Chapter 5
Luna's father decided to
postpone plans to live with Fukusato-san until ‘Luna graduated from high school’. Apparently, Fukusato-san was
also worried about suddenly living with a daughter who was the same age as a
high school girl and her mother-in-law, so she seems to have accepted the
situation more easily than I imagined.
“Thank you, Ryuuto! It was all
thanks to Ryuuto...”
Luna said with tears in her
eyes as she told me through the video call.
And then the third semester
began.
When the New Year's Comedy Show
was over, January was already over and we were now entering February. The month
has one big event for young people in love.
Valentine's Day.
Until last year, even though I
pretended not to care and thought it was none of my business, on that day there
was this restless feeling in my heart that wanted a miracle to happen. But this
year is different.
Excitedly, I could feel my
heart beating.
“Good morning! I'm really
looking forward to our Valentine's Day date!”
On the morning of February 12th,
Luna came over to my seat and started talking excitedly.
“Good morning... Yes, me too.”
I smiled politely as I took in
the looks around me.
We agreed to go to Harajuku for
our Valentine's Day date. When Luna asked me what I wanted to do on Valentine's
Day, I said, “Shall we eat some
chocolate?” Then I was told that we were going to Luna's favorite store.
There was an uneasy atmosphere
in the classroom since early morning. This scene was like nothing out of the
ordinary, but as someone who has experienced this ‘hidden anxiety’ every year, I completely understood it.
Since this year's Valentine's
Day falls on a holiday, this Friday is the perfect opportunity to exchange
chocolates at school.
During the Valentine's Day
lunch break, the three of us, the introverted gang, got together for lunch as
usual. But there is a strange atmosphere.
“….What are you two doing?”
Icchi and Nisshi sat next to
each other with the table pushed together, but they looked glum without opening
their lunches.
“Icchi?”
“Hey, did you watch KEN's
streaming video yesterday?”
I shook my head to answer Icchi's
question.
“No... I couldn't watch it
yesterday because I was busy doing extra assignments at the cram school. I plan
to watch the video this weekend.”
“Me too... There are some things
I have to do.”
Nisshi replied as well. Hearing
our answers, Icchi gave a serious look and clenched his fists on the table.
“...They say KEN is an alumnus
of Houou University, you know,” he said with a serious expression.
“Wow!? Are you serious?” I said
in surprise.
Houou University is one of the
famous private colleges known to all Japanese.
“Is KEN that smart!?”
Nisshi was also surprised.
“He's a former professional
gamer, a famous YouTuber, and he has a higher education.... Isn't his life too
cheating?”
“Well, right? I was really
shocked too... The food felt like it couldn't get down my throat.”
They both looked very
surprised, but in a corner of my heart I felt sure. KEN often expresses
reasonable opinions in serious conversations, and I always think he's smart,
even though he likes to joke around in his casual everyday videos.
“Damn~... Do we have to go to
that university too?” Icchi exclaimed in annoyance.
“No way... From our high
school, a normal university would be a reasonable choice.” Nisshi replied.
“That's true~”
They both sighed and looked
glum. Maybe they feel betrayed by KEN, who always seems to be playing games.
Then I suddenly felt curious.
“By the way, why did you look
so gloomy earlier, Nisshi?”
Since he doesn't watch KEN's
shows like I do, it's definitely not for the same reason as Icchi.
“Ahh...”
When I asked him, Nisshi
suddenly became restless.
“Actually, I did something
yesterday... I was hesitating whether to give it to her or not.”
“Eh? What are you doing?”
“You want to give it? To whom?”
Hearing an answer that was not
very clear, Icchi and I both frowned.
Nisshi looked away from us and
shyly opened his mouth.
“...That's why it's about
chocolate...”
“Uh, chocolate?”
“You made it? Why? Do you want
to give it to me to eat?”
Icchi was taken aback, but I
immediately realized who he meant.
“... Could it be for
Yamana-san?”
When I asked, Nisshi made a
surprised face and looked back.
“Ssst...!”
In that direction, Yamana-san
was having lunch with Luna and Tanikita-san. They seemed to be deep in
conversation and did not hear us from here.
“For the demon gal? So this is
what they call 'Choco Reverse'? You
really work hard on yourself, don't you?"
I don't know how much Icchi
knows about Nisshi's true love, he said reverently. From the beginning he was
insensitive to other people's feelings, but it seems that he has become more
and more detached from the world since he joined as a member of KEN'S Kids.
Probably because he felt that
he couldn't rely on Icchi, Nisshi told me when Icchi went to the bathroom.
“Hey, Kasshi. Can you come with
me when I give her some chocolate?”
“Ehh?”
“I feel anxious when I'm
alone... Please.”
“O-Okay...”
Both when Icchi confessed to
Tanikita-san and now, why do these two people always want to ask me to
accompany them when they meet their crushes?
Still, I was happy to be
counted on as a friend, so I decided to watch Nisshi give his chocolate to the
girl he liked.
◇◇◇◇
School dismissal time came in
the blink of an eye.
I had promised to go home with
Luna today, so I had very little time left.
