Chapter 1: A Shy and Sweet Girl
"I'm sorry, but I met someone else. Can we break up?", were the painful words said with a sweet tone by Mami to her now ex boyfriend, Kazuya Kinoshita.
The young orange haired man was in fact in a relationship with the blondie after they met for the first time in their university, but after only a month of relationship, she dumped him in a way that stung him in the heart heavily.
The poor boy was currently sniffling inside his messy apartment, watching some photos of him and Mami on the phone and asking himself what he did wrong.
'W-why did she dump me like that?! I always treated her nicely and tried to be a good boyfriend! Whyyy?!', were his thoughts, crying and beating his fists on the futon in frustration. He had managed to find a girlfriend after years of being rejected and he got dumped like that; he felt like the world hated him.
But suddenly, a notification sound from his phone got him out of his thoughts, so he checked it and saw that it was an email. He opened it and saw that it was an email of advertising for a particular mobile app called Diamond.
'Hmm? What's this? An app that allows you to rent a girlfriend?', he thought, checking the information about how the app worked and all. Basically, it was an application where the customer made an account to be able to rent a girl that would act like his girlfriend in public to go on dates. Physical contact was not allowed and each girl had her own fees to be rented.
The young man was annoyed because of the payment part, but after reflecting a bit, he thought that it wouldn't be a bad idea seeing how the app worked; it could also help him to not think about his ex anymore. So, feeling convinced, he decided to install the app thanks to the link on the email and to make an account.
Once he did that, he was immediately greeted with a lot of profiles of various beautiful girls and such sight made him blush. He basically had the possibility to rent whatever girl that he wanted, with all them being very cute.
'Wow, look at all these girls! They are all so beautiful! Let's see who I can choose.', he thought, smiling while checking all the profiles that he could see. At a certain point, he found one that caught the most of his interest; it was of a darkpink haired girl named Sumi Sakurasawa, who was described as a cute and shy rookie of Diamond.
The rest of the information on her profile and her profile picture were enough to make Kazuya blush and decide to rent her immediately for the next day, since it was Saturday at the moment. So he set up the time and the place to meet the girl thanks the GPS function of the app, after which he closed the application and smiled.
'Maybe it won't be like dating a real girlfriend, but since her fees are not too high and I can forget about Mami thanks to this, I look forward to meet this Sumi girl. I have to choose the right outfit to not look like an idiot!', he thought, getting up eagerly from his futon to open his wardrobe and choose the ideal clothes fro the occasion while his fish watched everything from his aquarium.
Kazuya's wardrobe was full of hoodies, sweatshirts and trousers, whose colors went from orange to black and white. He had also some shirts, but not too many as they weren't his favorite type of clothing. Anyways, he scanned through his cloths and chose a black t-shirt, an orange hoodie and a pair of jeans as clothes for the date. Not very elegant maybe, but he didn't think that his date was someone that cared too much about that.
Once he was done with his choice, he checked the time and saw that it was almost dinner's time, as his stomach grumbled too. So he took a portion of instant ramen and heated it in the microwave to eat it on his little table while watching some funny videos on YouTube.
As he lived alone in an apartment close to his university, the boy didn't pay too much to tidy it and clean it for good. It was a sign of his laziness due to having been spoiled often by his family in his childhood, since he was an only child. Still, his grandmother Nagomi bothered him often with the issue of finding a girlfriend, as she wanted to have some grand-grandchildren before dying.
That was in fact another reason Kazuya took it badly when Mami dumped him, but the fact that he was about another cute girl and maybe sweeter than his ex was enough to make smile and to look forward to the next day. So after finishing his cup of ramen and watching other funny videos for some more hours, he yawned and laid down on his futon to sleep and be ready for his date in the morning.
The following morning, Kazuya got up early to take a shower and to have a simple breakfast with some cookies and a glass of orange juice. The time to meet Sumi was at 8:30 am near the aquarium, as he wanted to take her there as first thing.
After munching on some biscuits and drinking his orange juice, he put on the clothes that he chose the previous night and fixed his hair before leaving his apartment. Sure, it was early, but being punctual for a date was important.
