Volume 13 Chapter 330 Shirogane Aqua, Aquarium Date
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Shintaro had already left for the Arabian States on his study exchange. Word was that the region—once called closed and archaic—was now reforming the way it treated men, thanks to policies backed personally by Her Majesty Shams. Maybe that was why Shintaro’s application had gone through so easily.
I squinted up at the sky, imagining him surrounded by mysterious, veiled beauties.
”Think he’s flirting with some gorgeous Arabian girl right now?” I muttered.
Then I laughed. “Nah, not Shintaro. He’s too serious for that.”
Still, a sigh escaped me. “Man… I want to flirt with someone too.”
”Eh?” a soft voice answered back.
I looked up fast. Standing there in her school uniform, black stockings and a flash of pink beneath, was Kukuri-chan. I scrambled upright. “Oh, Kukuri-chan! Fancy seeing you here.”
She blinked in surprise. “Ah, yes. I was just passing by.”
”Hey, you free right now?”
”Hmm, not exactly free, but I don’t have anything pressing.”
That was close enough to a yes for me. “Then let’s go on a date.”
”D-date? With me? I… yes. If you don’t mind.”
I grinned. Finally, some fun. Not that there’s much of an age gap—one year, tops—but still. Soon we were in a taxi, heading toward the aquarium.
”So, Aqua-senpai,” she asked shyly, “why the aquarium?”
”Well, it just feels right, doesn’t it? If you’re going on a date, it’s gotta be somewhere classic—like an aquarium, zoo, or theme park. Unless you’d rather go somewhere else?”
She shook her head quickly. “N-no, I’m happy! I just thought, if it’s a date, maybe I should’ve dressed up a bit more… um, like in real date clothes.”
Her cheeks glowed pink. I chuckled. She would’ve looked adorable either way, but the uniform had its own charm. “Then we’ll call this a uniform date. Like something after school. Sounds cute, right?”
Her smile brightened. “Yes! A-after school date with Aqua-senpai… hehe.”
God, she was cute. If we were actually a couple, this would be the perfect moment to pull her into my arms. Instead, I decided to test the waters.
”Hey, since it’s a date, why don’t we pretend we’re a couple for today?”
Her eyes went wide. “A… couple? With you, senpai? I—I understand. Please… take care of me.”
Her face turned crimson all the way to her ears. I couldn’t help it—I pulled her into a gentle hug.
”Ah! Aqua-senpai!?” she squeaked.
She tensed for a moment, then relaxed against me. Yeah… dating someone younger really did something to the heart. It was healing in its own way.
”Come on,” I teased. “We agreed, right? Couples hug every thirty seconds.”
”E-every thirty seconds…?”
I smirked. “Kidding. It’s actually every three.”
…Okay, maybe that was too much. Let’s say thirty seconds is for a kiss instead. Which would mean two kisses a minute, one hundred and twenty per hour—yeah, no. Not happening. I’m exaggerating.
”Let’s go,” I said, letting her go and holding out my hand.
She looked from my face to my hand, hesitating, then slowly took it.
”Damn, this is way too wholesome,” someone whispered.
”Quiet! Don’t ruin it!” another hissed from nearby.
”Right, stay low. Don’t disturb Kukuri-sama and Aqua-sama!” another whispered.
”I’m part of the wall now,” someone else muttered dramatically.
I ignored the peanut gallery and led Kukuri-chan to the counter to buy our tickets.
Inside, she gasped. “Wow, senpai! It’s like a tunnel under the sea!”
”Whoa, you’re right. This is amazing.”
A giant stingray drifted above us, gliding so close it seemed to brush the glass. I reached out instinctively, and it rubbed its head against the pane, following my fingers. “Hey, this one’s friendly.”
We both leaned closer to read the sign. “Looks like… something something Maiden Ray?”
A nearby visitor murmured something I couldn’t quite catch:
”Maiden of Modesty Ray?”
”Ha! That sounds like Tashinami when she’s being dramatic. I’m posting this on the board,” another joked.
”Don’t you dare! Someone will tell her he’s cheating with a younger girl!” another again teased.
I laughed as other visitors started snapping photos too. I raised my phone. “Alright, my turn. Kanon and the others are gonna love this.”
