The Case of Liking the Most Beautiful Girl in the School Even After Being Told Not to Like Her - Chapter 23 - Date With Senpai

Chapter 23 – Date With Senpai

July 12th, the day of my date with Shirai-senpai.

I was waiting nervously for senpai at the station where we were to meet a little early. The meeting time was 10am. I looked at the big clock in front of the station and saw that it was 9:45am. If it’s this early, it’s like I’m really looking forward to it, isn’t it? Well, there’s no doubt that I am looking forward to it.

While I was waiting for senpai to come out of the ticket gate, a train of people came down from the stairs and went through the ticket gate. While I was watching that, a person in a beige one-piece dress was walking towards me. It was Shirai-senpai.

“Good morning, Asai-kun. I thought I’d get here before Asai-kun, but I didn’t think you’d be here first. Did I make you wait too long?”

If I say that I waited for a long time, she will think that I’m a very enthusiastic person, and senpai who’s not even late might even apologize to me.

“No, I’ve only just arrived.”

“I see, that’s good. It’s a nice day to go out. Now, we’re going by bus, right?”

“Yes. I think going by bus is better than the train. Ah, the bus has just arrived.”

The bus leaving the front of the station was coming at the right time, so senpai and I decided to get on.

“Asai-kun, do you want to sit near the window?”

When I got on the bus and found empty seats, senpai asked me.

“Either one is fine.”

“Okay, I’ll sit near the window. Asai-kun, you’ll sit near the aisle.”

“Ah, yes…”

Hmm? Wait a minute.

The chairs on these buses are not that wide, so if I sit next to senpai, I will be sitting very close to her…

“Asai-kun? Aren’t you going to sit next to me?”

“Y-Yes, I’ll sit down…”

I decided to sit down because I thought I would disturb the people coming on the bus if I stood still.

“Aren’t you hunched over? Sit a little wider. Ah, maybe I’m taking too much space?”

Senpai made it possible for me to sit normally a little further back.

“No, it’s not that…”

“You can lean on my shoulder if you are sleepy.”

“As expected, that’s…”

A few minutes after the bus started running, I found myself in a situation where I couldn’t move a muscle. Why? Because senpai was leaning on my shoulder.

Senpai who said I could lean on her is now leaning on me…

Senpai was sleeping so comfortably that I was afraid to wake her up by forcing her back to her original position, so I kept her in this state for the time being.

I’ll let her sleep until the bus stop where we get off.

＊＊＊

“I’m so, so sorry!”

When we got off the bus, Shirai-senpai put her hands together and apologized.

“You don’t have to apologize… You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t think I’d fall asleep. Besides, I leaned on Asai-kun. I’m ashamed of myself for saying it was okay for you to lean on me.”

When I saw senpai saying this while blushing, I felt like I was seeing a senpai I could not imagine at all from the way she was always working part-time.

“You didn’t watch me sleeping, did you? Did I make any funny faces? Did I talk in my sleep?”

The questions came all at once, so it’s hard to know where to start answering.

“You didn’t look funny. You were sleeping soundly and comfortably.”

“R-Really…? I’m so sorry.”

“That’s fine. Let’s stop apologizing and walk a bit to where we’re going, shall we?”

“Yes.”

＊＊＊

“Look at this picture, it’s so beautiful.”

At first I responded to senpai, who had been excited ever since we started looking at the photo exhibit, but gradually I grew tired of it.

I can’t keep up with senpai’s tension…

As I was looking at the photos, my eyes fell on one photo. While I was looking at the photo, senpai came up next to me.

“That’s a nice picture. Asai-kun, do you aspire to be a photographer?”

“No, photography is a hobby, not something I want to do in the future. Have you decided on a career path?”

“I think I’m going to get a job after university. Well, I’m not really wanting to do anything specific, so I’m still wondering what I’m going to do in the future. When I said that, my mom told me to decide quickly.”

Senpai said that while giving me a smirk.

“Hey, is it okay if I drop by somewhere with Asai-kun afterwards?”

“Where would you like to stop?”

When asked, senpai put her index finger to my lips and said it was a secret.

On the bus on the way home, before leaving, senpai told me many times that she wouldn’t sleep on the way home, but…

“She’s sleeping so soundly…”

I couldn’t help but laugh at the scene similar to the one I had seen on the way there. Just like before, senpai was leaning on my shoulder.

When we got off the bus, it was the same situation as on the way there. Senpai apologized repeatedly. I thought it would be fine on the way home, but I will not trust her the next time something like that happens again.

After arriving at the station and getting off the bus, we walked to the place where senpai wanted to stop. Apparently the place was near the station.

After a short walk from the station, senpai stopped.

“Yes, we’ve arrived.”

“Is it the park?”

We stopped at a park. The sun was setting, there were no children playing and the area was quiet.

“I used to play on the swings here. Have you ever played here, Asai-kun?”

“A few times when I was little…”

“Fufu, then maybe we’ve met a long time ago.”

Senpai said that and walked towards the swing. She got on the swing and beckoned to me.

“Come on, Asai-kun. There’s a seat next to me.”

“Am I going to ride too?”

“I’m not asking you to play, so let’s stay here and talk for a bit.”

Senpai smiled and looked at me. I had no reason to refuse, so I sat down on the swing beside her.

“Thanks for going to the exhibition with me today.”

“No, thank you for inviting me. I enjoyed going with senpai and seeing the photos of my favorite photographer.”

“Ho~, I’m so glad you said that. Actually, I have something to tell you.”

Something to tell me?

I waited for senpai to say something with my heart pounding. Then, senpai got off the swing and stood in front of me.

It was very quiet in the park, just me and Shirai-senpai, and since it was getting dark, the streetlights in the park turned on.

“Asai-kun, it was fun hanging out with you today. So, why don’t we go somewhere together like this again?”

“Sure. I had a good time too.”

When I said this, her expression brightened and she smiled happily.

“Then, let’s go somewhere during the summer holidays next time. If there’s anywhere you want to go, let me know when we’re working part-time.”

“I’ll think about it.”

I was nervous before meeting Shirai-senpai, but now I’m not nervous at all. I’m honestly enjoying this time.

“Now then, let’s go home.”

“I’ll take you to the station.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. I can’t let my junior do that.”

“It’s dark outside, I’ll walk with you. Senpai is a woman and it’s not safe for her to be alone.”

“I’m older than Asai-kun, and I’m a college student, so I’d like to say it’s okay, but it’s hard to say no when you’ve said that much. Well then, I’ll be in your care.”

I got off the swing and decided to walk senpai to the station. I left Shirai-senpai at the station and went home to find Mina-san sitting near the front of my door.

“Mina-san, what are you doing?”

“Ah, welcome back.”

“I-I’m home… Were you waiting here until I came back?”

“W-Well… Yeah. I was waiting for you because you were out late…”

I guess that means she was worried about me.

“Thanks, Mina-san.”

“Why thank me? I was just waiting for you on my own.”

With a relieved look on her face, Mina-san walked towards the living room.