But she was a "romanceable character" too?
That might complicate things a bit.
After all, while most people around him were just regular high schoolers, she was a popular idol. It felt a little out of place.
Saku sighed. This wasn't exactly ideal.
Ordinarily, a regular guy would never even have the chance to become friends with an idol like her.
But regardless, his goal remained the same: to build solid friendships on his way to a single ending. So he'd just need to work on getting to know her.
Once he got home, he'd research Uika Misumi. As an idol, there'd definitely be some basic information online.
Of course, whether or not all that info was real was another question. Many celebrities had "public personas" created for them.
"Oh, thanks."
Uika nodded toward the button, offering Saku a polite smile.
"No problem at all."
With that brief exchange over, Saku was just about to look away when she pressed the recline button, and her seat tipped back almost immediately.
"Oh—!"
The sudden recline caught her off guard, and she lurched backward, finding herself almost nose-to-nose with him.
For a brief second, Saku found himself looking straight into her eyes, a lot closer than he'd been to Tomori earlier.
They were close enough that a tiny movement would've brought them lips-to-lips.
"Sorry—I, uh, didn't know it'd recline so fast."
Uika quickly pulled herself upright, putting a bit of space between them, her voice apologetic.
To her, this was just an embarrassing mishap—a minor consequence of not knowing how the seat worked.
"No worries," Saku replied, smiling as he turned his head slightly. "It's totally normal to be surprised the first time."
"Did something happen?"
Tomori, noticing the brief flurry of motion, turned toward them, looking mildly concerned.
"Nothing much. She just didn't know how to recline her seat, so I helped out," Saku explained with a light shrug.
"Oh, I see."
Tomori raised her head a little to glance past Saku at the blonde girl sitting to his left.
"Hi there."
Uika, realizing she had Tomori's attention, gave a soft smile and waved. "Hey there."
"Hello."
Tomori gave a brief nod before lying back again, directing her gaze to the dome above.
Uika herself seemed unconcerned by the little mishap.
After all, nothing serious had happened, and that boy beside her clearly had a girlfriend already.
Wait, hold on… Saku blinked, a bit thrown by her nonchalant assumption.
Finding himself seated between Tomori and Uika was kind of… symbolic. And it wasn't exactly fitting for his plan to remain single.
Still, he took a moment to steel himself.
It was just coincidence. Nothing worth stressing over.
As long as he held firm to his original intent, he wouldn't be swayed by random encounters like this.
His goal would remain the single ending!
"We'll be starting shortly…"
The room lights dimmed, and an announcement echoed through the planetarium.
Saku dismissed his wandering thoughts and refocused on the star-filled dome overhead.
As soon as the breathtaking visuals began, his mind drifted into the universe laid out above.
---
"…That concludes our show. Please watch your step on the way out…"
As the planetarium lights brightened once more, Saku shook off the trance of the stars, turning to Tomori. "Pretty amazing, wasn't it?"
"Yes, especially…"
Tomori was about to share her thoughts when Saku gently stopped her.
"Let's head outside first. We don't want to inconvenience the staff by lingering too long."
"You're right."
Nodding in agreement, Tomori rose from her seat.
As they left, Saku glanced briefly in Uika's direction but didn't try to engage her further.
After all, with celebrities, it was hard to know if they preferred to be recognized or if they valued their privacy. He didn't want to impose by acting like a fan in the middle of a public space.
Some idols appreciated the attention, while others found it invasive. For now, he'd play it safe and act as though he hadn't noticed who she was. That way, he wouldn't risk ruining their initial impression.
Stepping outside, Saku caught a glimpse of Uika slipping on a pair of sunglasses as she left.
Just then, Tomori finally continued, unable to contain her enthusiasm any longer. "Did you notice the stars forming the Summer Triangle?"
"Yes, exactly."
Smiling, Saku shifted his focus back to Tomori. Today was meant to be her day, and his priority was their time together.
They chatted all the way back, and before he knew it, Saku had walked Tomori to her building.
---
"You really didn't have to get off at my stop…"
Tomori murmured as they walked across the pedestrian bridge near her apartment.
"It's no trouble. I need to buy a few things on my way back anyway," Saku said casually, waving it off. "Besides, I promised Taki I'd make sure you got home safe."
"I see."
Tomori accepted this with a quiet nod.
"Your building's right here, right?"
Saku pointed to the familiar apartment block.
"Yes."
"Alright, then. I'll leave you here." He chuckled. "If I go all the way to your door, your parents might get the wrong idea."
"That's… alright."
Tomori shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Huh?"
Saku stared, momentarily speechless.
"I'd explain it to them," Tomori finished, voice calm and clear.
"…Let's just avoid the misunderstanding altogether."
Saku laughed awkwardly.
For a moment, she'd caught him off guard. He'd almost thought she didn't mind if her parents misinterpreted things.
That would've been a little intense.
He was glad she hadn't meant it that way.
"See you tomorrow!"
After taking his photo frame out of the bag, Saku handed the bag to Tomori, giving her a cheerful wave.
"See you tomorrow."
As she descended the stairs, Saku turned to make his way toward a nearby bookstore, figuring he'd pick up a few more books.
This time, he'd grab not just ones on astronomy, but ones about penguins and other biology topics, too.
---
T/N: It's cute that he's learning more about her interests!
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
Posture and water check! Remember this is a fan translation!
If you wish to support me or read ahead here's a link! [patreon.com/WiseTL]