Chapter 4: A Manual for Dating

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“…It’s overrr~~!!”

The moment I stepped out of the lecture hall, I shouted and threw my arms up in triumph. The sound of the bell signaling the end of the exam felt like a blessing.

With this, all my midterm exams were finished. Thanks to my hard work, I felt confident about my performance. If my submitted reports were fine, I would likely receive top marks in all my courses.

Getting to this point wasn’t easy, and the two weeks before the exams had been a long and grueling battle. Whenever I felt my spirit waver, I would look at the photo of Sagara-kun on my phone to motivate myself.

But now that the exams are over, I can finally spend time with Sagara-kun without any worries!

Today, after a small celebration with Sacchan and the others, I planned to meet Sagara-kun. Checking my phone, I saw a LINE message from Sacchan: [Waiting at the bike parking near the east gate].

I quickly ran down the stairs and stepped outside. The contrast of the blue sky and white clouds was dazzling. The trees on campus soaked up the bright sunlight, and the water in the fountain sparkled. Even the loud chirping of the cicadas seemed to be celebrating with me.

Unable to contain my joy, I hurried towards the bike parking lot.

After meeting up with Sacchan and the others, we bought snacks and drinks at the supermarket and went to Nami-chan’s apartment, which was near the university.

Nami-chan’s apartment was a newly built, auto-lock building, perfect for a single woman living alone. The interior, decorated in an ivory theme, was stylish and enviable. It was nothing like my own room. True glittering girls even paid attention to their interiors.

“Finally done! Summer break starts tomorrow!”

Sacchan stretched with a bright expression. Just a week ago, she had a panicked look, saying her credits were at risk. Her quick shift in mood was something to emulate.

“Haruko, you worked really hard this time, huh?”

“Absolutely. Every time I saw you, you were studying with an intense look, so I didn’t know how to approach you.”

“W-Was I really that intense…?”

I blushed and scratched my cheek. I hadn’t noticed myself, but apparently, I had a pretty fierce look. Next time, I should schedule my study sessions more evenly.

“But I’ve decided to enjoy the summer vacation to the fullest! Balance is key!”

“Yeah, let’s have lots of fun! I’m looking forward to Lake Biwa next week! Did you invite Sagara?”

“Yes! He said he’d come.”

Just hearing Sagara-kun’s name made my cheeks flush with a smile. Tsugumi-chan nudged me with her elbow, noticing my goofy grin.

“Haruko, you’re really close with your boyfriend, huh?”

“By the way, Haruko, any plans to travel with your boyfriend during the summer break?”

“Eh!? T-Travel!?”

Traveling. Meaning spending the night alone with Sagara-kun! I had considered how wonderful that would be, but I had never made concrete plans.

B-Because… traveling means spending the whole night together, right…?

He once stayed at my parents’ house, and we spent the night on the same sofa. But now that we’re dating, it wouldn’t be the same as back then.

“Come to think of it, Saki, didn’t you recently travel with Hojo-kun?”

“Eh? Y-Yeah, kind of.”

Nami-chan’s comment made Sacchan nod awkwardly.

They started dating around the same time we did, and they’ve already traveled together. Sacchan is definitely five hundred steps ahead of me.

I guess I need to work harder and advance our relationship…

Now I understand that being in a relationship is more than just sitting by the Kamo River. Since I told Sagara-kun I’d give it my all, I should fulfill my duties as his girlfriend…?

Starting tomorrow, it’s summer break. We’ve been dating for six months now, so… maybe it’s time I made up my mind.

After leaving Nami-chan’s place, I rushed back to the apartment.

Instead of going to my room, I headed straight to Sagara-kun’s room. Pressing the intercom, my heart pounded as the door opened.

“…Oh, welcome back.”

Seeing Sagara-kun’s face filled me with an overwhelming sense of affection.

…Was Sagara-kun always this handsome!?

Not seeing him for a while had clearly triggered withdrawal symptoms. He seemed to be glowing with a halo of light. I swallowed the “I love you” that was about to spill out and, trying to calm my racing heart, smiled and said, “L-Long time no see!”

“Uh, th-thanks. Can I come in?”

“…Yeah. Sure.”

Invited in, I sat down neatly on the tatami mat. For some reason, I couldn’t look directly at Sagara-kun’s face. He also seemed a bit awkward as he sat next to me. Becoming more aware of being alone together, my heart started pounding even faster.

Wh-What should I do…? Now that it’s finally time, I have no idea what to do…!

While we were apart, I had been looking forward to spending time with him after exams. Even though I said I’d give it my all, I didn’t know how to go about being affectionate. How do other couples advance their relationship?

…Should I just push him down like last time…? No, that’s definitely impossible…!

Sitting there frozen in place, I felt completely stuck.