Underwear

   “What’s next?”

     I asked. We’d gamed our way through the arcade and were now indulging in vending machine ice cream while sitting on a bench outside. The sun was starting to reach the horizon, and this break itself was proof of how tired we’d gotten. In other words, this date was likely nearing its end.

     “I was thinking we could spend the rest of our time hanging around the mall.”

     Around these parts, “the mall” meant the one connected to the train station. Window shopping was a pretty date-like activity, I thought.

     “Sure. Is there anything you wanna buy?”

     “I just wanna follow you around while you shop, Senpai!”

     “Hmm… do I even have anything in mind? …Oh, right.”

     As I began to ponder on that question, my mind began to wander to this morning’s events.

     “Clothes.”

     I’d agonized so much over what to wear today. Even though I’d settled on my usual cool and casual look, I had done some experimentation while deciding. The results of those experiments was my transformation into what I’d call the “Fed-Up Office Lady’s Ultimate Climax Form^[1]”. Well, to be fair, the source of the issue was largely the assortment — or lack thereof — of clothes in my possession. That’s why —

     “You wanna go clothes shopping?! Awesome awesome let’s go!!”

     “Yeah. So, uh… Could I ask you a favor?”

     “Yes, what is it?

     “Could you help me pick some stuff out for me…?

     “W-wait, what?! Can I really?!”

     “I mean, you’ve got a great eye for fashion. …I do have one condition, though.”

     “What is it?”

     It was something that I found myself struggling to put into words. I had one hand restlessly fidgeting on my lap, which I held down steady with my other hand before continuing.

     “I kinda… I kinda want to see how I’d look in other styles.”

     “Hmm? A change of style… Ah! Hehe, I see what you mean.”

     Even with such a brief exchange, Meguru-chan had immediately picked on what I wanted to say.

     “I’d love to!”

     She affirmed enthusiastically.

     “Okay actually, now…”

     I thought it would be nice to have some cuter stuff in my wardrobe. Just in case the occasion for it arose.

     “Come on, Senpai! Let’s get to it before you change your mind!”

     “…Can I do that, actually? I’m kinda tired…”

     “Request denied! I’ll lug you over in a princess carry if I have to!”

     “Meguru-chan, you don’t happen to be bad at physics, do you?”

     “I’m barely passing, so not too shabby!”

     “If you can’t put it to practical use, then it’s an automatic fail, ya know.”

     “Okay, let’s get this show on the road!”

     “Yeah, yeah…”

     She simply pretended to not hear what she didn’t want to hear. Just like a dog… And so, I found myself being led around by a re-energized Meguru-chan. It was like hearing my request had made her forget all about the fatigue we’d built up at the arcade.

     “I’m a big fan of this spot! You really get your money’s worth, and none of this stuff looks or feels cheap!”

     “Oooh… it’s got this youthful vibe to it…”

     “What are you saying, Senpai? You’re a high schooler too.”

     We’d arrived at the mall, where Meguru-chan had led us to a boutique of her choosing. Compared to my usual haunts, the energy here was much brighter and livelier.

     “Oh, my! Hey there, Meguru-chan!”

     As we entered, one of the very stylishly dressed staff called out to her.

     “Hey there! It’s me again!”

     “As always, welcome in! We’ve got some new arrivals in stock!”

     Like a chain reaction, the other equally stylish staff members followed suit and greeted us in with a cheery “Welcome!” and then began to gather around to chat. It seemed like Meguru-chan was on good terms with the people here.

     …You know, even at the stores I frequent, there aren’t any staff members I’m close with. I mean, they’re friendly, but it feels more like they’re trying to please a VIP than behaving comfortably casual. …It got so awkward this one time when they tried to give me clothes for free. Like, it’s not like I’m a celebrity or influencer or anything like that. …And so, here I stood, finding myself a little jealous of Meguru-chan’s incredible social skills.

     “And who might this be?”

     One of the staff asked to Meguru-chan.

     “Oh, wow… How do I put this? She’s just lovely!”

     Another chimed in.

     “Is she a friend of yours, Meguru-chan?”

     “Ha ha ha! This lovely lady is Amanone Sakoto! She’s my girlfriend!”

     “GIRLFRIEND?!”

     They all exclaimed in unison, eyes wide in surprise. I, on the other hand, had a feeling this would happen, so I simply smiled a little.

Now that I think of it, even though we’re both girls, she’d never had any problems with me being her girlfriend. That popped into my mind because I’d never actually heard her call me that out loud until now. More specifically, to her, I was probably her cute girlfriend — someone that looked cool, which made it all the more great to take the lead with…

     “Hi, I’m Amanone. Nice to meet you.”

     I quickly introduced myself.

     “Ah, not a hint of denial, I see!”

     “So Meguru-chan’s not just making it up?!”

     “Wait, she’s gotta be a rental girlfriend! How much did she pay you?”

     As they bombarded us with comments, Meguru-chan retorted.

     “Oh my god, you guys! This is my last time coming here!”

     She had gotten herself all in a huff, so I thought to chime in.

     “We’re in a real, wholesome relationship! One that began with a proper confession!”

     …Okay, that wasn’t actually the truth. I averted my eyes.

     “Sorry, sorry, we were just messing with you!”

     “So you’re into girls, Meguru-chan? That explain why you never talked about getting a boyfriend. I’ve always wondered about that, actually.”

     “Wait! Meguru-chan, did you come here to get her to pick out a fit for you?”

     “Nope! I came here to pick out a fit for her!”

     Wait, Meguru-chan, you don’t have to be honest about everything!  This place was stocked with nothing but cute, cute, and more cute! And just as I’d feared, the clerks began to confusedly look back and forth between us.

     “I dragged her along to be my dress-up doll!”

     …Huh?

     “Ohh, so that’s what’s going on! Your tastes are as unique as ever!”

     “You know, Meguru-chan, if you’re too demanding all the time, she might get tired of you.”

     “Right? Must be tough for you, Amanone-san.”

     “Ah, ahaha, whatever you say…”

     Because I was still trying to make sense of this entire interaction, my reply came out a bit stiff. I glanced over to Meguru-chan, who seemed to notice and returned my gaze.

     If I put it like this, then you don’t need to be scared of wearing this stuff!

     That’s what it felt like she was trying to tell me. Probably. …Well, it’s not like I thought I misread that, but… in the end, wasn’t I just dancing right into the palm of her hand? Was she what people meant by the term “little devil”? Hmm… no, not quite. A devil wouldn’t be as reliable as her. She was more like a pup. Not like a dog, but like a wolf. Well, anyway, I sent a silent thanks back to her gaze, to which she responded with a wink.

     “Hm. Hmhmhmhmm…. Now, which one of these would be best for Senpai…?”

     Once fully inside and browsing, Meguru-chan had become completely focused. I was out of my element here, so I simply watched from behind her and let my heart flutter in anticipation at what she’d choose for me.

     “Hey there.”

     “Oh, yes?!”

     Suddenly, one of the staff members spoke to me. She was the woman that had first approached Meguru-chan.

     “It’s nice to meet you. I’m this store’s manager, Nico.”

     “Likewise. I’m Amanone.”

     She’d maintained a gentle, radiant smile the whole time, as befitting her name^[2]. To be completely honest, I usually wasn’t good with people older than me, but I was pretty comfortable around her like I was with Mori-sensei.

     “You’ve been looking after Meguru-chan, haven’t you? She’s a regular here, to the point that she’s basically a little sister to all of us! So truly, thank you so much!”

     “Oh, no, it’s really nothing. She’s actually the one looking after me most of the time.”

     “Oh, my. so young and yet so polite.”

     “Ahaha…”

     I was telling the truth, though. I’m the one always relying on the people around me.

     “It was a bit of a surprise, to tell you the truth. She’s never really been one for romance.”

     “Huh? Really?”

     “Mhm. So seeing her introducing you to us so proudly makes me very happy.”

     Nico-san turned her gentle smile toward Meguru-chan. Hmm… I see. Just as she gave me the freedom to breathe, if I was able to save her in some way as well, then that’d make me really happy too.

     “In other words, I’m incredibly grateful that you’ve exorcised that evil spirit for us! Like, ‘Wow, I’m so moved that my eyes… OH, MY EYES… THE TEARS, THEY WON’T STOP!!!’ …Or something of the sort. That’s how it feels.”

     Uh, what? Say that again?

     “Senpai!”

     I thought I’d heard some really weird Japanese coming out of Nico-san’s mouth just now, but right then, Meguru-chan came back with a full outfit in her shopping basket.

     “Your height and features aren’t the same as mine, so I’m actually having a little trouble… Let’s start with something simple and work from there — so could you try these on?”

     “Yeah, let’s do that.”

     “Thanks! Hey, Nico-san! We can try these on, right?”

     “You absolutely may!”

     At that, we headed to the fitting room.

     “Here you go!”

     She handed me all the stuff in her basket.

     “O-okay.”

     While these were pretty simple, they were clearly more geared towards a cutesy aesthetic. Just the act of holding them was extraordinary enough to send my heart racing. I closed the curtain, asking Meguru-chan to wait outside for a moment.

     “Phew… Well, here goes…”

     First, I took off what I was already wearing —       

     ?!?!?

     Right then, I saw myself in the full-length mirror wearing the lingerie that I’d put my heart into wearing this morning. I quickly turned away just as quickly as the sight had entered my eyes, hurrying to put on what I’d been given. Hmm… this is how it goes, right? Yeah, probably. I took a step back to look at the mirror again, and —

     “Oh…”

     A sound came out of my mouth involuntarily.

     “Senpai? Are you done?”

     “Yeah.”

     “Can I take a look now?”

     “…Feel free.”

     The curtain swung open with a swish.

     “Wow…”

     She let out a breathy gasp when she saw me. I was wearing a one-piece dress styled with a jacket over it. Simple and undeniably feminine. I started to feel self-conscious and got a bit fidgety, but going by Meguru-chan’s reaction…

     “Senpai. …That looks SO good on you!!!”

     “R-really?”

     Even though my reply gave more of a seriously? vibe, I already knew that I looked good in this. Simply put, it was like I had turned from a prince into a princess. And disregarding the incident from this morning, this type of outfit wasn’t really particular about your height. This wasn’t something that I’d been aware of before, since I’d always picked out clothes that accentuated my height.

     “Oh, my! That really suits you!”

     “Woah, holy crap, what?! You can pull off both cool and cute?!”

     “I mean, look at that face! She’s basically cheating with looks like that!!”

     Even the staff had gotten drawn in by the commotion. Which was a little embarrassing, but I didn’t mind the attention.

     “I think we should definitely get you in something bolder!”

     Meguru-chan said, dashing off to find some more clothes. Even the staff was helping out. …And since I was already in the outfit, I figured I ought to take a selfie.

     “Excuse me, am I allowed to take photos in these?”

     “Of course!”

     Having received the okay, I struck a cute pose and — SNAP!

     “…You can definitely tell I’m not used to posing like this.”

     But that’s what made it so great! …Actually, though, there’s no way in hell I could ever show a picture of myself looking like this to anyone. Ahem. Where was I? Right. We were just getting started. Was this racing heartbeat because my nerves, or was it exhilaration? It was time to find out.

     For the second outfit, she styled it to highlight the skirt and lean more into the youthful high schooler look.

     “So cute!”

     “It’s giving ethereal!”

     “You’ve transcended gap moe!”

     “Heh, really? Ehehehe…”

     “Hey, Senpai! Could I do something with your hair?”

     “Sure, as long as I can undo it later.”

     She adjusted it to look a bit more soft, as compared to how I’d originally styled it to be more neat and dignified.

     “Woah!!!! That’s some generational cuteness!”

     “Senpai! Can I take a picture too?!”

     “Huh? …Fine, but only one.”

     The third outfit: jirai kei^[3].

     “That. Is. So. CUTE!!!!!!”

     “Please ruin my life.”

     “That’s it. Starting today, you’re Japan’s Minister of Cuteness.”

     “Senpai, hit a pose!”

     “N-nya! Nyan nyan!”

     “KYAAAAAA!”

     Number four: an idol costume.

     “Ohmygodthat’ssocute.”

     “She’s an angel!”

     “Give us some fanservice!”

     Unsure of what to do, I put my hand in a peace sign.

     “Yay! Peace!”

     “You’re shining so bright, Senpai… Let’s shoot for the Budokan^[4] together!”

     “Yeah! I’ll do my best!”

     Wait, I’m an idol now?! Guess I gotta roll with it!

     “…Hey, wait. Isn’t something off about this?”

     One of the staff interjected right as a new chapter of my life was about to begin.

     “We’ve gotten a bit off the course from ‘cute outfits’, haven’t we…?”

     “You’re not wrong… Actually, maybe I shouldn’t be saying this as an employee, but why do we even carry idol costumes?”

     “Oh, dear…”

     ……

     Meguru-chan and I exchanged a glance.

     “Ahaha… sorry, she was just so cute that I got swept up in the moment….”

     “Hey, now! You shouldn’t be making your girlfriend uncomfortable!”

     “Okay, but wasn’t Amanone-san kinda getting into it too?”       

     “No, I’m just good at acting the part!”

     I hastily clarified.

     “Oh, is that so? Are you an aspiring actress, by any chance?”

     Nico-san asked.

     Phew, that was close. …They were gassing me up so much that I lost it and got carried away. Reflecting on my behavior just now, I felt so embarrassed that my face could spontaneously combust.

     “Um, I think I’ll go pick out something new based on our original direction. Could you wait here, Senpai?”      

     “Yeah… For now, I just wanna get out of this thing.”

     I ducked into the fitting room to break the idol spell.

     And no, you absolutely do not get to know how I felt about those outfits.

     “Hm?”

     Meguru-chan, having calmed down, had picked out something new for me to try on, but I was having some trouble. I tilted my head quizzically, turning the garment over and over again in my hands while inspecting it.

     “…How do I even put this on? What?”

     “Senpai? What was that?”

     Oops. I’d forgotten that she was waiting right outside. She’d overhead me talking to myself.

     “Sorry, I just can’t figure out how to put this on…”

     “Oh? I can help if you’d like.”

     “Please do.”

     The curtain slid open a little and Meguru-chan’s head popped out from behind.

     “Oh-uh-S-Senpai—“

     “Hm?”

     She was staring at me, eyes wide open and jaw on the floor, like she’d just seen something not of this world. More accurately, it seemed like she’d frozen up at the sight of my body. It was in that moment that it finally dawned on me. I’d taken care to not look at the mirror while changing this entire time. Especially during this part, when I was right in the middle of a state of undress. Simply put, I was in my underwear. It was embarrassing enough to be half-naked in front of Meguru-chan, but the worst part was the kind of underwear I had on — the special lingerie I’d chosen for the occasion.

     “Haah… huff… haah…”

     Meguru-chan’s face was flushed scarlet. With those bloodshot eyes and her ragged breathing, it was as if all the blood had gone straight to her head.

     “H-h-h-hold up! It’s not what you think!”

     I scrambled to shield my body with my hands while coming up with an explanation.

     “This isn’t what it looks like! It’s just that, uh… I wanted to put in a little extra effort for our first date!”

     “Haah… I-I see…”

     “So like, it’s really not like that!! This doesn’t mean anything in particular!!”

     “O-Okay. Got it. It’s my bad for peeking in without warning you.”

     “I wasn’t having any impure thoughts! There’s no way I was thinking about going all the way on our first date!”

     “Uh, S-Senpai, I get it already, so could you please calm down? The staff is gonna hear if you keep talking this loudly.

     “Wait, no, sorry! It’s not that I don’t want to, but—“

     “Wha— Senpai?! What are you even saying?! Oh, whatever. Screw this.”

     “Huh?!”

     While I was still in a state of total confusion, Meguru-chan stepped fully into the fitting room with me. She slid the curtain closed, leaving the two of us alone in this cramped space. My heart leaped violently at the thought of what was possibly about to happen.

     “Huuhhh?!”

     Then, as if to turn up the heat even further, she began to strip.

     “Meguru-chan, w-what are you doing?!”

     She ignored me, continuing to undress. I didn’t know what to do at this point, so I just squeezed my eyes shut and clenched my teeth to try and endure whatever was going on. In this little room, much too cramped for two people, it was totally silent save for the rustling of fabric. I couldn’t even think. I could only endure.

     “…Senpai, it’s okay now.”

     The rustling ceased, and she finally spoke.

     “O-okay for what?”

     “Um… I mean that you can open your eyes now.”

     Her words were at total odds with the current state of affairs. Even I knew that opening my eyes right now could lead to a disaster. I pointedly shook my head.

     “I won’t do anything weird.”

     She gently said.

     “…”

     “Please.”

     Her tone was dead serious. Hearing her speak like that made me run through all the memories I’d had of her up until now.

     “…Should I really?”

     Those memories were why I thought I could entrust myself to her.

     “Yes.”

     “Okay, then…”

     I slowly began to open my eyes. As the sight before me began to become clearer and clearer, what became reflected in my gaze was Meguru-chan… standing there in her underwear.

     Up top, a black, floral pattern bloomed over her intimate parts, the sheer lace making a desperate attempt to conceal what refused to stay hidden. My eyes went further down to see ribbons tied up in bows at the hips, fabric cut so high that there was basically nothing covering her rear.

     “……”

     I could have never imagined that she’d be wearing something like that under that adorable outfit. That today, during all the fun we were having together, that she was actually in such daring lingerie… The sight was so shocking that I could still hardly believe it.

     “I’m actually in something even wilder than you, Senpai, so… it’s okay.”

     And no lie was spoken. She seemed embarrassed for me to be looking at her — naturally — and kept her gaze towards the floor. Still, her eyes still darted about, trying to meet mine. It was the first time I’d ever seen her this bashful. Despite that, the sight in front of me was incredibly bold, and that contrast was irresistibly sensual.

     “So… have you calmed down now?”

     “Y-yeah.”

     Now that was a lie. I couldn’t tell if my heart was pounding so fast I couldn’t count the beats, or if it had completely stopped altogether.

     “Well, in that case, I’m gonna get dressed.”

     “Sure… Oh, I guess I should do that too.”

     I turned my back to the resumed noise of rustling fabric, getting to work on what I had been about to put on.

     “I’m wearing clothes now.”

     I heard from behind me.

     “O-oh. I see.”

     “Oh, let me show you how to get that on.”

     “Huh? A-ah, right! Please do!”

     I’d almost forgotten the entire reason why she’d come in here in the first place. She helped me get it on the right way.

     “And that’s how you do it. Um… You look really cute in that.”

     “I see… Thanks…”

     “……”

     As we faced each other, the scene that occurred just earlier flashed through my mind, settling the atmosphere into something incredibly and indescribably awkward.

     “Hellooo~”

     Nico-san’s voice rang from outside.

     “Eek!”

     We both jumped at her sudden interjection like we’d heard a balloon pop out of nowhere.

     “Is everything all right in there, you two?”

     Oh, no. Had she started getting ideas? Desperate to do away with any suspicions, I hurried to pull open the curtain.

     “I just was having trouble putting this on, so Meguru-chan was showing me how! Right?!”

     “Y-yep! What do you think, Nico-san?! Doesn’t this really suit her?!”

     “Oh my.”

   We were telling the truth. And it’s not like we’d done anything improper, per se.

     “Please come again!”

     “Y-yeah, sure…”

     But we still felt incredibly guilty, swiftly making our purchase and exiting the store.

     “Looks like the sun’s already down.”

     “Sure is.”

     We were now heading to the station together. This date was now finally reaching its end.

     “Did you have a good time today?”

     “Of course. How about you, Meguru-chan?”

     “Just being with you is enough to make my day!”

     Because it was coming from her, even a corny line like that was able to bring me joy. Perhaps it was because I knew, without a doubt, that it was the truth. We hadn’t been together for very long, but my days with her were all full of excitement. And now, I’d finally begun to understand her. She’d had my attention from the very first moment I’d laid eyes on her on that tree-lined path. The second time we’d met, she’d confessed to me and made me think she was trouble. Now, I knew that those experiences represented the gap between her inner and outer self, things that were all part of who she was.

     I’d never met anyone else like her. …She was someone that called me cute. An experience I’d never had, something that left me perplexed and bewildered. Then, what did I feel about this date? We walked together, ate together, shared some embarrassing moments together… Yep. I was always flustered and unsure when around her, but even so… there was one thing I knew for certain. It wasn’t exactly a thought that I could say matched my cool exterior, though.

     “Meguru-chan?”

     “Yes?”

     “Do you still have a little time left? I have something important to talk about.” 

     “…Yes.”

     Her expression stiffened, and I imagined mine did as well.

     “It’s a bit conspicuous out here. Wanna find a different spot to talk?”

     She suggested.

     “Ah… Yeah. I’d like somewhere we can be alone, if possible.”

     Finding somewhere like that while out and about was a bit of a task. …The secret room, maybe? No, there was no school today, so we’d have to break in…

     “Ah.”

     Right.

     “Meguru-chan, wanna come over to my place?”

     “…Huh?!”

     All of a sudden, her face grew bright red.

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^[1] This is probably a reference to the TV show Kamen Rider Den-O, in which the titular transforming hero has a form called the “Climax Form”.  Personally speaking, I think it’s a great season of Kamen Rider.

^[2] Niconico can mean to grin or smile in Japanese. Some may relate this to Yazawa Nico of Nico Nico Nii fame.

^[3] Literally “landmine style.” Popular fashion aesthetic and subculture that’s associated with emotional instability. I won’t speak for the subculture, but the aesthetic is very cute.

^[4] Originally built for the 1964 Summer Olympics, the Budokan now carries great significance as a concert venue. Performing there is considered to be a major milestone for Japanese musicians. Aside from that, it’s a nice venue. Very spacious and great acoustics.

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I’ll be posting another part sometime tomorrow! That’ll actually be wraps for the volume, and I’ll have the extras done posthaste. Also, I have a pretty good idea of what I’ll be posting to Ave Lilium next, so stay tuned for that!

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If you enjoyed this translation and would like to send some support my way, feel free to tip me here.

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