Tatsumi-kun and Kyoko-san Episode 13

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Episode 13

We decided to go out, but outside of the time we spend together, it's no different from a one-sided love. In fact, it's not just no different; my feelings for him are growing even more than before. The time we spend together passes in the blink of an eye, and even when I try to remember it, it feels fuzzy, like I was inside a cloud. The only thing I can clearly recall are the words that echoed in my head, and even though I want to repeat them in Tatsumi-kun's voice, they come out in my own.

"Next time, let's go buy a Christmas present together. Please think about what you'd like."

I close my eyes and think about it.

I already knew what I wanted.
But it's not a "thing".

But... I thought, and replied to the LINE message about our date plans.

Me too...
This, this is what I wanted to say.
Happiness wells up inside me.

"Kyoko-san, I like you."

After he said that, I whispered in a small voice,

"Me too..."

I remember the moment Tatsumi-kun laughed, his face crinkling up as he said, "Ah, that's kind of unfair."

I wish there were more "me too" moments, and I find myself thinking of so many questions like, "Is your earwax the dry type or the moist type?" but I end up not asking them, thinking it doesn't really matter. Are we the same type or different? I feel like we might be different, but I also feel like we might be the same.

After finishing the Mont Blanc, I stare intently at Tatsumi-kun's ears.

"Hmm, is something the matter?" he says, narrowing his eyes with a ticklish-looking gesture.

"...It's nothing."
I feel embarrassed that I'm curious about the inside of your ears, so I look away and shake my head.

He says, "Should we get matching wallets?" and I hurriedly wave my hands to deny it.

"I only need... one wallet..."

That's right, one is fine.

"To tell you the truth... what I want isn't a wallet, but an episode involving a 10,000 yen bill... A crisp, new one, with Shibusawa-san on it."

"I was so happy when you gave me those new 1,000 and 5,000 yen bills, Tatsumi-san. I want a memory involving a 10,000 yen bill, too. I thought, if we ever go out together, how about we have a date using a 10,000 yen bill? But if it's two 5,000 yen bills, it doesn't become a story about a new 10,000 yen bill."

"So... how about we both put in a new 10,000 yen bill, use one for our date, and keep the other one carefully as long as we're dating? The wallet would be a shared one for us to keep that in, and for things like date expenses or our commemorative 10,000 yen bill. That's why we only need one wallet, and I don't have any preference for the brand."

"Oh, but I think a long wallet would be good so the bills don't get folded."

I feel like I only talked about my own wishes, and I wonder if he thought it was strange.

Truth be told, I had been fantasizing on my own that if I could manage our first date on a budget of 10,000 yen using a crisp new 10,000 yen bill, he might at least go on a second date with me, but with our LINE messages being so one-sided, I couldn't bring myself to say anything like that.

But whenever we go out together, Tatsumi-kun tries to pay for everything, and the idea of me being thoughtful enough to offer to pay for once is a hurdle too high for me to clear.

That's why I don't want one of us to pay; I want us to use a shared wallet for the two of us.

I see... Then shall we go buy one? Let's pick out a wallet that you like, Kyoko-san. I want you to have it.

I feel relieved when Tatsumi-kun says that.

Thank you very much. The Mont Blanc was delicious, wasn't it?
When I stood up and looked over the table, he said, "The bill is already paid," and laughed.

Then... thank you for the meal today.

From next time on, it will be our shared wallet.

After bowing slightly, we laughed together again.

To be continued in Episode 14 (Final Episode)

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