Iseboshi 53

Chapter 53 Shopping Date (Martina)

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Edited by: Kanaa-senpai

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 (Martina’s POV)

 (Shopping date with Big Brother Hiroya… Shopping date with Big Brother Hiroya…)

 I sit still and wait at the designated spot. Even now, I still can’t decide where I want to go.

 A strange guy has been sitting next to me, trying to talk, but I can’t hear anything.

* * *

 ”Martina!”

 I look up at the voice I’ve been waiting for.

 ”Big Brother Hiroya!”

 I wave my hand lightly as Big Brother Hiroya runs over to me.

 ”Is it you again… Stop trying to pick up girls… Oof!”

 Big Brother Hiroya was about to say something to the guy sitting next to me, but I hugged him tightly.

 ”I’ve been waiting for you, Big Brother Hiroya! Let’s go quickly!”

 ”…Wait, she’s your little sister? Huh? Huh?”

 The guy looks confused, but I don’t care. I’m enjoying the feeling of my beloved Big Brother Hiroya.

 ”Anyway, this girl is going shopping with me now.”

 Big Brother Hiroya breaks free from my hug and tells the guy while taking my hand. Ignoring the stunned guy, Big Brother Hiroya and I leave the central plaza hand in hand.

* * *

 (Hiroya’s POV)

 ”Big Brother Hiroya… I haven’t decided where I want to go or what I want to buy…”

 Martina, being pulled along by me, looks down apologetically.

 ”I’ve been looking forward to this, but I didn’t sleep much… I’m sorry.”

 ”It’s okay. I’ll decide. Don’t you really want anything?”

 I ask while walking next to Martina.

 ”Um… I guess I want a man-gauche. And a new leather belt to hang my sheath.”

 That’s equipment, Ms. Martina.

 ”I’m currently using the dagger in my left hand to deflect attacks, but I really want one made for that.”

 A ‘man-gauche’ is a type of dagger. The grip is shaped like a basket that wraps around your hand, making it useful for deflecting. No, that’s not what I meant──

 ”We’ll go buy weapons and equipment together later. But, how about accessories or clothes…”

 ”Then I want cute underwear!”

 ”Okay. Let’s go shopping for that with the other girls, alright?”

 ”I’m fine with anywhere as long as I’m with Big Brother Hiroya.”

 Martina says this while linking her arm with mine.

 ”Then let’s go look around.”

 ”Yeah!”

 With a smiling Martina, we headed towards the street lined with shops.

* * *

 Along the way, we stopped by a few home goods and clothing stores, but it seemed like there was nothing she really wanted.

 But Martina, walking close to me despite our height difference, really looked happy.

 (Kazumi said it too, but I wonder if Martina has special feelings for me…)

 They said, “Once her memories come back, that won’t be the case,” but ever since facing the youma (demon), it feels like Martina’s feelings for me have grown stronger than before, maybe because she remembered “that thing.”

 (What should I do…?)

 Of course, I really like Martina. But the one I truly love is Kazumi, without a doubt. Sure, when I’m hugged by Martina’s soft body, I can’t help but feel some naughty thoughts.

 But even though Martina doesn’t say it, when she shows her feelings so openly, it doesn’t make me feel bad. I’m such a hopeless guy.

* * *

 As I walked around, looking for something, Martina kept smiling at me. It was embarrassing, so I pretended not to notice her gaze.

 ”Huh?”

 I thought the street looked familiar, and then I spotted Toldo’s shop, the dwarf blacksmith.

 ”Oh, Mr. Hiroya and Marti!”

 ”Hey~? Are you two on a date?”

 ”Leaving Kazumi aside…”

 The 3 sisters, who seemed to be cleaning in front of the shop, called out to us.

 ”We just went out for a little shopping.”

 ”Hehe! Isn’t it nice?”

 Martina wrapped her arm around mine even tighter. No, that’s not it. Please don’t look at me like that, all 3 of you.

* * *

 ”Please, come in.”

 The 3 sisters pulled me in, and somehow, we ended up in the shop. Martina was looking at the weapons and armor that were haphazardly displayed.

 ”I try to organize things, but Grandpa doesn’t like it.”

 ”He says, ‘A good adventurer finds the right weapon even in a messy place.’.”

 Eluda and Meluda were complaining.

 ”Oh… this…”

 Among the items, Martina picked up a small silver box. She brought it to me, resting it in her palm.

 ”What is this?”

 ”Oh… that’s a music box Aluda made…”

 Aluda, who had served us tea, looked surprised.

