「Well, I’m sorry about that.」
Yuna, who had completely swallowed her tears along with the cold water in the paper cup, rubbed away the traces that still lingered at the corners of her eyes and puckered her lips bluntly.
But it didn’t feel unpleasant, rather like she was hiding her embarrassment.
Anyway, I feel like the distance between us has closed.
「I never thought President Kusakabe Yuna would be so easily moved to tears.」
「What’s with that way of saying it? Are you making fun of me?」
「I’m not.」
It was purely what I thought, and it just slipped out of my mouth.
The fact that she, who had been so curt, or rather, had been showing murderous intent towards me, cried at the devotion of an animal despite being a zombie, maybe the gap between species isn’t as big as I thought.
It’s too early to judge based on just one example though.
If the zombie virus suddenly spreads worldwide tomorrow, turning it into a post-apocalypse, knowing Yuna’s example, I might try to form a friendly alliance with them.
Definitely the type of character who dies early on.
Perhaps to cover up the slightly awkward atmosphere, Yuna cleared her throat and looked around the food court, which had become crowded as it was lunchtime.
「Shall we eat?」
「Yeah, I guess so.」
「Then I’ll go buy something for you. What do you want?」
「Eh.」
I agreed because my stomach was growling too, but to my surprise, she offered to treat me.
Even if only in name, this is a date. I don’t have the mindset that I can’t let a woman pay, but letting her pay for my food is a bit much.
I’d have no argument if I were called a freeloader.
「No, I’ll pay for myself.」
「I caused you trouble, right? This is an apology.」
But in return, forget about what just happened! she said.
Yuna stood up, making the chair scrape against the floor.
Without asking for my preference, she heads towards an udon shop. She must have been in the mood for udon. The heroine and protagonist ate udon in the movie too.
After a few minutes, Yuna returns with two steaming bowls of udon.
She carries them on a tray without any danger. Well, it’s dangerous in a different way because she’s a zombie, but it’s too late for that now since we’re on a date.
Besides, if she wanted to, she could kill me in an instant. Probably.
「Here.」
「Thank you.」
「…Yeah.」
She’s being surprisingly straightforward.
It’s almost scary at this point.
Is there a hidden camera or something?
I look around but see no such shadow. Yuna sits down across from me and tilts her head. “It’s nothing”, I said, waving my hand, and I broke my chopsticks relatively cleanly.
「Itadakimasu.」
「Itadakimasu.」
The udon I hadn’t eaten in a while was delicious.
I usually only eat ramen when it comes to noodles.
Eighty percent of a high school boy’s body is made of ramen. Like miso ramen.
After finishing our meal, we quickly leave the food court and go for a leisurely window shopping. I had learned from rom-coms that girls’ shopping takes a long time and they don’t buy anything, but it was surprisingly fun to do it with someone else.
「Hey, how about this?」
「Looks good. It suits you.」
Not forgetting that the original purpose was to become a man worthy of Nanaka, I throw a compliment at Yuna, who is wearing 500-yen earrings. The red glass shines brightly against her skin, which is a bit beyond pale due to being a zombie.
I thought she might attack me like in the morning, saying, “Who says it like that?”, but for some reason, she looked down and muttered, “…I see”.
──Light Novels──
──Read Here──
It seems she liked it, so I casually picked up the earrings and headed to the counter while opening my wallet.
I can’t just keep being treated. It’s barely not balanced though.
I put the earrings in a simple brown paper bag and hand them to Yuna, who was wandering around the store. She briefly shows a question mark above her head, then widens her eyes,
「Eh, wait, eh!?」
「A return for earlier.」
「It was supposed to be an apology!」
Given how much she dislikes me, it wouldn’t have been surprising if she had returned them.
However, she weakly hugged the paper bag to her chest and muttered “Thanks” in a barely audible voice.
As we continue, the setting sun begins to shine into the shopping mall, making it a good time to head home.
「…Umm.」
As we pass through the large doors characteristic of shopping malls, we’re exposed to the liberating outdoor air we haven’t felt for a while, and I can’t help but stretch.
As I watched the madder red reflecting off the mysterious, obstructive fountain in the center of the station’s rotary, I heard a hesitant voice from behind.
「H-How was today?」
「Unn, I guess it was fun.」
This isn’t just flattery.
It was my first outing with the opposite sex since becoming a high school student… no, let’s stop pretending. It was my first outing with the opposite sex in my life.
It’s a bit sad that it was with a zombie though.
「Then I’m glad!」
Yuna puffs out her chest as if showing confidence.
Still, she was wearing tattered clothes.
I wonder if the clothes become tattered because a zombie wears them, or if she deliberately chooses to wear tattered ones. I’m very curious.
「A-And…」
Fidgeting.
She looks up at me while hugging the paper bag to her chest.
「If you want, well… I wouldn’t mind going on another “date” with you. You’re so lucky to be able to date someone like me that you should be moved to tears.」
I see.
She must feel sorry for my inexperience with the opposite sex and is offering to go on another date with me.
I think for a while about what would happen if I gratefully accept her offer and what would happen if I don’t.
A date.
With a zombie.
Again.
…Hmm.
「No, I think I’m good.」
「Eh… what do you mean?」
「Going on a date. Sorry.」
The apology accounts for about half of the reason.
The rest is simply that I don’t want to go out with a zombie.
Today’s sensation was like observing a lion in a zoo. The only difference is that I’m the one in the cage.
It’s fine to look from the outside, but it’s quite tough when you have to get involved.
「Wh-wh-wh…」
Yuna trembled, and finally, with tears in her eyes, she threw a punch at me.
「──What the hell, you bastard! Idiot! After I went out of my way to show you kindness! As I thought, you’re not worthy of Onee-chan at all! I’ll never forgive you!」
Saying that.
She trots away into the sunset.
Left behind, I endure the looks of disdain from those around me, wondering why this happened just because I turned down a zombie’s invitation.
Damn we eating good, tftc!