Act 5: Fate Can Be Changed
The next day after school.
"What should we play today?"
As I left the school gate, Yuzuhana, as usual, came running after me.
But today, I wasn’t my usual self. Just hearing her voice made my heart race, my face heat up, and I couldn’t look her in the eye.
If I talked to her now, my awkward behavior might give me away, and she’d figure out what was going on in my heart.
On the other hand, if I kept ignoring her, Yuzuhana might feel hurt… and I don’t want to hurt her anymore.
"I was thinking of reading some manga today."
I turned my face away as I answered.
"Why are you talking while looking somewhere else?"
"I’m exercising my neck."
"For what purpose?"
"For my health."
"Taking care of your health is good and all, but if you twist your neck that much, you’ll strain it. Also, you should move it evenly—up, down, left, and right."
"I know. I’ll face you in a minute—don’t circle around me!"
"Why are you shouting at me?! I just moved to where it’s easier for you to talk!"
"I-I wasn’t shouting at you. I just got startled and raised my voice… I’m really sorry."
"Fine, but… why are your eyes rolling back into your head?"
"I’m practicing funny faces."
"For what purpose?"
"I’m planning to send a goofy photo to Sana. I’m in the middle of practicing right now."
"People passing by are going to think you’re an idiot. Practice that kind of thing in your room."
Damn, she’s got a point!
"Got it… Is this better?"
"…Why are your eyes darting around now?"
"I’m exercising them."
"…Why is your voice cracking?"
"I’m practicing falsetto."
"You’re acting suspicious. Are you hiding something from me?"
"I’m not hiding anything!"
Of course, I’m hiding something.
Ever since her radiant smile at the birthday party, I’ve started to develop romantic feelings for her. I haven’t fallen head over heels, but I’m starting to like Yuzuhana all over again.
We swore to maintain our friendship as equals, and yet here I am, seeing her as a girl. She absolutely can’t find out about this.
If she did, it would destroy our friendship.
Our friendship is supposed to last forever. To stay best friends, I need to erase these feelings.
"Whatever. So, reading manga means you’ve got free time today, right?"
If we spend more time together, I’m sure I’ll fall even harder for her. I want to spend some time alone until I build up a resistance to her cuteness. But Yuzuhana is fully set on hanging out with me…
I need to find a way to turn her down without hurting her feelings.
"No, I’m not exactly free…"
"You’ve got something to do?"
"Not so much something to do… I’m just not feeling well."
"Not feeling well?"
Yuzuhana leaned in with a concerned look, her cute face getting so close that I could feel my body heat rising.
"…Your face does look a bit red. Is it a cold?"
"I’m not sure if it’s a cold or not… but anyway, I’m just going to take it easy today."
"Yeah, you should. Get plenty of rest and recover quickly, or else you’ll end up having a boring Golden Week."
Tomorrow marked the start of Golden Week.
I’d been looking forward to spending this long break playing with Yuzuhana as much as possible. But… being around her makes me so nervous that I need some time to sort out my feelings, so I decided to spend some of it alone.
Since we were heading the same way home, I’d still be with Yuzuhana until we passed the park.
She talked excitedly about an art book, and while my heart kept racing, I managed to keep a poker face until I got home. That was a relief.
"…Crap."
I realized I’d forgotten something after getting home, drinking milk to quench my thirst. If it were just a textbook, I’d leave it, but I’d forgotten my gym clothes. If I didn’t take them home, they’d end up getting moldy.
It’s a pain, but I’ll have to go back.
With that decision made, I headed back to school under the clear blue sky.
"Oh, if it isn’t Kurose. Forgot something?"
At the school gate, I ran into Akabane-senpai.
"I forgot my gym clothes… Oh, by the way, I read your manga! The one you put out in the cultural festival last year. It was amazing!"
"I’m glad you liked it. I’ve got the issue from the year before last, too. Want to give it a read?"
"I’d love to!"
I followed Senpai to the clubroom, where she let me read her manga.
Like the one I’d read before, it was an action story.
Since it was drawn a year earlier, the art wasn’t as polished as last year’s, but the dynamic compositions showed her innate talent. Despite the short page count, the story was full of twists, and I was so engrossed in the ending that I forgot to breathe.
She’s a genius…
"Senpai, you’re not already a professional, are you?"
"Not at all. I’m just an ordinary high school girl."
"There’s nothing ordinary about you! You’re an incredible manga artist! Have you considered submitting your work to a publisher?"
"Actually, I’m planning to do that during summer break."
"That’s amazing! To think that a professional manga artist could come from our school, I’m so proud!"
"Heh, that’s a bit of an exaggeration. I haven’t even gotten a publisher yet."
"It’s definitely going to happen! Your manga is really that good! There’s no doubt you’ll debut! You should start thinking about a pen name!"
"I’m thinking of shortening my real name, Akabane Chizuru, to ‘Akatsuru’ for my pen name."
"...Huh? Akatsuru?"
"Is that weird?"
Senpai looked slightly worried when I was caught off guard by her choice.
"Akatsuru" isn’t weird. It makes sense, but...
"Re... Really? Akatsuru?"
"Why are you so surprised?"
"I... I just think it sounds cool!"
It does sound cool, but the reason I was surprised was something else.
I know Akatsuru-sensei.
I read Akatsuru-sensei’s manga during the exam season and got completely immersed in the Akatsuru world—I loved it so much I almost ended up repeating the year.
The cover for the literary fiction book that Yuzuhana first spoke to me about was also done by Akatsuru-sensei, and after I lent Yuzuhana a few of his mangas, she got hooked on the Akatsuru world too.
She asked for more recommendations, and while I introduced her to a few, I ended up becoming a total otaku, and we quickly grew closer.
So Akatsuru-sensei was kind of like a cupid for my romance.
No wonder her art style felt so familiar. I’d been copying it.
To think that Akatsuru-sensei, the person I admire so much, was an alum of the same high school…
If I hadn’t known the future, I might have been moved to tears.
But I’m from the future.
I know what’s going to happen to Akatsuru-sensei, so I couldn’t feel happy about it.
"Why do you look so gloomy?"
"I... I’m just a little hungry!"
That was a terrible excuse.
My thoughts were all over the place.
Akatsuru-sensei will die suddenly in ten years.
"Want to go to the store? I’ll buy you some bread to thank you for the compliment on my manga."
"Ah, no... I mean..."
What should I do? How should I handle this?
Should I tell her what I know?
Would that prevent her death?
But if I told her "you’re going to die suddenly in ten years," She wouldn't believe me.. It would just make her feel bad.
Then... I’ve got it.
"Do you have any plans to go on a trip soon, by any chance?"
"You know me well. It's a tradition in the Manga Club to hold a training camp during Golden Week. Going on a camp alone feels a bit odd, but I don't want to break tradition."
It was announced that Akatsuru-sensei's cause of death was anaphylactic shock from a wasp sting.
When I read one of her interview articles, there was a question: 'The characters in your stories face danger multiple times, but what was your scariest experience, Akatsuru-sensei?' She had answered, 'When I was stung by a wasp during a training camp in my senior year of high school and almost died.'
I don’t know much about anaphylactic shock, but she survived the first time.
If I can protect her from wasps during the camp, the "first time" will happen ten years from now.
I might put myself in danger, but I can change her fate and prevent her death!
"I want to come along, too!"
I'm the only one who knows about this.
To protect my favorite author—my senpai, who played Cupid for my love life—I have to keep her safe from wasps!
"Then you should invite Koikawa-san, too."
"W-Why Yuzuhana?"
"Since the camp involves an overnight stay, being alone with a guy might, well, raise some issues, don’t you think?"
True, a mixed-gender camp for just the two of us does bring up... complications.
I don’t want to take Yuzuhana to a dangerous place, but if she stays in a safe spot, it should be fine.
"Got it. I'll give her a call."
I stepped out of the clubroom to make sure senpai couldn’t overhear and called Yuzuhana.
My heart had been pounding earlier, but with senpai's life on the line, there's no time for that now.
"Hello? What’s up?"
"I need to talk to you about something important."
"Huh? What’s with the serious tone? What is it?"
I told her everything as it was.
How I forgot something and went back to school.
How I ran into Akabane-senpai and realized she was Akatsuru-sensei.
And how I want to protect her from wasps to avoid her fate.
"I’ll come too! I can’t let Akatsuru-sensei die!"
As expected of a true fan. Yuzuhana didn’t hesitate for even a second.
But—
"I’ll handle the wasps, so Yuzuhana, just hide somewhere safe."
"No way."
"Please, I’m begging you. Don’t do anything dangerous... I’d be devastated if something happened to you."
"I’d be devastated if something happened to you too, Kohei. That’s why we’re facing this together! We’ll protect each other’s backs and Akatsuru-sensei as well!"
It didn’t look like I could convince her.
I don’t want to expose Yuzuhana to danger by putting her in front of the wasps, but... it’s true that working together would make it easier to protect everyone. I’ll come up with a strategy against the wasps and ensure that no matter what happens, I’ll keep both of them safe!
After ending the call, I returned to the clubroom and informed senpai that Yuzuhana would be coming along as well. She gave me her contact information, saying she’d share the details later.
The day of the overnight training camp had arrived.
