Following the events of yesterday night, I now had a day planned with Satomi.
The first girl's number I have acquired...
Eiichiro told me that's a big thing, so I guess I achieved something great.
I woke up to a message from her in the early morning, she said if we could meet up at around 11:30AM at a near by shopping mall.
Of course, I saw no problem with this and told her that it sounds good.
I had relayed the news to Matsuo as well over the phone last night after she left. It went something like this...
"Kiyotaka is going on his first date already? My, I truly feel like a proud father." He laughed over the phone.
"I don't know if it can be called much of a date. I'm just trying to be nice and buy her that gift for her little sister."
Matsuo immediately responded. "Don't think of it just like that my boy, you said you saved her from a potential rape attempt, women see that as very important. Who knows, maybe the girl is planning to also treat you to something?"
"Well, we'll see. One way or another she was very grateful and appreciative of me offering to help and even said she owes me herself. so I'll presume she will eventually express her appreciation in return some how." I told him.
"Yes, just take it slow and steady."
I sighed, "Stop talking like you're trying to help me out with a relationship problem please."
Went something like that.
Right now I had about 2 hours until I was meant to meet up with her. Guess I'll decide on an outfit now rather than later.
I noticed my phone was getting notifications, to my surprise it was just Nendou and Kaido arguing over something stupid in the Group Chat we created.
Nendou was obviously the most active there, constantly sending comedic videos and asking things — Kaido was the same as him.
Ichigo was semi active, he came on like a regular person, not on constantly but not away for very long either.
Me and Hachiman were of course the least active on there, but I made an attempt to talk as much as I can, doesn't seem like he does though.
It makes me wonder since I'm meeting a girl today; will one every closely join our friend group?
I'm ignorant to things such as friend groups so it's still weird to call it that, but I've noticed in our school there are many different groups.
Some groups are very gender simplified, only being one gender. Others can be mixed with both genders.
Aside from the gender split groups, there is also the so called stereotype groups, such as the popular girls, athletes, geeks, etc.
It was interesting to see how split people are to their own demographic.
Sort of reminds me of my question on Equality.
Right now isn't the time to get philosophical though.
The mall we were meeting at was actually a good 15 minute walk for me, so I left at a reasonable time and made my way to the meeting spot.
I messaged Satomi to tell her I had left and she said she was leaving now too.
She told me to meet near the Horse statue.
I had no clue where that actually was because I hadn't actually been to the mall yet, only passed by it once by car with Matsuo.
It shouldn't be too hard to find, I mean, it's a statue she said. I'm going to take a guess and say it's near the front or centre of the mall.
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I arrived just in time, almost.
11:34AM.
As I expected, finding the large horse statue was not too difficult. I saw Satomi waiting near by it.
"Satomi. Sorry if I kept you waiting." I approached her and apologised.
She jumped slightly at my sudden arrival before glancing over at me.
"You actually came?! Dude I thought you were going to bail on me..." she sighed with relief? Bail on her? Why would I do that when I was the one who suggested to go out?
I asked her in a confused manner, " Why would I?"
"I don't know. It's still hard to believe you're actually offering to buy this for me. So I kind of started having second thoughts today that you were just messing with me." She looked down, embarrassed slightly.
"Well, I'm here now, so let's go do this." I told her. Lifting my arms up in a manner to present that I indeed was standing here in the flesh.
"Heh, Right." She smiled at me. She was wearing a nice outfit. Definitely appealed to the eyes, specifically a certain area that I couldn't help to look at as she wore a necklace that intercepted the very area I had my eyes on.
Hold on, why am I admiring her breasts again-
I looked up to see a crossed and slightly flushed Satomi.
"Perv."
"Wait wha-"
She sighed, "Just follow me."
Did she see me staring? Probably.
Well this isn't off to the best start...
Satomi led me into the massive Mall that had dozens of people within it. There was countless shops as one would expect, especially clothing stores. The store we were heading to was apparently on the second floor so we took the escalator up and shortly arrived.
Looking from the outside, I could see it was definitely a fancy store for female shoppers.
I felt somewhat hesitant to come in because I did not see a single other guy inside, but I had no choice and was basically dragged in by Satomi.
Looking around, everything here was quite pricey. I even saw a dress worth well over ¥100,000.
"Ah! There it is!"
Satomi ran over it and stared at it with stars in her eyes.
"I do admit it is a lovely dress, though I don't understand fashion all that much myself ." I said to her my honest thoughts on the dress.
"I think you are dressed nicely. But I too have a present for you." She said with a proud smirk on her face. "A present for me? What is i-?"
"Shhhhh. You'll find out later." She stuck her finger near my face, pointing. I wonder what she means by a present for me?
