[LN] Matchinguapuri de Moto Koibito to Saikai Shita - Volume 1 - Chapter 2

 

Chapter 2 - When I Met Her, I Found Out That She Was Different From What I Expected

"First of all, let's straighten out the situation first."

"I agree. ......."

She was using a dating app under a fake name. However, the match rate was 98%, and the photo registered was omurice from the same cafe as her, so I felt familiar with it and decided to date her.

I booked the cafe and got tickets for a movie that both of us were interested in.

The preparations were perfect.

According to the weather forecast, it said it would rain today. Enji had also taught me a technique to get a second date, "Borrow something from him, anything goes." so I didn't bring an umbrella, even though I knew it was going to rain.

The weather was exactly as predicted. It was a 5-minute walk from Sannomiya Station to our destination cafe. On the way, I planned to borrow her umbrella, then hold it under the pretense of protecting her from the road. That's how it should be...

However, my plans were ruined because the person I met was my ex-girlfriend, Hikari Takamiya.

"I see, so you're Kakeru-san, yeah..."

"And you're Akari-san..."

"Aren't you an imposter for using a fake name?"

"Aren't you too?"

I don't have any regrets about her. It's just that, ever since we broke up, I can't forget her.

Since we are ex-lovers, then we definitely won't be dating today, I'll just go back the same way I came.

Is this okay?

Isn't this just like repeating the year of our breakup? The year when I couldn't forget about her.

It should be uncomfortable for me to continue feeling that hazy feeling. But that doesn't mean I can say, "Let's go on a date."

"Okay, I'm going home."

I returned to the ticket gate that I had just exited from. However, before reaching the ticket gate, my footsteps stopped. I wonder if Hikari still likes me.....

Well, I know that I'm getting my hopes up, let alone that it's not normal to still like someone who has broken up with her for a year.

How stupid of me to think that, even for a moment.

That's disgusting.

"Haa....."

I moved my stalled feet and headed to the ticket gates.

"Hey, where are you going?"

I was stopped by a voice from behind me.

"What do you mean? I'm going home."

The person I planned to go out with today was Akari-san, a girl I knew through Connect, but the one who showed up at the designated place was Hikari, my ex-girlfriend.

If I think about it, there's no way I'll be able to have a normal date with her.

"You've already made a reservation at the cafe, right?"

"Yes, I did, but..."

"Then, let's go there."

"Yes, but......."

I don't want to go.

But it was true that I had already made a reservation, and it was only 5 minutes until the reservation time.

If I cancel now, it would cause trouble for the cafe, and on top of everything else, I also wanted to eat their omurice for the first time in a long time. So...

"Well, it'll be inconvenient for them, won't it? Let's go."

I started walking slowly, following the back of Hikari who had already started walking out of the station.

"Let's hurry!"

"......Yes, yes."

I started chasing after Hikari without an umbrella. And for some reason, Hikari wasn't wearing one either...

"Hey, put your umbrella on first! You'll get wet!"

"No problem, the cafe is nearby anyway! It'll be faster if we run straight there! Besides, I'm good at dodging rainwater!"

"I thought only elementary school kids said that...."

By the time we reached the cafe, we were both soaking wet.

***

"Mmm~!!! The omurice here is the best!!!"

The cafe was surrounded by trees and looked like a forest, which made us forget that we were in the middle of the city.

We were guided to a sofa seat and we both ordered omurice.

The official name of this dish is Omurice Showa. It is a rare omurice with tomato sauce instead of chili sauce.

The sauce is not ordinary, as the acidity has been removed, which makes it easy to eat.

I like this simple and plain taste.

"Delicious......"

"I don't like the same as you, but I agree."

Hey, whatever you eat you'll find delicious, right?

"By the way, have you improved your cooking skills?"

When we were still dating in high school. Hikari often made lunch for me. But Hikari's cooking wasn't.......

"Huh?! What else do I have to improve? Look! This is the meat and potatoes I made yesterday!"

She pointed her phone screen at me and showed me something that might be meat and potatoes. But, it wasn't the meat and potatoes I knew, it was completely different.

"It still looks the same, huh......"

"Yes, I'm still good at cooking."

"How can you say that so confidently? Your cooking doesn't even look like cooking."

"What?! That's rude!"

"Then, did you eat it?"

"......"

"See? What did I say?"

"Noisy!"

It's a small fight like we used to have.

I missed this kind of conversation or argument that I thought was just nonsense at the time because it had been a year since I had experienced it again.

"Woo~! Thank you for the food! It's not enough, but since I'm on a diet, I had to hold back...."

She said that, but her eyes were looking at the dessert menu with a greedy gaze.

Hey, control your eyes!

Hikari isn't fat. I think she's pretty skinny for a woman. She's been like that since a year ago. Hikari's habit is to go on a diet. However, she always says she'll start tomorrow.

"But, I've come this far...."

"You'll start the diet again tomorrow, right?"

"....What? Do you mind?"

"No, not really. ......You're still the same as before."

I thought he was angry, but when I saw him order dessert from the waiter, an uncontrollable smile appeared on my face.

"Don't you want to order dessert? If not, don't ask me, okay?"

"Who would ask!"

"Ah, but I'm in the mood for waffles...."

He said that while busy looking at the menu one after another.

"Want to go to the waffle shop in front of the station?"

"Oh, you're pretty smart sometimes, huh."

"Yes, dear. Ah, no!"

We canceled our dessert order and headed for the station.

By the time we left the cafe, the rain had stopped, and my wet hair and clothes had dried.

