Of course Mitsuha ordered an enormous slice of cake. Despite her petite frame, she was a big eater, and knew no bounds when it came to portions. Taki's body experienced this first hand during their time dreaming, making him wonder how she was able to stay so skinny.
"I see the way you eat hasn't changed, Mitsuha."
"Hmm?! What's that supposed to mean?!"
"Nothing! It's just…I know how much you liked food, and I thought, you know…I think it's endearing in a way."
"If I didn't know you so well already, I would've totally fallen for that cheap line. But no, Taki-kun. I know you just said that the save yourself. So nice try."
"Hehe, well, in most cases that would probably be true. But I mean it though. To me, if anything, seeing that you haven't changed all that much…it reminds that you're still the same girl I loved so many years ago."
And with that, they both sort of looked at each other with an amused look. It was corny, and they both knew it. They figured that even with the little time that had passed, their relationship had evolved beyond cheap, cheesy one-liners. And that such things were just out of place between the two of them. So they just started laughing.
They'd done pretty much everything a couple could do. They talked, they had dinner, they opened up to each other, they engaged in more explicit activities. But the one thing they never did together was share a genuine laugh. So how fitting that it took something as stupid and cliché as a bad one-liner to evoke a hearty laugh. And for whatever reason, it brought them closer once more. More than they were before, if that was even possible.
When they returned to a more neutral state, Mitsuha couldn't help but let Taki knew how bad what he said was. "You…you may be smooth, Taki-kun. But that was bad."
The two finished up at the café, and made their way out to the street to figure out what to do next. It was Saturday, early afternoon at that. So the possibilities were numerous. Of course they could do something recreational. Perhaps go hiking somewhere, visit a temple, or just venture around the city in general. But they both had some ulterior desires they were hesitant to share, out of fear of rushing things. Even though they were a lot farther along after one night than most other couples. Part of Taki wanted to take her searching for a new place to live, since his current one would have trouble accommodating the two of them. While Mitsuha partly wanted to bring Taki back to her house and introduce him to her grandmother. To bridge the gap and bring some closure to her. And to prove to her she was in dependable hands and had nothing to worry about.
But the reality was that it hadn't even been a full day since they met again. And given what happened in the last 16 hours or so, they figured it'd be best to enjoy the weekend with each other. And worry about the rest of their lives later. Besides, what else are weekends for?
"Taki-kun. How 'bout we go sight-seeing? Remember when you promised me to show me around the city?"
"I don't remember saying that, but okay. I'm down for whatever. As long as I'm with you."
Of course Mitsuha had been so disillusioned by spending time with Taki that her desires had created false realities in her head. She wanted to explore Tokyo so badly with him that her mind just told her that he would do so. But to him, it was no problem. Any way he could be with her, he would take without question.
"Wait…you never said that?"
"I don't think so. But how 'bout this, Mitsuha. Let's cover every square inch of Tokyo together. I'll be your guide."
Mitsuha eagerly hooked her arm around Taki's and leaned her head against it. "Show me the way, then."
Taki's natural affinity for art, particularly free-hand drawing, gave him a deep appreciation for the animated works. So of course, he possessed a fondness for anime. Maybe not so much as a medium of entertainment, but rather as a means of expression through art and drawing. Perhaps the thing that impressed him the most was being able to capture emotions and thoughts through facial expressions and details alone. A quality that wanted to learn so badly, but never having the inspiration, or a model to practice off of. Well. Good thing I have as good a model as they come now.
Even though he did feel a little weird about it, he regardless took her to Akihabara, the anime capital of the world. Media, merchandise, and followers of this rapidly expanding hobby were present as far as the eye could see. And despite its social reputation, especially on an international scale, Taki never felt any reservation of this hobby or any reason to feel wrong about liking anime. Physically, he didn't fit the stereotypical weeaboo at all; he was tall, fit and very good-looking. And with someone as pretty as Mitsuha at his side, he knew no one would dare question him socially. So he felt no worry about bringing his new girlfriend into a place like Akihabara.
