Roleplay and a Real Date
"I love you, Lilith. Please go out with me."
"Wh-what?!"
Watching Lilith's flustered reaction filled me with a strange sense of satisfaction. I'd long since given up on ever getting the upper hand over her, but seeing the usually composed Lilith so rattled was oddly refreshing.
"Wh-what... what are you... saying..."
She was so shocked that her words came out in broken fragments.
"Exactly what it sounds like. Roleplay. I heard kids often do this kind of thing with their families. It made me a little jealous back then, so I thought we could try it now."
"...What kind of roleplay?"
Isn't it obvious?
"Lovers."
"Pfft!"
Lilith nearly spat out her toothpaste foam but managed to hold it in.
"Cough! Cough! Do people usually roleplay as lovers?"
"Hmm... probably not?"
"Then—"
"Usually it's as husband and wife, right?"
"......"
Lilith was left speechless.
"Urrrp. Ptui."
After rinsing out the toothpaste, I hugged Lilith from behind as she stood frozen in place.
"You said you'd wait for me, but I can't just make you wait forever. That would be incredibly rude to you—purely selfish on my part."
Lilith spat out the remaining foam and listened quietly.
"So you want us to pretend to be lovers?"
"It's not pretending. I just want us to be genuine for a little while."
"......"
"And I think this is the only way I'll be able to sort out my feelings."
Even though I was looking at her from behind, I could picture her expression perfectly. A laugh escaped me at the sight of her clearly conflicted back.
"...Until when?"
"Hmm... just for today, to start."
"To start?"
"If we end up liking it so much that we want to date for real, then we'll just keep going forever."
At my words, Lilith's body twitched. She turned her head slightly and shot me a glare.
"...No matter how I look at it, your personality's changed."
"Has it?"
I'd decided to be a little shameless about this.
"So what now?"
"I confessed, so accept it."
Lilith turned to face me, her usual playful smile already back in place.
"With just words?"
She tapped her lips with a finger.
...What a demanding Outer God.
With a wry chuckle, I leaned in and kissed her.
—Smooch.
After the brief kiss, I met her deep gaze.
"I love you, Lilith. Please go out with me."
"Hmm... What should I do~?"
She was already back to teasing, as if her earlier panic had never happened.
'Yeah, this is more like Lilith.'
Just as I was smiling fondly at her, she gave her answer.
"Then... if you call me 'noona,' I'll date you."
"......What?"
What did she just say?
When I stared at her in disbelief, Lilith's face flushed red as she waved her hands frantically.
"I-if you don't want to, then never mind... It was just a random idea..."
"No, it's not that I don't want to... It's just... I never imagined you'd suggest that title..."
Really, I hadn't. Lilith... noona?! Me calling Lilith 'noona'? Was that even possible?
From her reaction, it seemed like she'd just blurted it out on impulse...
'Well, if she's the one who suggested it, then whatever.'
"N-noona..."
"!!!!"
Lilith's eyes went wide as saucers.
"Lilith noona."
It felt awkward, but there was a definite warmth to it. I wanted to keep saying it.
"Lilith noona. Lilith noona."
As I practiced the unfamiliar pronunciation, I looked up and saw Lilith covering her face with both hands.
"Hnnngh..."
She was clearly embarrassed, yet peeking at me through the gaps between her fingers...
"Cute."
"Hic!"
Now she was even hiccuping. Her ears had turned so red I was sure they'd burn to the touch.
"Are you really that embarrassed?"
—Shake shake.
"Huh? Then why are you covering your face?"
"Hnn... B-because I like it..."
Her voice was barely a whisper, almost like a sob.
"I like it too much..."
She really enjoyed being called noona that much?
In that case—
"Lilith noona."
"D-don't..."
"Noo~na~"
"Eek!"
"Ahahaha! Your reactions are way too cute. Noona?"
My teasing ended abruptly when Lilith smacked me on the head.
—Thwack!
"Stop messing with me!"
"...Yes, ma'am."
Lilith's hand had been surprisingly strong.
'Ow ow ow...'
----
After checking out, we wandered the shopping district without any particular destination. The street was lined with all kinds of stores catering to every taste, most of them selling expensive goods I'd never seen before. We chatted about their uses and prices—mostly complaining, occasionally marveling—as we strolled along.
