Chapter 124

21st December, Chiba Prefecture, Japan.

Today is the day I will go to a theme park at Chiba with Yukino. The theme park that we will visit today is Fantasy Destiny Land Dream. Although it has a weird English name for a theme park, this theme park was actually as famous as Disneyland.

At any rate, right now I have arrived at Destiny Land and waiting for Yukino who seemingly has not arrived yet. I looked at the entrance and saw many couples or family entering the destiny land and walking toward the big Christmas tree that can even be seen from where I was right now.

Although there are still three days before Christmas eve, naturally every part of the town has already entered the Christmas atmosphere. That of course including this theme park because usually, the Christmas event will start a week or even a month ago.

Anyway, while I was looking in the other direction where people come from, I saw a pretty girl walking toward me. She wears a blue shirt behind the white winter coat alongside a brown plaid muffler. She also wears a blue skirt with black stocking and brown winter shoes. Needless to say, it was Yukino.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting, Izumi-san..." Yukino apologetically said.

"Don't worry, I just arrived too. Moreover, we promised to meet at 10 and it still half an hour before that." I smiled and said.

"Thank you very much... But then, why are you here that early?" Yukino tilted her head and asked.

"Well, isn't arriving half an hour before the promised time was a natural thing to do on a date?" I smirked and said.

"...*ehem* At any rate, let's go..." Yukino's face reddened as she said that. But, she didn't deny that it was a date at all and just slowly walk ahead as if she is hiding her shyness.

Looking at that, I smiled thinking that she was quite cold in our first meeting. But after our talk about her family, she became very warm and sweet. However, according to Shizuka-chan, the only boy she warmed to is me. She was still as cold as ever to even her club member, Hikigaya Hachiman.

"Hehe...Oh right, that outfit suit you very much." I chased Yukino and walk beside her before chuckled and said.

"T-thank you...You look very cool too, Izumi-san." Yukino smiled and said with a rosy face. Then, we walk to the entrance of the theme park and entered with the tickets that Yukino prepared.

When we're a bit away from the big Christmas tree, Yukino suddenly opened her bag and took a camera from it. Then, with a serious expression, she aimed the camera at the edge of the tree where one of the mascots of this theme park, Pan the Panda decorated.

"Yosh, I'm sorry to suddenly stop, Izumi-san..." Yukino nodded with a satisfied expression and apologetically said.

"That's fine. At any rate, can I borrow that camera for a bit?" I chuckled and asked.

"Sure, here it is." Yukino instantly answered and gave the camera to me. Then, I grasped her hand and brought her close to me. Although surprised, she didn't say anything and just look at me with her face a bit flushed as if she already knows what I wanted to do.

*Click*

"Hehe, although you look adorable with that bashful face, let's take one more photo but this time I want you to smile." I smiled and said as I showed her the photo we just took.

"...Nn..." Yukino bashfully nodded then tenderly smiled.

*Click*

"This one is good, look..." I nodded and said before showing the finished photo to her.

Yukino elegantly tidied up the right part of her hair to her right ear and lowered her head a bit to see the photo.

"Yes, this one is go-..." Yukino smiled then she looked at me and said but she stopped because she found that our face was very close right now. Her face blushed again and she bashfully looked away while gently putting the camera back in her bag.

"Hehe, I know, right? Now, let's go try the ride here. I mean, that's why we come here after all." I chuckled and said. Hearing that, Yukino displayed a gentle smile then nodded.

---

Right now, we're lined up at a ride called Space Universe Mountain. It seems to be a ride where we will ride a train-like crate to explore the vast space. Of course, as it is space, the ride won't be smooth.

"Are you bad at this kind of thing?" I asked Yukino whose face look a bit pale with a worried expression.

"It's fine...probably..." Yukino answered with a weak smile.

"...Let's go back." I looked at her for a while and said. But when I was about to walk away, Yukino grasped my hand.

"Don't...I'm fine..." Yukino said with a thoughtful expression.

