>>5722001<span class="mu-g">"Most stuck with their husbands after, but life's short,"</span> says Watase, <span class="mu-g">"You could've died last week. Memento Mori and all that. Have to keep trying new things."</span>
Why is everyone saying that?!
You've never died before, why would you start now?
<span class="mu-g">"But I didn't!"</span> you say.
<span class="mu-g">"Gotta keep trying new things while life lasts,"</span> says Watase, easily shoving you a step back and keeping you there, <span class="mu-g">"You don't have to switch sides. Just try it."</span>
Can you really dismiss something you've never tried?
Absolutely.
<span class="mu-g">"No way!"</span> you say, <span class="mu-g">"Date with a girl? No."</span>
<span class="mu-g">"Isn't the person more important than the gender?"</span> says Watase, <span class="mu-g">"You'd love somebody for their personality, right?"</span>
Trap question. Saying no would be stating you'd only consider people by their body.
She's not wrong. There should be more to it than that.
Sexual attraction is important, but not like you have much input there with your hard zero of experience.
Maybe you could give it a try, like a single date?
Like she said, there's no harm in it.
Wait..
You look up into Watase's brownish-orange eyes.
She looks down in yours, a soft, dreamy smile on her face.
<span class="mu-g">"...This is what you said to those married women, wasn't it?"</span> you say.
Watase smirks, then shrugs, <span class="mu-g">"Maybe."</span>
<span class="mu-g">"Hmpf!"</span> you pout, ushering her out the door, <span class="mu-g">"Out! Out!"</span>
<span class="mu-g">"Fiiineee,"</span> says Watase, finally allowing herself to move, <span class="mu-g">"See you around."</span>
<span class="mu-g">"Bye!"</span> you say, closing the door behind her.
How dare she use a speech like that?
She almost had you.
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Watase walks off with a smile.
What a strange, but productive meeting that was.
Nagata has been obsessing over some light-touching from a month ago.
This is almost too easy, isn't it? If only she knew sooner.
Watase didn't plan to use her old tactics on Nagata, but she seems vulnerable to them.
So, why not? If that gets them together, then all the better.
The seed of doubt has been planted.
Now it's just waiting for the right place and the right time.
Just like all the other times before.
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<span class="mu-g">"I wish I had some gruelling deadline!"</span> you snap in your lonely office.
With nothing pressing coming up, your mind is free to mull over Watase's words.
Should you give it a try before you commit seriously to a relationship with a guy?
It'd be hard to do once you start dating somebody in earnest.
That means missing out on that experience for life.
There's so much else you haven't done.
You've really led a sheltered existence in a way.
But do you even want to?
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