This is not the date I wanted.

(Are you really... calling me?)

Mio couldn't help but feel curious and confused.

Going upstairs and opening the door of Zhenshi's room, I saw the young man facing a life-size mirror, talking to himself in the mirror with a troubled look on his face.

(What are you really doing?)

"Please... No, why should I use honorifics? Ahem——"

Shinshi didn't notice Mio entering the room at all, and he made a self-deprecating remark as if he was performing Rakugo. Then he coughed dryly and spoke to the mirror with a serious expression.

"Mio, can you go on a date with me?"

(Dating?)

Mio recalled the explanation in the dictionary - to make an appointment to meet, mostly referring to a man and a woman traveling together.

“——Yes, okay.”

There was no reason to refuse, so Mio nodded and agreed.

"……Eh?"

For some reason, when Shinji turned around and saw himself, he opened his mouth in a daze, his expression full of astonishment.

"You, when did you stand there...?"

"Just now - by the way, really, when are we going?"

"Is that so... eh? You, what did you say..."

Mio said in confusion as she looked at Shinji who had a confused look on his face.

"So, when are we going to go on a date?"

"..."

The real man just stared blankly with his eyes wide open, as if he had turned into a stone statue and was motionless.

"real?"

"Ah, um... this, this Sunday... how about?"

Finally responding to Mio's voice, Shinshi stammered as he made the proposal.

"I see. See you on Sunday."

A smile appeared on her lips, and Mio nodded slightly before turning and leaving the room.

A few seconds later, Mio heard meaningless shouting coming from Shinji's room.

"...Strange? I haven't confirmed it with Shinji yet... Why did you leave?"

Mio was a little slow to react and couldn't help but feel confused. When she heard Shinji say the word "date", she unknowingly forgot her purpose.

Holding the doll tightly in her arms, Mio muttered to herself at a loss.

"Dating... a man and a woman going out together... a date... a man and a woman going out together... what, what's going on?"

Thinking about the special nature of the word "date", Mio suddenly found that her face was red as if it was on fire.

"Strange... I clearly didn't say 'I like you'? Why do I suddenly have this feeling... And everything was fine during our last date."

Last date. After treating the last time she went out with Shinji as a date, Mio found that the feelings in her heart became inexplicably stronger.

"How strange! How strange! How strange! I must have made a mistake somewhere."

After her mind was in a mess, Mio hurried back to the study and took out a thick dictionary to start reading.

"Hehehe... I'm back."

Just then, Mana, who had just finished her club activities, walked into the house humming a little tune and carrying a bamboo sword on her back.

Soon, she found Mio in the living room, buried in a dictionary.

"Mio, what are you doing?"

"Really."

Mio couldn't help but look at Mana for help.

"What's the matter? Is there anything you don't understand? If you don't mind, you can discuss it with me."

Mana patted her small chest and said confidently.

"Really? That's a real help."

Hearing Mana's answer, Mio's frowned brows relaxed slightly.

"Language is really complicated. Although I want to understand it, its meaning will change depending on the situation and the changes in the emotions placed in it. I thought I understood the meaning, but after a while, I was no longer confident that my understanding was correct..."

"Um, sorry, I don't understand. Can you tell me what happened?"

Mana asked with a embarrassed look on his face. In response, Mio pointed to a word in the dictionary and said.

"Tell me honestly, do you want to go on a 'date'?"

"Oh, I see. Brother-sama invited you on a date... What the hell!?"

Mana nodded, then reacted a little slowly.

"Date... is that the date between a man and a woman? It doesn't mean the date, right?"

"I don't know... At first I thought it was the former. But when I think about it calmly, I can see the truth every day, so there is no need to make a special appointment to meet. Although I think there are other possibilities, I have already agreed, so it is not easy to ask the person in person."

After listening to Mio's explanation, there was silence for a long time, and then Mana pressed his forehead helplessly.

"...I see, Brother-sama...I didn't expect this piece of wood to be more active than I thought..."

After thinking for a moment, Mana answered Mio.

"Mio, I think what Brother-sama said is the former."

"why?"

"Well, Brother, I think you want to take your relationship to a new level... not friendship, but love."

"Do you really want to mate with me?"

"--puff!"

Mana was immediately choked by Mio's words.

"Well... although it's true in essence, dating should be something that happened before that. I want to express my good intentions to you..."

Mana scratched his head in confusion, unable to think of an appropriate answer for a moment, so he could only vaguely skip over the topic.

"Then, what does Mio think of Onii-sama? Since she agreed, does that mean she has feelings for Onii-sama as well?"

"Hmm...good feelings...I don't know...but recently, whenever I think of Zhen and being with Zhen, my cheeks feel a little hot for some reason and my heartbeat speeds up...um...if I'm not mistaken..."

Unable to help but cover her blushing cheeks with the dictionary, Mio whispered shyly.

"I... probably... like... Zhen."

