Part 184: Let's go on a date! / Special?

Music: Gentle Everyday





I'm not that carefree at all.
She doesn't hear me out and it seems determined that we're going on a date.

"Wait, hold on…! Why are we going!?"


"Because I feel like it. You don't mind, right? We're not doing anything during daytime anyways. I won't let you run away now."

"I certainly don't mind, butyeah, what about Archer!? I bet he's against this!"

Shirou really just wants Archer to come with.


"I left Archer. I bet he's sleeping at my house right now."

""
I freeze.
…I can't beat her.


I can't talk Tohsaka down by myself.
If anyone can stop her, um

"That's right, Saber! What about Saber!?"




"Saber can come along as well."
Defeated.
All my cards are trumped in just one sentence.


"Have you accepted it now? Then let's hurry. We're going to forget we're Masters today and play our hearts out."
"Huhhold on, you idiot…!"
There's no time to be confused.
Tohsaka grabs my hand and runs out the door.






"I am surprised. So many people gather here on Sunday."
Saber looks at the town in wonder.
Her reaction is to be expected, since she has never seen the town in daylight.

"……"
I'm also stunned by the crowd.


"Well, where should we go? Do either of you have any requests?"
But.
Unlike us, Tohsaka is full of energy.

"Uh… That's troubling. I don't know any fun places."


"I thought so. How about Saber? Do you have anywhere you want to go?"




"Me…? No, I do not have any particular place I am interested in. First of all, I am Shirou's guard.
If this is a holiday for you two, please treat me as if I am not here."

"Wha-"


"Really? Then I can go wherever I want?
Ohh. If you don't have any requests, does that mean you guys will give me absolute obedience to whatever proposal I make?"

Something tells me she's not gonna pick skee ball.



I feel a chill.
Tohsaka's eyes are scary.

"H-Hold on, don't say it in a scary way!
First of all, I said I'd come with you, but I didn't say I'd go on a d-date with you. This is just to relax with the three of us"


"Too bad, this is what you call a date in society.
Come on, give up already. Girls will hate you if you're so persistent."

"Whalike who?"


"Who could it be? Well, I guess being stubborn may be a strong point. Right, Saber?"


"Yes, Shirou hates losing. His persistent mind is reassuring during battles."


"See. Isn't it good, Shirou?"

"Kuh"
Tohsaka smiles.
Man, what's so fun about making fun of me!?



"Well, let's go to Verde first of all. You two haven't eaten breakfast yet, right? We'll go window-shopping after a quick cup of tea to warm ourselves up."

Tohsaka starts walking.
I think Verde is the name of the new department store that opened up.


"Hey, I'll leave you if you're slow. The breakfast menu only goes on till ten o'clock, so we have to hurry."

"Wai"
She doesn't stop even if I stop her.
It seems Tohsaka will not even give me time to calm down.


"Shirou. Rin is walking away."
"Kuhgeez, fine! I'll go anywhere now!"
I slap myself on the cheeks and summon up some resolve.

"Let's go, Saber! Don't get lost!"


"Yes. Please do not lose sight of Rin."

We run together.
Tohsaka doesn't even turn around in the crowded town.
It seems she's absolutely certain that we'll follow her.

Music: Time Together



To be honest, I was just nervous for the first hour.
Everyone's paying attention to us wherever we go: bowling alley, cafe, shops…

Tohsaka stands out by herself.


Her vivid eye-catching red clothes and her long black hair.
Her colors would stand out on their own, but Tohsaka herself is beautiful.
It's natural for her to draw attention.



And Saber is standing next to her, so it doesn't even need to be said how gorgeous they look together.

But I wasn't nervous because of all the attention.
I realized that we were getting attention after my nervousness went away.
In short, I was just nervous about the fact that I'm on a date with Tohsaka.

I wasn't prepared at all, and I felt like I was in hell when we were in the cafe.
I can fight alongside her as a Master, but just the word "date" makes my heart jump.
We got so close that normal things have become difficult for me.

""
I thought the day would end like this.
I don't know what Tohsaka intended, but I was sure that I would go around town nervously until the day ended.

…That's why I thought it'd be better for us to go home quickly to have a strategy meeting.
So.
What kind of magic was cast to make it turn out like this?



"Wow, I laughed my heart out. You showed me some great stuff."
Tohsaka laughs while walking in the park.


"Really? I cannot tell. Shirou did not look like himself back then."


"That's what's good about it. I didn't think he would look so much like a rich nerdy kid just by putting glasses on. You should've bought that, Shirou."
Tohsaka must have loved it as she's still laughing.



I got involved as well, and one of the glasses just got her laughing.
It was a pair of thick formal glasses that she made me put on.

"…Man, forget about it already. Look, I'm never going to wear glasses ever again. I have a young-looking face, so I won't allow myself to look any younger."


"Huh? Oh, so you were self-conscious, huh? But I don't think it's a problem. I don't have an issue with the way you are now."

