I was anxiously holding onto my ever-rising skirt as I waited.
It was really my first time wearing a mini-skirt like this.
“Ahh…”
Wearing a skirt with a nice blouse on top, giving off a somewhat cheerful vibe.
It was so different from what I usually wore that I couldn’t help but feel out of place.
The dress I wore last time had a snug fit, but it didn’t have this airy feeling.
When the wind blew like it was now, I didn’t have to worry about my skirt.
But right now…
Whoosh!
“Geez…”
The usual formal skirt I wore was long enough that it was never a problem…
“Lindera.”
“You’re here…”
“Why do you have that expression?”
“It’s nothing…”
The Commander arrived at our meeting spot.
Well, at least he was earlier than yesterday… so I didn’t give it much thought.
But I was curious about what he would think of my outfit today.
I definitely looked nothing like I usually do…
“Let’s get in the car.”
“…Yes.”
I was half-wondering if he wouldn’t react at all, but I started getting into the car.
No way… Would he really have zero reaction?
I mean, I thought I looked quite… pretty today.
I was a bit full of myself, thinking like that, but I couldn’t deny it.
“Let’s grab a light bite…”
“Sure.”
So, we chatted casually as we sat in the car.
Just normal topics.
What to eat, how the performance would be—it was all very regular.
“…”
By the way, did he have no eyes?
I was clearly dressed up differently and nicely, but yet he didn’t say a word.
“Oh, by the way…”
“What?”
“I heard it might rain tonight.”
“…Is that so?”
He suddenly brought up another topic, and I thought he would finally say something.
But it wasn’t that.
After dressing up nice in a skirt and blouse, it felt so unappreciated with him showing no interest at all.
I also didn’t like that it kept reminding me of my old comrade who gave me the concert tickets.
“Commander.”
“What is it?”
“Don’t you think something seems a bit different today?”
“Hmm… It certainly is different.”
Am I gonna have to point it out for him to notice?
He was really annoyingly dense.
Seeing the Commander looking at me with his mouth covered made me feel a bit better, though.
After all, hadn’t he been really oblivious since yesterday?
“Someone didn’t throw out the trash in the car.”
“……..”
“Can you clean up a bit?”
“…Sigh.”
Seriously.
*
Even after getting out of the car, nothing much changed.
I was the only one deep in thought, and the Commander was still treating me just the same way he always did.
Even I could see I looked completely different today; why hadn’t he noticed it?
He was just too dense, really.
While I was mulling over my skirt inconveniences, it really didn’t seem to bother him at all.
“What do you want to eat?”
“…Anything’s fine.”
“That’s the tough part.”
“You figure it out.”
So I answered the Commander and kept walking.
Even if I tried to hint at it, he didn’t seem to get it, so was there any point in making a fuss about it?
“Um… How about we just go somewhere light?”
“You’re free to decide, Commander.”
“Alright then.”
“Yes.”
It really didn’t matter.
I wasn’t one to fuss over food too much.
Anyway, he didn’t seem to care either.
So, I let him do as he pleased.
“Then let’s go to a nearby snack bar.”
“Yes.”
“Umm…”
“What?”
“Never mind.”
What was he trying to say then?
He was really getting on my nerves today.
Even more than usual…
So we walked towards the nearest snack bar as the Commander suggested.
Snack food…
I wasn’t someone who ate it often, but I didn’t dislike it either, so I could expect some decent flavor.
“Rice cakes?”
“Let’s order something else too.”
“Sundae?”
“That should be fine, right?”
I thought it’d be enough to get just that much instead of ordering too much.
After all, we were going to a performance, so overstuffing ourselves would be uncomfortable anyway.
“Lindera.”
“…?”
“Since you’re wearing a white blouse, you better keep it clean, so hold this.”
“…Oh.”
He suddenly handed me an apron, and I wondered what that was about.
For a moment, I thought he was telling me to do the dishes.
He really lacked awareness, but somehow knew to think this way… it was kind of clueless.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“…Can you handle spicy food?”
“Hmm… I could probably deal with that better than alcohol.”
“I think that fits.”
He truly was someone who couldn’t handle alcohol at all.
No matter how he fared with spice, given his drinking capacity… this kind of answer was expected.
“I ordered it medium-spicy, so it should be fine.”
“Yes.”
“Just in case, I also ordered some drinks.”
“Really?”
I hadn’t realized he had done that.
Well… even if he didn’t pick up on things, at least he was thoughtful in this regard.
If only he could be more aware of the obvious, things would be so much smoother.
“Darn it…”
“What?”
“Nothing at all.”
He really was hopelessly oblivious in so many ways.
But I guess he had a nice enough personality…
Was that at least a blessing?
I imagined what it’d be like if the Commander had an awful personality.
Looking the same but completely different on the inside…
Hmm.
“…….”
“Lindera?”
“Y-yes…?”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“It’s nothing.”
He might not notice… but it was better for him to be good-natured.
Even if bad boys were all the rage, people generally prefer kindness over cruelty.
Just thinking about it, that was definitely better.
As I kept watching the Commander, the food we ordered arrived.
Sundae and rice cakes—typical food you’d find in a bite-sized game, it wasn’t surprising at all.
Fried rice also came out; for snack food, that was expected.
