“Gasp!”
I was browsing the internet when I stumbled upon something amazing. I found snacks and ice cream with Lumi’s illustrations on them. And if you buy them, they even give you a chance to win a high-quality bromide as a gift.
But then I remembered that I got banned from eating too many snacks and ice cream yesterday. I really want that bromide… but to enter the raffle, I have to buy more snacks and ice cream. What a dilemma!
“Ugh…”
I blamed myself for eating so much yesterday. If only I hadn’t been caught, that bromide would’ve been mine!
But I couldn’t give up. I decided to come up with a plan, my eyes sparkling with determination. The plan was called “Seduce Bora.” I had to melt Bora’s heart with my ultimate charm while hanging out with her. Maybe then she’d lift the snack and ice cream ban.
Of course, I had to pick a date spot, but I could figure that out later. This wasn’t about me wanting to go out—it was all about securing Lumi’s bromide.
—
In the morning, I woke up and immediately got out of bed. As usual, I headed to brush my teeth and then checked Bora’s mood. Bora often came in the morning to eat with me. She’d watch TV and then take me to the restaurant once I was ready.
I hesitated a bit when I saw Bora. I don’t think I’ve ever asked her to hang out before. Usually, Bora or Haru would be the ones to suggest going somewhere.
But for Lumi, I had no choice. I steeled myself and called out to Bora.
“Bora!”
“Yeah? What’s up, Hana?”
Bora was focused on the TV and didn’t turn to look at me. Her lack of attention made me even more anxious. It felt like she wouldn’t listen to me, but I had to say it anyway.
I channeled the power of my dinosaur pajamas and spoke up again, louder this time.
“Bora!”
“Huh?”
“Let’s go out and play!”
Bora’s eyes widened in surprise. I guess it was shocking since I’m such a homebody. I’ve never asked to go out before, so she probably thought she misheard.
Seeing Bora’s flustered expression, I smiled confidently. Just a little more push, and I could get her to go out with me. Staying indoors was boring anyway, so going out wasn’t a bad idea.
I wagged my dinosaur tail and approached Bora. Slowly, I walked over and clung to her leg like a sticky bug. Looking up at her with teary eyes, I said, “I… I want to go out with you, Bora!”
Bora looked down at me, stuck to her leg like a cicada, and then smiled, ruffling my hair.
Her touch felt vivid, maybe because I had taken off my dinosaur hood. I pressed myself even closer to her leg.
Then, I added something I’d seen in a comic book. “I want to go out with just you, Bora. Not Haru or Bald Man. Is that okay?”
It felt like a confession, and I got embarrassed. I hung my head low but then looked up at her with pleading eyes.
“Ugh…”
Bora looked like she was holding something back as she stared at me. Her face turned red—was she angry? But then she suddenly picked me up and said, “If we’re going out, we need to get ready, right?”
My tail wagged left and right in the air. Bora carried me to the bathroom.
“Are you really going out with me, Bora?”
“Of course. If Hana wants it, I’ll do it. But I need to let the staff know first. Can you wash yourself alone?”
“Yep!”
With that, Bora headed to the office. I watched her leave, clenched my fists, and spun around in excitement. Phase one of the plan was a success! The first step was smoothly done, and the rest would be easier.
I then let myself relax under the shower. I had to wash up and change quickly. But my long hair made it hard for the water to drain properly.
After a quick wash, I started drying my hair.
“Ugh!”
But my long hair just wouldn’t dry easily. Stupid hairdryer! Still, after a few minutes of blowing, it was somewhat dry. I tied my hair into a ponytail, the only hairstyle I could manage. In the mirror, I looked… well, good enough!
I saw myself wearing just a light tee.
Now, all that was left was to put on some clothes. I tried to find the most mature-looking underwear I had, but most of them had cartoon characters on them. I thought about wearing the one with Lumi’s illustration, but it felt too childish. In the end, I went with a plain white pair without any designs.
After that, I went into the closet. I usually just throw on a colorful tee and some pants, but today was a special day.
I took a deep breath and prepared to put on a skirt. It was a bit embarrassing to think that I was putting on the kind of skirt that Bora or Haru would have to beg me to wear. But today, I needed to look as pretty as possible. To ask Bora for a favor, I had to melt her heart.
There, I found a cute and adorable outfit. I put on a yellow hoodie that reminded me of a chick and a yellow skirt. Dressed in yellow, I looked like a little chick myself. The weather outside was warm enough that I didn’t need thick stockings.
Still, showing bare legs felt a bit embarrassing, so I slipped on a thin pair of black stockings. Lately, I’ve been wearing stockings more than socks.
Once I was all dressed up, I stepped outside to find Bora already ready. She had ditched her lab coat and was dressed in casual clothes, exuding an incredible amount of femininity that women her age could flaunt.
Unlike me, who could only manage to look cute, Bora was a natural-born woman. I couldn’t help but feel a bit envious. Not because I wanted to be feminine, but because she had that mature charm. I swear, I’ve never been swayed by feminine charm!
“Oh my! Hana, you look great in that outfit!”
“Thanks!”
Bora had a good eye. As soon as she saw the outfit I had worked so hard to put together, her face lit up.
“Are you all ready, Hana?”
“Yep! I’m perfect, Bora.”
I hesitated between the dinosaur bag and the bag with Lumi’s illustration. But the one with Lumi felt a bit too childish, so I went with the safe choice—the dinosaur bag.
Today was supposed to be a mature date, so I didn’t want to carry anything that looked like it belonged to a kid.
“Your bag is cute, Hana!”
Bora complimented the bag I was carrying. But cute? This dinosaur bag was supposed to be fierce and intimidating…
“Uh-huh…”
“Alright, let’s head out! It’s been a while since I’ve had a date with Hana, huh?”
“I like hanging out with Bora too!”
As she said that, Bora picked me up and held me in her arms. I stayed still in her embrace. Being held like this made me feel taller, and it was nice. Feeling like an adult was surprisingly better than I expected.
Held in Bora’s arms, I managed to leave the building. Maybe because I’m still young or for some other reason, whenever I try to leave the building alone, the security guard always reports it to the office, so I’ve never gone out by myself.
Usually, Bora or Haru would come to the building entrance to pick me up after getting a call. Even at night, the security guards seem to never sleep, so leaving is tough. If I really wanted to, I could probably leave, but I didn’t feel like going out alone that much.
There wasn’t much around the Starlight Research Institute building to do alone. It wasn’t completely in the middle of nowhere, but you’d have to drive a while to get to the city.
And so, still in Bora’s arms, I got into the car. Bora seemed to be getting stronger. Maybe it’s because she ate that apple last time and got younger?
The distance from my room to the car wasn’t exactly short, but she carried me without breaking a sweat.
“Let’s go!!!”
I shouted energetically from the passenger seat. My heart was pounding with excitement at the thought of going out after so long.
Somehow, I had completely forgotten what the original goal was.
