The Otaku's Dream Girl

After I evaded Ichika’s wild swings with a stun gun in hand, and appeased her with her mother’s fresh, delicious cookies, we continued the lesson. Although I made sure not to invade her personal space without a good reason again.

I didn’t need my ass roasted by a dangerous weapon, after all.

“Where did you even learn how to cook?” She passed me a glance, as we went about lining the baking tray with what would be some delicious snacks.

“Ah, my mom taught me since I was wayyy younger.” I said exaggeratedly, “Something about me always nagging her when she cooked, blah blah, and then one day she started teaching me.”

“Heh.” Ichika smiled slightly. “I bet you were a brat…”

Case in point, I actually was.

“Okay so now, all that’s left is to let them stay in the oven for about 12 to 15 minutes…” I said, putting the tray inside the oven and wiping the sweat off my brow.

This cooking lesson really took its toll on me. I had the impression running for my life was also partly at fault too.

“Finally…” Ichika too, exhaled sharply, as she removed the oven mitt off her hand, and leaned against the kitchen table.

Uff, that could have gone worse, I guess? I glanced at the cookies that were about to take shape into some mean snacks.

Ichika would have finally had a cooking product that wasn’t downright awful! Hopefully. Fingers crossed.

In 15 minutes we’ll find out…

Wait, 15 minutes?

My subconscious suddenly urged me to look at my wrist watch.

It was almost time for me to meet Sumi! I almost forgot!

Hm, now how would I go about breaking the news to Ichika?

I glanced at her as she removed her apron and set it atop the chair neatly. With a start, she raised her gaze to meet mine.

Blushing, probably due to the earlier mishaps, she narrowed her eyes.

“What?”

“You see…” I walked closer, clasping my hands together. “I’m supposed to meet someone, 15 minutes from now… So can we just snap a pic so I can be off?”

“Meeting someone, huh?” She narrowed her eyes further. “Does the almighty ikemen Haruhi not have time for mere mortals like us? Who are you going out with, anyway?” With a sarcastic grin, she gave me a curious side glance.

Heh, she called me an ikemen…

I shook that thought away, and replied.

“Ah, I’ve promised to meet Sumi in the amusement park…”

As I explained my situation to Ichika, her face gradually dropped into a frown. A deep, sad frown. She clenched her jaw and picked up the phone lying on the table.

“Oh…” She navigated through her apps and tapped the icon of a camera. “…I see.”

Faking a smile, she aimed the front camera towards us, and clicked a pic just as I had barely gotten into position.

“Hey!” I protested, as she withdrew her phone. “I look like a complete idiot! Retake the—“

“Sumi’s waiting.” Ichika cut me off, turning her back. “Right?”

Huh?

I froze for a second. Why did she turn cold as ice in the time span of a minute? It’s almost like she reverted…

Back to the Ichika I met that night.

With a sigh, I walked to the front door, and slipped on my shoes. It was already getting late. I couldn’t keep Sumi…

Waiting.

As I glanced back into the house, I saw Ichika peeking around the corner of the hallway, a glare very evidently pointed at me.

Somehow the sight of her glare caused something within me to ache. It felt like I really was doing something wrong. But why?

She wasn’t my real girlfriend.

She was just a fake… pretend, partner.

She was a brute.

She was rude.

She was blackmailing me.

With a soft click I closed the door behind me.

Whatever this feeling was, it was mysterious.

It made me soften up on her.

Why?

“Ah.”

Suddenly, realization hit me.

But it wasn’t about my hidden, mysterious feelings.

Instead…

“I forgot to take off the apron…”

<><><><><><><>

“Sumi!” I ran up to the pink-haired girl, out of breath, hands on my knees. “Sorry, for being late.”

I apologized with a bow.

“Ah, Haruhi-kun! Don’t worry about it.” Sumi, dressed up in a white skirt, a pink top and a light blue jacket, smiled at me sweetly.

“I just got here, myself.”

There it was, the all-too familiar line.

Brushing that thought aside, I regained my composure.

“Really?” I grinned. “Then, let’s get going.”

“Sure!” Sumi smiled back, and we entered the amusement park, which was even further away than the university where the anime convention was held last week.

“You look… lovely today.” I gave Sumi a compliment, as we weaved through the crowd coming and going in the amusement park.

“Ah…” She got taken aback slightly, before nodding “Thank you. You look… handsome too.” Gingerly, she blushed.

Well, thank God for the apron! My outfit would have been ruined by the batter otherwise! I thought my black polo tee paired well with my soft grey pants too, but I kept that thought to myself, instead thanking her with a smile.

Did that smile reach my eyes?

“What should we ride first?” I asked, as we stood at the center of the amusement park, the air filled with cheers of ecstasy and glee, as well as silly little songs playing from large speakers around arcade machines and various mini games.

“Let’s see…” Sumi tapped her chin, a playful glint in her crimson eyes.

<><><><><><><>

We went from thrilling train rides to breathtaking shock towers and even enjoyed romantic Ferris wheel rides that made us feel as though we could reach out and touch the stars painted across the night sky. Sumi laughed at every silly idea of a joke I made, and I glanced at her with astonishment at every new thing I learned about her. As if predetermined, as if that was how it was supposed to go.

We walked through crowds of people, and little kids running around. We stopped at every vendor on the way, stealing a glance of their wares, and commented merrily.

Time was passing. Slowly, but surely.

And it was… peculiar.

Every detail.

Every bit of conversation.

Every glance.

It was spot on.

Almost too good.

Almost rehearsed.

Almost out of a play…

I was on a date with the girl of my dreams, and everything was… perfect.

So why wasn’t I having the time of my life?

We rode another train. This time even crazier than the last.

“AAAAHHH!” Sumi shouted in both fear and excitement, raising her arms high.

With each new descent, my heart leapt in my throat.

Sumi though, probably to ease her fears, clasped my hand tight.

I couldn’t show I was scared too.

I had to be cool... Right?

So I shallowed the lump on my throat and laughed along.

“…”

We passed an ice cream cart, and got a cone stuffed with strawberry flavor cream each.

“Oh, you have some on your cheek, Sumi…” I stretched my hand out to help her.

"..." But I stopped midway. “Here.” Instead I handed her a tissue.

“Oh…” She was taken aback, but eventually smiled. “Thanks, Haruhi-kun.”

I smiled back.

We stumbled upon a clown performing magic tricks, and Sumi eagerly pulled me over to watch.

“You there!”

“Me?”

“Sit here, if you may….”

“Sure?”

Unexpectedly, the clown chose me as the subject of his tricks, and I sat down as instructed, as I was pointed to a chair.

As I turned to sit though, my backside was never supported by anything, and my buttocks hit the cobble path with a thud.

“Hahahah!”

The kids around us laughed, while Sumi suppressed a smile and came my way.

“Are you okay?”

“Hahaha!” I laughed too. In truth, I wanted to punch that clown to oblivion. But I suppressed that thought.

“Hahahahaha!”

The kids laughed even harder, as the happy-go-lucky clown joined in.

“Hahahahopeyoudieclownhahaha!” I gritted my teeth, and laughed hard. Surely, I couldn’t lose my composure here.

Sumi frowned and helped me up.

I wonder, would Ichika have laughed at me were she here instead?

Why am I even thinking of Ichika in the first place?

I shook that thought away.

Stop thinking about that brute. This is the date I had been waiting for. I’m here with Sumi. And I couldn’t mess it up.

She knew the perfect, popular Haruhi. And that’s who I needed to be.