I Chose the Plain Girl Instead of the Class’s Top Three Beauties, and Somehow She Became the Heroine - 80

Chapter 80: Date 1

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《Hiroko Anno’s POV》

The lingering traces of daytime stood quietly by the window, tinting the room a faint orange.

“First, moisturize. Okay, take a deep breath.”

Onee-chan’s fingertips brushed my cheeks like a soft makeup brush. A small ritual before putting on makeup.

“We don’t need glitter today. Instead of adding cuteness, let’s go with a clean subtraction.”

“…Okay.”

In front of the mirror, I removed the witch’s beret and untied the slender persimmon-colored ribbon. I returned the star sticker on my wrist to its backing sheet. The praying witch took a short rest. Today, I was going to let him see the me that Yua-san had called cute. I took off my glasses, and the outlines of the world softened. When I put in my contacts, the light snapped back into focus.

“The coat is navy, the stole is burgundy, just like what we’ve talked about before. Tuck your hair behind your ears. Yeah, great job.”

Onee-chan praised me with a thumbs-up. Ever since I started to change, Onee-chan  had taught me so many things and praised me so much.

“Onee-chan , thank you.”

“Have fun. Close the door quietly, okay?”

“Yeah.”

Just like she said, I closed the door softly. The small click of the latch gave me a push from behind.

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The city showed signs of costumes everywhere. Garlands in the shopping district, pumpkin lanterns, the hems of children’s capes. The sweet scent of cinnamon mixed with the steam of roasted chestnuts, and the air of October thirty-first felt special just by existing. At the edge of the fountain at our meeting spot stood a silhouette in a black coat. I could tell by the way he walked. I could tell by the way he breathed.

“Sora-kun.”

When he turned around, he had taken off the phantom thief’s mask. Even so, that quiet presence remained, and in his black turtleneck and coat, the light passed straight through his eyes.

“Hiroko-san. You’re a different kind of witch from yesterday. You look beautiful.”

“Th-thank you very much! Today, I came as… Just me.”

“Yeah. I came as just me too today. I only brought the cosplay mask.”

Just that made my chest tighten. The traffic light turned green, and we started walking side by side. The chirping sound felt somehow like a blessing. The place he took me to was a small Italian restaurant. Street trees beyond the windows, wooden tables and jars of olives inside. The doorbell was modest, and the steam from the soup seemed to say, “Welcome.” There were lots of young people, and it didn’t feel stiff. Plenty of people were eating in costume.

“Did you make a reservation?”

“Yeah. This place is bound to get crowded during Halloween. I’d never come here alone, but… I want to come here if it’s with you, Hiroko-san.”

“Hehe.”

When we sat down, a minestrone was brought to us. It felt like an extension of that bench from before, but today there were proper dishes and warm air.

“Let’s eat.”

“Go ahead.”

Each time I dipped my spoon in, the diced vegetables fell apart softly. The tang of tomato and the scent of basil. The simple flavor was genuinely comforting. It felt just right for our date.

“Are you nervous?”

“A little, but I’m having fun.”

“Me too.”

Steam drifted through the gaps between our brief exchanges. We split the bread in half and added a little olive oil. My fingertips brushed lightly against his. For an instant, the world stopped for one beat and then started moving again. After the meal, we shared a small dessert plate. Each time the silver fork touched, it overlapped with the piano music playing somewhere far away.

At the register, he said “Thank you very much” clearly, just like always. 

That kind of thing is what I like the most about him.

When we stepped outside, the sky was edging toward black. Pumpkin signs glowed here and there, and the wind was light enough to pass by a cape. So I wouldn’t get swept up in the crowd, I pinched the cuff of my coat with my left hand. My right hand stayed in my pocket, gently checking the folded burgundy ribbon.

“Shall we walk?”

“Yes.”

We passed through the arcade and paused to look at small tarts through the window of a cake shop. In front of the game center, a boy wearing wolf ears struggled with a crane game while a girl with angel wings laughed beside him. Were those two on a date too? When I realized I myself was on a date with a boy, my face grew hot.

At the intersection, a vampire’s cape fluttered softly as they waited for the light.

“It feels like everyone’s a character in a story.”

“Do you think we’re a single scene in that story too?”

“I hope it’s a cute one.”

“If it’s about cuteness, Hiroko-san is the cutest by far right now.”

“M–my goodness…”

Dry leaves rustled softly underfoot. The world through my contacts looked just a little brighter. His profile too, just a little. Each time the light changed from red to green, my heartbeat learned another signal.

“Are your hands cold?”

“…Just a little.”

“Here.”

He opened his coat pocket slightly for me. The same thing had happened once before. We walked toward a park lined with trees that were on their way to being bare. Like a substitute for a single glove, our hands warmed together in one place. The warmth at my fingertips was gentler than words. Sora-kun’s hand was big, and warm.

“From tomorrow, we will go back to our ordinary days.”

“Yes. But I’ll be fine, because I can take today home with me.”

“Today?”

“Here.”

He gently pulled my hand and whispered near my ear.

“–”

All at once, my whole body grew hot, and I couldn’t figure out what I was supposed to say in reply.

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