Chapter 21: Shopping Quest

Nanaho City in Tokyo is a core city with a population of about 500,000, anchored by the bustling transit hub of Nanaho Station. Direct lines snake out to major destinations like Tokyo and Yokohama, and though the station itself isn’t particularly large, it pulses with constant human traffic. The wide concourse connecting the north and south exits becomes a river of humanity—expressionless salarymen, chattering students bound for club activities, mothers shepherding children, elderly couples walking arm in arm. Strangers all, yet standing here now, it feels like me against the entire world.

Summer vacation has a way of loosening the world’s grip. Time stretches like taffy, tensions dissolve, and students’ hearts find room to breathe. But my body remained straight as a board.

Location: In front of the ticket gates at Nanaho Station, beside the coffee shop—exactly where Toudou had specified we’d meet.

Time: 9:45 AM. Fifteen minutes until our agreed rendezvous.

Purpose: Shopping for swimsuits with Toudou Mashiro. An invitation I’d somehow worked up the courage to extend.

Laid out like that, it sounds simple enough. Yet my heart hammered against my ribs like it might burst free. I’d jolted awake at 5:30 this morning and arrived forty minutes early, paralyzed by the thought of being late. The sounds around me felt muffled, as if I were wrapped in a thin membrane that separated me from reality.

Last night, I’d been relatively calm—maybe the sudden plans hadn’t fully sunk in yet. But from the moment my eyes opened this morning, my anxiety had been climbing steadily toward panic.

“Calm down, it’s no big deal…” I muttered to myself. Right, exactly. Just swimsuit shopping with a female classmate. Nothing major about that—except it absolutely was major! Completely, utterly major!

“God, this is bad…” Self-suggestion clearly wasn’t working. If I was this nervous just waiting, what would happen when she actually showed up?

As I stood there trembling, the passageway stretching toward the south exit seemed to grow noisier—or maybe that was just my imagination? No, it definitely wasn’t. The usual bustle had gained a strange new quality, murmurs swirling like waves through the crowd.

I glanced toward the disturbance and spotted the cause. Someone was walking this way—just a regular person, apparently. But as they advanced, people turned to stare and naturally parted to make way, as if yielding to royalty.

She looked like a celebrity. Pale legs extended from a tight one-piece dress down to stylish short boots. An ash-blonde bob fluttered around her shoulders as she walked, a shoulder bag swaying with each step. Even with a black mask covering half her face, her delicate features were unmistakable.

And those eyes—as she drew closer, I realized they were a stunning blue. The girl who strode forward with such natural confidence was literally like a goddess walking among mortals.

Yes, in other words, this was Toudou Mashiro. It wasn’t celebrity status that had people buzzing—it was her rare, almost otherworldly presence that captured everyone’s attention.

“What the hell is that?” I breathed.

Every eye in the vicinity was drawn to her. The aura she radiated, combined with her beauty, was like that of a chosen hero from some fantasy tale. Or maybe an absolute being like a demon lord would be more fitting.

Her destination was, of course, me. She was heading straight this way, and curious onlookers followed her path with their gazes, wondering where such a stunning girl could possibly be going. I felt like someone with a blade pressed to their throat.

Toudou spotted me from across the crowd. I caught what looked like her mouth forming an “Ah” behind the black fabric of her mask, the material pulling taut with her expression.

When our eyes met, she raised her hand in greeting. Her eyes curved into happy crescents, sparkling with unmistakable joy.

Some people glanced over discreetly, their thoughts practically visible: Who could this beautiful girl possibly be meeting? That guy? Must be a mistake. Maybe they’re relatives? Family? No way, they’re clearly strangers…

“Ugh…” I groaned internally.

Toudou waved with a radiant smile, completely unbothered by the stares around us. I didn’t want to raise my hand back. I’d rather just turn around and run away.

“Hey there, Kuroki-kun!” Maybe she thought I hadn’t noticed her. Despite all the attention, she waved even more enthusiastically and called out. She broke into a light jog, her boots clicking against the floor as she approached. The one-piece clung perfectly to her curves, causing various parts to bounce enticingly with each step.

People looked at Toudou, then at me, then inevitably back to those bouncing parts, unable to look away. My face twitched. We were absolutely the center of attention.

Suddenly, I remembered today’s goal. Didn’t I want to grow as a person? Then there was no reason to hesitate. This was a chance to gain experience points. Why run from myself?

My hand rose awkwardly, like a rusty toy creaking to life.

“O-Oh…” My pathetic voice got swallowed by the crowd and vanished. My hand slowly lowered, having nowhere to go.

Even though she couldn’t have heard me over the noise, Toudou seemed satisfied and lowered her own hand. She continued approaching with strong, flowing strides.

“Gotta give it my all today,” my mouth muttered on its own. Of course, I was already giving it my all. Thanks to that focused determination, my overwhelming tension had actually started to fade.

“Hey there! Sorry to keep you waiting—did you get here early?” she asked brightly.

“…I just got here.”

That was a lie. I’d been standing rigid in the same spot for forty minutes already.

“Huuuh?” Toudou’s eyes narrowed like a predator sizing up prey.

“W-What?”

“Nothing much. But it feels like you’re the one with something going on here, Kuroki-kun.”

“Guh.”

“Bingo?” She gave me a sidelong glance paired with a knowing smile. Everything about her seemed so mature and dazzling that I couldn’t speak normally.

No way I could win this battle. Time for a strategic retreat.

I swallowed quietly and fulfilled the bare minimum social obligation. “Today, regarding the swimsuit selection, please take care of me. Thank you for making time despite your busy schedule.”

“Huh? What’s with the super formal speech? You plotting something?”

“I’m not plotting anything.”

Accept the humility of defeat, I told myself.

“Suspicious,” she said, but Toudou’s smile behind the mask shone as brightly as ever.

We kept our conversation light as we entered the station building and stepped onto the escalator together. Toudou boarded first and twisted around to look back at me.

