Date

"Bye Komi!!" Marin waved and yelled as Komi's figure got smaller and smaller in the distance.

Komi turned around and returned her wave before getting shy and running towards her home. I chuckled at her cute reaction.

The three of us had walked together for as long as possible but now Komi had to separate due to the direction to our homes being different.

Marin continued waving even though Komi was long gone before she finally stopped and released a satisfied yet sad sigh.

I observed her dim expression and thought that maybe she was sad to go home to her lonely house now.

"Wanna go on a date." I suddenly blurted out and Marin drew back in surprise.

"Right now?"

"Right now." I nodded. No time like the present. It would be our first official date as girlfriend and boyfriend.

"Unless of course, you want our first date to be formal and special-"

"nononononononono NO!!!" Marin cut me off by putting her dainty hand on my mouth. She blushed when she realised how she acted.

She pulled back and released my mouth. She put one arm behind her back while playing with her hair with another, she swayed shyly.

"ummm..I don't mind." She said. I gave her a smile and she gave me even more red.

"Then let's go." I took a firm hold of her arm and lead her somewhere even I didn't know yet. But I acted confident, as if I had everything planned.

Marin followed me silently, maybe internally gushing over how amazing the situation was. Meanwhile I thought about where we would go.

The park? Nah a bit cliche.

The Arcade? Not romantic enough.

The cinema? I want a place where we can interact.

A restaurant? But I want to take home Marin and eat Sumire's amazing cooking together.

'On that note, I better inform her.' I took out my phone and I texted Sumire and told her I would be a little late and to prepare dinner for one extra person.

The next option was Karaoke. It was a good suggestion and I entertained the idea for a some time. I could even do some naughty things inside the Karaoke like every doujins.

But in the end, I rejected the idea because I remembered I couldn't sing, like at all. It was better to not embarrass myself on the first date. Let's play to my strength, something I had in spades.

'A shopping centre.' My eyes sparked at the idea. It was a good one, I always talked about how I invested in companies and stuff and earned enough to provide for me and Smumire but I never flexed my money.

And women love money, I think as it shows the competence of their partner.

'Well, shopping it is then.' I decided in my mind, just in time for Marin to ask me the question.

"Where are we going?"

I turned around and gave a smile, "To the shopping centre."

It was not too far away and we quickly reached the mall. But we were both rather quiet the whole way, the sudden realisation that we were on a date made both of us shy.

But Marin only took a few moments to adjust. She was amazing that way.

"Wow. It's so big!!" Marin said in amazement as if she had never been to a mall in her life. I knew she probably came here every weekend but was just acting amazed and excited since I took her here.

She's adorable like that.

Of course the mall itself was not really amazing by itself. The experience depends on how much money you had.

And I had shit ton which I was not hesitant to use since it was rare that I would spend large amounts.

"Let's go Yuito. I want to look around." Marin said with a happy smile and an even happier attitude.

She pulled me inside and I go. Her happiness and smile quickly rubbed off me, that was her super power.

To light up the life of anyone lucky enough to know her.

The shopping centre was eight floors and you could see each floor the moment you get inside. The interior was painted white and the lights made it appear even whiter, giving off a luxurious and ethereal feeling compared to the outside world.

There were many people of different age and fashion even though it was a weekday and still noon. The atmosphere was warm and the chatter of people were like the chirping of birds.

The whole place was also air conditioned and even though it was not too hot outside, it was a nice change.

Marin looked around the mall curiously, she seemed to be familiar with the place as she bagan dragging me to a certain direction before she stopped.

"Where should we go?" She asked while turning back.

I chuckled, "Wherever you want to go." I said.

But she seemed to not take that into heart as she began pulling me to another direction. Yet I got a chance to notice that the direction she dragged me before held makeup and clothing stores. I wonder if she was also into that stuff.

She was still reserved I guess and the new direction she dragged me into actually had small shops that sell anime stuff and keychains.

We looked around that part for some time, we especially loved checking out the keychains even though we did no buy any of them.

But at the end, I took the lead again and pulled her to another place. Towards the direction she instinctively went before.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

"There." I pointed at the direction, "You want to go there right?" 

