The Beautiful Senpai from the Archery Club Is Sleeping in My Room with Her Stomach Exposed. - Chapter 30: Because you're here, I can take the first step.

Because you’re here, I can take the first step.

Watanuki-senpai had brought me to a multi-purpose commercial complex—essentially, a shopping mall. It was large enough that most shopping could be done in this single building.

“We’re here. The first store is this one.”

“A select shop for miscellaneous goods, huh?”

Despite the limited space, the store had a stylish and cohesive atmosphere.

“I come here occasionally on my days off,” Watanuki-senpai said as she walked inside. Since we were still holding hands, I naturally followed her in.

“I’ve been wanting to come to this corner with you, Amemoto-kun.”

The spot where she stopped was a small section of the store displaying miniature potted plants—a section dedicated to houseplants.

That said, it wasn’t as extensive as a specialty gardening store. It seemed more like a setup designed for working professionals living alone, encouraging them to try their hand at indoor gardening.

The small display shelves were lined with easy-to-care-for plant varieties, decorative pots, and aesthetically pleasing but seemingly impractical watering cans.

“Oh—Senpai, are you planning to start indoor gardening?”

“Yes, thanks to your influence. I want to add as much greenery to my room as you have in yours. Growing plants myself sounds like a worthwhile experience, don’t you think?”

Rather than adding color, she intended to increase the greenery in her space through foliage—an approach that was very much in line with her personality.

Well, knowing Senpai, she was quite skilled with her hands. She might actually be good at taking care of plants—or would she? Lately, my instincts seemed to falter when it came to her.

I wasn’t entirely convinced. Just to be sure, I decided to probe further.

“Well, having plants around does bring a certain sense of tranquility. So, what exactly are you planning to buy?”

“Naturally, I’ll take everything on this shelf.”

“That sounds like a line straight out of a phantom thief’s heist announcement.”

I suddenly felt the urge to look up the word naturally in the dictionary. Her cool demeanor remained unshaken, yet she was saying something completely outrageous.

“Isn’t this a bit too much, especially for a first attempt?”

“Oh? Are you worried about me? Don’t be—I’ll make sure to care for them properly. I’ll even name each one and cherish them. I’ll give them plenty of water, too.”

At that moment, a vivid mental image surfaced in my mind.

I could clearly picture a tragic scene where she overwatered them one after another, drowning them in excessive care. And in front of their lifeless remains, there she was—on the verge of tears.

Even though it was just my imagination, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her…

“You’re getting ahead of yourself. Instead of feeling relaxed, I see a future where you’re overwhelmed by plant maintenance. Just start with one.”

“But, but… Amemoto-kun, I learned from you that having a lot of greenery is soothing.”

“You can build up to that. Start with something hardy, nurture it with care, and let it bring you comfort. How about that for a plan?”

As I spoke, I tightened my grip on her hand slightly, matching the pressure of her hold.

“…Ah. You’re right. I’ll follow your advice… I’ll cherish just one. I was hoping to impress you with my initiative, but instead, I got a lesson in restraint. Was that a failure?”

“Not at all. Just the fact that you’re considering buying a plant is an achievement.”

I wanted to validate her effort.

There were still moments when she tended to rush ahead, but seeing her take steps to care for herself—even in small ways—made me happy.

Now, I could finally relax and let her leave my room without worry.

“I may not be able to do it all alone yet… but I have you, Amemoto-kun, so I feel at ease.”

“Huh?”

“If I run into any trouble with plant care, I’ll ask for your advice. I won’t struggle alone. Which one would you recommend?”

“Ah, oh—if that’s what you meant. This one, maybe? It requires minimal watering.”

“Alright, I’ll go with that.”

Without hesitation, Senpai picked up the beginner-friendly plant I had pointed to.

“I’ll go make the purchase.” Her cool hand slipped from mine as she walked away.

Even if it was just about plants, I found myself feeling a brief moment of satisfaction at being relied upon.

Even after our arrangement ended and we had fewer chances to talk, it wouldn’t be zero. That fact alone was enough.

When she returned, she took my hand again. “Let’s go to the next place.”

A comforting touch—for once, I held on from the very start.

***

The next stop was a women’s apparel shop.

The clothes lined up in neat rows were quite different from the mature style my senior was wearing today. Most items leaned toward a girlish aesthetic—cute and charming, designed to give off a soft, feminine impression.

The store’s clientele mainly consisted of students, and the prices were reasonable. It was the perfect place for high school girls to enjoy shopping on a weekend. In fact, the lively chatter of girls around the same age could be heard in the distance.