For Mitsuha, her whole life was wholesomeness and connection to the spiritual world. The extent of which she watched media of any sort was the news for just about an hour. The rest of her time was spent reading and helping her grandmother around the house. So having virtually no exposure to anime, there wasn't any way she could have any preconceived associations of the hobby to…extreme themes and societal clichés. Besides, she was holding hands with a rather dashing man, by anyone's standards. She felt no reason to be judged at all. Besides, this whole thing was a new experience to her, something she wanted from the start. Who would she be to question it, especially when Taki's the one leading her through?
"Mitsuha. I don't think I've ever told you this. But I'm actually very into anime."
"I figured. Otherwise you wouldn't bring me here. Taki-kun."
"I guess so. But it's weird. I'm 22 years old, still watching cartoons. Sometimes, I just feel like I never grow up."
"Well, I won't hold it against you or anything. Besides, you've got a lot of other things going for you. You're smart, you're handsome, have a good job… And! You've got a beautiful girlfriend on top of all of that." Mitsuha closed her eyes, put her hand under her hair, and pushed it outward.
"Yeah…I definitely do. Don't I…"
By the way Mitsuha grabbed Taki's hand and pulled him with her into the church of anime, it would've seemed like she was the one who brought him here. Taki himself had only been here a few times before, with the last being when he was still in high school. It's changed since. So he felt like he was just as unfamiliar with this place as Mitsuha.
The two made their way through the shopping district, with their eyes drawn to just about everything. They made a stop at just about every store, all marketing and selling goods for a wide variety of shows. Taki would briefly explain some of the ones that he was familiar with, shared some recommendations and kept a personal tab of ones he'd one day watch with her. She seemed very open and actually eager to experience this form of entertainment herself.
But the thing that struck Mitsuha the most about Akiba's environment was the expressiveness. There were cosplayers and maids up and down the walkways, and also people maybe on the more conservative side, just wearing t-shirts or accessories of their shows of choice. For someone who spent a lot of her youth life wanting to escape the publicity of her sake ceremonies, Mitsuha realized that there wasn't any reason to be embarrassed about anything. Some of these people were wearing complicated and at times ridiculous outfits, not giving a single care in the world. So if these people could decorate themselves like this, why did she feel so insecure about wearing her traditional outfits?
By the time they made it back out to the train platform, the sun was almost setting, giving a pretty good indication on how much time they spent in there. They somehow managed to make it out of the mile of shops having spent minimal money, as Taki only bought a phone charm for Mitsuha. He remembered coming here having saved at least ¥20000 and not thinking it would be enough to buy everything he wanted. Part of growing up, he supposed.
"Taki-kun, that was so cool. I…thank you for bringing me here. I honestly didn't think anime would be cool at all. But it…seems to bring a lot of people together. And bring out the most expressive and creative parts of people."
"It does. I've never been one to really dress up or anything. But it's always cool to see the work people put into the craft."
"Taki, you're so good at drawing! I think you could make a pretty good…uhh…what was it called? Doujinshi?"
"Oh. Fan-made manga? Huh. I've always had ideas, but…I never really had the patience or even motivation to get into it."
"Well, then. I'll be your inspiration. I think what we've been through together would make a really cool story. Y'know, with the body switching and all. Just twist it a little and I think you've got a pretty good manga."
"Maybe. Someday, when I have time."
They grabbed a quick bite to eat near the station before heading up to the platform. And invariably, the dilemma that sat in the back in their minds came forth, and neither really knew how to address it.
"Taki-kun…I know I might be asking for a lot. But I want to stay with you again tonight."
"I don't mind at all. But…I would like to think you'd want a change of clothes or something."
"Taki, I…I'm…I don't want to face my grandmother right now. She might still be recovering and…I don't want to do anything to hurt her further."
"I understand. But wait. Don't you just need something to sleep in? Like pajamas or something?"
