unless I’m outside.” Said Takkun as if it was obvious.

It can’t be…!

That means I’m going to ride the merry-go-round on my own?!

“I’ll be waiting at the exit after taking a few pictures.”

“W-Wait… I’m going to leave after all—”

“—The ride is about to start.”

My desperate screams were promptly interrupted by a staff member speaking into a microphone.

W-Wait, wait, Takkun… Don’t leave me alone in this fairy tale stage!!

I yelled in my heart… but it was too late.

Takkun left running and soon after, the merry-go-round started moving.

The happy music, the spinning scenery, and the white horse going up and down.

All of this… Took a thirty year old like me to the limit.

This dreamy atmosphere is crushing me mentally!

Uwaa~!

I want to get out of here~!

I’m riding in a merry-go-round on my own. Despite the fact that I’m already over thirty years old, I’m sitting in a white horse. Despite the fact that there are only parents and children around me, here I am intruding in their space…!

I was looking at Takkun pleading for help… but he… with his phone in hand, smiled innocently at me.

“…Wait… Uwaa… No… A-Are you really taking picture…?!” I yelled, covering my face with my hand, but it seems like my voice couldn’t reach him due to the music. With his phone in one hand, he waved at me with the other.

Ah… Geez…

It looks like he’s having fun.

What’s so fun about taking pictures of me…?

“…”

Uuh, aah, geez… What is this feeling?

Somehow… I feel like a dummy for being embarrassed.

Is it really alright?

Even at my age?

Is it okay to have fun to the fullest on an amusement park date?

My heart, full of embarrassment and hesitation, started to fill up little by little by something warm…

And when I came to, I found myself posing for Takkun.

I was smiling and doing a peace sign enthusiastically.

Since a capricious boy had asked me to take pictures, the least I could do was to give him this service.

It’s not like I was enjoying it. Not at all.

I discreetly came out of the merry-go-round so I wouldn’t attract the attention of the other families, and Takkun came running towards me.

“Nice job.”

“…Yes, really nice.”

I’m so tired… Specially mentally.

“I got some pretty good ones.”

“Uuh… Y-You actually took them…”

“Yes, in video.” He said.

“At the start, I thought about taking pictures… But then I thought it would be better to film a video. Thanks to that, I managed to get everything. From the moment you hid your face, until you started to make a pose every round…”

N-Nooooo~~!!

I was doing my best because I thought he was taking pictures! …But a video is…!

I wanted to scream ‘Delete it right now’, but…

“I’m really happy. You seemed like you were having fun.”

I couldn’t say anything after I saw him happily looking at the video. It’s not fair… it’s not fair at all… I can’t ask him to delete it when he’s showing a face like that…

“Uuh… Geez. Let’s go, Takkun, stop looking at it and let’s go to the next ride.”

“Eh…?”

“…What’s wrong? Why are you making that surprised face?”

“Well… I just thought that you had become livelier all of a sudden. And, of course, I’m very happy to see you excited.”

“…I-It’s no use being embarrassed all the time, so I decided to have a lot of fun today. So… Let’s quickly head to the next ride.”

“…Yes.”

When I said that, Takkun nodded happily.

Next ride we went to was the roller coaster.

“Ayako-san, do you mind intense rides?”

“If they’re too scary, then no… But I like this one. I wanted to ride it last time I came here… but at the time Miu was still very little.”

“Yes, there’s a minimum height requirement.”

Since it was a popular attraction, there was a large waiting line. We got in line and advanced slowly while we were being pushed by the crowd.

“Uhm, Ayako-san…”

In the middle of this noisy line, Takkun steeled himself and said.

“Why don’t we hold hands?”

“Eh?”

“J-Just in case we get separated.”

 He extended his hand to me, trying to hold back the embarrassment. I could see through his eyes and voice how much determination he had needed to do this.

But…

“…N-No.”

I put my hand away on reflex.

And the reason: none.

I simply was… shocked due to how sudden it was.

I immediately started to make excuses for such a reaction.

“It’s just that… you know… You never know who’s looking… And I don’t think that we’re going to get separated in this line.”

“…Y-You’re right, I’m sorry.” With a clearly depressed voice, Takkun put his hand away.

Eh?

You’re giving up…?

…Well, it’s understandable. After all, I was the one who rejected it. I didn’t expect him to give up so easily, though. Hmm… Had he insisted a bit more, I would have allowed him to hold my hand. Had he been more assertive like my dream the other day…

I briefly took a glance at him.

Takkun… was completely dejected.

Uwaa, he’s very depressed! Well, obviously, he steeled himself and proposed it to me, but I rejected him heavily.