“……Hmm.”

Amidst all this, Watanuki-senpai had stopped in her tracks, wearing an expression of deep concentration. She looked as serious as if she were selecting gear before a major battle.

“You walked in without hesitation, but… is this not one of your regular stores?”

“This is my first time inside. I usually just walk past it.”

“So, you had something in mind that you wanted to buy?”

“No, not really. I don’t have much knowledge about this kind of cute fashion. I’ve always only worn what suits me.”

“I see. So the ‘result’ you want to show at our second stop… could it be the flexibility to try a fashion style that might not suit you?”

Watanuki-senpai gave a small nod. Yet, she made no move to reach for any clothes.

Perhaps it was because she already had a strong grasp of what suited her best—stepping outside of that comfort zone must have been intimidating. Before taking on something new, uncertainty always loomed large.

But at the same time, there had to be a sense of excitement, something akin to hope.

The way she gazed at the cute outfits—it felt like she was standing at the edge of that emotion.

“Senpai, you’ve been staring at that blouse for a while now. That’s the one you want, isn’t it? Why not pick it up?”

“…Isn’t it a bit too cute? A frilly blouse like this… I don’t even have a place to wear it. Maybe I should start with something simpler…”

“You went full throttle when it came to plants, so why hesitate now? You can figure out where to wear it later. For now, just wearing it at home is enough.”

She could first get used to it in her own room, then gradually expand the occasions where she wore it.

“…You’re right. If you say so, Amemoto-kun, then I won’t worry about where to wear it for now… I’ll try it on!”

Once she made up her mind, she acted fast.

She let go of my hand and immediately approached a nearby sales assistant. After discussing which skirt would complement the blouse, she confidently headed toward the fitting room with the chosen outfit in hand.

Meanwhile, I emptied my mind and started thinking about space. Being a plain-looking guy surrounded by frilly clothes felt ridiculously out of place…

As I silently prayed for her to finish changing quickly, the sales assistant who had helped us leaned in and whispered:

“From what I heard, this is her first time trying this style, right? I think her boyfriend should give her lots of compliments~”

…I’m not her boyfriend, so that advice might not be all that effective.

Of course, I couldn’t just say that, so I forced a polite smile. My barely-there social skills came in handy at the last moment.

But she was changing into this outfit partly to show it to me.

I couldn’t let embarrassment hold me back—I had to give her my honest thoughts.

If she took a step outside her comfort zone only for me to react poorly, it might turn into a bitter memory.

I needed to be straightforward.

And then, finally—the curtain parted, and Watanuki-senpai stepped out.

“You look adorable.”

“…You said it before I even got to ask how I look!?”

The moment I saw her slightly flustered expression, the words I had prepared were out of my mouth before I could stop myself. My reflexes, honed by FPS games, came in handy.

Of course, it wasn’t just her expression—her outfit was truly adorable.

The white blouse, adorned with soft frills, had a blue ribbon at the collar—a color that seemed to reflect her personal taste. That alone made it feel even cuter.

Paired with an embroidered white skirt, chosen by the sales assistant, the overall look was—

“You look like a noble lady. Wait, I need a picture. Can I preserve this moment as a memory?”

“No, you can’t… It’d be weird to have a fitting room photo in your otherwise neat room… Amemoto-kun, the sales assistant is right there…”

But that same sales assistant had advised me to shower her with compliments.

With that backing, I couldn’t stop myself.

“The contrast from before makes this even more impactful. To think that this style suits you as well… As expected, senpai, you really have a hidden cute side.”

“…Hearing you say that again… makes me happy. It was worth the challenge… Sales assistant, I’ll take both the blouse and the skirt.”

“Yay! Thank you so much! I’m really glad because it suited you so well!”

The moment Watanuki-senpai decided to buy the outfit, the sales assistant, who had been blending into the background, clapped her hands in delight.

It seemed like she wasn’t planning to wear the outfit right away, as she turned to me before stepping back into the fitting room.

“Wait here, I’ll just change back.”

And just before the fitting room became her private space—

“Amemoto-kun.”

She peeked out with a slightly bashful expression and said:

“For now, I’ll keep this as something to wear at home. If you want a photo… let’s do that another time.”

Then, the curtain closed.

…Wait, I just wanted a final keepsake, but did we just schedule a photoshoot?

And if she’s only wearing it at home, yet she’s willing to let me take a picture… Does that mean she’s planning to come over to my place again?

I wasn’t sure, but just knowing that another visit might happen was enough to lift my spirits.

Thank you, senpai.

With this, I can confidently declare that I’ve cleared this stage.