Chapter 55: Mission Impossible

Alright, here goes nothing. I eyed the fence, and with a deep breath, I hoisted myself over. Nailed it! Now, rolling around the garden like some secret agent to keep things low-key. I chuckled to myself, feeling like a character in a spy movie. But then, the oh! crap moment hit me like a freight train.

Wait a minute... What if they've got security cameras? I froze mid-roll, my mind scrambling through memories of Ichinose catching me red-handed. Not exactly a highlight in my covert ops career.

I scanned the surroundings, my heart doing a marathon. If there were CCTV cameras, I had to stay off their radar. I crouched behind a fancy bush, feeling like an undercover ninja. Slowly, I inched my way through the foliage, eyes peeled for any suspiciously placed lenses.

Okay, I think it's safe.

I craned my neck, staring up at the second-floor windows. There were two potential candidates. One on the left, another on the right. Which one was Natsumi's? I debated, scratching my head like I was solving some high-stakes puzzle. Then, just as I was about to make a guess, a silhouette appeared in one of the windows. Bingo! I recognized that figure anywhere. It was Natsumi.

Without a second thought, I grabbed some pebbles and started tossing them at the window pane. Each throw accompanied by a whispered, "Natsumi..." It felt like some cheesy scene from a romance flick, but desperate times called for desperate measures. I hoped she'd hear the faint taps and look out.

Finally, the curtain rustled, and a figure appeared in the window. When her eyes landed on me, I started waving like there was no tomorrow.

She hastily opened the window and exclaimed, "Tsubasa-kun?!" in a shocked voice, her hands flying to her mouth. After a moment, she regained composure and asked, "Why are you here?"

Taking a page out of the knight-in-shining-armor handbook, I instinctively took a knee, placing my hand on my chest. With a theatrical flair, I said, "Fear not, my lady, for I've come to rescue you from the clutches of this grand castle!"

She blinked, probably processing my dramatic entrance. "Tsubasa-kun, you're unbelievable. But seriously, what are you doing here?"

I shrugged, grinning. "A daring knight can't let his princess spend an evening trapped in a tower, can he? Now, shall we escape to the kingdom of Fun and Adventure?"

Natsumi rolled her eyes, but then she smiled sadly, "I can't. I mean, my mother..." Before she could finish, I cut her off with a line straight from a fairy tale.

"Hark, fair maiden, worry not about the dragon that guards these castle walls. For I, Tsubasa, shall face the mighty beast and emerge victorious! Together, we shall defy the odds and embark on a journey to the fabled land of Fun and Adventure, leaving this castle behind."

She stared at me, a mix of amusement and surprise. "Are you for real right now?"

I winked. "Absolutely, my lady. So, what say you? Shall we embark on this grand escapade, leaving the worries of the castle behind?"

"You really are..." she held back a chuckle. She then signaled me to stay hidden. I did what I was told. When she came back, she said, "The outside of my room is guarded. I can't sneak out."

"Problem solved. All you need to do is jump from there, and then I'll catch you."

"Are you joking?"

"Do you have any better ideas?"

She sighed, "Well, if you don't, then let's just have our date on Friday."

As she was about to close the window, I whisperingly shouted, "Wait. I have an idea."

There was a scenario in a fairy tale where a prince (or was it a knight? I forgot since it's been ages since the last time I watched it) couldn't climb up to the top of the tower where the princess was. There was no entrance to the tower either, so the prince had no idea how to reach the princess. But I remembered a phrase the prince used in order to climb up, and it was...

"Rapunzel, let your hair down so that I can climb up! Or perhaps you can climb down from there. Don't worry, if you ever fall, I'll catch you!"

Natsumi stared at me, eyebrows raised, and finally said, "Is that the better idea you thought of?!"

I scratched my head, grinning sheepishly. "Well, it's a classic move. Time-tested, you know?"

She rolled her eyes, but a smirk played on her lips. "Fine, let me check something." She disappeared from the window for a moment, and when she returned, a cascade of long, flowing hair followed her. But upon closer inspection, it was just a clever arrangement of tied-up blankets.

"Guess I'm Rapunzel tonight," she chuckled, revealing the makeshift hair. "But seriously, Tsubasa-kun, if this goes wrong, you better be ready to catch me."

I nodded solemnly, "Fear not, my Rapunzel, for I am your trusty knight, always ready to catch you and whisk you away to the kingdom of Fun and Adventure."

With that, she started descending from the window, and I positioned myself below, feeling like the hero of a slightly unconventional fairy tale.

Natsumi gracefully descended from the window, the blanket hair trailing behind her. When she reached the ground, she laughed, "Well, that was easier than I expected."

"See? It's all in the execution," I grinned, feeling pretty proud of my improvised plan.

"Alright, Tsubasa-sama, where to for our grand escape?" she asked, playing along with the fantasy.

I gestured dramatically, "To the enchanted park, my lady, where the fireflies dance and the moonlight serenades us. Our chariot awaits." I pointed to my trusty bicycle parked nearby, ready to take us on our magical journey.

Natsumi chuckled, "A bicycle, really? I thought we were in a fairy tale."

I shrugged, "Hey, it's a modern fairy tale. Besides, a bike is way faster than a horse."

Natsumi sighed in exasperation, shaking her head at my antics. "You really are something else, Tsubasa-kun."

I chuckled, unapologetic. "Gotta keep things interesting, right?"

With a resigned smile, she followed my lead as I went over the fence again. I turned to her, extending a hand. "Need a hand, my lady?"

She took it, and I helped her descend from the fence. "This is so unladylike," she complained.

I smirked, "Well, even if you're a tomboy, I'd still fall in love with you."

Rolling her eyes, she shot back, "Smooth talker."

I guided her towards the waiting bike and said, "And here is our chariot." I hopped on and patted the sit behind me. "Your carriage awaits, my lady."

Natsumi smiled, fixing her skirt before delicately settling in behind me. I requested, "Hold on tight so you don't fall."

She wrapped her arms around my stomach, and I felt her warmth against my back. "Ready for our magical ride?" I asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be," she replied, her voice carrying a mix of amusement and excitement.