"There is a problem with the way I am now! I can't help it about my face, but I need more height!"


"Oh. I think you have an average height, Emiya-kun."
"It's not average. And I'll be better able to brace myself if I'm taller, right? I need at least Issei's height."

Somebody's been admiring other men.


"You don't have to worry. You'll still grow."
"…I'm glad to hear that, but what's the reasoning behind that?"




"Huh? Um, well… you have a firm build, so you'll grow if you get the right nutrition, right? I thought you'd grow if you used photosynthesis."
"What plant are you talking about? Don't treat me like some kind of a flower."



"No. I'll ignore it. …Well, I guess I can look forward to it if you say so."


"Yeah. I can't make any promises about your height, but you'll be a great guy. You have my guarantee on that, Shirou."
"Wha"
W-Why does she have to say such an embarrassing thing!?


"Hah, you're so embarrassed. I like you since your emotions show up on your face."
"!"
S-She's playing around with me.
She's definitely playing around with me.

"Guh, you evil woman! Is it fun to tease a guy your own age!?"



……God.
Please show her your wrath with divine punishment.
Not just for my sake, but for the sake of all the guys at my school.


"Oh, let's stop playing around with Shirou and get on with the date. Do you want to let some stress out before lunch?"
She fists her hand and swings it.

"…Could it be…?"
I'm sure of it. She's making "that" gesture.
But would a girl come out and say she wants to go to such a place…?


"It's a batting cage, of course. Don't tell me you don't know it."
The (former) school idol asks me seriously.

"Of course I know!
What I want to say is that batting cages aren't for girls"
Saying that, I imagine Tohsaka going into the batter's box.





When did this become a plus disc?

"…………"
…Crap. It does look strange, but why does she seem so reliable?


"What, do you want to go to an aquarium instead? I think they had penguin army versus the giant seal, the flaming freezing match, but it's a third rate attraction."






"Huh? Well, it's something you should be good at. It's an integration of all your physique, considered to be training in some cases."
Wow.
Tohsaka's putting it in a ridiculous way.


"Hm. I cannot ignore that."


"Yeah, you should try it since it feels so good. I bet you'll be able to win all the prizes there."
She agitates Saber irresponsibly and starts walking again.

"Sigh."
I watch her, then run after her since it can't be helped.
There's no point arguing against Tohsaka's energy.
I can't stop her, and I also kind of like being pulled around like this.

I always knew Shirou was a catcher.

Music: Stop



…It was really fun.
The town I only used to walk by…
I didn't know all the things I didn't involve myself in were so meaningful.

""
As soon as I think so, something like a cage falls on me, and I understand.
I don't deserve this.
I'm unworthy of all this.
It tells me so from deep down within me.



Music: Time Together







Tohsaka sighs next to me.
She also…


"Oh, I'll only play one game. My hands will get rough if I swing the bat too much."
…Said something like that, but ended up playing another game with Saber, and ended up complaining afterwards about how her shoulders and hands were tired.


"What are you saying? You only played twice. I played five times. And with the fastest speed too!
…Man. Saber would get mad if I went easy and sulk if I beat her too bad. It was a hellish hour."


"I-I did not sulk! I was only filled with spirit. First of all, this is nothing compared to the fights in the dojo. It is your fault for getting that tired."

"I get it. Saber's one that gets mad when she gets beaten in games, huh?"
I sigh and wobble on.

So here's what I found out today. One, do not gamble with Saber.
Two, a rule where the winner is the one to have ten more hits than the opponent can end up in an infinite hell if the ones playing are at about the same level.
And lastly, Saber is physically weaker than us if she does not use her magical energy.

…Or rather, is Tohsaka the strange one for hitting back 120kmph balls like nothing?
It's natural since Saber is the smallest one out of all of us, but I guess Tohsaka is rather strong for a girl.



Even a girl can hit if the swing speed and the angles are right."

"Well, that's for one or two pitches. The problem is after that. Your arm would usually cramp up. Do you do push-ups or something before you go to bed? That's the only reason I can think of."
My voice is heavy with sarcasm.
But.


"…I-I do. What? Is that bad?"
"Uh, no. …Nice."
She replies like that, so I'm the one that gets beat.

"L-Let's have lunch. It's past two already. I'm starting to get dizzy since I haven't eaten."
A family restaurant by the bridge should be a good place around here.
There are lots of choices on the menu, so I'm sure Saber won't complain.

"Is that fine with you, Tohsaka? It's not like you had a plan on where to go eat, right?"
I call out to Tohsaka.



"Oh, okay. So where is this place you want to go to?"

"……Here."
"Huh? What do you mean by that?"



"I mean here. It's so sunny out, so we're gonna eat here in the park."

…I look around.
I don't see any cafe, nor even a hotdog stand.

"Tohsaka. Don't tell me you're going to get delivery or something."


"…Hey now. What do you think is in that tote bag you've been carrying all this time?"
"Huh?"

Oh.
Come to think of it, she did hand me a bag to carry this morning.

