Volume 5 Chapter 17 Shirogane Aqua, the Blue-eyed Kanon
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Hey… This can’t be real…”
I clasped my head in my hands as I looked at my reflection in front of the mirror. Pegonia-san, the mastermind behind this misfortune, smirked as she saw my dejected state.
”Shirogane-sama, you look quite lovely. With this appearance, no one would recognize you as Shirogane-sama, no matter how they look at you.”
I looked at my changed reflection in the mirror again. Indeed, as Pegonia-san said, no one would ever realize that this was me. With thick makeup applied by Pegonia-san, I wore a platinum blonde wig just like Lapis’s, and a women’s yukata with padding in the chest area. Except for my height, I looked completely like a woman.
When I saw my own face in the mirror, I couldn’t help but feel a subtle connection to my sister, Shitori-onee-chan, and mother. Of all times, I didn’t want to reaffirm the family blood connection in this way…
”Pegonia-san… Won’t my height give me away?”
”Oh, don’t worry, Shirogane-sama. Besides, it’s me, not you.”
Pegonia-san smiled blissfully. This person is definitely enjoying toying with me.
”Or perhaps, Shirogane-sama, you intend to break the date promise with Her Highness? Oh, how pitiable. Her Highness was so looking forward to her date with you… Oh, how distressing.”
”Kkh…”
Originally, it was me who set up the date with Kanon. Considering Kanon’s position and my situation, it would be difficult to go out on a normal date. That leaves us with two options: a home date or a date in disguise.
Initially, the idea of a home date was proposed, but being alone in a room with a beauty like Kanon is definitely a no-go. Having an unmarried Kanon of marrying age alone in a room with me, also of marrying age, would be scandalous no matter how you look at it. So, inevitably, the choice narrowed down to the latter. And this is the result.
”Shirogane-sama, you look great.”
Pegonia-san approached me gracefully.
”By the way, today, Her Highness is wearing frilly white lace underwear.”
What am I supposed to do with that information about Kanon’s underwear!? And why did you even say that? I feel like I’ve learned something I shouldn’t have… While I was lost in thought, I heard a knock on the door.
”Oh, yes, please come in.”
In response to my words, the door to the room opened slowly. Standing on the other side of the door was Kanon, with her shining blonde hair concealed under a black-haired wig. And I couldn’t help but be taken aback by Kanon’s yukata figure, which she doesn’t usually wear.
Upon closer inspection, I noticed she was wearing colored contacts to hide her eye color, and her makeup emphasized her youthful appearance. Overall, she looked different from the usual Kanon. If the usual Kanon was like a princess-like beauty, the current Kanon was more like a friendly classmate from the same school.
Perhaps because of that, Kanon came closer to me, and I was slightly flustered. Kanon, who had come down to the point of making me aware that she is just a girl of the same age, shook the boundary I had drawn in my heart, thinking of her as a princess.
”Aqua-sama… You look wonderful.”
Looking at my appearance, Kanon gazed up at me with a captivated expression. I returned her thanks and words of gratitude, but I felt a little complicated.
”H-How do I look?”
Kanon turned around in front of me, looking a bit embarrassed. Finally, she turned her back to me, showing her nape and then glancing back at me for a moment. To put it modestly, it was fantastic. She looked beautiful as always, and normally cute… Her yukata figure had a lovely date feeling to it.
As my gaze slowly descended from her nape, it stopped abruptly and unnaturally at Kanon’s butt.
’By the way, today, Her Highness is wearing frilly white lace underwear.’
I remembered Pegonia-san’s unnecessary remark, and I ended up imagining… Sorry, Kanon… I know it’s disrespectful, but I’m still a boy after all. To divert my thoughts, I smiled.
”The yukata looks great on you. Your black hair is different from usual and looks refreshing.”
”Uh… Ah… Th-Thank you.”
Kanon’s fair skin blushed like an apple. Cute… I regretted looking at such a pure and innocent Kanon with impure thoughts. Unable to bear it, I averted my gaze from Kanon. In the mirror where my gaze landed, Pegonia-san was grinning, seemingly enjoying my reactions.