"...*Sigh* Why do you want to ride it that badly?" I sighed and asked.

"Because...we're already here after all...if we can't ride many things because of me, it won't be that fun... Besides, maybe if it's with you, I will be fine..." Yukino said with a smile. When I was about to answer, the gate opened which means this is our turn.

"Alright, but, I will do this," I said then I gently held her hand.

"Nn..." Yukino nodded with a beaming smile on her face. Then, we walk to the ride and sit at the front row.

As the ride started, the train-like crate at first run at a relatively slow speed. But gradually it became faster than before which caused Yukino's body to shake a bit. Looking at that, I tighten a bit my hand that holding Yukino's.

Then, as if it works, Yukino's body stops shaking as she looked at me with a smile before she started to look at the scenery of the space that displayed around us. After that, she didn't look terrified anymore and even enjoyed the ride until the end.

"So, why are you bad at the ride in the theme park?" I curiously asked as we walk exiting the Space Universe Mountain while our hands still holding each other.

"It's because my Nee-san did something to me when we're a child. Since that time, I am bad at this kind of thing. But today is the first time I properly enjoyed a ride. Thank you, Izumi-san." Yukino explained then joyfully said.

"I see... And you are welcome."So, why are you bad at the ride in the theme park?" I smirked and said. As if she just realized that we still holding hands, Yukino's face flushed from bashfulness but she nodded without separating her hand from mine.

"Hehe...Let's go for the other attractions, then." I chuckled and said.

"Nn!" This time, Yukino nodded with an excited expression.

After that, although Yukino has a ride that she wanted to visit, we decided to ride the other rides first and leave that one for the last. Thus, we tried many rides that we could ride together such as Bumper Boats, Crousel, Condor, and even splash mountain.

We also took many photos together in front of those rides before or after we ride it. And I'm glad because she was having so much fun like a little girl who just tried an amus.e.m.e.nt park for the first time. She even brought me to ride the splash mountain even though it's quite scary.

"Let's go, Izumi-san. The boat has arrived!" Yukino joyfully said then pulled my hand to sit on the boat that just arrived.

"Yes, yes." I shook my head and said with a smile.

Right now, we're at a ride called Pan the Panda's Bamboo Fight. Although I already know from how she took a photo of it, It seems, she likes this Pan the Panda very much.

Because as soon as she sits on the boat, she grasps the boat's handle with her free hand and looked at the Pan around her with a serious expression even though the ride hasn't even started. Looking at that, I aimed the camera that I held in my free hand and took a photo of her serious expression.

*Click*

However, it seems she didn't notice that I just took a photo of her. As the ride started, I took many photos of Pan and the serious-looking Yukino.

"Hmm, what a good ride." Yukino nodded with a satisfied smile as we walk to the exit.

"Pfff...Look at this, you must like that mascot very much." I grinned and showed her the photos.

"T-that's, y-you know..." Looking at the photos, Yukino's face blushed from embarrassment and trying to explain something.

"Haha, you don't need to deny it. It's cute after all." I laughingly said.

"You understand it too, Izumi-san?! Let me tell you. Pan-san is actually..." Yukino suddenly happily explained about Pan-san in detail even to its story.

"Haha, alright, I know you like Pan-san very much. However, although I do think Pan-san is cute, the 'cute' that I just mentioned before was you, though." I smilingly said.

"Eh...?" Yukino widened her eyes before lowered her head with a rosy cheek.

"You don't need to be embarrassed for liking something. Because I think a girl liking a cute thing is normal after all. Or should I say, it's cuter that way." I smirked and said.

"...Nn..." Hearing that, Yukino bashfully nodded with a happy smile on her face.

'Well, as always, that's damn adorable.'

"Well, shall we go to Pan corner gift shop then?" I asked.

"Yes! Let's go!" Yukino calmly said, but I could see the excitement on her eyes as she pulled my hand and walk to Pan corner gift shop.

"Alright, alright."

*Click*

I took another photo of Yukino who adorably looking at the lined up Pan dolls as soon as we arrived at the Pan corner gift shop.