 ”I thought I lost it…”

 Saying that, she took the small box from Martina’s palm, fiddled with it for a moment, and then returned it to her hand.

 ”Here, open the lid.”

 Martina opened the lid of the small box that had returned to her palm.

 ”♪~.”

 A gentle melody began to play.

 ”This is an old love song, I think.”

 Aluda murmured nostalgically.

 ”My mom used to hum this all the time.”

 ”Ugh, Meluda has never heard it…”

 Eluda said with a hint of nostalgia, while Meluda looked disappointed.

 ”What a beautiful song… I want this.”

 Martina closed her eyes and listened closely.

 ”Sure. It’s something Aluda made when she was little, but if you want it, you can have it.”

 ”No, I want to buy it properly. I want to pay for something Aluda worked hard to make.”

 I handed Aluda a small coin.

 ”You can’t give me this much.”

 ”I judged it to be worth this much. Please accept it.”

 Saying that, I looked at Martina.

 ”Yeah. I think it’s worth more. Thank you, I’ll treasure it.”

 Martina hugs the small music box to her chest.

 ”Yeah. I’m happy if you’ll take care of it.”

 Aluda smiles as she tightly holds the small coin she handed over.

 ”And also…”

 Martina whispers to Aluda.

 ”Okay, I got it. Aluda, you’re good at those little details. I’ll finish it along with the armor.”

 ”What?”

 I ask, but the two just laugh and say.

 ””Secret!””

* * *

 ”I’m sorry it doesn’t feel like a date anymore.”

 We walk back to the central square after leaving Toldo’s shop.

 ”No, I’m having fun! You bought me something nice!”

 Martina says, placing her hand on the pouch at her waist where the music box is stored.

 ”Let’s go to the cake shop or a café soon! Big Sis Kazumi told me, ‘You have to end with dessert!’”

 Martina cheerfully spins in front of me and pulls my hand.

 ”Alright! Should we go to the sweet shop where we bought cake yesterday?”

 ”Yeah. I want to try the chestnut cake next!”

 We ran along the path to the shop.

* * *

 ”Here you go, Big Brother Hiroya. Ahh.”

 Martina offers me a piece of chestnut cake on her fork.

 (This is Kazumi’s idea…)

 I think that, but I can’t refuse, so I open my mouth.

 ”Hehe, is it good?”

 ”Yeah. It’s delicious.”

 It’s embarrassing, but seeing Martina happy is the most important thing.

 ”It’s almost time…”

 Martina murmurs, and I look at the clock tower in the central square visible from our seat in the sweet shop.

 ”From here, we can get to the meeting place with Kazumi quickly, but… it’s really cutting it close.”

 ”I have a favor to ask you, Big Brother Hiroya. Will you listen?”

 Martina looks at me with a smile.

 ”Sure. It’s a date with you right now.”

 ”…I want you to kiss me.”

 I almost stand up but hit my knee on the table. Ouch.

 ”Big Brother Hiroya, are you okay?”

 ”…Yeah, I’m fine, but…”

 ”Big Sis Kazumi told me, ‘A date should end with a kiss’.”

 So that’s what Ms. Kazumi was hinting at.

 ”‘Make sure it’s a passionate one.’ Then, I asked, ‘What do you mean by passionate?’ and she said, ‘Just leave it to Hiroya’.”

 ”That girl…”

 ”I don’t really know what a passionate kiss is, but…”

 ”…No, we can’t do it here. We need to be somewhere private…”

 ”But we don’t have time. I just want a normal one… I want you to do it here…”

 In the corner of the sweet shop. It’s a spot by the window, so it’s hard to see from the shop, but… maybe people on the street can see us.

 ”Okay. Martina, I had fun today. Thank you.”

 I stand up and lean over the table closer to Martina.

 ”Big Brother Hiroya… I had fun too.”

 Martina leans closer over the table and closes her eyes. Her lips, the first time I touch them, are soft and plump.

 ”Mm…”

 It was just a simple kiss, but Martina’s soft breath was really sexy, so as we pulled away, I couldn’t help but lick my lips with my tongue.

 ”Ah…”

 Martina blushed with a dreamy expression. She reached out to me and touched my lips with her fingertips, as if checking the feeling.

 ”Thank you, Big Brother Hiroya.”

 Seeing Martina smile like that made me feel really fond of her.

* * *

 I hurried out of the store.

 ”I’ll take it slow before heading home.”

 Martina said this while waving from her seat by the window. I waved back and rushed to Kazumi.

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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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