Lilith didn't know much about this world's items either, so she gave blunt, instinctive commentary on human creativity and shoddiness alike. Lost in our ordinary but genuinely enjoyable conversation, I suddenly realized something.
'...What's actually different from usual?'
The realization hit me like a splash of cold water. Thinking back, we'd already done most of the things couples do—hugging, holding hands, kissing.
'...Wait, then what's different?'
If that was the case, then this whole "roleplay" thing was pointless. Desperately racking my brain, I thought of something we hadn't done yet.
Letting go of her hand, I linked our arms together instead.
"Hm? This is..."
It was what people called linking arms. Honestly, I hadn't expected it to feel much different from holding hands, but the sensation was completely new. Our shoulders were close enough to touch, and at the elbow... something soft brushed against me, but I desperately pretended not to notice.
"Hehe~ So this is what you do when you're dating?"
"I thought it would look more like a couple..."
"Hehe, how adorable, our Arthur."
'...Our Arthur...? Our?!'
Just two little words added in front of my name, yet it sounded completely different. My chest tingled, and I felt my lips twitching upward.
Lilith noticed instantly and grinned mischievously.
"Oh? You're trying not to smile. Why~? Do you like being called that? Our Arthur~?"
I tried to force my twitching lips back down, but—
"Hehe, cute..."
The smile broke through anyway.
"Yes, I like it. Lilith noona."
"Eep...!"
"Shall we go over there, noona?"
"Th-that's enough..."
"What's wrong, noona?"
"...I can't even hit you out here..."
Lilith's eyes rolled around as if searching for an idea, then she smiled slyly. Pulling our linked arms closer, she leaned in and whispered right into my ear.
"Dar...ling."
"!!!!!"
The moment I heard it, electricity shot through my entire body and goosebumps erupted across my skin.
"Oh? Are you feeling sick? Your face is all red, darling."
'D-dar...ling...?'
Combining two words that each made my heart race was almost painful. My heart pounded so hard it hurt.
'That's way too unfair, Lilith...!'
Total defeat. I couldn't think of any title stronger than that.
...At this rate, yesterday's resolve might crumble in a single day.
"Darling, shall we go in there?"
Unable to lift my burning face, I could only nod weakly. Letting Lilith take the lead, I trudged along with my eyes fixed on the ground. When she finally stopped, I cautiously looked up.
"...This place...?"
A pink-themed dessert cafe greeted us from the entrance, clearly targeting a very specific clientele.
—Sweet Love~♡
The little red heart after the name made my head spin.
'Did a place like this even exist...?'
"Welcome~ Thank you for visiting Sweet Love!"
The energetic employee wore a uniform mixing pink and white.
"Are you two a couple? Our store offers discounts and special services for couples."
Lilith answered confidently, tightening her grip on my arm.
"Yes, we're a couple."
"Wonderful! We have tables and private rooms. Which would you prefer?"
'...Tables? Rooms? What does that mean?'
Noticing my confusion, the employee explained kindly.
"Tables are on the first floor in an open space where you can enjoy tea and snacks freely. The rooms are on the second floor—private, enclosed spaces perfect for a cozy time—"
"A room."
Lilith answered before the employee could even finish. Far from being offended, the employee smiled warmly and nodded.
"Of course~ I'll show you to a private room for two."
Following the employee inside, we entered a spacious area. The first floor was bright with windows on all sides, tables scattered about where people enjoyed their desserts. Occasionally someone sat alone, but most were happy couples feeding each other sweets with bright smiles. Naturally, everything was pink. The overwhelming pink decor was enough to make anyone dizzy.
'People actually eat dessert in a place like this? How thick-skinned are nobles? Aren't they embarrassed?'
Just looking around made me want to die. But when I glanced sideways at Lilith...... Good grief. She looked incredibly excited. After scanning the couples around us, she noticed my gaze and whispered in my ear.
"Nice atmosphere, right?"
"I feel like I'm going to throw up......"
"Pfft... Why~? Sometimes places like this are fun too."
"I've got goosebumps all over."
"Really? Let me check..."
Lilith slipped her hand inside my sleeve.
"Wh-what are you doing?!"