She blushed and stammered, "n-No. Not particularly." 

"Don't be like that." I laughed, "Todays my treat. I want to spoil my new girlfriend." I told her.

Then we began checking out different clothing shops and surprisingly the one we went to were mostly cosplay shops. 

On second thought, it made sense Marin liked it.

We checked out different costumes and different cosplaying intricates like fake eyebrows, nails, wigs etc.

But oddly enough, I did not find any time to flex my cash as Marin never really seem to show a particular desire for anything and she always somehow change topic.

She was clearly giving me no time to flex and I felt absolutely no pressure to buy something for her.

It was weird. Even though I was the one who asked, she lead the date from then on.

At the end though, I finally managed to buy her something when we visit the shop which made Marin's previous cosplay.

The shop owner welcomed us kindly when he saw me and we got a measurement - yes, even me - and we chose our next cosplay.

They told us we could get the cosplay in a month. Both of them. And yet to my horror, the author said I do not need to pay for the cosplay.

After that we leave the mall. I did not spend any cash and lost any chance to show off my deep pockets.

But overall, we had a great time.

'I guess money really didn't buy happiness.' I just concluded. 

The sun was beginning to get weary and it was beginning it's descend. It was around 5 pm. 4:52 to be exact when I looked at my phone.

I turned to Marin and realised that she was already looking at me in a daze. Our eyes met and we both blushed before turning away.

And as I turned away, I noticed a crane game outside of the mall. My eyes lit up. I found my saviour.

It may be generic and cliche but I wanted to get a prize for her. I took Marin's hands and lead her there. There was a QR code and I payed up before fiddling with the control.

"What are you doing?" Marin asked.

"I am going to win one for you." I said and looked through the glass and picked out the best doll there. A golden lion plushie, reminds me of her.

"I am going to win one for you." I told her and she smiled widely. 

"Like in the animes?" She asked with a giggle.

"Exactly like in the animes." 

It was not like the animes. I did not win the prize in a few tries. I did not win anything even in the next few more tires.

I couldn't win anything!!!

We watched with bathed breath as I finally caught a doll again on the claw after a long time. I was going to take it to the drop box but it fell off midway.

"Goddamn it!! This is a scam." Marin huffed and hit the machine, a little too hard and she immediately rubbed it with a worried face.

"haaaa...Maybe I am not the protagonist afterall." I said sadly. I have wasted so much time and money on this fucking thing now.

We gave up after that and pressed the button again and again to use up all of our tires since we already bought them. But at the last try, a miracle happened.

Somehow an octopus plushie got stuck on the crane and I successfully dropped it in the prize slot.

"Yesss!!" Marin leaped around in the air. I couldn't help but smile madly too.

I grabbed our prize and hand it over to Marin. She gave me a beautiful smile that showed all of her pearly teeth.

A sense of deep satisfaction washed over me and I knew then, all the struggle was worth it. It was now a fond memeory we both would share.

"Thank you." Marin said and buried her happy face in the octopus plushie which was the colour of purple, awfully similar to the colour of my hair.

Funny. I aimed for the golden lion plushie which reminds of Marin but I got the purple octopus plushie which reminds me of myself.

"And as the heroine would say, 'I will cherish it forever'," Marin said an laughed. But I knew from her tone that she really would cherish it forever.

Maybe I really am the protagonist. It worked out amazing in the end.

"Shall we go?" I asked and Marin snaked her arms around mine like a couple in love would.

Then she kissed me.

On my lips.

The emotion she conveyed through that simple touch almost made me drown.

'She loves me so much.'

I grabbed her waist and pulled her closer to me. I kissed her deeper.

'I love you so much .'

[Chapter Cover : IMG]

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Author : I couldn't help but point out my stroke of genius.

Golden lion plushie for Marin. This one is obvious.

Purple octopus for Yuito. Why octopus you ask?

Well, here's the genius. Octopus have THREE hearts!!! It means three hearts to love each girls Komi, Marin, Sumire!! Although there will be more in the future ufufufu

Have you realised my genius?

I am a genius.

And you MF better check out my new story. Add it in your library. I don't care if you are interested just add it.