So he left his apartment and took a bus to reach the meeting place, checking another time the money to make sure to have the right amount to pay the rental date. It irked that he had to pay to go out with a girl, but since it was also to try this rent a girlfriend thing for the first time, he accepted it. After all, if Sumi was like her profile described her, she could become his friend and something more maybe.
When the bus arrived to the right stop, the boy got down from it and walked towards a statue in the center of the place, looking around to see if he could spot a dark pink haired girl.
"Wow, look at that girl! She's so cute!", sundely said a male voice, catching Kazuya's attention.
"She looks scared, maybe she's too shy?" was the input of another one.
"Who cares?! She's hella cute!", said another one, sounding like a dumbass.
Kazuya looked at where the guys were looking at and saw a young girl with dark pink haired, styled with a right braided tail, wearing a white blouse, a red skirt and a pair of white tights. She was blushing and looked intimidated by all the men that looked at her.
Blushing for how cute she was, Kazuya walked towards her and asked her, "Sumi-chan, right?"
The girl turned around and saw his face, blushing more while seeing that he was who rented her. "K-K-Kazuya-San?", she asked him instead, stuttering a lot.
"Y-yes, it's me. Nice to meet you.", he replied, still blushing but offering her a gentle smile.
She blushed more before that and simply nodded, looking down embarassed while the idiots around them were cursing Kazuya out of jealousy. But he didn't care about them, as they should have minded their businesses.
'Woah, she's really cute but also very shy. I better talk her nicely and without raising my voice; I don't want to scare her.', he thought, watching how Sumi was still looking down embarassed.
"Sumi-chan, w-would you like to go to the aquarium together? I thought of going there first for our date."
The girl looked up briefly to see again his smile, not noticing that he was slightly nervous too. His expression caused her to blush more, but she nodded anyways. Glad that she liked the idea, the two of them started to walk towards the aquarium, with him ignoring the stupid curses of other guys while Sumi couldn't help but blush in embarrassment.
Kazuya glanced sometimes at her during the walk, but whenever their eyes met, she would immediately blush and look away, looking unable to keep eye contact. The boy sighed at that, but he could understand that for her, a rookie, it wasn't easy do a job like that.
"Sumi-chan, d-do you like some type of music? I like listening to various genres for example.", he told her, trying to break the ice and to know her better.
She stiffened at hearing that sudden question, but instead of answering vocally, she took her phone from her purse and typed in it. "I like classic music and romantic songs.", was what she wrote on her phone, red as a tomato.
"Oh, that's very nice hehe. Also, you should use your phone to communicate with me, if speaking is difficult for you. I-I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable.", he rod her, blushing and scratching his cheek.
Sumi's eyes widened at his reply and at his he cared for her, despite that they just met, so she typed on her phone another reply, "Ok, Kazuya-San. Thank you for worrying about me and for telling me that my music tastes are nice."
He smiled at reading that, "You're welcome, Sumi-chan."
They then started to chat each other in that particular way for all the way towards the aquarium, with him blushing and smiling at her while she had still trouble to look in his eyes. Compared to Mami, she was way more timid, but he didn't feel like she was annoyed by him like it happened sometimes with his ex.
Even if she wasn't keeping eye contact, the pinkette seemed to like talking with him and he was sure to have seen a little smile on her face too. It looks that his first rental date started pretty well.
Once they finally reached the aquarium and he paid for their tickets, the two young adults started to look at the various species of fish behind the glass. Sumi's eyes sparkled at seeing how some fishes were sp colorful and particular, remaining surprised by how Kazuya could recognize each species of fish that they saw.
"I've always been interested in fish and the various species that exist in our world, so m-maybe I can consider myself an expert hehe.", he said, scratching the back of his head.
"I think that Kazuya-San is the best when it comes to fish!", wrote Sumi on her phone, blushing while looking away embarassed.
"Thank you, Sumi-chan. You're really kind, you know? My friends and my family always called me strange for liking fish that much, so it's nice "hearing" words like yours.", he told her, chuckling at his little joke.
