Chapter 68 – The JK Idol Seems Interested in Movies (Part 2)
The movie ended, and the surrounding audience was enveloped in emotion.
As everyone exited with tears streaming down their faces, Nako and I just sat there holding hands, not particularly moved.
"Hey, we didn't really get to watch the movie properly."
"Sorry..."
Nako had said she wanted to kiss during the kiss scene, but it wasn't just the kiss scene; after that, she asked for kisses five or six times in the dark, and before I knew it, the movie was over as I kept responding to her requests.
"Nako, I understand wanting to kiss but..."
"Kou-kun... there's no one else around, let's kiss."
"That's out of the question... Let's go home."
"Muu!"
I disciplined Nako, returned the popcorn tray at the exit, and led her out of the theater by the hand.
This can't go on forever. It's too lacking in discretion.
Even though Nako is cute, I'm starting to dislike how much I've been spoiling her.
"Naoko, can I say something?"
"What is it?"
"...Kissing should have meaning because it's done at special times, right? I understand the desire to do it over and over, but... wouldn't it be troubling if it became a bad habit?"
"But..."
Naoko's face clouded over.
"...Well, it's also my fault for not refusing."
"That's right, that's right!"
"Don't you say that. Why do you want to kiss so much anyway?"
"That's because... I'm worried you might start disliking me. If we kiss, it means you love me."
What kind of child's logic is that?
"We've only been dating for five days."
"But! ...I get worried!"
"Huh...?"
That's an excessive worry.
"We're going to be together forever, right? We promised. Do you think I'd start disliking you?"
"...I don't think so, but..."
"?"
"Because I love you, I want to be close to you all the time."
Well, I can't deny I feel something similar.
"Until now, we were like friends, so now that we're lovers, I'm somehow worried and want to be even closer."
"...Is that so?"
"Kou-kun, haven't you ever felt that way?"
"I... to tell you the truth, I think about it every day."
"Eh?"
"You're in the entertainment industry, and there are lots of more attractive guys than me in that world. I worry if someone might take Nako away from me..."
"That won't happen!"
"Ah, I know. I trust you, Nako."
"...Kou-kun."
"So you should trust me too. I really love you."
"...I love you too. Probably ten times more than you think."
"Is that so, then that's good."
"Maybe it's actually fifty times more."
"There's no need to compete."
While blending into the crowd on the way home, we walked under the cold sky holding hands.
Perhaps it's because we care for each other with fresh feelings that we become worried.
Her hand is a little cold but somehow warm.
Is this the unique aura of an idol overflowing within her?
"Kou-kun, it's boring to just go home. Shall we make a detour somewhere?"
"A detour?"
"Yeah! I want to go there."
"?"
As I tilted my head, Nako took the lead and started walking towards that place, pulling me along forcefully.
Where to... I wondered, but I could somewhat guess where we were headed.
"Arcade"
The dirty sign with those words was still hung up at the store today.
It was the place where our story began.
+×+×+×+
As we stepped into the familiar small interior of the store, I felt the gaze of the store manager sitting in the back, puffing on a cigarette.
"It feels like it's been a really long time."
"Yeah."
I pulled out the medals I had left for Nako before and headed to the game corner.
Nako sat in the same seat in front of the pusher machine, watching the inside of the machine.
"Sit next to me."
"Ah."
I was a little embarrassed at that time. But now, without any shyness, I can sit next to Nako proudly as her boyfriend.
"It all started here, didn't it?"
Nako inserted coins with practiced ease.
"You know, I've actually been interested in you since before the day we first talked."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. You were a little different from the other boys. You had your own personality, and I thought that was kind of cool."
Who would have thought that a current JK idol would be interested in a guy like me?
To all the high school boys nationwide, don't give up on your youth just yet.
"But to be honest, at first, it was more of a friendship feeling. You were close to my ideal friend, and I thought if this relationship could continue forever..."
Nako kept inserting the hundreds of coins while talking.
As I reminisced, I waited for the jackpot chance.
"But the real romantic feelings probably sprouted... maybe on the way back from the zoo."
"The way back... you mean that time we had a little argument?"
"Yeah. I was moved because Kou-kun was being so careful because he really cared about me... and before I knew it, I realized I liked Kou-kun."
At that time, I was too preoccupied with not causing a scandal or harming Nako to think about love, but if Nako took it that way, maybe it was for the best.
"I'm glad I talked to Kou-kun that day."
"...I'm really glad I met Nako that day too."
"...Hey, Kou-kun."
"What?"
"It might seem too soon... but after I graduate from high school, I want to live with Kou-kun."
"...!"
The jackpot chance began.
As my heart raced uncontrollably, I pondered the meaning of Nako's words while watching it.
Living together...
"Together?"
"Yeah. I want to live together... just the two of us."
"...Yes, let's! I want to too!"
"Really?"
"Yeah!"
I felt a little gross for getting so excited in my response.
Why am I getting so excited!
"I'm glad... So, in two years, Kou-kun will be a college student, and I'll be working in entertainment, living together in a 3LDK apartment... it sounds fun."
"I still feel like I can't shake off the feeling of being a kept man."
"It's okay. I'll support Kou-kun."
"Please stop saying that! I'll end up being a kept man!"
Nako showed the biggest smile of the day.
Whether it was simply because it was funny or a sigh of relief... either way, I was happy.
"I'll work hard too. I'll become a respectable person and support Nako... and, that."
"?"
"In the future, I'll work hard to support us, including... children."
"Chil...?!"
At that moment, medals overflowed from the jackpot.
I regretted that I had imagined something slightly indecent at that time.
"By the way, isn't this pusher machine opening the jackpot too much? It's really a hassle to collect the medals."
"It's because my luck is good!"
Is this what they call idol luck?
I collected the medals from the very generous pusher machine and left them all with the store owner.
We played the string-cutting game together, dropping a different plushie than before, and left the arcade with Naoko looking satisfied.
"Nako, did you have fun today?"
"Yeah! I ate a lot at the movie theater and had fun at the arcade, I'm satisfied."
"The main point of a movie theater isn't to eat."
"And I got to kiss a lot, I'm happy..."
Whether her cheeks were dyed red because of the setting sun or something else.
Before I could recall the taste of the kiss, I naturally stole Nako's lips.
Caught off guard, Nako was flustered but didn't resist at all.
On the usual deserted way back from school, our lips met, dominated by a special sensation.
"Pah... Kou-kun, I love you."
"...Nako, can I stay by your side forever?"
"...Yes. I want you to walk with me into the future forever."
"...Ah."
Embracing each other, wrapped in each other's warmth, we exchanged those words and wished for a lifetime of happiness.
Next episode preview
"Kou-kun, wake up. Breakfast is ready."
"...You know, I always say I'll make breakfast."
"I have the day off from work today, so I made it. It's not good to always rely on Kou-kun."
"...Feel free to rely on me when it comes to cooking."
Next time "The Final Episode of the Former JK Idol and the Former Idle Husband."