Uuh… Don’t make that face, Takkun…

Hm… Ah… Geez!

“…Eh?!” The next moment, Takkun said in shock.

It was understandable.

Since I denied his request to hold hands… and now I was the one taking his.

“Ayako-san…”

“G-Geez, Takkun… You don’t get a woman’s heart at all.” I said.

With the most conceited tone possible.

“You can’t give up so easily just because you were rejected once. You have to be persistent… Because sometimes a woman’s ‘no’ can mean ‘yes’… That’s why men should be able to read between the lines…”

“…”

“I-I’m not telling you to assertively come at me! Generally! I mean generally!”

…Ah, geez, what the heck am I saying? I feel like I’m something completely selfish and incoherent. I feel like I’m turning into a ridiculously problematic woman.

I was starting to self loathe, but…

“I see, I’ll keep it in mind.”

Takkun smiled at me without complaining.

He softly grasped my hand, with a delicate force.

“…You’re too honest, Takkun.”

“Being honest is nice.”

“If you’re too honest, some bad person might trick you, so I’m worried now. Remember how a long time ago, the two of us went to buy a Christmas gift for Miu? When I told you that I had received a transformation item from Love Kaiser Solitaire as an award for being the client number 10,000 and you whole heartedly believed th—”

“Actually… I already knew that.”

“You already knew?!”

After the roller coaster, we went around the other rides as we wanted.

We rode the chair swing ride, a rollercoaster that goes underwater, a monorail.

We had lunch a bit late to avoid crowds and had a light meal on the outdoor tables of the cafeteria.

While we were enjoying the amusement park that way…

Takkun took a photo every chance he saw.

At the beginning, it was extremely embarrassing… ‘What’s so fun about taking pictures of an old lady like me?’, I wondered in embarrassment. But little by little, I started to get used to it as the number of pictures kept increasing.

Or rather.

Little by little… it become more and more fun.

Fun.

Very fun.

We went around the rides, took a lot of pictures, had lunch in a place by went in by chance and later bought a lot of crepes on impulse when we saw them and walked while eating them.

It was as if I had gone back to my teens or 20s.

It was as if we were a student couple…

“Being in places like these makes me want to eat crepes.”

“I get that. Even though they taste the same as a normal crepe you can buy anywhere.”

“I know right.”

We stopped at a side of the road and ate the crepes we had just bought.

I bought one with strawberry and Takkun a banana and chocolate one.

Yup, crepes are the best!

“Ah, Takkun, you got some on your cheek.”

“Eh… really?”

“The other here, here.”

I extended my hand toward his cheek.

I cleaned the cream off his cheek and licked it.

“Yes, the chocolate one is also tasty.”

“…”

Takkun blushed…

When I saw his face, I realized what I had done.

“Eh, ah… S-Sorry! I did something embarrassing again out of habit…”

“N-No! It’s okay! Sorry about getting embarrassed by this!”

We apologized to each other.

Ah… I did it again.

Cleaning cream off his cheek with my hand and licking it… I used to do that when Takkun was little.

Adults tend to do this with their kids often… but, isn’t this a common event between lovers? In that case, there’s no problem, right? No… We’re still not dating, so… Hmm.

I felt awkward and embarrassed while we walked around the park.

“Ayako-san, look.” Said Takkun, pointing to the crowd when we reached the plaza. “It looks like there’s a ‘Take a commemorative photo’ event.”

“Heh.”

“Since this is such a rare chance, why don’t we take a photo?”

“True… Yes, let’s take a photo.”

I felt bad for being the only one with so many pictures taken, so I thought it was a great opportunity for him to also have one.

We went toward the crowd and were about to make the line… when we finally understood what kind of event this was.

The gimmick was that the employees were giving out photographic accessories and took photos with a Ferris wheel on the background.

However, most of the accessories… had the shape of a heart.

And most of the people in line were couples. The people taking pictures right now were also a couple and were standing really close to one another, flirting while enjoying the photoshoot.

“…Looks like it’s a couple’s event.”

“Yes… That’s what it looks like.”

“W-What do we do?”

It’s impossible to participate in an event like this… No.

It’s the opposite, not participating after having come so far is more embarrassing, as if I was too conscious about it. Uuh… I don’t know anymore. What should I do?

“It’s okay… It doesn’t say anywhere that it’s exclusive to couples… Besides, there are people who don’t look like couples.”

Like Takkun had said, between the many couples, there were some couples with children. There was also a group of high school boys with accessories in their hands yelling “Damn it, we’re so lonely!”

