A Very Popular Idol Classmate Has Taken a Liking to Me, A Person Who Doesn't Want to Work for W

Act 1 - The Hungry Idol Part

6-1 Aquarium Date

I was having a strange dream.

I think it was a dream about a party I went to some time ago, but after a while, I forgot most of the details.

But it seemed to be a very important memory.

I got up from the bed and walked towards the washer.

I put all the clothes I had accumulated into the washer and let it run for about an hour.

I killed time with my morning coffee, and when the laundry was done, I hung them out on the balcony.

This was the first time I had done laundry since I came to this house, but I had been repeating this for many years now.

Today was Sunday, but Rei and the others were not at home.

Apparently, they had to record a program to announce a live concert, and they wouldn't be home until the evening.

I was told that lunch would be served backstage, so there was no work for me until she came back.

But that's only in here in this place.

I have a job as an assistant for Yuzuki-sensei, which I got on a whim.

"Phewwwh......" (Rintaro)

I hung up my last T-shirt and left the house.

I got on my bicycle, which I hadn't had much chance to use before, and headed for Yuzuki-sensei's workplace.

After all, one of the most convenient things about moving to a new place is that I don't have to take the train to get to her place.

I parked my bike at the bottom of the apartment building and went into the workplace.

There were only Yuzuki-sensei's shoes at the entrance, so it seemed that the other assistants hadn't arrived yet.

I forgot to mention that Yuzuki-sensei does not live in this room.

She rented an apartment as her workplace within walking distance from her house in order to get her daily exercise.

To add to that, she neglected her household chores so much that I sometimes took charge of cleaning up her room.

I think it's about once a month.

Let's just say that the level of messiness of her room is such that I'm amazed that she can make such a mess every time.

"Good morning, Yuzuki-sensei." (Rintaro)

"Ah, Rintaro! I'm sorry, although it's a precious holiday for a high school student." (Himiko)

"Rei was also at work, so I was free today, which was perfectly fine. What should I do first?" (Rintaro)

"I'd like you to do some beta-coloring for me. I'm working on a comic this month, and I'm going to draw a limited edition short story for it." (Himiko)

"Aah, that's a lot of work for your schedule." (Rintaro)

"You're totally right...... I've been told that I can keep the page count low, but even so, I'll have to pick up the pace pretty fast to make it." (Himiko)

"Hello~ I am pemudatunawisata[dot]my[dot]id"

In the first place, she hasn't even finished the manuscript for this month.

If she has to start another story while she's working on that one, she might have to prepare herself for the same level of hardship as she did in May.

"Let's do our best. I'm going to do my best to help." (Rintaro)

"Uuuu...... Rintaro is such a kind boy...... I'll give you lots of extra money for your part-time job." (Himiko)

"I'm looking forward to it." (Rintaro)

It was still before nine o'clock.

By nine o'clock, the other assistants would be here.

I'm a slow worker, so I need to get some work done before then.

Unlike me, the assistants are all trying to make a living from manga, so there's no way I can keep up with them in terms of technique.

"Ah, that's right. Rintaro, why don't you go to this place?" (Himiko)

"Eh?" (Rintaro)

"Hello~ I am pemudatunawisata[dot]my[dot]id"

Suddenly, Yuzuki-sensei placed two tickets on my desk.

They seemed to be free tickets to the aquarium.

"Why did Sensei give me tickets to the aquarium?" (Rintaro)

"Apparently, one of my assistants got dumped by his girlfriend....... They were actually planning to go there together, but he gave these to me because it was too hard for him to go alone. I've never had anyone to go with me, so I've had a lot on my plate. But if it's Rintaro, you can go with Otosaki-san, right?" (Himiko)

"Well, it might be true, but...... Unlike me, she is a busy person. So, it's probably a waste of time." (Rintaro)

"You can at least ask her about it. If she can't, you can give it to someone at school." (Himiko)

"Ah, in that case..." (Rintaro)

At any rate, I put the ticket away in my wallet.

I'll try to ask Rei out first as she said, but if she can't, I'll just give these tickets to Yukio.