"Ew, Taki, ew! What about the next day? I don't wanna wear the same thing twice! And besides…I was hoping we could maybe go for a scenic hike tomorrow. And I don't wanna wear this on the trail."
"Oh, a hike? I'm down! But…if that's the case, then…you should probably head to your house to get something to wear. And now that I think about it…I think if you go to your grandmother tonight, and show that you haven't completely left…then she'll have nothing to hurt over."
"I…I…oh! You come with me, then. Oh, that's a brilliant idea! I can show you to her! All her wrong impressions of you will go away! She won't worry about anything if she sees how great you are!"
"Wait, Mitsuha. Doesn't she think I'm just some guy who-"
"But you're not, though! And it honestly won't take much for her to realize that. Just…you would really just have to be yourself. Then she won't think negatively of you anymore."
"I still think some time needs to pass before I meet her. But if you really think it'll settle everything, and bring peace to her…then I'm all for it. I'm in this for you, after all."
Mitsuha reached her lips up and pecked Taki on the cheek.
"Everything's gonna be okay, Taki. I'm confident that she'll come to like you before tonight is over."
The mood during the train ride and subsequent walk to Mitsuha's house was strange. It was a rather awkward combination of optimism and doubt. Never had either of them felt such conflicting feelings in unison that strongly. For all the talking that Mitsuha did at the Akiba station, she knew deep down that nothing was for sure.
The lights were still on, so somebody was awake. As they approached the front door, Taki took Mitsuha's hand into his, giving her the support she could well possibly need. When they opened the front door and walked in through the opening, they were met with the sight of just Hitoha. Sitting at the kotatsu, despondent and seemingly out of touch with the corporeal world.
"O-…Obaa-san?"
The sound of her granddaughter's voice broke Hitoha from her near catatonic state. And the roller coaster of emotions that followed hit her rather harshly. The joy of seeing her beloved Mitsuha was quickly followed by hostility to the man currently clutching her hand. Despite Mitsuha's pleas, she could only see him as the man who soiled her granddaughter.
"Obaa-san…this is Taki. The man who claimed my heart."
Taki let go of Mitsuha's hand and approached Hitoha cautiously. Once he was close enough he bowed down to her.
"Hello. I'm Tak-"
Before he could finish introducing himself to Hitoha, she used what little physical energy she had left to land a loud slap across his face.
"OBAA-SAN!"
"HOW DARE YOU BRING THIS BEHEMOTH TO ME, ESPECIALLY WHEN I DEMANDED THAT YOU NEVER SEE HIM AGAIN!"
And with that the harsh reality hit Mitsuha. With age comes the decay of memory, but she never thought it would happen this soon, especially to someone as wholesome as Hitoha. No one's immune to it, though, and it always seems to catch everyone off guard. She had completely forgotten what she said to Mitsuha earlier in the day. Taki himself felt helpless as there wasn't anything he could do to relieve the tension, and could only wait for Mitsuha's next move.
Mitsuha began to cry as she ran up to her room. "Wait outside for me, Taki-kun! I'll be right out!"
When his eyes stopped following Mitsuha up the stairs, they met again with Hitoha's, who shot a cold stare into them, with an expression that coincided with Mitsuha's request. No words were needed; the look on her face was as good a 'get out' as any words could express.
Taki wanted so badly to appease her, and relieve the resentment she has towards his relationship with Mitsuha. On top of that, he himself had a bit of an emotional attachment to her, given the time he spent in Mitsuha's body and how much he learned about the Miyamizu culture from her. In a way, she was his grandmother too. So this immense revilement toward him cut him deeper than maybe he realized.
Meanwhile upstairs, Mitsuha was furiously packing clothes and other belongings into a bag. How could she?! How could she?! Her normally iron-hard composure melted away, and the emotions of the whole situation were at the steering wheel. She sprinted down the steps, completely unaware that Yotsuha was standing at her own door, watching the whole thing unfold. On the ground floor, she stormed towards Taki, grabbing his hand and taking him with her towards the door.