This person, she was expressionless at first, but now I feel like she’s enjoying my reactions. But really, for a beauty like Kanon, it’s difficult for a man not to imagine what kind of underwear she’s wearing. So, please don’t whisper in a low voice, “It’s brand new!” I didn’t want to hear such new information. I’m a man, you know. What will you do if I react to that? Dammit!
I smiled, pretending like nothing happened.
”S-So, shall we go?”
”Ah, yes!”
In the black sedan with a driver that Kanon had prepared, we headed to our destination. This date with Kanon was a classic summer festival and fireworks date while wearing yukata. Not a famous grand fireworks display, but a medium-sized one. It had just enough people, not too many, so we could spend a relaxed time together.
As we talked about each other’s recent situations and watched the setting sun from the car window, before we knew it, our car had arrived near our destination.
”Thank you.”
”Huh? Ah… Yes.”
After arriving at our destination, I thanked the driver and got out of the car. I extended my hand towards Kanon, who would get out later.
”Ah, thank you.”
”Eh? Ah… Your welcome.”
Looking slightly bewildered, Kanon placed her hand over mine. Oops… I inadvertently extended my hand, but for someone like Kanon, who is a princess, it might still take courage to hold hands with a man. Maybe it was allowed back then because I was an escort, but was it okay for me to casually touch her like that?
”Um, well, shall we go?”
”Y-Yeah.”
Perhaps because of such thoughts, I missed the timing to release my hand from Kanon’s. I hope my hands aren’t sweaty, right?
Kanon’s hand that I held was small, and her fingertips that touched my palm were very delicate. I glanced at Kanon. Her cheeks were lightly tinged pink under the light of the summer festival lanterns, and seeing that made me flutter again. Just by holding hands, I’m feeling so excited. What should I do if it escalates any further?
”Ah…”
Kanon let out a small voice. Oh no, did she notice that I’ve been staring at her face all this time!? That’s what I thought, but when I followed Kanon’s gaze, it was directed at the candy apple stall.
”Candy apples, would you like one?”
”Huh? Ah… Yes.”
I took out my wallet and ordered a candy apple from the stall’s attendant. Of course, I had to use my voice in a way that didn’t give away that I’m a man.
”Ah, the money.”
”No, let me treat you today.”
I refused Kanon’s attempt to take out her wallet.
”Um… Today is also an apology for delaying our date, so I’d be happy if you accepted it honestly.”
”O-Okay.”
Kanon received the candy apple and tilted her head slightly. Oh right, she probably doesn’t know how to eat it. When I showed her the proper way to eat it, Kanon timidly opened her mouth and gently licked the candy apple with just the tip of her tongue. Dammit, she’s just too cute! If there was a wall here, I’d probably punch it.
As I was staring at Kanon’s figure for a long time, she turned her head toward me.
”Ah… I’m sorry. I was eating it alone… O-Onee-sama probably wanted to try it too? Here.”
Kanon directed the candy apple she was holding towards me. Huh? Is it okay to accept this? The part of the candy apple she’s offering me is the same spot she licked just now. If I were to lick it, wouldn’t it be like an indirect kiss?
As I’m thinking about that, Kanon seems to have realized the unintentional implication too, and her face turns bright red with embarrassment. It’s quite adorable to see Kanon feeling shy like this, but I can’t just leave it as it is. I pretend not to have noticed and lick the candy apple.
”Mmm, it’s delicious.”
I took a bite of the candy apple and told Kanon she could eat the rest. Huff, huff… Is a date this tiring? It hasn’t even been five minutes since we arrived at the summer festival, and I already feel like I won’t last. If I hadn’t been crossdressing, I might have been completely captivated by Kanon’s cuteness and made a mistake.
Even now, I’m honestly in a bit of trouble. Honestly, on the way here, I felt the urge to kiss Kanon three times. No, if Kanon were my girlfriend, I’d probably kiss her five times at least. That’s the bare minimum. I’m confident I’d do it even more.
