Chapter 136: At the practice range

To be honest, I hadn’t had time to talk to “Winter” on Discord. It felt weird to ask, “Are you really a guy who turned into a girl?” right off the bat. And our shared interest in web novels… well, she mainly read male-oriented web novels, so our tastes didn’t quite align.

I used to prefer male-oriented web novels in my past life, but… I was really into romance now. Though, not BL. I didn’t like that.

It was probably for the best. I didn’t want to get too close to my cousin’s girlfriend and cause unnecessary misunderstandings or drama.

The more important message was the one from Aya.

Aya: Want to go to the dance studio this weekend to practice for the ball…?

My heart skipped a beat when I read her message. I couldn’t even reply properly, just staring at the screen, my face burning, as my cousin watched.

The weekend arrived. We were meeting at a dance studio in Shinjuku that Aya had reserved. I’d become accustomed to navigating Tokyo’s complex subway system. I even knew which exits were most convenient. Was this also considered… growth?

Aya was already waiting when I arrived. She was wearing a coat and a scarf against the early winter chill, looking like a painting. So beautiful.

“Aya!”
“Rina, you’re here.”

Aya greeted me with her usual gentle smile. It always made my face warm.

“Where’s Mizuki?”
“She went to practice with her fiancé.”

Ah… Mizuki, fighting! Be happy.
So… it was just the two of us.

Lately, especially after the poster incident and the tea party, being alone with Aya felt… awkward. Even casual encounters made my heart race.

“…You don’t want to be alone with me?”

“No! Of course not! I’m happy…!” I said quickly, waving my hands, and Aya smiled and took my hand.

“Heehee, so where should we go first? We still have some time before our reservation…”
“Huh? Weren’t we going straight to the studio?”

“Yes, but… I wanted to spend some time with you, Rina. We made a promise, remember?”

Aya looked away shyly. Hmm~ She’d “misremembered” the reservation time. She wanted to be on a date with me. Then I’d be the assertive one!

“Then let’s look around. I’m assuming you’ve already eaten… Where should we go~? How about we just walk around?”

Aya nodded, smiling brightly. “Sure. It’s nice to just walk and talk.”

We strolled through the streets of Shinjuku, enjoying the bustling atmosphere.

“Do you come here often, Rina?”
“Not really. I mostly just go between home and school… I’m too busy studying.”
“Me too. It’s nice being here with you, Rina.”

Aya’s smile was so cute that I was momentarily speechless. Shinjuku, being a major commercial district, was full of interesting shops and people.

Then a sign caught my eye.

“A Samurai Museum…?”
“Huh? I didn’t know there was a place like this.”

We looked at each other, intrigued. I quickly searched on my phone. It seemed to be a relatively new museum.

“Want to go in? They have samurai costumes you can try on.”
“Sure, that sounds fun.”

We entered the museum on a whim.

****

The Samurai Museum was a bit cluttered at first glance. Various suits of armor, helmets, and swords were on display. The old-fashioned interior made it feel like we’d stepped back in time.

“Wow… This place is interesting.”
“Aya, look at this! It’s so cool!”

We were both fascinated by Japanese culture. Aya was half-Danish, and I had memories of my past life in another country.

Perhaps that was why Aya was acting less like her usual elegant self and more like an excited child.

Halfway through the museum, we reached an interactive exhibit, and a staff member approached us.

“We have a samurai costume experience event. Would you two like to participate?”
“A costume experience?”
“Yes, you can try on samurai armor and hold a sword. We’ll also take commemorative photos.”

I looked at Aya, and she replied, her eyes sparkling,

“If Rina wants to, I’m okay with it.”
“Yeah, let’s do it!”

I still felt a slight aversion to overly “Japanese” things because of my past-life memories, but seeing Aya’s excitement made that aversion disappear. We were citizens of the world, not just Japan. I’d even promised Sena-senpai that I’d visit her in the Netherlands.

Following the staff member’s instructions, we entered a small room and put on samurai armor. The armor was heavier than I’d expected, and it felt strange and exciting. Aya chose a beautifully embroidered red suit, and I chose a blue one.

“Rina, it suits you.”
“You look… cool too, Aya…?”

We smiled awkwardly at each other, and the staff member handed us replica katanas.

“Try posing with these. I’ll take a picture!”

I was a little nervous about having my picture taken, but I playfully pointed my sword at Aya.

“Okay, one, two, three!”

Click!

We burst out laughing after the picture was taken.

“Heehee, we looked like real samurai, didn’t we?”
“Yeah, you look surprisingly good holding a sword, Rina.”

“Please send us the picture!”
“Of course!”

We left the museum, smiling brightly.

“That was surprisingly fun.”
“Me too! I didn’t know I liked this kind of thing.”
“Yeah. It was probably more fun because I was with you, Rina.”

Aya’s casual flirting… it was dangerous!
It was around 2 PM when we left the Samurai Museum. We looked at each other, smiling shyly, then checked our phones almost simultaneously.

“It’s almost time to go to the dance studio.”
“Ah, right! Should we grab a drink on the way?”

I suggested, and Aya nodded cheerfully.
We stopped at a nearby café. I got milk tea, and Aya chose iced tea. We walked towards the dance studio, drinks in hand.

The dance studio looked quite spacious from the entrance. Inside, we were greeted by a clean, modern interior and a large, open dance floor.

“Wow… This is where we’re practicing?”
“Yes. What do you think? Do you like it?”

I looked around and nodded, then noticed something strange.

“Wait, Aya… This is too big. Are you sure this is the right place?”

“Yes, it is.”
“B-But… why is no one here?”

Aya looked away, a faint blush on her cheeks.

“…Actually, I rented the entire studio today.”
“Eh…?! The entire studio?!”

My mind went blank. She’d rented the entire studio, just for us…? I hadn’t expected this from Aya, who usually seemed self-conscious about being the center of attention.

“Aya… You didn’t have to…”

“But I wanted to spend some time alone with you, Rina…” Aya’s voice trailed off, unusual for her.

“I thought it would be better to practice… without other people around. …Did you not like it?”

“No! I love it! I was just… surprised. Thank you, Aya.”
“As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters.”

Aya smiled and led me to the center of the dance floor, holding my hand. We placed our drinks on the side and faced each other.

We were alone. The silence was so profound that I could almost hear our breaths.

“Shall we begin?”

Aya sat down, turned on the music, and then looked at me, a gentle smile on her face, and held out her hand.
I took her hand, my heart pounding, trying to calm the butterflies in my stomach.

A private dance studio, just for the two of us… I wished this moment could last forever.