Surprisingly, that innocent joke made her Sumi giggle a little as well, but she covered her mouth immediately while her face and her ears got red. "I-I don't think that you are strange for chuckling like that, Sumi-chan. You're c-cuter when y-you giggle.", he told her, hoping to assure her that she could giggle.
Instead of assuring her, his words did nothing if not causing her heart to beat a little faster, especially because she remembered that he said that she was very kind. During her first dates, she was never praised so nicely by her customers, as they always made her feel overwhelmed by how straightforward they were with her.
But right now, there was in front of her a young man that was sympathetic about her shyness and even appreciated her compliment, calling her cute and kind in return. "T-t-thank y-y-you, K-Kazuya-San.", she mumbled, not using her phone this time to communicate.
Kazuya blushed like her and smiled in return, making her heart beat faster again; his smile was so nice that it was giving her an unknown feeling in her chest. A warm and nice feeling.
To both their surprise, Sumi suddenly told his hand, making him gasp and blush more. "S-S-Sumi-chan?!"
She noticed what she just did and became way redder, but nonetheless she didn't retract her hand. "C-c-could w-we h-hold h-hands? I-I-I d-don't want t-to get lost.", she asked him, finally looking at him in the eyes with a puppy eyes look accompanied by a huge blush.
'She's adorable!', he thought, smiling nervously while nodding, forgetting about the rule of no physical contact with a rental. But by judging how Sumi was the one that took his hand, she had probably forgotten it as well. And also her little smile was a proof that she liked his warm hand; it was like it was giving her a feeling a safety.
'K-Kazuya-San's hand is so warm.', she thought, smiling even her face was totally red at this point. They continue to watch the fish for another hour, after which Kazuya thought of taking her to a clothes shop.
During their time inside the shop, the king man thought of making Sumi laugh by wearing the most extravagant outfits ever, and he managed in fact to get a cute giggle from her followed by the ones of the shop assistants. His idea was to make her feel at at her ease by making her giggle in order to make her nervousness go away, and seeing that it was working made him smile.
But suddenly, a thought crossed his mind; wasn't he supposed to pay for the rental date as the rules dictated? Did Sumi forget about it maybe?
'Perhaps I can ask her about it later, I don't want to make her worried while she's giggling so cutely.', he though, making a funny expression that made her giggle again. When he tried to do the same during his time with Mami, the blondie laughed awkwardly compared to the happy giggle of the pinkette.
Still, he thought of choosing some outfits for real anyways by asking Sumi's opinion about which one looked good on him. She blushed and mumbled during that, but he appreciated her opinion deeply, reciprocating it by giving his about the clothes that she tried on instead.
His opinions were something like "Y-You're really good" or "That looks great, Sumi-chan", and did nothing if not making the girl's heart blush profusely while her heart beat faster.
Said heart beat like crazy when the shop assistant at the counter asked them if they were a couple, but before he could reply, Sumi held his hand and shyly nodded. He blushed at that while the shop assistant giggled for how cute they were, wishing them a nice date when they paid and left.
"Umm, a-are y-you sure that it was a good idea telling her that we're a couple? I mean, you're still a rental girlfriend and I don't want to cause you problems.", he asked, still blushing.
She shaked her head and held his hand tigher. "I-I'm K-Kazuya-San's girlfriend at the m-moment and y-you've always been n-nice with me. S-so y-you don't h-have to worry.", she told him, making eye contact with her adorable eyes.
"O-oh, is that so? I-I'm glad t-to know it, Su-"
He was cut off by the sudden sound of his grumbling belly, which surprised both of them at first and then chuckle for how funny it was.
"Hahaha, I-I guess that I'm very hungry. Would you like to go to eat an hamburger, Sumi-chan?"
The pinkette was still giggling, but she nodded anyways and gladly followed him towards a nearby fastfood, blushing and smiling while holding his hand. The same went for him, who ignored the jealous glares of the idiots around them that looked to not have never seen a girl in their life.
