Chapter 43: Ashes of a Lotus

Tsukiko buckled her seatbelt and turned to Haruki. "So? Where's our next stop?"

Haruki hummed in thought. "Hmm… do you like fish?"

"Fish?" Tsukiko frowned in confusion.

Minutes later, they arrived at the aquarium.

She glanced around, taking in the glowing tanks and sea-themed decor. "Wow," she muttered, then smirked at him. "Did you, by any chance, research date spots last night?"

Haruki cleared his throat, avoiding her gaze. "Ahem… you should pretend you don't notice." Without another word, he took her hand and led her inside.

They wandered through the exhibits, watching jellyfish float like delicate ghosts and chuckling at the bizarre-looking sunfish. At the touch pool, Haruki hesitated.

Tsukiko nudged him. "Go on. Touch the stingray."

He eyed it warily. "I'm good."

Laughing, she reached out first and gasped at the soft, slippery texture. "See? Not so bad."

Haruki sighed before finally giving in. The moment his fingers brushed against the stingray, his eyes widened slightly. "Huh. Feels like wet tofu."

Tsukiko nearly choked on her laughter.

After lunch, they continued their date at the movie theater. The place was packed, and they found themselves wedged between strangers.

"What do you want to watch?" Haruki asked.

"I don't really mind. You choose—I'm not much of a movie person," Tsukiko replied.

"Hmm… let's go with this one. It's been getting a lot of hype lately."

She shrugged. "Sure."

They had chosen to watch a new action-comedy—something with explosions, ridiculous stunts, and just enough stupid humor to keep things interesting. 

Tsukiko had brought her own drink (she always did, claiming theater soda was overpriced robbery), while Haruki balanced a tub of popcorn on his lap. 

At first, they were engaged, laughing at the dumb jokes and ridiculous one-liners. But then… the warmth of the theater settled in. 

The dim lighting. The full stomachs. The long workweek catching up to them. 

Tsukiko's head drooped slightly. 

Haruki blinked slower and slower. 

And just as the main character was delivering some dramatic speech— 

They were out. 

The next thing they knew, the sound of the credits rolling jolted them awake. Tsukiko straightened up, blinking blearily at the screen. Haruki rubbed his eyes, looking around in confusion. 

"Damn… Sorry, I fell asleep. You should've woken me—" He stopped when he noticed Tsukiko yawning, her eyes red from sleep.

They turned to each other and burst into laughter.

"Did we just pay to take a nap in public?" Haruki snorted.

"Pretty much. Guess we're officially too old for late-night movies."  

Haruki stretched, cracking his neck. "We're not even that old." 

"Tell that to your back," Tsukiko quipped as Haruki stood up with a groan.

"I must've slept in a weird position," he muttered.

They exited the theater, tossing their half-eaten snacks into the trash. 

"Well, that was a bust," Tsukiko sighed. 

Haruki smirked. "Could've been worse. We could've woken up to someone filming us for an 'old people falling asleep in theaters' meme." 

Tsukiko burst out laughing. "Haha! Now that would be hilarious." Still chuckling, they walked out of the cinema together.

After dinner, they ended up at a nearby park, the crisp night air instantly refreshing. Streetlights cast long shadows across the pathway, and a few late-night joggers passed by. The sky was clear, the stars twinkling brightly above them. 

At one point, Tsukiko stopped and pointed at the playground. "Bet you can't get across those monkey bars without falling."

Haruki scoffed. "You do realize I work out, right?"

Tsukiko raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Then prove it."

Never one to back down from a challenge, Haruki marched over, grabbed the first bar, and swung himself forward with confidence.

Two bars in—

His hand slipped.

He landed on his feet but stumbled, barely avoiding a faceplant.

Tsukiko burst into laughter. "Pfft—so graceful!"

Haruki dusted himself off, grumbling. "That was a warm-up."

"Uh-huh. Sure it was, grandpa."

Haruki shot her a glare before smirking. "Alright, your turn."

Tsukiko's laughter died instantly. "Wait—no, I didn't—"

"Oh, but you get to make fun of me?" Haruki leaned against the bars, smug. "Let's see what you got."

She huffed, rolling her shoulders before stepping up. As she grabbed the bar, Haruki silently positioned himself behind her, making sure her dress stayed in place.

She managed one bar, then another. Haruki's hands hovered near her waist, following her movements, ready to catch her if needed. 

When she finally lost her grip and let go, he instinctively caught her, his arms wrapped firmly around her thighs, his face level with her stomach.

Tsukiko blinked down at him. "Why are you catching me? I was about to make an epic landing."

Haruki smirked. "Know your limits, lady. I don't want to be blamed if you end up in the news tomorrow."

Still holding her, he chuckled as she wriggled out of his grip.

Tsukiko huffed, dusting herself off. "Tsk, you're the one who challenged me." She pouted and turned on her sneakers, stomping away.

Haruki quickly caught up, slipping an arm around her shoulders. "Are you mad?" he teased. "Sorry, dear…. you want ice cream?"

Tsukiko side-eyed him but didn't resist his hold. "Two scoops."

Haruki grinned. "Anything for my little champion."

They continued walking, their banter turning into comfortable silence.

Tsukiko looking up at the stars. "Today was kinda perfect, in a dumb way." 

Haruki nodded. "Yeah. Would've been more perfect if we actually watched the damn movie, though." 

Tsukiko smirked. "Yeah... Next time… let's just start with the walk." 

Haruki glanced at her. "Next time, huh?" 

She rolled her eyes, "If you don't want to that's fine with me." 

Haruki grinned. "Looking forward to it."