Virtual Alpha and I - Chapter 39-1

Their Valentine’s Day Date (1)

Valentine’s Day Extra Chapter, Sou’s POV

{Sou, do you want to go out on a date tomorrow?}

“Huh? A date?”

{Yeah. There’s a place I want to go together with you.}

It was Friday night.

I was on a call with Yuugo as usual after his work, and he suddenly said that to me.

A date, he said… Isn’t it unusual for Yuugo to go out of his way to say something like that?

It’s not that we don’t go out together.

There were a lot of times we go out to eat or go for a drive in his car. But I can count the number of times he would specifically call it a “date” like this time.

I felt unnecessarily nervous when I heard him say it like that.

“Where do you want to go?”

{It’s a surprise for tomorrow, if that’s alright?}

“…Is the usual attire okay? Or do I need to prepare anything special?”

{It’s alright. If you need something we can just buy it}

That’s the way Yuugo thinks, huh.

Well, it’s better for me that way. It’s not like I could prepare it if he told me to ‘Dress for this kind of restaurant’.

But, I still couldn’t get used to being dragged to expensive stores every time.

I have to be measured in dozens of places just to make one piece of clothing, –If anything, the idea to tailor clothes in the first place is so different from mine.

Moreover, even if we went to the regular store, sometimes I’d find that the staff has changed to a higher-ranking person. They would offer you their business cards very spontaneously. It was pretty scary.

Yuugo seemed to be used to something like this and didn’t mind it at all… But it bothers me and makes me nervous.

I know I probably need to get used to things like this if I want to be someone who’s worthy to stand by Yuugo’s side, but it was still difficult for me after all.

{Then, I’ll pick you up at home tomorrow at ten o’clock.}

“…Ah, mhm.”

{You’re not too keen about it?}

“No, it’s nothing like that… But isn’t it tough for you to go out in the morning on your day off?”

{I’ll be energized just by seeing you.}

“Idiot.”

Though, I’m just as much of an idiot as he is, because just hearing those words from him cheered me up.

Well, if Yuugo has a place he wants to go to, I want to go with him. He told me he want to go together with me, so I won’t dislike it.

It’s just that I’m still a bit nervous to be together with Yuugo outside. That’s all.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow at 10am. Don’t work until too late!”

{Yeah, I know. You shouldn’t stay up too late either, good night.}

“Good night.”

The time is almost midnight.

He’s always busy until this late every day, so he should just take it easy on his day off. I just hope he doesn’t get sick.

I lay down on my bed and picked up the reference book that was lying near my pillow. I’m not just playing all the time either.

I’ve been putting effort into studying English so that I can be helpful to Yuugo even just for a bit.

“…But, I’m already sleepy today.”

My eyes keep drifting over the reference book. I couldn’t seem to get anything into my head at all.

Giving up, I put back the reference book on the desk and crawl under the covers. I closed my eyes, looking forward to seeing Yuugo tomorrow for the first time in a week.

*

“What’s this, whoa…”

“It’s really something, huh. There are so many people.”

Yuugo seemed a little taken back by the scene, even though he was the one who brought me here.

He brought me to a Valentine’s Day fair held at a department store. In short–  it’s a battlefield.

This was also my first time actually coming here, but I had seen it on the news a few times, so I kind of knew that this is what the Valentine’s Day shopping area looked like. I wonder if Yuugo didn’t know.

He was standing a little far from the entrance, staring at the crowd with a stunned look on his face.

“Aren’t you going in?”

“…I’ll go in.”

“Pfft… Your face is all tense.”

Yuugo’s face was completely tense as he answered in a quiet voice.

I thought I had seen many kinds of expressions on Yuugo’s face, but this might be the first time I have seen such a blatantly uncomfortable look on his face. It was kind of refreshing.

“…Sou, are you having fun?”

“Yeah. I’m having fun when I see that look on your face.”

I was the one with the lower tension when we were on the phone, but now it was completely the other way around. After all, this is just too much fun.

I really can’t wait to see how Yuugo will react when he enters the crowd.

“C’mon, let’s go.”

“Wai-… Sou.”

As Yuugo was still looking a bit bewildered, I forcefully grabbed his arms and pulled him along.

We stepped into the shopping area, which was mostly filled with women.

*

“Ah, this tastes good… This one is tea and… yuzu flavor?”

“This one is cherry blossom flavor. It smells nice.”

Yuugo adjusted to the place pretty quickly.

I was expecting to see more of his panicking side… I’m a bit disappointed.

We tasted various kinds of chocolates.

I’ve been aware of it for a while now, but everyone is kind to good-looking people. When I’m with Yuugo, it’s pretty likely that I’ll get offered a sample.

Moreover, I feel like they gave us more than the others. They gave good-looking guys too much preferential treatment.

I’m in the situation to get the spillover from it.

I wonder how the staffs look at us. We don’t look anything like each other, so I don’t think they see us as siblings. Maybe as relatives?

“Sou, try this.”

“Mm… Wow, what is this? So good.”

What Yuugo put into my mouth was a melting and soft raw chocolate.

It surprisingly melts so nicely that it was gone the moment it touched my tongue. Even so, the taste and aroma remained in my mouth. It was chocolate that will make you happy for a while.

“Hu-huh… What was that just now? It was so crazy.”

“Good. Let’s buy this one too.”

“Wait, Yuugo. How many of those have you bought?”

“You shouldn’t worry about things like that. I’m going to buy everything that you like.”

“…Seriously?”

Several bags of chocolates were already hanging in Yuugo’s hands.

The staff at the last few stores was already being considerate, putting all the bags together in one place, but then I realized that many small bags were hanging from Yuugo’s arms again.

Seriously, just how many bags is that already?

“I can’t eat that much all at once, you hear…?”

“Don’t worry. I made sure to check the expiration dates.”

Is he serious? Looks like I’ll be living on chocolate every day for a while.

Well, they sure tasted good… but I’d like to eat something salty in between, if he doesn’t mind. No, I don’t want to be careless and say something like that, because he’ll buy even more stuff.

“Are you sure not going to buy anything?”

“…Ah, that’s right.”

I was sighing as I watched Yuugo continue shopping at his own pace, when staff called out to me from behind. I realized it at those words.

That’s right. I forgot because Yuugo always bought everything for me, but I also have to prepare some chocolate for him.

Well, I don’t really have to force myself to buy them… But I’ve come all the way to this place after all.

–Ugh, so pricey.

The chocolates from the store of the staff lady who talked to me were very expensive ones. Super high-class products.

Well, this is not the only place that has expensive chocolates.

Yuugo buys a lot of chocolates one after another, but the chocolates sold at this Valentine’s Day fair are generally expensive. For me, who struggles to scrape by on my monthly allowance, they were all very costly.