Chap 8: First Date
"Ne, Otousan…" started Hiroko at dinner on Friday.
"Hm?" asked Mr Gouhara as he ate.
"Can I go out with my friend tomorrow?" asked Hiroko timidly.
"With who?" asked Mr Gouhara.
"With Kimiko. She asked me to go the parade at the amusement park with her at night…"
"Amusement park?" said Mr Gouhara with a disapproval look. "You know how I feel about you going to the amusement park."
"But Otousan, I'm not going to the rides in the amusement park, I'm just going to the parade." said Hiroko.
Mr Gouhara didn't say anything.
"I will just go to Kimiko's house to study in the daytime, then we will go to the amusement park at night. So can I go? Please?" pleaded Hiroko.
"Shujin, just let her go. A parade won't do any harm to her health." said Mrs Gouhara.
Mr Gouhara gave Hiroko a long stare before he returned to his meal. "All right, just don't come home late."
"Arigato, Otousan!" said Hiroko happily and got up. "I'm finished with my dinner!"
"By the way, Hiroko…" started her father.
"Eh?" asked Hiroko.
"What's wrong with your friend's voice? She sounds weird."
Saturday
Kogure was at home, getting ready for the day. Humming slightly, he checked with his appearance in the bathroom. He looked smart in his blue-checker shirt and white slacks, the problem was his messy black hair…
Frowning, he combed his hair, trying to make it tidy. But after a while, he gave up. He looked at his watch and hurried off.
When Kogure arrived to the entrance of the amusement park, he found that Hiroko had not arrived yet. So he decided to wait for her. Hiroko arrived a while later, wearing a pale blue dress, with a backpack over her shoulder.
"Gomen, I spent a little too much time to prepare… have you waited for a long time?" asked Hiroko.
Kogure smiled. "Iie, I have just arrived. What's with the backpack?"
"I told my parents that I would be studying in Kimiko's house until nightfalls, then we will go to the parade."
Kogure smiled. Trust Hiroko to come up with a way to convince her parents to let her out.
Hiroko looked at the amusement park in awe, there were people screaming from their seats in the thrilling rides every few minutes. Kids running around happily with balloons in their hands. Couples walked around, hand in hand.
"My… this place sure looks exciting." said Hiroko finally and she turned to Kogure. "Come on, let's go!"
She dragged Kogure excitedly into the park.
Kogure and Hiroko chose their rides carefully because Hiroko couldn't take rides that would tire her heart out. So the first ride they took was the Ferris Wheel and they had a marvellous time, looking down at the scenery below. Kogure had taken the Ferris Wheel a lot of times, but it was Hiroko's first time to sit in the Ferris Wheel and she's thrilled. So it was no surprise that she wanted to go for a second round when she got off the ride. Being a good sport, Kogure just went along with her.
Hiroko was having the best time of her life. She tried all the rides (except those thrilling rides) and she didn't get tired of them. She and Kogure even went to water rides twice, even though they had drenched themselves wet on the first round.
At the Merry-Go-Round, Hiroko went and took a seat on a lovely wooden unicorn, while Kogure took a white horse behind her.
"I always want to ride on this ever since I was a kid." said Hiroko happily to Kogure.
"Okaasan, I want to ride the Merry-Go-Round!" cried a voice.
Hiroko and Kogure looked out and saw a kid around 4 years old, crying to her mother. She was tugging at her mother's dress.
"But Mizuki, the ride is filled. And it's getting late, let's just go home, okay?" said the girl's mother.
Mizuki cried. "But I waited a long time for the ride! Okaasan, you promised that I could ride it if I'm good today!"
"Sumimasen," called Hiroko. "But the girl could take my seat if she wants."
Mizuki and her mother blinked at Hiroko in surprise.
"Hiroko…" started Kogure.
Hiroko smiled at him. Mizuki's mother finally said, "No, we couldn't…"
"Please, I insist." said Hiroko and got off her seat. She approached the girl and wiped away her tears. "You can take my seat. I can take the next ride."
"Arigato!" said the girl happily and went to take Hiroko's seat.