“When we first met up, weren’t you kind of cold? Did something happen? Is this your first time doing something like this?”

She was still fixated on that. She really didn’t need to worry so much.

That’s when it hit me—a sudden realization. Maybe Toudou thought I’d never hung out with people before. Maybe she assumed I was freaking out internally and was trying to be considerate. Yeah, her energy had felt slightly off since we’d met up.

Even back in middle school, I’d had a decent amount of charm and some friends. I was just intimidated by Toudou’s overwhelming presence—I wasn’t scared of walking with acquaintances in general. This wasn’t good. If she was being overly considerate, my social level wouldn’t increase at all.

I looked up at Toudou as we were carried to the upper floor. Time to settle this once and for all.

“Toudou, this is sudden, but hear me out on something.”

“Huh? What…? Here on the escalator?”

Toudou looked unusually flustered, which was kind of fun in its own way. With my tension finally easing, I figured I’d say what I really wanted.

“You don’t need to be considerate at all. I have way more experience with this stuff than you think.”

“…Huh?”

Toudou stepped off the escalator with her gaze fixed intently on me. If it were me, I’d have definitely tripped.

We walked a bit further to avoid blocking other passengers before Toudou asked, her face strangely blank, “…Oh, really? So Kuroki-kun does this kind of thing… a lot?”

“This kind of thing?”

Her expression was completely unreadable.

“Who do you do it with? This kind of thing.”

This was bad. I didn’t have specific examples to draw from. Time to bluff my way through…

“Well, with various people…”

“With various people. You’ve got experience. Huh.”

Lately, it had mostly been with my mom or sister. In terms of high school social life, today was actually my first time. But if I backtracked now, I wouldn’t be able to walk confidently beside Toudou.

For this swimsuit-buying mission, I needed to level up. In games, if you’re too hesitant, you won’t improve. The key is jumping in boldly.

So I puffed out my chest and declared it while imagining a triumphant sound effect in my head: “I’ve got no small amount of experience!”

Not a ton, either, but it’s all in how you phrase it.

Come on, Toudou. No need to hold back—let’s talk as equals…!

“Huh… really… no small amount, huh.”

But contrary to my intent, Toudou’s eyes narrowed dangerously. From somewhere, a cold wind seemed to blow that definitely wasn’t from the air conditioning. I could practically hear an ominous whistling sound effect behind her.

“Huh? W-What’s wrong?”

I bit my tongue, but the conversation pressed forward.

“Nothing much. But wow, Kuroki-kun’s more of a ladies’ man than I thought? I see, I see—you’ve got tons of experience. Huuuh. Guess I was the only one worrying for nothing.”

“Huh? Ladies’ man…?” What did that even mean? With my mom and sister?

My head was spinning, but Toudou kindly provided the answer herself.

“I mean, I’m not calling this a date or anything, obviously. But still, I don’t think you need to brag to the other person about how much experience you have with this stuff. But I see, I see. Kuroki-kun’s used to going out with women, huh? That was definitely unexpected…”

Toudou looked unusually agitated—like sweat was pouring down her face, avoiding eye contact, talking rapidly. It even felt like her eyes had swirling spirals in them, straight out of a manga.

This fresh side of Toudou made me feel a strange sense of closeness, but at the same time, I panicked.

Could she have completely misunderstood?! Did she think I’d just declared that I was experienced at shopping with women?!

Oh, crap.

All that hard-won composure from earlier? Gone in an instant. I didn’t even care about the stares from passersby as I rushed to explain.

“No, wait, that’s not it at all, Toudou! You’re totally misunderstanding! I’ve never been on a date in my entire life—I’m a complete loser! The biggest loser of all losers! I can’t do anything around girls—I’m just a pathetic wimp! You’re literally the only person who’d ever go shopping with me, Toudou! You’re like my saving goddess!”

Toudou froze mid-step, probably trying to process the word salad I’d just dumped on her.

I could feel curious eyes on us from all directions. It felt like people were chuckling at the spectacle, but I ignored them for now.

Without rebooting properly, Toudou’s face suddenly flushed crimson like it was on fire. She pressed her arm against her mouth, trying to hide behind it.

“Don’t yell embarrassing stuff like that in public…”

“Embarrassing…” I tried imagining how I must look from an outside perspective—acting all big and tough, failing spectacularly, then shouting desperate excuses like I was threatening someone. Yeah, pretty pathetic.

My mood crashed with an almost audible thud.

“Yeah, you’re right… I’m embarrassing and pathetic…”

Toudou, who’d been standing there with her mouth agape, slowly narrowed her eyes as if returning to reality. But it wasn’t the cold look from before—somehow, it seemed almost affectionate.

“No, that’s not what I meant. Well, it is kind of funny, so whatever. Sorry for misunderstanding, Kuroki-kun. If you think about it normally, there’s no way you’d be some player, right? Nobody would bother with someone that embarrassing.”

“Guh.” Hearing it put like that was weirdly irritating. But I knew from competitive gaming that frustration was the spice that helped you improve.

If anything, I should turn this emotion into a weapon and fight back. You can’t level up without grinding for experience.

As I caught up to walk beside Toudou, who’d started moving ahead, I said, “So what about you, Toudou?”

“…Huh? What are you talking about?”

Toudou acted completely clueless, but she was sharp—she had to know what I meant. If anything, she seemed flustered again, just like before.

That’s when it hit me. Wait, was she actually being considerate of me…? Because I was so obviously inexperienced…?

“…Toudou, cut it out. I was the one in the wrong earlier. You don’t have to hide anything or hold back.”

“Huh? No, I’m not trying to hide—”

Toudou’s dramatic denial only made it more obvious. So that was it. She was choosing her words carefully for my sake.

I put on the biggest smile I could manage, acting like it didn’t bother me at all.