After grabbing lunch at a family restaurant near the station, we headed to the aquarium, the agreed meeting spot.
Earlier, Yuzuhana had been brimming with energy, declaring, “Senpai’s life is in our hands... We can’t let our guard down even for a second!” But—
"Hey, glad you made it."
"Eep! Th-th-thank you for inviting us today!"
The moment we met up with Akabane-senpai, she froze completely.
I get it, though. It’s not every day a legendary author smiles at you.
"Did you have any trouble finding the place?"
"Nope! As long as I’m with Kohei, everything’s fine!"
"Hey, don’t make it sound like I’d get lost on my own."
I’m a huge fan of Akatsuru-sensei too, you know. Don’t make me look bad in front of her.
"You got lost before, remember? You were so confident, saying, ‘This way!’ and then led us in the completely wrong direction."
"That’s because when I was checking the map, you stayed quiet and didn’t offer any input!"
"I stayed quiet because I didn’t want to interrupt you while you were focused on the map!"
"I was trying to make the conversation more lively for you!"
"I didn’t need you to overthink it! It’s fine without small talk!"
"What do you mean, overthink it? I was trying to make it a fun date!"
"Even without talking, I still enjoy being with you! Or is it different for you?"
"It’s not different, but talking makes it more fun! And you got lost at the station too, remember? You confidently said, ‘I’ve been here before, leave it to me!’ Then it took us an hour just to get out of the station!"
"That’s because that station’s like a maze! Sorry for getting lost, okay?"
"I wasn’t upset! It felt like we were solving a dungeon, so it was fun! ...What are you doing?"
"Recording it. Real-life lover's quarrels make great material for creative work."
“"It’s not a lover’s quarrel!"”
"Your timing is impeccable as always," senpai said with a chuckle as she slipped the voice recorder back into her pocket.
"Well then, shall we start exploring the aquarium?"
"Yes! I’ll stay out of the way and quietly watch from the sidelines so I don’t interfere with your reference photos!"
No, staying quiet and out of the way isn’t the point! We’re here to protect her from wasps, remember?
I don’t want to disturb senpai’s work either, but...
The purpose of this visit to the aquarium was to gather reference material for Akatsuru-sensei’s debut one-shot manga, "The King of the Abyss."
Originally published in a magazine, I first came across "The King of the Abyss" in a collected edition. It was included at the end of Akatsuru-sensei’s first serialized work. After reading it, I was so impressed that I strongly wished for it to become a full series.
Though it never got serialized, both the first and second works that followed surpassed even "The King of the Abyss" in brilliance.
I love the first work for its intense focus on the relationship between the protagonist and their rival, which sprinted to its conclusion without wasting a moment. But my absolute favorite is the second work, which was even adapted into an anime.
Unfortunately, that legendary manga remained unfinished. To ensure I’ll someday read the continuation, I must absolutely save Akabane-senpai from her fated death!
"You don’t need to stay in the corner."
"But I wouldn’t want to get in your way, Akabane-senpai..."
"I wouldn’t see it as getting in my way. Still, since you two seem so close, you’ll probably enjoy yourselves more wandering around together."
"Thank you for your consideration! We’ll do just that!"
No, we can’t just do that! Weren’t we here to protect Akabane-senpai?
"Shall we meet at the gift shop at 4 PM?"
Yuzuhana nodded, and senpai, holding her digital camera, walked off.
As I watched her figure grow smaller in the distance, Yuzuhana grabbed my shoulder and started shaking me.
"K-Kohei, what should I do? I just talked to a legendary author..."
"I’m more worried about what I should do... Why did you agree to splitting up? We’re supposed to protect her from wasps!"
"There aren’t any wasps in an aquarium. If you’re already this anxious now, you’ll be completely burned out by the time we reach the real danger."
We were scheduled to head to a nature-surrounded hot spring inn later.
Yuzuhana had a point. If wasps were going to show up, it would more likely be at the inn than here at the aquarium.
While I couldn’t let my guard down, perhaps it would be better to conserve our energy for the real challenge ahead.
"Alright, let’s just wander around for now."
"Sure, let’s explore."
We entered the aquarium, stepping into a tranquil blue world.
A massive tank, like a movie theater screen, bathed the area in a cool blue light. Inside, fish of various shapes and sizes swam leisurely.
There were schools of fish gliding together as if they were a single organism, a shark passing by with calm authority, stingrays gracefully fluttering, and vibrant fish darting about everywhere. It was mesmerizing, and I couldn’t tire of the view.
"...Kohei, what are you thinking about right now?"
"I'm thinking of setting my desktop background to an aquarium when we get back."
"That's kind of childish... but maybe you've grown up a bit?"
"Grown up?"
"Yeah, remember when we were dating and we went to the aquarium together?"
"Oh yeah, we did that."
"Do you remember what you said back then?"
"...Something like, 'I'm glad we came here'?"
"Well, you did say that eventually, but no. What you actually said was, 'Wanna stop by a sushi place on the way back?'"
"...Completely ruined the mood, huh?"
"Exactly! I was so shocked. I was expecting something romantic, and then you said you wanted sushi."
"Sorry about that. Guess I didn't have much of a romantic streak back then."
"It's fine. Honestly, being with childish Kohei is easier than dealing with some pretentious version of you. Though... sometimes, I do wish you'd act a little more romantic."
"You say that, but you're no saint either. You ate a ton at that sushi place. I still remember how stunned I was when the bill came."
"T-that’s because it was delicious... Sorry for being such a big eater."
"It’s fine. I'd rather be with someone who enjoys their food and eats happily than someone pretending to be dainty. Still, maybe you could appreciate the guy paying the bill a little more?"
"We split the bill that time, didn’t we?"
"Did we? I can’t really recall."
"You remember all the trivial stuff but conveniently forget the important details... Whatever. Hey, let’s go check out that area over there."
"Sure."
We followed the path and stepped into a dimly lit space.
Inside was a massive tank, softly illuminated, filled with swarms of jellyfish gently floating in the water.
It looked like a living illumination display. Watching the jellyfish drift in their dreamy, mesmerizing way, I could feel my heart being soothed.
They didn’t move much, yet they had an inexplicable charm that made you want to keep watching forever.
But then—
"Hey, uh... this might sound weird, but... wanna hold hands?"
With Yuzuhana's sudden question, my focus on the mesmerizing jellyfish shattered.
Instead of their mysterious glow, my gaze was now locked on Yuzuhana, her face tinged with embarrassment. The calm I’d regained from discovering Akabane-senpai’s identity and the soothing aquarium atmosphere evaporated as a fluttering in my chest resurfaced.
"Wh-why are you asking to hold hands?!"
"So... so you don’t want to, huh?"
"It’s not that I don’t want to, I just don’t get why we’d hold hands..."
"Because... I can’t seem to relax when you’re around."
"...That hurts, you know."
"That’s not what I meant! Ugh, don’t take it the wrong way... I mean, like... remember when you celebrated my birthday the other day? After that..."
Yuzuhana cast her gaze downward, cheeks flushed, before glancing up shyly.
"After that, I kinda started to like you."
...Wait, what?
"Wh-what do you mean by ‘like’? Like, as a friend, right?"
"I’ve always liked you as a friend. That hasn’t changed. But... I started liking you in a romantic way."
"You started liking me... Does that mean you don’t anymore?"
"I’m still super into you!"
"Wh-what’s with that?! We promised to stay friends, didn’t we?!"
"I know, but... you can’t deny you’ve been thinking about me, even just a little, right?"
"I—I mean... maybe... kind of..."
"Aha! I knew it! You’ve been acting weird lately, haven’t you? You were trying to keep your distance so you wouldn’t start falling for me, weren’t you?"
"S-so what if I was?! I’m trying to stick to our friendship pact here, so don’t ask me to hold hands!"
"I can’t help it! Being near you makes me so nervous I can’t stay calm... That’s why we should hold hands!"
"How does that even make sense?!"
"When you’re nervous around someone, it’s because you’re seeing them as a romantic interest. But if we interact like same-gender friends do—like how I’d treat Sana-chan—I’ll get used to it eventually. Then I won’t be so tense around you, and we can hang out without any awkwardness."
So basically, she’s proposing shock therapy. Do couple-y things before dating to skip straight to the comfortable stage of a relationship, bypassing the whole romantic tension phase.
The risk of this backfiring is high, but... if it works, we could build a friendship that transcends gender. It might just be worth a shot.
"What's the plan? If you don't want to, that's fine..."
"I-It's not like I don't want to."
"Really? ...If it's too much, you don't have to force yourself, you know?"
"I told you, I don't mind. Sure, I'm forcing myself a bit, but if we don't get through this, our friendship might fall apart."
At first, it would be nerve-wracking, but if we could overcome this, we could become the best of friends.
Not wanting to stay uneasy forever, I decided to go along with the suggestion.
When I gently held her hand, Yuzuhana's hand was slightly damp with sweat.
"How... how is it?"
"My heart's pounding so hard it feels like it'll burst out of my chest... What about you, Kohei?"
"Same here. It's like all my nerves are focused on my hand."
"Don't focus so much! My hand's all sweaty, you know..."
"I don't care about that. Honestly, my hand's just as sweaty... I might be more nervous than the first time we held hands."
