A Flustered First Date
“……”
What the hell am I looking at? I opened my mouth to say something, then clamped it shut again.
That... what even is that? Black clothes showing so much skin? Why the fuck is she wearing something that looks like it'll rip if she flexes even a little?
“Eugene. Eugene?”
Ashy approached me with a beaming smile. Without thinking, I took a step back.
“Uh, uh?”
“What's wrong?”
“N-nothing.”
Stammering like an idiot—what a moron I am. But seeing her like this for the first time, my throat tightened up, and I couldn't control it.
This shitty body of mine.
As if sensing—or not sensing—my turmoil, Ashy spun around with a grin, still smiling ear to ear.
A faint perfume wafted from her, subtle enough not to repel me.
“What do you think?”
“Uh, uh?”
“What's with you? You look like a total space case. Snap out of it.”
Come to think of it, I'd never seen Ashy dressed up before.
Adria and Banasi, the princesses, always looked polished as a default, to the point where it just seemed like their natural faces.
Ashy dressed up for the first time. She looked way more mature than her age, and the makeup suited her perfectly—no overdoing it.
Natural, yet her innate charm shone through...
Thump, thump, thump.
My heart was pounding for some inexplicable reason. It raced out of control.
“Back to earth?”
“Y-yeah, I'm good.”
“So? What do you think?”
“Uh, yeah. P-pretty. You're pretty.”
“I know. It's your type, right?”
“What the...?”
Ashy closed in with that grin. I tried to back away, but she lunged and hugged me tight first.
She smelled amazing. My face burned red-hot. It felt like my head might explode any second.
She whispered just loud enough for me to hear.
“I'm wearing fishnet stockings today, too.”
Whoosh!
What the fuck did she just say she's wearing?!
I stumbled back, then straight-up bolted. Eodukshini, who knows when it had slipped into my priest robes' pocket and fallen out, yelled at me.
“Master! Master, where you goin'! Take me with you!”
“Eodukshini, didn't I tell you not to follow me?”
“Oh.”
* * *
“Huff, huff, huff...”
Thank god for these priest robes. Nice and thick, baggy enough to hide everything.
I calmed my racing heart and glanced back. Ashy followed quietly, flashing a playful smile.
Fishnets for real...
And that wasn't all. The sheer outfit, the skirt, the makeup—her skin and lips glowed more than usual.
She smiled sweetly.
“You ran the whole way?”
“...Why the hell are you dressed like that?”
“Why? You said it was a date. So I got all dolled up.”
“I just came in my priest robes?”
I'd thrown on the same old stuff underneath: black tee, black jeans. I seriously hadn't thought it'd be this kind of day.
But Ashy just grinned like it was fine.
“It's okay. I can dress you up later.”
No, it's not!
“C'mon, over here.”
“No...”
“You wouldn't ditch after I put in all this effort, right?”
“...”
I wanted to say yeah, but...
I couldn't. Her eyes were brimming with expectation.
Even a trash heap like me has limits...
In the end, I trudged back. Ashy, waiting with that beaming smile, immediately hooked her arm in mine.
“...!”
The feel of her skin against me made my head spin. I might die right here!
I gritted my teeth.
Ashy rubbed her cheek against my arm as she looked up.
“So? How's it feel?”
“N-not bad, I guess?”
“Really? Your heart's pounding so loud I can hear it from here.”
“That's arrhythmia.”
“Sure. Anyway, wanna hit a café first?”
Yeah. Chug some coffee. Tall or short didn't matter—if I didn't do something normal, I'd lose my mind.
We headed to a nearby café. No clue why she kept her arm linked in mine, but she looked so damn happy I couldn't shake her off.
“Hm~ Hmm~”
“...”
Why's she so thrilled? What's so great about dating me?
But her words from our first meeting sealed my lips.
I'm a fan! Sign this please!
A fan. What the hell did she see in me? Total mystery of a girl. But it didn't feel off-putting.
Really fucking weird.
Did she bewitch me or something?
Arcana would've warned me if so...
Lost in thought, I looked up at the murmurs around us.
People on the street stared openly.
“Whoa... she's fucking gorgeous. Hey, go talk to her.”
“What? You blind? That guy's just arm candy?”
“Hey, I'm hotter.”
“Then you go hit on her, you psycho. I'll pass.”
“Fine. Watch this. I'm taller and better looking than that...”