Icchi was writing the activity
book as today's picket, while I happily left the classroom and met Nisshi in
the hallway.
“I just sent the message 'Come to the hallway' through LINE.”
Nisshi said with a tense face.
After a while, Yamana-san came
out into the hallway alone. It seems that she appeared after reading the LINE
message, then saw Nisshi and came straight here.
I carefully moved away from
Nisshi and went to a distant place so that their voices would not be heard.
After Yamana-san and Nisshi
exchanged a few words, Nisshi held out something. It was a small package that
probably contained chocolate.
Yamana-san looked surprised
when she saw Nisshi and said something, but she accepted the package.
With an air of gratitude,
Yamana-san held the chocolate and returned to the classroom.
At
the very least, she accepted the chocolate. Fortunately, your efforts were not
in vain, Nisshi... when I thought that.
I thought I saw a familiar
silhouette out of the corner of my eye, so I looked in that direction.
There were Kurose-san and
Tanikita-san.
Ever since Luna and Kurose-san
became known as twin sisters, Kurose-san started to join the circle of happy
girls because she was attracted to Luna. Especially with Tanikita-san, they had
the same otaku hobby, and since they were also in the same study trip group,
they quickly became close, and I often saw Kurose-san smilingly talking to
Tanikita-san during recess.
Now the two of them would hide
and talk in whispers, squeezed between the hollows of the pillars in the
hallway. Maybe there was something they
couldn't talk about in the classroom... I was thinking about that when
Tanikita-san suddenly handed the paper bag she was holding to Kurose-san.
“This is my once-in-a-lifetime
request! Please!”
I could only hear
Tanikita-san's voice.
Tanikita-san put her palms
together in front of her face and took a posture like she was praying...
“I can only ask Marimero for
help with something like this~! If I ask Nikoru or Lunacchi, both of them will
definitely make fun of me... So please!”
Kurose-san accepted the paper
bag with a resigned look, as if she had no choice. She looked confused, but
perhaps touched by Tanikita-san's desperation, she nodded her head hesitantly.
“Thank you very much! Then I'm
counting on you, okay!”
Tanikita-san left with a
cheerful face like a passing wind.
I
wondered what she wanted to ask Kurose-san... or so I thought when I
saw her from a distance.
Kurose-san then looked around,
and suddenly our eyes met.
I quickly looked away, but
Kurose-san strangely started walking toward me. I felt uncomfortable and
reflexively turned around.
“Kashima-kun...”
Kurose-san called out to me.
Her voice sounded worried.
“...Wha-What's wrong?”
It was the first time we spoke
since the night I stopped being her friend. During the time we spent together
in class, we only talked about things necessary for studying in groups.
With a tired face, Kurose-san
looked around, then grabbed my hand and started walking while saying, “Come,
follow me for a while.”
“Eh? Wh-What's going on...?”
“Please, just come with me!”
With an unusual action,
Kurose-san opened the door to the empty room.
I could see the confused face
of Nisshi who was there when she saw me being taken away by Kurose-san.
“Ku-Kurose-san? What the...”
“You misunderstood, I want you
to give this to Ijichi-kun.”
Kurose-san said as she handed me the paper bag that Tanikita-san had given her earlier. Inside was a box with a bright red heart. At a time like this, it was obvious that this was a special chocolate gift for someone you loved.
“Akari-chan wanted to give
Ijichi-kun chocolates. But she said she didn't want to be found out. Since the
box she brought was too big to fit in the shoe locker, she asked me to 'deliver' it. I hardly ever talk to
Ijichi-kun, so she asked me to deliver it through Kashima-kun.”
“Eh? Ahhh...”
I see, I'm beginning to
understand now.
“Alright, I'll give it to
Icchi.”
Icchi will definitely be
surprised. He would never have guessed that this chocolate came from
Tanikita-san.
Just as I was about to accept
the paper bag, happily imagining Icchi's reaction, the classroom door opened
with a bang, and from the hallway came...
““Luna!””
Kurose-san and I shouted in
surprise at the same time.
“When I asked Nishina-kun, 'Have you seen Ryuuto?' he told me that
you were here...”
After saying that, Luna looked
at us in turn and frowned.
“...What are you two doing
here?”
“Uh, ah, no...”
I was wondering if I could tell
Luna about the chocolate from Tanikita-san that I wanted to give to Icchi? Kurose-san
seemed to have the same hesitation. We stared at each other in confusion.
“…It's chocolate, right?”
With our reactions like that,
Luna's expression became even more tense. Seeing her expression, I realized
that there was a misunderstanding.
“Ah... um... this is
actually...”
When Kurose-san tried to open
her mouth with a stammer....
Smack!
A dry sound echoed in the
classroom where it was just the two of us.
For a moment, I didn't know
what was going on.
Luna, with the pose of her
right hand swinging downward, shrugged her shoulders and sighed heavily.
Kurose-san looked down
diagonally with a stunned expression. There was a visible redness on her left
cheek.
Apparently, Luna had slapped
Kurose-san's cheek. I finally understood what was happening.