"It's strange... Back then, holding hands was no big deal, but now it's making me so nervous."
"Yeah, it's like all my relationship experience has been reset. ...By the way, what kinds of things did you do with Sana?"
"Intertwining fingers, holding hands, hugging, changing clothes together…"
"W-Wait, are we doing all that too?"
"N-No way we could do it all at once! Just holding hands is already pushing my limits... I get nervous just imagining hugging you, Kohei."
"Same here… But we’ll get there someday, right?"
"Only if you're okay with it…"
"I'm not against it. Sure, it makes me nervous enough to feel like I might faint, but… we need to build up our relationship experience if we want to break past the boundaries between us as a boy and a girl. Besides, we’ve got time. Let’s take it slow and get used to it."
Though it felt as awkward as when we first started dating, I didn’t feel any discomfort about holding hands with Yuzuhana.
We held each other’s hands tightly and enjoyed the aquarium to our hearts' content.
After transferring between train and bus, we got off at a stop surrounded by lush nature. Guided by our senior, we headed toward our destination.
It was a traditional inn renovated from an old Japanese house, quietly standing along the river. It had the kind of atmosphere that a classic novelist might have frequented, perfect for getting in the mood to create manga.
While staying alert and listening carefully for the buzz of any wasps, our senpai motioned us forward with a "This way."
"Welcome, Chizuru-chan."
"It's been a while, hasn't it? You've grown up so much."
When we entered the inn, we were warmly greeted by a gentle elderly couple.
Apparently, this inn was run by our senpai's grandparents. She had chosen it as the venue for our retreat, partly to show her face to them.
"I'm back, Grandpa, Grandma. These are my juniors from school, Kurose-kun and Koikawa-san."
"I'm Kurose. Thank you for having us today."
"I've been looking forward to soaking in the hot springs!"
"Welcome, welcome."
"We can't offer much, but make yourselves at home as if it were your own house."
For them to welcome us so warmly, despite our last-minute participation...
To ensure I wouldn't let these kind people down, I resolved to protect our senior no matter what!
With renewed determination, I followed behind her.
The inn had a cozy wooden interior. It was two stories tall, but the upper floor was the private space of her grandparents, while guests stayed on the first floor.
Perhaps due to it being limited to one group per day, there was only one bedroom prepared.
"This is our room."
The space was spacious and inviting. One part of the room had a sunken kotatsu, and beyond a sliding fusuma door was the sleeping area. Three futons had already been laid out.
"Um... Am I sleeping there too?"
"As much as it embarrasses me to sleep in the same room as you, Kurose-kun, I can't just leave a junior to sleep in the hallway."
"It's fine! I'll keep an eye on Kohei!"
"That makes me sound like some dangerous guy. I’m not going to do anything weird, okay?"
If anything, the one who needs watching isn’t me—it’s our senpai.
I had to stay vigilant in case a wasp appeared at any moment.
"I don't think Kurose-kun would do anything weird. Maybe I should be the one to sleep in the hallway instead?"
"Please, there's no need for that kind of consideration!"
"Senpai, you should stay here!"
"So fresh and innocent," Senpai said with a warm smile.
Well, of course. She saw us holding hands at the aquarium earlier. Even if I tried to deny our relationship now, she'd just think I was embarrassed.
"Now then, I'm going to start working on my manga. What about you two? If you'd like, you could go enjoy the hot springs together."
"I want to go with Senpai! I want to hear about her manga!"
That's not fair! I wanted to talk about manga with Senpai too!
But I swallowed my jealousy and kept quiet.
The hot springs were open-air baths with a clear view of the river. Surrounded by nature, it wouldn’t be surprising if a wasp showed up. I wanted to stay nearby and keep an eye on them, but if I desperately insisted, "I want to bathe with Senpai too!" it would scare her off, and the kind elderly couple might turn into demons.
In the end, I bathed alone, while Yuzuhana and Senpai went in together.
We decided to enjoy the hot springs after dinner. For now, sitting by the sunken kotatsu, Senpai began sketching something in her notebook.
She mentioned bringing manga to work on during summer break, so maybe she’s designing characters?
Thinking that I might be witnessing the creation of designs for The King of the Abyss felt like a dream come true as a fan.
I wanted to watch forever, but staring too much might distract her.
While keeping our ears tuned for the hum of any wasps, we read some manga. Once I finished the ones I brought, I was about to swap with Yuzuhana when a loud growl interrupted us.
Yuzuhana's cheeks flushed a soft pink.
"Keep it down. You'll break Senpai's concentration."
"I can't help it. I'm hungry!"
Grrrrrrr.
This time, my stomach joined in, loudly echoing through the room.
Both Yuzuhana and Senpai burst out laughing.
"S-Sorry! I didn’t mean to disturb you..."
"Don't worry about it. It's about time for dinner anyway. Let’s clear the table," Senpai said with a gentle smile.
As she spoke, the sliding fusuma door opened.
A variety of healthy dishes, packed with fresh vegetables, were brought in.
The main dish was grilled fish. With the nostalgic atmosphere of the old inn surrounding us, the meal tasted even more delicious.
"So, what’s the plan for the hot springs?"
"Can I go in first?"
I wanted to make sure there were no wasps around before Senpai and Yuzuhana went in. If I found one, I’d need to come up with some excuse to get them to skip the hot spring altogether.
Fueled by a sense of duty, I grabbed my yukata and headed to the bath.
...From what I could see, there weren’t any wasps.
All I could hear as I strained my ears were the rustling of leaves and the murmuring of the river—no buzzing at all.
It seemed safe enough for Yuzuhana and Senpai to enjoy the hot springs.
By the time I was satisfied with my inspection, I was nearly on the verge of overheating. Quickly, I got out and returned to the room.
"Did you enjoy it?"
"Yes, I feel refreshed."
"Glad to hear it. Shall we go, Yuzuhana?"
"Yes!"
The two of them headed to the hot spring next. Judging by the time they returned, dressed in their yukata and looking relaxed, they must have spent over an hour talking about manga.
Lucky... I wanted to have a manga discussion with a god-tier creator too.
Once I’m done with this wasp-watching mission, I’ll have to ask what they talked about.
After drying her black hair, Senpai returned to her sketching, and Yuzuhana and I quietly read manga.
As the clock struck midnight, we prepared for bed without incident.
With the windows shut tight and no sign of wasps in the room, it seemed like today wouldn’t be the day I got stung.
We lay down in a row, Senpai, Yuzuhana, and me, forming the "river" character.
Even though Yuzuhana and I were clearly aware of each other, the situation made sleeping feel impossible. But as the strain of the day caught up to her, I soon heard Yuzuhana’s soft breathing.
Knowing she was so close made it hard for me to relax, but eventually, drowsiness started to creep in—
"Mmnn."
Fwoosh.
Yuzuhana irritably tossed her futon aside.
Maybe she was dreaming about fighting wasps, because she kicked the futon next.
Worried she might kick me next, I braced myself—
"So...cold..."
She turned over and clung to my arm.
Something soft pressed against me, squishing gently.
W-What is this sensation?! Is it that? It has to be that, right?!
I was happy, sure, but... this was way too much stimulation for me to handle right now!
My heart pounded uncontrollably until Yuzuhana rolled over again, and the softness pulled away.
Now I could relax. I decided to pull the kicked-off futon back over Yuzuhana to make sure she wouldn’t catch a cold. As I sat up to do so, I froze in place.
“──!”
Her undergarments! A glimpse of her cleavage!
I shouldn’t stare. I knew that much, but my eyes were glued to the sight before me.
We used to be married. Back then, we bathed together every day, and I saw her in her underwear so often that it became routine.
But now we were divorced, just friends, and I was starting to fall for her all over again. I’d gone back to getting nervous about the little things.
And for me now, seeing her underwear was just way too overwhelming.
Would I say I wanted to look? Of course, I wanted to. But if she woke up to find her yukata in disarray, she’d feel so embarrassed.
I’d better fix it while she was still asleep.
Having decided, I reached out to adjust her yukata—when her eyes suddenly snapped open.
She looked at my face, then at my hand, and then at her disheveled yukata.
Her face turned bright red.
“W-Why!? Why are you undressing me!?”
“N-No! I was fixing your yukata!”
“Y-You should’ve just left it alone!”
“If I left it, you might’ve caught a cold! And don’t worry, I didn’t look at your underwear!”
“…Really?”
“…Actually, I might’ve peeked a little.”
When I admitted it honestly, Yuzuhana narrowed her eyes. Her gaze was cold and piercing.
“Pervert.”
“D-Don’t say that! It’s your fault for letting your yukata come undone. And for the record, you’re the one who clung to me first!”
“W-What!? I did no such thing!”
“You did! While you were sleeping, you hugged me!”
“That was just because I have bad sleeping habits! You, on the other hand, touched me on purpose!”
“I already told you why I did it! And besides, what’s the big deal? If we’re aiming to become friends beyond the bounds of gender, this kind of thing should be fine!”
“Even so, it’s still too soon!”
Blushing furiously, she turned away from me, her back facing mine.
Too soon, she said... So someday, it wouldn’t be?
“...I’m going to sleep now. Goodnight.”
