Chapter 5: Like a perfectly matched couple.

It was like watching a pair of perfectly matched lovebirds—so embarrassingly sweet that, honestly, I don’t remember much of what happened afterward. All I know is that we quickly finished the leader’s errand and called it a day.

This world has status screens and item boxes, so we stuffed our purchases into the latter and now find ourselves casually strolling through town.

Holding hands? Nah, we didn’t hold hands. By the time we entered the store, I’d snapped back to my senses and let go like it was nothing.

No way I’d let some clerk think we were a couple.

Too late? Screw you, idiot!

Anyway, we powered through the errand in one go.

…And it took less than an hour. This is bad.

---

"Hey, hey, what’s the plan, Yous? If we head back to the inn like this, we’re gonna get kicked out on the spot."

"…Tricky situation."

At my sigh, Yous frowns, looking just as troubled. Right now, we’re leaning against a wall in some back alley, strategizing while keeping an eye out for any tails.

No matter how you look at it, this isn’t a date—but then again, a normal date was never the expectation between us in the first place.

"Speaking of, Yous, if you knew this was coming, you could’ve at least planned something that looked like a date."

"I would’ve if I could! Normally, you’d take time to plan this stuff out—you don’t just decide and execute on the same day!"

"Plan, huh?"

Let’s be real—this guy’s experience with women boils down to work-related schmoozing. There’s no way he’s ever spent private one-on-one time with a woman before. If he had planned this while still in work mode, who knows what kind of disaster we’d be dealing with.

"Besides, even if I had thought about it, you caught me off guard and blew all my ideas away…"

"Hm? Say something?"

"Nothing. You’re really just your usual self, Rina."

Well, yeah, I’ve calmed down by now.

Alright, let’s think this through. Might as well poke the so-called ladies’ man into coming up with something convincing.

"So then, Mr. Smooth. If you had to plan an actual date from here, what’d you do?"

"…Even if you ask me that, this isn’t a normal date. I’m already out of my depth—how am I supposed to know the right answer?"

"Meaning?"

Well, he’s not wrong about it not being normal.

"Is it even a date if we’re just doing what we were told?"

"…Guess not."

"Exactly. This isn’t something we started—it’s an order the leader gave us."

Now that he mentions it, he’s right.

This is a task assigned to us.

In other words—it’s work.

The only difference is that it feels more like a kid’s errand.

We were even given extra funds beyond what was needed, with the loose change acting as a little bonus to buy snacks.

"That said… if I had to make it look the part…"

"Yeah, yeah?"

"First, the other person has zero experience with dating. Being escorted by a man probably doesn’t even register, so what matters is the experience itself."

In short, his point is that we should focus on feeling like a date.

Kinda feels like I’m being treated like a kid, but given that my experience with romance is below amateur level, I can’t really complain.

"Two key points. First, lunch at a place with couples-only perks."

"We ain’t babysitting here."

"And we’re below amateur level when it comes to dating, no?"

"…Fair."

By the way, neither of us has eaten lunch yet.

We skipped it, assuming we’d grab something while out.

Yuse holds up two fingers and continues.

"Second, dinner at the fanciest restaurant in town. The contrast will make it feel like we’ve ascended to adulthood, right?"

"Hmm… Sounds convincing in theory, but… isn’t this straight out of some storybook?"

"What else am I supposed to do?! My experience with women is limited to drinking and talking, okay?"

Hah. What a terrible thing to admit.

Turns out, this guy’s more of a romantic than I thought—seems he’s got some idealized vision of dating. Not like I can judge, but his dating fantasies are none of my business anyway.

Actually—

Alright.

"…Then let’s go with that."

"……Huh?"

Yous blinks, caught off guard.

What’s with that reaction? Weren’t you the one who suggested it?

"I’m saying we’ll go with your plan. Lunch at a couples-only spot, right? You do know a place, don’t you? I’m starving—we haven’t eaten anything yet. Hurry up and lead the way."

"W-Wait, but—"

Even if he’s never actually been, there’s no way a place like that hasn’t come up in bar talk at least once.

This time, I don’t grab his hand as I step out of the alley.

No way I’m doing something that embarrassing again.

"—What’s wrong? Losing your nerve, Mr. Smooth?"

I smirk, deliberately needling him.

Pfft. Look at him, totally dumbstruck. Serves him right.

Ah, yes… There was a time when I actually felt smug about this.

"…Hey, Yous."

"What is it, Rina?"

Ugh… Uuuuuuuugh…

"…Do we really have to do this?"

"You’re the one who insisted."

Fair point.

—Currently, we’re sitting in a restaurant that offers couples-only services.

This world’s cultural level is different from modern Earth’s—skill trees and all—but the fundamentals are advanced enough that places like this exist without issue.

Bless this isekai for having baths, bras, and sanitary products.

Anyway, that’s why we’re here, staring at the "service" in front of us—

—Namely, that drink. The one with two straws stuck in it.

The straws are twisted into a heart shape.

It’s so over-the-top it’s almost ridiculous.

"Come on! Who wouldn’t order this kind of blatantly cheesy menu item the second they see it?!"

"I figured you’d say that. Guess I chose right."

"You planned this, you bastard!!"

