Capítulo 76: I Just Want a Single Ending [76] [DDD!]
December Double Drop!
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Takamatsu Tomori glanced up, noticing him, then pointed to two pill bugs crawling by the tree, explaining her fascination.
Saku crouched down beside her, looking in the direction she indicated.
One of the pill bugs seemed to be digging in the dirt, while the other scurried back and forth without any clear purpose.
"Interesting, huh? Are you into this kind of thing?"
Even if he didn't understand the appeal, he figured complimenting her interests couldn't hurt.
"Mm-hmm."
Surprised by his words, Tomori paused for a moment before nodding.
Saku offered, "So, should we keep watching these bugs, or head inside the aquarium?"
"…Let's go to the aquarium."
Tomori stood up, deciding quickly.
"Alright, I'll go buy the tickets."
After a quick look at the ticket counter, Saku started heading over.
Before he got far, though, Tomori pulled a card from her pocket and explained, "You don't need to buy one for me—I have an annual pass."
"An annual pass? Looks like you're a regular here."
Saku's gaze moved from her pass back to her face, which had a slightly clueless look that was somehow endearing.
"Yes."
Tomori confirmed with a nod.
Saku smiled, "Once we're inside, I'll be counting on you to show me around. This is my first time here, after all."
Truthfully, Tomori's interests were, to put it mildly, quite unique.
As her desk mate, he'd often seen odd things like rocks and band-aids on her desk.
He'd learned before that she loved astronomy, and then just now, he discovered her fascination with pill bugs. Now, he was learning she was a frequent visitor at the aquarium.
The difficulty level of becoming her close friend and finding things to talk about felt a bit too high.
Her interests were… widespread.
But there was no helping it. To get closer to her, he'd need to try and understand her world.
With interests this unique, she probably had very few people who could fully engage with her.
If he could become that person who could understand and keep up with anything she talked about, they'd surely become true friends.
He'd make her feel as if she'd finally met a kindred spirit.
"I'd be happy to show you around."
Tomori replied with complete seriousness.
"Great. I'll go get my ticket—wait here for a second."
With that, Saku headed to the ticket counter.
After buying his ticket, he inquired about getting an annual pass.
When he learned he'd need to provide ID and wait a little while, he decided to postpone it. He'd come back to get one when Tomori wasn't around.
Since she liked the aquarium so much, it made sense for someone aiming to be her close friend to get an annual pass too.
That way, he could come back here with her anytime.
But for now, he'd keep this a secret.
Surprises are better when you don't see them coming.
With his ticket in hand, Saku returned to Tomori, who had crouched back down to watch the pill bugs.
"I've got the ticket. Ready to go in?"
"Yeah."
---
As they entered the aquarium, Saku took in the surroundings with interest.
After a few minutes, he could understand a bit of Tomori's fondness for this place.
Exotic fish that he'd usually never see, possibly from deep-sea habitats, were swimming gracefully right in front of him. It was honestly a calming sight.
Even though today was a holiday, the aquarium was still quiet, likely because it had just opened. There were hardly any visitors yet, giving the place a peaceful, almost empty feel.
That worked in their favor, though—they could wander around freely without worrying about crowds.
The only thing that stood out was that, since Tomori had agreed to point out interesting spots, Saku had been waiting for her to offer some commentary.
But instead, she simply guided him from one exhibit to the next, standing in front of each tank and quietly watching the sea life, saying only, "This one."
At first, Saku found it odd, but after the same pattern repeated several times, he began to understand that this was simply her way of giving a tour.
Rather than explaining, she preferred to let him see everything directly.
Saku decided this must be her style.
"Is this how you're showing me around?"
He took a chance and asked her directly.
"Mm-hmm."
Tomori tilted her head slightly to look at him, nodding.
"Thanks."
Seems he could pick up on her wavelength, at least a little.
Becoming close friends with her was definitely within reach.
"No problem."
---
They continued like this until they reached a massive exhibit tank filled with swimming penguins.
Looking around, Saku saw groups of penguins diving and swimming together, while two penguins glided right past them, close enough to touch.
"Do you like penguins?"
Noticing Tomori's gaze lingered longer here than at other exhibits, Saku asked with interest.
"Is that one scratching an itch?"
Tomori was completely focused on a penguin that had fallen behind its group, watching as it bent over, pecking its side with its beak. She seemed captivated by its movements, so much so that she hadn't heard his question.
Seeing her so absorbed, Saku decided not to push for an answer.
Her reaction was answer enough.
Just as he prepared to stay by her side a bit longer to enjoy the penguins, a staff member approached them with a camera, dressed in the aquarium's uniform.
"Would you like a photo with your girlfriend here? We can print it on the spot and frame it for you."
"First of all, we're not a couple; we're just friends," Saku corrected the misunderstanding, then asked, "How much would that cost?"
"With a single print, it's 2,000 yen framed, but two prints would be only 3,000 yen," the staff member explained.
"What's up?"
Noticing the staff member talking to Saku, Tomori looked over curiously.
Saku briefly explained the situation and the pricing, noticing that she seemed slightly interested, so he followed up, "What do you think? Want to take a picture together here?"
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Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
Posture and water check! Remember this is a fan translation!
If you wish to support me or read ahead here's a link! [patreon.com/WiseTL]
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