Chapter 51
Moonlit Night and Hiking (Part 1)
“Taiyo, you seem kind of down today.”
“N-no, that’s not true. Sorry… even though you came all the way out to hang out.”
“This isn’t just hanging out. This is a date!”
It was our second “practice date.”
I never imagined I’d be going on a date feeling like this… that stupid sock freak from yesterday really left a mark.
Tsukiyo likes me, but it’s not romantic love.
I thought I’d already made peace with the fact that the person she really likes isn’t me.
This outing was planned long before all that happened with Ten and Urihara-san yesterday. That part was… unexpected.
“Are you feeling sick or something?”
“I’m fine!”
I had to shake off these thoughts.
It’s not like our relationship is going to change right this instant.
No use moping around about it!
And so, Tsukiyo and I decided to go on a little trip together.
It’s late September now, and the temperature has finally started to cool down a bit. The last time we went out, Tsukiyo’s outfit was perfect for photos but… not so great for physical activity. So this time, we decided on a hiking trip in the mountains.
We could’ve done something like bowling for a more typical “active” date, but going somewhere downtown meant there was a chance our classmates might see us. That’s why we came here—to Mt. Ginga.
Tsukiyo’s wearing a wide-brimmed hat, but the chestnut-brown hair peeking out from underneath shines beautifully as always. She’s got a T-shirt layered over a hiking top, paired with light-colored culotte shorts. Her black tights hide all her pale skin, which is kind of a shame, but with autumn and winter coming up, I can’t complain.
In short—she’s the perfect mountain girl.
“Wasn’t it hard to put that outfit together?”
“I borrowed it from Mizusato-chan. We’re about the same size, so I figured it would be fine.”
Ah, that explains why some parts look a little loose… except around the chest, which looks a bit tight.
I’ll save that joke for Mizusato-san later.
Mt. Ginga isn’t a tall mountain—you can reach the summit in about two hours—so it’s pretty well-known as a hiking course. There’s a smaller mountain nearby that attracts more people, which makes this trail surprisingly quiet and something of a hidden gem.
And with that, our climb began.
“The weather’s perfect, there’s hardly anyone here, and the air tastes amazing!”
At the start of the trail, Tsukiyo waved her arms excitedly, her enthusiasm practically bubbling over.
“You’re really in high spirits, huh?”
“Of course! I’ve been looking forward to this all week—it’s a date you invited me on, after all, Taiyo!”
“R-right…”
Oh yeah. I was the one who invited her.
Just realizing that made me blush a little.
I never knew asking a girl out could be this nerve-wracking.
Even with someone I’ve gotten used to being around like Tsukiyo, it still takes a deep breath first.
“Yesterday ended kind of weird, didn’t it?” she said. “I was worried you’d remember the past and cancel on me last minute.”
“You make it sound like some dark chapter of my life… but yeah, sorry for worrying you.”
“It’s okay. You showed up, and that makes me happy.”
Tsukiyo smiled brightly, and I couldn’t help thinking—she really is a good person.
Honestly, I did hesitate a bit.
But still…
I wanted to spend time with this cheerful Tsukiyo.
I didn’t want to see her smile fade.
After about two hours of steady hiking, we finally reached the area near the summit—a wide lookout point where a few groups were sitting down to eat. The timing was just about perfect.
“What a beautiful view!”
Tsukiyo leaned against the railing, her eyes wide in awe as she looked out at the lush scenery.
It was a perfect picture. I had to capture it.
I pulled my camera from my bag, framed her shining figure in the viewfinder, and pressed the shutter.
“Ah, there you go again—taking sneaky photos.”
“Hey, that’s rude. I was just trying to capture the scenery, and you happened to be in it.”
“That’s what all the creeps say.”
“They do not!”
This time, she posed properly, and I took a few more shots. My Tsukiyo folder was getting more and more impressive.
“You used to get all flustered taking pictures, but now you’re completely shameless about it,” she teased.
“Well, I guess I’ve gotten used to it. I’m starting to understand how people who photograph cosplayers feel.”
“But!”
Tsukiyo suddenly stepped closer, gazing straight into my eyes.
“You’re not allowed to take pictures of anyone else but me.”
Her big, round eyes—clear and bright as the moon—held me captive. I couldn’t do anything but nod.
Satisfied, Tsukiyo turned back toward the view, smiling contentedly.
It’s not like I had any intention of photographing anyone else…
But still, in that moment, I realized—
I was dangerously close to being completely captivated by her.
