Chapter 14: Results of the First Date and Special Training

Results of the First Date and Special Training

After the date, I went straight into Ryo's house and started helping Maya-san, and she immediately brought up the topic.

"So Rui-chan, how was your date today?"

"Ha...haha..."

When someone asks me, "How was it?" I don't know what to say. "We saw a movie, had lunch, wandered around, and then came home" is probably not the answer they want.

"On my first date, I still had no idea that I was a girl, so I didn't want to dress like a girl, and instead dressed like a boy ♡"

"Yes! Is that so? Looking at you now, I can't imagine it at all."

"That's because it's completely different from now. To begin with, I was constantly irritated and had a kind of anger that I didn't know where to direct it at, wondering why I had become a girl. Research into TS syndrome hadn't progressed as much as it does now, so I would wake up every morning praying that I would be a man again. I also thought that maybe if I acted like a man, maybe I would be able to go back to normal.

I know now that I can't go back, but it's unsettling when you don't know what to do. You accept it and become a girl, and then suddenly in the morning you turn back into a man and it's going to be a big problem.

But even back then, no one had ever had their gender reverted back, so there were quite a few people who just gave up and accepted it ♡

And now I'm calling it a date, but I hated being seen as a woman and had been staying cooped up inside all this time, and then Yoshimichi-san forced me to go out and have fun with him. It wasn't a date or anything, I just thought of it as hanging out with my best friend ♡

It must have been about a month since I developed TS syndrome, but on our first date, we were just hanging out normally, but I no longer thought of him from the perspective of a man, but as a girl, and Yoshimichi-san seemed a little attractive to me, the way people around us treated us made me think of it as a date ♡

From the second date onwards, I started dressing like a girl and did things that felt like a proper date ♡"

I don't know the details, but I felt it was generally the same as mine; it was about becoming aware of herself as a girl, realizing the charm of her best friend, and then going on a date.

"So six months later you started dating properly?"

"That's right! But I'm really glad I have my best friend Yoshimichi-san. In fact, even now, I sometimes talk to Yoshimichi-san like we were best friends back then, and he calls me 'Shinya' back then, and when he does that, I think to myself, 'Even though we've been through a lot, I'm glad I'm happy ♡'."

I see, if a man and woman are lovers, it's impossible for them to be best friends, but if one of them has TS and they're best friends, then they can be both.

There's a combination of lovers and best friends.

"Is that because you're best friends and also lovers?"

"That's right! I feel like we can understand each other more deeply and connect spiritually.

Also, I think it's great that I can understand men in general too ♡"

Maya-san said this, her cheeks turning red, which was unusual for her.

".... about my date."

"How was it?"

"There was a slight misunderstanding this time, so I ended up looking all dressed up."

"You're so cute and girly, it's like you're going on a date, fufu ♡"

"Well, that's true, but I think it was a proper date. We've also agreed to go on another date during Golden Week."

"Oh, is that so? Then Rui-chan, why don't you surprise Ryo?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"First---"

So, isn't the meaning of "surprise" and "prank" overlapping when it comes to carrying out the "Surprise Lunch Box Plan!"? Well, that's okay.

Simply put, it's just about making a homemade lunch box for a date.

I contacted Ryo and arranged for the date to be on the last day, and starting tomorrow I'll be receiving intensive training from Maya-san so that I can make bento by then.

If Ryo is happy with my lunch, then that's a good thing and nothing to worry about.

It's not because I'm a man or a woman, I want to do it because it will make Ryo happy, that's how it is.

Our destination is an aquarium near a nature park, so we'll be able to eat our lunch at the nature park. Okay, let's do it!

•

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I send a message and some photos of evidence that Ryo and I took to the Tosaka Trio as a report.

"You went there properly, and you were dressed in a sexy outfit - you really went there in that outfit!"

"These two are sure to be the center of attention, they're a handsome guy and a beautiful girl couple."

"...Did you kiss?"

