Dinner and Love

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

“I mean…that’s where some random girl said that to you, right?”

“No no no no, it was my classmate. I would never wander around there.”

“Ah….oh…sorry.” pulling back her trembling hand reaching me she continued,

“So it was a classmate, a girl..wait..a girl?!”

Somehow she also made me doubt it for a second there,

“...yes a girl.”

Scratching her head she went,

“Tell me the whole thing, I think I am missing too much.”

After I explained everything she repeated a short version and said,

“So, you both are going to help each other in studies and she said she wants your whole day tomorrow because you're gonna have some fun after studying, am I correct?”

I innocently nodded.

“That’s a date.”

“Date?”

“Yup, A date.”

I tilted my head like it was impossible.

“You don't think it's a date?”

“Well… there are many reasons not to think it is.”

“Like what?”

“ Like we only started talking recently, it's not even a month of us knowing each other.”

“But she wouldn't hang out with someone a full day if she didn't have even the slightest bit of feelings towards him.”

“ She behaves similarly with everyone else. I am not treated in any special way.” I looked at the time.” It's already late, so let's start preparing dinner.”

“But-”

“If we kept talking about it, the dinner wouldn't be ready before dad came back.”

Putting a stop to that topic for at least now I immersed myself in cooking.

By the time we were almost done dad came back. After he changed, we had dinner.

Bringing back the topic I said,

“Dad, I won't be at home tomorrow. Maybe till night so I will be having dinner outside.”

“Oh, going out with someone?”

“It's a Date.” Lemon said before I could speak.

“Date??!”

“Yup.”

“It's not.”

“It is. No matter how you look at it.”

“Haa….” I sighed and continued, “I told you it's not.”

“Dad! If a girl invites you to spend a whole Sunday with her, it's a date right?”

“Uhh…Not necessarily but there are high chances it is . Wait! Someone invited you for a date???!”

“Yes, Nii-san’s classmate invited him on a date tomorrow. He is saying that there is no way for her to have even a little bit of feeling for him.”

“Really, I don't think that's the case.”

“I don't think someone can fall for someone in less than a month.”

I asked myself ‘Why am I having a talk about this topic with my family?’

“What are you talking about, there is an example sitting in front of you who fell in love at first sight.”

“That's… true but still I don't believe it.”

“But what if she is?” Lemon asked

“.....” I couldn't answer.

Seeing me remain silent dad asked,

“Okay let's change the question. How do you feel about her?”

“I…….I think of her…as a……… friend…”

“Umm..friend, huh.” he took a bite and continued “What if you fell in love with her?”

“If I fell in love?..........i-i dont know..I never did…”

Fell in love with uragao-san?

“Ah! And nii-san i will choose the outfit for you tomorrow, got it!!”

“Okay okay, do whatever you want but let's stop this conversation, I don't want to have a conversation about love with my family.”

“Haha now, don’t be shy. I would love to have a talk about it with my son”

“But I don't.”

Our dinner continued. The topic changed to Shigeo’s sleep over and when he is coming back with my mind still hung up on the question of ‘if i fell in love.’

The night was long somehow. Not that I couldn't sleep, it just felt longer than usual.