The paper bag Kurose-san was
carrying fell to the floor from the slap.
“Why did you do that? Don't
confuse Ryuuto again.”
Luna said as she stared at the
paper bag.
Luna showed an expression of
anger that was stronger than anything I've ever seen from her before.
——Luna,
although she rarely gets angry with her friends, she's very scary when she gets
angry in front of me.
I remembered Kurose-san's
words.
Luna, who was standing in front
of me, showed her pure anger when confronted with Kurose-san.
“Ryuuto is my lover! So I won't
give him to you, Maria!”
With her face streaked with
tears, Luna shouted loudly as if to make a firm statement.
“You're always like that. Even
during the Chi-chan incident.”
With regretful lips, Luna
looked at Kurose-san.
“Why?! You already has a lot of
things, Maria. So don't take anything more from me.”
After hearing these words,
Kurose-san frowned as if she was offended.
“Huh? What are you talking
about? Aren't you the one who already has a lot of things?”
As if not accepting Luna's
words, Kurose-san replied and began to speak as if the dam in her heart had
burst.
“You are very popular and have
many friends. Even Dad... Because Luna is the child that everyone likes, so Dad
prefers Luna. If I was born like Luna, Dad would probably love me too. But with
everything you have, you live as if it's normal, it's really annoying! How much
I want to be like Luna.”
“What the...”
“Luna is always like that.
Because you're loved for who you are, you never think about the feelings of
people who can't interact with others without forcing themselves. Even though
you look innocent and friendly, you actually like to force others. Even the
moon and star earrings you give us are not our full motive. You really love
yourself so much.”
“.......”
Luna furrowed her brow slightly
and looked at Kurose-san with a hurt expression.
No wonder. After years of
separation, her sister immediately expressed her feelings this way.
“You didn't ask Mom? The reason
why you have to live with mom and I live with dad.”
After a while, Luna opened her
mouth. Her face looked full of complexity.
“Of course I asked. But Mom
just said 'after thinking about it'.
That's what adults say when they can't tell you the real reason.”
With a look full of eagerness
to say it, Luna looked at Kurose-san.
“Dad told me once. The reason
why they decided to do this.”
After saying that, she opened
her mouth softly.
“Actually, Mom wanted to take
both of us. But back then, Mom didn't work, and in the family home, Grandma had
the responsibility of taking care of Grandpa. Mom thought it was impossible to
live on just dad's foster care money to support both of us, so she decided to
choose just one person...”
Kurose-san continued to stare
at the floor with her eyes wide open as she listened to Luna's story.
“Dad didn't choose me. At that
time, Mom preferred Maria.”
“Huh...?”
Kurose-san's eyelashes
fluttered as she looked at Luna.
“Mom said this to Dad: 'That girl is sensitive and can't express
her feelings honestly, so as her mother, I need to be around her to understand
her’. That's what Mom said to Dad, and that was her decision.”
Luna's words made Kurose-san
cover her mouth with both hands.
“You’re lying...”
“Is that what you always think?
That Dad didn't choose you? ...If that's true, you should be grateful to be with
Mom. Everybody has to choose something. You can't have everything. That's why I
had to accept reality and give in. But I got other things in return.”
Luna spoke in a firm tone.
Luna must be thinking of her
mother and her dream of living together as a family again. And... I would be
happy if I was included in the “things
she got”.
“When we lived together, we
both liked Mom and Dad a lot, right?”
Luna said, looking at
Kurose-san with a softer look than before.
“But they just left. For me...
Mom left my side... and for Maria... Dad left your side. So, the existence of
that missing person meant a lot to me, and I ended up loving only that
person... At least I went through such a phase.”
Kurose-san remained silent in
response to Luna's words.
“Do you still hate mom, Maria?”
After asking this, Luna
suddenly showed a serious expression.
“If you hate her, give it to
me.”
Then Kurose-san showed a
surprised expression.
“I don't want to.”
Kurose-san shook her head and
said.
“Luna already has dad, so I
won't give up mom.”
Luna looked at Kurose-san
seriously for a while.
“Okay, I'll live with dad and
Maria will live with mom.”
Luna said with a smile.
In response to Luna's words,
Kurose-san lowered her head and opened her mouth.
“I'm also trying to appreciate
what I've been given. ...Eventually, I just started living my life that way.”
Kurose-san said hesitantly and
a little clumsily.
“That's why I didn't even try
to take Kashima-kun.”
“Huh? But...”
Luna tried to interrupt, then
Kurose-san pointed at the paper bag that fell on the floor.
“You think these are the
chocolates I wanted to give to Kashima-kun?”
“Eh...?”
Then, I also looked into the
paper bag and noticed.
The box inside the paper bag
was open from the impact when it fell. Inside was a super large heart-shaped
chocolate, with the words “Only Yuusuke
can win ♡”
written
in white and pink decorative pen on the surface.
The chocolate completely
depicted Tanikita-san's feelings that reminded me of idol support fans, and
there was no doubt that it was a genuine chocolate.
“No way...!?”
