When Two Wounded Hearts Find Solace In Each Other, Snow White (The School's Beauty) And I Were Mistakenly Labeled As A Silly Couple. - Chapter 45: Birthday Date - Movie Edition

Birthday Date – Movie Edition

“I’m so full…”

Leaving the family restaurant, I clutched my stomach. The impact of the ‘aahn’ moment and indulging in so much food left me completely stuffed. Eating pizza and pasta consecutively was no easy feat.

“Sorry.”

Himeno, who seemed delighted to have given the ‘aahn’ treatment, turned her worried eyes towards me.

“It’s okay.”

Despite feeling full, I had no complaints. On the contrary, being able to feed the person I liked ‘aahn’ and seeing her happy filled me with joy. If given the chance, I wanted to do it again.

“Is there anywhere you want to go?”

Since today was Himeno’s birthday, the plan was to visit places she wanted to go.

“There’s a movie I want to see.”

“A movie, huh? It’s a holiday today, so I wonder if we can get seats.”

There was a movie theater in the shopping mall near the station, and most residents around here would typically use that theater. As it was a holiday with schools and companies closed, going without a reservation might make it difficult to get seats.

“It’s okay. Since I thought Taka-kun would come, I made a reservation in advance.”

“You’re well-prepared.”

“Well, if I spend my birthday with Taka-kun, I don’t want to be disappointed if I can’t watch it…”

Indeed, if we planned to watch a movie and went on the day only to find it fully booked, the enjoyment would be significantly reduced, if not ruined. This theater allowed payment through carrier billing, a relief for me, as it was deducted from my stipend. Although I felt the pinch, I reasoned that it was my own money.

(Really cute…)

Blushing, Himeno seemed embarrassed, possibly thinking of spending her birthday alone with someone of the opposite gender as a date. I wanted to express how cute she looked, but the embarrassment held back my words.

“Well, let’s go.”

“Y-Yeah.”

With our hands intertwined, we headed towards the movie theater.

“It’s crowded.”

“Yeah.”

The movie theater was bustling with families, couples, and groups of friends.

We wouldn’t have been able to watch the movie if we hadn’t made a reservation.

“What kind of movie are we watching?”

“I decided on my own, but it’s a romance movie.”

“That’s fine.”

Since today was Himeno’s birthday, it was only natural to watch the movie she wanted. However, watching a romance movie with the opposite sex made me unconsciously more aware, especially when it’s someone you like.

“Thank you. If there’s a movie you want to see, I’ll go with you next time.”

Himeno’s words resonated in my head. It meant we could continue doing this together in the future. Having that assurance made me genuinely happy, knowing that we could still be alone together.

“I hope you’ll be conscious of me even a little while watching the romance movie…”

“What was that?”

“N-nothing at all. Let’s go to the reception.”

“Y-yeah.”

Even though we had made a reservation, we still needed to check in. While standing in line, I couldn’t help but wonder about the softly spoken words, but for now, I chose to ignore them.

“Do you like romance movies, Taka-kun? I know you’re into anime.”

“It’s okay. I do watch them often.”

While I didn’t particularly enjoy seeing handsome actors in real life, animated characters in anime made romance more tolerable. Today, since I was watching it with someone special, I didn’t mind at all. In fact, I might even enjoy it.

***

After checking in, we bought some drinks and took seats next to each other. We entered as soon as the entry time arrived. Unfortunately, the well-positioned center seats were already taken, so we ended up toward the back. Nevertheless, it was better than being too far.

Many couples and groups of women filled the audience, chatting before the movie began.

“Even during the movie, will you still hold my hand?”

“Of course.”

She squeezed my hand tightly, and I responded in kind. I couldn’t bear the thought of letting go. In fact, I never wanted to let go.

“Taka-kun.”

She giggled and rested her head on my shoulder. The sweet scent and the soft touch overwhelmed my senses, tapping into some primal instincts. If we were dating, maybe we would have shared a kiss even in the movie theater.

“Oh, it’s starting.”

The room darkened, and the pre-movie ads began to play.