The Beautiful Senpai from the Archery Club Is Sleeping in My Room with Her Stomach Exposed. - Chapter 29: A Bold and Daring Meetup.

A Bold and Daring Meetup.

I walked toward the designated meeting spot, as instructed by Watanuki-senpai.

After taking the train for about ten minutes from my local station, I finally arrived at the central area of this district.

The place was bustling with people of all ages. As expected, weekends always brought in a crowd.

I rarely traveled this far, so I felt a little uneasy. Unlike Mei and other energetic students, who frequently came here after school, I wasn’t used to venturing out much.

I had always been more of an indoor person, indulging in hobbies that didn’t require me to step outside. Since entering high school, I had turned down almost every invitation from my classmates.

Which is exactly why I was worried—was the outfit I had put together from an online shopping site really okay? I had no idea if it suited me or not.

Mei had checked it for me and confidently declared, “My little brother looks good in anything—it’s crazy cute!” but… my sister’s judgment was extremely biased.

Opening my phone’s front camera, I saw my own anxious expression reflected back at me.

This was meant to be a special memory—I didn’t want it to be ruined because of my clothes.

The last thing I wanted was for Watanuki-senpai to think I looked lame. Just in case, I needed another opinion from someone older.

I snapped a picture of my uncertain self and sent it to Meloril-san.

A response came instantly. No—three responses, rapid-fire.

“The first message I get from you in ages is a selfie? Really?”
“Looking pretty stylish, kid.”
“But if you’re trying to seduce me, sorry, I’m everyone’s idol, you know~”

Even just from her words, I could almost hear her cheerful, familiar voice. Meloril-san hadn’t changed a bit.

Suppressing the wave of nostalgia, I sent another message.

“I’m about to hang out one-on-one with my senpai. I’m just worried if I look okay.”

“Senpai… is a girl?”

“Yeah.”

“Ugh—YOU LOOK GREAT, DAMN IT!! STOP RUBBING YOUR YOUTH IN MY FACE!!! ENJOY ALL THE EXPERIENCES YOU CAN WHILE YOU’RE YOUNG, YOU LITTLE BRAT!!!”

…I had no idea someone could sound this aggressive through text. How does she manage to be a popular VTuber without getting canceled?

But Meloril-san had been one of the few adults who supported me when I was struggling.

She wasn’t the type to lie. If she said I looked good, I could trust her judgment.

At least now, standing next to Watanuki-senpai wouldn’t leave a bad impression. I was even prepared to buy a whole new outfit if necessary, so this was reassuring.

I quickly typed, “Thanks a lot,” and hurried to the meeting spot.

Near the east entrance, away from the station concourse, young men and women were glued to their phones, waiting for someone.

It wasn’t a place with any tourist attractions—just a casual hangout spot for the local youth.

Nearby, I overheard a pair who had apparently met through a dating app, greeting each other with polite, almost businesslike formality.

A little further away, a long-distance couple reunited, hugging tightly for what felt like forever.

…It seemed like a lot of people were here for romance. Was it just my imagination? The atmosphere made me feel a little out of place.

As for Watanuki-senpai… hmm, I didn’t see her at first glance.

Well, I was early, so waiting was fine.

I moved into the shadow of a pillar to avoid standing out, but then I caught bits of a nearby conversation.

“Wanna try talking to that girl next?”
“Nah, no way. She’s clearly waiting for her boyfriend. Someone like us wouldn’t even get a reaction—she’d just laugh at us.”
“Aiming too high, huh? Alright, let’s go somewhere else.”

Two guys—probably players—left in search of a different “hunting ground.” They seemed confident, but… was the girl they were talking about really that out of reach?

Curious, I peeked around the pillar to check the direction they had been looking at.

Oh.

She stood out—a woman dressed in a refined, urban style. She looked about twenty, maybe a sophomore in college.

She had a white high-neck sweater, cinched at the waist with a belt, and a checkered tight skirt. Her boots and the rest of her outfit were monochromatic, creating a cohesive look.

A jacket was draped over her shoulders rather than worn properly, giving her a strikingly fashionable air.

Even her necklace complemented the overall polished aesthetic.

Yeah… approaching someone like her would take a serious amount of confidence.

