Volume 1 Chapter 31 Pygmalion’s Ecstasy
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
As the time to say goodbye approached, Suzuri’s expression turned a bit unhappy while Naoshi walked her to the station.
Next, he headed to a café chain. There were many shops around the station, and Naoshi thought it wasn’t the best place to meet up.
Still, no matter where it was, as long as he didn’t pick the wrong store, it was always easy to find someone.
Inside the café, with music and voices buzzing around, there was a strangely calm corner.
And today, at the center of it, was a girl with dyed blonde hair, around 20 years old.
She was sitting alone at a 2-person table, with a neat square bag on the empty seat, staring expressionlessly at her phone.
Her loosely wavy hair and flashy style weren’t much different from other girls her age.
Her face was pretty, but it wasn’t so stunning that everyone would turn to look.
She had taken off her coat, wearing a white blouse and simple black pants, which highlighted her good figure but could be considered plain.
Yet, somehow, she made the surrounding voices quiet down and drew attention.
Tsuchimi Mei was a girl with a kind of charisma that could only be called that.
”Excuse me, can I join ya?”
”──Naoshi-kun.”
When she called out, the person she was speaking to noticed and smiled brightly, showing off her beauty that had seemed indifferent before.
Naoshi loved this moment of change, like a statue coming to life.
He wondered if this was how Pygmalion felt when Galatea started to move.
”Please, go ahead.”
Mei pulled her heavy bag closer and pointed to the empty seat.
”Well, sorry for interruptin’. Did I keep ya waitin’?”
”No, I just got here too.”
”That’s a lie.”
The transparent tumbler shaped like a bear that he bought on their last date was already half empty.
When he pointed that out, Mei stuck out her tongue like a child caught in a prank.
”Hehe, but I really wanted to say that once.”
”That’s good to hear. So, where should we go today? Any preferences?”
”Hmm, how about karaoke?”
”Karaoke, huh…”
Even though he asked, Naoshi hesitated a bit at the suggestion.
”Is that not okay?”
”No, it’s fine, but makin’ me sing for 30 minutes straight every time feels a bit inhumane, don’t ya think? And with dance moves too.”
”But Naoshi-kun, ya can copy the videos right away, can’t ya? I find that really funny.”
”That’s just like a show, isn’t it? Should I charge ya for it? Practicin’ without me family notice is pretty tough, ya know?”
”Hehe, just imagin’ ya like that is already funny.”
Mei laughed with a voice like a bell.
Her laugh was elegant, which didn’t quite match her hairstyle and style, but it felt natural.
Naoshi rested his chin on his hand, trying to look particularly pitiful.
”Please, give me a break.”
”But isn’t it human nature to want to show off a skill you’ve worked hard to learn?”
”Well, that’s true, but I’m runnin’ out of ideas here.”
”You don’t have to come up with something new every time.”
”Me pride won’t allow that.”
”That’s tough. By the way, how much would it cost to get you to sing and dance?”
”That’s up to yer feelings.”
”Then… about 15,000 yen?”
”Please don’t suggest such a weirdly specific amount.”
”Then I’ll splurge and say 50 thousand!”
”That suddenly sounds like a good seat at a dinner show. Wouldn’t I have to include some talkin’ too?”
”But you usually talk a lot, Naoshi-kun.”
”So, am I a natural entertainer…?”
”But I don’t have much pocket money, so I’d like a reasonable price for the service.”
”I have good news for ya, Mei-chan. If ya join me for dinner after karaoke, it turns out it’s free!”
”Wow, that’s a great deal! But what will happen to me in return?”
”That’s up to yer mood, Mei-chan.”
”Not yours?”
”Believe it or not, I’m a gentleman.”
”Hehe, you have a vibe like a bad sugar daddy.”
”Recently, I’ve gotten used to bein’ called that, so it doesn’t bother me anymore.”
”So, how many children do you say are gentlemen?”
”Oh, so many…”
Naoshi’s smooth speech was interrupted by the sharp words that suddenly came out during the conversation.
Mei smiled, leaning on her elbows on the table and resting her chin on her folded fingers.
”It’s okay. It’s a man’s responsibility, isn’t it? I know I’m just bein’ played with. But I’m worried that one day ya’ll be stabbed by someone who takes ya seriously.”
”It sounds like I’m playin’ with a lot of girls, and it’s embarrassin’.”
”But today ya came on a date with the scent of another person, didn’t ya? Oh, I was happy to be invited, even if it was to make up for somethin’.”
”It’s not like that, Mei-chan. There’s a deep reason for this.”
”Hmm, what is it?”
”Me schedule is packed, and I can’t spare enough time to get rid of the scent.”
”That’s not an excuse at all, and it’s with a different girl than the one before. How many girls are ya keepin’ around?”
”Mei-chaaaaan.”
”──Just kiddin’, I’m not really angry. After all, Mei-chan and Naoshi-kun are just friends. I can’t be too picky.”
”But I can feel the thorns in yer words.”
”That’s probably ’cause Naoshi-kun has somethin’ to feel guilty about.”
Naoshi raised his hands in surrender as Mei’s smile deepened.
”I understand. I’ll sing and dance for whatever ya want to hear, even if it’s thirty minutes or an hour, so please let me off the hook.”
”Oh, is that so? I feel bad, like I’m askin’ for it.”
”No, no, this is all me voluntary service, so please don’t worry about it.”
