I Started Dating Someone By Taking Advantage Of Her Weakness, But I Was Actually Dating Her Mother - Chapter 27-28: The Second Date (Part 3&4)

“Tsukimizato-san, shall we get in?”

“Y-yes! E-excuse us for intruding.” 

Jin and Yoriko cautiously entered the elevator as if they were entering someone else’s home.

“Which floor would you like to visit, customers?” 

“Um, I believe it was the fifth floor.” 

“Certainly. I’ll take you to the fifth floor.”

Jin informed the elevator attendant of the floor where their destination store was located. The elevator attendant then turned her back to Jin and Yoriko and pressed the button marked “5” from the control panel installed beside the door. After confirming that no one else was boarding, she pressed the button marked “Close” to shut the doors. The elevator then began to ascend, starting its journey to the designated floor.

(Hmm, what do they sell on the fifth floor?) 

Yoriko tried to read the floor guide plate, but her view was blocked by the elevator attendant’s body, preventing her from confirming what was sold on the fifth floor.

“Thank you for waiting. This is the fifth floor, the women’s clothing department. Please take your time browsing the store.”

When the elevator reached their destination, Jin and Yoriko stepped out. The elevator attendant saw them off by bowing deeply until the doors closed.

“This is the first time I’ve ever felt so nervous just riding an elevator.” 

“Y-yeah, me too.” 

Yoriko had been tense from the overly polite service, while Jin had become conscious of the sweet fragrance emanating from the two women in the confined space of the elevator.

“Hey, Kaneda-kun, what are we doing in the women’s clothing department?” 

“I wanted to thank you for meeting me today.” 

“Are you perhaps going to buy me clothes?”

Yoriko had a vague feeling when they arrived on the fifth floor but asked Jin to confirm.

“That’s what I was planning.”

“I see… B-but I made you spend a lot of money last time, and this time I met you regardless of that incident because I wanted to see you too, so you don’t need to thank me.”

When Jin mentioned buying her clothes, Yoriko considered the clothes she currently owned. The last time she had purchased clothing, excluding underwear which she treated as consumables, was during her single days. 

Currently, she was sharing and rotating those clothes with her daughter Otowa to help save on household expenses. Her parental instinct to dress Otowa, who was at an age where she wanted to be fashionable, in new clothes made her consider accepting Jin’s kindness.

However, feeling guilty about making him spend a large amount of money during their previous date, although she was happy about his offer to buy her something, she concluded that she shouldn’t burden Jin – who was still a student – and decided to decline.

“You don’t have to hold back, you know. Oh, I have an idea. It’s okay if we just look, right?” 

“Yes, that would be fine.” 

Yoriko decided to accept Jin’s proposal since just looking wouldn’t cost any money.

“It’s quite deserted despite being a holiday.” 

“Yes, I was thinking the same thing.” 

The floor, which primarily handled women’s clothing, had various types of clothes, shoes, hats, and other women’s apparel carefully displayed with proper spacing. Some items were even displayed in glass cases, giving off a different atmosphere from the typical stores used by ordinary people. Jin and Yoriko were somewhat concerned that the sales floor was so quiet despite it being a holiday.

“Tsukimizato-san, shall we look around for now?” 

“Y-yes, let’s do that.”

At Jin’s suggestion, Yoriko decided to walk around the sales floor, though she felt uneasy about the staff members who were watching their movements.

“Wow, this dress has such a refined atmosphere.”

“That’s right. Bright colors are nice too, but I think slightly darker colors would suit you very well.” 

Although Yoriko hadn’t paid attention to fashion for many years due to family circumstances, she was still a woman. She didn’t dislike looking at beautiful or cute things. She picked up and examined a gray dress that had first caught her eye.

“Would you like to try it on, customer?” 

“Kaneda-kun, what should I do?”

One of the middle-aged female staff members who had been watching Jin and Yoriko’s actions stepped in front of them. The other staff members who had been waiting for an opportunity to approach showed disappointed expressions and returned to their respective duties.

“I’d like to see you wearing it, Tsukimizato-san. I’m sure it would look great on you.”

“Oh, Kaneda-kun. If you say that much, I have no choice but to try it on. Please, I’ll take you up on your offer.” 

“Certainly. I’ll guide you to the fitting room then. Come, come, boyfriend-san, please come to the front of the fitting room as well.” 

Yoriko and Jin were guided to the fitting room by the middle-aged female staff member.

“Please call out when you’re finished trying it on.” 

“Y-yes.” 

Yoriko entered the fitting room and looked at the dress again.

(If we had clothes like this at home, Otowa would be happy too. Come to think of it, how much does this dress cost?)

“Eek!” 

“Customer, is something wrong?” 

“N-no, it’s nothing.” 

Yoriko hadn’t checked the price of the dress she was holding, so she looked at the price tag now. The number written there made her involuntarily cry out in surprise.

(S-sixty-six thousand yen? Isn’t there one too many zeros?)

The price tag read 66,000 yen, an amount greater than the Tsukimizato family’s monthly living expenses, which left Yoriko flustered.

(Trying on doesn’t cost money, and it would be bad for Jin-kun if I stopped here, so I should at least try it on. Fight, Yoriko!)

Since Yoriko couldn’t stay holed up in the fitting room, she tried to calm her trembling hands from nervousness and changed out of her clothes to try on the dress.

“H-how does it look?” 

“Yeah, it looks really good on you.” 

Yoriko, having somehow managed to finish changing, opened the fitting room curtain to show Jin her appearance in the expensive dress. Jin genuinely told her it suited her, having a good impression of the refined atmosphere.

“Customer, it looks wonderful on you. If you’d like, would you care to try a full coordination from hat to shoes?”

“That might be nice too. I’d like to see Tsukimizato-san all dressed up.” 

At the female staff member’s suggestion, Jin also wanted to see Yoriko beautifully coordinated. Upon hearing Jin’s words, the female staff member made unnatural hand movements toward the other staff members, sending what appeared to be some kind of signal.