EP.84
Time flowed, and on the early morning of the day Erekaya and I had promised to explore the amusement park—which was, in truth, a date cloaked in the guise of an expedition—I stood in front of my pitifully sparse wardrobe, deeply contemplating what to wear.
“Umm… No matter how I think about it, it seems like I have nothing to wear.”
Indeed. It was a given that Nineveh was a type of school, and I was a student there. Having spent nearly all my time within its confines since my reincarnation, I had neither the means nor the need to purchase other clothes.
In fact, even the school uniform I was currently wearing wasn’t bought with my own money. When I was assigned to this dormitory and opened the wardrobe, it was packed full of uniforms in various sizes.
So, during the past three months, the only clothes I had managed to buy were sportswear for after-school activities or workout clothes for practice in the training hall.
I had no outfits for going out or for dressing up for a date with a girl; furthermore, I had no history of ever wearing such clothes!
Over the past century, while fighting against the end and seeking a way to conquer it, I had been too pressed for time to frivolously spend time going out with girls.
But knowing it would come to this, shouldn’t I have at least made an attempt to enjoy my life this time around?
If that were the case, I wouldn’t be standing in front of my wardrobe like a puppy desperate for a bathroom break, fretting over what to wear in preparation for today’s date.
– I truly don’t understand why I’m worrying. Isn’t it a simple task to just go in my school uniform?
As Erekaya observed me, she spoke in a tone that indicated she couldn’t comprehend my situation, which prompted me to question her mental state.
“…You’re really going to wear your school uniform on a date? Are you out of your mind?”
I had known this girl had no understanding of someone’s feelings, but how could she entertain such a ridiculous thought?
“It’s not just any day; it’s a Golden Holiday spent enjoying a date with a girl. Why would you wear your everyday school uniform on such an occasion?”
– I, too, cannot understand your sympathy-like way of thinking. Why must one show a different side on a date?
“…What?”
Erekaya spoke to Jin, looking down at him as if she were a teacher addressing a student.
– Regardless of your actual age, you are merely a poor student at present. And you are well aware that I currently have no money either. Since you spend every day in the same uniform and casual clothes, it would indeed be rather peculiar if you didn’t notice.
“…Ugh.”
True, it is somewhat amusing to critique my attire when I typically wear the same outfit every day.
– Dressing up more than usual on a date is akin to a peacock spreading its feathers to attract a mate. Fundamentally, it is an act of highlighting one’s beautiful aspects and concealing shortcomings.
– However, my current situation is somewhat different. You two have already spent considerable time together as classmates and as members of the same Student Council. Thus, there’s really no point in trying to present yourself differently now.
Indeed, Erekaya made a valid point. We weren’t on a blind date; more importantly, today’s excursion to the amusement park was merely an “exploration” rather than a date, making the notion of dressing up seem rather misplaced.
– And, importantly, I have a romantic notion of a “school uniform date.”
“…A school uniform date?”
What could that possibly mean? Was it a type of cosplay?
– A school uniform is akin to a right or privilege you can only wear during your school years. Looking back, I feel incredibly aggrieved. My youth, the golden period of life, when I never got the chance to go on a date or even share a kiss while wearing a school uniform with another guy… that fact alone!
EP.85
I could feel Erekaya trembling her hands in my mind as she mentioned the term “school uniform date.”
– However, I currently have no physical form, and even if I had one, I had reached an age where wearing a school uniform would be inappropriate. Thus, I simply cannot wear a school uniform…
Indeed, if you were to wear a school uniform at that age, it wouldn’t just be cosplay; it would surely be deemed an indecent act likely to be illegal.
Nonetheless, the idea of seeing Erekaya in a school uniform in her twenties… to be honest, I would find it somewhat intriguing.
It’s perfectly natural for high school students to wear uniforms, but a mature woman in her twenties donning a school uniform would surely present a different kind of beauty!
– So, there would be no issue wearing a school uniform. No, in fact, I even wish I could have worn one as well. To think of a boy and girl proudly showcasing their freshness in their school uniforms on a date in front of everyone… there would be no other type of date with such overwhelming impact in the world.
“Honestly, that sounds like a wish filled with your personal desires and ambitions.”
Well, I couldn’t even choose to wear something other than a school uniform; I simply had no other clothes to wear from the beginning.
Today, the meeting spot for Jin and Erekaya was none other than the same place where we had gone to purchase supplies for the Student Council—right in front of the school gate.
With the most challenging obstacle of attire now sorted out, there weren’t too many issues for Jin to worry about.
– Did you bring your wallet?