"…Hm. This kind of smells like mustard. So this must be…"


"It's lunch, of course. Didn't I tell you that I prepared some?"

She glares at me.
…I think she did say something like that.

"Wow, I'm surprised. I didn't think you would put so much effort into this."



"Oh, the mystery's solved now. You used the bread for this, huh?
I thought you ate it because you got hungry at night. It sounds like too much to eat a whole loaf, but I thought it might be possible in your case."

Wow, everything's solved now.
There are no more worries on my chest now.



"Oh."
When I look back up, Tohsaka is making a scary face.

"Emiya-kun?"
"Y-Yes? What is it, Tohsaka?"

"Can you stop talking and start preparing for lunch? Everything's in that tote bag. Oh, and I'll kill you if you're too slow."
"Ohyes, I'll do my best."

I quickly make a space on the grass.
…Man, that was scary.
It's bad for my heart to have her say something that doesn't sound like a joke with that big smile…

Music: Tender Scenery



So.
Lunch starts two hours late.



"Oh, what's wrong, Shirou? Why are you spaced out?
…Oh, do you hate spicy food?"



She's right next to me.
Tohsaka says so from a close distance.

"Ehno, it's fine. It's really strong, but this is good."
I say so and take another bite.



"Really? That's good. It's a talent to be able to make a bad sandwich, right? I thought for a second I got that useless talent."
Tohsaka laughs.

""
If I looked spaced out, it's probably because she's dazzling to my eyes.








"Oh, you have a piece of tomato on your lip. Should I get it off for you?"
"Bu…! W-W-W-W-W-What are you saying!? I can do it myself!"


I wipe my mouth with my sleeve.

"Oh."
…Crap.
I got a red stain on my sleeve now.


"Geez, I guess I played around too much. I'm sorry, it was too funny because you gave me the exact reaction I wanted."

Tohsaka hands me a napkin. I don't know if she's laughing or apologizing.

"Heh. I don't care. It's been like this all day today."
I take the napkin and wipe my sleeve with it.
The red stain isn't coming out.
…Hm. Looks like Tohsaka's using some original sauce.
The stain is in there and doesn't look like it'll come out easily.

"But just you watch. I'm going to learn from today's experience and be less perturbed starting tomorrow. Don't think it'll go your way forever."



That's good. I was getting bored with putting a mask on."
The red devil smiles back.

"…Uh, I take that back. It'll take some time, so it'll help me if you keep it as it is now."


"Really? If you say so. But tell me when you want me to go to the next level, okay? I'll knock you out without reservation."

"Damn. I'll get you someday."
I'm not making excuses, but it sounds like an excuse.
…It's somehow really vexing, so I decide to take it out on the sandwich in front of me.



I eat the sandwiches.
I was hungry and it's Tohsaka's handmade meal, so I'm going to eat all of it myself.
…Well, actually, Saber already ate about a third of it.

So Saber and I munch down the sandwiches.
Tohsaka must be full, as she just stares at us.



"Your body seems to be doing well. I guess I don't have to hold back in the afternoon."

She makes an evil smile again.
It's that smile.
She's more looking forward to seeing me worn out then what she's actually going to do.

"Heh, don't take me too lightly. I won't be exhausted just by having you pull me around. With yesterday aside, I've been doing well all day today."

"I see. Then I guess you're all right."



Tohsaka sighs with relief and reaches out for a sandwich.
It's as if she's saying her burden's gone now.

"……?"
The moment I wonder why she said that…
"Oh."
Everything fits together.



That's fine.
But Archer, the one who wasn't there at that time, knew about the projection because Tohsaka told him about it.
Then.
As Tohsaka told Archer about our battle against Caster, wouldn't Archer tell Tohsaka about the penalty on my body?

"Tohsaka."
"Uh, what?"
"Why did you come to my house yesterday? And it's strange for you to stay over. I didn't notice all this yesterday because of Fuji-Nee."

""
A brief moment.
But I hear Tohsaka gasp.



"I don't have a reason. It was just a whim. I thought that it might be fun once in a while."
"I see. It was certainly fun last night."
"Right?"
"Yeah. But thank you."



"!"
Wow.
She turned red in an instant.



"W-W-W-W-What are you thinking…!? I-I wasn't concerned about you!"
"I know, it's not good to have your ally die. That's why you came to check up on me, right?"



"Uh… T-That's right. You're pretty smart."
"Yeah. But I'm still thankful.
I don't know what your intentions were, but I'm sure you cared for me."

"……"
She groans in dissatisfaction.
Her gesture's so cute that it makes me smile.

"I see, I get it."
I kind of understand now how Tohsaka feels.
It feels really great embarrassing someone you like.

Music: Stop



The sky is filled with clouds, and it looks like it could start raining any moment now.

"…I guess it can't be helped. We don't have any umbrellas, so let's go home."
There's no objection.
It's Tohsaka who started this, so it's her duty to finish it as well.