”Is that so? But if ya get tired, please let me know. Rest is important too.”
”Mei-chan’s kindness is deeply felt in me five organs and six viscera.”
”Then, Naoshi-kun, escort me? Like a gentle and polite host who seduces a naive young lady, okay?”
”Again, with such an example…”
”Hehehe.”
* * *
”────”
A little later, after Naoshi struck a pose with a *dan* of his shoe, the last note of the accompaniment, which was even louder, echoed in the room.
As it faded completely, the screen that had been displaying the lyrics switched to standby mode, and the lights in the karaoke room, which had been flashing with rays of light in the dim room, returned to normal.
”Kyaa, Naoshi-kuuun~♪.”
At Mei’s applause, which was the signal for Naoshi, who had stopped moving, to break his pose, he took a deep breath.
”Haaah, it’s so tired… I mean, Mei-chan, I keep tellin’ ya, this ain’t the song to use as an encore.”
Complaining, Naoshi sat down next to Mei and reached for the glass on the table.
He put his mouth directly on the glass, holding the straw, and poured the oolong tea down his throat. Clink, the large ice cubes made a sound.
”Eeeh, it was so much fun? Naoshi-kun was really into it.”
”If I danced to this with a gloomy face, it would be too surreal, wouldn’t it?”
The cover of the Eurobeat song, which had been popular with the MV’s dance about five years ago, was a difficult piece for Naoshi to dance and sing at the same time.
So he left the singing to Mei, but she started laughing in the middle of it, and her clothes, which were not suitable for such an intense dance, made her even more exhausted.
Above all, it was tough that this song had become a regular staple.
”Then, thank ya for tryin’ so hard to entertain me.”
”Wow, that’s sneaky… Mei-chan, are ya gettin’ used to it?”
”I heard that me friend likes Fujiko-chan. So I thought she might be happy if I acted like a bad girl.”
”Are ya not just flirtin’, but actually both legs in it?”
”Is that bad?”
”It’s not bad, but… I think ya might get scolded by yer family for teachin’ a young lady such things.”
Naoshi shrugged his shoulders dramatically, and Mei laughed.
She took the man’s arm once and placed it on her shoulder.
”It’s too late for that, isn’t it?”
”You’re right.”
Mei mixed a hint of lust into her positive smile and rested her head on the man’s chest, slightly raising her chin.
Naoshi responded to her silent request by pressing his lips to hers.
”Nn──── hehe.”
As their faces parted, Mei giggled, tickled.
She closed her eyes, relaxed her body, and leaned against him.
”Hey, Naoshi-kun, do ya have any funny stories to share?”
”Oh no, here comes the worst kind of setup from a Kansai person…”
”What’s wrong?”
”Well, no matter what I say, I’m still a guy from Naniwa. I can’t run away from a challenge.”
”Isn’t yer place in Suita?”
”Yeah, that’s right, Naniwa number. I don’t have a driver’s license, though.”
”Really? I thought ya were drivin’ around in a super expensive sports car.”
”And pickin’ up girls, right?”
”Yeah.”
Naoshi chuckled, realizing he had dug himself into a hole with that quick response.
”Um, a funny story… oh, I remember! Back in middle school, there was this girl named Haruka-chan in me class. She was a real cheerful and hardworking girl. She came from a single-parent family and had a tough time, but ya would never know it. She and her mom were super tight.”
”Yeah.”
”One day, she told us her mom was gettin’ remarried. Everyone was like, ‘Congratulations! That’s great!’ and she was real happy.”
”Uh-huh.”
”But then, after a little while, she started sayin’ things like, ‘I feel tricked’ and ‘I want to get out of the house as soon as I can.’ But when we asked her why, she wouldn’t say nothin’. So, her close friends got worried and tried to find out what was goin’ on. Turns out, Haruka’s mom’s new husband was Abeno-san.”
After a pause for effect, Mei burst out laughing.
”No way! Ya kiddin’! Ya totally made that up!”
”No, no, this really happened! It’s one of those cases where truth is stranger than fiction.”
”Really? So, what’s Haruka-san doin’ now?”
”She’s workin’ at the Abeno Harukas department store. As a shop assistant. Apparently, during her interview, she said she got her mom to remarry so she could work there, and everyone thought it was hilarious, so they hired her on the spot.”
”At this point, it sounds super fake.”
”No, it’s true! How about we go check it out together sometime?”
”Hmm… that could be fun.”
”So, what do ya think? How would ya rate the story?”
”Yeah, it was funny. So, is Haruka-san yer ex-girlfriend?”
”Nope! Just a classmate.”
”Oh, so that’s where ya’re lyin’. This was back in middle school, right? If ya’re gonna hide it, we definitely have to go see her.”
”Mei-chan…”
Just as Naoshi let out another exasperated sigh, the phone in the room rang.
”Oh, I’ll get it.”
Mei stood up quickly and answered the phone.
”──Hello, yes. Okay, we’re leavin’ now. No, no extensions.”
(Thinkin’ back, I was real nervous at first.)
Naoshi had never really done karaoke before dating Mei; his experience only went back to middle school. But her initial reaction was totally that of a beginner.
”Naoshi-kun, it’s been 5 minutes.”
”Yeah, yeah, I can leave anytime. So, where are we goin’ next?”
”Ya’ll see──somewhere nice.”
With that, Mei flashed a mischievous smile.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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