"Good morning. I'm planning to leave a little after nine tomorrow. Let's meet at the workplace."
Friday night.
I was lying on my bed when a message came in from Aso-san.
As I was secretly reading it, Yuzu, who had been on her phone next to me, sat up and looked over.
"Aso-senpai?"
"Yeah. She says to come to work at nine in the morning."
"That's early. Well then, maybe I should go home."
After confirming the time of my plans with Aso-san, Yuzu started getting dressed.
"Well, it's probably just shopping, so I think I'll be done by noon."
"I see. Well, if I have to wait too long, I'll just leave."
"Got it."
If we'd at least exchanged contact info, we wouldn't have to worry about missing each other like this.
But I don't have the courage to ask.
I'm afraid that if I do, she might say something like, "I can't handle only being contacted when it's convenient for you."
Besides, I lack confidence.
I feel like I'd only reach out when it's convenient for me, when I'm lonely.
And if that happens, I'm afraid this relationship would become even more shallow than it already is.
"Well, see you tomorrow."
"Yeah."
Yuzu left quickly.
By the way, she says she doesn't need me to see her out.
She'd seemed in a relatively good mood the past few days, but today she looked grumpy again.
◇
"Morning. Sorry about today."
The next morning.
When I got to work, Aso-san was waiting in front of the store.
"Good morning. So, where are we going for this shopping trip?"
"Didn't I tell you? We take the train. It's
the next town over."
"Huh, that's pretty far."
"You're free anyway, right? So it's fine."
"No, I have plans after noon
"Oh? Got a date with that girl from the other day?"
"It's not like that."
"Well, if we hurry, we'll be back by noon. Okay, let's go!"
Ignoring Aso-san's enthusiasm, I kept worrying about the time.
By the time we get to the station and ride to the next town, it'll be past ten.
I don't even know if the place we're
going is near or far from there, but by the time we shop and come back, it'll already be noon.
I should have checked what time Yuzu would come over.
If I was going to be this anxious, I should have just asked for her contact info yesterday.
If I keep her waiting, she's probably going to be in a bad mood again.
Following Aso-san, my mind was full of nothing but those thoughts.
◇
"Wow, this place is so urban."
When we got off the train, a completely different landscape from the station near our school spread out before us.
Right outside the station were a major chain karaoke box, an electronics megastore, and a coffee shop.
"This area's pretty developed."
"Yeah, a soccer team started up here a few years ago, and it grew like this in no time. Well, it's convenient for us, so that's fine."
"So, where are we going?"
"Geez, if you stop rushing, I'll take you there. Inside that electronics store. Today's the release date for the limited Lava Rabbits strap."
"There it is. Those rabbits again. What do people even see in them?"
"I know, right? But apparently they have some kind of charm effect, according to the internet. That's why they went viral."
"Huh."
It's probably just a celebrity's fake endorsement that got popular.
If a mass-produced mascot like that actually worked, world peace would have been achieved a long time ago.
Thinking such cynical thoughts, I followed Aso-san.
We crossed a big scramble intersection and entered the electronics store.
"Wow, it's huge. Hey, hey, there are lots of restaurants too!"
"Yeah. More importantly, where's the sales floor?"
"You really have a boring personality, Aoyama-kun. I think it's on the second floor."
We took the escalator up to the second floor, and it was immediately obvious where the sales floor was.
On the spacious floor, there was one spot with a long, snaking line.
"We're lining up there?"
"Ah, that's a crazy crowd. But we came all this way, so let's line up. Hurry, hurry!"
We hurried to the end of the line, and I noticed that most of the people ahead of us were couples.
"It's all couples, huh."
"Right. Apparently, besides helping with romantic success, it's also supposed to help you get along with that person forever."
"Hmm."
Instead of relying on charms like that, wouldn't it be better if they just got to know each other better?
But just as I thought that, I felt a twinge in my own head.
I can't look down on these people when I've never properly faced Yuzu myself.
I don't even know her contact info.
Not once have I ever been the one to say I want to sleep with her.
I leave everything up to her.
And yet, if she doesn't come, I get lonely. Even today, I told her to come over, but here I am shopping.
What the hell am I even doing?
"… Hey."
"Y-yes? What is it?"
"Aoyama-kun…"
Called back to reality, I looked down to see Aso-san looking up at me with a slightly awkward expression.
Then she looked down and said quietly:
"Aoyama-kun… do you have someone you like?"