“G-Goodnight…”
“...And thanks for making sure I wouldn’t catch a cold.”
“O-Oh. You’re welcome…”
Someday, that day would come──.
Just thinking about that made me tense up, and I found it impossible to fall asleep.
The next day. The nervousness from last night had completely settled, and Yuzuhana and I were in full alert mode.
When Senpai mentioned wanting to take a morning bath, Yuzuhana accompanied her. When she said she wanted to take a walk nearby to work up an appetite, we accompanied her with an insecticide spray in hand.
However, not a single hornet appeared—not even the sound of its wings buzzed in the air. Finally, it was time to leave.
Rubbing our stomachs after a hearty lunch, we expressed our thanks to the elderly couple and made our way to the bus stop.
Just a few minutes remained until the bus arrived. Letting our guard down for even a moment could be fatal. Keeping my eyes wide open and gripping the spray, I stayed vigilant to the very end.
…And yet, the hornet didn’t show itself. Finally, the bus approached.
“Maybe it’s time to put the insecticide spray in your bag,” Senpai suggested.
“B-but what if an insect shows up?”
“If you’re holding the spray, you might scare the driver. Koikawa-san, you should probably put the fly swatter in your bag too.”
“Well, but…”
“It’ll be fine. If an insect shows up, I’ll take care of it. Besides, look—the bus is almost here. You can relax now.”
Not knowing when a hornet might appear, I felt uneasy about putting down my weapon. But as Senpai said, we risked being refused boarding if we didn’t.
Following her suggestion, we both tucked the insecticide spray and fly swatter into our bags.
And that’s when it happened.
A loud Buuuuuun! mixed with the sound of the engine, and before I knew it, a hornet was flying above Senpai’s head.
“Ahhh!”
Despite her earlier claim, Senpai seemed startled by the hornet’s sudden appearance. She instinctively raised her hand to swat it away.
In that instant, the knowledge about hornets that I’d crammed into my brain over the past few days surged to the forefront.
“Don’t move!”
Senpai froze in place.
The hornet circled above her head before flying off into the bushes.
We rushed onto the bus, and Senpai let out a deep sigh.
“That scared me…”
“Same here…”
“But I’m glad it ended without incident.”
“Yeah. If Senpai had attacked it, you might’ve been stung!”
The hornet had been in a cautious state, still in its warning phase.
The insecticide spray and fly swatter were meant for retaliation, only to be used if the hornet actually attacked us.
In other words, it was the last resort.
The hornet had only approached us. If it hadn’t shown any hostility, the safest course of action was to do nothing—at least, that’s what the website I researched had stated.
“I didn’t know that. I thought I was protecting you as your senpai, but I ended up being the one saved.”
She thanked me, and a sense of accomplishment welled up inside me.
With this, we had avoided our first hornet sting.
Since I had shared the hornet countermeasures, we might be able to avoid a second one too.
At the very least, we had successfully escaped the fate of death!
“You’re welcome! Please keep creating fun manga from now on!”
“We’re looking forward to seeing Senpai make her debut!”
“That makes me so happy. When I debut, I’ll write you two a signed autograph first!”
Overjoyed by the best possible reward, we smiled from the bottom of our hearts and exchanged a high five.
A few days had passed since Golden Week ended, but I still couldn’t shake off the post-holiday haze. By the time I arrived at school that day, I was barely on time.
I had assumed all the other students were already there, but Yuzuhana was nowhere to be seen.
Did she oversleep?
That would be unusual for her, but not entirely impossible.
Yesterday, I had fun playing a racing game at Yuzuhana’s house. I left at 9 p.m., but before I did, she challenged me to a rematch, yelling, “Running away after a win is unfair!” I smugly replied, “You’d better train hard for next time.”
If she stayed up all night practicing out of frustration, oversleeping wouldn’t be surprising.
In the end, even after the chime rang, Yuzuhana didn’t show up. Instead, Mr. Sawashiro informed us, “Koikawa-san is absent today due to a cold.”
Ah… Come to think of it, she paused the game yesterday to take a shower. She probably caught a cold because she resumed playing without drying her hair afterward.
While I don’t openly talk about it at school, having Yuzuhana around and not having her around makes a huge difference. Without her, the day felt incredibly dull, and I couldn’t focus on class because I was worried about her.
I don’t know if Yuzuhana feels the same way, but lately, we’ve been spending a lot of time together. Being alone must feel boring to her too. Maybe I should go visit her.
And so, after school, while my classmates were packing their textbooks into their bags, I decided to send her an email.
[How’s it going? How are you feeling?]
Usually, she replies right away, but even after five minutes, there was no response. Just as I stood up to leave and decided to wait for her reply on my way home, my phone finally vibrated.
[Terrible.]
[Want me to come visit?]
[No. I don’t want to give you my cold.]
[Don’t worry. They say idiots don’t catch colds, right?]
[True. In that case, you can come.]
…She just agreed so easily? Well, if being an idiot means I get to take care of her, so be it.
I shoved my phone back into my pocket and hurried out of school. Stopping by the supermarket, I bought canned peaches, bananas, yogurt, and some sports drinks. Skipping a trip home, I headed straight to Yuzuhana’s apartment.
At the entrance, I entered her room number and pressed the intercom. A nasal voice responded, “You can come in.” Hearing her hoarse voice only made me more worried as I made my way to her room.
"Excuse me... Yuzuhana?"
"...Over here."
A faint voice responded.
Peeking into the living room, I saw Yuzuhana sitting on the sofa.
She was in a tracksuit. Her face was flushed, her hair messy, likely from sleeping until just now.
Seeing her in such a weary state made my chest tighten.
"How are you feeling?"
"Still rough... Are you sure you won’t catch my cold?"
"I’m fine. I’m an idiot, remember?"
"That’s just a superstition."
"Then why did you agree with it in the email?"
"...Because I felt lonely."
"Then it’s good I came. Have you eaten lunch?"
"I haven’t. I’ve been sleeping since morning."
"Sorry if my email woke you up."
"Don’t apologize. I’m happy you came. By the way, what did you bring?"
"Canned peaches, bananas, yogurt, and a sports drink."
"Thanks. I’ll pay you back."
"No need. Mind if I use your kitchen?"
"Go ahead. The can opener is in the first cupboard."
"Got it."
I placed the peaches and bananas on a plate, poured yogurt over them, and carried it to the table.
Noticing that Yuzuhana had moved to the edge of the sofa, I settled into the small space next to her.
"...Will you feed me like you used to?"
"Of course. Open wide."
"Mm. ...It’s good."
"Glad to hear that."
Though she still looked sluggish, her appetite seemed intact, which was a relief.
At a slow pace, Yuzuhana finished everything. I cleared the dishes and returned to the sofa.
"What’s your temperature now?"
"It was... 37.6°C this morning."
"It’s probably gone up a bit. Where’s the thermometer?"
"On my bed... near the pillow."
"Got it."
"And don’t sniff anything. I’ve been sweating."
"I wouldn’t do something you’d hate... but I like your scent, Yuzuhana."
"I... I see. Then that’s fine... but come back quickly, okay?"
I quickly grabbed the thermometer from her room and handed it to her.
Then, Yuzuhana took off her tracksuit top.
Her skin glistened with sweat from her collarbone to the curve of her chest. Without a bra, her chest’s shape was clearly outlined through her innerwear.
Smack! Smack! I slapped my cheeks hard, driving away any impure thoughts.
"W-Why are you hitting your face?"
"I’m praying for your quick recovery, Yuzuhana!"
"You’re supposed to clap your hands when you pray... Your face is all red, you know?"
"Not as red as yours. ...Why clap your hands, though?"
"I prayed for Kohei’s face to get better quickly."
"The way you said that makes it sound like my face is messed up..."
"I like your face, Kohei."
"Oh... well, if you say so, I guess it’s fine. Anyway, hurry up and take your temperature."
She tucked the thermometer under her arm, and we waited for a while.
Beep, beep, beep. The thermometer went off. When she showed me, it read 38.2°C.
"That’s pretty high... If you need to go to the hospital, I’ll call a taxi."
"I don’t wanna. I want to stay home."
"Then get some rest."
"...Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?"
Maybe because the cold was wearing her down, Yuzuhana was acting unusually clingy.
I didn’t mind being relied on, so I gladly agreed and helped her lie down in bed.
"Get plenty of rest today and get better soon. It’s boring without you around."
"Okay. I miss you when I can’t see you too. Thanks for coming today."
"No problem. Once you’re better, let’s go somewhere fun. Anywhere you’d like to go?"
Yuzuhana gazed blankly at the ceiling, thinking about where she wanted to go.
Then, as if she had an idea, she murmured softly.
"A bar."
"A bar? You do know we’re high school students, right? Since when were you interested in bars?"
"Because you took me there..."
"Oh, right... we went that one time."
For my coming-of-age celebration, we tried stepping out of our comfort zone and had our first taste of alcohol at a bar.
The chic atmosphere didn’t really suit us, so we only went that one time.
But getting to celebrate that milestone with Yuzuhana made me genuinely happy.
"When we turn 20, let’s give it another shot."
"Yeah. I’m looking forward to being 20."
"Me too. Anywhere else you want to go?"