”Ah, shall we go that way?”
”Yeah.”
Kanon and I leisurely gazed at and visited various stalls. Along the way, I felt like we received several lingering gazes from people who found my crossdressing amusing or perhaps because two girls were holding hands. I pretended not to notice and tried to play it off. Please, I hope they absolutely don’t figure it out!
”Ah…”
As I was thinking about that, an acquaintance passed by in front of me. It was Kurogami-san, Washimiya-san, and Kurumi-san, the close-knit group from our class. I was surprised because I never expected to run into them here.
”Is something wrong?”
”Ah, no, it’s just some classmates.”
I turned my face away from my classmates and whispered softly into Kanon’s ear. We tried to avoid each other’s activity areas, but it seems coincidences like this can still happen even when we’re at a summer festival in a neighboring prefecture.
”Ah…”
Kanon saw the three figures I looked at and her eyes widened slightly. Perhaps one of those three is an acquaintance? Oh, right, Washimiya-san comes from a wealthy family. It wouldn’t be strange if the two of them know each other.
”Is something wrong?”
”Well… that girl on the left.”
The girl on the left?
”You mean Kurumi-san?”
”Yes… Hey, could it be that you didn’t notice?”
”What do you mean?”
I tilted my head. I was surprised that Kurumi-san and Kanon knew each other, but what exactly am I failing to notice?
”I see… As I thought. When Aqua-sama saw her, it was just for a moment, and she looks different from back then… Yeah, I’m glad she seems to be doing well.”
”Kanon?”
”Uh, sorry, it’s nothing. Hey, let’s go! The fireworks are starting soon.”
”Ah, yeah.”
The hand I had been holding back was now pulled forward by Kanon. Her smile at that moment was so radiant that I had the sudden urge to hug her from behind. To be honest, regardless of appearance, her gestures, expressions, and voice, Kanon is my type.
Well, her appearance is even more my type. If a girl like that shows any sign of interest, it’s normal to become conscious of it, and sometimes my heart feels so tight I can’t bear it. If I could date Kanon, I think I’d want to give it a try. But Kanon is a princess, and pursuing her without hesitation is not an option. So, I keep holding back, telling myself to endure.
”Ah…”
Kanon, who was holding my hand, suddenly stopped.
”Is she lost?”
Kanon directed her gaze in a certain direction, where a little girl who seemed to be in the kindergarten’s senior class was looking around anxiously. The people around her were looking up at the fireworks, so it seems no one noticed her.
”Um…”
Kanon looked at me as if she wanted to say something.
”Should I call out to her?”
I leaned in and replied as I peered at Kanon’s face.
”Yeah, please.”
I approached the little girl, trying not to scare her, and crouched down to meet her gaze.
”Hello. Did you come to watch the fireworks?”
”Yeah… but… mama went somewhere…”
The girl stared at me with a face on the verge of tears. I looked at Kanon, signaling if she wanted to help find the girl’s mother. Kanon responded with a kind expression and nodded.
”I see. I wonder where your mama went. If you want, can… can these big sisters help you look for mama?”
”Yeah… okay.”
”Alright then… um…”
”I’m Shii.”
”Shii-chan, nice to meet you. Uh, my name is, uh…”
I can’t exactly introduce myself as who I am, so maybe a suitable fake name… As I was thinking about that, the little girl blurted out something unexpected.
”Mama…”
”Mama!?”
After all, I’m just a normal high school boy.
I resisted being called “mama,” and above all, if I let such a young girl call me that, wouldn’t I be just a pervert!? An idol like Shirogane Aqua getting arrested for kidnapping a little girl—what a laughable scenario!!
”Ma-Mama is a bit…”
”Then, Papa.”
Pa… Papa, huh? Yeah, that’s still better. It feels weird being called Papa in a female appearance, but maybe it’s not that uncommon in this world.
”Hehe, Papa it is.”
Seeing my reaction, Kanon chuckled. Upon that, Shii-chan blurted out something outrageous again.
”Big sister is Mama.”
