“Do you have any thoughts about dating?”
“?”
“It’s nothing special, just… out of curiosity.”
“Um… No, I don’t.”
A clean answer.
I don’t know why he’s asking such a question all of a sudden, but it wasn’t a difficult answer, right?
This question came up while we were just gaming in the room together.
I’ve been working hard this week and finally taking a break with games, so why this question?
Did he suddenly become interested in dating?
“Why do you ask?”
“I just wanted to know.”
“Stop with the weird talk and just use the buffs.”
“…Got it.”
The game we were playing today was different from the previous one.
This time it was a little more… combat-oriented and had a story?
Originally, it was a solo game where you control only one character in a four-person party, but now we were playing together, so I was controlling two characters.
The Commander was controlling a small… really small blonde loli-type character.
And she was a support character.
-Whachachacha!
“Hehe…”
“Is it fun?”
“Of course, a character with a fast attack speed is enjoyable.”
“Then I’m glad.”
The character I was controlling had beautiful lilac hair and big horns on her head.
Plus, she had a totally big chest and was slightly short, but still a pretty character.
And she wielded a weapon like a katana, hitting with incredible speed.
She felt like the kind of character that most gamers would love.
“More importantly, can you give me the critical buff quickly?”
“It’s on cooldown, so just wait a bit.”
“There are so many mobs, a critical hit would help take them down faster.”
Sigh…
Even though I was terrible at games, this one was surprisingly easy.
The character was fun, and all I had to do was mindlessly slice through the mobs that came close.
I could definitely enjoy playing this, unlike before.
Although the Commander next to me didn’t seem to be enjoying it as much?
-Whah!
“But Commander, isn’t your taste a bit strange?”
“Why do you say that?”
I didn’t look over at the Commander controlling the game, but I felt like he was giving me this incredulous look.
Since I brought this up after playing quietly.
But, that didn’t mean I wouldn’t say it.
“Do you really have to play as a girl who’s that small?”
“…Suddenly?”
“I was just thinking about it while continuing to play.”
I didn’t know the story well, but the small blonde girl summoning and swinging her golden weapons seemed a little otaku-like.
Of course, my character was like that too, but even more so.
“The Commander’s taste is a bit dangerous, isn’t it…”
“You said you liked normal heights last time.”
“Then I’m glad.”
Sigh… “Who do you think made me play this? You shouldn’t be saying that.”
“Is that so?”
I never purposely made the Commander play as a support.
I felt a bit wronged.
If that were the case, couldn’t he just not play as a support and be a damage dealer from the start?
After all, this game we were playing together wasn’t difficult. We were just taking down the usual mobs.
“More importantly, is the character you are controlling fun?”
“Yeah? It is, but is there a problem?”
“…No. If it’s fun, then that’s enough.”
After saying that, the Commander continued to play.
I didn’t understand why he was asking all of a sudden, but since it was our first time playing this game, maybe that was the reason he wanted to know.
Or maybe not.
-Whachachacha!!!
“Commander, when are we going to have lunch?”
“Are you hungry?”
“Um… Yes.”
I felt a bit embarrassed, but it was true I was hungry.
After all, we started at 10 AM, and it was already… past 1 PM.
We’ve been gaming for over three hours straight without eating anything, just comfortably playing in the Commander’s bed.
“Are you okay, Commander?”
“Well… I am a bit hungry. Shall we eat something?”
“Let’s go out and eat.”
It was nice to be gaming with the Commander in the room, but we needed to eat.
Sure, we had cup ramen in the Commander’s personal room before, but… it was still cup ramen.
It would be better to go out and eat at a proper restaurant.
Though the restaurant on the ship was decent too.
Of course, I felt it was a bit disappointing to use the ship’s restaurant even on a weekend, so going out would be nice.
“Commander, haven’t you been using the agent’s cafeteria a lot lately? I think eating out is good.”
“Do as you prefer.”
“Commander, shouldn’t you change your clothes too before heading out?”
Since the Commander was only wearing a t-shirt and shorts.
Well, it was his room, so there was no issue with him being comfortable, but going out is another story.
