Volume 6Chapter 4 part 4

───● Dating an Energetic College Girl ●○●

My final date was with Mizuho.

That being said, she hadn’t told me a single thing about where we were going or what we were doing today.

All she had said was to be ready to leave the house around ten in the morning, so I had gotten myself washed, dressed, and prepped well in advance…

Right before ten o’clock on the dot, my phone rang with a call from Mizuho.

“Morning, Masato!” her voice chirped enthusiastically through the receiver.

“Yeah, morning,” I greeted back.

“Now then, please step outside your humble abode, my Prince…” she announced dramatically.

“What are you up to now?” I asked, completely bewildered.

Having no idea what she was planning, I did as I was told and stepped out the front door.

Parked right outside my house was a compact car. The driver’s side window was rolled down, revealing a familiar set of twin-tails poking out.

“I’ve been awaiting your arrival, my Prince…” Mizuho greeted with a mischievous grin.

“Whoa, you surprised me! We’re going by car today?” I asked in astonishment.

“You betcha! Come on, hop in, hop in!” she urged lively.

She had asked me to send her my address beforehand, but I never expected her to pick me up in a car.

Come to think of it, Mizuho and I went out in a car once before, didn’t we? I recalled.

Doing as instructed, I walked around to the passenger side and climbed inside. The car was painted a cute, pale light blue.

“Thanks for picking me up! But wait, isn’t this a different car from last time?” I asked as I buckled my seatbelt.

“Hehehe… That’s because it’s a rental car, of course… It’s a fresh ride every single time, my Prince…” she boasted mysteriously.

“Is that really something you should be bragging about with such a smug look…?” I deadpanned.

“Now, now, who cares about the details! Next stop—adventure! Off we go!” Mizuho cheered energetically.

With her lively shout setting the tone, the car smoothly pulled away from the curb.

“Come to think of it, you might be the only person who’s ever driven me around in a car, Mizuho.”

“O-Oh…? Man, saying stuff like that is gonna make me blush,” she replied, rubbing her nose bashfully.

Even searching through my memories from my previous world, I could hardly recall anyone ever giving me a ride like this.

“I’m stepping on the gas and cranking up the heat, so make sure you don’t get thrown out…” she warned with a smirk.

“Wait, if I get thrown out of a car, wouldn’t that mean something disastrous happened?!” I retorted.

“Nyahaha!” she laughed brightly.

I found myself gazing at the profile of Mizuho’s face as she flashed that innocent, beaming smile.

For some reason, she seemed even more full of energy than usual today.

After driving for about an hour and a half…

“Alrighty! We have arrived at our destination~!” Mizuho announced, bringing the car to a stop.

“Ooh~ Thanks for driving all this way, Mizuho.”

“Nihihi, you’re very welcome!” she chirped cheerfully.

Realizing we had reached wherever she was taking me, I stepped out of the vehicle.

Before my eyes stood a row of traditional Japanese wooden buildings lining the street. Though they looked old-fashioned, they didn’t feel dark or rundown in the slightest.

On the contrary, the view of traditional teahouses and historic Japanese restaurants standing side by side gave off a chic, wonderfully refined atmosphere.

“Welcome to Kyoto!” Mizuho declared with a dramatic flourish.

“…Even I know there’s no way we could drive from Tokyo to Kyoto in just an hour and a half.”

“Huh? That’s strange. I really thought I could trick you with that, Masato…” she pouted playfully.

“Are you making fun of my intelligence?” I asked with a dry look.

“Far be it from this humble one to do such a thing, my lord!” she sputtered, adopting her silly samurai speech.

Obviously, no one could reach Kyoto that quickly. But the townscape was so authentic that if someone were brought here without warning, it wouldn’t be surprising if they mistook it for the real thing.

“Ehehe, this place lets you enjoy a little taste of Kyoto right here in Kanto!” Mizuho explained with a proud grin.

“I had no idea a place like this existed around here…” I murmured, taking in the scenery in genuine admiration.

I never knew there was a Little Kyoto in the Kanto region. I couldn’t help looking around with marvel at our surroundings.

“I’ve always, always wanted to come here… with a boyfriend!” Mizuho confessed, her tone turning deeply affectionate and sweet.

Hearing her speak with such heartfelt joy made me feel pretty good myself. If I could help fulfill her long-cherished dream even a little, I was more than happy to be here with her.

“First order of business is already set in stone! Now then! This way, if you please!” she called out, grabbing my hand.

“It’s pretty hilarious how your weird samurai talk actually fits in perfectly with this town,” I teased.

Combined with the historical backdrop, Mizuho’s usual playful, slightly theatrical way of speaking felt surprisingly natural.

Letting her lead me by the hand, I walked alongside her through the historic streets.

Perhaps because it was a weekday, the streets weren’t overly crowded.