Luna also realized that and showed
a surprised expression.
“I just asked Kashima-kun for
help to give Ijichi-kun the chocolate I got from my friend.”
Kurose-san tried to explain
clearly, and Luna's face turned deathly pale in the blink of an eye.
“Uhmm...so-sorry, Maria...”
Then at that moment...
Smackkkk!
Kurose-san slapped Luna's
cheek.
“Stupid Luna! You always rush
to conclusions!”
Kurose-san glared at Luna and
shouted, as the atmosphere turned increasingly tense....
Kurose jumped up and hugged
Luna tightly.
“...!”
Luna widened her eyes in
surprise and held her sister's body with a shocked expression.
I recalled what Luna said on
Christmas day.
──
However. it feels like we haven't completely returned to the way we used to be.
Like there's a wall between us... Because for six years, there was almost no
communication between us. I'm sure there are many things I don't understand
about Maria's feelings and her situation. Maybe it was the same on her side.
I felt like I could hear the
sound of the invisible wall that had separated the two of them.
Now.
They can finally go back to
being a real pair of twin sisters.
“Hey Maria, take a look at
this.”
Luna suddenly showed something
she took out of her skirt pocket.
It was a moon and star shaped
earring.
“It's not a star, you know.
Look here, there are lines here, right? Haven't you noticed? It's not a star,
it's a starfish.”
I frowned and looked at the
earrings. I couldn't see it from my position, but Kurose-san looked at it with
a surprised face.
“These earrings are not 'moon
and star' accessories, but 'moon and starfish' earrings.”
Luna said as she looked at
Kurose-san with a gentle gaze.
“The moon and the sea... these
are our motifs. That's why I wanted you to have these, Maria.”
Tears flowed from the corner of
Kurose-san's eyes after hearing that.
With a loud voice, Kurose-san
cried while kneeling down, and Luna who was also kneeling down, gently stroked
Kurose-san's head.
The scene was like a pair of
twin sisters who had never been separated since birth, always close to each
other.
◇◇◇◇
The next day, Saturday, when I
was studying in the study room of the cram school, Sekiya-san came over to my
seat.
“Long time no see. Have you
been here since this morning, Sekiya-san?”
Since the beginning of the
year, Sekiya-san had been taking the entrance exam since the morning before the
holiday.
Just as I was thinking that it
was almost over, Sekiya-san turned away with a sad face.
“Well, that's the way it is. I
should have made time for the second exam today.”
“......”
In other words, the university
that was supposed to take the second exam today had failed the first round.
Judging from the circumstances,
things didn't seem to be going well.
For lunch that day, I went out
with Sekiya-san to change the mood. We went to a retail ramen restaurant that
we frequented.
“...Ryuuto, you still haven't
decided which university you want to go to?”
Sekiya-san asked without much
interest while stirring the almost finished bowl of ramen with chopsticks.
Maybe he just wanted to distract himself from his own exams.
“Y-Yes... I still don't know
what I want to become.”
I had thought about it a bit
when Sekiya-san brought it up earlier, but I hadn't decided on anything in
particular.
“Social science? Science? If
you at least know that, you can make a decision.”
“I'm leaning towards social
sciences... but I haven't decided on a specific faculty yet.”
“Can't you apply to all the
social science departments at the university you want to go to? If you get
accepted to one, that means you can choose from there.”
“Uh, bu-but if I go to
university, I have to think seriously about the future...”
I remembered Kurose-san's words
and told him, but Sekiya-san frowned.
“You are indeed a person who
takes things too seriously. Your parents are free to let you enter any university
or faculty, right? In that case, why don't you decide right away without
thinking too much?”
“...Sekiya-san himself, why did
you decide to go to medical school?”
I responded to his words with a
question, and Sekiya-san replied with a slight bow.
“My father is a doctor.”
“Huh...?”
"My father owns an ENT
clinic near the house. It's just a small clinic, but it seems like he wants his
son to carry on. My younger sister wasn't interested in becoming a doctor at
all, so since childhood, it seemed like I would carry on subconsciously.””
Who would have thought that he
would be the son of a doctor...
Although as a student who was
repeating year after year with high exam preparation fees, I was a little
relieved to find out that Sekiya-san was not too financially strapped.
“Wow Sekiya-san... you're
amazing.”
“Well, I might be lucky to have
rich parents. But I don't know what my father thinks of me...”
Sekiya-san said with a gloomy
expression, probably because the college entrance exam did not go well for him.
“I actually failed the junior
high school entrance exam. Failed all the way to the third choice. My father
said it was better to go to a public school than a mediocre private school, so
I went to the local junior high school.”
So, that was the school where he
met Yamana-san?
“I'm actually not very smart.
Even in elementary school, I wasn't an outstanding student. I put a lot of
effort into extracurricular clubs in junior high, so I was able to get into a
decent high school.”
Even after that, I knew the
end.
“I didn't want to disappoint my
father again. That's why I tried so hard... But can I really get in?”
“Sekiya-san...”