“Toudou, you don’t have to hide how much dating experience you have. I’m totally fine with it. If you’re as gorgeous as you are, it wouldn’t be weird if you went on dates with different guys every week…!”

“Um…?” Toudou tilted her head in confusion. Ah, she must be stunned by how much I’d grown emotionally.

I nodded vigorously, like I was encouraging her to open up.

“You’re super popular, right? Probably get tons of invitations you can’t turn down! And in the entertainment world, you’ve got all sorts of connections! You work so incredibly hard!”

“…N—”

“Huh?”

“…None.”

“What…?” She wasn’t working hard…?

Toudou mumbled something so softly while looking down that I instinctively leaned in with one ear.

What I heard was her taking a deep breath. And then—her voice right next to my ear:

“I said! I! Don’t have! Any experience!”

“My eardrum!” My ear rang painfully. I stepped back reflexively and pressed a hand to it.

When I looked back, Toudou was frowning deeply.

“Seriously, that’s impossible.”

“S-Sorry?” Somehow I’d messed up again. Why…? This was supposed to be an experience-grinding moment.

Toudou crossed her arms and turned away. I could see her puffed-up cheeks in profile.

“I’m not that much of a player! The only person I hang out with is you, Kuroki-kun!”

“I said I was sorry…” Wait, only with me? That was kind of worrying in its own way, but I’d keep quiet for now. No need to add fuel to the fire.

“All this time, is that really how you’ve seen me?”

“How?” What did she mean? I genuinely had no clue.

“Eh.” Toudou froze with her angry expression still in place, like a glitched game screen. Then her face gradually turned bright red.

“S-So… like, th-that I…”

“That you?”

“That behind the scenes, I’m d-doing all sorts of… stuff…”

“All sorts?”

“Ugh…” Toudou groaned and then, squeezing her eyes shut tight, said it like she was bracing for impact:

“Whatever! Just hurry up and let’s go!”

“Wha—!” Before I could stop her, Toudou hurried ahead like she was escaping.

As I chased after her, I muttered, “Can I really grow like this…?”

Hang in there, me. Don’t give up, me.

About an hour had passed since we’d met up. In my hand dangled a shopping bag containing the swimsuit I’d just purchased.

“That was decided pretty quickly, huh?” Toudou—whose mood had recovered—said as I gave her a sigh.

“You kept rejecting all my perfectly good suggestions, so there weren’t really many options left…”

Toudou opened her mouth like she was genuinely offended.

“What? But I didn’t recommend any boomerang or competition styles, did I?”

“You suggested pink and gold—completely impossible colors for me.”

“They’re cute and gorgeous though, aren’t they?”

“No, they’re not. And you even suggested one with a tiger printed on the butt.”

“That’s adorable, right?”

“I really don’t get your sense of style…” I shook my head. “But was it really okay not to try on the one you bought?”

I held up the shopping bag from a famous sports brand. Swimsuits were surprisingly expensive—I’d been shocked by the price, but that was staying secret.

“It’s Bermuda style, so it should be fine. The color’s solid black, and it’s probably not defective.”

The loose, shorts-like silhouette in solid black with a vibrant orange drawstring at the waist was actually pretty nice.

“No, that’s not what I mean. There might be fit issues you won’t know about unless you actually put it on.”

“But you checked the sizing for me, Toudou.”

“Hmm, well, yeah…” Toudou had run her hands all over my body through my shirt to help pick out the swimsuit. Even among the same style, shapes varied slightly, and apparently the Bermuda types that would suit me were the relatively slim-fitting ones.

“Then it’s fine. I trust you, Toudou.” I tried saying something buddy-like, but it didn’t seem to land with her. If anything, she seemed to be thinking about something else entirely.

“Still, you’ve got quite a bit of muscle, huh, Kuroki-kun?” She stared openly at my body—my chest, abs, shoulders.

When I shrank back saying, “Hey, that’s sexual harassment…”, Toudou made a face like she was genuinely grossed out. “What? Don’t say creepy stuff like that.”

“Sorry…” How many times had I apologized today? Jokes like that were clearly beyond my skill level…

Toudou said “Jeez” while tugging at the hem of her one-piece dress to straighten it.

“Do you do any sports, Kuroki-kun? You’re in the go-home club now, right?”

“Now I am, but in middle school I was on the track team, and even now I run sometimes to clear my head.”

“Ah yeah, that’s right.” I’d meant it as a bit of personal revelation, but Toudou didn’t seem particularly surprised.

Maybe she picked up on my expression, because she started chattering away. “Oh, no, I was looking through the graduation album, and come to think of it, you were in the track team photos. I might know quite a bit about your past, Kuroki-kun.”

“My entire past is leaking out…”

“Ahaha, well, it’s just to me, so that’s fine, right?” She peeked up at me from below as if seeking confirmation, and the neckline of Toudou’s top gaped open slightly. It was tight and clinging everywhere else, but apparently not quite secure at the chest.

“Whoa—” Toudou quickly pressed it down.

“S-sorry.” I looked away as my face suddenly heated up. I’d caught glimpses like this a few times before—wait, that sounds misleading—but anyway, it wasn’t the first time. Yet maybe because she was in casual clothes today, I got more flustered than usual.

Toudou seemed surprised herself, but said, “No, no, it’s fine,” then continued with some unsettling words: “Since you’re gonna see a lot more from now on anyway.”

I’m not exactly quick on the uptake. Akane has even chewed me out before, calling me “way too dense.” But today, I was different.

I instantly grasped what Toudou was getting at. I grasped it all too well. And because of that crystal-clear understanding, I immediately shifted into escape mode.

“Alright, Toudou! As thanks for picking out my swimsuit, how about I treat you to lunch? Anything you want, even if it’s expensive. Come on, let’s go right now!”

“It’s still too early for lunch, isn’t it? Besides—” Toudou smiled mischievously, as if she’d noticed I was desperately trying to run from something.

