CH 43

“Come on now, let’s go!”

“Give me a break already…”

Currently, Momoi and I were having a light argument.

Because―

“Why can’t you ride the merry-go-round with me?”

This is because I refused Momoi’s offer to ride the merry-go-round with me.

It seems that Momoi just wants to ride the merry-go-round.

I thought she was a little childish, but I told her it was okay.

However, that was because I thought that Momoi would be riding alone.

Furthermore, Momoi insisted that I had to ride with her.

Apart from that, she didn’t want to ride in a carriage or a car.

It’s just, she wants us to ride together on a close horse.

Let’s be honest here, that’s impossible!

There’s no way I could do something so embarrassing!

“As I said earlier, we’re too old for that kind of thing, you know?”

“It doesn’t matter as long as you don’t mind your surroundings!”

“Well, I do!”

“Mou~…”

At my words, Momoi sulked again.

Or rather, do you really have to say “Mou~…” everytime?

I’ve been hearing it a lot from Momoi lately.

“Even though it’s my birthday today…”

“Ugh…”

I thought Momoi was sulking, but now she turned her head away with a sad expression.

Oh, come on!

That expression is not fair!

“Okay, fine. But only once, okay?”

In the end, I was broken by Momoi’s expression and said so.

“Really!? Yay!”

She then smiled and got in line.

…There are many people in the line who are either kids with their friends or parents with their children.

Some of the men and women looked like couples, but they still stood out because of all the children around them.

I sympathized with the man.

He’s in the same boat as me, his girlfriend must have been selfish with him.

Well, Momoi is not my girlfriend, but my sister-in-law…

A man who rides with his girlfriend might still be better in terms of feeling…

Still though, I’m not sure why I have to ride with her…

I thought about this, but I held back my embarrassment and lined up next to Momoi―.

“Next, I want to ride this!”

The ride that Momoi pointed to was a coffee cup.

It’s still a relatively better ride than the merry-go-round we just went on earlier.

Earlier, I was so embarrassed that I felt like I was going to burst into flames…

I’m not sure why Momoi kept staring at me with a great smile when we got on the merry-go-round, and the people around us, both men and women, kept pointing at us and saying something.

I couldn’t hear what they were saying because of the distance, but I’m sure they were making fun of us for being old enough to be on a merry-go-round.

Momoi must have been looking at my embarrassment with amusement.

I really made up my mind that I would never ride on a merry-go-round ever again.

I’d rather ride the coffee cup than the merry-go-round where I had such a bad experience.

―But such thoughts were blown away by Momoi, as if in mockery.

“Momoi… isn’t this a bit close..?”

“No, it’s not! This is the correct way to ride a coffee cup!”

We were currently riding on the coffee cup at a distance where our shoulders almost collided with each other.

Momoi insisted that this distance was normal, so I didn’t ask further.

This is strange…

Why did she have to sit right next to me even though the seat directly in front of me was empty…?

I couldn’t shake the question, but since Momoi was being stubborn again and it was her birthday, I just went along with it.

However― Momoi was so cute today that being in such close proximity to her made my face start to heat up.

And as always, the eyes of the general public were focused on us.

I was tempted to ask, “Are you guys having fun observing other people at an amusement park?” but there were too many people to ask such a thing.

“Wow, this is so fun!”

一Momoi, who was spinning in the coffee cup with me, said so and gave me a smile.

I turned my face away from Momoi.

It’s no good…

This girl is just so cute today, I can’t look directly at her…

Nevertheless, I can’t just leave Momoi like this.

“You’re right.”

So I briefly answered Momoi.

….Shut up, my head isn’t working properly!

I can’t think of any words!

However, Momoi didn’t seem too bothered by my short answer and smiled at me.

I was relieved to see Momoi like that.

Today is Momoi’s birthday, and I want her to have a good time.

…But, we’re not going to ride the merry-go-round anymore, are we?

This and that are two different things!

In my head, I adamantly refuse to ride the merry-go-round again, which is becoming slightly traumatic.

So we got off the coffee cup and headed for the Ferris wheel.

I don’t know if it’s natural anymore, but Momoi sat next to me on the Ferris wheel as well.

It was really unnerving to be approached like this in such a small enclosed space.

I couldn’t help but wonder how Momoi could be so smug and composed in such a situation.

Maybe, it’s because she doesn’t see me as a man…

“Wow― You can get a great view of the city from here!”

As the Ferris wheel approached the top, Momoi shouted happily as she took in the view.

The view from here is not of our city, but I guess she’s happy with the view.

When I saw Momoi, I felt complicated and wanted to sigh―.

Ehehe~, I’m riding the Ferris wheel next to Umi-kun…

I was able to sit next to him on the coffee cup and ride the merry-go-round with him.

They were the ones that I had my sights set on, the ones that couples would definitely want to ride if they were going on a date at an amusement park.

Umi-kun was very reluctant to go on the merry-go-round, but in the end he went on it with me, and since I had put him on the hardest one first, he easily accepted the coffee cup, which he would have been embarrassed about.

Since then, the fact that we always sat next to each other, he didn’t say anything when I sat next to him on the Ferris wheel.

These were the date plans I had come up with for today.

I really wanted Umi-kun to lead the date, but I knew that he would probably want to hear my opinion.

So I came up with a date plan in advance.

I was hoping that this would make Umi-kun more conscious of me even for just a bit―But, the result was far better than what I had expected.

Because since a while ago, Umi-kun’s cheeks are getting redder.

Besides, I thought of Umi-kun’s embarrassed face as cute.

Which is why I want to try to embarrass him even more.

However, if I get carried away too much, I might make Umi-kun angry and end up destroying ourselves like before, so I had to be careful about that…

Also, this was for my own protection.

It was also a way to prevent myself from riding the roller coaster by pulling him along.

…After all, roller coasters are really scary!

It’s something no one should ever ride!

Like, why do they turn upside down?

Also, it’s weird that the only thing holding you down is the lever!

If you don’t hold yourself in place, what if the lever malfunctions and goes up?

I definitely don’t want to ride a roller coaster.

That’s why, Umi-kun, I’ll guide you well!

“―Hey, I’ve been on a lot of quiet rides, so I wanted to go on a roller coaster for a change, is that okay?”

“Ah, yeah!”

Umi-kun talked to me while I was thinking, so I answered him as soon as I could.

…Eh?

What did you say just now….?

A roller coaster…?

“Did you like roller coasters, Umi-kun…?”

“No, not really. It’s just that I’ve been on a lot of quiet ones and I wanted some stimulation. If you’re scared, I’ll stop.”

“No, I’m fine!”

I replied to Umi-kun’s question.

…But, I can’t help it!

Umi-kun said he wanted to go for a ride!

How could I refuse!?

But you don’t have to do this the moment I make up my mind not to ride roller coasters!

It’s just too much!

Besides, it’s not that I don’t like roller coasters, it’s just that all the slow ones I’ve ridden have made me want to go on them, which is ultimately self-defeating!

Why is it that every time I think I’m doing well, something like this happens!?

Mou, give me a break already…

I was in tears as I rode the roller coaster with Umi-kun after this―.