Inside the fastfood, Kazuya and Sumi ordered an hamburger and some fries for each other, sitting at a table then to eat. Instead of sitting in front of him, Sumi preferred taking place to his side, thinking that being closer to him would make him happy.
Indeed, that made happy, especially because the girl wiped some sauce from his face with a napkin, even if she blushed a storm when she did that while he sweatdropped and assured her that it was fine. She really wanted to be a good rental girlfriend for him, even if he acted more like a real girlfriend. He even wished to have met her before Mami; she wouldn't have dumped him because she fell for another who knows who.
He still didn't understand what he did wrong with his ex, but the time he was spending with the shy but sweet pinkette was honestly 100 times better than that he spent with the blondie. For that reason, he could say that he was glad to have given a try to the rent a girlfriend thing.
Once they finished to have lunch, the young man and the pinkette left the fastfood to walk together towards a park, as Kazuya thought that Sumi would like relax in a quiet place without too many people around. What he didn't know wa that she didn't mind the presence of other people; she felt more at ease thanks to his kind gestures, so her flustered state was more little compared to the morning.
After reaching the park, the two of them sat together on a bench, relaxing a bit while some kids in distance were playing on the slide. "S-Sumi-chan, did you have fun during this date? I know that it was just a rental one, but I would like to know if you liked it.", he suddenly asked, smiling embarrassed and scratching his cheek.
"I-I had l-lots of fun with Kazuya-San; y-you treated me nicely a-and didn't get angry b-because of my shyness. S-so thank you for renting me, Kazuya-San.", she replied, looking down embarassed while she twinkled her fingers.
"Ah! About renting you, I forgot to pay the fees this morning. If you want, I can-"
She shaked her head meekly while reaching his hand to hold it. "N-No, y-you don't have to pay me. I-I'm just glad that w-we spent time together and h-had fun, so t-that's enough for me."
Raising her head, she looked at him with a happy smile and red cheeks, making his heart skip a beat for how beautiful and kind she was. She was like an angel with all the kindness she had.
"R-Really? A-are you sure about it?", he asked her, hoping that she didn't get in trouble with the rental agency.
She nodded and continued to smile at him, not stopping to hold his hand that gave her a warm feeling of safety. Having confirmed that she was sure of her decision, Kazuya sighed and smiled, not touching the subject anymore to just relax with her on the bench.
Still, the sudden sound of his phone's ringtone interrupted such relax, so he took out his device and answered the call. What he heard made him extremely worried. "What?! Grandma fell on the floor and hurt herself?! I'm coming to the hospital immediately!", he shouted, surprising Sumi with his loud voice and making her worried.
"I'm sorry, Sumi-chan, but I have to leave immediately to reach the hospital. So-"
She suddenly held his hand tighter and looked at him with a puppy eyes look, "C-Could I come with you? W-we still h-have time before our date ends."
Before such sweet eyes, he couldn't say no and decided to let her accompany him towards the hospital, taking a taxi to arrive there the soonest possible.
After reaching the place, he entered inside with the girl and asked the room where Nagomi was recovered, taking the elevator to reach it then.
"Grandma! Are you alright?!", he loudly asked while entering in the room immediately.
"Jeez, calm down, Kazuya. I just fell on the floor and hurt my leg. I'm not going to die.", replied the old woman that was sitting on the hospital's bed, with two middle aged people at her side.
"Mother, y-you're still delicate for your age. You have to be more careful.", reprimanded her a man with grey hair and glasses.
"Kazuo is right, you can't afford to get hurt at your age.", told her instead a woman with her hair tied together upon your head.
"Yeah, yeah, I got-"
Nagomi was about to reply to them, but she stopped when she noticed a cute pink haired girl next to Kazuya.
"Kazuya, who's the beautiful girl next to you? A-and why she's holding your hand?", asked him Nagomi with widen eyes, making Kazuya's parents look at him and Sumi.
"Eh? Umm, w-we can say that she's-"
He was cut off when Sumi hugged his arm and blushed deeply while saying, "I-I-I'm Kazuya-San's g-girlfriend, n-nice t-to meet you."
