I Started Dating Someone By Taking Advantage Of Her Weakness, But I Was Actually Dating Her Mother

“Um, won’t you please cheer up?”

“I don’t know. Lick”

Jin and Yoriko were sitting on a bench eating soft-serve ice cream. To appease Yoriko, who had gotten upset about the weight comment, Jin had employed a strategy of giving her soft-serve ice cream to improve her mood. However, the effect seemed minimal, as Yoriko was licking the white ice cream while making a displeased face.

“That person was just light. I didn’t mean that you were incredibly heavy, Tsukimizato-san.”

“Oh, really? And by giving me this thing, are you trying to make me even fatter?”

After Yoriko had finished all the ice cream, she questioned Jin about his actions.

“That wasn’t my intention.”

“I’m partly to blame for not paying much attention to my weight until now, so I’ll forgive you this time.”

Yoriko had gotten heated and spoke impulsively due to the sudden incident. Looking back, she had been desperately raising her daughter single-handedly and hadn’t had time to worry about her weight in daily life, so she decided to let it go, considering this an opportunity to reexamine her own body shape.

“I’m sorry. I made the atmosphere a bit awkward. Let’s get ourselves together and play until closing time.”

Yoriko changed her attitude and decided to play with Jin until just before closing time.

“Tsukimizato-san, since closing time is approaching, the next one will probably be our last.”

“That’s right. I wanted to play a bit more, but it can’t be helped. Let’s make that one our last ride.”

This amusement park’s closing time was 5 PM, considering that they didn’t operate at night. Since Yoriko had to prepare dinner after returning home, closing at this time was convenient for her. Despite some minor troubles, the two had enjoyed their time at the amusement park and were very satisfied to have seen various new expressions from each other. They decided to end the visit by riding the attraction they had intentionally saved for last.

“Hmm, maybe everyone thinks the same thing.”

“I-it seems so.”

Jin and Yoriko had lined up for the Ferris wheel. It was a famous attraction with gondolas attached to a giant circular frame, used as a landmark of the amusement park. Like Jin and Yoriko, many couples had thought to ride it last, forming a line. Families with children often headed home at this time, so the percentage of couples around them was very high.

“Please watch your step.”

Though the line was long, the turnover rate seemed high, and the line moved faster than expected, so Jin and Yoriko’s turn soon came. Guided by the staff member, the two boarded the Ferris wheel gondola.

“The couple rate on this Ferris wheel is really high.”

“That’s right. I wonder how we looked to others?”

Jin said what he couldn’t say while waiting in line, now that they were alone. Yoriko responded with a mischievous expression and asked him a question back.

“…Well, um…”

Jin had a clear answer to Yoriko’s question, but found it difficult to say.

“Is it something that’s hard to say?”

“Ah!”

Jin and Yoriko were sitting facing each other in the gondola, but growing impatient with Jin who wasn’t saying anything, the woman stood up from her chair, spun around, and sat down next to Jin.

“Well… I guess we look like a couple.”

“I see, I see. So that’s what you think, Kaneda-kun.”

“What do you think, Tsukimizato-san?”

“Huh?”

After Jin answered bashfully, he asked Yoriko the same thing. Not having expected to be asked such a thing in return, Yoriko was surprised by the sudden question.

(We’re so far apart in age, like parent and child, so at first I intended to look at him like a kid. But I want to continue spending time with Kaneda-kun like this. Which means…)

Being questioned by Jin made Yoriko reconsider her own feelings. While she had initially seen him like a child since she had a child of similar age, she realized anew that she herself had been seeing Jin as a man.

“Ah!”

When Jin and Yoriko casually looked away, what they saw ahead was another gondola where a man and woman were kissing.

“Tsukimizato-san.”

“Kaneda-kun.”

Seeing that made Jin and Yoriko even more conscious of each other. Gradually, their faces moved closer together.

“Um, would it be okay?”

“Yes.”

Jin asked Yoriko for confirmation, and having received her consent, their lips met.

(So this is what a girl’s lips feel like.)

(This is wrong. I got swept up in the atmosphere of the moment. Ah, but I feel so happy. It would be okay to savor this just a little while longer, wouldn’t it?)

Jin felt his heart pounding so hard from his first lip-to-lip contact with a woman. Meanwhile, Yoriko felt guilty about having kissed him due to being swept up in the atmosphere.

“Mm.”

“Phew.”

Jin and Yoriko remained embraced for a while, savoring the feeling of each other’s lips, and then shortly after, their lips parted.

“I like you, Tsukimizato-san.”

“I like you too, Kaneda-kun. But…”

Jin thought this was his chance and confessed to Yoriko while they were still embracing. Yoriko also honestly shared her feelings, then tried to tell him what she had been hiding.

Clunk.

“Ah!”

Just as Yoriko was about to say something, the Ferris wheel suddenly stopped.

“Tsukimizato-san, I’m sure it will start moving again soon. You don’t need to worry. You’ll be fine if you stay like this.”

“…Kaneda-kun.”

Sensing that she must be feeling anxious about the sudden stop, Jin pulled Yoriko closer and spoke reassuringly. Hearing this, Yoriko’s heart filled with the desire to stay together forever.

Kiss.

(Oh, Kaneda-kun…)

To further reassure Yoriko, Jin gave her a second kiss on the lips. Having her lips taken once more, Yoriko knew she had to tell him the truth, but right now she wanted to stay like this just a little bit longer.

“Attention, passengers. Due to an incident during operation, this Ferris wheel has made an emergency stop for safety confirmation. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and concern this has caused our passengers. We will resume operations shortly, so please wait a moment.”

Jin and Yoriko, due to the Ferris wheel stopping, had been seeking each other’s lips as if to dispel their anxiety. Then, the voice of a staff member could be heard from the speaker installed in the gondola.

“It seems like it will start moving soon.”

“Y-yes, it does.”

Jin and Yoriko, who had been in a good mood, were brought back to reality by that announcement and became conscious of each other. Yoriko quickly stood up and returned to her original seat. Soon after, the Ferris wheel began moving once again.