“I did. Just in case, I brought all the money I received for maintaining my dignity.”
According to Erekaya and Serika, having the girl pay for anything on a date is a negative act that detracts from one’s likability, so they had sternly advised against it.
To be honest, hearing that didn’t sit well with me at all.
Why should I always be the one paying? There are two mouths to feed, but why should my wallet be the only one to suffer? Plus, Erekaya is a noble lady from the House of Count; she must have far more money than I do!
– Are you truly a man with any sense?
Upon hearing my opinion, Erekaya shouted loudly in reply, stating that the amount of money spent on a date isn’t what matters; it’s the sincerity and thoughtfulness towards the other person that counts.
Certainly, Erekaya could afford a few coins just as well, but the fact that, at this moment, I’m thinking solely of her conveys a message of my intentions or something like that.
– Have you studied the layout of the amusement park and the date course?
“I’m not sure how long my memory will hold up, but I’ve at least crammed as much as I could into my head.”
The amusement park we were going to explore today had just recently opened, and I had heard that on holidays, it would be jam-packed with visitors from all across the Empire.
This meant that whether we wanted to ride attractions or see sights, we would inevitably have to queue, so planning an efficient date course to minimize wasted time was absolutely essential.
“Well, if I really can’t remember anything, you can just discreetly hint it to me.”
– Oh dear, what a shameless man…
That wasn’t all. Although she wasn’t physically present at the moment, Serika had also agreed to secretly follow us and provide assistance at opportune moments.
Truly, it felt like having the commanding presence of a Zhuge Liang guiding the situation.
No matter how I pondered, there was no room for failure in today’s date. I had no blind spots left!
“Have you been waiting long?”
Ten minutes before the scheduled time, Erekaya arrived.
I instinctively turned my gaze to her attire and—
“…Huh?”
I couldn’t help but express my surprise for a moment.
Today, Erekaya was wearing a school uniform just like mine.
Moreover, the necklace I had gifted her previously was gleaming brightly in the sunlight, resting on her uniform.
– Hmm? Could it be that I also wanted to enjoy a school uniform date with you, even in my current state?
Erekaya, still lamenting the fact that she never got to experience a school uniform date in her life, kept bringing it up.
But considering that these two are essentially the same individual, despite the age difference, could it be that the current Erekaya also harbored a fantasy about a school uniform date in her heart?
“Ah… Is it because of my outfit?”
Noticing the gaze directed at her, Erekaya smiled shyly.
“It’s just that, since it’s someone like you, I thought you would wear a school uniform today, so I decided it was better for me to wear one too. If one of us is in a uniform while the other isn’t, it would look a bit odd, don’t you think?”
She chuckled lightly and answered casually.
As it turns out, Erekaya wearing a school uniform today wasn’t out of any fetish but rather a considerate gesture for me, a poor soul lacking both money and clothes.
– …Who said someone has a uniform fetish?
Brushing aside the clamoring of the voices in my head, I carefully opened my mouth, gazing at her in uniform.
“Uh… um, you look pretty. Your outfit today.”
Perhaps because I had been hearing about school uniform dates since the morning, Erekaya, despite wearing the same outfit I always saw her in, looked somehow more beautiful today.
“What’s that? It’s the same outfit as usual, and now you’re flattering me?”
But contrary to her words, Erekaya smiled gently at my compliment.
“Did you perhaps hear some advice somewhere? That it’s good to compliment a girl’s outfit on the first date?”
“Uh? Uh? N-no, that’s….”
“I’m not pressing for an answer. I just think you’re sweet for saying it.”
As she spoke, Erekaya nervously adjusted her school uniform.
“It’s funny, really. This uniform is something I wear casually all the time, yet just wearing it outside of school gives me such a strange feeling.”
“Well, I’ll give you an extra 10 points. Because you paid attention to what the girl you’re escorting is wearing and told her she looks pretty, it feels like a wonderfully positive start.”
With that, Erekaya gently yet firmly took hold of my hand.
This was the second time we had held hands and felt the warmth of each other.
However, while the last time we held hands was purely for not losing each other in a crowd, today Erekaya took my hand without any prior warning or excuse.
“Although the main purpose is an exploration, it’s still my first date with a boy. Or maybe it’s our second date? Regardless, we should definitely escort each other properly, right?”
As she said this, Erekaya had a bright and warm expression unlike her usual self.
“So let’s hurry up. There’s so much I want to do with you today!”
“…Okay.”
Somehow, I felt my heart flutter.
It was as if I wasn’t the one trying to charm her, but she was the one charming me, igniting an absurd illusion in my mind.