Looking at Sekiya-san who was
complaining with a gloomy face, as someone who only had experience with high
school entrance exams, I couldn't say anything irresponsible.
“But I am jealous of you. You
have something you want to pursue so seriously.”
Trying to change the direction
of the conversation, Sekiya-san smiled slightly.
“Well, in my case, I just want
to carry on the family work, because there is a family business that is a
doctor. If my father had become a director of the company, I might have thought
about continuing it.”
“Huh?”
“Isn't that easier? There are
many professions all over the world. How can a young man who has never worked find
his own passion before he enters society? Why don't we try something first, and
if we find it unsuitable, find another way? We live in an age where centenarians
are commonplace, you know?”
What Sekiya-san said sounded
reasonable, but I still hesitated and lowered my head, saying, “Hmm...”
“I understand your feelings of
being very cautious. Because you're a serious person. But I think there's
nothing wrong with being more relaxed, you know. For example, I decided to
become a doctor because my father is a doctor. I think it's okay to decide that
because if we don't have a goal, we can't feel motivated, right? You've already
decided to go to college, right?”
After seeing me nod, Sekiya-san
was silent for a while.
“Actually, I also felt
indecisive when I was in high school. Becoming a doctor was my dream, but when
I thought about it realistically, I was worried about whether or not I would be
accepted. I also spent a lot of time playing games, so it was hard for me to
prepare for the entrance exam. If I had prepared since high school, even if I
had to repeat a year, it might have been easier.”
Sekiya-san looked straight at
me.
“I'm saying this because I
don't want you to regret something like that, so I'm telling you to decide
sooner. You could probably try to choose something harder. You still have one
more year, and that way you'll develop more than your current ability. Even I
wouldn't have studied so hard if I didn't want to go to medical school.”
Maybe it was because he was in
the phase of taking exams almost every day that Sekiya-san had such a
disclaimer. Suddenly I felt like this.
“But-But I still don't know
much about college...”
I thought that you should
decide which school to go to after visiting different campuses, collecting and
comparing materials, and considering your vision for the future. Of course,
test scores are also taken into consideration. That's why I was a little
surprised by Sekiya-san's momentum, which seemed to make him decide on his
first choice here.
“The reasons for going to
college are like inspiration. Like love. It's not something you decide by
thinking about who you should like, right? The same goes for choosing a
college. There's nothing wrong with having a casual reason like the name sounds
cool or your favorite idol went there. Once you have a clear goal, you'll work
hard to achieve it.”
The moment I heard that, the
name of the university immediately came to mind.
——
They say KEN is an alumnus of Houou University, you know.
"............"
My heart was beating fast.
Is it really okay to decide
something like that?
But if I can get into Houou
University, I'm sure I won't be at a disadvantage when looking for a job
because of the name of the university. And even in life afterwards...
I felt like I was seeing an
illusion before my eyes, where there were endless possibilities for my future.
“...........”
Can
I do it? Even from my school, about five people go to A-rated universities or
higher every year.
Could
I be one of those five?
“These days, formal education
doesn't offer any significant advantages. Even becoming an astronaut does not
require a high level of education. However, a university name is proof of
effort. Even if you are a genius who can memorize the contents of a textbook by
reading it once, if you don't read a textbook at all, you won't be able to get
into any university.”
Sekiya-san's words were full of
enthusiasm. I thought that this might be a belief that he had always encouraged
himself.
“In that case, don't you want
to give the best evidence that a future version of yourself could have to the
current you who is capable of trying? I say this because I believe that you are
someone who is capable of trying.”
“You're so excited,
Sekiya-san.”
I said this in a joking tone
because I felt embarrassed to talk to Sekiya-san in such a serious atmosphere.
“When you study about thirteen
hours a day for a whole year, you start to think about things, you know.”
Sekiya-san laughed at my joke,
but then his expression became calm again.
“Back to the serious topic,
when I look at you, I'm reminded of myself in middle school.”
“When you were still reciting
sutras?”
“Uwaa, you really teased me
with that.”
Sekiya-san laughed slightly and
turned his eyes to the table.
“Acting clumsy and awkward
..... After I learned to adapt to this world, I feel shaky when I remember
myself back then. Maybe that's why I can't ignore you.”
Looking at Sekiya-san smiling
awkwardly, I felt embarrassed as well.
“Thank you very much. I
appreciate it... and have benefited a lot from your teachings, Sekiya-san.”
That was all I could say,
bowing my head slightly.
During the day at the ramen
shop, both the counter and the tables were always full of customers. No matter
how freely we were allowed to sit, it wasn't good to stay too long, so those of
us who had finished eating long ago prepared to leave while drinking water.
At that moment,
“Hah? Isn’t that ....”
Inside Sekiya-san's bag, which
was placed on the chair, was a paper wrapping that clearly looked like a gift.
Judging from its thickness and the dark brown wrapping paper... it could be
inferred that the contents were probably chocolate. I couldn't tell if it was a
commercial product or a homemade product just by looking at the wrapper.
“Is it a Valentine's gift?”
Popular guys are different. He
even received chocolates at the cram school. While I was surprised and
fascinated, Sekiya-san looked at the chocolate and answered casually.