Was I seriously trying to level up here? I asked myself, but then thought maybe it was impossible after all. That’s how much damage Toudou’s smile and words had dealt me.

“—Now it’s my turn to have you pick out a swimsuit for me, right? You get that, don’t you, Kuroki-kun?”

It felt like summer was drawing near, but all I could do was desperately avert my gaze from the seemingly deep valley of Toudou’s cleavage.

I heard Akane’s voice as a hallucination: “Guys really are the worst.”

The scene shifted to a large event space inside the station building. Right now, there was a women’s swimsuit sale in full swing. It was just a temporary venue, but an unbelievable number of swimsuits hung from every available surface.

I stood alone at the edge of the venue, trying not to get in anyone’s way. It was painfully uncomfortable, but Toudou, who’d brought me here, had said with a bright smile the moment we arrived, “I’ll go gather up some that catch my eye,” then disappeared into the sea of swimsuits. She still hadn’t returned.

The foot traffic was intense, with more girls hunting for swimsuits than I’d imagined. Solo shoppers, groups of friends, mixed groups, parent-child pairs, and couples wove through the displays. Amid all these combinations moving left and right, a lone guy standing like a telephone pole stuck out painfully. Toudou-sama, please come back soon… I prayed, but my wish remained unanswered.

With nothing else to do, I scanned the QR code on a nearby poster, which took me to the event introduction page. Apparently, this was a famous annual sale featuring swimsuits from various brands at heavily discounted prices—probably clearing out last season’s inventory.

Either way, it had to be a godsend for high school girls who tended to be short on cash. It spread through social media every summer and had become a well-known event across the Kanto region.

“I thought I was the one inviting her, but Toudou had her own agenda too…” Or rather, was this her main goal? I couldn’t help but suspect, but there was no one around to validate my theory.

The angel in my heart smiled and said, “Isn’t it enough to be grateful that Toudou-sama picked out a swimsuit for you?” The devil poked my cheek with a trident, saying, “Know your place—you can’t complain about Toudou Mashiro.”

There was no escape except shutting down my thoughts entirely.

As I vaguely scanned the area, girls around my age carrying swimsuits seemed to be heading deeper into the venue. The fitting rooms were that way, marked by a sign reading “Fitting Space This Way.” Individual changing rooms with gray curtains were neatly lined up in a row.

Since the venue was long and horizontal, it was probably designed so you could reach the fitting rooms from anywhere at a consistent distance—I was idly thinking about the layout when suddenly, a voice called out from outside my field of vision. It sounded like an adult woman.

“Hey you. Were you just checking out the girls? See any cute ones?”

“N-no! I wasn’t looking!” My voice cracked as my back went rigid.

C-could it be that security had their eye on me…?!

I timidly turned my gaze and found Toudou standing there, grinning from ear to ear with both hands full of swimsuits.

“You’re way too jumpy, aren’t you?”

“That’s in seriously bad taste…” I thought my heart was going to leap out of my mouth. This was no joke.

Finding something hilarious, Toudou giggled and said, “Sorry, sorry. I didn’t think you’d fall for it that easily.” Then she held up the swimsuits filling both hands.

“Sorry for making you wait. I’m gonna try these on now, okay?”

“Eh, ah, sure.” A sudden fitting announcement. But since we’d come here to shop, that was only natural.

I’d thought we’d finally be reunited, but it seemed I’d have to endure the loneliness a bit longer. The stares from around the venue were starting to bother me, but maybe this was another trial…

“Don’t get weak now. Hang in there, me.”

At times like this, I needed to stand firm and wait for Toudou. Those small actions, one by one, might bring about real change.

Yeah, I nodded inwardly, then Toudou, heading toward the fitting room, turned back with a puzzled expression.

“Why are you just standing there? Hurry up and come with me.”

“Yeah, yeah… Huh?”

“Huh, nothing. The fitting rooms have occupancy limits, so hurry up. And when I call out, hand me the next swimsuits in order, okay? There’s a limit on how many you can bring inside.”

The words came out on pure spinal reflex: “No way!”

“No way? Why not?”

“Because you’ll be changing clothes!”

Just a single curtain away, she’d be getting naked!

Toudou didn’t laugh at my panic—she just calmly denied my concern.

“You’re overthinking this. If you put it that way, then everyone’s using fitting rooms all around here. Everyone’s getting naked, but does that mean you’re conscious of each individual person, Kuroki-kun? Whoa, isn’t that kind of perverted?”

“Guh.” Seeing me at a loss for words, Toudou laughed “kufufu” like a little devil.

It was true—girls were changing everywhere around here. It would be weird to be conscious only of Toudou specifically. But somehow, that logic felt fundamentally flawed. Damn it. My brain wasn’t working; I couldn’t argue back.

“Come on, come on. If you get it, hold these.”

The swimsuits were handed to me with surprising lightness. There seemed to be a lot of blue ones. I’d had this arbitrary image of black or white, so the color choice felt fresh. Above all, it seemed like it would match Toudou’s eyes and the beauty of the ocean perfectly.

Toudou peered at my face. “You look kind of surprised.”

“Nah, I just somehow thought you’d pick white or black.”

Toudou furrowed her brows with a “Hm?”

“So Kuroki-kun likes that kind of thing?”

I shook my head. “It’s not about liking or disliking—but blue’s nice too. It’s beautiful, like your eyes, Toudou. It would really suit you.”

“Eh, ah… Hmm, so you say stuff like that, huh?”

“Stuff like what?” What did she mean by ‘stuff like that?’

No answer came. Toudou took some blue bikinis from my arms and swapped them with brown ones she’d been holding.

“Okay, I’m going into that fitting room over there, so wait outside. When I call, give me the next ones. And if anyone approaches, make sure to guard it, okay?”

“G-got it. If someone comes, I’ll guard it.” I meant it as a serious declaration, but it must have seemed ridiculous to Toudou.