"Wasn't it you guys who give me your approval that it was okay to wear this outfit? I was pretty embarrassed with all the attention. And there was no progress on the kissing thing or anything."

"Well, the 'Let's definitely go on a date!' plan failed? No progress? But you at least held hands, right?"

"Well, we held hands, but..."

"But you were holding his arm when we said goodbye yesterday, so I'm sure you were comfortable with that."

"No, I just wanted to go home before Ryo said anything unnecessary, I wasn't trying to link arms with him!"

Well, we linked arms afterwards and held hands like lovers, but I'll keep quiet about that.

"Ueno-kun clearly likes Rui-chan, so I thought he might say something funny."

"..."

Ignore this

"So, what kind of date was it today? With our Knight Ueno-kun?"

"Well, we just watch a movie, have lunch, go to a variety store and a bookstore, and that's it."

"That seems normal, when was the last time you held hands?"

"I think it was when we were heading back that he asked me if it was okay to hold hands."

"Why did you give the OK? Did something change your mind?"

"Hmm, I just guess that's fine."

"This looks like it's going to be a development, Yamaguchi-san, the commentator?"

"That's right, since she doesn't seem to mind holding hands anymore, I'd say that's definitely a step up. Maybe the next step would be hugging."

"Next up is a hug, you won't want to miss that, right, Saeki-san?"

"...Hug! Then Kiss!"

"Why are you getting so excited? I won't do it! I'll only hold hands! And besides, it's because of what happened yesterday!"

"I see, I was assured that if there is an opportunity, things will move forward!"

"No no! I didn't say that! No! No no! We're just best friends after all."

"She is still talking like this, Sayaka-chan."

"Best friend can still hold hands you know? Well, sure this one is a date, but I'm not his girlfriend yet."

"Rui-chan is a cute, beautiful girl, so I think it's inevitable that Ueno-kun looks at you like that. Yep, yeah, it can't be helped, just give up."

"...Stop resisting."

"Rui-chan isn't completely opposed, right? Otherwise, I don't think she'd even hold hands in the first place."

"Uh..."

That's certainly true, and I'd even want to make him lunch just to make him happy, though I can't say it.

To begin with, he's my best friend, so I don't dislike him, in fact I like him, but it's not romantic love.

I get it, I get it, as a girl I'm quite attracted to Ryo, but I'm still holding myself down. I still have resistance to kissing and hugging, even though I'm already like a dam that will break if he just pushes me a little harder.

"Anyway, that's why there's no progress."

"I see, I guess it's not good to bully Rui-chan too much, so I'll stop here. How about the four of us go out and hang out one more time during Golden Week?"

"Oh, that's great, let's adjust our schedule."

"...either of the last two days."

"Oh sorry, I can't make it during Golden Week - I'm totally booked."

"Well, there's no other way, we'll just play together as a trio."

"Yeah, sorry, see you later."

I declined, feeling a little reluctant.

I have to sacrifice the rest of Golden Week, even hanging out with friends, just to learn to make a bento for the last day! Ryo is a guilty one, he should be grateful.

•

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The next day, Maya-san's hellish bento training began.

We try to avoid using frozen ready-made meals as much as possible, and make delicious food that is homemade as much as possible and doesn't require much skill!

Maya-san emphasizes that homemade onigiri is absolutely essential, the old-fashioned kind that are made with bare hands without using plastic wrap or molds, and the fillings are of course salmon, plum, cod roe, and other unusual varieties mixed in.

The rice is so hot! It's so hot I can't even hold it! Is this a punishment game?

I had no choice but to let it cool a bit before squeezing it, and it worked fine.

We also decided to include standard ingredients like hamburger steaks and octopus-shaped sausages, and also to add some color and vegetables like sesame dressing, so the general direction was decided.

The problem is making it taste good, and that's the biggest problem.

I had to train in secret so Ryo wouldn't find out, which was a bit of a problem as I didn't have much time to spare, but I want to give myself a pat on the back for finally being able to do it properly just before the final day.

Thank you Maya-san too.