NOVPUB
Chapter 295 - Preparations
"...you are smarter than I have imagined."
"Right?"
"Don't let your guard down. You should work harder before the exam."
Watching her stern expression, Tobe thought that a beautiful girl, no matter what their expression is, would always be attractive. "I am not, but I might be able to get a better result if you can somehow motivate me with something."
"Motivate?"
"You know, like giving a reward when I got a good rank."
This smile of his, Yukinoshita knew well that he must be thinking something bad. While sighing, she asked curiously, "I don't mind if you get a good result on the exam."
"Really?"
"Yes, but top 10, okay?"
"Okay, top 10."
Feeling helpless by his strange confidence, but when Yukinoshita thought of the result of their short session of study, it might be possible. "But... what do you want for your reward?"
"Is there a limit on what kind of reward I can ask for?"
"You can't ask something perverted!"
"...." Tobe.
He couldn't ask something perverted, but it was okay for her to ask something perverted?
"Then, to make it more interesting, what if I fail, you can ask me a request, too?"
"Oh?" Yukinoshita became interested, then asked, "You mean, I can ask for a reward from you?"
"Yes."
"Can I ask anything?"
"It can't be something perverted."
"..." Yukinosita.
"...did you say that just because you want to have a comeback on me?"
"I am not so petty, or do you want me to say that it is okay for you to ask something perverted of me?"
"...stop teasing me, okay?"
"I can't help it. Your reaction is too cute."
"... some day, I will be the one who teases you."
"I can't wait for that."
Grinding her teeth as she watched his smile, Yukinoshita couldn't help but wish to bite him, but at the same time, she also wished to get closer to him.
"But what is it? Is there something that you want if you succeed on your exam?"
"Hmm... you know, after the exam, we will have a Golden Week, right?"
"Well, yes." Yukinoshita nodded, but then she was a little confused. "Is there a problem with that?"
"Do you have a plan for those days, such as with your family?"
"Let's see..." Yukinoshita thought for a moment, but then shook her head. "No, I don't have a plan."
"Then, is it okay for me to bring you on a date trip?"
"D-Date trip?"
"Is that not okay?"
"N-No, I don't mind." Shaking her head, Yukinoshita somehow got fuzzy, yet happy feelings, thinking of their date trip. "But... where do you want to go?"
"I don't plan to go to faraway places such as a foreign country, Hokkaido, or Okinawa."
"Well, yeah, it's too far."
"Then again, is there a place that you want to visit?"
"Hmm..." Yukinoshita thought for a moment and muttered, "Kamakura..."
"Kamakura?"
"Ah, no, that's too far, right?"
"Not really, we're at the age where we can reach a far place in a short time, and if we use a train, then... it should be about a two-hour trip."
"Two hours? Isn't that a little too long?"
"There are many things you can do on the train, such as buy specialty foods at the train stations. Each station has its own special bentos, and they often use specialty ingredients, depending on the area."
"...you made it sound interesting now."
Trip.
This was something that Tobe had planned with Hiratsuka before, but as expected, it was the most interesting activity one could do together, especially for a couple.
Two people cannot be the same, and they have their own individuality, hobbies, likes, and dislikes. Yet, the majority more or less love to take trips and enjoy food, as the trip breaks their routine, and food is a necessity for everyone, much like gasoline for a vehicle.
"But is it okay for you to go so far away?"
"It should be okay, so long as we don't stay a night." Yukinoshita's words were small, and her face reddened once again as she ended her words.
Staying for a night.
If Yukinoshita let him stay with her for a single night, would he become a kissing beast who would kiss her so many times?
Yet, when she thought of that kiss on her cheek, it made her want to scream or roll around the bed crazily somehow.
"How about you? Are your parents going to be okay with you going out so far away?"
"It should be okay since I am a guy."
"Being a guy is sure convenient."
"If you were a guy, then we wouldn't become a couple like this."
"That's true."
In other words, Yukinoshita was glad that she was a woman.
"Then again, we can only start our trip if I get into the top ten."
"....."
Taking a deep breath, Yukinoshita realized that all the fantasies of their trip were just talk if Tobe couldn't become one of the top ten in his grade during the next exam.
This was a serious situation, she thought, so—
"Even if you die, you should study hard to get to the top ten!"
"...if I die, who will go out with you?"
While feeling speechless, the two continued their study and silly talk as before.
"Still, is there a place you want to visit if we go on a date, Tobe-kun?"
"You want my opinion?"
"I do." Yukinoshita nodded. "I think that it is necessary to know whether there is a place that you want to visit?"
"Hmm... to be honest, I don't plan for us to go to a faraway place since there are many places that it is good for us to visit the attractions around Chiba, especially since we don't plan to visit those places when we're going there alone."
"I have never thought of it before, but you are right."
There were many attractions in the city and prefecture where they lived, but somehow, they had never thought to visit that place, considering it was better to do something else, waste their time, or just be too lazy.
"Is there a place you want to visit, then?"
"Let's check the website first. We might see something interesting."
"Good idea."
Tobe took out his smartphone, ready to open the city website for Chiba, checking the places where they could visit, and naturally, there were many places to visit.
"Sawara, Keisei Rose Garden, Funabashi HC Andersen Park, Hattori Hydrangea House, Nanabatake Road, Urayasu City Folk Museum, Disneyland Tokyo..."
As Yukinoshita narrated those places one by one, she couldn't help but realize that there were many interesting places they could visit nearby.
At the same time, Tobe also felt relief that he had always muted the notifications on his smartphone, since if he hadn't, then he was afraid that Yukinoshita would notice he had been chatting with many girls. While it was nothing, considering how they had just dated, he knew that if he exposed all of that, it would fool her heart, and as he was her first boyfriend, it might be hard for her to adjust her feelings due to jealousy.
Still, it might be a little rude of him to make an assumption that she might have a hard time adjusting, but then again, if he was in Yukinoshita's place and saw the girlfriend that he had just made had a tons of chats with many guys, it would be put off despite knowing she was his now, right?
So, it was fortunate that he was being careful.
At the same time, he realized that despite being in a world where the technology was quite advanced, which was different from the world of Hyouka, where he didn't have a mobile phone, it was safe.
Still, he didn't show it on his face, and now, he knew that he just needed to solve the rest, but when they were to return to their class, it was impossible for them to have a quiet day, especially when someone came to him.
"Tobe, can we talk for a while?"
There was Hiratsuka.
---
As expected, it feels weird when I, a harem writer, tell others not to hurt others' hearts.