"In that case... a park."
"A park?"
The contrast between a bar and a park was kind of hilarious.
Not that I minded—there are plenty of parks to choose from.
Although, I really hope she doesn’t pick the one near my house.
If we went to that park, my family might see us together.
"Alright. Once your cold's better, let’s hit the park."
"Then after that, I want to row a boat, watch a movie, go bowling, do some shopping, and eat cake."
"That’s a pretty random lineup..."
"But it was so much fun. Like, super, super fun..."
With a soft, blissful smile spreading across her face, Yuzuhana looked completely content.
"Was it really that fun?"
"Because you were the one who took me there..."
"...Oh, right."
It all came back to me.
A walk in the park, rowing a boat, watching a movie, going bowling, shopping, and ending the day with cake—
That was our very first date.
I had no clue what to do for a date back then, so I just packed the day with everything I thought Yuzuhana might enjoy. It ended up being an all-day affair.
Since then, I’d learned to keep our dates simpler, but the fact that she wanted to revisit those places meant she’d genuinely enjoyed herself.
Thinking about how much joy she must’ve gotten from that clumsy, overstuffed date made my chest tighten with affection.
"If we’re going to hit all those spots again, it won’t be a day trip."
"Yeah... I just said it for fun. Don’t worry about it."
Even so, her face clouded with disappointment, as if she really wanted to go.
With that look, there was no way I could say no.
"Don’t get ahead of yourself. We can’t do the exact same trip, but I’ll look into finding someplace nearby where we can do all that."
"Really?"
"Really, really. So get some rest tonight and focus on recovering, okay? I’ll stay right here with you."
"...How long will you stay with me?"
She gazed up at me, her eyes soft and full of vulnerability, likely a result of being worn down by her cold.
I smiled gently back at her.
"As long as it takes for you to be satisfied."
"...Thanks."
Relieved, Yuzuhana closed her eyes, her breathing slowing as she drifted off into a peaceful, happy sleep.
Ten days had passed since that visit, and now it was a bright Sunday morning.
While checking my outfit in the bathroom mirror, my younger sister Sana stumbled in, still half-asleep. She blinked at my reflection and then widened her eyes in shock.
"Whoa! Big bro turned into a stylish guy! A fresh and clean high schooler!"
"I’m always fresh and clean."
"You’re usually way more frumpy! Where’d you get that sleek outfit?"
"I bought it the other day."
"Did Koikawa-san pick it out for you?"
"Nope, I got it on my own."
"You? Buying clothes by yourself?"
"How old do you think I am? Of course I can buy my own clothes."
"You usually just shop online because you hate talking to salespeople."
"This time, I went up and asked myself. I even said, 'Can I try this on?'"
"My brother’s growing up without me noticing… Love really does change people, huh?"
"I-It's not like I’m in love or anything!"
"Sure, sure, whatever you say," Sana teased, her smug grin refusing to fade.
"Look, I might’ve dressed up, but it’s not because I want Yuzuhana to think I look cool, alright? She made fun of me last time for wearing a T-shirt with English text on it, so I figured I’d try something else."
"What did it say?"
"She told me to translate it myself, but I couldn’t figure it out with my English skills. Think you can?"
"If you couldn’t do it, there’s no way I can!"
Typical Sana. Just like me, her English skills were practically nonexistent. She was going to have a rough time with her exams again this year.
"Anyway, what time’s your date?"
"I’m heading out now. And it’s not a date. See ya."
"Okay, good luck!"
"Yeah, yeah. You focus on your club activities."
With Sana’s teasing grin following me all the way to the door, I finally left the house.
The weather was perfect—clear skies and just the right temperature for our "date recreation." I stopped by a convenience store on the way to grab some drinks and then made my way to the station.
When I arrived, Yuzuhana was already sitting on a bench. She stood up as soon as she saw me.
She was wearing a blouse with a denim jacket and a mini skirt.
I wasn’t expecting her to show up in a mini skirt, and I couldn’t help but feel my heart skip a beat.
"Y-yo. Have you been waiting long?"
"I just got here. ...Did you always have clothes like that?"
"I bought it at the shopping district the other day."
"Really? You could've invited me. Did you manage to ask, 'Can I try this on?' properly?"
"How old do you think I am...? Of course I said it properly. See, proof—it's a perfect fit, right? Anyway, where did you get that outfit, Yuzuhana?"
"I bought it online. ...Does it look weird?"
"It suits you. I just thought it was rare to see you in a mini skirt for casual wear."
"Well, I wore a mini skirt on our first date too..."
So, she's recreating our first date.
Understanding her intent made sense, but... it also made my heart race.
I hadn’t thought of this as a date, but now I couldn't stop thinking of it as one.
Pulling myself together, we entered the station and bought tickets.
"We're going pretty far, huh?"
"This was the only place nearby that met the conditions. It took some effort to find."
"Thanks for going through all that trouble."
"You're welcome."
The train arrived, and we sat down together on a two-seater.
Talking about anime, games, and the upcoming midterm exams, we eventually reached our destination.
Bathed in the dazzling sunlight, we headed to the park.
It was a park with a large pond, and the walking paths were lined with colorful tulips in bloom.
"This is such a nice spot!"
"Right? In summer, sunflowers bloom here. There's a café over there where you can enjoy light meals while looking at the flowers."
"Are we having lunch there too?"
"That was the plan, but... if you have something in mind, I’m all ears."
"It’s not exactly a plan, but I made us lunch. I made one for our first date too, remember?"
"I remember. The wind was so strong back then, the picnic sheet almost flew away."
"Yeah. We couldn’t eat in peace that time, but today looks like we’ll be able to relax and enjoy it."
"Yeah, you're right. Then let's eat after the boat ride."
"That’s fine, but how about we eat first? We’ll be rowing a boat later, and you’ll need the energy, or you’ll get exhausted."
"So it’s already decided I’ll be rowing, huh? That’s pretty tiring, you know."
"We’re recreating the past, remember? You did it last time too. I’ll cheer you on with a ‘You can do it!’ just like before."
"Guess I’ve got no choice. Alright, I’ll give it my best this time too."
We headed to a bench overlooking the pond, and Yuzuhana took out a lunchbox.
Inside were sandwiches.
"How is it?"
"It’s super delicious."
"Thanks. Make sure you eat it all, okay?"
"Got it."
While gazing at the pond reflecting the blue sky, we ate the sandwiches and recharged our energy before heading to the boat rental.
During our first date, we rode a swan boat, but this time it was a rowboat.
After paying the fee to the old man at the booth, we boarded the boat—
"Whoa, it’s pretty wobbly. Be careful when getting on, okay?"
As I reached out my hand, she grabbed it tightly. But just as she cautiously stepped into the boat, it rocked violently, and she toppled forward onto my chest.
Thunk! Her head hit my chin.
"Nggh!?"
"S-sorry! Are you okay!?"
"I-I’m fine."
"But it’s turning red..."
"This is nothing. Compared to the punches I took during my parents’ arguments, it’s no big deal."
"I’m so sorry..."
"I said it’s fine. Besides, I’m the one who should apologize for back then."
"Back when?"
"For everything. I said some pretty harsh things to you."
"It’s okay now. Let’s just call it even and let the past be water under the bridge."
After apologizing for the past and properly making up, we both felt refreshed and started rowing the boat.
The gentle creaking sound of the oars echoed, but the boat didn’t move as smoothly as I’d hoped.
"You okay? It looks tough."
"I’m fine. Leave the hard work to me. Yuzuhana, just enjoy the scenery."
"I can’t enjoy it unless I’m with you, Kohei."
Hearing something like that, I had no choice but to enjoy the scenery.
I stopped rowing and gazed at the pond from the gently swaying boat. But for some reason, I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of expression Yuzuhana was making. So, I stole a glance at her—
“──!?”
From beneath her mini skirt, her underwear was visible! Soft, cherry blossom pink panties perfect for the spring season!
No! Look away! Don’t stare!
I knew that in my head, but my gaze was drawn in against my will.
Then, fortunately—or unfortunately—her legs closed.
When I slowly raised my eyes, Yuzuhana’s face was flushed red, her cheeks bright with embarrassment.
With a reproachful gaze and a face full of indignation, she whispered:
“Pervert.”
“I-it’s not like that! You’ve got it all wrong!”
“What’s there to misunderstand? You were staring! I told you to enjoy the scenery, not... under my skirt.”
“T-the way you’re saying that makes me sound like a total creep! And it’s not my fault; you’re the one who flashed me!”
“Hah!? I didn’t show you anything on purpose!”
“Maybe not on purpose, but it’s still your fault for wearing a mini skirt and not being careful!”
“It’s because I let my guard down since it’s just the two of us! Don’t tell me... you picked a rowboat because you wanted to see my underwear?”
“Like I’d go through all that trouble for something like that!”
“So, what, you were planning to just ask me straight up to show you?”
“Of course not! And if seeing underwear embarrasses you so much, maybe don’t ask me to help with laundry!”
I was referring to the time I looked after her while she was sick. She woke up in the middle of the night and asked me to bring in the laundry. I’d folded her clothes and put them neatly in her drawer to prevent wrinkles.
“Well... I couldn’t help it. I had a fever. Sorry for causing you trouble.”
