Vol 2 CHAPTER 24: Finally, I Trap Her【Volume 2: With the Footsteps of Ruin Echoing, I Come Crawling for You 【NTR Execution Arc】】

That day was under heavy clouds, and the forecast said it would rain in the afternoon.

I got up early and ate breakfast alone in the dining room of my empty house.

Just toast and milk.

And then, from the TV I’d turned on without thinking, I heard this: “On this first day of Silver Week, unfortunately, the weather is expected to be poor.”

Starting today is that September holiday stretch—what people call Silver Week.

On this year’s calendar, it’s a three-day weekend.

For a student, it shouldn’t have been that big a deal, but—

For me, it was a major day where everything would be decided.

Today, I had plans to go with Kotofuki to an autograph session for a certain rock band. After that, she’d treat me to lunch, and then we’d split up.

In plain terms, it’s a date—but on her end, she’s going to stick to the stance that she’s just hanging out with a friend. And as for me, I don’t have the luxury of enjoying a carefree date mood.

Because what I do today will decide the rest of my life—this is the kind of day you could call a turning point without exaggeration.

Thanks to that, I can’t even taste the toast.

Maybe it’s nerves, but the hand holding my cup of milk is trembling.

Even so, to make today the best day possible, I force it down anyway. Nothing starts without energy.

After chewing and swallowing, I get ready and leave the house. I almost called out, “I’m heading out,” out of habit—but of course, there was no reply.

As I walk to the station at an easy pace—yeah, it really does look like it could start raining any second.

“Kudo-kun, thanks for today.”

“Yeah. Same.”

Once I met up with Kotofuki, we headed straight for the autograph session.

A music store downtown. The biggest one around, in terms of sheer floor space—this morning, most of the store was rented out for the event, and we spent our time waiting in line.

Chatting and having fun, talking about what kind of cheers Kotofuki would give the band members if we got to meet them—and then, finally, it was our turn.

Seeing them up close, that rock band was a really pleasant group.

I even got to shake hands, and that made me happy. I’d only used them as an excuse for my plan, but now I honestly thought I’d become a real fan.

Kotofuki looked completely satisfied too, staring at the four names written on the autograph board.

And like that, the autograph session ended without a hitch.

Next up: our lunch promise.

“So what is it you want to eat, Kudo-kun?”

“Miso-simmered mackerel set meal.”

When I answered, Kotofuki’s eyes went wide. “Huh? You don’t have to hold back. We could do a buffet or something—”

“I’m not holding back. Come on—just follow me.”

I led Kotofuki as I said that.

Where we were headed was about two stops away from the autograph venue—around the border between the downtown area and the office district. On the first floor of a building there was… an izakaya.

Its exterior was modern, with a clearly upscale vibe. It didn’t look like the kind of place students could casually walk into.

Seeing it, Kotofuki asked hesitantly:

“Don’t tell me… here?”

“Yeah. Here.”

I explained it to Kotofuki, who was staring in surprise.

At night, this izakaya serves dishes that are priced accordingly—but during the day, for working people like salarymen and office ladies hunting for lunch, it serves just one specific item.

“And that’s their ‘Miso-Simmered Mackerel Set Meal.’”

Since it’s lunch, it’s not insanely expensive. It’s high-end for a student lunch, but it’s more reasonable than going to a hotel buffet. And since it’s lunch, obviously, we don’t need to order alcohol.

Even if students on a date came here, it shouldn’t be that strange.

“I heard it’s seriously good, so I wanted to try it. Thanks for the treat.”

“Ah, okay. Then let’s go.”

The two of us went in, a little restless.

Kotofuki seemed tense in the unfamiliar atmosphere inside the restaurant, and I found myself being careful, wondering if there was anything odd about how I was acting.

Even so, the miso-simmered mackerel they served was excellent, and as we enjoyed the lunch—savoring every bite—we also enjoyed the time.

Up to this point, you could call it a perfectly normal date scene between a guy and a girl.

But for me, the real thing started here.

My mouth is dry from nerves.

I’m not even confident my words will come out smoothly.

Even so, I scraped up what little acting guts I had, and said the line.

“Thanks for the meal—alright, then let’s head back. You’re going toward the station too, right, Kotofuki?”

While looking at the location-tracking app on my phone, I said it.