Without looking back, she left her grandmother with a loud "goodbye, grandmother" and slammed the door shut. Hitoha, now emotionally and mentally drained, returned to an almost dormant state.
Mitsuha pulled Taki for a few meters before he finally stopped her in her almost hypnotic state.
"Mitsuha, what is this?"
"If she doesn't accept our relationship, there's no need for her to interfere."
"Mitsuha…wha-…this…this isn't like you. You…you don't make brash decisions like this. You're so much more calculative and composed when it comes to decision making. You…do you realize you just threw away everything you had with your grandmother? Just for me?"
"Taki-kun…you don't understand. Just this morning, she said she accepted us! And now…"
"I won't let you end things like this with your grandmother. She's your family. And you can't do this to family."
"Taki…I…I plan on one day making you my family."
"Mitsuha…"
"Besides. What's done is done. There's no point in trying to salvage anything now. Everyone's exhausted."
Taki sighed in defeat, realizing that she was completely right. "I guess…all that's left to do is head back. It's late. And I imagine you're just as beat as I am."
"I'm in the mood to relax right now. Perhaps if you're not too sleepy, we can watch some of those shows you were talking about earlier."
"We'll see."
When they returned to Taki's apartment, Mitsuha began to unload her belongings from her duffle bag. Before he knew it, his closet was now dominated by Mitsuha's outfits, and his bathroom sink was conquered by her various cosmetics. For most, it would feel pretty invasive, but for Taki it was different. Obviously because he loved Mitsuha so much, he wanted to take care of her whenever she needed. But he also believed that the current rift between her and her grandmother was his doing. So he accepted the responsibility of housing her during her need of distance from her. He looked down at his wrist, still tied with Mitsuha's braided cord, his eternal reminder of who he ultimately promised himself to.
Taki grabbed his laptop and sat on his bed with Mitsuha. They sat side by side, with Taki's arm around her shoulders, while Mitsuha rested her weight on Taki and laid her head on his shoulder.
"So what are you feeling? Drama, rom-com, slice of life…"
"I…hmm…how about a rom-com? It'd be a nice break from…what we're currently going through."
Taki concurred and pulled up Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigaitteru. Although maybe not a personal favorite of his, he found it amusing nonetheless. It was an older anime that had a sizable following in its prime, and delivered one of the most unique perspectives of high school romance. In his youth, he watched this to tell himself that he wasn't a complete loser.
They made it through a couple episodes before Mitsuha's eyes were almost closed. So he shut off the laptop and placed it on his nightstand, reaching over and turning out the light. He shifted both of them downward so they were laying down flat. Mitsuha, with the remainder of her lucidness, rolled onto her side, facing Taki and putting her arm over him. And almost instantly, she knocked out, not even able to wish her boyfriend good night. Before descending into his own slumber, he planted a quick kiss onto the top of Mitsuha's head, and snuggled closer to her.
Oh yeah, we're going hiking tomorrow.
A/N: And hello friends, welcome to a tradition unlike any other, the crappy author's note at the end of every chapter. So with my first week of summer, I was able to really set in stone what direction I wanna take this fic. Keep reading to see what it is. Nah, I'm just kidding. But that being said, I wanted to give a sincere and genuine thank you to all the feedback I've gotten (especially to a certain few readers, you know who you are). Seriously, the reviews helped a lot in figuring out how the rest of the story is gonna play out, and with so much more I have in store for these two, having a consistent style is gonna make it a lot better (I hope). It's been almost 2 months since I dropped the first chapter, and I honestly did not think I'd still be putting out more. But these two are my OTP, and I'm always gonna have stuff in my head about them, so why not put it out there, I guess. So as always, to anyone who's read this far, thank you so much for the time of day. Out of all the things you could be doing with your day, you chose to read my story, and that means a great deal to me. Mad props to anyone still reading, and as per usual, I'll see y'all in the next one. Cheers.