Mandarin Orange, Kotatsu, And A Found Cat

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Satou-san.”

As I was putting on my shoes at the entrance and making myself somewhat presentable in my appearance, I heard a familiar voice behind me.
I turned around to see Mashiro standing there, wearing the clothes I had bought for her.

As a complete ignoramus when it came to fashion, I had picked out the clothes, but Mashiro was dressed more perfectly than ever.
On top of that, her hair was different today. She must have set it while she went into the washroom and came out now.

Mashiro’s hair was shoulder length, but today it was pulled back into a bun at a low position.
The hair was not all gathered up, but some hair was left behind, and the bun was tied loosely, giving the overall impression of fluffiness.

“…Cute.”
“What?”

I found myself unconsciously spilling out such words.
Mashiro’s body stiffened at the sudden words that came from me, and she stared at my face, rolling her eyes.
After seeing her expression, I realized that I had misspoke.

It was often said that I should immediately notice any change in a woman and say something to her, but if you start by saying “cute”, you’re giving her the wrong sense of distance.
I should have said something like, “You look different from usual,” or “You look more mature and nice,” or something more thoughtful…

I feel inexplicably frustrated and embarrassed that the words I said popped into my head after I notice them.

“M-My bad. I misspoke a little.”
“Ah. No, no, I was just a little startled…”

I couldn’t stand it any longer, so I quickly apologized anyway.
Mashiro was flustered but said something back. At least she didn’t feel uncomfortable.
It was a bad attempt, but I’m going to get back on track and tell her what I think.

“I think it looks great on you.”
“T-Thank you…I’ve never seen that outfit on you before.”
“Yeah…well, I haven’t worn it at all lately.”

I didn’t want her to go on too much about how she felt about my clothes because I was still embarrassed, but I guess she understood my intentions because she switched the subject to my clothes.
This would be the first time I showed Mashiro this outfit. To begin with, I probably haven’t worn it even once since I graduated from vocational school and started working.

At that time, I had a few opportunities to wear it, but nowadays, I rarely do so. It was a very special piece of clothing.
The subject of the day was a date, after all. I don’t think I’m dressed for the occasion, but I just want to look good.

“I think it’s…”
“A-Ah.”

As if to get back at me for what I just said, she threw such words at me despite the fact that her cheeks are red.
It was not uncommon for people to be told face to face that they look good, so it was more surprising than I had thought.
On top of that, the fact that it came from Mashiro’s mouth made my heart race even more.

Mashiro always affirmed everything about me and expressed her gratitude for even the smallest things.
But this was probably the first time she had ever complimented me on anything. When it comes to looks, I can definitely say that.

As if to disguise my embarrassment, I put on my shoes first and put my hand on the front door to go outside…

…Kiku.
Suddenly, she was behind me and grabbed me by the sleeve of my clothes.

“…”
“M-Mashiro?”

I couldn’t tell her expression because she was somewhat dumbfounded, but I could tell that her cheeks were still red.
After all, today’s Mashiro was somehow different from the usual. She seemed to be more aggressive and daring than usual.

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As I waited for Mashiro’s next words, she returned her gaze and looked up at me with a feverish look on her face.

“You said…cute?”
“What?””
“You said you misspoke earlier… You sait cute, umm…”
“T-That’s…”

I didn’t expect to be asked to dig it up again, and my voice trembled.
It was true that I slipped up and said “cute” in an insensitive way, and I immediately told her I misspoke.
I wondered if the fact that she had asked for confirmation meant that my excuse had made her feel uneasy.

I knew from her reaction that she won’t feel weird if I told her she’s cute, but now that Mashiro has asked me this, I have to tell her again.
It was not a lie, but I just let it slip out of my mouth. I’m not sure what to say, but I’m sure you’ll understand.
But…I felt like I can’t say that when she looked at me like that.

Her hands were shaking slightly as she grabbed the sleeves of my clothes, and her face looked more worried than when I first met her.
As a man, I couldn’t run away from her if she looked at me like that.
She also told me that I looked good. It would be unfair for me to be the only one who didn’t say it firmly.

“Y-You look cute. I think it’s really nice to have a different impression.”
“Really?”
“No lie. I wouldn’t be this nervous if it wasn’t true.”
“Eh, you’re nervous?”
“Of course I am. Sadly, I don’t have that much experience either.”

It’s not that I don’t have any experience with the opposite gender, but I’m not very experienced.
Even in my relationship with Mashiro, I had a hard time deciding what to do. Now, I’m proud to say that we trust each other, but we are still the opposite gender.
In the name of date, it would be unreasonable to expect me to remain calm with a girl who was dressed up and more attractive than usual.

“…Satou-san, may I have a word with you?”

When Mashiro heard what I said, she thought about it for a moment, then stepped toward me and asked.
I tried to take a step back, but the front door against my back prevented me from doing so.

“M-Mashiro?”

Mashiro continued to get closer and closer to me until she finally reached out her hand slowly to my chest.
The next moment, she put her weight on my chest and attached herself to me tightly.