nhp | (Sutamai) Daily Mini Talk, 31 August 2017

31 August 2017

Characters: Yamazaki Kaname.

Title: An important appointment

-School: Rooftop-

Rei: “Hello?”

Kaname: Is that you, Onee-san? Can you talk at the moment?

Rei: “Yep. It’s my lunch break so no problem. What’s up?”

Kaname: Do you have to stay back at work today?

Rei: “Er…… Hmmm, my plan is to leave on time today, but……”

Kaname: If that’s the case, then—

Sorry it’s sudden, but do you want to go to a late movie screening tonight?

I’ve got premium tickets to the advanced screening of “Truck Prince & Mechanic Princess”.1

1“Truck Prince & Mechanic Princess” is a play on Coly’s other otome love simulation game, “Drug Prince and Narcotics Girl”. The original Japanese is “magari hime” (rental princess) but to fit more nicely with the comparison, it was changed to “mechanic”.

Rei: “Are you kidding……!?”

Kaname: You said that you wanted to go see it, didn’t you?

I’ve also heard that the six princes will be there for a stage greeting.

Rei: “Nooo waaaaay……!”

For some reason, she sounded like she had just received a terrible shock.

Kaname: Are you okay?

Rei: “Hnnggghhhh……”

“I really really really want to go, but I’m sorry! I don’t think I can make it today.”

Kaname: Oh. You have plans already?

Rei: “...... Yeah. A really important appointment.”

“But thanks for inviting me and all.”

Kaname: Hmmm……

The movie that she had wanted to see that was sure to “blind a maiden’s eyes with it’s stunningness”, and the much-talked-of hotties…

Apparently…… she had a matter to attend to that was much more important than that.

Kaname: ……

“What sort of appointment?” I shoved down those words at the back of my throat.

It would probably be reasonable for any “normal friend” to ask such a question.

But I never knew the correct way to go about it despite questioning myself.

That’s why, at times like this, I would pretend that “the other person is Koya-kun” and think.

Kaname: …… Hmmm. So is it a date or something?

Rei: “Oh my gosh, what!?”

“No, no, definitely not……!”

I had meant to tease her by jokingly asking, and she had responded immediately with a denial.

Kaname: Hmmm…...

I answered quite indifferently, trying not to give away my relief……

But it was strangely boring to back down like this.

Kaname: …… That’s good to hear.

Rei: “Huh?...... Wait, huh? What do you mean by that—”

Kaname: Who knows? Laters.

Rei: “Wha—hold on—Kaname-kun……!”

Kaname: Yeah?

Rei: “Are you going to tonight’s advanced screening……?”

Kaname: No. Nothing will come out of it if I go by myself.

And there’s no one else that I can think of inviting either.

Rei: “I see…… Thank goodness.”

Kaname: Huh?......

Rei: “Oh, s-sorry! That’s just me talking! Like, I don’t mean that in a weird way or anything!”

“I didn’t mean any ill will by it, it’s just that today—”

“Oh, nothing really! So don’t mind me!”

I had no idea what was going on, but……

It was as if I could see the image of her being flustered and shaking her head repeatedly.

Kaname: ……

Rei: “...... You’re laughing at me.”

Kaname: Haha, sorry.

Rei: ……

She gave a cough and cleared her throat as if assuming composure.

Rei: “Fine. I’ll let you off for today as a special treat.”

Kaname: You spoil me.

Rei: “Haha. Oh! Bummer, my lunch break is ending.”

“Sorry Kaname-kun, I’ll talk to you again soon!”

Kaname: …… “Again soon”?

Rei: “! I mean, later! Another time!”

Kaname: ?

While I was feeling somewhat not completely satisfied with the explanation, I could hear the beeping tone informing me that the phone call had ended…...

Kaname: (Another time, huh……)

Our conversation was cut off rather normally, and I was left to ponder over the promise of “next time”.

Rei: (Happy birthday, Kaname-kun.)

The “important appointment”......

Only several hours more to go until it was time for Kaname’s surprise birthday party…...