Some might think that I should just ask Yukio out myself, but————personally, I don't like the idea of asking someone out because the first person couldn't make it.

It made me feel as if I'm telling the other person that he/she is the second-best.

I'd rather not ask him out than feel that way.

"It's your first date, isn't it, Rintaro? Ufufufufu. Let me know the outcome of the date, okay?" (Himiko)

"It's somewhat lame of you to try to make fun of others when you've never done it yourself, isn't it, Yuzuki-sensei?" (Rintaro)

"You just said something you shouldn't have to!" (Himiko)

The cry of the manga artist, who had never had a boyfriend in her life, echoed through the room.

◇◆◇

On the evening of the day I finished my work as a temporary assistant, I was stirring my Japanese-style curry so it wouldn't burn, and thinking about the aquarium tickets Yuzuki-sensei had given me.

"Hmmm...... no matter how I put it, it just looks exactly like an invitation for a date, doesn't it?" (Rintaro)

A man invites a woman to go to the aquarium. And it's just the two of them.

I was strangely conscious of it because Mia had asked me something weird yesterday.

I don't mean to be like this, but...... I've been feeling some kind of uncomfortable tension for a while now.

"I'm home." (Rei)

"This is a Translation Content of pemudatunawisata[dot]my[dot]id. so, read only on there, kay~"

The front door opened and Rei walked into the living room.

I have gotten so used to this relationship of she's saying "I'm home" and I greet her "Welcome home" that I cannot take it as discomfort anymore.

"Oh, welcome home." (Rintaro)

"! Is today a Curry?" (Rei)

"Yeah. I made a Japanese-style curry with soup stock. I've changed the ingredients a little, so let me know what you think." (Rintaro)

"Yup." (Rei)

Rei, who sounded a little excited, washed her hands and came back.

In the meantime, I placed the white rice in a bowl, poured the roux over it, and placed it on the table. The aroma of spices and soup stock mingled together, filling the room with an appetizing smell different from the usual curry.

""Let's dig in!"" (Rintaro, Rei)

"This is a Translation Content of pemudatunawisata[dot]my[dot]id. so, read only on there, kay~"

I took a spoonful of the curry and put it in my mouth.

The aroma was even stronger than the smell that filled the room.

Yup,――――this is good.

I think part of it is that I was hungry from hard work, but even without that, it's pretty good.

I think this is going to be my favorite menu item.

"Yummy......! This tastes different from the usual curry." (Rei)

"Thank goodness. I did a little research on the Internet before I made it, but I had a general idea." (Rintaro)

In the end, Rei ended up having two refills, reducing the curry she had made to just one plate, and the dinner was over.

And as usually we had done, Rei and I sipped our after-dinner coffee and watched TV leisurely.

"When's the show you guys recorded today going to air?" (Rintaro)

"It's about two weeks later." (Rei)

"Hee......." (Rintaro)

While having an idle conversation, I glanced at the time.

――――It's about the time, I guess.

I took out the tickets I had in my pocket and placed one in front of Rei.

"Rintaro, what's this?" (Rei)

"Aquarium tickets. Yuzuki-sensei gave it to me. She wanted me and Rei to go there together." (Rintaro)

Rei looked at the ticket and at me with a dumbfounded expression.

I'm not sure what to do.

"...... Well, It's pretty dangerous for an idol to be in an aquarium together with a guy. It's a bad idea no matter what, so you can just say no if it is impossible." (Rintaro)

"――――go." (Rei)

"Pardon?" (Rintaro)

"I wanna go......! I'll definitely go with you!" (Rei)

"This is a Translation Content of pemudatunawisata[dot]my[dot]id. so, read only on there, kay~"

Rei suddenly leaned forward and said so in a louder voice than ever before.

That momentum made me taken aback involuntarily.

"O-oh......, I see." (Rintaro)

"I'll be sure to disguise myself so that I won't be recognized. I'm off next Saturday, so that should be fine." (Rei)

"O-okay, okay! That day is fine!" (Rintaro)

And so, our aquarium date was smoothly confirmed.