"Well, for now I'll go and buy this. Wait outside for me."
"O-Okay!" She stuttered and slowly made her way outside. The line was short so I quickly went, paid for it with my card, and left.
Satomi was standing outside holding her right arm with her left in a fidgety manner.
"Here you go." I present her the bag with the dress inside, she looked at it in silence for a few moments before slowly taking it. She silently hugged it and was looking down.
"Thank you... Ayanokoji." I could just barely see the top of her eyes, but she seemed very grateful. "I'm sorry you actually had to go out of your way and buy this, even after putting yourself in danger to save me yesterday. I'll never be able to fully repay you." I could hear some disappointment in her voice.
"It's fine Satomi. I was the one who chose to pay for it, this is all me." I told her. She looked with a surprised expression, but quickly smiled weakly.
"Now then, should we go and get something to eat?" I suggest to her. "Hell yeah!" She shouts happily.
We went down the escalator after that to a near by burger place.
Me and Satomi both ordered the same one coincidentally as well. She was really enjoying her food from the looks of it.
"What?"
"What?"
We both said one after the other.
"You're just looking at me eat, it's kind of creepy dude." She said with a raised suspicious eyebrow.
Oh crap. I found it funny so that's why, but I guess I'll play it smooth and say this, "You're cute when you eat."
While eating her food she choked on it for a second, probably caught off guard by my statement. Quickly taking a sip of her drink, she looked at me with a flushed face. "W-What the hell are you talking about!? Fucking weirdo!"
She looked away from me in embarrassment.
Now that I admit was actually cute.
Soon enough we were both done and ready to pay the pill. Naturally I think a guy is supposed to pay, or well that is what most people view it as in society from what I know.
If you actually asked me personally I would say whoever's idea it was to eat at a place should pay.
"Hey!" Satomi shouted. "I'll pay."
"Don't worry. I've got it." I told her ready to pay. She grabbed my arm and looked at me seriously.
"I. Will. Pay." A devilish smirk appeared on her face.
After about 8 minutes of back and forth between me and her, we just decided to split it.
Satomi afterwards led me into another store and said something I didn't expect.
"I'll buy you anything you want here. As long as it doesn't go over 16,000 yen, as that's how much I originally saved up for the dress." She was offering to buy me something?
"I don't know if I'd feel right accepting such an offer. Are you not sure you want to put the money to better use, Satomi?" I asked her to see if she was sure about this.
She nodded, "You bought my sister a very expensive gift and helped me out a lot. The least I can do is buy you something in return, even if it's not anything crazy."
Well, I definitely respect her for considering this.
"Knowing you, you would probably bash my head in if I tried to decline so I guess I'll pick something out." I sighed.
"Right-o!" She smirked at me.
That smirk terrifies even me.
Going around the store, I wasn't really sure what I wanted. But I eventually settled on a pair of shoes.
"How about these then?" I looked over at Satomi and asked her opinion of them.
"I think they look nice. If you're happy with them, then I'll get them."
And so, she bought me the shoes.
We spent the next hour or so wondering about the entire mall and checking what kind of other shops there were.
By the time we left, it was around 3:00PM.
Satomi told me I should come and give her sister the present myself. She didn't want to take the credit for it but I kind of wanted her to.
Her house wasn't too far away from my own actually, if I would have to estimate it I would say it was a 5 minute walk from mine to hers.
She unlocked the door and invited me inside.
Never did I think I would be visiting a girls house this early on, but here I was.
"Lily! Mum! I'm home!" Satomi shouted upon entering.
A mature female voice spoke out as a woman submerged from around the corner. "Welcome home Sweetie. And My! who is this young man?"
Woah.
"Mum, this is Ayanokoji. He's the boy I told you about last night." Satomi walked over to her mother, placing a hand on her shoulder and introducing me.
I stepped forward and through the front door properly now. "Hello there. It's uh, nice to meet you ma'am." I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous right now.
"Oh!" Satomi's mother stepped forward, "You're the one who offered to pay for Lily's dress?" She grabbed my hands and held them near her chest, she seemed to have a sympathetic expression on her face as I slowly nodded.
My hands were but just an inch away from them.
"You really didn't have to do that. Please, take this." She let go of one of my hands and reached over to a near by purse, I assumed she was going to take some money out to pay me back, to which I stopped her before she could even grab the purse.
"I don't want any money in return, ma'am. I'm just happy I could help." I told her honestly.
She seemed hesitant, but I stared deep into her eyes, hoping she would get the hint that I was confident with what I said.
"I see... still, is there any way I can personally repay you?" She eagerly asked, practically rubbing on me. "Mom! Stop bothering him!" Satomi tried to pull her mother off of me.
