Chapter 1: Introduction
The sun was dipping low, casting long, dramatic shadows across the busy streets of Tokyo. Kazuya Kinoshita tugged nervously at his collar, his hand brushing against the crisp, starched fabric of his shirt. He'd never been one for suits, but he figured it was the right thing to wear for a date—even if it was a rental date. He'd spent most of the morning trying to figure out what to wear, and the rest of the day worrying about how he looked and what he was going to say.
As he walked into the café, he couldn't shake the feeling that everyone was watching him.
He ordered a black coffee, trying to appear casual and confident, despite the fact that his heart was pounding in his chest like a drumline. He'd never been much of a coffee drinker, but he thought it made him seem more sophisticated, more like the kind of guy who would rent a girlfriend.
He took a seat by the window, the warm evening light bathing him in a soft glow. He stirred his coffee, watching the little spoon swirl around and around, like his thoughts. He was such an idiot.
Why was he even doing this? To impress his ex? To boost his ego? He sighed, taking a sip of his coffee. It was bitter, like his thoughts. He glanced at his watch, realizing he'd been sitting there for fifteen minutes, sipping his coffee, and stalling.
Suddenly, through the café window, he saw her. She was walking towards the café, her long, wavy hair bouncing with each step, catching the light like a beacon. She was wearing a simple sundress, her lips curved up in a soft, natural smile.
She pushed open the café door, and Kazuya froze, watching her. She scanned the room, her eyes pausing briefly on him before moving on. He quickly looked down at his coffee, heat creeping up his neck.
"Are you Kazuya?" she asked, her voice soft and melodic as she approached his table. He looked up, nodding mutely.
"I'm Chizuru," she said, extending a hand. He shook it, his palm damp despite his best efforts to maintain his composure.
"Nice to meet you," he managed to choke out.
"I, uh, I ordered a coffee. I hope that's okay."
"Coffee's fine," she said, a playful smile playing on her lips. "It's a lot better than the tea I usually have to endure on these things."
Kazuya blinked, taken aback. "Tea?"
Chizuru laughed, a light, airy sound that seemed to fill the room. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that. Force of habit, I guess." She sat down across from him, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
"I've been doing this for a while, you know. Renting myself out. I've had my fair share of awkward dates, so trust me, coffee is a step up."
Kazuya felt his cheeks grow even warmer. He hadn't expected her to be so... candid. "Oh, I see," he stammered. "Well, I'm new to this. I didn't really know what to expect."
Chizuru's smile softened, and she reached across the table, placing her hand on his. "Don't worry, Kazuya. I'm here to help. This is supposed to be fun, remember?
Just think of me as your girlfriend for the day."
Kazuya nodded, a nervous laugh escaping his lips. "Right, girlfriend. That's what we're doing here."
Chizuru's touch was warm and comforting, and Kazuya found himself relaxing a little under her gentle gaze. "So, what do you usually do on dates, Kazuya? When you're not renting one, I mean."
He shrugged, pulling his hand away to take another sip of his coffee. "Not much, really. I used to go to the movies with my ex-girlfriend.
Or just walk around the city. She liked to shop, so we'd do that sometimes." Kazuya paused, looking down at his coffee cup. "Haven't really done much of that since we broke up."
Chizuru nodded sympathetically, her eyes reflecting the soft light of the café. "That's tough. Break-ups can be hard, especially when you're left with all these memories and routines that you used to share with someone else."
Kazuya looked up, surprised. He'd expected her to change the subject, to move on to something lighter and more superficial.