The first place Mizuho led me to was a traditional kimono rental shop.

“Excuse me, I have a reservation under Tonosaki!” Mizuho announced to the shopkeeper.

“Ah, yes! We have you down for the Couples’ Plan,” the clerk replied with a warm smile.

She had boldly booked the Couples’ Plan. It was a little embarrassing, but considering what today meant to her, I was willing to indulge her every whim.

“Alright then, if the boyfriend could please come this way,” the employee instructed, gesturing toward the men’s fitting section.

“Huh?” I stammered.

The clerk’s call caught me off guard. Wait, what?

“Wait, it’s not just Mizuho who’s getting dressed up?” I asked, wide-eyed.

“What are you talking about?! Of course you’re dressing up too, Masato!” she replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“Ehhhh?!” I gasped.

It looks like I have to change into a kimono too! Did she really book a couple’s package right from the start?!

Following the clerk’s beckoning gesture, I was led into the dressing room. Mizuho watched my flustered expression with an utterly satisfied grin.

Once I finished changing into my kimono, I stood outside waiting for Mizuho to emerge.

“Sorry to keep you waiting~!” Mizuho cheered as she stepped out.

She bounced out in high spirits. Her kimono was an elegant combination of white and navy blue—a surprisingly mature style that differed from her usual image. With her hair beautifully braided in a fresh hairstyle, the charming gap between her usual casual look and this traditional elegance suited her extraordinarily well.

“You look really cute,” I complimented her honestly.

“My, my~ You’re making me blush! But I gotta say, Masato-dono, you look ridiculously sharp in a kimono yourself! Is there anything you don’t look good in~? You handsome devil, you~!” she squealed, nudging me playfully in the ribs with her elbow.

Feeling her nudge me in the ribs reassured me. Yup, under that elegant kimono, she’s still the same old Mizuho.

Mizuho stepped back and gave me another thorough inspection from head to toe.

“Seriously though, Masato, you could totally work as a model,” she praised admiringly.

“You’re definitely exaggerating,” I chuckled awkwardly.

“Nope, not at all! You look super, super, super cool! I just love how you always end up playing along and wearing stuff like this even when you’re embarrassed, Masato.”

“…!”

Catching the tender, affectionate smile on her face made my heart skip a beat. Even knowing how she felt, having her drop such a genuine confession of affection out of nowhere completely threw me off balance.

“Alright, let me snap a quick pic first! Okay, Masato, look over here~” she prompted, quickly pulling out her smartphone.

“W-Wait, you move way too fast!” I stammered.

Energetic girls like Mizuho always move and talk at lightning speed. After pulling out her phone and snapping a quick selfie of the two of us, she gazed at the screen with a thoroughly satisfied smile.

“Great! Now then, shall we embark on our grand tour?” she declared energetically.

“Lead the way!” I agreed readily.

Dressed in our traditional kimonos, Mizuho and I stepped back out into the open air.

“What wonderful weather~! I’m so glad!” she cheered, looking up at the bright blue sky.

The sky today was clear and cloudless. Although the breeze was still a bit chilly, March had arrived, bringing an end to the severe cold of midwinter. Thinking back, perhaps Mizuho had scheduled our date for early March specifically because she wanted us to walk around outside comfortably in kimonos.

“I’ve got a whole list of places I want to check out, so let’s get going!” she said brightly.

Grabbing my hand in hers, Mizuho began pulling me along down the street.

She was always dragging me around at her own pace… yet somehow, every single moment spent being swept up in her whirlwind was helplessly fun.

“Ooh! The food at this stall looks insanely delicious!” Mizuho exclaimed, stopping in front of a shop.

“Man, that really does smell incredible… Wait, is that udon?!” I blinked in surprise.

“Yep! Portable street-food udon!” she declared proudly.

I had thought this town felt perfect for grabbing street food while strolling around, but I never imagined you could get portable udon on the go.

Ordering right away, we were handed steaming paper cups filled with noodles and rich broth.

Come to think of it, Mizuho always orders udon at the university cafeteria too, doesn’t she? I remembered.

“Do you really love udon that much, Mizuho?” I asked as we walked.

“Yep! I absolutely adore it~ It’s just so yummy!” she replied happily.

She slurped up her noodles with obvious relish, a blissful expression on her face.

“Gasp! I forgot to take a picture first~! Ugh, I was so greedy for food, foolish me~!” she wailed dramatically.

Watching her dramatically beat herself up over missing a photo op was utterly adorable.

Savory noodle soup warmed my throat as I enjoyed my own cup… It was funny how simply eating udon brought back vivid memories of watching her in the university dining hall.

“Oh well, whatever! It tastes amazing anyway!” she decided with a cheerful grin.

It hit me then just how many memories I had accumulated with these girls. Especially when it came to my life at university, it was almost impossible to picture a single moment that didn’t include Mizuho and Koumi.

