Chapter 51 - Professional Cheeky Little Brat
What exactly counted as a student-like date? After thinking about it for a while, the conclusion I came to... was a movie.
It didn’t strain a student’s allowance, and you didn’t have to talk to each other during the movie. Also, you're guaranteed an easy topic to talk about afterward. No wonder it had been a classic date plan since time immemorial.
"A movie for a date? Isn't that, like, super boring?"
However, the cheeky little brat walking next to me... I mean, Wannai-san... just sighed. I felt like she was just being defiant about every little thing. Ah well, I like energetic kids, so I didn't really mind.
“Then where do you think we should go?”
“Home.”
“Home? For a first date? I don't know about that...”
“Really? Don’t you wanna just flirt around at home? Hehehe, if it were me, I’d drag Saiga home, push him onto the bed, and then… kyaa♪”
“You’re precocious.”
I'd noticed it pretty much right after I met her, but Wannai-san had a really dirty mind. I mean, she had once casually said she "wanted to have Sanada's babies" as if it were the most normal thing in the world. When I heard her say that for the first time, I thought my ears were broken, but... she really seemed to be serious.
“You're a guy, right? Don't you wanna, like, squeeze Fuko's boobs or something?”
“I exercise my right to remain silent”
“Hah? Just say it honestly. You closet perv~”
“I won’t deny that. I am a closet perv.”
“Ew! Are you looking at me that way, too? Nyoo, don't look! You'll get me pregnant~”
This annoying stupid brat—whoops, my language slipped.
The fact that she could irritate me was proof of her impressive cheeky little brat skills. She was gifted at getting under people’s skin. Honestly, her technique deserved respect.
“Stop talking nonsense and just walk.”
At some point, I had unconsciously slowed down my pace to match hers. We still had plenty of time to spare, but I felt like talking to this girl for too long would destroy all my brain cells, so I urged her to walk faster.
As I did, Wannai-san stared at me, still looking grumpy.
“...You're not gonna get mad? Hmph.”
“Were you trying to make me mad?”
“Yeah. You never show your emotions, and I can’t tell what you’re thinking, so I wanted to drag out your true personality.”
“Too bad for you. Someone like you isn’t worth bringing out my real side.”
“Yikes. That was so lame! Aren’t you embarrassed? You’re already in high school and you’re still saying cringey chuuni stuff like that~?”
“...Yeah, okay. That one was pretty embarrassing.”
I used to be around thirty in my previous life. My body was the age of a high schooler now, so maybe my soul was getting dragged along to match it. Well, getting younger mentally wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
“Hmm. So teasing doesn’t work, mocking doesn’t work, provoking doesn’t work… Hey, what would actually make you mad?”
“What makes me mad? Well, that would be—”
When someone treats the girl I love like she’s a trivial existence.
I almost said it out loud, but forced myself to swallow the words. Come to think of it, that was the only time in my life.
Even in my past life, I had this kind of personality and rarely ever got angry. But... there was one time. Just one time, that I was consumed with feelings of pure rage and emptiness.
It was when the final chapter of this world, “I’m So Done With Romcoms (sob)” was published. Not only that, but they announced its cancellation at the same time, and… Mobuko-chan didn't even appear... That moment felt like everything had been taken away from me… and I couldn’t help but be consumed with feelings of frustration and helpless rage.
Perhaps I might never feel an emotion that strongly ever again.
“Huh? What, what? What's with that reaction? You're definitely hiding something, aren't you! Tell me! Hey, c'mon, tell me~!”
She must have sensed something was off about my reaction. Wannai-san started pressing me, pestering me about it. She was pulling on my arm... no, wait, now she was just... clinging to it. She was acting just like a toddler begging its mom for candy.
This was bad. We'd already arrived at the meeting spot.
“Hey! Stop clinging to me… If Mogami-san sees us like this—”
“If I see you like this, then what?”
...Great.
I turned toward the voice, and there she was. An angel. It was Mogami Fuko, all dressed up more nicely than usual, she puffed out her cheeks just a little as she watched Wannai-san and me tangled together—.
