[Warning 15+]
Part One~She Only Acts Like Her Old Self When She's with Me... Wait, Hold Up!~Chapter 18Late-Night Convenience Store
This happened during dinner that night.
"Big Bro, I wanna go buy some ice cream."
"Huh? We've already got plenty of ice cream in the freezer."
Himeko just blurted it out of nowhere.
Not really getting what Himeko was after, Hayato just tuned out his little sis' rambling. He twirled some pasta around his fork, looking pretty damn proud of how his cooking turned out.
Tonight's dinner was a ratatouille-style pasta, featuring the tomatoes, eggplants, and zucchinis Hayato'd scored earlier.
It was a top-tier dish—plenty of garlic infused in olive oil, with some bell peppers and celery thrown in for a pop of color.
"Big Bro, it's not that I want to eat ice cream, it's that I want to go buy ice cream."
"Sorry, I'm not following. If you wanna go, then just go, right?"
"A late-night convenience store."
"Wait, what!?"
"I want to try going shopping at a convenience store in the middle of the night."
"No... ...freaking... ...way…"
A late-night convenience store. To Hayato and Himeko, who back home only knew a "wannabe" mom-and-pop convenience store that opened at 11 and closed at 7, this was a big deal.
I mean, in Tsukinose, nothing stays open at night. Going out for a late-night snack run just wasn't a thing.
Going out of your way at night just to buy something totally random——that held a special kind of magic for these two, and it got their hearts racing.
"Big Bro, you're coming with me, right?"
"A late-night convenience store, huh? Yeah, guess we gotta experience that at least once."
"Ugh, I'm getting nervous. What am I even supposed to wear? …Uniforms are the safest bet, but we'd probably get picked up by the cops for loitering, right?"
"Can't you just look that up online?"
"I-I wonder?"
Both of them were weirdly hyped for this.
It wasn't even 8:00 PM yet.
Back in Tsukinose, it'd be pitch black by now, but in the city, the night was just getting started.
For Hayato and Himeko, this was a time of day when they'd never be caught outside unless something major was going down.
They felt like they were doing something wrong, but at the same time, it felt like they were heading out on an epic adventure.
"Man, you don't even need a flashlight at night here."
"It's so bright. Can't see a single star, though."
"Still, Himeko, that outfit…"
Himeko was rocking a cute off-the-shoulder top that showed off her shoulders, total summer vibes, paired with a flared miniskirt. She'd even put on some light makeup, looking more like she was headed out on a hot date than just a quick run to the store. It was a huge contrast to Hayato, who was just in a basic shirt and denim.
"Yup, I went all out! I definitely don't want anyone thinking I'm just some country bumpkin!"
"Sigh…"
Hayato walked through the quiet residential streets at night with Himeko by his side.
Instead of the moon and stars, streetlights lit their path, and instead of crickets or frogs, all they could hear was the hum of car engines.
The city at night had such a different face from the daytime—it almost felt like they'd been warped into another world.
Himeko seemed pretty nervous too, clutching the back of Hayato's shirt as she followed him, looking around like she was half-scared of her own shadow.
After walking for a little over ten minutes—a long time when their hearts are racing—they finally reached their destination right on the edge of the neighborhood, facing the main road.
"We're here. The convenience store."
"We're here, alright. The convenience store."
"It's actually open."
"It's actually open, for real."
Since it was still pretty early for most people, the store was packed—people heading home from work or cram school, and some just killing time browsing magazines. It was just your typical, everyday convenience store.
But for Hayato and Himeko, it was different. They were actually moved by it. At the same time, they felt totally out of place, hesitating at the entrance like they weren't sure if they were even allowed to step inside.
While they were looking at each other, trading looks like "I thought you were goin' in" or "You go first," Himeko suddenly spoke up.
"Whoa, incredible!"
"Huh?"
Wondering what was up, Hayato followed Himeko's gaze, and there she was—a total beauty.
The beauty was wearing a big, oversized shirt with skinny jeans and a casquette hat—a super casual look that screamed, "I just threw this on to run to the store."
But with her natural looks and killer figure, a pretty girl can make anything look good—and Haruki was the living proof of that.
"Oh."
"…Yo."
Haruki's eyes went wide when she heard Himeko's voice, but she quickly put on a bright smile and headed their way.
"Good evening, Kirishima-kun.... ...Fancy meeting you here, huh?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. What a coincidence. Getting some shopping done?"
"Yeah, just a quick run to the store... ...But man, this girl is adorable. Is she your girlfriend?"
"Say what?"
"Hya—wha!?"
Haruki flashed a sweet smile at Himeko. It was that total "act-like-an-angel" smile of Haruki's that could charm even other girls.
Hit with a smile that had that much raw power, Himeko's face turned bright red as she let out a little "Au" and hid behind Hayato's back. When Haruki followed up with an "Aw, how cute," Himeko's face got even redder, and she clutched Hayato's shirt like her life depended on it.
"Seriously, Kirishima-kun, you're quite the player. I can't believe you already snagged such a cute girlfriend right after transferring."
"Wait a sec, you've got the wrong idea."
"Hehe, you don't have to be shy about it, you know?"
"U-Um, are you two friends?"
"Yep, we're in the same class. Since our desks are right next to each other, I might know a little more about Kirishima-kun than most people. So if you ever need the inside scoop, I can hook you up, okay?"
"I-I... ...well..."
Something definitely wasn't clicking here.
Hayato just let out a long sigh as he watched the two of them trade these weird-*ss remarks.
"Well, obviously she knows a lot. Himeko, this is... ...Haruki. Haruki, this is Himeko."
"Huh?"
"Wh-What?"
And just like that, time froze for the two of them. Haruki and Himeko just stared at each other, eyes wide.
"Haru-chan…?"
"Hime-chan…?"
""WHA— NO WAY—!!""
Right there at the entrance of the late-night convenience store, the screams of the two girls echoed through the night.
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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