He knew exactly what he was doing!

If we’re calling this a "date," then we have to do date-like things.

And when it comes to what counts as "date-like" for us—the more obvious, the better.

Because normally? The word "date" wouldn’t even exist in our relationship.

If we tried to sell this to others—or even to ourselves—anything subtle would just feel unnatural.

"Still, how the hell did you come up with this so perfectly?"

"Well, when you drink with women, you have to listen to them gush about this stuff. And men’s bragging is either about adventures or romantic conquests."

"…You pull this crap with everyone?"

Grumbling, I take a sip from the straw.

Once you commit, it’s easy to just keep drinking.

At this rate, I’ll finish it before Yous even gets a chance. Hah, suck it.

"Not like this. Most women who drink with me are older."

"Because they can treat it as just fun—a one-night thing, no strings attached."

Yous is infuriating, but damn, he’s good-looking.

Too good-looking. If he ever seriously tried to charm a woman, he could ruin someone’s life in a day.

That’d be unfair to the other person—and more importantly, Yous couldn’t handle the guilt.

But still…

"…You enjoy that?"

"It’s interesting. Every adventurer has their own beliefs, their own way of living."

—But no, he doesn’t enjoy it.

"Well, you did become an adventurer because you wanted to. Guess that kind of interaction counts as good experience."

"Yeah. Thankfully, they always have interesting stories to share."

"Me? I’m happy as long as I’m having fun with our current party."

The thing is…

Yous and I became adventurers for entirely different reasons.

For me? I just wanted to escape my stifling hometown.

I got reborn in a fantasy world full of magic and different races—no way I could stand staying in one place forever.

Yous, though? He became an adventurer out of admiration.

His father was a famous adventurer, and Yuse grew up chasing that legacy.

To him, being an adventurer is the goal—not just a means to an end. The exact opposite of me.

And yet, just because we were childhood friends, I ended up becoming an adventurer with him.

…Is that really something I can be proud of?

"Honestly, Rina—you’re always like this. Complaining about the present, but still prioritizing the status quo above all else."

"Got a problem with that? Everyone’s like that."

"Maybe. Not that there’s anything wrong with it."

If anything, Yous treats it like just another way of living—no judgment.

Ugh, this guy… At it again with his whole unconditional acceptance schtick. Not that I have the mental bandwidth to call him out on it.

"But change happens whether you want it or not."

"...Yeah."

—Because the us right now is nothing like the us from yesterday.

We’ve been together since practically birth.

Before "boy" or "girl" even mattered, he was just… my childhood friend.

And now, something happened that forced that relationship to change.

Was it good? Bad?

Hell if I know.

At the very least, we don’t have an answer right now.

"I—"

"—Don’t rush it, idiot. What, you planning to die tomorrow or something?"

"Why are you suddenly talking about death!?"

Ha. There it is—his composure cracking again.

He’s been off-balance this whole time, so unlike his usual self.

Serves him right.

"Anyway, let’s just enjoy this. For the record, I didn’t mind what happened with you."

"—?! Quit saying stuff like that so casually!!"

Pfft—look at him, bright red.

Getting flustered over a couple’s straw? What is he, five?

"...Says you."

"Huh?"

"You’re just as red, so quit acting all smug!"

—Wait, what?

No way. Don’t lie to me, Yous.

I’m totally fine here, just messing with my flustered childhood friend—

—But when I glance at the window’s reflection, there we are: a pair of idiots with matching tomato-red faces, staring back at us.

---

Slurp, slurp—

"Oh? You haven’t taken a single sip yet?"

"Serves you right! That’s what you get for mocking me!"

"You’re unbelievable…"

"Anyway!"

I slam my hand on the table—

—Shit. Now everyone’s staring.

Well, more than they already were. Ugh, screw it—scram, all of you!

"...So, what do we do until dinner?"

"Huh?"

"We’ve got a fancy restaurant reservation, right? We’ve got hours to kill!"

Yous nods slowly. I toss out a few random ideas.

"A play?"

"Is there anything you actually want to see, Rina?"

Nope.

Pass.

"Casino?"

"We’d 100% run into party members and get chewed out by the leader later."

Yeah, no.

Pass.

"Honestly, trying to burn half a day on a fake date feels kinda impossible."

"Isn’t this when women usually waste time clothes shopping?"

"Hard pass!"

One outfit is plenty for everyday wear.

"Then… somewhere we won’t get spotted, can kill time easily, and neither of us will be bored…"

"Oh. I’ve got one idea."

It hits me suddenly.

…Well, hits me is one way to put it. As a "date" option, it’s terrible.

We’re dressed to the nines right now.

Maybe if we factor in time to wash our clothes after, just to stretch things out…

Either way, might as well say it.

"—Dungeon."

The very same dungeon we cleared just days ago—now marked as "conquered," yet still waiting for adventurers beneath the city’s streets.

Yous’s definitely gonna make that "What the hell?" face. Yeah, no way. A dungeon as a date spot? We’d never hear the end of it from the party.

Better pretend I never said it. I open my mouth to backtrack—

"...That’s it."

Yous’s eyes light up like he’s just had an epiphany.

…Wait, seriously?!