Vol. 2 Chapter 12: Day one. — Part 4

Common Honorifics:
-san: A polite suffix, but not excessively formal.
-kun: A common suffix among friends and younger people.
-chan: A common suffix among people you’re close with, mostly used for feminine nicknames and girls, since it’s cutesy and childlike.
-senpai: A common suffix and noun used to address or refer to one’s older or more senior colleagues in a school, workplace, dojo, or sports club.

From there, we all returned to the hotel, split up, and we each returned to our rooms.

I took a nice shower in the bathroom provided by the hotel and plopped down on my bed to reflect on the day we spent together while resting my worn-out body from the rampant movement and the unfamiliar places. But then—

“Bro! I’m sorry!”

—As soon as I hit the bed, he apologized fervently.

“…I don’t remember you doing anything though.”

“No, no, you took the trouble to set the scene, but then I got too engrossed looking at clothes…”

“Ah, well, it couldn’t be helped. Even Iwashiro-san herself disappeared into thin air.”

If he had rushed out on his own, I would’ve understood, but she did the same with as much vigor as he did. That being the case, his suppressing his feelings or not wouldn’t change the outcome.

“Uh… I guess.”

“Besides, she likes places like that, right?”

“For sure! Her not backing down and even surpassing me is a sign! It’s fate!”

Guess they’re beans from the same bag, though when they’re in class, he’s a star shining in its center while she reads books in the shadows. While they may not look similar on the outside, their passion for the things they love was extraordinary.

“So, I wanna work a strategy for tomorrow with you…”

“Of course. Tomorrow we’ll go to the Fushimi Inari-taisha, right? ”

“That’s right. I’m also planning to wear a kimono, and I can’t help but look forward to seeing Iwashiro in one as well.”

Come to think of it, he’s right…

If Katayama and Iwashiro-san are left alone with each other under the unusual circumstance of wearing a kimono, such an effective thing might bring them closer together. Maybe if we can induce them well, this might prove a great opportunity.

“Then how about you and Iwashiro walk alone while Asakawa is in that meeting of hers?”

While the “how” was undecided, I’m sure this idea was nice. However, contrary to my wonderful genius, Katayama started trembling for some reason.

“B–bro…”

What the—?

I didn’t mean to offend him or anything, but I must’ve said something that caught him off-guard. In any case, it’s better to just ask him.

“Katayama, what’s up?”

“Bro, are you… Are you some kinda genius?!”

Yup, I was worrying too much.

“How do you come up with such a genius idea? Were you a famous military strategist or something in a previous life, Miyamoto?”

“Miyamoto sounds like a samurai name.”

“A strategist and a samurai? That’s bonkers!”

I can’t. I just can’t get through to him while he’s in this weird state. —As I thought that, he suddenly stopped moving.

“Katayama?”

“But… If I’m alone with her while she rocks a kimono, I might just pass out…”

“That’s pretty funny,” I’d love to capture that on video. “On a different note, what kind of vintage clothing did you buy today?”

I bought a brown set-up recommended by Asakawa, but I got very curious about what kind of clothes this extroverted goofball bought. It might even help me in the future, who knows?

　
Hearing my question, Katayama fetched the bag containing the used clothes he had just purchased from the side of his bed and took them out one by one, introducing them to me.

“First, these pants are part of the Russian military… Or something like that.”

The first thing he took out was a pair of khaki-colored, slightly rumpled pants. It had four pockets in total, maybe because it was made to hold a lot of things. Their shape, which bulged out around the knees and then tapered down to the hem, was beautiful, and when worn, they seemed to draw a unique movement that made them even more interesting.

“Pretty rad.”

“Ain’t it? Next…”

Next, he took out a light brown jacket. However, unlike the one I had bought, it was a bit oversized, and the collar was darker in color. The softness of the fabric and the warmth of the lining made it perfect for the coming season.

“Pretty cute. Especially the collar.”

“You get me! I think it gives a softness to the coordination and makes it look less tall.”

Certainly, this would allow him to dress in a way that would incorporate the high school student vibe. It’s a wonder that he thought that far ahead when he bought the clothes.

“Last but not least…”

It was a large black T-shirt. On the front, it proudly displayed a character from a theme park that was popular with everyone from little kids to adults. Compared to the previous shirt, it was a much cuter choice. Tamer, even.

“This is surprising.”

“Right? But hey… check this out.”

Katayama then took out another piece of the same clothing in a different size.

“Could it be…”

“Exactly! If my confession is successful, I wanna pair up with Iwashiro-san!”

“Aren’t you putting the cart before the horse?”

No way he’s thinking about what comes after he starts dating. Well, if he’s enthusiastic about it, the chances of success might just increase. I’m sure.

“…If I get dumped, would you wear it with me?”

“…Only if you wear the small one, bro,” I answered.

“Nah, nah, that one’s too tight!”

Of course, I didn’t want to.

While we were talking, curfew loomed over us and we decided to get a good rest for tomorrow.