“Oh, I got it from Yamana this
morning.”
“Eh!? You met her?”
“It seems that she was waiting
for me at the station. As I was walking, she approached me from the opposite
side and gave it to me without saying anything as we passed each other. She
acted like a person making a suspicious transaction.”
While saying this, Sekiya-san
smiled a little as if he remembered something.
Yamana-san...
She was really trying to give Sekiya-san chocolates.
“...Are you going to contact
her?”
“Yeah, that's the plan. I
should at least thank her.”
Seeing Sekiya-san answer with a
smile, I naturally smiled as well.
“I hope you can give Yamana-san
some good news as soon as possible.”
It seems that the words I said
with sincere hope touched Sekiya-san's heart, as he showed a happy smile.
“Yeah, that's right... I really
hope so.”
After seeing that smile,
Although I felt bad for Nisshi,
in the end I hoped that Sekiya-san could make Yamana-san happy.
On my way home from the
tutoring school that day, I arrived at K Station before 10:00 p.m. and happened
to meet Kurose-san in front of the station.
“Ah...”
To my surprise, Kurose-san
smiled at me.
“You just came back from the
study room?”
“Ah yes, right...”
“I see, I'm the same. I didn't
notice at all.”
After saying that, Kurose-san
turned her body with a flick of her beautiful black hair.
“I'll see you again.”
“Yeah... be careful on the
road, yeah.”
When I remembered the harassment
incident that happened earlier and said those words, Kurose-san turned slightly
and smiled.
“I'm fine. I used a bicycle
today.”
“Yeah... Still, just be
careful.”
But then she stopped and turned
around.
“I'm fine! Because I have
this.”
As she said that, she took out
a burglar alarm and a small spray from her pocket. Probably a tear spray for
safety.
“After the incident, my mom bought
me this. So don't worry.”
“I see.”
After seeing her smile, I
smiled too and started to leave.
“Bye.”
“Yeah, see you again.”
I watched Kurose-san's back as
she walked to the bicycle parking lot, praying silently.
May
her life be filled with happiness from now on.
◇◇◇◇
The following Sunday,
Valentine's Day, I went to Harajuku with Luna.
“But this time, Ijichi-kun was really
funny! He didn't believe it was chocolate from a girl at all.”
“That guy even said, 'You're kidding, right? Isn’t just you make
it, Kasshi?’ I don't have a lot of free time to do things like that.”
The two of us were talking
about how Icchi reacted when I gave her Tanikita-san's handmade chocolates last
Friday.
“Fufufu... those chocolates are
from Akari, right?”
“W-Well... I don't know
anything.”
“Only Akari can make chocolate
like that, you know.”
Luna said with a happy laugh
and drank the chocolate drink in her hand.
We were in the cafe of Luna's
favorite chocolate shop. The name of the shop was written in ‘Lindt’ style, but I couldn't even read
it. Nevertheless, the atmosphere in the wood-decorated cafe was quiet and very
stylish.
Inside, on the second floor,
the afternoon sun streamed in through the windows facing the street. After
lunch at a fast-food restaurant in Omotesando, we came here to buy chocolate.
“I guess he still thinks it was
a joke, huh~”
“No, but in the end, Icchi
looked a little happy. Even though he wanted to believe sincerely, maybe he
took precautions to avoid getting hurt while being deceived.”
“I see~. Maybe this is the
first time Ijichi-kun got chocolate from a girl, right~”
“Of course, because it was the
first time Icchi got it. Even I got it for the first time.”
After saying that, I felt
embarrassed that I unconsciously said something assuming that I would get it
from now on, so I shook my head.
Luna smiled at me when she saw
me like that.
“I'll give it to you! So don't
worry.”
She held a small paper bag in
her hand. Since we met at the station today, I had always been curious about
it, but I tried not to pay too much attention to it, it was her luggage that I
had ignored.
“Here, Happy Valentine's Day!”
Luna handed me the paper bag
with a beaming smile.
“Th-Thank you...!”
This was the first time in my
life that I got special chocolates from a girl.
Especially from the girl I love
so much....
I never thought a day like this
would come....My heart became hot and I was overwhelmed with emotion....
“Can I open it?”
“Yes. Go ahead!”
Inside the paper bag was a
brown box tied with a red ribbon. With hands trembling with admiration, I
carefully opened the ribbon and lifted the lid.
Inside was a small piece of
chocolate cake. On top of it was a heart drawn with powdered sugar, the drawing
looked very adorable, making me embarrassed and happy at the same time.
“It looks really delicious...
Thank you very much.”
“It's called chocolate gâteau!
I learned that yesterday at Maria's house. Until Maria's class at cram school.”
“I see.”
“We ate the sample together and
it was really good, so don't hesitate to try it!”
“Yes, I'll eat it carefully.”
I put the ribbon that couldn't
be tied back into the box and put it back into the paper bag, and I drank the
drink in my hand with a feeling of joy.
