GJ-Bu 2020 Bonus Chapter

This chapter was released in 2020 to celebrate a GJ-Bu doujin event. It was published on the author's page on a web novel website, the original is available here: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n5130es/5/

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September 13, 2020's GJ-Bu

The usual family restaurant, the usual sunday.

Sitting across from me, Mao was in a bad mood. Or maybe more accurately,  she looked tired, completely out of it.

She slumped with her cheek to the tabletop, looking as if she had no intention of getting up whatsoever.

"Cheer up, Prez. You're going to make me sad too looking like that."

"Ugh... why are you dropping pickup lines now all of a sudden?"

Mao said, peeling her cheek away from the table.

"What? Me? Pickup lines? When? What? How?"

"He doesn't even realize...?"

I don't really understand what she was talking about, but I'm glad she seems to be feeling a little better. But before long, that energy was gone as fast as it had come, and Mao plopped back onto the table.

"I'm fine. I'm just... just a little bummed out."

"Why's that?"

"It was supposed to be in June! But then that corona stuff happened and now it's already September! I get sad just thinking about it. When are we actually going to be able to do it?"

"Ah..."

Now I finally understood what the Prez was talking about.

"It's like that, isn't it; like with the Olympics. "Delaying" it is just for PR reasons when it's already close to 100 percent cancelled. Is that how it is? Huh?"

"I don't actually mind, really. In fact, I'm kind of relieved."

"You are the absolute worst. You would actually say that you're relieved in front of someone who was just complaining to you about it being delayed without a second thought. Unbelievable. You haven't changed at all."

"Sorry, sorry. I wasn't being very considerate."

"Also, that polite tone. When are you going to fix that?"

"Hahaha."

I laughed weakly. When I started using "Ore" instead of "Boku" and spoke more like Oreman, Mao told me "That feels creepy, stop doing it!". So exactly how am I supposed to speak then?

"Prez, you're still kind of a pure maiden, huh?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know, Kasumi told me she wasn't going to have a ceremony and just save the money."

"Damn. That's a guy move."

"Actually, Kenken was more attached to the idea of a ceremony than she was."

"Those two are a bunch of weirdos too. That kind of breaking up and getting back together constantly from when they were in high school is just weird. Like once, I get, but just constantly, you know. I just don't get it."

"Yeah, the first time was in middle school, I think?"

"Are you seriously okay with that, you siscon?"

"The first few times it was a bloodbath. But I kind of got bored of it after that."

"Is that something you get bored of?"

"Well, you know. As her brother, it's actually reassuring to me. If they get back together so many times, then that means it wasn't just a one time heat of the moment type thing."

As I spoke, I looked over to check on how Prez was doing.

Mao was still slumped down on the table, her arms stretched out. This was a bad case of the pure maiden disease.

"Still feeling down?"

"Well, yeah... You know, as a pure maiden, I would still like one...Haa..."

I'd like to be able to sympathize with her, but this was one thing I truly couldn't understand.

At times like this, I shouldn't try to force it. I won't show my frustration on my face. I won't try to explain my own feelings. It was something of a promise between us, something we understood from being together for so long. A trick to make sure we stay with each other for a long time to come.

"Even Kenken has a bit of the pure maiden inside him. Do you not have any at all? You don't think the ceremony's important even a little bit?"

"I guess you could say I value practicality above symbolism."

"Practicality?"

"I mean, we're already cohabitating. I think that's more important than a symbolic ceremony."

"Coha-! Whoa! Stop! Don't say it like that!"

"What? Why?"

"It's too graphic! Say, uh... say we're roomates or whatever."

"That's what you say when you're describing just a friend. Are we just friends?"

"Ugh... Well..."

Mao's face turned bright red.

She's so cute; it makes me want to tease her a little more. But as a gentleman, I held myself back.

"Here's your kids' meal and hamburg steak!"

The usual waitress brought our food with her usual poker face.

"Yay! Mao loves the kids' meal!"

She immediately perked up, and played the part of a spunky grader schooler.

Actually, we were in the middle of a date, so I was dressed up. Mao on the other hand had the full grade schooler look. The fact that it still fit her so well was terrifying; there was absolutely nothing that felt out of place.

I ate my meal while looking at her energetic face across from me. It was delicious.