”Huh!?”
Kanon blushed for the third time. I couldn’t help feeling my face heat up as well. Maybe I’m blushing so much that I can’t even mention Kanon’s name. My heavily made-up face felt hot.
”Um, um, well then, Shii-chan, shall we look for Shii-chan’s real mama?”
”Yeah!”
I held Shii-chan’s hand to prevent her from getting lost again. She then offered her other hand to Kanon. Kanon let go of my hand and gently held Shii-chan’s tiny hand, speaking to her in a soft voice.
”How old are you, Shii-chan?”
”Six… I just became a senior in kindergarten.”
”I see. Kindergarten must be fun, right?”
”Yeah… Is Mama having fun? Is Shii-chan a bother?”
”It’s fun. Besides…”
Kanon bent down and brought her face close to Shii-chan’s.
”Thanks to Shii-chan. Mama… Papa is making my heart race now.”
”Thanks to Shii-chan?”
”Yeah, thanks to Shi-chan. I’ve reconfirmed that there’s only Papa for me.”
Unfortunately, the surrounding noise was too loud, so I couldn’t hear what Kanon and Shii-chan were talking about in detail. However, seeing the two of them whispering to each other made me think it was adorable and heartwarming, as if they were a real parent and child.
”Oh my, what a close parent-child relationship.”
Someone who saw us murmured that. Kanon and I blushed even more upon hearing it. This is bad; we need to find Shii-chan’s real mom as soon as possible; otherwise, we’ll be found out first. So, Kanon and I decided to head to the main office where they deal with lost children.
”Ah…”
Shii-chan looked up at the sky, her eyes sparkling. Kanon and I followed her gaze and looked up at the sky too. Then, with a big boom, fireworks began to launch one after another in the beautiful night sky. We were captivated by the fleeting and fantastical colors painted on the canvas of the starry sky. Shii-chan tugged at my hand excitedly.
”Papa, carry me.”
”Ah, right, Shii-chan is a bit too short to see properly.”
I gave Shii-chan a piggyback ride.
”Wow! Papa, the fireworks are amazing!!”
”Yeah, they are.”
As Shii-chan looked up at the sky, she excitedly exclaimed in delight at the beauty of the fireworks. Just a moment ago, she seemed a little anxious, but now her face lit up with a smile—it’s incredible how fireworks can do that. Feeling the need to match up to my idol status, I felt a sense of rivalry with the fireworks artisans who created this display.
”Wow…”
When I glanced next to me, I saw Kanon gazing up at the night sky with an enchanted expression.
Feeling a bit frustrated that the fireworks had captured Kanon’s attention, I tightly held Kanon’s free hand.
”Eh… Ah…”
I regretted that it might have seemed childish, but Kanon blushed again, looking at my face instead of the fireworks. Is this what jealousy feels like? Or is it possessiveness? Looking at Kanon’s expression, I realized that I wanted to be the only one who could make Kanon look like that.
”Shii!!”
As we were watching the fireworks, a voice called out to Shii-chan from behind. Turning towards the voice, Shii-chan above my head shouted in response.
”Mama!!”
I crouched down and gently put Shii-chan back on the ground.
”Thank goodness. I’m sorry, Shii. Did you feel lonely when you got separated?”
”Nope. I wasn’t lonely because Papa and Mama were together.”
Shii-chan’s “mama” directed her gaze towards us, then stood up and bowed deeply.
”I apologize for causing you trouble. It’s because I took my eyes off her…”
Seeing the fatigued expression of Shii-chan’s “mama” from earlier, I could easily tell how worried she was about Shii-chan.
”Don’t worry about it. What matters is that you found her. Right, Shii-chan?”
Nobody is perfect all the time. There are moments when our concentration lapses, and we inadvertently take our eyes off children. In those moments, it would be great if someone else noticed and covered for us. In a world where people are that kind, I think everyone would be happy. At least, I want to live in such a world.
”Thank you, Papa, Mama!”
”Thank you so much!!”
Kanon and I waved our hands and saw off Shii-chan and her “mama.” Then, I lowered my head to Kanon.