"I-Izumi-san, c-could you stop taking a photo of me and help me choose some dolls?" Yukino shyly said.

"Hehe, my bad. You're just too cute after all." I chuckled and said.

"..." Yukino didn't say anything and just back at choosing the dolls but I could see she was smiling with her face reddened a bit. Then, I looked around the store and found something interesting near us.

"Oh, come here for a bit, Yukino." I gently pulled her hand to take the thing that I was interested in. Yukino didn't say anything and just followed me while looking at the other dolls in the store.

"Ooh...This is good. Now, please say 'Gaoo' while making your other hand like a claw." I had taken a panda ear headband and put it on Yukino's head before I said.

"E-eh? G-gaoo!" Albeit surprised, Yukino immediately makes her hand like a claw and said.

*Click*

"...I-Izumi-san... It's embarrassing..." Yukino shyly said.

"Then, how about we took a photo together with me wearing the same thing?" I asked.

"...Sure..." Yukino nodded and said. Then, I took the same panda ear headband as her and wear it on my head.

"Now, say 'Gaoo' again!" I brought her closer and smilingly said.

"G-gaoo..." Yukino cutely said.

"Gaoo!" Of course, I said it too.

*click*

In the end, because of the adorableness of Yukino in the photo, besides some Pan Dolls, we also bought the two panda ear headbands.

---

"Today was very fun... I feel like it's been a long time since I enjoy my time like this..." Yukino said as we sit on the bench waiting for the fireworks to be launched.

"Yep, that's true... And I'm glad you have fun, Yukino. On the other hand, we even took many photos together." I nodded and said.

"I will send the photo to you later..." Yukino smiled and said.

"So, is there something that you want to ask me? I have a feeling you have something that you wanted to ask besides having a date with me today." I asked and said with a smile.

"...I really can't win against you, Izumi-san. Although having a d-date with you is the main reason, actually there is something I want to consult before." Yukino said with a smile.

"Before?" I tilted my head and said.

"Yes, right now, it's not needed. Actually, I just feel lost about what should I do now that my family problem has solved. You see, since I was a child, I always tried to follow my Nee-san's shadow. Because maybe if I could be like Nee-san, mother, father, and nee-san will be like how they are before.

Of course, now that I think about it, that was very childish-like thinking. Even so, that's how I believe. But it was changed a year ago when you helped me solve my family problem. I come to understand that none of them actually changed.

My father did his best to protect us from harm. My mother who I thought became cold was actually just letting me choose my future for my own sake. And my sister also did her best to let me have a different future than her. Of course, my sister didn't do it because she was forced.

But after knowing that, I just feel lost about what I should do with my future. Although there is something I wanted to be, I don't know if I should chase it or not. That's what I wanted to ask you before.

However, after you held my hand and making me feel calm and able to enjoy the ride for the first time, I realized. Ah, if I consult it to you, you will surely help me and in the end, I will be relying on you all the time. And I don't want that.

That's why I decided to do it myself first." Yukino explained with a smile.

"Pffftt...hahahaha... you think too much, Yukino. I'm fine being relied on all the way, though." I laughingly said.

"Hehe, I know you would say that. That's why, please have a d-date like this with me sometime. That way, you already help me to relieve my mental stress." Yukino said with a beaming smile and her face reddened.

"There is no way I will reject the 'might be forever tickets to date with Yukinoshita Yukino' right?" I jokingly said.

"Hehehehe..." Hearing that, Yukino covered her mouth and elegantly laughed.

"Oh, and what is it that you actually wanted to be?" I curiously asked.

"I want to be a Lawyer," Yukino answered.

(A/N: Not in the original probably)

"Hoo...somehow I can imagine it... " I said while thinking about a beautiful lawyer who charges at the criminal with a cold smile on her face. While we're talking like that, the sounds of the firework being launched can be heard.

Thus, with our hands still connected with each other, we looked at the beautiful scenery of fireworks with a tender smile on our faces.