“…Yes, looks like there’s no problem.”

“Since it’s not that exclusive… then we, who are not a couple, can also participate. I don’t think that there’s going to be that classic romcom event of ‘So now… show us that you’re a couple’…

Feeling a bit relieved, we got in the line.

“Excellent job.”

“The following people, please pick your accessories. Boyfriend goes here, and Girlfriend here.”

“Boyfriend, please get a little closer. Girlfriend, you’re good there.”

The staff worked quickly and efficiently to take the pictures, working as a team to handle the customers as professionally as possible.

Slowly, the line kept going…

And finally, our turn arrived.

“Please pick your accessories. Uhm…”

 The employee, who was smiling with a business smile at all times, showed a hesitant expression for a moment, and then…

“Please, sister over here and brother here.” She said.

She looked at Takkun and I and said that.

“…”

My heart froze immediately.

Ah…

I see, of course.

Takkun and I don’t look like a couple. No matter how young I look, I don’t think I look like I’m 20.

But, that’s alright.

I’m not going to get mad nor sad.

It’s just that… they reminded me about the reality. My optimistic head that thought that this looked like a date between students cooled a bit.

Yes. Rather, I should be happy. It’s better for them to consider us siblings. Had they thought we were mother and child… it would have been a real shocker. Although it’s possible that we would be taken as mother and child, they only called us siblings just in case.

And right when several things went through my head in an instant.

Hug.

Takkun put his arm from behind.

And then… he strongly hugged me.

“She’s my girlfriend no matter how you look at it!”

Said Takkun.

He was tightly hugging me toward his chest and said it loud and clear.

The words I heard while in his arms clearly resounded in my ears and in his chest.

“Ah… I’m so sorry, that was very impolite on my part.” The employee bowed immediately.

After taking the accessories, we walked towards the session’s place…

And the atmosphere… wasn’t awkward.

“…Even though I’m not actually your girlfriend.”

“Uhm, well…” Takkun muttered, looking for the words to say. “I was bothered a bit by it… and it just came out. I’m sorry for saying something so selfish.”

“I’m not angry… just surprised. Takkun, you have a surprisingly bold side.”

“Uhm, well… You said before that I should be more assertive.”

“…Geez… You didn’t need to put it into practice so soon.”

Ah…

This isn’t good.

I wanted to act calmly, but it was completely useless.

I couldn’t stop looking away.

I couldn’t see his face.

And I couldn’t let him see me like this.

“Alright then, I’m going to take the picture!”

After reaching the photoshoot session, a staff member pointed the camera at us.

“Boyfriend, move a little more to the right. And Girlfriend… Uhm, could you look up a bit?”

“…Y-Yes.”

I tried my best to look up and smile.

But I couldn’t smile very well.

Not because I was expressionless or had a fake smile for the picture.

But because I was blushing a lot, with wet eyes and a smile overflowing with happiness.

After that…

We took a walk steadily throughout the park, visiting the gift shop and then headed to the last ride.

And the last place you visit at an amusement park… clearly had to be this one.

“Wow… S-So high…” I whispered while I saw the scenery from the Ferris wheel.

You could see the entire park from here and the people walking looked like dots. So high. It’s higher than I expected. It’s even a bit scary…

“What a nice view.”

Unlike me, Takkun, who was sitting in front of me, didn’t look like he was afraid of heights. He enjoyed the view below with a calm expression.

While I was looking at his face, I wanted to tease him a little.

I took out my phone from my pocket and took a picture of him.

“Eh… W-What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. You had such an smiling face that I couldn’t help but take a picture.”

“I seriously doubt that it’s fun to take a picture of my face.”

“…That’s what I said a lot of times today. I told you so many times…”

“No! It’s definitely worth it to take pictures of you! You’re so beautiful, expressive and cute, it’s fun to photograph you—”

“~~! L-Let’s stop talking about that! Anyways… It’s time for my revenge! Let me take pictures too!”

When I pointed my phone at him, Takkun hid his face in embarrassment.

“What is it? P-Please, stop… In that case, I’m also going to take pictures of you.”

“N-No can do… It’s my turn now! Don’t point your phone at me—”

The moment I got up reflexively and tried to take away his phone…

Shake.

The gondola shook violently.

“Kyaa…”

I lost my balance and saw the scenery outside. My fear skyrocketed and my body lost all its strength.

“Ayako-san!”

When I was about to fall… Takkun extended his arms to catch me.

And while falling, I jumped toward his chest.

I accidentally put all my weight on him, but Takkun held me tightly with all of his body.

“…Haa, haa… T-That was scary.”