She snorted “Pfft” and teased, “Make sure you don’t peek, Mr. Gatekeeper.”

“Just hurry up and change.”

“Oh, you want me to change quickly? You want to see me in a swimsuit, huh?”

No matter what I said, she hit a home run every time…

“Well, take care of things out here, okay?” Toudou disappeared behind the fitting room curtain.

I surveyed the row of fitting rooms. Just like Toudou had said, girls went in and came out constantly. There were plenty of cases where guys waited outside. Music played throughout the store, but it wasn’t enough to drown out sounds from the other side of the curtains.

Knowing Toudou was in there, even when I tried not to pay attention, I couldn’t help but catch fragments of sound from her direction.

“Hmm, this might be a bit too revealing… Having this much exposed would make tanning such a hassle too…”

“…”

“The front looks fine, but the back is terrible… It’s practically completely exposed…”

“……, ……”

“Oh, this might be good… But the strings look cheap… If they came undone, it’d be game over…”

“……, ……, ……”

“Hey, Kuroki-kun? Can you swap these out for some others?”

“!?” The fitting room curtain opened just a crack, and Toudou’s pale arm emerged, holding out several swimsuits.

These were obviously swimsuits that Toudou had tried on and then removed. Apparently, you were supposed to put tried-on items in a return basket and hand them to staff instead of putting them back on the racks. So they were just loosely folded, which only made everything feel more raw and intimate.

Was I really okay taking these…? Was this normal behavior…? A flood of emotions kept surging up, chasing each other around without any resolution.

Toudou’s voice urged me on impatiently. “Hey, Kuroki-kun? You’re still there, right? Hurry up and take them.”

“Y-Yes! I’ll take them!” I reflexively reached out and grabbed the swimsuits firmly. In my haste, I ended up grabbing Toudou’s hand as well.

“Ah, hey, if you pull too hard, the curtain will open—and right now, up top, I’m not wearing anything.”

“You’re kidding, right?!”

I let go without thinking.

“Just kidding! Come on, hurry and give me the next ones?”

“This girl…” She had no idea how I felt…

As I handed Toudou the swimsuits I’d selected from the pile, I asked, “Are you buying the ones you just tried on?”

An answer came from behind the curtain. “Nah, probably not those.”

“Then shouldn’t you return them sooner? Someone else might want to try them.”

“Ah yeah, that’s true. You’re pretty thoughtful, Kuroki-kun. Can you handle the return for me?”

“That I can definitely do. I’ll be right back.”

Truth was, it wasn’t about being thoughtful—I just wanted to retreat because staying here felt like I’d get hit with a fatal attack any second.

“Thanks! But come back quickly, okay? Otherwise, I won’t show you how I look in them.”

“…Be right back.” Pretending not to hear was the best counterattack I could muster.

And so I found myself wandering around looking for a staff member. This turned out to be surprisingly difficult. The staff only wore small ‘Staff’ cards hanging from their necks and were otherwise dressed in casual clothes just like customers. Given the nature of the sales area, it was mostly female staff, and their hair often hid the neck straps, so from behind, you couldn’t tell who was who.

That meant I had to circle around to check for staff cards at chest level, but multiple times I ended up in front of regular customers, staring at their chests, which created incredibly awkward situations.

After several attempts, I finally found a staff member and handed over the basket of swimsuits. When she said, “Thank you so much,” I felt a sense of satisfaction like I’d cleared a challenging quest—even though it was just a simple return task. It made me want to cry in a different way.

Anyway, time to head back to Toudou—I was motivating myself when something caught my attention.

“Hm…?” What was that? For a split second, I felt an intense sense that something was off. Maybe because I’d been wandering the store observing people up until now, that unease really stood out.

What caught my attention was a single guy, probably college-aged. At first glance, just a regular customer. His hair was neatly styled, his clothes fashionable. He looked like he might be here with a girlfriend. But something bothered me.

Without meaning to, my eyes followed him. The guy wasn’t holding any swimsuits, wasn’t talking to anyone, and was heading toward the fitting rooms alone. But he kept veering left and right, like he didn’t have a clear destination. He didn’t have a shopping basket, and he didn’t seem to be looking for staff like I had been. So what was he doing?

The guy suddenly stopped and turned his gaze toward a woman. It wasn’t at a swimsuit display or fitting room—he seemed to stop specifically to look at the woman. But when someone approached nearby, he’d smoothly move away. Then where did he go? Back toward the fitting rooms. His behavior was completely inconsistent.

In this spacious event venue full of people, he alone seemed to be playing an entirely different game.

“Is he looking for someone…?” If he was searching for staff, he’d move like I had. If he was shopping for swimsuits, he’d be examining those. If he was trying to find someone he’d come with, he wouldn’t move so erratically. If he wanted to leave, he’d head toward the exit. His actions were all over the place.

What if this guy was up to no good? I wondered. For example, shoplifting—but then he’d have no business near the fitting rooms. Trying to pick up girls? Then he’d approach women directly.

“Hmm…?” Maybe I was overthinking this. The world wasn’t like a mystery manga where incidents popped up constantly. Besides, if we were talking about suspicious behavior, I was plenty suspicious myself. This wasn’t the time to doubt others.

“…Hm?” I suddenly sensed someone ahead and looked up. Two girls around my age were eyeing me suspiciously. I’d been walking while lost in thought and had almost bumped into them. Yeah, I was definitely the more dangerous one here.

“S-Sorry…” I bowed my head and slipped past. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught glimpses of their short skirts. Maybe because this was a swimsuit sales area, but it felt like there were many women in light clothing or miniskirts, not just Toudou.

My thoughts started up again, and unwelcome ideas began swirling around.

A crowded event venue where it was hard to tell who was with whom at a glance. But gender combinations were easy to spot—this was the women’s swimsuit section, after all.