The sun hadn't made an appearance yet, but I felt that the weather was already a little brighter.

"Why are you grinning......?"

And Hikari, who was holding her waffle bag very carefully, scoffed at me who was smiling at me.

"It's nothing...."

In the paper bag held by Hikari, there were five waffles.

"You like this one, right?"

She gave me one of the five, a maple waffle.

"You always buy maple waffles, don't you.....?"

"......You still remember apparently."

"Mm, well......"

She handed me the maple waffle, and the paper bag containing the rest of the waffles, once again carefully placed under her arm.

Sitting on the park bench, Hikari happily took the waffle out of the paper bag and chewed it inside her cheek.

 ......Hm?

"Wait a minute."

"What?"

When I remembered it, there were five waffles in the paper bag. Since she had given me one, so the rest were ....

"You're going to eat all four waffles?!"

"What? Do you have a problem with that?"

"No, I mean, you just had lunch, didn't you...?"

"I can't help it, I'm hungry."

"Are you a glutton?"

"Hold on!"

"Y-Yes..."

She said so and gave me her umbrella.

Hey, I'm not your assistant!

Hikari devoured four waffles with such gusto that it was hard for me to believe that she had just eaten omurice.

Her appetite is terrible.....

We were supposed to watch a movie after this. But, after learning that he was my ex, I thought the plan would change.

"Yup, it's about time......"

We haven't seen each other for a long time. But, we're not a couple anymore. We're exes now.

There's no reason for us to be together anymore.

Hikari stood up and turned towards the station. If I let Hikari go, I'm sure we'll never see each other again.

It's okay ..... not that I still have lingering feelings for Hikari, but even if I did, then for what reason would I ask her out? We both knew that we were both planning to go to the movies after this, and the reason why we didn't bring it up was that we weren't Kakeru and Akari, but rather ex-girlfriends who knew each other very well.

I saw Hikari heading towards the ticket gates.

"See you soon."

Hikari looked at me once. But, her gaze wasn't on my eyes, but on her hands, which were slightly lower.

"O-Oh."

If I called out to her now, I might still have had a chance to clear up my confusion. But in the end, I could only stand in front of the ticket gate until I couldn't see her figure anymore.

"Haa....."

Wait, why am I sighing?

My sigh could probably be interpreted that I was so happy to see Hikari again that I wanted to watch a movie with her, not as Akari, but as Hikari, but ..... I couldn't invite her. I had no intention of doing so either. I just want to watch the movie alone.

As if to prove it, I went to the movies on the same day that I left Hikari. Alone, of course.

The title of the movie was "Ohanabatake mitaina koi o shita".

TL/N: I Fell In Love Like A Flower Garden.

It was a movie about two men and women who met, fell in love and separated. It was just a simple love story. It was too realistic to be a made-up story. But, it became a topic of conversation because people felt touched by the movie.

The movie was popular on the Internet and social networking sites, and people were saying that there was no other choice but to go to the movies right now. I even avoided going to YouTube and Instagram to avoid getting spoilers because so many people were talking about the movie.

That's why I didn't know about that part. I didn't know that the two men and women would break up and then meet again, just like me and Hikari.....

The theater was full of couples. I was relieved that I hadn't come to watch this movie with Hikari, who wasn't my partner anymore because the content of the movie would have made us feel very awkward.

It started with a man and a woman meeting, then parting, and then meeting again. It felt like the movie was made to tell our story.

However, both of them had found new lovers, and their relationship never continued.

But we were different.....

Not only me, but Hikari also uses dating apps, so I don't think she has a boyfriend.

Well, not that it matters to me........

In the end, I was satisfied with the movie, but it left an excruciating feeling, and I went home without clarity.

I had one ticket left. I should have thrown it away, but I chose to put it in my wallet.

I decided to walk home, as there weren't many buses leaving from the nearest station to my house.

Walking along the night road made me think of the time when Hikari and I had walked the same road in the past, and I opened my LINE message history to remember it all.

Yesterday, we communicated through Connect, so you could say that I hadn't used LINE for about a year. Precisely since the day, we broke up.

"What is it, Sho-chan?"

I looked up from my phone.

I was too busy reminiscing that I didn't notice, but I was already right near my apartment.

"Oh, Enji."

"You're home already? So soon, huh? It's only 19:00."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Instead of that, Sho-chan..."

"Hmm?"

"Since when did you have such a cute umbrella?"

I only realized it when she said that to me.

In my left hand, I was holding Hikari's umbrella. I held it when we were eating waffles in the park earlier, and it was still on.......

It was a pale beige umbrella that looked strange in my hand. The handle was thin and made of leather.

I was taught by Enji to borrow things from girls I met as a technique to trigger a second date.

Unfortunately, all of his teachings were thrown out of my brain when I met Hikari, and I did it unconsciously.

This is Hikari's old umbrella.

"Oh, so it's the one you borrowed. Sho-chan, good job! It's not a plastic umbrella, so it's probably an item he values."

......He values?

This umbrella does have some memories.

Ignoring Enji's grin, I ran straight up the stairs of my apartment with light steps, which were a far cry from the heavy steps I had taken a moment ago.

"Hey, Sho-chan! Tell me about today later!"

I sent a LINE message for the first time in a year as I ran up the stairs without using the elevator.

[Sorry, you left your umbrella behind.]

[Ugh, that sucks.]

With the umbrella as a catalyst, we promised to meet again.

Disclaimer :

"If you like this light novel, please help me with a donate to buy raw materials for future projects or encourage me to continue this light novel."

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