Lazing About in a Dating Sim

“So uh where do we go from here?”

Samantha asked tentatively a few seconds after we had gotten the news.

“We could try doing the competition again but I don’t really want to go through all that for a second time.”

I remarked after taking another sip of water from the glass that Lucia handed me.

“So I guess we’re just gonna have to compromise then.”

“Looks like it.”

I said, slightly exasperated.

“Alright, so what are you willing to compromise on and what’s just completely not on the table?”

I asked directly before sighing a little.

“Hmm… well the only thing that’s really non-negotiable is that one way or another I’m gonna need a location where the Cauldronizer and a fully functioning kitchen can be installed at.”

“How big does a room have to be exactly in order to support one of those things?”

“I think a room that’s the same size as about half of the library you’re attached to should suffice.”

“And you’re certain that there aren’t any other places on campus that meet those requirements?”

“Yup, every other room that we’ve tried relocating into was either too small or connected to some faculty member that wasn’t that interested in having the place transformed into a club room.”

“Then it appears that we don’t have much of a choice other than to share the library space.”

“Isn’t that impossible though? It’s not like we can just have a library and an entire kitchen in the same room.”

Samantha remarked before tilting her head a bit to the side.

“Why not? I mean it’s not like there are any rules stopping students from doing something like that. And besides you said you only needed about a half of the library right?”

“Well yeah, but then we’d probably have to bump into each other on a daily basis and I’m pretty sure that you and Lucia don’t really want your alone time getting interrupted.”

Samantha posited with a sly grin on her face.

“... Is it that obvious?”

I asked, while scratching the back of my neck a little.

“Frankly, I’m a bit insulted that you thought I wouldn’t notice.”

“Whatever… in any case we’ll have to make separate schedules then, so something like that doesn’t end up happening. If that’s alright with you, of course.”

“I don’t see any problem with it, though it’s gonna be a pain to make up 2 new separate schedules.”

Samatha winced.

“Oh don’t worry about that, luckily for us I know just the person who has a knack for that sorta stuff.”

I said before gesturing for Lucia to come over to the two of us.

If there’s one thing I can count on in this world, it’s Lucia being able to schedule things and ensuring that people stick to them.

“Got everything sorted out yet? It’s been about 30 minutes since the competition has ended.”

Lucia asked after she had gotten to the both of us.

“We’ve almost got it, so far we’re thinking that all of us are gonna share the place but use it at different times during the day. As apparently the baking club doesn’t need the entire library in order to get access to what they really want.”

“Alright so everything sounds like it’s sorted itself out then. What do you need me for exactly?”

Lucia said before stretching her arms a little.

“Well, we kinda need help making the 2 separate schedules that somehow never intersect.”

Samantha added.

“Sounds easy enough. It’ll be really fuckin annoying to do, but I think I can get something like that to you guys in about 1-2 days.”

“You make it sound so easy.”

I said, impressed.

After all, it’d probably take me a whole week or maybe even 2 to make something like that. 

“That’s because it is easy, Otto. In fact I’m sure that you’d be pretty good at it as well if you were willing to write things down in a calendar for once.”

Lucia remarked in a playful tone.

“I think I’ll have to pass. I mean, that’d take away one of the subjects you just love ranting to me about.”

“Hey, it's not my fault that you’re bad at doing a ton of shit.”

Lucia said while moving closer towards me.

“…Hey, could you guys maybe not flirt with each other when I'm literally right here?”

Samantha interjected, slightly annoyed.

“Ah… sorry about that.”

“Yeah… my bad.” 

Lucia and I said apologetically before going silent for a couple seconds.

“…Anyway, um are these terms good enough for you Samantha or?”

“Yeah it’s better than nothing I suppose, just tell me what you need from me in order to be able to make the schedules, and I’ll let you guys get back to whatever you were planning to do for the rest of this afternoon.”

“Just your current schedule should be enough, as long as you aren’t planning on changing anything about it anytime soon.”

Lucia replied nonchalantly.

“Fair enough, I think I have something like that in my dorm… somewhere. I’ll mail it to one of your dorms tomorrow, if that’s alright with the both of you.”

“That saves us from having to go through a maze of stairs just to get back up here again, so I don’t see why we’d refuse.”

“What he said.”

“In that case, whoever has the dorm room that’s closest to where we are right now, give me your dorm room number.”

“That’d be me.”

I replied.

Then I proceeded to pull out a loose piece of paper from my pocket and crudely scribble my dorm room number on it using the one makeshift writing utensil I currently had on me.

“Great, then everything seems to be settled now- oh right just one more thing before I let you guys go. Try not to unfairly distribute the amount of hours each of us gets with the library space alright?”

“I’m the one making the schedule, not Otto. So you don’t have to worry about something like that happening.”

“Oi, don’t slander my name like that.”

“Eh, you had it coming eventually.”

Lucia remarked before gently placing her left hand in mine.

“…Anyhow, if that’s all, we’ll be going now.” 

“Yeah, I’ve got nothing else for you guys. Have fun on your date!”

Samantha said in a jovial tone.

In turn, Lucia and I just nodded and then started walking towards… well nowhere in particular.

And after we had walked about a mile away from the baking clubroom, Lucia decided to whisper to me something.

“Hey, Otto do you mind if I ask you a question?”

“I don’t really mind no, but why are you whispering?”

“I kinda like it when only you can hear me.”

“But there’s nobody around for miles.”

“Would you prefer it if I stopped whispering?”

“Not really.”

“Then just be quiet and let me continue.”

Lucia said with a bit of annoyance in her voice.

In turn, I simply just nodded.

“So I’ve been wondering right, couldn’t you have just negotiated with Samantha about the library space in the first place instead of doing this whole competition thing? From what I saw today, she seemed to be pretty receptive to that idea.”

“Nope.”

“Why’s that?”

“Well, the baking club got expressed approval from the school to take over the entirety of the library.”

“And…?”

“If you were in their position Lucia, would you willingly give up half of the library when nothing is forcing you to?”

“Ah… I get it now. Basically, had it not been for the contest, there wouldn’t have been any incentive for them to negotiate with us in the first place.”

“Exactly.”

“I’m starting to feel like I’ve gotten myself into a relationship with some sorta villain straight out of a mystery novel.”

Lucia remarked while affectionately rustling through my hair.

“Having second thoughts?”

“Nope, none whatsoever.”

Lucia said confidently before giving me a light kiss on the cheek.