Wearing the usual uniform on weekdays really makes a difference in comfort. We smoothly got through our weekday shifts and entered the weekend.

Since I spend my weekdays working part-time, I have to focus on studying over the weekend. The final exams are just around the corner, so I absolutely have to study this weekend. I may not be a swan, but I want to put in the effort even when no one is watching.

And yet—here I was, riding the train to a major station on a Saturday morning. This made no sense at all. What happened to studying? I was supposed to be at my desk with a cup of coffee by now.

“…There’s another crowd again.”

As I arrived at the meeting spot near the ticket gates, I was met with a familiar sight. A large group of women surrounded Tachibana Iori. It was probably no coincidence. No one was actually talking to her, but she was radiating an aura that practically begged for someone to approach her. Working at Cyberia had taught me how to pick up on these things.

It seemed that even on her days off, Tachibana Iori had no intention of entertaining others, as she kept her gaze firmly on her phone, completely unfazed by the people around her. My phone vibrated, and a message popped up:

“Are you here?”

“I’m right in front of you.”

As soon as I replied, Tachibana Iori looked up. When she spotted me, she gave a small, pleased smile. The women around her followed her gaze, saw me, and their expressions twisted in confusion. What kind of stunning Cinderella were they expecting?

Tachibana Iori walked toward me, parting the crowd as she moved. In the Bible, Moses parted the sea, but Tachibana Iori could part a crowd.

“Sorry, Natsuki. I’m late.”

“I just got here too. No need to apologize.”

She stood beside me, and we naturally started walking toward the same shopping mall as last time.

“By the way, you didn’t wear a dress today, huh?”

We were here to buy Tachibana Iori a swimsuit. I had assumed this was also supposed to double as a ‘casual date,’ but she was dressed in her usual boyish style. An oversized T-shirt and equally loose cargo pants—it was a relaxed look. I wasn’t sure if it was fashionable, but since everything looked cool on her, it was hard to judge.

“We’re just here to shop today. That doesn’t count as a date, does it?”

“Really? I thought window shopping was considered a date too.”

Her confident response made me secretly anxious. If shopping wasn’t a date, then where was I supposed to take her?

“I see… So Natsuki came here today thinking this was a date.”

“Uh, well, when you put it that way—”

My words were cut off abruptly. A cool sensation spread through my palm.

“—So this is what you were hoping for?”

Even in the heat of summer, Tachibana Iori’s hand was slightly cold. Her fingers were slender and small, making me acutely aware that, no matter how cool she looked, she was still a girl.

◆

And so, I found myself here…

“…”

The sight before me made me want to cover my eyes.

Red, white, yellow. Purple and black. A vibrant spread like a flower field—except these were no tulips.

So what were they?

“Hmm, there’s quite a lot. Must be the season for it.”

Tachibana Iori picked up a light blue swimsuit. If I remembered correctly, that was a triangle bikini, one of the standard types.

…After being told yesterday that we were going swimsuit shopping, I had frantically researched women’s swimwear. After all, she had said, “Natsuki, you pick one for me.” Thanks to that, I couldn’t study last night, and I’d spent the whole time feeling restless.

“Natsuki, what do you think of this one?”

Tachibana Iori held the light blue fabric against her body.

That action alone was practically torture. Any high school guy who didn’t react to this wasn’t normal. At this rate, I might actually start falling for her.

…No, wait. Love and primal instincts are two different things. I must not confuse them.

“I-It looks good, I guess?”

I barely managed to force out a response. Even with all my research, I had already lost the ability to make rational judgments.

“Do you really think so? Pick the one that suits me best.”

Apparently, my answer didn’t satisfy her, as she returned the swimsuit to the rack. The one that suited her best, huh…

“I did think about it beforehand, and… I think black would suit you best.”

After a mental simulation last night, I had concluded that a cool-looking Tachibana Iori would look best in black. Coming to this conclusion had aged me by about five years.

“I see, black, huh… So, something like this?”

She picked up a cross-design swimsuit. The chest area had an overlapping design that pulled from the opposite side, giving it a rather sexy look. In other words, it was a pretty mature swimsuit. Was this section even meant for high schoolers?

“I guess… something like that?”

I wasn’t sure, but at least the color was right. When I nodded, she murmured, “Alright,” and started walking.

“In that case, I’ll try it on.”

“Wait, hold on—”

Panicking, I hurried after her.

It was incredibly awkward to say, but… Tachibana Iori was often mistaken for a guy partly because of her small chest. I had a feeling that this swimsuit wouldn’t fit her properly. It seemed like a disaster waiting to happen. But how was I supposed to tell her that?

“Wait here for a bit. I’ll just try on the top.”

In the end, I couldn’t say anything, and she disappeared behind the curtain.

“…What do I do?”

I mumbled to myself. I had no idea how to react if the swimsuit didn’t fit, and I wasn’t mentally prepared to see her in one either. Do people usually try swimsuits over their clothes?

“Natsuki, you ready?”

“Y-Yeah.”

I wasn’t ready at all, but that was the only answer I could give. Before I could brace myself, the curtain was pulled open.

“Huh?”

Standing there was Tachibana Iori—wearing the swimsuit with an unexpectedly full chest that filled out the design perfectly.

“So… how does it look? This is… kind of embarrassing.”