A Young Male Hairdresser, Assigned To help Out At The Branch, Finds Himself Bothered By The Playful Antics Of A Lively High School Gal Model Who Seeks Attention. - Chapter 26: Date? (3)
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Date? (3)
“So, let’s hear about Nonoka-san’s love life.”
“Huh, w-wait!”
As soon as he urged her like that, Nonoka, showing signs of agitation, was there.
“Is it really just once? I can’t believe that. You must be used to it…!”
“Being used to relationships and being used to the opposite sex are different matters.”
“Uh.”
“If you say that, I think Nonoka-san, you are also used to men, and if you’re not used to the opposite sex, I feel like being a beautician wouldn’t work.”
“…”
Nonoka, with eyes wide in realization, stood there as if turned into stone.
There seemed to be some part she understood.
“Th-that’s not fair…”
“You’re the one who first brought it up, you know? There’s nothing unfair about it.”
“W-well, that’s true but… Ugh.”
While holding her head, she wore an expression of regret.
If she had understood the difference between ‘being used to relationships’ and ‘being used to the opposite sex,’ she might have been able to answer correctly in the four chances she was given.
Shuuto had given her a hint.
When she answered ’10 times,’ he responded with ‘too many.’
“…Ah, our glasses are empty. Shall we order some more drinks? Mine’s running low too, so I was thinking of getting plum wine.”
“I’ll have plum wine too…”
“Got it. This time, I’ll place the order.”
With the change in power dynamics after winning the bet, the moment the waiter brings their ordered drinks marks the transition to the main topic.
“Now then, Nonoka-san. As per our agreement, could you tell me about your dating history? Of course, I won’t ask for anything too personal.”
“Uh, okay.”
Nonoka nods timidly, seeming to escape reality by taking a sip of plum wine. Shuuto finishes his initial order of lemon sour and gets down to business.
“Well then, how many times have you been in a relationship? Since I shared mine.”
“U-um, the number of times I’ve been in a relationship is… uh…”
“I’m guessing it’s between three and four times, am I right?”
“Uhh…”
“In that case, it’s between one and two times, right…?”
“N-no, it’s not.”
Nonoka shakes her head softly while denying with a small voice. Her face is gradually turning red.
“Huh, so it’s five times or more!? Considering it’s you, Nonoka-san, I don’t think you’d create problems that lead to quick breakups…”
“Because… it’s zero times…”
“…Huh?”
This time, it’s Shuuto who freezes like a statue.
“Um, can you repeat that once more?”
“It’s zero times…”
“Uh, you’re joking, right?”
“N-no, it’s true…”
“But, Nonoka-san, you’re incredibly beautiful. Your skills as a beautician are amazing, so I find it hard to believe.”
“Ngh…”
Just as Nonoka couldn’t believe Shuuto, now Shuuto couldn’t believe Nonoka. As a result, their true feelings spill out.
…And it’s something quite unexpected coming from Nonoka.
Having been praised for her appearance by someone she respected and admired, and having her skills that she had cultivated all this time acknowledged, her mind went blank. She blushed as red as boiled octopus, fidgeting as she tried to explain.
“W-well, even if you say that, I’ve never been in a relationship… I wouldn’t tell such an embarrassing lie.”
“S-sorry. I just couldn’t believe it…”
Both of them were enveloped in an awkward silence. To distract themselves, they simultaneously took a sip of their drinks.
“Um, can we change the topic a bit?”
“S-sure.”
“Why haven’t you been in a relationship until now? I might be crossing a line by saying this, but Nonoka-san, you’re beautiful and kind. I assume you’ve been confessed to many times.”
Saying things she wouldn’t normally say, embarrassing things slipped out. This was the power of alcohol.
Blushing deeply, Nonoka answered that question.
“W-well, initially, I wasn’t interested in romance. I had never been confessed to, so I thought it was something unrelated and out of my reach… But after going through a makeover at the salon and started receiving confessions, little by little, I began to develop an interest in romance.”
“Even after developing an interest in romance, you still didn’t enter a relationship?”
“Yeah… During that time, I was focused on studying hard to become a beautician… I felt like it would be a waste of time to engage in romance.”
Even though she developed an interest in romance, her passion for becoming a beautician was stronger.
“I see. That explains it.”
“Uhm, please keep this a secret, okay? About this matter… That I’ve never been in a relationship with anyone.”
“Of course. It’s not something I’d spread around.”
“Th-thank you…”
The content was significant. Nonoka had already finished the plum wine she ordered earlier.
“But why did you agree to this bet? You wanted to keep it a secret, so you must have been keeping it under wraps…”
“I was really confident that you wouldn’t guess it…”
As a result, she remained unscathed. It was understandable that she would wear a slightly sulky expression.
“D-do you, Shuuto-kun, not find it strange? A 24-year-old who has never been in a relationship?”
“I don’t find it strange at all. There’s a right time for everything, including relationships.”
“I see…”
“However, I am concerned that you might fall for a bad guy. Even though I’m a beginner in love myself, they say beginners are more likely to fall for the wrong person.”
“A bad guy…?”
Nonoka, radiating an unusually gentle atmosphere, asked with a soft tone.
“For example, someone approaching you just to be spoiled or getting close with the intention of something physical… Especially the latter applies to women.”
“W-wait, by ‘physical,’ you mean… intimate things?”
“W-well… yes.”
“Intimate things… that’s not good, right? It’s best to do those things with someone you like.”
“……Huh?”
Shuuto felt a sense of discomfort at this point. The conversation seemed a bit off.
“Um, Nonoka-san, are you drunk?”
“I’m still okay, you know…? I can usually handle three drinks.”
“Huh!? Even if you can only handle three drinks, at that pace, you’ll get drunk!”
Nonoka had already had two drinks at this point, and they were high-proof plum wines.
“For now, please drink some water. It’s right here.”
“Yeah… It’s Shuuto-kun’s celebration, so I have to make sure not to get drunk, right?”
While she was saying something impressive, it was likely that if time passed, she would become even more intoxicated.
Seeing her in this state, he couldn’t help but feel more anxious.
He wondered if she might encounter a bad guy who would force her to drink and do something inappropriate.
When Shuuto made eye contact with Nonoka, she tilted her head as if saying, “What’s wrong?”
With a smile directed at her, she responded with a mischievous laugh. Her demeanor, affected by the alcohol, had become more like that of a junior colleague.