I'm in Love with the Gorilla Sitting Next to Me - Volume 1 Chapter 5.1

Events are the best way to deepen friendships 1

On a school-free Saturday afternoon, I would normally be lazing around. I’d spend the night playing games, watching anime, or streaming videos, and before I knew it, it would be just before dawn.

Sometimes I’d wake up in the afternoon, so meeting someone outside on a Saturday morning was quite rare for me. If it was before noon, I couldn’t immediately remember the last time I had done so.

The July heat was quite something, so I waited in the shade of a building, fiddling with my smartphone, and was slow to notice the person running towards me.

“D-did I keep you waiting? Sorry.”

“Hey, Tora-senpai. I haven’t been waiting long. Actually, it’s still before the meeting time, so no worries. More importantly…”

“Hmm? Something wrong?”

“Not off, but you look kinda feminine when you’re not in uniform. You give off a boyish girl vibe.”

Tora-senpai was in casual clothes, but not dressed as a woman. She wore an oversized T-shirt layered over another and knee-length shorts with yellow sneakers—a sporty look.

But still, her body line was unmistakably feminine, and she seemed more girlish than in her uniform. I wasn’t sure how others saw her, though.

Reacting to my comment, Tora-senpai awkwardly spun around on the spot.

“I intended today to be like a date. I really wanted to wear a miniskirt, but I restrained myself because I was afraid of the public eye.”

I see. That’s why she was also trying to sound more masculine to outsiders.

“If only you knew exactly how you appeared to others, there might be a way to handle it. I also only know how Tora-senpai appears to others from what I’ve heard.”

“Right… However, I am somewhat confident in my legs, so I decided to show them off. W-what do you think?”

To the somewhat embarrassed Tora-senpai, I had some disappointing news.

“Sorry, but they just look like cat legs to me.”

“Ugh… S-so it’s true that the exposed parts look like an animal’s body…”

“Moreover, they don’t really seem related to your actual body. You’re on the slender side, Tora-senpai, but not as skinny as cat legs, nor are you hairy, right?”

“Ah, of course not. Umm, then maybe I should have worn tights… But if I choose men’s tights, it becomes completely sportswear…”

“By the way, if they’re too thin, they’ll still look animal-like. Wet and see-through is disappointing to me, not erotic.”

“…I feel like I’ve been hit with unnecessary information… Well, it’s hot, so let’s save the talk for later and get going.”

“Got it. We haven’t discussed where we’re going, but is it within walking distance? Should I leave my bike at the station’s parking lot?”

“Hmm. I do have a vague longing for riding tandem, but that’s clearly against the law. It’s not a big distance, so let’s leave it.”

“Yes yes, got it. Then I’ll leave the escorting to you.”

I wonder if I’m too comfortable with someone I’ve just met and who’s older than me, but if I want to quickly deepen our friendship, maybe this level of familiarity is just right.

Following Tora-senpai’s lead, we walked through the familiar downtown area near the station, and before we started sweating much, it seemed we had arrived at our destination.

The building looming before us was a massive complex that stood out from its surroundings. It housed a movie theater, a bowling alley, karaoke, billiards, and an arcade, and it was fully equipped with everything. There was also a family restaurant, a gym, and even an open-air bath and sauna on the top floor. It was packed with too much stuff.

“Here? What are we doing?”

“First up is a movie. We’ll decide which one to watch, and if there’s time, we’ll play around in other places.”

“Hmm, the classic course. But Tora-senpai, I don’t have the money to treat you to various things.”

When I confessed my pitiful financial situation, Tora-senpai twitched her cat ears.

“Leave it to me. I have free movie tickets that can be used here. Karaoke and bowling also have discounts, so we can play for half the price.”

“…Oh… I never imagined Senpai was actually a god…!”

For a high school student without a part-time job, this was too good to be true. She literally seemed to shine.

Tora-senpai, proudly wagging her tail, patted the small bag she was carrying.

“I’ve also prepared for when it gets cold inside. Rest assured, we can enjoy ourselves.”

“Wow, you’ve thought of everything. So, what are we watching? Anime?”

“That’s your first choice…? Personally, I want to see the popular movie that started showing last week, ‘Spiral Dance’.”

“Let’s see… ah, a love story… this one? There’s no synopsis, so I can’t tell.”

Only the title and the atmosphere were clear from the movie posters on the board near the entrance of the building. With just that, the content was a mystery.

“It seems to be mainly about love and friendship. It’s structured in two parts: a student edition and a working adult edition.”

“Huh… Oh, what about this one? It says it’s an award-winning film that’s causing a stir.”

” ‘Little Angel in the Forest’… I can’t tell much from the poster alone. Is it a home drama?”

“I wonder. By the way, this ‘Theatrical Version of Astra Zeaga: Annihilation Edition’ is said to be super interesting. My otaku friends have been raving about it.”

“I don’t know the prequel, so watching a sequel for the first time would be difficult.”

“Ah, that makes sense. Too bad, then let’s watch the that first and come back again. For today, let’s go with whatever Tora-senpai wants to watch.”

“I-is that so? Then, I’ll take you up on your offer and we’ll watch ‘Spiral Dance’.”

Her voice was buoyant, and her ears and tail fluttered. She seemed happy.

She’s cute, I think, but this feels more like the affection one has for a small animal. It’s quite different from the heart-pounding sensation one feels towards a girl.

“If we go by the current time, the next showing is… in about twenty minutes. Good timing.”

“That’s right. It’s short enough to wait. Let’s head to the floor where the theater is and check for available seats.”

“Okay. The ticket counter is… on the seventh floor, let’s go.”

Tora-senpai, now eager because we were going to see the movie she wanted, started moving, and I walked alongside her. There were quite a few other customers, and the elevator was almost full. If it’s a popular film that started showing last week, it’s likely to be crowded.