So here we are—somehow, I, Keiko, and Rin are having dinner together. Just the three of us. Sitting at a sushi restaurant. Like a normal family dinner. Rin chose sushi, though I had no idea why. It almost felt nostalgic, like old times. But let’s be real—it was probably only nostalgic for me.
The moment we sat down and ordered, silence completely took over. Keiko and Rin were never the type to talk much, after all. The only sound filling the air was the faint clatter of plates and the distant chatter of other customers. I couldn’t take it anymore—I had to break this awkward atmosphere before I lost my mind.
"Ermm... Rin, do you like sushi?" I asked, desperate to start a conversation.
Rin looked at me, expressionless as always. "Not really."
…Huh?!
Then why did you choose sushi?! This girl... I was about to question her logic, but I decided against it. Instead, I glanced at Keiko for support. Bad move.
Keiko caught me looking and immediately made eye contact. I panicked and quickly looked away, pretending to be fascinated by the soy sauce bottle. Oh my god, why am I like this?! The misunderstanding from yesterday was still haunting me!
"What about you, Ryuko?" Keiko suddenly asked, breaking my brain.
"Huh?" I blinked in confusion.
She tilted her head slightly. "Do you like it?"
O-Oh. Is she talking about herself, or is she referring to the food? I cleared my throat, feeling my face heat up. "I-I love it!" I stuttered, then realized how that sounded. "T-The sushi, I mean!"
Keiko chuckled, clearly amused. "Of course, the sushi."
Kill me now.
From that moment, the rest of the dinner was a struggle. Rin barely participated, scrolling on her phone, while Keiko and I kept fumbling through awkward small talk. It was painful. I wanted to bury my face in wasabi and disappear.
---
Finally, dinner ended. I thought I was free. I thought I survived. I thought wrong.
Since my station was on the way, I ended up walking home with them. Rin was a bit ahead, walking with the enthusiasm of someone forced into family bonding time.
Then Keiko spoke.
"Ryuko…"
Oh no. I tensed up. "Y-Yes?"
She sighed. "I noticed you've been acting awkward around me today."
Gah! She noticed?! Wait—of course, she did! I was being so obvious! I waved my hands in panic. "Hahaha! Awkward? Me? No way! Pfft!"
She ignored my pathetic attempt at lying. "I just hope you’re not overthinking things too much." Then she paused before adding, "Or… do you really have feelings for me?"
…Excuse me, WHAT?!
I almost tripped on air. Did she just casually ask me that?! Keiko has always been straightforward, but come on!
"What are you talking about? Hahaha!" I let out a fake laugh so forced it probably hurt to listen to.
Keiko studied me for a moment, then smiled slightly. "I just hope it doesn't affect our relationship at work." But—was she… blushing a little?! Did I imagine that?!
"I promise it won’t!" I said immediately, like an employee reassuring their boss they wouldn’t slack off. "I'm sorry for all the trouble," I added, rubbing the back of my head.
She simply smiled and nodded. I should have left it at that. I really should have. But no, my dumb brain decided it wasn’t satisfied.
"Keiko… do you, by any chance… like girls?"
WHY DID I ASK THAT?!
I physically winced at myself. Where did that sudden courage come from?! What was I expecting, an anime confession scene?!
But I am a girl now, so I couldn't help but wonder… do I actually have a chance or not?
Keiko froze. Oh god. She definitely wasn’t expecting that question. I watched in horror as she processed my words, her face blank for a moment.
Before she could say anything—
"Mom, hurry up and open the door!" Rin called from ahead.
Keiko immediately turned toward her daughter. "A-Ah, okay, okay!"
Saved by Rin. Thank you, Rin. I will never complain about your attitude again.
As they reached their house, I awkwardly waved. "Good night, thanks for having dinner with me."
"Okay, bye!" Rin replied bluntly, unlocking the door.
Keiko smiled. "Thanks. Good night."
And with that, the door closed.
I stood outside for a moment, completely frozen. My brain was lagging like a bad internet connection. Then it hit me.
Keiko didn’t deny it.
She could have quickly said, "No, I don’t like girls," but she didn’t.
Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god.
That means something, right?! RIGHT?!
I grabbed my head, pacing in circles like a crazy person on the street. People were walking by, throwing me weird glances, but I didn’t care. I was too busy spiraling into a gay panic.
Aaaaaaaahhhhh! My internal screaming reached dangerous levels.
Then, suddenly—
"Meow."
A cat randomly meowed at me from the sidewalk.
I stopped, blinking at it.
"...Oh. Right. I should probably go home and rest before I embarrass myself even more."
I sighed, rubbing my temples. Whatever happens, I’ll fix my relationship with Keiko and Rin no matter what.
With that, I took a deep breath and started walking home.
…But seriously.
Did I just unlock a route with Keiko?