While it annoyed him a bit to have Ninka refer to their little outing as a date, Hakuta didn’t try hard at all to attempt leaving her. There were worse things for him to be doing on a beautiful day such as today. So if this could be considered a date, then so be it.
Though if this were the case, then wouldn’t this be the first time Hakuta had ever truly been on a date? Perhaps some would say this didn’t count, since Ninka wasn’t a someone he asked out or anything. She also didn’t really ask him out either, since it wasn’t revealed until after he accepted that this would be a date at all.
So the lines had been blurred as she took him towards civilization where people could actually see them. Being in a public area after being isolated for so long while going to the school then talking to Ino came as a bit of a shock to him. Like needing to have his eyes adjusted to the light after being in a dark room for too long.
“So what exactly were you going to do today?” He finally was able to tear his hand away from hers. Being together in public with hands held would’ve given everyone around them the wrong idea about their relationship.
“Why don’t you take a guess?” Instead of answering his question directly. Ninka decided to play a bit coy and make him try to figure it out on his own. If she wanted him to be more interested in her, then she’d also have to see how he viewed her right now.
“Were you going to a cafe?” He took his first guess. Hakuta had not much clue what a gyaru like her would want to do all by herself. Apparently she didn’t plan on having anyone with her. Which meant both Rouko and Shiuka were excluded this time around. “Like, is there some sale for some sweets?”
“I sure wish there was.” She informed him he was wrong, though his suggestion did make her feel a bit more hungry for something to eat.
“Shopping for clothes?” They were walking by the mall and she did care a lot about fashion. But then they continued walking past, therefore showing him he was incorrect once again.
“Try again.” She giggled, having a bit of fun in seeing him fail constantly.
“Don’t tell me you were going to sing karaoke all by yourself.” He gave the only other thing he could think of that she would consider doing.
“That’s a real weird thing to do.” She gave him an odd look. “Who would want to do that?” He simply shrugged in response, indicating to her he was out of idea and had genuinely no clue what she had planned for her day. “Obviously I wanted to go out and do this.” Finally, they had apparently arrived to where she had originally planned on going. Ninka took a few steps to get in front of him and put out her arms in a proud presentation to what was ahead.
“A petting zoo?” Hakuta was surprised to see one set up in the middle of town like this. It had to have for a special event as he had walked by this place multiple times and had never seen this before.
“Yeah, the zoo is holding a fun little event here as a promotion.” Without asking, she took his hand and dragged the boy along to get closer. “Aren’t they so cute!”
“That’s one way of putting it.” He couldn’t help but notice that piratically everyone who wasn’t them hanging around this exhibit were either children or the parents of those children. This didn’t seem like the kind of thing that he would’ve believed Ninka would be into. Then again, she did have what some would call a cute room. So therefore it would stand to reason she would like cute things, such as small animals one could pet.
“Don’t tell me you don’t think they’re cute.” She got them right up to the pen, the boundary keeping the animals from escaping. “They’re animals, what’s not to love?”
“From the way you’re acting, I’m surprised your family doesn’t have any pets.” He commented as he watched her immediately nuzzle up to one of the lamas. Since Hakuta had already visited her house and apparently went around to meet her entire family. He knew he would’ve remembered at least one animal there.
“I used to have cat when I was little.” She told him. “But he ended up running away, so…” Her voice trailed off, indicating the lingering feelings she still held over the loss.
“I’m sorry for your loss.” He responded, assuring her it would be fine. While it might’ve seem rather mundane compared to him losing his own parent. Hakuta understood the pain that came from losing something one cared deeply about.
“Hey hey, don’t worry about me.” She stopped petting the lama to wave him off. But then she put hand over one eye, trying to hold back and hide away her growing tears. “He was a pretty cool cat though. In fact, you kind of remind me of him.”
“I’m not sure how to take that.” Being compared to an animal didn’t inspire much confidence for him to take her feelings for him seriously. It was like being compared to her dad, even if he was the one to have that comparison crop up in his own head. “In what way am I like a cat?”
“I remember when I would try to cuddle with him, he’d just try to struggle out of my arms. Then when he would get out, that darn cat would just start hanging out in places I couldn’t reach, like real high up places.”
“I’m not sure what part of me is like the second thing…” He said, but could easily see the resemblance on the first half for her story. If only this girl didn’t get so attached that she’d be blind that perhaps being in close contact with certain things made them be annoyed with her.
“He really was a special cat.” She finished up reminiscing on her past and decided to return back to the present where they were more cute animals to interact with. “Now come on, you’re not allergic, are you?” She took his hand without waiting for confirmation and led him towards one of the capybara’s that were lower to the ground.
“It would suck if I was.” He said, thankful he wasn’t as she certainly didn’t give him much of a choice other than to actually touch these animals. Also fortunate was him being more than fine with touching animals. The capbara’s fur was rather coarse and rough to his hand. Why something like this would be at a petting zoo when it wasn’t pleasant was beyond him. Even if the animal was rather popular online for its appearance.
“Heheh, this is really like you too.” She laughed as they both petted the animal.
“You really like comparing me to a bunch of things today.” He replied, again not sure if he should be taking it as a compliment. Even though they were coming from her, and therefore was likely meant to make him happy. Hakuta was pretty sure having called similar to something with such rough fur couldn’t be all that positive.
“Because it really is a lot like you.” She continued on, explaining herself. “It’s rough on the outside, but inside it’s pretty chill, don’t you think?”
“I suppose they are relatively safe.” According to the internet, these were docile creatures. Though he still had his own reservations seeing as capybaras were mostly just giant rats.
On the topic of her comparing him to these animals. Hakuta begun to notice a potential motive for her doing so. It wasn’t just simple observation. She was doing it as a means to get a bit closer to him. Showing her own feelings in small, subtle ways to him that he couldn’t easily pick up on. Which is why she didn’t mind him taking a bit of a harsh response, since that would be considered on brand for him.
“Ooh, I wish I could take one of these guys home with me.” She sighed, leaning onto the set up fence. Ninka also lamented the fact they weren’t allowed to step inside, likely due to safety reasons for both humans and animals. “But it would kind of suck if they just ran away from me again.” Then the girl sighed for a different reason. Some animals preferred being free, and some might’ve been a little too dumb to realize it being a bad idea to run away from their owners. Either way, it was an unfortunate risk for any pet owner unless they got a fish or something.
“That’s just life sometimes.” He gave her a pat on the back. This was a similar sentiment to the one she shared with him on the beach. About her concerns with her friends potentially moving on away from her in the future. It seems contradictory to how she treated her many boyfriends, but this was also why she seemed to treat him different as well.
She was just someone who didn’t like losing things she cared about. Which was why she kept a distance from boys even while dating them. Ninka didn’t want to get too attached to the point where breaking up really would hurt her heart. Something he could appreciate and understand as well, for Hakuta was the same way.
