"How was yesterday?

I went into the director's office, and the first thing the director said at the opening was those words.

With a grin like a nibble on his sweet, straight face.

"It was fun."

If I give it back, "That's good" returns.

The gaze pointed at him said he had heard something, but ignored it and placed the documents collected from the researchers at the director's desk.

It's a report from the researchers.

"Thanks"

Turning his back to the director, he was identified and called out.

"Where have you been?

"What is it?

"So yesterday."

What is "so"?

Turning to the director, when he sees it, he still affixes a grin like that on his face.

It's not like it's troublesome to be pryed into, but it's a little annoying to be amused.

So this one also sticks a nibble and a grin against it.

"Is the director my father?

"What's that?

"'Cause it's like a father worrying about his daughter when he hears about her holiday outings all the time."

"Oh, come on, I don't have a daughter."

I guess the director also made sense that I was smiling, unlike earlier, and now I'm smiling bitterly.

"I went to the city. That's all."

"Ho."

"Yeah, yeah, I heard. I hear the director used to be a mess, right?

"Wait a minute. What did you hear?

"Come on?"

All I've heard is talk about buying and eating stalls, but I listen in such a way that I can deliberately interpret them enlarged.

There seemed to be a lot of other guilt in asking for details with a cramped grin.

My anxious chest soothed when I was amused earlier.

"We went to the market, had dinner at the stalls, and later went around shops along the streets and came back before dark"

"Right. That's healthy again."

Sound?

I just went to the city normally, so I don't think it's healthy or anything.

That's what I thought, the director dropped the bomb.

"Whatever it is, I hope you enjoyed your date."

………………

A date?

If he was pompous on the dropped bomb, the director looked surprised to see how it was.

"What's up?

"... is it a date?

"Hmm?"

"I just went to the city."

"Al and I went to the city, we had dinner, we went around the store, right?

"Yep."

"It's a date."

That being said, I looked at the director even more pompously, and he chased me.

"I know you call it a date when a man and a woman go out together."

I want you to wait a minute.

A date?

No, no, that's what defining a date was all about?

In retrospect, I don't recall going out on holiday with a man other than my father.

Even if there was, as much as a few classmates have gone out on a cultural festival buyout or something?

Huh? What?

Could it be my first date yesterday?

That much to my mind, my face gets hot as soon as I can.

"No, but you just had Master Hawk hang out to get to the city, didn't you?

"He said he asked me to go out with him... Al invited us out, didn't he?

"Yes. Eh. But Master Hawk asked me out because he was free."

"I don't know if you're free, but you don't invite women you don't even like."

"Huh!?

"Is that so surprising?

"'Cause I like..., I like..."

The words of answer become gradually butt blurred, and the gaze drops.

'Cause you will.

The captain likes mourners like me. There's no way.

I sure don't think they hate me......

Staring at his feet, thinking of him as a gurgle, he heard "Sai" and the director's quiet voice.

"Al made you cold?

"No... I got a proper escort when I got off the carriage or something... But isn't that normal among the nobles of this country?

"Well, yeah,"

"Right. When we walked, we got our hands on it, and they gave us a treat for dinner."

"Hmm?

"I even bought you a souvenir on the way home."

"Souvenirs?"

"Yes."

Take out the box that was in your skirt's pocket and give it to the director.

The contents are the hair clasp I received yesterday.

Yesterday, the hair clasp given to me by the captain was different from the stone I had filled out in the store when I looked at it again in the morning.

I was hesitant to return it somehow because the blue-gray stone, thinner than blue, looked the same color as the colour of the captain's eyes.

There is nothing you can't buy if you work hard at the store, but I think it would be nice to get something this expensive for a good price.

In the end, I was worried about giving it back or receiving it as it were, and I put every box in my skirt pocket without any help.

With it in his hand, the director opened the box and took it seriously, he looked surprised, but immediately erased the expression, and when he put the lid on it, he returned the box.

"Sei, it is common among the nobles to escort a woman when getting off a carriage or walking"

"Yes."