She checked the thin watch on her left wrist, occasionally glancing around. She absentmindedly played with the ends of her softly curled hair, clearly waiting for someone.

She definitely looked like she was expecting her boyfriend—wait.

Crap.

I had been staring too long, and now we made eye contact.

And now she was smiling and waving at me.

“Huh?”

Wait—her hairstyle and makeup were different, so I didn’t recognize her at first, but…

“Good afternoon. The weather’s nice today, isn’t it, my dear contract holder?”

“…Watanuki-senpai? Is that really you?”

I completely forgot to greet her properly and went straight to confirming her identity.

“I’m the only girl who calls you something as embarrassing as ‘contract holder’ in public. Unless, of course, you’ve made the same deal with someone else, Amemoto-kun?”

She let out a soft, amused chuckle—looking every bit like the charming senpai I knew.

A moment ago, she had seemed like an unfamiliar beauty, but now she was undeniably her.

…What was I even thinking? How did I mistake her for a university student? Maybe my intuition was completely broken.

“You look really different today. For a second, I didn’t recognize you… I think this is my first time seeing you in casual clothes.”

“Oh? That’s kinda mean, Amemoto-kun. I wear casual clothes when I stop by your place after club practice, you know. Even if it’s just simple sweats.”

“Oh… that’s true.”

Crap—I couldn’t seem to hold a proper conversation.

I was too nervous.

Seeing Watanuki-senpai in an outfit I’d never seen before—not even in school or my own room—had completely thrown me off.

“Just kidding. That was a joke. But since I’m out walking around town with you, I put in some extra effort. I wanted you to see a new side of me, so I did my best to prepare. …You could give me a little more feedback, you know?”

Watanuki-senpai gently touched her lips, now adorned with lipstick, and gave me a mischievous smile.

It was clear that she had spent quite some time getting ready. Having recently experienced Mei doing my makeup, I could somewhat understand how much effort it must have taken.

I might never get another chance to go out with Watanuki-senpai in casual clothes. As embarrassing as it was, I needed to express myself properly.

“Well… You look wonderful. Just walking beside you like this is a memory I could brag about for a long time—you’re that beautiful.”

“Ugh… Even though I kind of forced you to say it, hearing such an unhesitant compliment is… a little overwhelming…”

“I should be the one feeling overwhelmed here. You look so stunning that I’m actually getting a bit nervous walking next to you.”

“A-Ah, um… Ehe… Ahem! No! Today, I’ll be setting the pace, Amemoto-kun!”

Watanuki-senpai cleared her throat, clapped her hands together, and straightened her posture. She had just switched gears three times in a row.

Then, regaining her composed expression, she placed a finger on her chin and asked,

“Do you remember the purpose of today’s outing?”

“Yes, more or less. You’re going to show me the results of the help I’ve given you over the past month as we walk around town… right?”

“Exactly. Thanks to you, I’ve come to understand the importance of relaxation, unwinding, and little rewards. So today, I’ll be the one escorting you.”

“Wait… Does that mean I just follow along?”

“Yes. I want you to simply walk beside me and watch over me. Now, time is limited, so let’s head to the first stop.”

With that, Watanuki-senpai spoke with newfound determination and intertwined her fingers with mine. …Intertwined?

“Uh—”

She held my hand firmly, as if to ensure I wouldn’t let go.

“Uh, Senpai… is there really a need to hold hands?”

“Of course. It’s well known that physical contact between people triggers the release of oxytocin, a brain chemical that reduces stress hormones. If we want to enhance relaxation, it only makes sense to hold hands while walking.”

She rattled off the explanation at a rapid pace.

Was this something she learned from my advice? No, I never taught her that… Did she stay up late researching it again?

“This hand-holding is part of demonstrating my progress, so you should be able to accept it too, right, Amemoto-kun?”

“I-I mean, logically speaking, I understand…”

“Then for today, we’re walking hand in hand the whole time.”

With that, Watanuki-senpai started moving forward.

Led by her grip, I had no choice but to follow. Though, with my growing concern over sweaty palms, I felt like whatever calming effect she had intended was being negated…

Where exactly was she taking me? She hadn’t told me a single destination.

But as long as she had chosen the places, anywhere was fine.

I just hoped that this graduation test would turn into a cherished memory for Watanuki-senpai as well.