“Sorry to keep you waiting, Otaku-kun.”

“Not at all. I just finished getting ready myself.”

“Perfect. Then let’s get going.”

“Sure. By the way, where are we going?”

As they walked out through the school gate together, matching each other’s pace, Otaku-kun realized he still had no idea where their destination was.

“You know that big shopping street one station away?”

“There’s a specialty shop there that sells wigs and accessories.”

“Want to check it out?”

“Sounds good.”

Since both Otaku-kun and Yua commuted to school by train, they each had a commuter pass.

That made traveling by train relatively inexpensive.

Their destination was the busiest district in the prefecture.

The shopping street nearby was famous for its historic shrine, attracting plenty of foreign tourists, making it a lively and bustling area.

Souvenir shops, cafés, unique restaurants, and computer stores lined both sides of the street.

Naturally, there were also stores catering to people like Otaku-kun.

Today, however, they were heading to a shop aimed at women.

“Come to think of it, Otaku-kun… did you change your hairstyle?”

“Huh…?”

He had indeed tried to make himself look less like an otaku, but the difference was incredibly subtle.

Even so, Yua had noticed immediately.

Normally, having someone notice a small change like that would have made him happy.

But this was right after overhearing her conversation with Riko.

If Yua noticed the sudden change, it almost felt like he was admitting he’d been eavesdropping.

“Well… we’re going somewhere crowded instead of staying at school.”

“I figured I shouldn’t look so sloppy.”

As he spoke, Otaku-kun deliberately hunched over before straightening his back again.

“I’ve been trying to stand up straighter too.”

“Does it look weird?”

“No way.”

“It looks good.”

“Come to think of it, since you’re trying to hide your otaku hobbies, I guess you care about that sort of thing.”

“Yeah… I do.”

“Then shouldn’t you dress like this at school too?”

“Haha.”

“Mornings are busy, so I end up getting lazy.”

“Ah, yeah.”

“Mornings are such a pain.”

“Oh!”

“If you don’t want people thinking you look like an otaku, wouldn’t this be better?”

Until they reached their destination, Yua amused herself by playing with Otaku-kun’s hair.

Every time she adjusted it, she’d snap a picture with her phone and ask, “What about this one?”

Not really understanding the difference, Otaku-kun answered her as best he could.

‘I honestly can’t tell what’s changed…’

‘But if Narumi-san is happy, that’s all that matters.’

He simply let her do whatever she wanted.

At the very least, it seemed he’d successfully changed the subject.

“Welcome!”

After arriving at the shopping street, the two of them decided to enter whichever stores they came across first since they hadn’t chosen a specific one beforehand.

If they found something they liked, they’d buy it on the spot.

Since they’d come after school on a weekday, they didn’t have unlimited time.

“Hey, hey, Otaku-kun.”

“Isn’t this awesome?”

Despite that, Yua was already distracted by something unrelated to what they’d come for.

The item in her hand was a colorful mesh hair extension.

Several thin pink strands that, when attached together, would create a vibrant splash of color.

“Yeah.”

“They’re reasonably priced too.”

“Why don’t we buy the extensions we came for first, and if you still have room in your budget afterward, you can get those too?”

“Ooh, good idea!”

Yua placed the extensions back on the shelf.

Rather than denying her interest outright, Otaku-kun gently guided her back toward their original goal while agreeing with her.

It was another conclusion he’d reached after searching online for “how to talk to girls.”

Yua didn’t seem bothered in the slightest.

Instead, she happily allowed him to lead her toward what they’d actually come to buy.

So maybe he’d gotten it right.

“It looks like the nape extensions are over here.”

Although it was a shop aimed at women, Otaku-kun wasn’t nearly as flustered as he’d expected.

He had been at first.

Then, after looking around, he realized something.

Most of the products on display weren’t much different from the wigs and accessories he regularly used for his dolls.

To him, it simply became…

‘A store selling oversized doll supplies.’

That realization allowed him to quickly find exactly what they needed.

Had he left the searching to Yua, she’d probably have become interested in one thing after another until closing time without ever buying the extensions.

A great save by Otaku-kun.

“There are so many different kinds.”

“I guess I should just choose one that’s the same color as my hair?”

“Not necessarily.”

The extensions Yua picked up and the ones Otaku-kun selected were completely different colors.

Yua held a bright blonde set that matched her own hair.

Otaku-kun, meanwhile, held one with pink tips and another with white tips.

“If you choose the exact same color as your hair, it’ll blend in naturally.”

“But since you’re already using extensions, you could also have fun with colors you normally couldn’t try.”

“For example, these pink tips would make the hairstyle feel even brighter and more energetic.”

“On the other hand, these white tips create an interesting contrast.”

“Even with a flashy hairstyle, the color gives off a calmer, more elegant impression.”

“W-Wait…”

“Otaku-kun, you know so much about this!?”

“That’s amazing!”

Without realizing it, Otaku-kun had wandered into one of his areas of expertise.

To Yua, however, his way of thinking was completely new.

Simply matching her own hair color would certainly change her hairstyle.

But now she wanted to try different colors too.

And if she was changing the color anyway…

Maybe she should experiment with entirely different hairstyles as well.

“What if we made the curls a little stronger too?”

“In that case, we should buy heat-resistant extensions.”

“We can choose ones with light, natural curls.”

“If they don’t have enough curl once you’re wearing them, I’ll adjust them with a curling iron.”

“Otaku-kun, you’re seriously a genius!!”

Her praise was exaggerated as always.

Still, Otaku-kun didn’t seem to mind one bit.

His otaku knowledge had actually proven useful.

He couldn’t help feeling a little proud.

Before he even had a chance to ask, “Which one do you prefer, Narumi-san?”…

…Yua had already grabbed the white-tipped extensions and was heading straight for the register.

She certainly made decisions quickly.

The next day…

“Whoa…”

“Yua, your hair looks incredible.”

“Isn’t that seriously amazing?”

“Seriously, hasn’t Yua been getting way more stylish lately?”

On the way home after buying the extensions, Yua had learned how to adjust them and create the half-up hairstyle under Otaku-kun’s guidance.

In the end, though…

She still couldn’t get it right.

Early that morning, she’d sent Otaku-kun a desperate message asking for help.

As a result, he’d ended up styling her hair on the train before school.

“I seriously lucked out that Otaku-kun happened to be up early.”

“I had a feeling something like this might happen…”

“So I got up early just in case.”

Of course, he could have simply suggested, “Should I come help you style your hair tomorrow morning?”

But Otaku-kun still didn’t have the courage to say something like that.

“Whoa, isn’t her hairstyle amazing?”

“I want to know how she did it.”

“I’m gonna go ask her.”

Girls who passed Yua in the hall couldn’t help turning around for another look.

Some stared enviously.

Others walked over and asked her about it directly.

Watching Yua proudly repeat everything he’d taught her filled Otaku-kun with quiet satisfaction.

Only later did he suddenly realize something.

In order to style Yua’s hair…

He had touched the hair—and even the head—of a girl who wasn’t his little sister for the very first time.

Getting completely absorbed in the things he loved or excelled at had its downsides.

If he’d been consciously aware of Yua as a girl at the time, he probably wouldn’t have been able to style her hair properly.

Now that the moment was over, the memory of Yua’s silky, smooth hair came rushing back.

And for quite a while afterward…

Otaku-kun found himself unable to stop thinking about it.