“I-it’s not like I thought it was trouble. I was happy you relied on me...”
“...Yeah. You were really dependable back then, Kouhei. Thanks for taking care of me.”
“You’re welcome.”
With the issue of the underwear completely forgotten, we made up and resumed rowing.
The boat wobbled this way and that as I rowed, but we managed to enjoy the ride before eventually returning to the dock.
"I still feel like I’m swaying..."
"Yeah... Did you enjoy the boat ride?"
"Mm-hmm. I want to come again."
"Me too."
Using muscles I don’t usually use had left me completely exhausted.
But seeing Yuzuhana’s happy face made all that fatigue disappear in an instant.
"Next is the movie, right? Let’s hurry!"
"W-Wait, are we doing all that too?"
"N-No way we could do it all at once! Just holding hands is already pushing my limits... I get nervous just imagining hugging you, Kohei."
"Same here… But we’ll get there someday, right?"
"Only if you're okay with it…"
"I'm not against it. Sure, it makes me nervous enough to feel like I might faint, but… we need to build up our relationship experience if we want to break past the boundaries between us as a boy and a girl. Besides, we’ve got time. Let’s take it slow and get used to it."
Though it felt as awkward as when we first started dating, I didn’t feel any discomfort about holding hands with Yuzuhana.
We held each other’s hands tightly and enjoyed the aquarium to our hearts' content.
*
After transferring between train and bus, we got off at a stop surrounded by lush nature. Guided by our senior, we headed toward our destination.
It was a traditional inn renovated from an old Japanese house, quietly standing along the river. It had the kind of atmosphere that a classic novelist might have frequented, perfect for getting in the mood to create manga.
While staying alert and listening carefully for the buzz of any wasps, our senpai motioned us forward with a "This way."
"Welcome, Chizuru-chan."
"It's been a while, hasn't it? You've grown up so much."
When we entered the inn, we were warmly greeted by a gentle elderly couple.
Apparently, this inn was run by our senpai's grandparents. She had chosen it as the venue for our retreat, partly to show her face to them.
"I'm back, Grandpa, Grandma. These are my juniors from school, Kurose-kun and Koikawa-san."
"I'm Kurose. Thank you for having us today."
"I've been looking forward to soaking in the hot springs!"
"Welcome, welcome."
"We can't offer much, but make yourselves at home as if it were your own house."
For them to welcome us so warmly, despite our last-minute participation...
To ensure I wouldn't let these kind people down, I resolved to protect our senior no matter what!
With renewed determination, I followed behind her.
The inn had a cozy wooden interior. It was two stories tall, but the upper floor was the private space of her grandparents, while guests stayed on the first floor.
Perhaps due to it being limited to one group per day, there was only one bedroom prepared.
"This is our room."
The space was spacious and inviting. One part of the room had a sunken kotatsu, and beyond a sliding fusuma door was the sleeping area. Three futons had already been laid out.
"Um... Am I sleeping there too?"
"As much as it embarrasses me to sleep in the same room as you, Kurose-kun, I can't just leave a junior to sleep in the hallway."
"It's fine! I'll keep an eye on Kohei!"
"That makes me sound like some dangerous guy. I’m not going to do anything weird, okay?"
If anything, the one who needs watching isn’t me—it’s our senpai.
I had to stay vigilant in case a wasp appeared at any moment.
"I don't think Kurose-kun would do anything weird. Maybe I should be the one to sleep in the hallway instead?"
"Please, there's no need for that kind of consideration!"
"Senpai, you should stay here!"
"So fresh and innocent," Senpai said with a warm smile.
Well, of course. She saw us holding hands at the aquarium earlier. Even if I tried to deny our relationship now, she'd just think I was embarrassed.
"Now then, I'm going to start working on my manga. What about you two? If you'd like, you could go enjoy the hot springs together."
"I want to go with Senpai! I want to hear about her manga!"
That's not fair! I wanted to talk about manga with Senpai too!
But I swallowed my jealousy and kept quiet.
The hot springs were open-air baths with a clear view of the river. Surrounded by nature, it wouldn’t be surprising if a wasp showed up. I wanted to stay nearby and keep an eye on them, but if I desperately insisted, "I want to bathe with Senpai too!" it would scare her off, and the kind elderly couple might turn into demons.
In the end, I bathed alone, while Yuzuhana and Senpai went in together.
We decided to enjoy the hot springs after dinner. For now, sitting by the sunken kotatsu, Senpai began sketching something in her notebook.
She mentioned bringing manga to work on during summer break, so maybe she’s designing characters?
Thinking that I might be witnessing the creation of designs for The King of the Abyss felt like a dream come true as a fan.
I wanted to watch forever, but staring too much might distract her.
While keeping our ears tuned for the hum of any wasps, we read some manga. Once I finished the ones I brought, I was about to swap with Yuzuhana when a loud growl interrupted us.
Yuzuhana's cheeks flushed a soft pink.
"Keep it down. You'll break Senpai's concentration."
"I can't help it. I'm hungry!"
Grrrrrrr.
This time, my stomach joined in, loudly echoing through the room.
Both Yuzuhana and Senpai burst out laughing.
"S-Sorry! I didn’t mean to disturb you..."
"Don't worry about it. It's about time for dinner anyway. Let’s clear the table," Senpai said with a gentle smile.
As she spoke, the sliding fusuma door opened.
A variety of healthy dishes, packed with fresh vegetables, were brought in.
The main dish was grilled fish. With the nostalgic atmosphere of the old inn surrounding us, the meal tasted even more delicious.
"So, what’s the plan for the hot springs?"
"Can I go in first?"
I wanted to make sure there were no wasps around before Senpai and Yuzuhana went in. If I found one, I’d need to come up with some excuse to get them to skip the hot spring altogether.
Fueled by a sense of duty, I grabbed my yukata and headed to the bath.
...From what I could see, there weren’t any wasps.
All I could hear as I strained my ears were the rustling of leaves and the murmuring of the river—no buzzing at all.
It seemed safe enough for Yuzuhana and Senpai to enjoy the hot springs.
By the time I was satisfied with my inspection, I was nearly on the verge of overheating. Quickly, I got out and returned to the room.
"Did you enjoy it?"
"Yes, I feel refreshed."
"Glad to hear it. Shall we go, Yuzuhana?"
"Yes!"
The two of them headed to the hot spring next. Judging by the time they returned, dressed in their yukata and looking relaxed, they must have spent over an hour talking about manga.
Lucky... I wanted to have a manga discussion with a god-tier creator too.
Once I’m done with this wasp-watching mission, I’ll have to ask what they talked about.
After drying her black hair, Senpai returned to her sketching, and Yuzuhana and I quietly read manga.
As the clock struck midnight, we prepared for bed without incident.
With the windows shut tight and no sign of wasps in the room, it seemed like today wouldn’t be the day I got stung.
We lay down in a row, Senpai, Yuzuhana, and me, forming the "river" character.
Even though Yuzuhana and I were clearly aware of each other, the situation made sleeping feel impossible. But as the strain of the day caught up to her, I soon heard Yuzuhana’s soft breathing.
Knowing she was so close made it hard for me to relax, but eventually, drowsiness started to creep in—
"Mmnn."
Fwoosh.
Yuzuhana irritably tossed her futon aside.
Maybe she was dreaming about fighting wasps, because she kicked the futon next.
Worried she might kick me next, I braced myself—
"So...cold..."
She turned over and clung to my arm.
Something soft pressed against me, squishing gently.
W-What is this sensation?! Is it that? It has to be that, right?!
I was happy, sure, but... this was way too much stimulation for me to handle right now!
My heart pounded uncontrollably until Yuzuhana rolled over again, and the softness pulled away.
Now I could relax. I decided to pull the kicked-off futon back over Yuzuhana to make sure she wouldn’t catch a cold. As I sat up to do so, I froze in place.
“──!”
Her undergarments! A glimpse of her cleavage!
I shouldn’t stare. I knew that much, but my eyes were glued to the sight before me.
We used to be married. Back then, we bathed together every day, and I saw her in her underwear so often that it became routine.
But now we were divorced, just friends, and I was starting to fall for her all over again. I’d gone back to getting nervous about the little things.
And for me now, seeing her underwear was just way too overwhelming.
Would I say I wanted to look? Of course, I wanted to. But if she woke up to find her yukata in disarray, she’d feel so embarrassed.
I’d better fix it while she was still asleep.
Having decided, I reached out to adjust her yukata—when her eyes suddenly snapped open.
She looked at my face, then at my hand, and then at her disheveled yukata.
Her face turned bright red.
“W-Why!? Why are you undressing me!?”
“N-No! I was fixing your yukata!”
“Y-You should’ve just left it alone!”
“If I left it, you might’ve caught a cold! And don’t worry, I didn’t look at your underwear!”
“…Really?”
“…Actually, I might’ve peeked a little.”
When I admitted it honestly, Yuzuhana narrowed her eyes. Her gaze was cold and piercing.
“Pervert.”
“D-Don’t say that! It’s your fault for letting your yukata come undone. And for the record, you’re the one who clung to me first!”
“W-What!? I did no such thing!”
“You did! While you were sleeping, you hugged me!”