"Wow, you really do have goosebumps. So rough."
I tried to yank my arm away in panic, but Lilith's linked arm held firm like an iron chain.
"You only use your strength at times like this?"
"When else would I use it?"
After a few more failed attempts, I gave up and noticed the employee watching us with a warm smile. I couldn't bring myself to look up...
Climbing the stairs to the second floor revealed a completely different atmosphere. Dim lighting replaced the bright openness of the first floor. A narrow central hallway stretched ahead, lined with doors on both sides.
"Our rooms have the highest-grade soundproofing magic, so feel free to enjoy your time without worrying about others."
....This place is dangerous in more ways than one, isn't it?!
"Here we are. To order, simply write on the order sheet, hang it on the door, and ring the bell. An employee will come to take it. If you need anything urgent, just ring the bell and someone will come right away. Also..."
The employee leaned in with a meaningful smile and whispered.
"This isn't an adult establishment, so please refrain from leaving any... traces."
'...Doesn't that mean we can do anything as long as we don't leave traces? Is this place actually okay??'
Completely ignoring my horrified stare, the employee walked away with elegant steps.
"Ahem... Shall we go in?"
Opening the door revealed a small, charmingly decorated room. The overall design felt cozy, and there was far less pink here, which helped ease my nausea. One wall was entirely covered in bookshelves, most of the spines suggesting sweet romance novels. Another wall held a menu board—prices that no commoner could ever afford, as expected of a noble-frequented establishment.
The moment we entered, Lilith pulled me inside as I stood frozen.
"This place is nice too. Better than downstairs for just the two of us. More atmosphere."
Plopping down on the floor, Lilith gestured for me to sit. I hesitantly took a seat a little distance away, but Lilith immediately scooted closer until our shoulders touched. Being side by side like that made it hard to breathe.
"U-um, should we order something first?"
I barely managed to move my trembling jaw to speak. Lilith nodded.
"Sure. Anything you want?"
I looked at the menu, but honestly, I didn't recognize a single item.
'Can't we just order something normal like cake? Mont Blanc, brûlée? What's an éclair?'
Even though it was written in the common language, I couldn't make sense of any of it. I ended up ordering a few items whose names I'd vaguely heard before.
After placing the order, silence fell between us again.
'...I can't breathe...'
Just then, I felt weight on my shoulder. Fine strands of hair tickled my neck, and a warm presence pressed against me.
"L-Lilith...?"
Lilith had rested her head on my shoulder, fully leaning her weight against me with her eyes tightly shut.
"Being this close... I can hear your heartbeat. Thump... thump... It's racing so fast."
She'd caught me completely. Of course she could hear it—my heartbeat was echoing in my own ears.
"You listen to mine too."
I slowly turned toward her, my body stiff. Pressing my cheek against her head and savoring the warmth, I heard it—
—Thump... thump...
"...I can hear it too."
"How is it?"
"...Not particularly fast."
I felt a little resentful that I seemed to be the only one nervous.
"Pfft... How cute. You already know how to make my heart race, don't you?"
I did. But doing that would make my heart race just as fast.
I nuzzled my cheek against her hair, drawing strength from its softness and warmth. My hand moved to her back, wrapping around her slender waist. It was even more delicate than I'd imagined, making my heartbeat grow louder. Pulling her closer until we were pressed together, I whispered.
"...I love you, Lilith."
—Thump thump thump...
Lilith's heartbeat responded immediately. She turned her head slightly to look at me. Our gazes met, soft and warm, and her lips parted.
"Me too..."
The sound of our racing hearts filled the quiet room. I couldn't tell whose heartbeat was whose anymore—and there was no need to. Our breaths mingled in the air as we leaned toward each other, drawn in as if spellbound. Just as Lilith's sweet breath was close enough to tickle my tongue—
—Ding dong!
"Your order is ready, guests~"
Our movements froze.
Just a little closer... just a tiny bit more...
Lilith's sweet breath was making my mouth water...
—Ding dong!
"Guests~? Is everything all right?"
Suppressing the fire burning inside, I was about to stand when Lilith grabbed me and pulled me back down.
"L-Lilith? Wait—mmph?!"
Lilith climbed on top of me and covered my mouth with her soft lips.