How was she so good at guessing this stuff? I’d love to scan this girl’s brain and figure out how it worked.
“Yomiuri, since when have you turned into Sherlock Holmes?”
“Elementary, my dear Watson! Not that Holmes actually said that in any of Doyle’s stories.”
He didn’t? I’d figured it was a pretty famous quote, since even I’d heard it before.
“Sometimes, a line that sounds right sticks with people even more than what someone actually said. That’s how memes are created.”
“Oh, I see.”
“Anyway, getting back to the point, I’ll look into the matter and send you a text later. Leave it to me! Wink!” Yomiuri shot me a wink and waved. I’d never heard anyone say a sound effect out loud like that before. Then she turned around and strode out of the office.
“Thanks!” I called after her.
She seemed in an awful rush to leave. At that point, I glanced at the clock and realized three minutes had passed and our break was over.
…Yomiuri sure was something—in more ways than one.
I stood for a moment in shock, then remembered I was at work. I headed back out onto the sales floor, only to find an even bigger crowd of customers than before. I felt my spirits drop. At this rate, we’d be besieged by Christmas Day.
I gazed up at the sky above. It was pitch-black, like a screen that had been turned off. The Christmas lights of the bustling street below seemed to reach up toward it like a pair of outstretched arms.
I was taking my usual route home from work, pushing my bike and walking alongside Ayase.
“You’re wearing my present,” she said, glancing at my neck. The streetlights softly illuminated her smile.
“Of course. It’s nice and warm. Thanks.”
“I’m glad you like it. By the way, have you decided where we’re going tomorrow?” she asked, her short hair swaying in the wind.
“Sorry, not yet. But I’ll definitely get us a reservation.”
I’d casually asked Maru for his input, too, but I had yet to hear back from either him or Yomiuri. I’d have to check the internet again once we got home.
I was a little concerned about how many restaurants were already fully booked. The next day was the closest Sunday to Christmas, after all. What if I couldn’t get a table anywhere…?
Oh well. Dwelling on it wasn’t going to help. I’d just have to find something.
“Look forward to it, okay?” I said.
I’d backed myself into a corner, and I instantly regretted it. But the words were out, and there was no taking them back now.
“Oh…? Oh yeah. I’m excited.”
Ayase seemed a little hesitant. It must have been because I’d said, “Look forward to it,” and not “I’m looking forward to it.” I had to be more careful. Ayase was sharp and might easily figure out that I was planning to surprise her.
I wasn’t very good at lying, so I’d simply have to keep silent instead.
We got back to the apartment and ate dinner together. It was over in a flash.
“Good night, then. See you tomorrow.”
“Yep. Good night.”
After watching Ayase go back to her room, I returned to my own.
I’d been planning to do some research on the internet before I took my bath, but right as I opened the browser, my phone made a sound. It was the alert for a new text message. I saw Yomiuri’s name and quickly clicked it to open her message.
What popped up was a list of Western-style restaurants along with URLs for their websites. These must be her recommendations.
I sent her a thank-you, and then I heard another sound from my cell phone. She’d sent a follow-up.
The restaurants at the top of the list are Professor Kudou’s recommendations, but I think they’d already be fully booked (though their food is heavenly!), so I’ve added some little-known places I think might still have tables available. Good luck.
I chuckled. “Good luck”? On what, exactly?
I sent her another thank-you, then started opening every URL she’d sent me.
As Yomiuri had predicted, all the restaurants at the top of the list were booked solid. They were pricey, too, though perhaps I should have expected as much from an associate professor’s recommendations.
Some of the places on the list were already closed since it was almost midnight. Fortunately, most of them let me make reservations online. Maybe that was why Yomiuri had recommended them.
I combed through the choices, looking for a restaurant serving beef stew that was pricey enough to be nice but cheap enough that I could afford it, then checking each one’s availability.
At last, I found one with a few tables left. It was on the upper floor of a commercial building downtown and close to the train station.
I quickly completed the registration form for two people in my name. It was my first time booking a table at a restaurant, and I was pretty nervous.
Once I was done and let out a sigh of relief, I noticed that another text had come in from Yomiuri.
Hey, are there any hot movies showing lately? Something you’d like to see?
Movies?
Her question seemed to have come out of the blue. I brought up a movie site I had bookmarked on my browser and took a look, scrolling through the list of new releases.
“Oh yeah, this one starts this weekend.”
I’d completely forgotten, but a new film by a famous anime director had come out the previous day. It was the director’s first film in three years. I didn’t know much about it aside from the title, but I’d intentionally decided to go in blind so I could get my own take on it. I’d liked the director’s previous films, so I was confident this one would be good as well. I was particularly fond of the director’s casual depiction of scenes of everyday life.
Because the director was famous, every new film they released became a hot topic. I was sure social media was full of comments and critiques, even though it had only been out for two days. I didn’t want to be influenced, though, so I wasn’t going to look.
After typing the title and copying the URL, I replied to Yomiuri.
Maybe this one.
Oh-ho. That one, huh?
She seemed to know about it, too. But why was she suddenly asking me about movies? Did she want to invite me out again?
Now that I’d realized how I felt about Ayase, though, I was hesitant to go to a movie alone with another woman, even if she was a coworker.
But what brought this on? I wrote casually.
Yomiuri’s response came right away, as if she’d known exactly what I would say.
I thought I’d check it out first and spoil it for you!
Typical Yomiuri.
Please don’t.
I’d waited three years for this film. She had to be joking, right? Either way, I did not want spoilers.
She was probably just in the mood to see a film. I was a bit embarrassed about my reaction. Perhaps I’d been overly self-conscious.
I thanked her again for the list of restaurants, then said good night.
The following day was Ayase’s birthday.
After checking my e-mail and seeing a confirmation from the restaurant that they’d received my request, I went to bed.