I laughed as a few other visitors started snapping pictures too. I raised my phone. “Alright, my turn. Kanon and the others are gonna love this.”
”Eh? You’re taking pictures?” Kukuri-chan flustered.
”Yeah—look this way.”
She blinked at the flash. “Ah—did I make a weird face?”
”Nah,” I said softly. “You looked beautiful. Like a mermaid who wandered into the light.”
Her eyes widened. I slipped an arm around her waist and drew her close.
”Hey, since we’re here, let’s take a selfie too.”
I leaned close, our cheeks brushing as I held up the phone. Click. The shutter flashed.
”Aqua-senpai, could I get that photo later?” she asked.
”Sure. Here—sent.”
I messaged it to her right away. Kukuri-chan opened the image, smiled, and then hugged her phone to her chest like it was something precious.
”Come on,” I said, nodding ahead. “Let’s see the next area.”
”Okay!”
We stepped into a darkened room, soft blue light rippling across the walls. In tall cylindrical tanks, jellyfish floated like drifting souls.
”It’s beautiful,” she whispered.
”Yeah,” I said quietly. “Didn’t think jellyfish could look this magical.”
I pulled out my phone again. Through the glowing water, Kukuri-chan stood on the other side, framed by the dance of translucent creatures. I took the shot—and at the same moment, she lifted her phone to photograph me.
”Hah,” I laughed. “Guess we caught each other in the act. Want to retake it?”
She shook her head quickly. “No, I like it. It feels like our photos match—me capturing you, and you capturing me. It’s… kind of poetic.”
We both smiled, showing each other our screens. Her joy was infectious. Without thinking, I placed a hand on her head and gave a gentle pat.
From somewhere behind the tanks, voices hissed in mock agony.
”My mouth’s getting cavities just watching this!”
”Silence! We’re just jellyfish now!”
”Right, we’ll drift peacefully… and secretly root for Kukuri-sama!”
We ignored the peanut gallery again and moved on. The next zone displayed fish from every corner of the world, grouped by theme and habitat. We strolled together, reading each sign like students on a class trip.
”Oh man,” someone whispered. “Aqua-tan’s live voice tour? Worth every yen.”
”Best field trip ever.”
”Sell his audio guide and the aquarium’s deficit would vanish overnight.”
”I’d buy the zoo edition too!”
I stopped by one tank, grinning as an idea hit me. Kukuri-chan noticed my look.
”Um, Aqua-senpai? What is it?”
I pointed to a little red fish darting near the coral. “This one’s called the Aka Kukuri.”
”Oh, really?” she leaned closer, eyes shining.
She smiled at the tiny school of fish. “They’re all swimming together. None of them alone. It’s… nice.”
That tugged at me a bit. I remembered she’d been part of Kohina-senpai’s ‘Lonely Club’ once. Without thinking, I pulled her into a warm hug and whispered, “You’re not alone anymore, you know.”
Her voice trembled. “Th-thank you.”
Then she hugged me back.
Later, I’d hear from Hisui—my little spy in Class 1-A—that since the cultural festival, Kukuri and Oto-san had started laughing with their classmates, hanging out after school. It made me genuinely happy. High school should be fun, no matter what your past is.
Still, Otomezaki really was a good school. Maybe I’d send my own kids there someday.
Then again… it’s co-ed. My son Kanoa, sure—but my daughters? No way. They’d better go somewhere like Mary’s academy for proper young ladies! Over my dead body would some punk like me buzz around them. Grrr!
Behind us, the peanut gallery groaned again.
”Watching these two makes me feel pathetic. I just got excited over a garden eel, for crying out loud.”
”It’s fine. Anyone from the Bulletin Board would. It’s a garden eel!”
”Wait… doesn’t that one kinda look like Chinsuki?”
”Oh, take a photo! Post it—’Found Chinsuki at the aquarium!’”
Kukuri-chan and I walked hand in hand toward the next exhibit, laughter echoing around us. The path opened into a grand pool where the dolphin show was beginning. Holographic waves and LED lights shimmered across the water as dolphins leapt through colored spray.
”Wow,” she gasped.
”Yeah,” I said, awed. “It’s like digital art.”
”Come to think of it,” she said, “Emily-oneechan once told me she worked part-time at a dolphin show.”
”For real?” I laughed. “That’s so like her.”
