I Want a Girlfriend who Won’t Betray Me - Chapter 22

The Beginning of Summer Vacation Starts with Shopping

The next day, I start working on my summer homework. If I can finish it by the end of July, I will have the entire month of August to play around.

However, in Boston, instead of having a ‘summer break’, the school term ends in June, and the new term starts in September, so there was no homework at all.

Instead, we had to participate in community activities, attend workshops, and read a lot of books.

I wonder, which system is better? Still, they assign a mountain of homework for each subject here in Japan. Will I really be able to finish all of this?

After having my breakfast, I start to work on my homework at 8.30 AM until 6 PM. However, I have a lunch break in between and a short break at 3 PM.

What’s good about this time is that I get to have breakfast with my mom. Sometimes we eat breakfast so early in the morning, sometimes late, but being able to eat together makes me happy. Being able to do things I normally can’t is really nice.

Thanks to that, I’m able to finish everything by July 31. As for the book report, I can do it later or work on it bit by bit, so that’s fine. After all, I love reading books.

That night, I tell my mom,

“I’m going to the pool with my friends on August 3rd and 5th. So, I need to buy a swimsuit. Also, I need some allowance.”

“Okay. You already have friends to go to the pool with? Are they girls or boys?”

“It’s both.”

“I see. That’s good to hear.”

Of course, I can’t really tell her about what’s happening on the 3rd.

After successfully securing funds from my mom, I immediately go to the shopping centre on the very next day. I wonder if there are any trends for swimsuits? Oh well, anything will do.

As I get off the escalator from the platform and pass through the ticket gate, someone calls out to me.

“Shinonome-kun.”

“Eh?”

When I turn around, I’m surprised to see Kamijo-san standing there.

“What a coincidence. Running into you in a place like this. Maybe we’re tied together by the red thread of fate?”

“Red thread?”

“The thread of fate.”

“Ah, there is a saying like that?”

“Yeah, there is.”

“So, coincidences are the red thread of fate? Then, does that mean every time people randomly run into each other, they’re all connected by the red thread?”

“Umm, that’s not what I meant at all.”

“Is that so?”

“Well, never mind. So, Shinonome-kun, what brings you here?”

“I just have something to do.”

“I see. I came to buy a swimsuit. Come with me, Shinonome-kun!”

“Huh?”

“It’s fine, right? Let’s go, let’s go.”

Before I can say anything else, she suddenly grabs my hand and starts pulling me along.

“W-Wait a second! I have things to do too!”

“And what exactly are those things?”

“Well, you know, just some errands. So, let’s go our separate ways.”

There is no way I can tell her that I’m here to buy a swimsuit too, nothing good will come from that.

“Then I’ll help you with your errands, and you can help me with mine too.”

“No, it’s fine.”

“No, it’s not.”

She’s really persistent. People around us are starting to glance our way. I need to do something.

“Alright then, see you the day after tomorrow.”

I try to walk away quickly, but she grabs my shirt sleeve.

“Alright, alright, I get it.”

“Fufu, good.”

I’ll just accompany her shopping and then part ways afterwards. With that in mind, I decided to go along with her plans, thinking I can just wait outside anyways.

However—

“Hey, come inside with me.”

“No, that’s a bit much. I’ll just wait on that bench over there.”

“Nope! You’re coming in with me.”

“No, seriously, it’s fine.”

“Nope!”

“Excuse me, please refrain from doing such things in front of the store.”

““Sorry!””

“Come on, let’s go in already.”

I give in to Kamijo-san’s persistence and follow her inside…I immediately want to turn around and leave. This is definitely not a place I should be.

I keep my eyes shut.

“So, what do you think? Which one is better? Hey…you won’t know if you keep your eyes closed.”

“But…”

“You’ve come this far, so just look.”

Reluctantly, I open my eyes. In her right hand, she holds a red and white striped bikini. In her left hand, a blue and yellow floral-patterned halter-neck swimsuit.

“They both suit you.”

“Then I’ll go with this one. You’ll see it the day after tomorrow!”

“Eh!?”

Wait, this is bad. If she wears a bikini, there’s no way it’ll properly cover her breasts…

“I think the blue one suits you better.”

“Okay. Then, I’ll take this one. Wait here, I’ll go pay.”

“Ah, wait a second.”

I’m left behind, so I quickly step outside the store. A middle-aged woman passing by gives me a strange look as I exit the store alone.

Not long after, Kamijo-san comes out the store.

“You could’ve just waited inside, you know.”

I shake my head vigorously.

“No way. Anyway, Kamijo-san, you’re done shopping, right? So, I’ll be off now.”

“Eh? What are you talking about? Now it’s your turn to shop.”

“No, I can do it alone.”

“It’s fine, let’s go.”

“But—”

“Come on, what are you buying?”

People around us are looking and laughing at us. This is really embarrassing.

“A swimsuit.”

“Pfft! So it’s the same thing after all. Then let’s go back in.”

“Wait, this store is for women’s swimsuits, isn’t it?”

“No, there’s a men’s section in the back.”

Who even decided to put it there? I want to have a word with the store staff.

When we go to the men’s section, there are indeed men’s swimsuits, but they are all competitive swimwear.

“These won’t do. They’re for competitive swimming.”

“Ehh, but they look cool!”

“No way, I’m getting a regular one. Let’s go.”

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Sana’s POV

I wish I could’ve made him wear one of those. That would’ve been great. Ehehe.

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Kazuki’s POV

“What are you grinning about?”

“It’s nothing. Let’s go.”

We find a different store on the same floor selling men’s swim trunks. They are slightly above knee-length, with a blue and green ocean pattern. Not bad.

After finishing my shopping,

“Alright then, see you.”

Once again, Kamijo-san grabs my shirt sleeve.

“What is it now?”

“Aren’t we supposed to grab a meal or some tea after shopping?”

“Since when has that been a rule?”

“That’s just how the world works.”

“I don’t think that’s written in any book.”

“Who cares about that? Come on, let’s go!”

This girl is pretty stubborn. I’ve never noticed that at school.

We end up going to McDonald’s. It’s gotten more expensive lately, it’s definitely not as student-friendly as it used to be.

I order a Coke, and she gets an orange juice. After picking up our drinks from the counter, we find an empty seat.

It’s my first time seeing her from across the table, she has quite a prominent chest.

“Where are you looking?”

“Eh?”

I guess my eyes have wandered there without me realizing it.

“Fufu, if you want them, I don’t mind, Shinonome-kun. But you’ll have to take responsibility.”

“……”

That sounds like a really complicated thing to respond to.

“Fufu, I’m just kidding. Anyway, I’ll be lonely waiting for you at the pool the day after tomorrow. I’d rather have you come to the nearest station to my house or go to yours.”

“I don’t mind picking you up, but I don’t know the nearest station to your house.”

“It’s the first stop in the Shibuyama direction from school.”

“Eh? Really? I’ll have to transfer at Shibuyama, so that actually works out well.”

“Okay.”

“If I transfer at Shibuyama, I can get there in about thirty minutes. Since we’re meeting at ten, I guess I should get to your station a little before nine. I’ll be at the very back.”

“Got it. I’ll wait for you at the platform.”

About thirty minutes later, I part ways with Kamijo-san. She says she has something to do.

After that, I stop by the library, borrow a book for my reading report, and head home.

Running into Kamijo-san out of nowhere during summer break and then ending up going to the pool together, maybe this really is fate.