“That was just because I have bad sleeping habits! You, on the other hand, touched me on purpose!”
“I already told you why I did it! And besides, what’s the big deal? If we’re aiming to become friends beyond the bounds of gender, this kind of thing should be fine!”
“Even so, it’s still too soon!”
Blushing furiously, she turned away from me, her back facing mine.
Too soon, she said... So someday, it wouldn’t be?
“...I’m going to sleep now. Goodnight.”
“G-Goodnight…”
“...And thanks for making sure I wouldn’t catch a cold.”
“O-Oh. You’re welcome…”
Someday, that day would come──.
Just thinking about that made me tense up, and I found it impossible to fall asleep.
The next day. The nervousness from last night had completely settled, and Yuzuhana and I were in full alert mode.
When Senpai mentioned wanting to take a morning bath, Yuzuhana accompanied her. When she said she wanted to take a walk nearby to work up an appetite, we accompanied her with an insecticide spray in hand.
However, not a single hornet appeared—not even the sound of its wings buzzed in the air. Finally, it was time to leave.
Rubbing our stomachs after a hearty lunch, we expressed our thanks to the elderly couple and made our way to the bus stop.
Just a few minutes remained until the bus arrived. Letting our guard down for even a moment could be fatal. Keeping my eyes wide open and gripping the spray, I stayed vigilant to the very end.
…And yet, the hornet didn’t show itself. Finally, the bus approached.
“Maybe it’s time to put the insecticide spray in your bag,” Senpai suggested.
“B-but what if an insect shows up?”
“If you’re holding the spray, you might scare the driver. Koikawa-san, you should probably put the fly swatter in your bag too.”
“Well, but…”
“It’ll be fine. If an insect shows up, I’ll take care of it. Besides, look—the bus is almost here. You can relax now.”
Not knowing when a hornet might appear, I felt uneasy about putting down my weapon. But as Senpai said, we risked being refused boarding if we didn’t.
Following her suggestion, we both tucked the insecticide spray and fly swatter into our bags.
And that’s when it happened.
A loud Buuuuuun! mixed with the sound of the engine, and before I knew it, a hornet was flying above Senpai’s head.
“Ahhh!”
Despite her earlier claim, Senpai seemed startled by the hornet’s sudden appearance. She instinctively raised her hand to swat it away.
In that instant, the knowledge about hornets that I’d crammed into my brain over the past few days surged to the forefront.
“Don’t move!”
Senpai froze in place.
The hornet circled above her head before flying off into the bushes.
We rushed onto the bus, and Senpai let out a deep sigh.
“That scared me…”
“Same here…”
“But I’m glad it ended without incident.”
“Yeah. If Senpai had attacked it, you might’ve been stung!”
The hornet had been in a cautious state, still in its warning phase.
The insecticide spray and fly swatter were meant for retaliation, only to be used if the hornet actually attacked us.
In other words, it was the last resort.
The hornet had only approached us. If it hadn’t shown any hostility, the safest course of action was to do nothing—at least, that’s what the website I researched had stated.
“I didn’t know that. I thought I was protecting you as your senpai, but I ended up being the one saved.”
She thanked me, and a sense of accomplishment welled up inside me.
With this, we had avoided our first hornet sting.
Since I had shared the hornet countermeasures, we might be able to avoid a second one too.
At the very least, we had successfully escaped the fate of death!
“You’re welcome! Please keep creating fun manga from now on!”
“We’re looking forward to seeing Senpai make her debut!”
“That makes me so happy. When I debut, I’ll write you two a signed autograph first!”
Overjoyed by the best possible reward, we smiled from the bottom of our hearts and exchanged a high five.
*
A few days had passed since Golden Week ended, but I still couldn’t shake off the post-holiday haze. By the time I arrived at school that day, I was barely on time.
I had assumed all the other students were already there, but Yuzuhana was nowhere to be seen.
Did she oversleep?
That would be unusual for her, but not entirely impossible.
Yesterday, I had fun playing a racing game at Yuzuhana’s house. I left at 9 p.m., but before I did, she challenged me to a rematch, yelling, “Running away after a win is unfair!” I smugly replied, “You’d better train hard for next time.”
If she stayed up all night practicing out of frustration, oversleeping wouldn’t be surprising.
In the end, even after the chime rang, Yuzuhana didn’t show up. Instead, Mr. Sawashiro informed us, “Koikawa-san is absent today due to a cold.”
Ah… Come to think of it, she paused the game yesterday to take a shower. She probably caught a cold because she resumed playing without drying her hair afterward.
While I don’t openly talk about it at school, having Yuzuhana around and not having her around makes a huge difference. Without her, the day felt incredibly dull, and I couldn’t focus on class because I was worried about her.
I don’t know if Yuzuhana feels the same way, but lately, we’ve been spending a lot of time together. Being alone must feel boring to her too. Maybe I should go visit her.
And so, after school, while my classmates were packing their textbooks into their bags, I decided to send her an email.
[How’s it going? How are you feeling?]
Usually, she replies right away, but even after five minutes, there was no response. Just as I stood up to leave and decided to wait for her reply on my way home, my phone finally vibrated.
[Terrible.]
[Want me to come visit?]
[No. I don’t want to give you my cold.]
[Don’t worry. They say idiots don’t catch colds, right?]
[True. In that case, you can come.]
…She just agreed so easily? Well, if being an idiot means I get to take care of her, so be it.
I shoved my phone back into my pocket and hurried out of school. Stopping by the supermarket, I bought canned peaches, bananas, yogurt, and some sports drinks. Skipping a trip home, I headed straight to Yuzuhana’s apartment.
At the entrance, I entered her room number and pressed the intercom. A nasal voice responded, “You can come in.” Hearing her hoarse voice only made me more worried as I made my way to her room.
"Excuse me... Yuzuhana?"
"...Over here."
A faint voice responded.
Peeking into the living room, I saw Yuzuhana sitting on the sofa.
She was in a tracksuit. Her face was flushed, her hair messy, likely from sleeping until just now.
Seeing her in such a weary state made my chest tighten.
"How are you feeling?"
"Still rough... Are you sure you won’t catch my cold?"
"I’m fine. I’m an idiot, remember?"
"That’s just a superstition."
"Then why did you agree with it in the email?"
"...Because I felt lonely."
"Then it’s good I came. Have you eaten lunch?"
"I haven’t. I’ve been sleeping since morning."
"Sorry if my email woke you up."
"Don’t apologize. I’m happy you came. By the way, what did you bring?"
"Canned peaches, bananas, yogurt, and a sports drink."
"Thanks. I’ll pay you back."
"No need. Mind if I use your kitchen?"
"Go ahead. The can opener is in the first cupboard."
"Got it."
I placed the peaches and bananas on a plate, poured yogurt over them, and carried it to the table.
Noticing that Yuzuhana had moved to the edge of the sofa, I settled into the small space next to her.
"...Will you feed me like you used to?"
"Of course. Open wide."
"Mm. ...It’s good."
"Glad to hear that."
Though she still looked sluggish, her appetite seemed intact, which was a relief.
At a slow pace, Yuzuhana finished everything. I cleared the dishes and returned to the sofa.
"What’s your temperature now?"
"It was... 37.6°C this morning."
"It’s probably gone up a bit. Where’s the thermometer?"
"On my bed... near the pillow."
"Got it."
"And don’t sniff anything. I’ve been sweating."
"I wouldn’t do something you’d hate... but I like your scent, Yuzuhana."
"I... I see. Then that’s fine... but come back quickly, okay?"
I quickly grabbed the thermometer from her room and handed it to her.
Then, Yuzuhana took off her tracksuit top.
Her skin glistened with sweat from her collarbone to the curve of her chest. Without a bra, her chest’s shape was clearly outlined through her innerwear.
Smack! Smack! I slapped my cheeks hard, driving away any impure thoughts.
"W-Why are you hitting your face?"
"I’m praying for your quick recovery, Yuzuhana!"
"You’re supposed to clap your hands when you pray... Your face is all red, you know?"
"Not as red as yours. ...Why clap your hands, though?"
"I prayed for Kohei’s face to get better quickly."
"The way you said that makes it sound like my face is messed up..."
"I like your face, Kohei."
"Oh... well, if you say so, I guess it’s fine. Anyway, hurry up and take your temperature."
She tucked the thermometer under her arm, and we waited for a while.
Beep, beep, beep. The thermometer went off. When she showed me, it read 38.2°C.
"That’s pretty high... If you need to go to the hospital, I’ll call a taxi."
"I don’t wanna. I want to stay home."
"Then get some rest."
"...Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?"
Maybe because the cold was wearing her down, Yuzuhana was acting unusually clingy.
I didn’t mind being relied on, so I gladly agreed and helped her lie down in bed.
"Get plenty of rest today and get better soon. It’s boring without you around."
"Okay. I miss you when I can’t see you too. Thanks for coming today."
"No problem. Once you’re better, let’s go somewhere fun. Anywhere you’d like to go?"
Yuzuhana gazed blankly at the ceiling, thinking about where she wanted to go.
Then, as if she had an idea, she murmured softly.
"A bar."
"A bar? You do know we’re high school students, right? Since when were you interested in bars?"
"Because you took me there..."