I did actually think of some way she could repay me.
"Well, I guess treating me to dinner with you guys shouldn't be bad."
They both looked at me with a surprised expression, not expecting my answer.
"Are you sure that's all you want Ayanokoji?" Satomi's mother asked. "Yes, I'm sure. If it's too much then it's fin-"
"No! No! I'm just about to start cooking dinner! Come come!" She grabbed my hand and dragged me along happily. I could hear Satomi sigh, maybe embarrassed by her mother.
I was escorted to the Living Room, Satomi followed behind.
We heard a slight creek behind us, to which we looked behind and saw a little girl.
"Lily! There you are." Satomi's mother said.
(( Couldn't find a casual outfit pic for Alter Lily ))
"Who is that...?" The girl apparently named Lily timidly peeked the corner and stared directly at me.
Satomi spoke up first, "This is Ayanokoji. And we actually have a present for you."
The small girl perked up slightly.
"It's nice to meet you Lily." I sort of waved my hand at her. She hid herself more however.
I felt a...
Pat on my butt?
I looked behind me to see Satomi's mother smiling at me joyfully.
What the hell?
Satomi then nudged my arm slightly with her elbow, glancing at her she whispers to me, "You give it to her. I don't want to take the credit for it, you did buy it after all"
She handed me the bag. Guess I should go.
"This is for you, Lily."
I spoke calmly not to frighten her or something as I handed her the bag with the dress in it.
She stared at me and the bag alternately before coming out from her cover and accepting it. She slowly took the special package out of the bag and saw the dress.
"This is...!"
"Me, your mother and your sister combined our money to buy you this." Upon hearing my words the two behind me were about to speak up before I shot a look back at them. They came to a halt.
"But... why? Why would you help buy this for me?" She looked up at me confused.
"I don't know. I guess I just wanted to help a friend out." I told her.
I don't really know what Satomi saw me as. So friend might have been a broad statement, however I at least was hoping we could at least become friends. Wouldn't want just guy friends.
There was a moment of silence before Lily raised her head up from the dress and looked up at me once again.
"Thank you!" She smiled at me with beams of joy. It was undoubtedly the most happy and delightful smile I've had the pleasure of laying my eyes on.
To add to that, she even gave me a small hug. I wasn't expecting it so I just pay the top of her head slightly, I could see Satomi and her Mother look at me with a happy expression as well.
From there, I was treated to dinner by the family. I stayed for about 2 hours until I decided it was time to go.
I was escorted outside by Satomi, and we stood for a bit chatting.
"Thanks again for everything. You've really surprised me a lot y'know?" Satomi was leaning on her door frame with her arms crossed and under her chest.
"Surprised you? How come?" I could sort of understand what she meant by that, but still thought I should ask.
"I mean, we've been at school together for almost a month now and we never really spoke. I always saw you as a gloomy and edgy kind of guy and besides that didn't really think of you at all. But you're actually a gloomy nice guy." She laughed slightly. Guess I can't get the gloomy label off me just yet. "That brings me to a question I wanted to ask, did you have fun today?"
That was a rather sudden question. "Yes, I did. Why do you ask?" I asked her.
"Hey dude, you never even smiled once today despite being alone with a pretty girl for most of the day." She scoffed slightly.
"I'm just not that good at expressing myself." This was naturally true for me. Although the reasoning behind it is something that cannot be talked about.
"Hmmmm... is that so? Well, I'll try to help you express them in the future." That was a response I definitely didn't expect, but a good one nonetheless. "Thank you, Satomi. I should get going now. I'll see you at school." I told her my goodbyes.
"Oh, alrighty then. Byeeee." She smiled at me slightly as she sent me off from the door.
It seems my relationship with her has already developed well from knowing her properly for a short amount of time. To add on, I helped her out with something very dear and her entire family likes me as well. This was going well.
She could be someone I can possibly use in the future for things I want or need. Maybe to even experience the so called thing of "Love." Though I would still need to delve deeper into her character.
Ugh!
I could feel the muscles in my face tense up.
Why do I still think like this?
That Man and Place is the reason I still have a side to me that leaks out when I try do ordinary things.
I hate it.
I walked home in silence.
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(( What's up guys. I'm still alive so don't worry I haven't disappeared from this app even with the long absences I can have sometimes lmao. I'm still on holiday right now so I don't have much time to even be on my phone. But I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. ))
(( I may start diving deeper into the actual school setting starting next chapter but I'll see as I have something else I also want to present to you guys soon. Either way, look forward to it! I'll be back from holiday around early august but I'll also try working on a chapter before then. ))
Published On: 24th Of July 2022.
Word Count: 3143.