Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16817330658028208231/episodes/16817330658769564845
We hand over the admission ticket at the reception and enter the hall.
As for the admission ticket, it was free of charge because Watanabe san used the one she had obtained from a family friend.
“I still have a bad feeling about it…….”
Upon entering the building, a guide map is displayed. This is the most famous and largest aquarium in Tokyo, and you could spend half a day there if you wanted to enjoy it properly.
Naturally, the admission fee is high, so I told her I’ll pay half of it…….
“I often receive invitations to visit various facilities at my parents’ house. If I don’t use them, they expire, and I can’t accept money for something I received.”
She flatly refused. I have learned from our relationship that she is stubborn at times like this, as she had shown during the fishing trip.
I planned to repay her in a different way later.
“Aikawa kun, where would you like to start?”
According to the map of the aquarium, there are three levels in total.
The first floor is where we are standing now, and there are second floor and a rooftop floor.
“I think it would be better to go around in order for now.”
Looking at the flow of other people, it appears that they are following the order. I felt that we would not miss anything if we first conquered the first floor, then the second floor, and then the rooftop.
My suggestion was accepted, and Watanabe san walked in front of me and quickly stepped inside.
“Wow…..there are fish swimming around.”
There were transparent acrylic walls on both sides of the passageway, beyond which fish were swimming around.
Below were panels with descriptions of the swimming fish, and an audio guide could be heard.
Coral reefs, sunfish, and sea eels peeked out from the sand.
Being able to see the creatures that live in the sea at such a close distance is one of the best parts of being in an aquarium.
Watanabe san’s eyes lit up like a child’s and she moved closer to the acrylic wall to watch the fish swim by.
I stood beside her and observed the fish as if following her lead.
“It’s kind of a strange sight. To be able to see how the fish are spending their time in the sea like this.”
The glow of the waves bobbing in the sea reflected off her profile. In the dim light, Watanabe san’s eyes absorb the light, and my attention is drawn to them.
For some reason, I was more interested in her than in the fish.
Watanabe san was so absorbed in the fish that she never took her eyes off the tank and went around the aquarium without a moment’s pause.
Sometimes she talks to me, and I humor her by giving her a few words and sometimes by sharing some trivia I learned while fishing.
When we are almost at the end of the underwater floor on the first floor, there is a tunnel-like area, and we go inside.
“Whoaaaa—-!”
“This is amazing !”
Once inside, the ceiling was bright. It was a 360-degree underwater world.
“That’s a ray, isn’t it? Over there, the fish are swimming in groups. It’s amazing !”
The impact of the performance had already been impressive enough, but now this was a surprise.
I was so excited that I didn’t even react to Watanabe san shaking my shoulder, but I kept my eyes fixed on this spectacle.
“Whew, it all came full circle.”
After visiting the beach floor on the second floor and the petting floor on the rooftop, we took a break at the rooftop café.
“It’s too bad the dolphin show is canceled.”
“It can’t be helped. It’s the rainy season.”
As for the dolphin show, the highlight of the rooftop floor, it had been canceled due to the rainy weather.
Watanabe san seemed to be looking forward to it and seemed especially shocked.
I thought about what I should say to her.
“Since this is such a fun place, why don’t we just come back?”
From what she told me, she said that these kinds of admission tickets are available on a regular basis. Then, I suggested that we should visit next time when the weather is better.
“Eh? Can we come together again?”
However, Watanabe san must have misheard me, because she responded by assuming that I would come with her.
“If it’s okay with you, I’ll go with you.”
Though not as bad as Watanabe san, I was also disappointed that the dolphin show was canceled. If she doesn’t mind, I’d be happy to go with her.
“Promise?”
She smiles cheerfully and drinks her juice.
“Come to think of it, the tunnel just now was amazing.”
When I first saw it, I was at a loss for words, so I couldn’t share my thoughts with Watanabe san.
“It’s true, until before, I was fascinated by the fish swimming and the explanation of their ecology, but when I see such a sight, my interest expands !”
This may be an exaggeration, but it was a world-changing experience.
Seeing fish moving freely in the sea up close, you feel as if you are also in the sea.
It was such an amazing view that I could have stayed there forever and never got tired of it.
“I wonder if I could see that spectacle again if I went scuba diving?”
Watanabe san asked me over a glass of juice how she could actually see the spectacle.
“I heard there are several types of licenses, and you need a higher level license to dive deeper than 18 meters.”
The sight I just saw is probably beyond 18 meters, so it seems like a lot of work if you intend to actually experience it.
“I see, but you can see it if you get the license, right?”
I feel something in her gaze.
“Would you like to go together sometime?”
I had expected it, but Watanabe san made such a proposal.
“What do you mean by that?”
She tilted her head to the side. Apparently, she did not mean it consciously.
If that is the case, it would not be good for me to overreact.
“Well, I’ll go out with you then.”
“Really ! That’s a promise !”
I look at her excitedly and sigh as I rest my chin on my hand.
(To make such a promise about the future sounds like I want to continue going out with her to that extent.)
It may be an unconscious remark due to her naturalness, but this is almost like a misunderstanding.
There are many men in this world who have been made to cry because they took social courtesies seriously.
I had to brace myself so that I would not be one of them.
After that, we left the aquarium, had a late lunch, visited a fancy store and a large fishing tackle store that Watanabe san was interested in, and returned to the local station.
Unlike the trip to the aquarium, the train was not crowded, and we talked about the day’s events, so we were not bored at all.
“I had a great time today.”
As soon as we arrive at the station, I tell her how I feel about the day.
Until now, I had spent my holidays fishing when it was sunny and staying indoors if it rained.
After meeting her, we started fishing together and going out to Tokyo like this.
Although I was not without resistance to the idea of going out with a girl, the time I spent playing with Watanabe san was fulfilling and, above all, enjoyable.
“Having you say that, Aikawa-kun, makes me feel glad that I asked you out too.”
Watanabe san looked happy, and then her expression suddenly changed.
“Aikawa kun ! What are your plans for next weekend !?”
“Hm, it’s before the final exam, so I think I’ll be studying.”
I answered as my schedule was already set by Aizawa.
“Ah…..that’s right…….”
Her expression clouded as much as I wondered what the momentum was until just now. Maybe she was tired, or maybe the talk about final exams reminded her of her father, whom she had talked to in the morning.
“Well, but as long as I get through the final, it’s summer vacation. I’ll be able to do a lot of fishing.”
Summer vacation meant that I was promised days full of fishing.
This year, I could go away and stay overnight to fish.
I’m thinking about my plans after I get through my final exams and…..
“That’s right ! First let’s get through the final exams and then we can enjoy the summer !”
She seemed to have regained her motivation.
I saw that she was fired up,
“It would be nice if Ishikawa san and Sawaguchi san’s schedules are free too, right?”
“Eh?”
I told her that it would be better to ask about their plans ahead of time, as they were probably planning to play together during the summer vacation.
“A-Aikawa kun?
“Oh, maybe I’ll go fishing or work part-time?”
I’m planning to get a short-term job during the summer vacation.
We talked about how we were going to enjoy the coming summer, and then split up.
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