Emily had probably done every kind of job under the sun. I wondered how she even stayed standing after all that. Maybe she was tougher than me.
When the show ended, we wandered into the next section—penguins waddling in their suits, seals lazing on rocks, otters chasing each other in playful loops.
”I could watch them forever,” I said.
”Same here!” she beamed.
After a while, we drifted into the gift shop. “Might as well grab a souvenir,” I said. Then something on the shelf caught my eye—a big, plush shark hood. My heart leapt. This is it!
I jammed it onto my head. “Kukuri-chan, look!”
She turned—and burst into giggles. “Wha—Aqua-senpai! What even is that? Pfft—haha!”
I grinned beneath the shark’s wide, ridiculous mouth, proud of myself for making her laugh like that.
All right, with this shark hood, I could finally compete with Kohina-senpai and her Great Kaiju Yukari-gon costume!
Or so I thought—until I saw Kukuri-chan’s reaction. Not quite what I expected.
”What’s wrong?” I asked.
She giggled. “Aqua-senpai, it looks like your face is poking out of the shark’s mouth. Like it’s eating you.”
”Oh. You’re right.”
I turned to a mirror and did my best impression of a doomed extra from a shark movie.
That was all it took—staff members and nearby customers burst into laughter.
Kukuri-chan clutched her stomach. “Why are you so good at these tiny details? I can’t stop laughing!”
I grinned. Not the reaction I planned, but laughter was good enough. I’d been honing my mimicry for a reason—one day I was going to win the end-of-year Tiny Imitation Championship.
”Anyway,” I said, still wearing the shark hood. “I’m buying this. You want something too? Let me treat you—think of it as thanks for putting up with my selfishness today.”
She hesitated, then picked something from the shelf. “Then… maybe this.”
”Oh! A manta plushie. Cute choice—but why settle for the small one? Let’s get the biggest one here!”
I grabbed the giant manta along with my shark hood and brought them both to the counter.
”Thank you,” she said softly. “But… are you sure it’s okay?”
I nodded. I’d seen the way she glanced longingly at the big one before choosing the smaller size, probably thinking of my wallet. “Trust me,” I said. “Lie on it when you get home. You’ll never want to move again.”
Her eyes sparkled. “Yes! I thought the same thing—perfect for reading while lying down.”
We laughed together, eyes meeting for a moment that felt warm and real.
Then the time came to leave. At the exit, I reluctantly let go of her hand.
”Kukuri-chan,” I said, “thanks for spending the day with me.”
She shook her head. “No… thank you, Aqua-senpai. I had so much fun. I should be the one thanking you.”
I reached out automatically to pat her head—but stopped halfway.
Right. The “couple for a day” rule had ended. I froze, hand suspended in midair. She blinked at me, puzzled.
”Sorry,” I said, pulling back. “That’s only allowed once we’re actually dating.”
Her gaze dropped for a second, lashes trembling.
From somewhere came the familiar, chaotic whispers of the Bulletin Board crowd:
”Come on, they’re basically a couple already!”
”Just go for it, Kukuri-sama! Pin him down!”
”I have the hotel key next door—take it, use it, please!“
”Classic veterans. None of that half-measure stuff from the newbies.”
Then came the sound of fists pounding against walls.
”What the—why’s everyone punching the walls now? Even the staff?”
Maybe it was some new event. I decided not to join in—if I actually hit a wall, the whole aquarium might collapse.
”Aqua-senpai…” Kukuri-chan’s quiet voice pulled me back. She reached for my hand, gripping it tightly.
”You listened to my senpai’s selfish wish earlier,” she said softly. “So this time… will you listen to mine?”
”Of course,” I replied instantly.
”Then…” She looked up, eyes bright. “Would you go on a date with me—right after this one?”
”Eh?” My brain short-circuited. “You mean… right now?”
Well, my schedule was clear, but still—right now?
She looked up at me, almost pouting. “Is that… not okay?”
”It’s definitely okay!” I blurted, practically kicking myself for hesitating even a second.
Her face lit up. “Then, please—let’s go!”
I laughed, feeling an odd flutter in my chest. “Sure. Let’s have our second date of the day.”
And just like that, hand in hand again, we stepped out into the evening light—two people, two smiles, and one unexpected encore to a perfect day at the aquarium.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply