Chapter 38: Extra Edition - Momiji Yuzuriha Akiba Date - Before


TL: Akabane


***


When we were having lunch with usual members at school cafeteria, Yuzuriha started to say something like this.


"Um, is anyone free this afternoon? I want to go to Akihabara to buy some parts for my computer... can you guys going out with me...?"


She looked somewhat embarrassed. Yuzuriha is still not good with crowds and such, and is often unwilling to talk with strangers. She probably feels uncomfortable going alone.


"I'm sorry. I have a lot of classes to catch up on."


"Me too. I can't because I have a required class. I'm sorry."


Ayashiro and Milan were not able to make it. On the other hand, all my classes were cancelled. It seems that there is an academic conference or something.


"Okay, my classes are cancelled this afternoon. I was planning to go home, so I'll go with you to Akiba."


"Really? That's great! Thank you! Kanata!"


Yuzuriha looked very happy as she smiled. And right after lunch, Yuzuriha and I headed for Akihabara.





***On the move!***





I thought about it, isn't this a date? We were already in Akihabara when I realized that we were going on a date. University students are usually known for weekday dates, or for skipping class on weekdays to go to their rooms and have a lot of sex. I had never had the chance to do the latter, let alone the former, so I can say that I've really made a big step up in the world of today.


"I can't believe I'm going out with a guy on a weekday! It's like a shoujo manga!"


Yuzuriha covered her face with her hands and yipped and yipped about Akihabara. Maybe girls are girls and long for this kind of thing.


"Yuzuriha. What and where do you buy parts? I honestly don't know much about Akihabara."


I have an otaku hobby, but frankly speaking, it's not deep, so I rarely come to this town. In my previous world, I did come here once to buy a pen tab for architectural drafting and design, but I don't know anything about Akihabara.


"I don't know either! Because I'm from Satsuma!"


"Eh? Oh, that's right. You are from Satsuma, right?"


"Yes! I'm going to be frank! The part I want is already out of production, and besides, it's so rare you can't even buy it online! Maybe you can find it here! That's how far I've come!"


Yuzuriha had a kind of a hapless smile on her face. Well, in this day and age, there is nothing that can't be obtained by mail order.


"I see. Well then, let's look for it while strolling around."


"That's right. I'm sorry. I'm starting to have fun."


We smiled at each other and went out into the streets of Akiba.






****Aren't junk shops kind of scary?****






This chaotic town with moe character billboards and maids handing out tissues. This is probably the only place in the world where you can see such a scene.


"Moe and 2.5 dimensions...! What is it! This town! It's so hard to calculate!"


"I don't think calculation is necessary for moe...?"


Yuzuriha is looking around scurrying around like someone who came to Tokyo from the countryside. It's kind of cute, like a small animal.


"How about that couple there? How about taking a break at a maid cafe!"


A maid came up to Yuzuriha and me to hand out tissues. Yuzuriha shivered and took out her phone.


"I am her second!"


She show the maid the picture of us. The maid looked at the picture and exclaimed. Then she looked at my face.


"Um! Our maids never give in to yakuza! We would never pay them a buck for their services! Hmph!"


The maid is shaking, but she defies me as best she can, stoutly tsundere.


I'm not anti-corporation! I ain't looking for any showbiz money!"


"Really? I can't lie to a maid!"


This maid has a great sense of humor. I had an image of Akiba as more of an otaku place, but maybe it's more of an otaku place than I thought?


"It's true. By the way, maid-san. Where are the places that sell computer parts?"


"Oh, that's just across the main street. The area near our store on this tissue is where all the junk shops are. And you're welcome to visit our store, too! Tehee!"


"You're a good businessman. If I ever need a break, I'll use your shop."


"Thank you very much! Well then, please enjoy this town! But be careful, there are not many love hotels!"


Yuzuriha is fidgeting when she hears the word "love hotel. This is not a good topic.


"Ha! That's superfluous!"


And we followed the maid's lead and crossed the street to where the junk shop was.


"Oh no! What's this? Amazing!"


"Oh. It's amazing...so many people here...?"


It was chaos. There were girls in cosplay touting their wares, and people who clearly looked like otaku going around with bags in their hands. The place was full of energy.


"Ugh.... I wish people would turn to trash..."


Yuzuriha was shivering, scared of the crowd. I'm glad I come with her. If she had come here alone, Yuzuriha would have come back without being able to do anything. I held out my left hand to Yuzuriha in an easy-to-understand manner.


"Here, Yuzuriha. Hold on to my elbow. I'll take you wherever you want."


Yuzuriha was at first puzzled by my hand, but then she smiled and held on to it. She was a little shy, but she smiled beautifully. Also, I was very taken aback by the softness of her large breasts.


"Thank you, Kanata. Please take me with you."


"Oh, leave it to me. Let's go."


We walked down the street, the chaos of this street lined with PC parts stores and anime goods was quite exciting.


"This kind of feeling is very Tokyo, isn't it? I didn't find places like this in my hometown."


"I understand. I came from deep in Hokkaido, and even though I once lived in the city of Sapporo, I still thought the chaos of Tokyo was amazing."


"That's right! But I can understand why people want to come to Tokyo. There's a feeling of not being lonely because there are so many people. And there are no ties..."


"So you still have school ties in your hometown?"


"Yes. The school caste from elementary and middle school has always remained. Even if I could go on to the Imperial University, I would still be a slow, plain girl in my hometown. No matter how hard I try, I will never be able to turn the tables on the cheerful people there. If I stay there, I will remain despised until I die."


"I understand. That feeling. I'm the same."


I come from what you might call a wealthy family, but because of my personality, I was a shady student in elementary, junior high, and high school. And I was embarrassed because I didn't want to fail art school and be made fun of. So I didn't want to stay in my hometown and left for Sapporo, where I didn't know anyone. I worked for a while and then devoted myself to my studies and entered the Imperial University of Tokyo.


"But I am glad I came to Tokyo. I met Kanata, Ayashiro, and Izumi. That's why I felt happy for the first time."


"I see. I'm the same. I'm happy to have come this far."


I think we were in a fluffy mood. We just smiled at each other and enjoyed walking. We found ourselves in front of some kind of small park that tends to be in the city.


"What's this place? Seriously, Tokyo parks are so tiny on a level that makes no sense."


On top of that, there were a bunch of otaku with some kind of sticks practicing their otaku tricks. Too much chaos, right?


"I know this place! It's the setting for a lot of anime!"


No way, it was a sacred place. Yuzuriha is breathing hard. She is smiling with overflowing excitement.


"Let's take a little break here!"


"You sure! Yay! Haha!"


Yuzuriha is happily strolling through the park. She was nodding her head here and there, enjoying herself. Then she came back to me.


"That was amazing! I felt like I was in a 2.5 dimensional space! I felt 2.5 dimensional!"


"I see. I'm glad to hear that. Then please enjoy this too."


I handed Yuzuriha a cup of tapioca tea I bought from a nearby cafe. Yuzuriha's eyes sparkle when she sees it.


"This is...! Is it okay for someone like me to eat this? I thought only bright people are allowed to eat this!"


"Haha. It's okay. You don't live in the shadows anymore. You are feeling happy, aren't you? Then you don't have to keep away from enjoying these things."


People like me and Yuzuriha who have been in the shadows for a long time sometimes feel resistance to the fact that people in the world are having fun together. I wonder if I am qualified to enjoy this. The caste consciousness that has been instilled and engraved in our minds keeps us away from happiness. It is a very, very sad thing. That's why I wanted her to enjoy tapioca.


"Oh, how much is this?"


Yuzuriha pulled out her wallet from her pocket. She really is a very nice girl.


"No, don't worry about it. Yuzuriha, in times like this, it's okay to let the man pay. You are a pretty and sparkling girl, you know. That's why you deserve to have a guy to buy you tapioca."


"What's that...? Uh-huh. Haha. That's really weird logic! Kanata always annoys me with all your weird logic... and amuses me...!"


Yuzuriha took the tapioca tea from me. Then she put her mouth on the straw and sucked fearfully.


"...Oh. It's very delicious, isn't it? Thank you Kanata. I'm feeling very happy right now."


Yuzuriha is enjoying her tapioca tea with a big smile on her face. I was happy to see that. I thought that moments like this would surely become the most precious happiness in my life.



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