The cold chocolate drink I
bought on Luna's recommendation had a very nice pattern that looked like
chocolate melting in the cup. It also tasted very delicious with a strong aroma
of chocolate.
“I see~. So this is Ryuuto's
first time getting chocolate, huh?”
Suddenly, Luna looked down at
her drink and mumbled as if she was thinking about something.
“I feel the same way. This is
the first time I'm giving handmade chocolates to my boyfriend.”
“Really?”
While I was thinking that, Luna
removed her lips from the straw she was drinking from.
“There have been times when I
felt like I was expecting it, but it felt complicated and I was afraid I wouldn't
be able to do it well.”
“But you did it this time,
didn't you?”
As I felt happy and a smile
broke out on my face, Luna smiled softly.
“I wanted to make it for you,
Ryuuto. You always enjoy my homemade food.”
“Yes... thank you, Luna.”
After thanking her once more,
Luna's face quickly reddened.
“You're welcome...”
This was a happy time.
If happiness had a fragrance,
it must be chocolate.
To this level of thinking, at
this moment, the atmosphere between the two of us was filled with an
overwhelming sweetness.
In the midst of such an
atmosphere, Luna suddenly looked excited.
“Nee, nee, there's something I
want to ask.”
“Uhm, what?”
Nothing came to mind, neither
related nor unrelated, so I looked into Luna's eyes, trying to figure out what
she was asking.
However, Luna turned her face
away from me and pursed her lips with a rather awkward expression on her face.
“...Ryuuto, have you ever
watched an adult video?”
“For adults?”
“Yeah.”
“Hmm, like a war movie or
something?”
“Ahh that's not what I mean...
more in the erotic direction?”
“E-Erotic? Ehh, y-you mean...
th-that kind of adult video?”
When I asked confused, Luna
replied while nodding slightly.
“Wh-Why?”
“Hey~ Answer first. Did you
watch it or not?”
“Ehh....!?”
Luna repeated her question
nervously, creating an atmosphere where I had to give my answer.
“.....I-I watched it.”
Luna's eyes immediately lit up
when she heard that.
“What do you usually watch?”
“Huhhh!?”
Do-Don't tell me, she asked
about the genre?
Besides, what was the real
intention of this question? Does she want to confirm that I'm not a deviant and
have normal interests for the future?
Anyway, I had to answer with
something less controversial.
“Um, like a high school
girl?"
Isn't it normal for high school
boys to watch high school girl stuff? Yes, it is normal.
After repeatedly questioning
myself in my mind, I answered like this.
“Hmm~?”
Luna blinked her eyes.
“You like high school girls?”
“Huh...”
Confused, I opened my mouth.
“No, after all Luna is a high
school girl too, right...?”
“Eh?”
This time, Luna showed a
stunned expression, so I rushed to find an excuse.
“A-Ah, n-no, I'm not comparing
the girl to Luna...!”
“You're not making comparisons?”
Luna's face looked disappointed
when she said that, which made me even more uncomfortable.
“Ehhh!? Huhhh!? Uh, that's,
um... no...”
Luna still looked disappointed.
“...Maybe I was comparing a
bit.”
“Huh?”
Hearing my answer, Luna's face
suddenly brightened.
“.....”
What the hell, what does that
mean?
“In that case, do you also
fantasize about doing perverted things with me?”
“Eh!?”
“Nee~ nee~!? So what!?”
“I do, but...”
I
even imagined it a lot.... I didn't dare to say it.
“Really!? Ryuuto, you never
look like that!”
“Huh...!”
No, I'm actually surprised that
there's a guy running around with a face that says ‘I always have perverted fantasies’.
"Nee~nee~, what kind of
fantasy do you have? What does the me of your fantasy look like?”
“Uh, wait, e-eh...”
“Nee~! It doesn't matter,
right~! Tell me, please~”
“No, it's just a little...”
“It can't hurt, right~! Nee~!”
Then there was an
"ahem" coughing sound and we stopped immediately. A young lady
sitting alone in the next seat looked at her book with an annoyed face.
We seemed to be too loud. Also,
the topic of our conversation was too vulgar... It really didn't fit in with
the atmosphere of the shop.
We felt remorseful and went
outside with our unfinished drinks.
As we walked through the city,
the tree-lined streets of Omotesando were already full of people.
Luna walked with a face that
looked like she was humming as she looked at the windows of fashionable shops.
On this day, Luna was wearing a
loose long-sleeved sweater with wavy sleeves and a short white coat, with a
tight miniskirt and long boots underneath. Especially the wavy sleeves look
very cute, and I feel that this season is about to pass, which makes me sad that
I can't see this style anymore.
“Lately, I am feeling really
free. Is that what they call being liberated?”
Luna said in a carefree tone in
the cool, fresh air.
“After I found out about my
father's wedding plans, [Operation Two Lotte] fell through... I was really
surprised, but I felt a little relieved. It seems I can't go back to that time,
that's how I feel and I've accepted it.”
The cold, dry wind gently
caressed our cheeks as we walked through the crowds on the main street.