If girls came together, they might use separate fitting rooms, so no one would be waiting in front of them. If someone was shopping alone, even more so.

In that situation, if a guy was standing in front of a fitting room, what would people around think? Probably that he was a boyfriend or friend. At minimum, they’d assume the person inside was okay with that guy being there.

So even if that guy took swimsuits from in front of fitting rooms and walked around with women’s swimwear, it would be accepted as normal. Just like with me.

In this venue, non-everyday social norms were being tolerated. Something that normally wouldn’t happen—a guy acting around fitting rooms that were essentially women-only spaces—and no one called him out. Even if he crouched in front of one, or quickly tried to stick a hand inside a curtain, as long as it was brief, it would blend into the non-everyday routine that everyone had accepted.

Unconsciously, I was searching for that guy from earlier. I found him immediately, in exactly the direction I’d hoped he wouldn’t be.

He was blending into the venue, approaching an occupied fitting room where no companion was visible. Unbelievably, it was the one where Toudou was changing.

No way, it was just a coincidence. Approaching a fitting room—what was the big deal?

But right now, no one was protecting Toudou. Naturally, my steps quickened as I headed back.

Peeping—that word raced through my mind.

Come to think of it, the guy hadn’t been appraising merchandise so much as scoping out his surroundings. He seemed to be seeking out those empty pockets that formed in crowds.

Wasn’t that guy getting close to Toudou’s fitting room? That spot was oddly empty of people. He might have his phone ready. His hand movements looked suspicious. But he quickly disappeared from view again.

Did peeping actually happen in real life? I’d never witnessed it. No, if I ever saw it, I’d have to stop it. My breathing grew rough as my thoughts turned into panic.

“I’m overthinking this… There’s no way something like that would actually happen…”

Even as I muttered those words to reassure myself, what was this feeling? Toudou’s smiling face floated in my mind. I could hear her playful words: “Make sure to guard it, okay?” It had been a joke-like request, but I seemed to be taking it seriously. So I decided on my own—selfishly, I believed this guy was suspicious and about to do something terrible.

Holding my breath, I approached him. Or rather, I was heading back to Toudou anyway.

The guy was looking around nervously but hadn’t noticed me. Not sure if it was from gaming experience, but I managed to get behind him undetected.

I was unnecessarily tense. The crowd noise and store announcements started sounding distant—then suddenly, the guy thrust out his hand holding a phone. It seemed aimed directly at the gap in the curtain of Toudou’s fitting room.

Peeping. No doubt about it—that certainty spurred me into immediate action.

Trying to put that moment’s feelings into words was impossible. My whole body prickled with electricity, my heart pounded violently, and I felt hot all over. An unstoppable sense of justice and unbelievable anger welled up inside me. My body moved on its own, and words burst from my mouth unbidden.

“That’s not happening, you creep!”

With a voice strangely authoritative like my strict grandfather when he scolded people, I leaped onto the guy’s back and clung to his neck. There was a loud clatter as his phone dropped. We were similar in build, but I seemed to have the weight advantage.

“Guoh!?” The guy let out a weird noise and immediately started thrashing to shake me off. As expected, someone doing something wrong reacted quickly.

He spun to the right while I held on tight. Our positions flipped 180 degrees, and now my back was facing Toudou’s fitting room.

People around us let out small screams or startled exclamations, but there was no sign anyone was going to help.

Normally I’d avoid drawing attention at all costs, but right now, I could shout too.

“Peeping! This guy was trying to peep! Someone catch him! Help me!”

I was desperate, but so was the culprit.

“It’s a lie! This guy’s crazy! He attacked me out of nowhere! Someone help!”

It was just a desperate denial, but only I knew the truth. The people around probably had no idea what was happening, and some might even suspect me instead.

“Cut it out!” I yelled.

“Get off!” he snarled back.

Suddenly, his elbow struck my solar plexus, and my breath caught with a painful grunt. This was bad—my grip loosened. I tried to regain my balance but couldn’t hold on. I let go of the guy and fell backward.

“Guuh—” There was no sharp pain, but my back took a significant impact. I didn’t hit my head because I fell against the fitting room curtain, which allowed me to break my fall somewhat.

But this was terrible. If he escaped now, my position would be seriously compromised too. I was half on my back in an awkward position, but I directed my gaze forward.

The curtain was still intact, but through the gap I could see the guy trying to flee. He’d fallen too and was just getting back up.

This was my chance. Half my body was sticking out of the fitting room. On pure impulse, I flailed my legs wildly—and amazingly, the guy tripped over them and face-planted with a tremendous crash. He must have knocked over some swimsuit displays.

“Kyaaaah!” Multiple screams echoed through the sales area.

The commotion became impossible to ignore. Next, I saw several men who looked like security guards rushing over. They seemed to pile onto the fleeing suspect.

“It wasn’t me!” the guy yelled, but his voice gradually faded as they dragged him away.

The surrounding murmurs died down. It seemed he’d been safely apprehended.

“Ah… Thank goodness…” It felt like all the strength was draining from my body. I closed my eyes and let myself sprawl.

I’d never thought I’d get caught up in something like this. Life was full of surprises. Ever since meeting Toudou, it had been one thing after another. At first, I’d thought it was just my fate, but today it might have been because of Toudou’s swimsuit shopping—wait? Come to think of it, what about Toudou…?

That’s when I realized where exactly I’d stuck my upper body. A fitting room. And whose fitting room was it? I didn’t even want to think about it.

Up until now, I’d been so focused on the perpetrator that I’d avoided looking around. Slowly, I opened my eyes and gazed upward as if looking at a massive mountain.

It was like staring up at an enormous peak, but there was no mountain there. All that was there was Toudou Mashiro, her face bright red as she pressed both hands to her chest, the strings that should have been tied at her back dangling loosely around her waist.