“A-Are you alright?”

“Yes… Thanks, Takku—”

I looked up to thank him and finally realized our current state.

Close.

We were incredibly close.

Our bodies were in complete contact. My chest was pressing against him and our legs were completely intertwined.

But above all, the part of our bodies that was closer than anything else… was our faces.

Our faces were just a hair width’s apart.

A distance in which our lips could touch at any moment…

““~~!!””

We immediately separated our faces and distanced ourselves. Even though I was worried about the gondola’s balancing, we returned to our seats as quickly as possible.

“I-I’m sorry, I… Since everything happened so fast.”

“No… It’s alright. Don’t worry about it.”

The gondola’s interior became awkward in an instant.

Haah… I did it again. Why did I have to mess it up when everything was going so well…?

After that… there was silence for a while.

The gondola kept going up slowly and it finally reached the top.

And here.

“…Ayako-san.” Takkun opened his mouth. “Thanks a lot for today.”

“Eh…?”

“I’m really happy to have been able to have this date with you.”

“W-What’s wrong? Why are you so serious all of a sudden?”

“I just thought that I had to tell you. Really… I had a lot of fun. That I was able to go out with you on our own like this… It’s my entire life’s dream coming true.”

“Dream? You’re exaggerating.” I said with a wry smile. “…I also have to thank you.” I continued. “Thanks for inviting me on this date, Takkun. I’ve had a really good time today.”

“Really?”

“Really, it was a lot of fun. At the beginning, I was a bit surprised that you brough me to an amusement park… but now I’m surprised at how much fun I had.”

When I said that, he smiled in relief.

It’s so easy to understand how each one of my actions makes him happy or sad.

Seeing this behavior made me realize once more that he truly loved me, and I felt my face get a bit hotter.

“Thanks to you, I had the best amusement park date in history.”

“Wha… Y-You’re praising me too much. I didn’t do anything special.”

“No, it’s all thanks to you. Because if you hadn’t invited me… I would have never thought about coming here. Because I… Well… I believed that I was too old for this.”

It’s not as if it was forbidden or regulated… But I was reluctant which caused me to abstain from coming.

I thought that I had to abstain from juvenile events that only teenagers and 20 year olds were allowed to enjoy.

Somehow, I managed to get a job in the company I work for now, I took care of Miu, became a mother, lived a very busy life and before I had realized, I was already in my thirties…

I became an adult.

I had to.

I couldn’t keep being a little girl forever.

I couldn’t do whatever I wanted while using the convenient word ‘youth’ as an excuse.

And I don’t think that it was the wrong way to live.

Even if I had the chance to redo everything, I would make the same choices and live the same way.

But…

I didn’t even know.

I didn’t know that I still had these feelings inside of me.

Something like regrets.

Seriously… It’s all Takkun’s fault.

The existence of this young man that troubled my heart…

“…Can I ask you out again?” He asked me.

Looking straight at me, with a serious look.

“I’d like to go with you to a lot of places.”

“…”

I felt my heart burn.

I thought that I had resigned to all that already, but the regrets and desires which I wasn’t conscious were reignited by a new flame.

Unable to look straight at his eyes, I started to look out the window.

I was afraid to look down, so I looked at the sky.

And then…

“…Yes.” I gave a short answer.

Just that.

My heart was so full that I couldn’t say any more than that.

It was a bit early for the sunset, so the sky was still blue.

But I thought that I would have liked it if the sun had set before.

Because if the gondola had been illuminated by the afternoon light, perhaps I could have hidden how red my cheeks were from embarrassment.

Well, the date went like that.

Due to my slightly embarrassing poetic final lines, everything seemed to have ended well.

However.

After that, an incident occurred.

Something I never imagined could happen.

I didn’t expect such a big incident to happen on the way home.

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Few things I have to say:

1. Sorry, I’m quite late on this chapter and it’s actually missing a picture like the one on chapter 5 of volume 1. I’ll add it on the next chapter, but the pdf/epub will have it on this chapter. As to why I’m late… Let’s just say I now have a trauma with people saying “Yo Lec, can you check this translation for me real quick?”. The real quick means like 50+ changes. I’m not even a proofreader for my scanlation group…
2. I misstranslated a word a few times. I translated it as ‘simpleton’, but a more accurate translation would be ‘pushover’. If you’re wondering where the misstranslation came from, the spanish translation I’m taking this from is not the same spanish I speak. Regardless, I apologize for it.
3. Bry19an started volume 3 not too along ago, so I can keep translating this after volume. I’ll still take a small 1 week break though.

Okay that’s all, have a great day.