“Let’s eat well.”
“Yeah.”
And thus, the meal began.
It felt a bit weird eating rice cakes for the first time in a while, but it wasn’t as awkward as if it were my first time.
Just a strange feeling.
“Delicious.”
“I see.”
“I was a bit worried it might be too spicy, but it’s not that bad.”
“Is that so…”
The rice cakes were more delicious than I had anticipated.
I thought they tasted even better now than they did before.
I hadn’t enjoyed them this much back then.
The spiced flavor was really appealing this time around.
“Commander, you should try some sundae too.”
“…Alright.”
“Here.”
“…….”
I handed the sundae to him, and he took a bite.
But I was serious—it was truly delicious.
If you added cheese on top, it would definitely taste even better, but it was enough as it was.
“Isn’t it tasty?”
“It’s good… you should eat more too.”
“I am. Just look at my plate.”
“…I see.”
Anyway, as I was eating the rice cake, it felt like all of the bad mood I had earlier was vanishing.
Of course, I still thought it was a bit annoying that the Commander hadn’t complimented my skirt.
But since it was him who proposed this outing…
I could overlook it while we ate.
The rice was nice, the sauce was nice… the company wasn’t bad either.
Whoosh…
When I glance at the Commander, he let out a deep breath.
And one guess came to mind.
I understood the alcohol part, but I wondered if that was also true for this…
“…Is it spicy?”
“…Not really.”
“…Given your deep breaths, I doubt that.”
“Hah, no.”
“……..”
Wow.
How embarrassing.
*
“Ugh…”
“Maybe you should drink more. Why are you holding onto your pride so much?”
“…Maybe that’s just how I am. I told you it wasn’t spicy, right?”
“Considering how you’re trying to hold back while eating, it’s really obvious.”
Seriously.
It was apparent to anyone watching that he was struggling with the spice, yet he stubbornly didn’t drink anything.
He only drinks water, so naturally, that wouldn’t have neutralized much.
There was no need for him to cling to his pride like that.
It was just so silly.
“Ugh… Let’s stop by a convenience store before we go.”
“…If you’re asking, I’ll go.”
“Yes, let’s go because I said so; come along.”
“…Got it.”
Seeing him still struggling a bit with the spiciness was quite frustrating, so I couldn’t help it.
He really should just have some drinks.
“Ugh…”
“……..”
“You’re just so dense. Why didn’t you drink anything? Didn’t you ask me to?”
“…You don’t seem to be bothered.”
“Are you really that thick-headed?”
“……..”
Is he really that clueless?
Just for the sake of my own enjoyment, he was putting up with this nonsense.
I was caught in a frustrating situation where I felt trapped.
“A drink works for me.”
“…Milk?”
“Yes, for someone who can’t handle spice, that suits you best.”
I pulled out a milk carton from the fridge at the convenience store.
No need for any other drink.
This would be more than sufficient for spicy food.
“I even wore this skirt for you, and you don’t realize it… that I’m out here buying milk for you because you can’t handle spicy food…”
“……..”
“Let’s hurry and checkout.”
“…Fine.”
“So dense…”
I felt so annoyed.
The Commander kept making me feel this way, and it made me feel trapped myself.
“Ugh…”
“….I’m sorry.”
“Forget it; it’s already bought.”
“No, not just that… about your skirt and all.”
“…It’s too late to say that now.”
Anyway, we had already lost track of time.
After all, I wouldn’t feel good about it since he only spoke up after I’d already mentioned it.
My intentions to surprise him by wearing a new outfit instead of my usual attire had completely backfired.
There was nothing more disheartening than someone ruining a surprise before it even happened.
“…Is your tongue feeling better now?”
“…Yeah.”
“Then that’s good. From now on, don’t hold onto such stubborn pride… just eat.”
He drank the milk.
I took a step closer to him.
Pulling out a handkerchief I had stashed in my small bag.
“Got some milk on your lips… What are you, a kid?”
“…Oh.”
“Just stay still; I’m wiping it off for you.”
“………”
He might be dense and annoying, but I certainly couldn’t dismiss him entirely.
After all, he was my Commander, so as a Vice Commander, I couldn’t just let him be a fool.
The Commander stood still, and I gently wiped the milk off his lips with the handkerchief.
I was surprised at how well he cleaned up; it was more than just handsome from the close perspective.
Despite his face, he was often dense and had a lot of silly traits, which was just bewildering.
“…The skirt suits you.”
“…Saying that suddenly doesn’t help me feel better.”
“Actually… I was planning to tell you before we parted.”
“…Now.”
Really, now?
I couldn’t help but think that.
It was something that just popped out.
“…I was a bit shy to say it.”
“………”
“I’m really sorry.”
“…It’s fine.”
Hearing his outrageous response, I simply gave a light reply and turned back.
With a hint of a smile.
“Let’s hurry up and watch the performance. I don’t need praises about the skirt anymore.”
“…Yeah.”
After all the complaints I had voiced, I wasn’t genuinely furious.
And the way the Commander fumbled around in an awkward attempt at an explanation was even somewhat cute.
Knowing all too well that that was just the way he was, I decided to let it slide.
I just hoped he would be a bit quicker to speak up next time.
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