I was fine in my normal pants and dark blue hoodie, but the Commander wasn’t dressed for it.
“Umm… Just wait.”
“Yes.”
I was sitting on the bed while the Commander stood up and headed towards the wardrobe.
He must be just looking for clothes.
*
“Umm… What do you want to eat?”
“…….”
“Lindera?”
“Oh, yes…”
In that moment, I didn’t catch what the Commander had said and blinked out my response.
It wasn’t anything strange; I just felt a bit awkward.
“Now that we’re out, what will we eat?”
“Um… how about we go with what the Commander wants today since I chose last time?”
“Is that so?”
I probably chose last time we went out together.
I couldn’t remember precisely but, yeah.
To be frank, I was thinking less about food and more about something else.
More accurately, the Commander’s clothes.
Even more precisely… the clothes we were both wearing.
” Ummm… Something with a lot of sauce could stain our clothes, and I’ve already had meat, so that’s a bit ambiguous…”
As the Commander was mumbling to himself, I kept glancing down at my own clothes.
I usually never think like this, so why was I feeling so weird today?
The Commander’s gray hoodie was similar to mine.
Of course, the brands might be different, but the design was almost identical.
Maybe it felt strange today because I had never worn the same clothes before?
Commonly called couple tees.
We were definitely not that kind of relationship, but it felt like it would look like that to others.
“Sigh…”
“Why do you say that?”
“Nothing, really.”
Until a moment ago, I truly hadn’t thought anything of it, but after the Commander put on the gray hoodie, everything felt weird.
We’ve never worn matching clothes before, yet today it felt remarkably different.
Why was I acting like this just because we were wearing the same clothes?
“……..”
Before we got in the car, I felt like other agents had been glancing our way.
I didn’t think much of it then, but today it felt like agents were looking at us.
Perhaps we looked like we were in a relationship?
In reality, there was no such relationship, yet it felt that way.
No, maybe not for everyone… but because of the outfits, I couldn’t stop thinking like this.
“Lindera, how about tonkatsu?”
“I’m fine with anything…”
Food didn’t matter, the bigger concern was how other agents perceived me.
If they thought I was dating a guy… well, that would be a real problem.
And if they thought that about the Commander, it would be really complicated.
“Commander?”
“What is it?”
“Uh… why are you wearing a hoodie today?”
The Commander usually didn’t wear hoodies.
I didn’t wear them often either, but the Commander even less so.
He usually always wore formal clothing, collared shirts, or t-shirts.
Yet today, of all days, he wore the same color hoodie as mine.
Well, perhaps he just threw it on without thinking, but I had to ask.
“Well, I just wore it. And since you’re in a hoodie too, isn’t it a bit pointless to wear a shirt after gaming?”
“What does that matter?”
“I just didn’t feel like wearing a shirt.”
What in the world was this about?
The Commander answered, but I couldn’t grasp what he meant.
“Is there a problem? Does it not suit me?”
“That’s not it…”
“Then that’s fine, right? Ah, we’ve arrived.”
“…Yes.”
For now, we got out of the car.
The Commander said some strange nonsense, but for now… we had to get out.
After all, we needed to have lunch, and we had to get out of the car for that.
Even though I felt like people around us were looking, I slowly followed the Commander from behind.
“Lindera, why are you walking so far back?”
“Oh… Sorry.”
“Hurry up and catch up.”
“…Yes.”
As I began walking alongside the Commander, the odd feeling lingered.
As we entered the street with restaurants, I noticed a few glances from others.
Sure, objectively speaking, both of us were above average in appearance, so it might just be that.
But it didn’t feel like merely that.
It was as if they saw two attractive people and were thinking they looked good together… that kind of gaze.
“Sigh…”
“Why do you say that?”
“Nothing, really…”
The Commander, oblivious, only made me feel even weirder.
And while it was true that the Commander was unnecessarily handsome, it wasn’t like I enjoyed them staring at us… Honestly, it bothered me.
They weren’t acquaintances and were strangers continually staring, which made it even worse.
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