“Bullshit. Eyes front, idiot. Don't make eye contact.”
What the fuck are these clowns doing? And they weren't the only ones.
“Damn... he's hot as hell. Hey, go chat him up.”
“What? You nuts? You want me battling her face?”
“Pfft, looks aren't everything. You've got more cash, right?”
“Even money has levels. C'mon, let's bail.”
Girls were eyeing me—not Ashy—too.
“Kyaa. That guy's handsome. Wanna ask him to hang?”
“Girl's too hot though.”
...Even dudes were gunning for me?
What the actual fuck? They were mostly after me right now, but plenty eyed Ashy too.
Disgusting creeps.
I clicked my tongue and subtly lifted my robe to shield her. Ashy blinked wide-eyed in surprise.
“What's this?”
“Their stares are filthy.”
“Oh? I was wondering whether to gouge their eyes or just beat 'em.”
Don't say that shit with such a cute face! I grumbled inwardly and lifted the robe higher. We reached the café, ordered coffee, and sat.
Shove this down my throat—might save me.
Dates are a bad idea.
Lesson learned.
“Where to next? Motel? Hotel? Your pick.”
“What do you think I'd say?”
“'Hell no!' right?”
“You know me. Age restriction.”
“Might as well go for it now...”
“Nope.”
What the hell happened to make her this starved? No clue.
“Fine. Eat, hold hands on a walk, catch a movie, check out some spots, take pics... sound good?”
“That fun for you?”
“Obviously?”
Why? Not karaoke or PC bang... Oh, right, neither exists here.
Gym's around, but no karaoke? Weird.
Grumbling internally, I felt a hand on the back of mine.
Ashy fiddled with my fingers.
“Just spending time with you is enough for me.”
Normally I'd brush it off with “Ah, sure~”, but not now.
Blood rushed to my face.
I wanted to bolt.
“Look at that blush. Adorable.”
“...Don't say that to my face.”
I slapped my own cheek.
Smack!
“?!”
The sting snapped me back a bit.
Whew. Right. Just hanging out.
Dates are just meals and movies... Huge progress for a guy who, months ago, puzzled over talking to girls.
“Let's grab food.”
“Where to?”
“Dunno.”
Money wasn't an issue. Capital's pricey, but we both had plenty.
“How 'bout there?”
“...A soup joint?”
“Yep!”
Not exactly restaurant vibes?
* * *
We ate, watched a movie, took a walk.
No idea what's fun about it, but Ashy never stopped smiling.
Evening already. Sunset fading, light dimming. My arm throbbed as I rubbed it.
Ow, hurts.
During the movie, she'd clung in terror—still sore.
How hard did she grip?
“Arm okay?”
“Might shatter.”
“Sorry. Got scared...”
She handed me ice cream with an apologetic look.
I pulled down my mask—people staring—and she leaned her head on my shoulder naturally.
Body tensed rigid. Her scent drifted through my stiff muscles.
“How was today?”
“...F-fun.”
You stuttering idiot! Punch this mouth!
Ashy gazed at me fondly and pointed at my cheek.
“Hey, Eugene. Ice cream on your cheek.”
“Wha...”
I reached for it, but her face closed in first.
“?!”
My body froze like stone.
She licked her lips and grinned mischievously.
“Just a tiny bit.”
“Y-you, you, you.”
“Stop acting so awkward.”
Ashy whispered softly.
“Makes me wanna devour you.”
...Help.
* * *
Clinging to my slipping sanity, a message came in.
“Who?”
“Professor Nipella.”
Perfect timing. Legal escape at last.
Ashy pouted, but even she couldn't block a professor's call.
“Sorry to interrupt your good time.”
“No worries.”
“Lipstick on your cheek—wipe it later. Here, a gift.”
“...?”
Nipella handed me a paper.
A ticket?
“Auction house ticket.”
“Why now...? Could've given it later.”
Nipella smiled warmly.
“Hope you two have a great time. Seeing you so fresh and innocent warms my heart.”
“??”
“Only now can you date purely, without money, fame, or looks getting in the way. Enjoy it while it lasts.”
Fresh? Innocent? Pure?
That?
Suggesting a motel slyly, hand-holding, waiting for openings, lying about ice cream to lick my cheek—and that's pure?
Pure my ass.
If this is pure, the world's purity froze solid long ago.
Probably fossilized somewhere!