"But at least, Al won't give you accessories as just a souvenir"

Turn off the grin you just had, and with a serious face, the director says.

I find out that the captain didn't give me a light-hearted fastening.

I stare at the box at hand and the heat on my face rises thin again on that fact.

"Can I have this expensive item?"

"If you don't like it, get it."

When he pounded, the director smiled quietly and gave it back.

I said nothing, just moved my neck vertically and nodded.

"Good day, Sai"

The next day I went to the library to return the book I had borrowed from the lab and met Liz in front of the door.

Looks like she was just coming too.

It is unusual to meet her in the hallway.

It's not that we're showing each other, but I'm here for work, so there's a lot of time to come here.

So even if you come to the library, sometimes you don't see Liz.

"Oh? You're changing your hair today."

"Yeah. It's hot, so I decided to raise it."

"Yes. Nice hair clasp."

"Oh, thank you"

The door opens with a kicking noise and passes Liz first.

Liz just went looking for the book you were looking for.

When I say, I give the book I bring to the scribe and look for the next book I'm going to borrow.

Should I say boulder, when I saw him, he just pointed out that Liz changed his hair.

Liz's fashionable power seems high around just checking her hair clasp.

The hair clasp was given to me by the captain, who was somewhat embarrassed and accidentally ate it.

"Hey, Sai. That hair fastening is very nice. May I see it nearby, if you please?

"I don't mind..."

I was called out from behind in front of a bookcase where a drug related book was located.

Looking back, Liz is smiling nicely.

I don't mind showing it to you, but removing the fastening is a hassle after, so when I asked if I could keep it on, I got an answer saying I didn't mind.

It was also something to show as I stood, so I moved to a place with a desk, and when I sat in the chair, Liz turned around behind me.

I won't touch it, but it seems to be looking pretty close.

"Nice work."

"Thanks"

"The stones that are filled also use good objects."

"Really?

"Yep... Hey, who gave you this?

"Huh? Why?

"Right. Something that seems expensive for everyday use. So I was wondering if someone gave it to me. Could it have been different?

"No, I'm hitting it"

"Did you give it to Mr. Hawk or something?

"Hey, how do you know!?

"Why... I don't think there's anything easier to understand."

Liz looked frightened when the captain accounted for what he had given her and turned around in surprise.

Oh, what's that?

Why is it so easy to understand?

Asked, Liz sighed softly and put her thin, slight index finger up in front of me.

"One thing, there have been rumors lately that Mr. Hawk is often with the same woman."

"Wow."

"Of course I think this woman means you."

Seriously?

I've never heard that rumor before, have I?

Besides, what's "the" and "the"?

Liz then gently puts up her middle finger.

"Two, that hair clasp stone looks just like Hawk's eye color."

"You're looking closely..."

"Of course, that stone gives a good accent to the hair fastening"

"No, not that way, the color of Lord Hawk's eyes"

"Lord Hawk's eyes are famous for their unique colors."

"It is."

"These are the two reasons I've come up with."

"Still, something that can be quickly tied together because the color of the stone is similar to that of Hawk's eyes?

"Yeah, you're right. It's a famous story that Hawk has a crush on Sei."

"Though famous!?

"Besides, it's common in this country to give a woman whatever color she wants."

"What color do you have?

"It's about the color of your hair and the color of your eyes. It seems I often give away things of eye color."

"It is."

I didn't know.

That means the captain is referring to me...

No, no, wait, wait.

I can't think any more!

What am I supposed to do, I really could have gotten this?

Director, you absolutely knew about this, didn't you?

Why didn't you tell me?!?.

Holding his head as he sat down, he heard Couscous and Liz laugh.

"Sai, I can't believe it's that bright red"

"Holy crap... I'm not used to this!

"Oh, did you?

Oh, I can't believe you're going to have romantic rigging with Liz, who's almost ten years old downstairs.

Liz looked up at me with warm eyes, feeling very uncomfortable.

Oh, there he is!