I couldn’t help letting out a soft chuckle.

“Hey! You just laughed at me for being a glutton, didn’t you?!” she accused, giving me a playfully suspicious side-eye while still slurping her noodles.

“No, I didn’t?!” I protested defensively.

Even as she shot me those accusatory glare-eyes, she never stopped slurping her udon for a single second while I frantically tried to excuse myself.

Even when she’s acting silly like this, she still radiates such vibrant charm, I couldn’t help thinking.

“Next up: dango skewers!” Mizuho announced excitedly as we moved to the next vendor.

“Man, you really have an endless stomach today,” I remarked in wonder.

“Shh, don’t mention a girl’s appetite!” she waved off teasingly.

Even for a tourist spot famous for street food, Mizuho’s appetite showed no signs of stopping. Koumi had once mentioned that Mizuho’s energy levels directly match how much food she eats, and seeing her now, that statement didn’t feel like an exaggeration at all.

“Mmm, so delicious~!” Mizuho hummed happily.

She munched on the dango she had just bought with sheer delight. That adorable, small-animal-like charm was one of her greatest qualities. Seeing her look so happy while eating made me want to buy her whatever food she wanted.

Having finished the first of the three sweet rice dumplings on her skewer, Mizuho stared down at the remaining two and quietly murmured:

“You know… it’s always been my dream to go on a street-food tour like this with the person I love.”

“…I see,” I replied softly.

“Which means I’m gonna eat until I burst!!” she declared, suddenly pumping her fist.

“Wait, you’re still gonna eat more?!” I gasped.

“Of course! Nyaha~!” she grinned brightly.

Popping the second dango into her mouth with a happy chew, Mizuho thrust her fist into the air with boundless enthusiasm.

Skipping breakfast this morning to leave room in my stomach was definitely a stroke of genius on my part, I thought to myself with a quiet sigh of relief.

After strolling around and indulging in street food until Mizuho’s belly was completely full…

We made our way over to a famous local shrine that served as one of the area’s main sightseeing spots.

“Look, look! We can write wooden ema plaques here!” Mizuho called out excitedly.

“Oh, you’re right!” I agreed as we approached the display.

After offering our prayers at the main altar, we found a dedicated space nearby for visitors to write their wishes on wooden ema votive tablets.

“Time to make a wish~!” she chirped.

“Feels like we wrote wishes together at university not too long ago, didn’t we?” I recalled.

“When it comes to divine favors, you gotta make as many wishes as humanly possible! It’s all about maximizing your chances!” she insisted playfully.

“Is it really okay to treat shrine blessings like a clearance sale?!” I laughed.

I remembered how our university held a Tanabata festival earlier in the year, where the two of us had written our wishes on colorful paper strips together.

Less than a full year had passed since I arrived in this world, yet I already possessed so many unforgettable memories.

I watched Mizuho as she excitedly prepared to write down her wish. Bright, cheerful, and capable of bringing energy to everyone around her—that was Mizuho. But her greatest quality was also how she refused to let others worry about her even when she was going through a tough time. Sometimes, it made me worry whether she was carrying far too heavy a burden on those slender shoulders of hers.

The very fact that I found myself worrying about her like this proved just how deeply important Mizuho had become to me.

“…”

“What’s wrong?” I asked when her pen suddenly paused.

“…N-Nothing at all! Just having a slight dilemma over which of my many wishes to choose, my lord…” she replied, though her hand hovered over the tablet for a moment.

Mizuho had hesitated briefly with the wooden plaque in front of her. But that hesitation vanished in a split second.

“All set!” she announced triumphantly.

Looking at the plaque she had swiftly written on, I read the words: “May Masato, Koumi, and I all graduate happily together as great friends!”

“…To tell you the truth, I’m pretty worried about my academic credits,” she confessed with a bashful chuckle.

“We’ll work hard and get through it together, okay?” I smiled reassuringly.

“Aye-aye, sir!” she beamed brightly.

It was such a warm, gentle wish—so quintessentially Mizuho. Since I had been thinking along the exact same lines, I took a pen and wrote the very same wish on my own plaque.

“Wow, it’s so beautiful,” Mizuho gasped softly.

“Yeah, it really is,” I agreed.

The pathway where visitors hung their wooden plaques formed a long, arching tunnel.

Countless wooden ema left by visitors over the years hung side by side, framing the walkway into a breathtaking corridor. The sight possessed an ethereal, almost mystical beauty.

Having hung her plaque first, Mizuho scampered ahead down the wooden tunnel.

“Masato-dono!” she called out.

Turning back toward me, Mizuho blended seamlessly into the magical scenery, looking extraordinarily lovely.

“I love you!” she shouted with all her heart.

—That radiant smile of hers burned itself so deeply into my mind that I would forever regret not capturing it in a photograph.