「相談があるというから聞いてみたら、そういう事か」
ナズは溜息をついた。
星さんに好意を抱いていた僕は、どうにか彼女を口説こうと彼女の部下のナズにバーに誘って
相談を持ち掛けていた。
「どんくさそうな君が一丁前に異性を口説く事なんて想像も出来ないな。諦め給え。」
と興味もなさそうにグラスを煽る。
なんだよ。真剣に悩んでいるのに。
「ふ～ん、ご主人様の事を真剣にねぇ。君は本当に馬鹿だな」
とナズはちらりと僕を見て、また溜息をついた。
相談する人選をミスった様だ。

「はぁ・・、じゃあ、どうだい？練習として、私を口説いてみるというのは？」

・・・何故そうなる？。

「何事も経験だろう？どうせ君の事だ。ろくに異性を口説いたことはあるまい。
　うん、これいいんじゃないか」

うんうんと顔を頷かせてでナズは言った。
一体何を考えているんだ？
「悪くない話とは思うけどね。経験を積むというのは」

まぁ、言われてみればそうかもしれない。
しかし、急に口説けと言われてもな。

「こういうのは異性を褒める所から始まるんじゃないかな？容姿を褒めたり、性格を褒めたり。」

成るほど、確かに・・。

「私に褒める所が見つからないかい？。それは流石に傷つくな」

とナズはおどけて言った。

いや、努力して探してみるよ。

僕は、普段を思い返して、ナズのいい所を考えた。
余計な一言が多い奴だけど、今考えてみると、色々親切な奴である。

僕は、普段の生活から感じる彼女のいい面を口説くという体裁で一つ一つ探して口にしていった。

「・・・い、今のは本当かい？」

全ての口説きを終えたあとナズは目を丸くしていた。
心なしか顔が赤い。

いや・・・一応お前のいい面をいっただけだよ。どうだ？

「だ、駄目だね。全然駄目だ。」

手厳しいな。

「し、しかし、君がそこまで私の事見ていてくれていると思わなかった。
　そこまで知っておきながら何故君はご主人様を・・・いや。」

額に手を当てて、顔を振るナズー。
おい、どうかしたか？

「ああ、すまない。酔いが回ってしまったみたいで・・・。少し肩を貸してくれないか？」
僕は具合が悪そうなナズに肩を貸してやる事にした。
顔真っ赤だ。大丈夫か？

「すまない、もう少しこのまま・・・」

そう言ってナズは僕の肩にもたれて一向に離れなかったわっふるわっふる？

"I'm giving advice here, so this is one of those times when you should try and listen," Nazu sighed. I like Shou-san, and I'm determined to seduce her, so I asked Nazu if I could take her to a bar and talk about it.　　
"I just can't imagine a slow guy like you becoming a man by seducing a woman. Give up," she said, idly stirring her glass.
'What the hell? I'm dead serious here.'
"Hmm, you're set on my master, aren't you? You really are an idiot," she said.
Looking at me from the corner of her eye, she sighed again.
'I think I picked the wrong person to ask for advice.'
"Haa... alright. How about this? We can practice. Try hitting on me, first, okay?"
'... do what now?'
"In your case, anything would count as experience, right? I doubt you know how to seduce a woman. Yeah, this'll be good for you," Nazu said, nodding her head.
'Are you crazy!?'
"I don't think this'll be a bad conversation. After all, the experience is just going to pile up."
'If you put it that way , I guess that's true. But I'm being told to just start hitting on you.'
"I think you should start by praising me. Talk about my appearance or my personality."
'I see, surely...'
"You haven't found something nice to say about me yet? Of course that's going to hurt my feelings," Nazu teased.
I put a lot of effort into finding the right things to say. I considered her habits and thought about her good points. There was too much to say about her, but when I think about it, most of it is that she's kind and gentle. I went over her features one by one, talking about the pretty face of the girl I see in my everyday life.
"Do- do you really mean that?" she said, staring in wonder after I finished.
It looked like her face was red.
'Well, for now, what I said about your face, how was that?'
"It.. it was horrible. Absolutely horrible."
'That's harsh.'
"B-but I didn't think you ever looked at me that way. If you really think that, then why are you interested in... nevermind," said Nazu, putting a hand to her forehead and shaking her head.
'Hey, is something wrong?'
"Ah, I'm sorry. It looks like I've gotten a little drunk here. Can I lean on your shoulder for a little bit?"
I decided to lend my shoulder to Nazu, who looked sick.
'Your face is completely red. Are you ok?'
"I'm sorry, let me stay here just a little longer..." she said, leaning heavily on my shoulder and pressed up against me.