The movie tickets Kasumigaoka Touji had booked were for the 10:00 AM showtime. Ticket collection and entry began at 9:50 AM.
Holding his cola, he wrapped an arm around Kato Megumi's slender shoulders and followed the flow of the crowd toward their designated screening room. His eyes went directly to the very last row. "We're in the last row, seat three."
"Mmm."
"Is this… a couple's seat?" Upon reaching the last row and seeing the plush, red two-person sofa, Kato Megumi couldn't help but exclaim in mild surprise. She had been to the cinema many times, but this was her first experience with a couple's seat.
"Yes. We're a couple, so it's perfectly normal to sit in a couple's seat, isn't it?" Kasumigaoka Touji looked at Kato Megumi with a smile and gently guided her to sit down.
The next moment—
The girl let out a soft, satisfied "Hmm~."
She then placed her orange juice into the built-in cup holder, hugged the bucket of popcorn close, and looked at Kasumigaoka Touji as she remarked contentedly, "This is my first time sitting in one of these. It feels much more spacious and comfortable than the regular seats~."
"Hmm… It's my first time too. It really is a lot more comfortable." Kasumigaoka Touji shifted slightly, adjusting to the seat beside her, and voiced his agreement.
"It's Touji-kun's first time too?"
Hearing this, Kato Megumi looked at him with a hint of surprise. Over all these years, hadn't he ever gone to the movies with Kasumigaoka Utaha?
"Yes, my first time."
Kasumigaoka Touji confirmed her query and continued, "I don't usually go to the movies very often. Even when I went with Utaha before, we always just sat in regular seats."
After all, they had been siblings back then, and he had subconsciously booked standard seating. Besides, if he had booked a couple's seat back then, he could only imagine how Utaha would have teased him! She probably would have crossed her legs, propped her chin on her hand, and said in that signature mocking tone of hers: 'Oh my~, booking a couple's seat to watch a movie with your Onee-chan… You perverted sis-con!'
She would have undoubtedly said something along those lines—!
"I see…" Feeling a little flutter of excitement, Kato Megumi picked up two pieces of popcorn and held them up to Kasumigaoka Touji's mouth.
Kasumigaoka Touji, instead of taking just the popcorn, playfully caught her index finger between his lips as well, giving it a quick, teasing lick with his tongue.
The girl instinctively pulled her hand back. In the dim but still-lit screening room, her bright eyes seemed to sparkle as she shot a mock-reproachful glare at Kasumigaoka Touji.
Kasumigaoka Touji simply chuckled in response.
"…"
Soon, the overhead lights dimmed completely.
Following a few sponsor advertisements, the opening credits of the film appeared before Kasumigaoka Touji and Kato Megumi. They had chosen a comedy titled Kamikaze Girls, one of the recent box office hits.
Kasumigaoka Touji felt the title was somewhat suggestive. If it were changed to something like Wife's Story… now that would be something else entirely! The content would likely be… explosive. But he estimated such a film wouldn't pass the censors. Although Japan had a broad spectrum in this regard, they still wouldn't screen outright adult films in mainstream cinemas. Private screenings were another matter, of course—!
The entire screening room fell into a hushed silence, broken only by the monologues and dialogues emanating from the film. Everyone's attention was intently focused on the large screen.
Kasumigaoka Touji kept one arm draped around Kato Megumi, inhaling the girl's fresh, clean scent as he munched on popcorn and watched the movie unfold. Gradually, he began to get the feeling that 'this film is actually pretty good.'
"…"
The story was set in a place called 'Shimotsuma.' There was nothing here but endless fields, yet Western culture enjoyed surprising popularity. In this small town, there lived a cute high school girl who always dressed like a young lady from medieval Europe. Her name was Ryuzaki Momoko.
Momoko was seventeen. She had grown up in the Kansai region, where young people were exceptionally trendy and eccentric outfits were a common sight. However, her family had moved to Shimotsuma, a place populated by simple, straightforward folk with little sense of fashion. Though she was treated like a monster by the locals, Momoko continued to do as she pleased, utterly indifferent to the strange looks and whispered gossip that followed her.
It was under these circumstances that she met Ichigo Shirayuri, a second-year high school girl from the same school—a girl who rode a heavy motorcycle day in and day out and dressed in the flashy, exaggerated style of a Bosozoku gang member.
They were both deeply curious about each other, each wondering how a girl like the other could possibly exist in a place like this.
The entire narrative revolved around this unlikely pair…
"…"
"…It doesn't really feel like a straight-up comedy, but overall, it's quite good."
As the screening ended—
Kasumigaoka Touji was in no hurry to leave. He waited until most of the people in the rows ahead had filed out before rising and exiting the screening room with Kato Megumi.
They chatted as they walked.
"Mmm."
Kato Megumi responded, holding onto Kasumigaoka Touji's arm as she let out a soft sigh. "It was really touching how Momoko stayed up all night sewing that special outfit for Ichigo~."
Kasumigaoka Touji glanced at her and smiled. "In real life, if you had a friend who would do that for you, it would indeed be incredibly touching."
As he spoke, he found himself inexplicably thinking of Kitagawa Marin. In My Dress-Up Darling, wasn't it precisely these kinds of skills and dedication that allowed Gojo Wakana to capture Kitagawa Marin's heart?
Speaking of which,
Among the heroines of the anime world, Kitagawa Marin should be considered a relatively straightforward type to 'conquer,' shouldn't she? She was practically offering herself on a silver platter.
Kasumigaoka Touji mused to himself before turning his attention back to Kato Megumi. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Let's go eat!"
It was already noon. Although he had drunk a cola and snacked on popcorn during the movie, staving off any serious hunger, lunch was still a necessity. He needed to eat something, at least a little.
"Okay." Kato Megumi replied softly. She then paused her steps, her gaze shifting slightly as she added, "Um… Touji-kun, wait for me a moment. I need to use the restroom."
"Mmm, let's go together."
The mention of the restroom suddenly reminded Kasumigaoka Touji of his own slight need. He made the suggestion to her.
And so, the two of them followed the directional signs within the cinema complex and made their way toward the restrooms…
...
After exiting the restrooms, Kasumigaoka Touji led Kato Megumi out of the cinema building and headed toward a well-known restaurant nearby for lunch…