Episode 20 – The past that comes back to haunt

After the lunch debacle, we came to the clothing store as planned.
Looking at clothes on a high school student’s budget is a high hurdle, but there are several good, relatively inexpensive stores in Tokyo.
I am not very familiar with this area, but of course Saara, who just moved here, is not either.
So, we decided to go into a restaurant selected mainly on Saara’s intuition.

“This place looks good.”

The place had a casual, cheerful atmosphere.
There was no formal stiffness, no street-style lightness, no flashy colors like a sporting goods store.
Yeah, If it was going to be a good fit for Saara, it would be this kind of store

“I wonder which one is good”

The first thing Saara picked up was a white jacket that exuded freshness.
Next, she picked up a pair of light brown wide-leg pants. I groaned and quickly put them back on the shelf.
Next, she picked up a pair of red innerwear, matched them with the jacket, and turned to me.
Unlike her current outfit, it was quite a boyish selection.

“Well, let’s give it a try.”
“Yeah, have a good time”
“Eh”
“Eh”

For some reason, she responded to my words with a question, and I couldn’t help but respond with a question of my own.
No, why did she say “eh” there?

Here I realized that I had made a terrible mistake.

“You’re trying on clothes, right?”
“Sora kun’s.”

So Saara wanted to go look at clothes because she wanted me to wear them!
That’s why she asked me so carefully. ……

“There’s no subject, I didn’t think you were talking about buying me clothes.”
“Well I didn’t tell you.”

Damn ……, this person, of all people, brought out the first day’s prank ingredient right here!

“No?”
“No, not really, but…”
“Yes! Okay then.”
What makes her so happy? She hands me the two outfits she chose.
Oh well, it can’t be helped. I’d better go change.

I go to the fitting room and change into just my jacket, then look in the mirror on the wall inside the fitting room.

–I look in the mirror on the wall inside the fitting room.

I wonder if this is the kind of me that Saara is looking for.
I can’t even imagine what I looked like last week.

“Are you ready yet?”

I replied to Saara’s voice urging me from outside, and opened the curtains.

“……! Good! Isn’t this nice, clerk san!?
“Yes, it looks great on you!”

Does it suit me? I don’t know if it suits me at all.
And I’m sure the clerk will tell you that it looks good on you nine times out of ten.

“…… can I take it off now?”
“Let’s just keep it on.”
“Seriously?”

I don’t want to be a nuisance with it on.

“I’ll settle for you, as a thank-you for the other day.”
“I don’t expect you to go that far.”
“I’d rather pay for it. For that porridge, it would be cheaper to buy the whole thing.”

Seriously, my porridge is too expensive.
The best porridge in the world (by my own standards), what in the world kind of money is that in the suras?

In the end, I was pushed aside, settled on the spot, and had the tags cut off my clothes on the spot.
The week after I had my hair cut, in just six days, the casual Iida Sora was complete.

“Mouu, it’s a shame you had to hide your face all this time.”

I shrugged my shoulders silently in response to her comment and looked at the clerk.
–I’m not going to let the prankster princess get to me like this.

“I’d rather have you try on all kinds of clothes over there than me, though.”
“Ah, I was just thinking that too!”
“Fuueh”

Saara looks like a real princess.
Well, as a shopkeeper, there’s no way they could pass up on this material.

“Miss, how about this one?”
“Eh, Eh, umm”
“I’d like to see you in it.”Z
“Uh! I’ll wear it!”

Then the fashion show began.
In conclusion, it was clear to me that if the clothes are made of the right material, there is nothing that doesn’t look good on her.
Street fashion and flashy sports trainers would all look good on Saara.

In the end, Saara gave in to the push and bought her own clothes.

◇

The sun was completely tilted.
The sky was a deep red, and the white buildings in the city were completely tinted with the color of the setting sun.
Shopping seems to be a quick and easy process, but when I look around the store, I can’t believe how much time has passed.

“Haaa, we had fun!”
“That’s true.”

It was just a really productive day.
I’ve probably never had so much fun in my life, even though I’ve come out this way to do some shopping.

Yes, it was fun.

It’s been a really long time since I’ve had fun outside on a holiday like this.
It’s been two years, I think.

“Hey? Isn’t that Iida?”

The man’s voice made me feel a bad feeling clinging to my heart with memories.
When I looked back in the direction of the voice, I saw that …… he was there, after all.
It was a pair of men.

“Saruwatari and Aoki,…….”
“Ouu, you remember me, don’t you? Wow, you’ve changed a lot.”
“I haven’t seen you since junior high school, well forget about that”

They looked at Saara, who was next to me, rather than at me.

“Iida’s girlfriend, she’s really high level, isn’t she?”
“No, that’s not true. Well he is Iida”

The way he said “that Iida,” wrinkled my brow.

“Hey, you. Do you want to hang out with us sometime?”
“No, thanks.”

While I didn’t respond, Saara refused without any hesitation.
I was surprised at the strength of her words and actions, and to my surprise, she took my arm and wrapped it around her own.

“I’m only going to go out with Sora kun for now. So long.”
“Ah, hey, wait!”

Aoki reaches out and grabs Saara’s shoulder.
I was so angry at his thoughtless wrist that I grabbed it tighter.

“Ych, You…!”
“This girl is in the custody of her parents. I’m responsible for getting him home safely.”
“I’ll Remember that …….”
“please forget.”

Aoki left with Saruwatari, glaring over his shoulder.
The actual “I’ll remember it.”

“You okay, Saara?”
“,……I’m sorry.”
“What’s wrong with you?”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. ……”

For some reason, I calm down the apologetic Saara and get on the train.
Why does Saara need to look so apologetic in this process?

A spring breeze blows, ruffling my hair. Still, my bangs stay out of my eyes and feel cool on my scalp.
When I look at her, I see a brightly colored jacket that matches her outfit of the day in my vision as well.

Both of these things have changed since I met Saara.
It was not that I was actively trying to change, but until now I would not have even attempted to take that first step.

“Saara, I need to talk to you about something.”
…… yeah, me too.”

It’s time to end turning away from the past.