The triangle bikini was on the verge of slipping down, but she was desperately holding it in place with both hands. However, she couldn’t cover the sides, and her pale skin was clearly visible. She had the bottom on, but my face was positioned directly below her. She was desperately pressing her thighs together as if to block my view.

In a situation like this, what words could I possibly say? There was no way I could know.

With her lips twitching, Toudou spoke in a carefully controlled voice: “K-Kuroki-kun…? What exactly are you doing, I wonder?”

“N-No, there was a peeping tom…”

Toudou, her ears red as well, was making her cheeks twitch as she tried her best to smile, but it was hard to say she was succeeding.

“I did say I’d show you, but I never said you could come in…?”

“L-Like I said, the peeping tom…” Even if there had been one, I didn’t have the verbal skills to concisely explain why my head was currently shoved into the fitting room.

I gave up on everything.

Unlike the still-noisy outside, the fitting room felt like the Ice Age had suddenly arrived. In there, all I could manage was to convey one simple phrase: “It’s a misunderstanding…”

Toudou took a deep breath in and let it out slowly.

“Hurry! Get! Out!”

“Yes! Right away!”

So the saying about adding insult to injury was really true.

I extracted myself at a speed so fast even I didn’t understand how I moved, only to be confronted by the horrifying words of an adult man who appeared before me—a security guard who had rushed over.

“I’d like to hear the details of what happened. Do you have a moment?”

I don’t care anymore… Just make it quick and painless…

After that, I ended up being detained for about two hours.

After explaining the same sequence of events over and over to security guards, managers, and police officers, I was finally released. By the time I reunited with Toudou, who still didn’t fully understand what had happened, it was already past 1 PM.

Right now, we were sitting side by side on a long bench in the hallway. I was so exhausted that I’d begged for this break. “Let me sit for a bit,” I’d pleaded. I had absolutely no energy left.

I’d recounted the entire sequence of events for her. Behind her black mask, Toudou had started off listening with puffed-up anger, but gradually her eyes widened in amazement, and by the end she was laughing so hard she was clutching her stomach.

“Ahahaha, that’s absolutely hilarious! Catching a peeping tom like that—not everyone could pull that off, Kuroki-kun!”

For some reason, she seemed absolutely delighted as she repeatedly slapped my worn-out back. Tears were welling up in the corners of her eyes.

“Give me a break… At first, they suspected me too…”

Even though it was voluntary, they’d checked the contents of my smartphone. Adults’ smiles could be terrifying. Of course, the suspicion against me was cleared immediately, and if anything, they’d even thanked me. They said I might receive some kind of commendation, but I declined in advance. I wanted to forget all about this after today.

“Wow, I thought you were an interesting person, Kuroki-kun, but not to this extent. This is definitely a first for me.”

“I’ve never experienced anything like this either.”

But then Toudou continued more quietly: “…Thanks, though.”

“For what?”

“Don’t play dumb. It’s thanks to you that I wasn’t actually peeped on, right? I didn’t think you’d really protect me for real. I was just joking around.”

“I feel the same way…” But come to think of it, it really had been a close call.

I couldn’t get all the details, but apparently the peeping tom had confessed immediately because there was a massive amount of voyeuristic footage stored on his smartphone. It seemed less like a personal hobby and more like he was selling the content online.

Since he was actively distributing it, he was especially dangerous. If Toudou had gotten caught up in it… and if it had leaked that it was Toudou Mashiro who’d been peeped on, it would’ve become a huge scandal.

Toudou seemed to realize that too.

“Seriously, it could’ve turned into a major scandal, like something in those weekly magazines that creepy old guys read. Guys really are the worst.”

As if remembering something unpleasant, Toudou pursed her lips.

To reassure her, I stated firmly, “Like I said before, the peeping attempt on you was just that—an attempt. Apparently, nothing was actually captured except the store ceiling and footage of our scuffle, so don’t worry.”

Ironically, the footage he’d tried to take had proved my innocence and his crime.

Toudou fixed me with her sparkling blue eyes, then deliberately pinched her black mask with her fingers, shifted it down to reveal her mouth, and smiled.

“Yeah. Since I trust you completely from the bottom of my heart, Kuroki-kun, Toudou Mashiro can rest easy. Nothing was taken, and nothing will leak.”

“—!” It was such a casual gesture and line, yet more than Toudou’s swimsuit or her exposed skin or anything like that, it made me feel deeply embarrassed.

I ended up looking away. Unable to bear the intensity of the moment, I changed the subject.

“…But we didn’t manage to buy your swimsuit. What now—want to try again?”

But somehow it felt awkward to go back—while I was thinking that, Toudou let out an “Eh?”

“I bought the swimsuit though.”

“In the middle of all that chaos?!”

“Black, white, and blue—three of them.”

“Three different styles?!”

“Well, your color advice only covered so much.”

“I guess that’s true…” I wished I could have even a fraction of that mental fortitude.

“Since it was just an attempt thanks to you, Kuroki-kun, I didn’t have to explain anything to anyone. I had time to kill, so buying swimsuits was the only logical thing to do.”

“I see…” It felt like she was vividly demonstrating the difference in our capabilities. Toudou Mashiro was truly formidable. You probably couldn’t survive in the entertainment world without being like this.

Without thinking deeply, I asked, “What styles did you end up buying?”

Right after saying it, I regretted the question.

“Eh? You want to see? Too bad—it’s not the one you accidentally peeked at earlier, okay? But I got some pretty good ones. Want to peek again?”

“I wasn’t peeking in the first place!” That made it sound so much worse!

“Sorry, sorry. That was rude to my benefactor.”

“Seriously…” As I sighed, Toudou, still wearing her mask, suddenly leaned close to my ear.

“Then, instead of peeking, want to see them directly?”

“Eh!?” What was she saying?!

“Ahaha, you’re freaking out way too much.”

Toudou’s expression was hidden, but her visible eyes were curved like happy crescents. She’d been looking awfully amused for a while now.