Kogure thought for a while before he got off the horse as well. "Obasan, I think you should take my seat too. To watch over your kid."
"But…" said the mother.
"Okaasan, come on!" said Mizuki.
"Go on." said Kogure.
"Arigato." said the mother and she went to take Kogure's seat.
"Why did you let the girl to take your seat?" asked Kogure curiously as the ride started. "You have waited for a long time for a chance to have the ride."
Hiroko smiled at Kogure. "I just don't want to see the girl to be upset. Why did you give up your seat?"
Kogure smiled. "I just think the mother should accompany her daughter."
Night came and the parade had begun. Kogure and Hiroko managed to make their way to the front of the crowd and watched as a group of beautiful dancers danced past them.
"It's beautiful." said Hiroko as she watched in amazement at a group of girls dressed up as princesses went past on a float.
Kogure looked at Hiroko, she was smiling in delight and seemed glad to be a part of all this excitement. His eyes travelled down to her hand, which was at her side.
For a moment, Kogure was tempted to hold her delicate hand but then he resisted, because he and Hiroko were only good friends, he didn't want to rush into things… but it was awfully tempting, her hand was just within his reach…
"Oh just take it already, if she doesn't like it, fine!" said his mind.
Kogure wiped his sweaty palms on his slacks. Then he kept his eyes on the parade, but his hand was inching towards to Hiroko's direction.
Finally, he touched her hand and wrapped his fingers around it. Kogure's heart beat wildly as he found that Hiroko didn't put up any resistance. Does that mean she accept him?
Blushing and smiling happily, Kogure finally took his eyes away from the parade and turned to look at Hiroko.
Then his smile faded and he went pale. He was looking at a fat and ugly woman, who gazed back at him lovingly.
"What's your name, Seinin?" she asked with affection. "Oh, I didn't know I could still attach such a good-looking young lad, that's means I'm still beautiful!"
Laughing nervously, Kogure let go of the woman's hand quickly and backed away. "Gomen ne, Obasan…" he started.
"Nani? Obasan!" said the woman, offended. "I'm only 32! How old are you?" she asked, battling her eyelashes and she held onto Kogure's hand again.
Kogure swallowed. "Err..." he stammered.
"Sumimasen, but would you mind letting go of my husband?" said a voice.
Kogure and the woman looked at the direction of the voice and found Hiroko, looking darkly at the two.
The woman let go of Kogure's hand. "Ah, so you are already married." she said in disappointment.
"A-ah, hai." lied Kogure.
"Then don't go and hold other people's hand." said the woman and she went off, her head up high.
Kogure wiped his hand frantically on his shirt, as if the woman's hand had germs on it. Then he looked at Hiroko, who was laughing hysterically.
"Stop laughing!" said Kogure, embarrassed. "Where have you been anyway?"
"I-I have been here all this while. I think that obasan just came between us when we didn't notice." said Hiroko, still trying to control herself.
"What a good timing." thought Kogure sarcastically.
Hiroko stopped laughing. She smiled at him sweetly and her attention returned to the parade.
Kogure's cheeks went pink and for a moment, he didn't know what to do next. Slowly, he took Hiroko's hand and held it. Hiroko just tightened the grip and moved closer to Kogure in response.
There's no doubt about it, the two were definitely in love.
Holding hands, Kogure and Hiroko walked home together.
"Arigato, I will just walk home by myself from here." said Hiroko before they turned around the corner to her home. "I don't want Otousan to see you holding my hand."
"Or he will kill me?" asked Kogure uncertainly.
Hiroko nodded solemnly. "Otousan practices kendo, he may whack you with a wooden sword for holding my hand."
Kogure paled.
Hiroko giggled. "But he won't know as long as you and I keep our relationship as a secret."
Kogure sighed in relief. "Right."
"Well then, oyasumi." said Hiroko. "Kiminobu."
"Oyasumi, Hiroko." said Kogure, pleased that Hiroko called him 'Kiminobu'.
Hiroko left. Kogure stood at his place for a moment before he walked off, grinning to himself as he went.