Bab 172: Ch 172. Summer is the Time for Skirts
Hoshimi didn't expect that the breakfast spot Kasumigaoka mentioned would be the famous "Rokkasen," known for its Wagyu beef.
Having grilled beef for breakfast—what a... wise choice!
After devouring a warm meal of grilled beef, Hoshimi felt much better both physically and mentally.
Whether it was the sweating that drove out the cold or simply the result of being well-fed, Hoshimi's improved condition was undoubtedly a good sign for today's date.
"Where do you want to go next, Hoshimi?"
Amid the bustling, noisy streets, Kasumigaoka lightly parted her red lips and asked Hoshimi as she glanced at his profile.
"Utaha, you decide. I have no preferences."
Full and satisfied, Hoshimi felt sleepy again. Like a lazy cat, he half-closed his eyes, exuding a laid-back aura from inside out.
"Then how about we find a place to digest a bit?" Kasumigaoka squeezed Hoshimi's hand.
"Mmm~ sounds good."
"Alright then, I know just the place nearby."
The relaxed Hoshimi allowed the local Kasumigaoka to lead him through the busy streets.
In a bustling metropolis, it's hard to find a moment of peace. As they strolled through the streets, the sounds of cars, people, and advertisements filled the air, an endless mix of noise.
Walking through such a lively place, Hoshimi oddly felt like a small boat adrift in a vast ocean. He was the boat, and the sea was the crowd. Looking around, there was no end in sight. Beyond experiencing the city's vibrancy, he mostly felt his own insignificance.
Hoshimi's half-closed eyes gradually opened, and his crimson pupils grew more distant.
"Hoshimi, what's wrong?" Kasumigaoka, noticing his change, asked with suspicion.
"Nothing, just reflecting on how many people there are in Tokyo."
Kasumigaoka's eyes flickered with a hint of something as she squeezed his hand and casually remarked, "Well, it's a world-famous metropolis. It's normal for there to be a lot of people. How about where you live, Hoshimi? Is it crowded?"
The laid-back Hoshimi, letting his guard down, replied, "It's alright, not too many or too few people. The development is up to par, and it's a nice place to live."
As part of the Tokyo metropolitan area, Chiba's development level was certainly not an issue. Plus, with some of the younger population moving to Tokyo, Chiba had just the right number of people left, making it a comfortable place to reside.
Kasumigaoka felt a surge of joy, secretly noting down the information Hoshimi had just revealed. Once she got home tonight and cross-referenced the timeline, she would have a good estimate of Hoshimi's real-life location.
"Utaha, what's this good place you mentioned? How much further is it?" Hoshimi's legs were starting to feel tired.
"It's an ice skating rink, about a ten-minute walk from here." Kasumigaoka estimated the distance and time.
"Ice skating rink?" Hoshimi slowed down and said, "Utaha, why don't we just go to the mall instead?"
"Hmm?" Kasumigaoka glanced at Hoshimi, amusement beginning to show in her eyes. "What's the matter? Don't tell me you can't skate?"
"It's not that I can't," Hoshimi said, pointing to his ears. "But it's too noisy there. It won't be peaceful, and besides..."
Hoshimi raised a finger, pointing at Kasumigaoka and then at himself, "Ice skating rinks are full of young people, and there are always a lot of extroverts there. Are you sure that with our looks, we won't attract any unwanted attention?"
"Uh..." Kasumigaoka was stunned.
True, with their level of attractiveness, the chances of being approached in such a place were almost 100%.
Some people, oblivious to boundaries, wouldn't care if the person they're hitting on was already with someone.
And there are always those sleazy guys who think with their lower halves, like strays sniffing out attractive girls.
While nothing serious might happen, such an encounter would certainly ruin the mood of their date.
With that in mind, Kasumigaoka silently scratched the ice skating rink off the list.
However, before deciding on the mall, she glanced at Hoshimi with suspicion and asked, "Hoshimi, you're not just saying that because you can't skate and don't want to embarrass yourself, are you?"
Hoshimi shook his head and lied smoothly, "How could I not know how to skate? Utaha, you're overthinking it. I'm just avoiding unnecessary trouble. But if you really want to skate, we can do it all you want in our dreams."
In his dreams, he was omnipotent! Skating was nothing! He'd learn it in a second!
"..." Kasumigaoka eyed Hoshimi suspiciously, feeling like he was bluffing, but without any proof.
After thinking it over, she decided not to dwell on the skating issue and instead asked, "Hoshimi, is there a mall you'd like to go to?"
Hoshimi blinked and playfully said, "I'm not from around here, so I don't know. Utaha, you pick."
Kasumigaoka was filled with question marks—what kind of game was he playing now?
Oh well, never mind.
She tightened her grip on Hoshimi's hand and led him toward the nearest mall. "Since you've never been to Shinjuku, I'll take care of the plans."
The bustling streets of Shinjuku were filled with malls; you could probably stumble into one just by walking around blindly.
Oh, and there was always the possibility of stumbling into Kabukicho... But it was daytime, so Kabukicho wasn't open, no worries about that.
Plus, she was leading him away from Kabukicho. The last thing she wanted was for Hoshimi to get lured by that kind of place.
Soon enough, they arrived at a large shopping mall.
The second, third, and fourth floors of the mall were mainly clothing stores, and as soon as they stepped onto the second floor, Hoshimi immediately perked up.
Because of his guilt, he couldn't play any tricks on Kasumigaoka for now, but there was no way he'd refuse her offer of fun!
If anything, he was looking forward to it...
"Utaha, summer's here, time to buy some summer clothes. How about this store?" Hoshimi pointed toward a shop specializing in women's skirts.
The skirts in this store were quite nice—mostly short skirts and mini skirts. Just imagining Kasumigaoka wearing them was enough to see how great she'd look.
"..." Kasumigaoka's eyelid twitched. She forced a smile and dragged Hoshimi up to the third floor, "Hoshimi, let's get you some clothes first. Look at what you're wearing—it's too plain, not trendy at all."
"Hm? Isn't a simple look good?"
Hoshimi was dressed very simply: a white T-shirt with a gray-white jacket on top, simple black fitted pants on the bottom, and a pair of white sneakers.
From head to toe, he looked clean and neat, nothing wrong with that in his opinion.
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