“You have absolutely no idea how I feel…” Even as I muttered my complaint, the fitting room scene kept replaying in my head—mostly her skin-toned upper body and her lower half desperately hidden from view. It was like I could see through Toudou’s tight one-piece dress, so I shook my head slightly. This wasn’t good at all.

“Fufu. Well then, the big reveal will be something to look forward to at the beach.”

Toudou suddenly placed her hand on my shoulder and once again brought her mouth so close to my ear that her mask brushed against it, whispering: “As thanks for today, I’ll let you see them first.”

“Hi—” It felt like my heart had been licked roughly with a tongue, sending shivers down my spine.

I slowly turned to look at Toudou. She had the expression of a kid who’d just pulled off a successful prank. Time and again, she teased me mercilessly. And time and again, I overreacted dramatically. No wonder she treated me like her personal entertainment…

But I couldn’t get angry. It was because I was completely captivated by Toudou Mashiro’s blue eyes up close. They were like a crystal-clear ocean, like clear skies, like a precious gem from a fairy tale. Just looking at them cleansed my heart. Those magical eyes that only I was seeing—

Toudou stood up, turned to face me, and held out her hand.

“So, Kuroki-kun, on the day of the beach trip, don’t try to bail at the last minute saying ‘My stomach hurts, I’m not going’ or anything like that, okay? Muster up the courage and come to the beach with me. Alright? Friends aren’t scary, you know?”

“…I wasn’t thinking anything that negative. I was totally planning to go to the beach. I even bought a swimsuit for it.”

“Oh really? That’s good then.” Seeing Toudou look genuinely happy, I wondered: Why would going to the beach with someone like me make her this glad?

But then I realized something. Sure, even when I was little, just going out with a close friend made me incredibly excited. If it’s someone you really connect with, no matter where you’re headed, it always feels like it’s going to turn into some kind of special adventure.

In other words, to Toudou, I’d become that kind of person for her—at least, probably. Even if it was just playing games together, that’s exactly what had become this important foundation that kept our special connection alive.

I’d always loved games since way back, and I was honestly grateful for the bond they’d helped create. There had been times I’d thought about quitting, but sticking with them had made me feel like it was all worthwhile.

Toudou’s expression suddenly shifted. She wiggled the hand she was holding out, like she was begging for something: “Well then, Kuroki-kun, how about we use those ‘tons of meal vouchers you got as thanks’ to go eat some delicious food we wouldn’t normally splurge on, together?”

“I earned those through hard work, you know.”

The station building manager had given me a huge stack of meal vouchers usable throughout the building, as a token of gratitude and apology. I’d keep quiet about how he’d said, “Use them with your girlfriend.” She wasn’t my girlfriend, after all.

“But it was an incident that happened because of my irresistible cuteness, so it’s thanks to both our efforts, right?”

“You’re absolutely right.” Of course, I had no intention of hogging them all to myself. I pulled out the bundle of meal vouchers I’d carelessly shoved into my pocket and handed them over to Toudou.

“Whoa, you got this many? That’s incredible. It kind of feels like a reward for clearing a challenging game.”

I understood what she meant, but…

“Don’t say stuff like that. I might not be able to help out the same way next time, you know? If something’s genuinely impossible, no amount of effort will change that.”

Toudou gave me a puzzled look.

“Next time, you’ll help me too? Like, if I get hit on at the beach or something, Kuroki-kun would come save me? How would you do it? Hey, how? Would you say something like, ‘She’s my girlfriend, so back off!’ ?”

Ugh. This girl was teasing me again, saying things she didn’t even mean.

“With that attitude, I’m not giving you the meal vouchers. Come on, let’s go already.”

“Ahh, wait up, Kuroki-kun, hold on! You could at least answer the question!”

“I refuse.”

“Oh, your face is totally red right now.”

“…Not as red as yours.”

“Huh? I’m not red at all! Not even slightly!”

The crushing tension from earlier that morning had vanished without a trace. We stepped onto the escalator heading up, chatting noisily and chaotically like a couple of elementary school kids.

Suddenly, I remembered today’s original goal. Had I managed to level up? If I had, by how much?

There was no clear answer, and no triumphant level-up sound rang out. The only thing I could hear was one persistent voice—

“Hey, hey, Kuroki-kun? Would you really save me next time too? Tell me!”

Toudou’s spoiled tone poked at my back as she prodded me for an answer.

“Yeah, I’d save you. I’d definitely save you.”

“Really? Yay! I can’t wait.”

“For what…?” Just being able to have conversations like this meant I’d grown at least a little, right?

Up on the higher floors, beyond the windows a brilliant blue sky stretched, with towering cumulonimbus clouds floating in the distance. I wondered what kind of world lay beneath those clouds.

If I went to the beach with Toudou and our classmates, would the view be even more beautiful than from up here in this building?

I didn’t know. But in that scene, there would be Toudou in the swimsuit she’d just bought, and me in the one I’d picked up too. No doubt Toudou would tease me mercilessly for not fitting in with everyone else.

Well, that was fine. All things considered, I didn’t mind that kind of thing at all.

Right as we stepped off the escalator, Toudou leaned in and whispered so only I could hear: “Thanks so much for today. For protecting me, both in the game and out here in real life. I really, truly appreciate it.”

Like always, I had no idea how to respond to something so heartfelt.

So instead, I asked Toudou, “What do you feel like eating?”

And Toudou, as if nothing had happened, pondered seriously and suggested, “Hmm? Maybe some meat.”

In the end, we wound up at a yakiniku restaurant that was way too fancy for high school students. Toudou devoured enough meat to use up all the vouchers in one sitting, but she looked so genuinely happy that I figured it was perfectly fine. Normally, I’d definitely have spread them out over multiple visits.

It was summer vacation, after all. It was fine to do things a little differently once in a while.

“Summer vacation’s going to be so much fun!” Toudou Mashiro declared, and I found myself believing her completely.