”Sorry, it was supposed to be our date…”
”No, it was wonderful. I’m really glad I could be here today… So, you know. I’d be happy if you’d take me out on a date again.”
”Of course. If it’s okay with me, let’s go somewhere together again.”
The sound of the fireworks launching into the sky grew louder. Glancing at the clock, there were less than 20 minutes left until the end of the fireworks display. Pegonia-san had told us that she would come to pick us up a little before the fireworks ended, about 10 minutes before, to be precise.
In other words, there were only a few minutes left for this date, or rather, we had to start moving from here. Thinking about it, my chest felt tight.
Kanon said she wanted to go on a date with me. Wanting to go on a date means she sees me at least a little as the opposite s*x. But I wanted to know Kanon’s true feelings.
”Kanon, if you don’t want to, don’t hesitate to push me away.”
”Huh?”
I slowly brought my face closer to Kanon. Realizing what I was about to do, Kanon closed her eyes and placed her hand gently on my chest. Then, just a little, she lifted herself on her tiptoes towards me.
At this point, we didn’t need any more words. With my hand around Kanon’s back, I gently pressed my lips against her soft ones. Amidst everyone gazing up at the fireworks, we exchanged a gentle apple-flavored kiss in our own little world.
”Aqua-sama…”
”When it’s just the two of us, I want you to call me Aqua without honorifics.”
”Y-Yes… A-Aqua.”
I can’t even remember how many times this has happened. I tightly embraced her, who blushed every time.
Now that I think about it, I probably fell in love with Kanon at first sight when we first met. But she’s a princess, and we will probably never be together. Even when I was an escort, my mother and Ako-san talked about it. So, I drew a line and tried not to let myself fall for her. I ignored my feelings and kept avoiding Kanon’s invitations for a date. But now…
’Aqua-sama… maybe, just maybe, you might be hesitating to get involved deeply with someone?’
When I collapsed, Kanon, who came to visit me, said something that struck a chord in me. Being a princess or an idol, I don’t need any excuses anymore. At that moment, I was made aware of it, and I could finally acknowledge the feelings I had for Kanon from the beginning.
And today, spending time with Kanon again, I thought it was really enjoyable. Every time Kanon blushed at me, my heart tightened just as much. I found her gestures adorable. Seeing how quickly she noticed Shii-chan and spoke gently to her, I fell even more for her.
I’m just an ordinary citizen and an idol of this country. Kanon is a princess of a different country, and our statuses are different. This love may never be reciprocated. Someday, Kanon will return to her country and probably marry someone else, definitely not me. We both probably understand that. Yet, at this moment, we couldn’t help but confirm each other’s feelings.
”Welcome back. Did you enjoy the fireworks festival?”
”Yes. Thank you for today, Pegonia-san.”
After that, we didn’t go to a hotel or anything; Kanon and I rode the car that came to pick us up and returned to her house. Pegonia-san, who came to pick us up, seemed a bit disappointed, or maybe it was just my imagination. Kanon and I held hands inside the car the whole time, not exchanging much conversation, but our eyes met many times, and each time, my heart skipped a beat.
”Thank you for today, Kanon. If you’re okay with it, let’s go somewhere together again next time.”
”Yes. I’m looking forward to our next date. Aqua.”
After making the next promise with Kanon, I went home alone in a taxi. Maybe because Kanon had been right next to me until just now, I felt a sense of emptiness and loneliness when my shoulder touched nothing.
;Shirogane-sama, as long as you create a fait accompli, it’ll be okay. If you just make a child, you’ll win for sure. Don’t worry; I’ll leave the hole open for you, Pegonia.”
As we were leaving, Pegonia-san whispered that to me with a smirking face. Both Kanon and I are still high school students, so I think it’s too early for either of us to have children. Of course, the timing varies from person to person, but at least, it’s not the right time for us. Also, if there ever is anything between Kanon and me, I promised myself in the taxi on my way home that I’d make sure to check if there were any holes in the cond*ms.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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