Chapter 55 - The Calm Before the Storm
The movie Mogami-san wanted to see was a live-action adaptation of a certain romance novel.
Since she was a total bookworm and highly recommended it, the movie actually turned out pretty good. It followed the bittersweet romance of two students with careful and gentle storytelling. Nothing flashy, but the kind of solid, heartwarming movie that left your chest feeling warm by the end.
Let me say it again.
It wasn’t flashy, and it wasn’t groundbreaking, but it was a well-made, high-quality movie.
“That was such a good movie… hic, I’m so moved…”
“W-was it really that emotional…?”
But, I felt like Wannai-san was a little out of sync. I didn't realize it until we got out of the theater, but she'd been trying to muffle the fact that she was bawling. Mogami-san and I were both totally shocked to see her crying, so now we were sitting on a nearby bench, trying to calm her down.
“I'm just so glad the heroine got her happy ending... hic.”
She was reacting like the heroine and protagonist had gotten together after overcoming some huge, dramatic ordeal.
There really wasn't any major climax like that. They confessed their feelings normally and started dating normally.
But apparently, that alone was touching enough for her.
“A romance like that is just the best, isn't it? I want something like that someday too… hic…”
Even though she was crying, she actually looked kind of happy. Well, if they were tears of joy and not sadness, I supposed that was fine.
(Is she just overly sensitive? Or... was that simple romance movie just the perfect, ideal relationship to her, so much that it made her cry?)
This girl really was strange. But she definitely wasn’t a bad person.
“Whew~. All that crying made me hungry. Fuko, have that guy look up that shop for us. I know there's a place here with amazing fruit parfaits. I just forgot what floor it's on.”
“Stop calling me 'that guy.’”
“His name is Sato-kun. Please don't be rude, okay?”
“Y-yesh!”
Haha. Serves you right. If you make fun of me in front of Mogami-san, she'll actually get mad.
And honestly, seeing Wannai-san get so intimidated by her felt somehow satisfying.
Then again, thinking such petty thoughts while still obediently pulling out my phone to look up the shop was probably why she kept treating me like a nobody in the first place.
“It’s on the third floor near the food court. And apparently there’s a really good ramen place on the fourth floor.”
“Okay. Then we’re going to the third floor.”
“We don't have that ramen shop back in our hometown, you know?”
“So what?”
“The tonkotsu ramen in that shop looks really delicious.”
“I don't like rich, heavy flavors.”
“...Right.”
“N-next time! Sato-kun, let's go together next time, okay?”
Mogami-san was too kind.
She’s so cute…
Well, if she says she'll go with me next time, I guess I can live with that.
When traveling to a new place and seeing a ramen shop that looked good, it was just a man's nature to want to check it out. Wannai-san, however, just scoffed at me.
“Ew. Seriously? A ramen shop on a date? Wouldn't you hate having garlic breath when you guys kiss later?”
“K-K-K-K-Kissing?! It's way too early for Sato-kun to be doing that!”
“Wait, it's too early for me?”
I really didn't get how Mogami-san saw me. If anything, it's the opposite. I thought it was too early for Mogami-san to be kissing, so the thought hadn't even crossed my mind. That's exactly why I had no problem taking her to a ramen shop.
“Just so you know, Saiga's breath always has this scent of mint, and—”
“Yes, yes. We’re going.”
I couldn't care less about the smell of some guy's breath. Honestly, I was kind of put off by the fact that Wannai-san was checking details that specific. Must be her stalker tendencies showing. Sanada really must have had it rough, having every little thing monitored like that.
Anyway, we headed to the sweets shop Wannai-san wanted to go to. I'm not big on sweets, so I would have preferred something more substantial... but since Mogami-san has a sweet tooth too, she seemed pretty excited about this place.
“It tastes like happiness!”
“Nihihi♪ Right~? The parfaits here are seriously delicious.”
After taking a big spoonful of parfait, Mogami-san cupped her cheeks with her hands, eyes sparkling in delight.
Don't parfaits taste pretty much the same no matter where you go? ...I decided not to say something that boorish out loud. I just stayed quiet and stuck to drinking my iced coffee. Just watching them eat all that sugar was enough to give me heartburn, but if Mogami-san was happy, then I didn't mind.
“Hey hey, can I have a bite of your fruit parfait? You can have some of mine too, Fuko!”
“Okay, sure. I was actually kind of curious about your chocolate parfait, too, Wannai-san...”
They were even trying each other's food.
...I guess they really do get along pretty well.
Even Mogami-san, who's usually so shy with strangers, seemed to have completely let her guard down around Wannai-san.
...Maybe I really was just overthinking it.
I had felt something off about Wannai-san’s behavior, but so far she was just hanging out normally.
Most likely, she simply got tired of stalking from a distance and wanted to join in the fun.
But, If she were really that innocent and simple…
…there’s no way she would’ve ended up as one of the “main heroines.”
At that time, I just didn't understand.
I didn't understand the depth of ‘their’ obsession.
‘Their’ blind devotion toward the protagonist.
I still didn’t understand—not at all.