"Ah--Damn it! Why are you so lovable?"

Looking at Mio who undoubtedly exuded a sweet aura, Mana blushed as if she was fed a mouthful of dog food.

"Okay! I understand. Although I cannot let my elder brother go down the path of crime, if you follow the proper procedures, I will not interfere."

Rather, if I miss this opportunity, maybe my brother will be single for the rest of his life, Mana added in her mind.

"Let me lend you a helping hand!"

"Well, thank you Mana."

"Great! You've decided. Then right away... Hello, is that Haruko? I have something I want to discuss with you--"

Looking at Mana who suddenly became motivated and made a phone call, Mio gently placed her hands on her chest, her heart full of anticipation.

"A date... with Makoto."

21 The Past of Shinji and Mio (VI)

==============================

——Sunday, the date.

Shinji Takamiya arrived at the agreed location early and waited for Mio to arrive.

“…It’s really hot.”

Wiping the sweat that had gathered on his chin, Shinji couldn't help but look up at the sky. Although it was not yet noon, the sun hanging high in the sky had already begun to emit an astonishing amount of heat. The scorching sunlight shone into the city, dyeing the streets a layer of blazing white.

Although it is almost summer vacation, the temperature is still unusually hot recently. It seems that the sun took a nap last year and this year it has begun to release its excess energy meaninglessly in inappropriate places.

"Ah... Damn it... Is this what they call global warming?"

After taking a sip of mineral water to replenish his water, Shinshi couldn't help but complain.

However, there are many people who have similar complaints as him. Although it is a holiday, there are fewer people on the street than before. Most people are either staying at home or running to air-conditioned stores to cool down.

Thinking back to the previous spacequake, one can’t help but wonder if the end of the world is approaching.

"No! Stop imagining nonsense! Today is your date with Mio, so just focus on it."

He patted his cheeks hard, and after reminding himself of this, Shinshi's heartbeat couldn't help but get a little agitated.

This is only natural. After all, next, Shinji will face and challenge his first date in his life, and he will be with his first love.

It was impossible not to be nervous. Shinshi even took out the map and itinerary and read them over and over again to memorize them, fearing that he would get nervous and forget them halfway.

"Three minutes left. Huh-huh-huh."

After checking the time displayed on the large clock in the square, Shinshi began to try to calm himself down by taking deep breaths, but unfortunately it didn't work.

By the way, Shinji originally planned to go out with Mio directly from home, but this idea was quickly rejected by his sister Mana with a cold look.

[Brother, are you an idiot? Oh, yes. You are indeed an idiot, and you are still a virgin. That’s fine, girls have to make all kinds of preparations before going out, so you just want to go there and kill time.]

This has nothing to do with being a virgin. Although he wanted to refute this, he still followed his sister's advice and went first. In fact, if they left home together, he probably wouldn't be so nervous and expectant when waiting for her.

There were only one or two minutes left before the scheduled time. On the street that was so hot that it was a little distorted, Zhenshi saw a slender figure walking towards him at a leisurely pace.

"--real!"

As if noticing Shinji, the girl trotted towards him, calling out Shinji's nickname with joy.

For a moment, time all over the world stopped.

Although this was obviously an illusion of Shinji Takamiya, since he himself did not understand this, the world did stop for him.

A flowing and refreshing white dress, a white sun hat on her head, and high heels wrapped around Mio's pink toes that were exposed from under the skirt.

Zhenshi didn't know what words to use to describe his feelings at this moment. If God told him that he would die tomorrow, he would probably feel that he would die without regrets.

Mio is a girl that would make people of the same sex doubt that God has a preference for her. But she usually dresses like a boy, imitating Mana. Now she dresses seriously, which is even more shocking.

"Sorry, really. Am I late?"

"…It's okay. You're just too beautiful. So beautiful that I don't mind staying here for another whole day."

Staring at Mio blankly, Shinshi couldn't help but blurt out.

Wait? Isn't it common practice here to say "I just got here too"? After a while, Shinshi realized that he had screwed up.

"Ah - no! That's not what I meant. I just arrived not long ago - and, although it's not true. But what I said just now was not a lie, you are really beautiful, so beautiful that I thought you were a fairy -"

Seeing Shinshi panicking and speaking incoherently, Mio's cheeks turned slightly red. She pulled down the sunshade to cover her cheeks and answered in a low voice.

"Um...thank you...thank you for the treat."

Apparently, Mio accidentally said "thank you for the compliment" instead of "thank you for the treat".

Seeing Mio's adorable reaction, Shinshi wanted to just hug her tightly.

(No, you have to hold back! Takamiya Shinshi! I finally got to date Mio, I have to leave the impression of a gentleman and not be treated like a beast... Calm down, the beast in my heart!)

"…Really? What's wrong? Why do you suddenly have such a scary expression?"

Mio asked worriedly.

"Eh? Do I look scary?"

"Well, it's like going to war next."