There was a deep silence after such words, with Kazuya stunned and blushed due to Sumi's move while his family remained more shocked than him until Nagomi's eyes started to water. "Let me get out of this hospital immediately! We have to celebrate!", she shouted, trying to get up from her bed.
"What are you saying, Mother?! You're still hurt!"
"I don't care! Our Kazuya has brought home a cute and a sweet girlfriend! Do you get it?! Someone finally fell in love with him!", she retorted, starting to cry and wiping off her tears of joy.
In front of the happiness of the old woman, her grandson didn't want to make her sad by telling her the truth, so he only glanced at Sumi to see her still hugging his arm, even if she was red as a tomato. He didn't understand why she told his family that she was his girlfriend, but after considering her behavior towards him and the fact that she didn't want him to pay for renting her, he thought that she took already a liking to him.
'N-no, it can't be possible…But Sumi-chan's behavior and all her gestures make me think that she already likes me. Ugh, I have no choice!', he thought, taking a little breath before leaning his head on Sumi's and smiling nervously, blushing deeply like her.
"Y-yeah, she's my dear girlfriend, Sumi-chan. She and I are a couple since some time, b-but I didn't tell you before about her b-because I wanted to make you a surprise haha.", he said, lying but sounding the most convincing possible.
"Really?! Jeez, you waited so long to make us this surprise? Heh, maybe it's because you and she have already done it before this surprise.", said Nagomi, making Kazuo and Harumi sweatdrop while Kazuya blushed more.
"No! What are you saying?! We didn't!", he shouted, glad that Sumi was so innocent that she didn't get what Nagomi meant.
"For real? A lot of people I know do it often nowadays."
"I-I don't care! Sumi-chan is pure and d-doesn't need to think about it!"
Being called pure by him made the shy girl blush more, which made Nagomi beam for how adorable she was.
"Awww, she's so innocent and cute! Come here, Sumi-chan! Let Grandma give you a hug!", said the energetic old woman.
Sumi was more embarrassed for that, so she looked at the boy to know if it was fine being hugged by his grandmother. Smiling, he nodded to her and walked with her towards the bed to let Nagomi hug her.
"Kyaa! She's so adorable! You found a very cute girlfriend, Kazuya! Good job, dummy!"
Said dummy frowned at that, "Hey, don't insult me, it's rude."
"K-Kazuya-San is n-not a dummy, he's very nice and funny.", interjected Sumi, blushing while being hugged by Nagomi.
"Hehe, she loves you so much that she doesn't like it when you are insulted. You found a nice girlfriend, Kazuya.", told him sweetly Harumi, with his father nodding in agreement.
The young man blushed and scratched his cheek, a little embarrassed for Sumi's ans his mother's words. He didn't find it right to lie like that to his family, but if the pinkette had really taken a liking to him and saw him already more than a customer, maybe she and he could make that lie about being a couple become truth.
It seemed that trying a rent a girlfriend app was indeed that best thing he could do, and maybe it could bring him some nice moments after meeting a shy and sweet girl like Sumi Sakurasawa.
A/N
Hello, everyone! This one right here is an idea of mine for a RAG story where Kazuya didn't rent Chizuru when he tried Diamond, but Sumi Sakurasawa. Since in the official manga she's not getting screentime anymore and I like her character, I decided to start this story where she and Kazuya will become a couple, as I'm about to end one of my existing stories.
The interactions between the young man and the pinkette are due to the fact that he didn't want to make her feel too uncomfortable, but his kindness made Sumi get affectionate to him already, to the point that she didn't want to make him pay for the rent. Kazuya will of course meet Chizuru and Ruka in this story, but in other circumstances compared to canon.
As the tag suggests, this will be a single pairing story, but some funny moments between Kazuya and the other girls can still happen haha. Anyways, I hope you like this starting chapter and stay tuned for more.
Oh yeah, I made Kazuya way less perverted because I didn't like how horny let's say he's in canon, but I hope you don't mind.
See ya!
