Chapter 77 – The Angel and the Promise to go out

“It’s going to be Golden Week soon.”

Amane muttered as he stared at the calendar on the shelf.

He was busy with various things during April, as it was the start of their school year. April was ending by the time he realized. Students and working adults alike would look forward to this Golden Week, which was right around the corner.

Amane did not dislike studying. He did not find it tough, no matter how troublesome it might seem. Thus, he was not particularly happy about Golden Week.

The only thought he had was that he had more time to relax.

Unlike last year’s, Amane would not be too bored, for he had Mahiru next to him.

One day was taken away however when Chitose arranged for a “poison taste test with Mahiru’s cooking class”. It would be ridiculously troublesome rather than boring.

“Another long vacation…”

“Hm? You dislike it?”

“Not really. I just don’t know how to spend the time.”

It appeared Mahiru was the same.

Neither of them liked to go out, so they never had any plans.

“I’m glad to have a break though. Means that I have nothing to do.”

Amane’s studies were still decent as he never scrimped on his preparations and revisions. He did not want to spend his vacation studying.

He had no plan in particular when it came to his hobbies of strolling and reading. He would only do so in the spur of the moment, and never did plan for them. The same for his games. He really had no plans.

“…Amane-kun, are you free?”

“I’m rather bored”

At this point, his only plans were to taste test for poison, and go for a karaoke session with Itsuki and Kadowaki. He had a lot of free days in this one week vacation.

Let’s just relax at home. He muttered to himself, only to find Mahiru looking up at him unflinchingly.

“What is it?”

It appeared Mahiru had something to say, and once his eyes met hers, she reached her hand for the cellphone on the table.

Or rather, the phone cover.

Her phone cover was a flip case, and it had slots for stuff like cards. She pulled out a little plastic bag with a zipper, which contained several folded pieces of paper. She took one out, and showed it to Amane.

It was not something so long ago to be nostalgic about. It was the ‘‘I’ll do anything you say coupon’ Amane gave her more than a month ago.

She handed over the coupon, which had the bear illustration Amane felt he drew decently. After that, she looked up at him unflinchingly.

“May I use it?”

“Give your command.”

“…I want to spend one day with you during Golden Week, Amane-kun.  I want to go shopping, to play, and so on.”

Is that fine? Mahiru asked apprehensively, and Amane gave a wry smile.

“No seriously, even without that, I’ll go shopping with you if you give me a holler.”

Amane probably had to accompany Mahiru in that getup, but he was willing to do so as long as she requested. He felt she did not need to use the coupon.

You don’t have to use your request on this little thing, so he chuckled, but Mahiru shook her head with a serious look.

“I shall use it…promise that you will do everything I ask of you on that day.”

“Well, i-f you say so. What do you want me to do though…”

“…C-carry some bags.”

“Alright alright I’ll listen to you.”

How heavy is the stuff going to be?  He felt like retorting, but he nodded since she said so much.

Mahiru disliked going out, but she probably had some occasional urges to go out and enjoy herself. Amane felt that if possible, he would accompany her no matter how unwilling she might be.

After all, he too was bored.

He thought it would be a bad thing of rumors of that man showed up again, but it would be stupid of him to not go anywhere if he was scared of this little thing.

“So, where are we going?”

“Erm, I-I have not decided.”

“So you haven’t decided.”

“…Because, I do not know, what places you do like.”

“Eh, me?”

“…We have the opportunity to go out together, and I want to go to a place we can both enjoy.”

Can we? Nobody can ever reject her when she tugged at his sleeve and asked while looking up.

*Grr. *Amane felt suffocated. He looked around, combed his hair up, and sighed.

“…Well, I intend to go along with you anyway. Hm, in that case, there’s a place I want to go to.”

It was an unbearable place to go alone, but Amane wanted to visit it.

“Where?”

“Don’t laugh at me.”

“I will not.”

“…A cat cafe.”

Yes, a cat cafe with lots of kittens.

Amane liked animals, but he could not raise any in his apartment, so he could only read the magazines or see others raise them.

The surrounding stares would be unbearable if he entered the cafe alone as a boy, so he could not.

With Mahiru around, Amane did not have to worry about the stares from others. There would be another kind of stares, but he felt he should be able to relax.

Also, the sight of Mahiru playing with the cats would surely be cute, so he thought, but obviously, he could not voice it out.

“…E-erm, if the two of us, go together, it won’t be that awkward. Can we?”

“O-of course! Then, erm…let us go together.”

“…Oh.”

Amane was grateful and yet embarrassed by Mahiru’s agreement.

He felt his cheeks searing, but he managed to endure it. Once he saw Mahiru looking unconfident, he smiled at her.

“So what are we doing after that?”

“After that, we will go shopping together…ah, I want to go to a game center. I have never been there before.”

As expected, the princess-like Mahiru was interested in a game center, as she had never been there before. In that case, he should bring her there and show her how it was like.

The dolls she liked might be in stock again, and she would be happy to catch them together with him.

“Let’s go there then. Cat cafe, food, shopping, game center. Pretty much.”

“Yes.”

Amane heaved a sigh of relief as they had decided on the schedule to a certain extent. Mahiru lifted her head, her face turned towards him.

“I am really looking forward to it.”

Amane nearly lost his breath once he saw the shyness borne from her overwhelming happiness.

“I wish for the holidays to arrive soon.”

Mahiru whispered, sounding as though she was really looking forward to go out. With a sweet smile, she happily embraced the cushion.

Amane stared blankly at her smile, and then felt his heart pound wildly. “…Yeah.” he answered hoarsely.

The Angel’s sudden attack was very bad for the heart.