“But that doesn't mean my
family is gone. Me, dad, mom, Onee-chan, and Maria too... If I can maintain
relationships with each of them and strengthen our bonds, the family ties will
definitely continue. Just like before.”
There was an excited light in
Luna's eyes as she spoke these words.
“I'm free now. Finally. I
managed to get rid of that 'I want to go
back to that time' feeling.”
As she said this, Luna raised
her hand, not holding the drink, into the air. The stone on her ring finger
reflected the soft sunlight, sparkling white with her earrings.
Beyond Luna's slender fingers
and the tall branches of the oak tree stretched the calm blue sky.
“I can't go back in time. I
can't at all. I finally feel like I can accept it.”
Luna's profile as she looked up
at the sky was filled with strong desire.
A bird flew across the sky as
she looked up.
“I won't look at the
unreachable sky anymore. I will only look forward. I'm not a bird. Even though
I yearn for places I can't reach, I can't live up to myself.”
After saying that, Luna looked
at me and smiled.
Her smile looked like the
summer sun that was typical for Luna.
“Alright~, from now on, I will
move forward into the future!”
Luna quickened her pace with
power.
There were no green trees in
this winter city. However, I knew that there were many vibrant buds in those
branches.
Something must be changing in
Luna's heart at this time...
“Maria said she wanted to be a
manga editor. I have to find my own dream, too. I'm a bit behind the others,
but... can I do it?”
“You can definitely do it. I'm
sure Luna will.”
I nodded my head firmly at her
obvious concern.
“...Luna, there's actually
something I want to tell you.”
Actually, I had no intention of
saying it, but seeing her like that, I felt I had to.
“I... I was thinking about
going to Houou University.”
Luna looked surprised when she
heard my confession.
“Eh, Houou?! You mean that
elite university, right!”
“Y-Yes, right...”
“Ehh, seriously?! Isn't that
really cool!”
“No-Not really, anyone can go
there if they want... I can only try hard to be accepted.”
I was surprised to see more of
a reaction than I expected, Luna raised a hand and shook it vigorously.
“It will definitely be
accepted! Because you're really smart, Ryuuto.”
“Thank you, Luna.”
Hearing Luna's words, I
suddenly felt confident that I really would be accepted.
“Let's work hard together! I'll
support you a lot, Ryuuto!”
She said excitedly, then
suddenly her face changed to surprise and she smiled softly.
“Yes. When it comes to you, I
can support you with all my heart,” she said confidently this time.
“Thank you, Luna.”
I felt my heart grow stronger
and returned it with a gentle smile.
“I will support you too, Luna.”
As we spoke, we looked at each
other and laughed..
“We're cheerleaders for each
other, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Whenever,
wherever, I want to be your ally.
Finding
someone to share such feelings with is a treasure in my life.
No
matter what future you choose, I will always support you.
And
we will continue to laugh together like this.
Forever.
◇◇◇◇
After that, I accompanied Luna
on a walk, looking at various shops. The two of us continued walking towards
Shibuya.
As we walked, the season of
daylight passed quickly, and before we knew it, the sun was setting and the
night atmosphere began to set in around us.
“Wow, it's so beautiful!”
Luna exclaimed as we passed in
front of a complex of buildings.
“It turns out there's still an
illumination show going on! Let's go check it out!”
“Okay, fine.”
Then we entered the inner area
of the facility.
The illumination continued all
the way to the middle of the street. As we walked, we looked down into the
basement, and there the lights were even brighter. Various plants decorated
with sparkling lights surrounded the open terrace area of the restaurant there.
While we often see the white LED lights that are trendy in the city, this
uniform orange light creates a luxurious and nostalgic atmosphere.
“Wow, how beautiful! That seat
over there looks like a VIP seat!”
Luna exclaimed as she looked
down.
The restaurant had a luxurious
appearance like a French restaurant, and the guests sitting on the open terrace
all looked calm and mature.
“That's good~, I want to go to a
restaurant like that someday~”
“Yes, that's right. When we
grow up...”
When
we grow up......
The bitter winter night was a
reminder to me that I'm still not fully an adult.
One day, when I really grow up,
I want to have dinner with Luna in a restaurant like this without feeling
awkward.
With both of us in our current
state, what color would such memories be in our hearts?
If possible, I want to keep
that warm, illuminating light burning.
That's why I don't want to
regret it.
──
It will definitely be accepted! Because you're really smart, Ryuuto.
As I pondered Luna's words in
my heart, I felt as if power was rising from the depths of my body.
“...I wonder, even though I
come to Shibuya often and see the illuminations every year.”
Luna murmured while looking at
the illuminations and leaned her head on my shoulder.
“I think the view I saw today
was the most beautiful.”
After saying that with a
sentimental look, Luna raised her head and looked at me.
“Maybe because Ryuuto is beside
me?”
Was it her cheeks flushed from
the cold?
Her smiling face with the
upturned eyes looked even sweeter than usual.
Luna's white breath and body
temperature merging in her clasped palms were adorable.
I'm not really that fond of
winter.
But for some reason, I wish it
would last a little longer.
Warm spring is just around the
corner.