"Oh, right... we went that one time."
For my coming-of-age celebration, we tried stepping out of our comfort zone and had our first taste of alcohol at a bar.
The chic atmosphere didn’t really suit us, so we only went that one time.
But getting to celebrate that milestone with Yuzuhana made me genuinely happy.
"When we turn 20, let’s give it another shot."
"Yeah. I’m looking forward to being 20."
"Me too. Anywhere else you want to go?"
"In that case... a park."
"A park?"
The contrast between a bar and a park was kind of hilarious.
Not that I minded—there are plenty of parks to choose from.
Although, I really hope she doesn’t pick the one near my house.
If we went to that park, my family might see us together.
"Alright. Once your cold's better, let’s hit the park."
"Then after that, I want to row a boat, watch a movie, go bowling, do some shopping, and eat cake."
"That’s a pretty random lineup..."
"But it was so much fun. Like, super, super fun..."
With a soft, blissful smile spreading across her face, Yuzuhana looked completely content.
"Was it really that fun?"
"Because you were the one who took me there..."
"...Oh, right."
It all came back to me.
A walk in the park, rowing a boat, watching a movie, going bowling, shopping, and ending the day with cake—
That was our very first date.
I had no clue what to do for a date back then, so I just packed the day with everything I thought Yuzuhana might enjoy. It ended up being an all-day affair.
Since then, I’d learned to keep our dates simpler, but the fact that she wanted to revisit those places meant she’d genuinely enjoyed herself.
Thinking about how much joy she must’ve gotten from that clumsy, overstuffed date made my chest tighten with affection.
"If we’re going to hit all those spots again, it won’t be a day trip."
"Yeah... I just said it for fun. Don’t worry about it."
Even so, her face clouded with disappointment, as if she really wanted to go.
With that look, there was no way I could say no.
"Don’t get ahead of yourself. We can’t do the exact same trip, but I’ll look into finding someplace nearby where we can do all that."
"Really?"
"Really, really. So get some rest tonight and focus on recovering, okay? I’ll stay right here with you."
"...How long will you stay with me?"
She gazed up at me, her eyes soft and full of vulnerability, likely a result of being worn down by her cold.
I smiled gently back at her.
"As long as it takes for you to be satisfied."
"...Thanks."
Relieved, Yuzuhana closed her eyes, her breathing slowing as she drifted off into a peaceful, happy sleep.
Ten days had passed since that visit, and now it was a bright Sunday morning.
While checking my outfit in the bathroom mirror, my younger sister Sana stumbled in, still half-asleep. She blinked at my reflection and then widened her eyes in shock.
"Whoa! Big bro turned into a stylish guy! A fresh and clean high schooler!"
"I’m always fresh and clean."
"You’re usually way more frumpy! Where’d you get that sleek outfit?"
"I bought it the other day."
"Did Koikawa-san pick it out for you?"
"Nope, I got it on my own."
"You? Buying clothes by yourself?"
"How old do you think I am? Of course I can buy my own clothes."
"You usually just shop online because you hate talking to salespeople."
"This time, I went up and asked myself. I even said, 'Can I try this on?'"
"My brother’s growing up without me noticing… Love really does change people, huh?"
"I-It's not like I’m in love or anything!"
"Sure, sure, whatever you say," Sana teased, her smug grin refusing to fade.
"Look, I might’ve dressed up, but it’s not because I want Yuzuhana to think I look cool, alright? She made fun of me last time for wearing a T-shirt with English text on it, so I figured I’d try something else."
"What did it say?"
"She told me to translate it myself, but I couldn’t figure it out with my English skills. Think you can?"
"If you couldn’t do it, there’s no way I can!"
Typical Sana. Just like me, her English skills were practically nonexistent. She was going to have a rough time with her exams again this year.
"Anyway, what time’s your date?"
"I’m heading out now. And it’s not a date. See ya."
"Okay, good luck!"
"Yeah, yeah. You focus on your club activities."
With Sana’s teasing grin following me all the way to the door, I finally left the house.
The weather was perfect—clear skies and just the right temperature for our "date recreation." I stopped by a convenience store on the way to grab some drinks and then made my way to the station.
When I arrived, Yuzuhana was already sitting on a bench. She stood up as soon as she saw me.
She was wearing a blouse with a denim jacket and a mini skirt.
I wasn’t expecting her to show up in a mini skirt, and I couldn’t help but feel my heart skip a beat.
"Y-yo. Have you been waiting long?"
"I just got here. ...Did you always have clothes like that?"
"I bought it at the shopping district the other day."
"Really? You could've invited me. Did you manage to ask, 'Can I try this on?' properly?"
"How old do you think I am...? Of course I said it properly. See, proof—it's a perfect fit, right? Anyway, where did you get that outfit, Yuzuhana?"
"I bought it online. ...Does it look weird?"
"It suits you. I just thought it was rare to see you in a mini skirt for casual wear."
"Well, I wore a mini skirt on our first date too..."
So, she's recreating our first date.
Understanding her intent made sense, but... it also made my heart race.
I hadn’t thought of this as a date, but now I couldn't stop thinking of it as one.
Pulling myself together, we entered the station and bought tickets.
"We're going pretty far, huh?"
"This was the only place nearby that met the conditions. It took some effort to find."
"Thanks for going through all that trouble."
"You're welcome."
The train arrived, and we sat down together on a two-seater.
Talking about anime, games, and the upcoming midterm exams, we eventually reached our destination.
Bathed in the dazzling sunlight, we headed to the park.
It was a park with a large pond, and the walking paths were lined with colorful tulips in bloom.
"This is such a nice spot!"
"Right? In summer, sunflowers bloom here. There's a café over there where you can enjoy light meals while looking at the flowers."
"Are we having lunch there too?"
"That was the plan, but... if you have something in mind, I’m all ears."
"It’s not exactly a plan, but I made us lunch. I made one for our first date too, remember?"
"I remember. The wind was so strong back then, the picnic sheet almost flew away."
"Yeah. We couldn’t eat in peace that time, but today looks like we’ll be able to relax and enjoy it."
"Yeah, you're right. Then let's eat after the boat ride."
"That’s fine, but how about we eat first? We’ll be rowing a boat later, and you’ll need the energy, or you’ll get exhausted."
"So it’s already decided I’ll be rowing, huh? That’s pretty tiring, you know."
"We’re recreating the past, remember? You did it last time too. I’ll cheer you on with a ‘You can do it!’ just like before."
"Guess I’ve got no choice. Alright, I’ll give it my best this time too."
We headed to a bench overlooking the pond, and Yuzuhana took out a lunchbox.
Inside were sandwiches.
"How is it?"
"It’s super delicious."
"Thanks. Make sure you eat it all, okay?"
"Got it."
While gazing at the pond reflecting the blue sky, we ate the sandwiches and recharged our energy before heading to the boat rental.
During our first date, we rode a swan boat, but this time it was a rowboat.
After paying the fee to the old man at the booth, we boarded the boat—
"Whoa, it’s pretty wobbly. Be careful when getting on, okay?"
As I reached out my hand, she grabbed it tightly. But just as she cautiously stepped into the boat, it rocked violently, and she toppled forward onto my chest.
Thunk! Her head hit my chin.
"Nggh!?"
"S-sorry! Are you okay!?"
"I-I’m fine."
"But it’s turning red..."
"This is nothing. Compared to the punches I took during my parents’ arguments, it’s no big deal."
"I’m so sorry..."
"I said it’s fine. Besides, I’m the one who should apologize for back then."
"Back when?"
"For everything. I said some pretty harsh things to you."
"It’s okay now. Let’s just call it even and let the past be water under the bridge."
After apologizing for the past and properly making up, we both felt refreshed and started rowing the boat.
The gentle creaking sound of the oars echoed, but the boat didn’t move as smoothly as I’d hoped.
"You okay? It looks tough."
"I’m fine. Leave the hard work to me. Yuzuhana, just enjoy the scenery."
"I can’t enjoy it unless I’m with you, Kohei."
Hearing something like that, I had no choice but to enjoy the scenery.
I stopped rowing and gazed at the pond from the gently swaying boat. But for some reason, I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of expression Yuzuhana was making. So, I stole a glance at her—
“──!?”
From beneath her mini skirt, her underwear was visible! Soft, cherry blossom pink panties perfect for the spring season!
No! Look away! Don’t stare!
I knew that in my head, but my gaze was drawn in against my will.
Then, fortunately—or unfortunately—her legs closed.
When I slowly raised my eyes, Yuzuhana’s face was flushed red, her cheeks bright with embarrassment.
With a reproachful gaze and a face full of indignation, she whispered:
“Pervert.”
“I-it’s not like that! You’ve got it all wrong!”
“What’s there to misunderstand? You were staring! I told you to enjoy the scenery, not... under my skirt.”
“T-the way you’re saying that makes me sound like a total creep! And it’s not my fault; you’re the one who flashed me!”
“Hah!? I didn’t show you anything on purpose!”
“Maybe not on purpose, but it’s still your fault for wearing a mini skirt and not being careful!”
“It’s because I let my guard down since it’s just the two of us! Don’t tell me... you picked a rowboat because you wanted to see my underwear?”
“Like I’d go through all that trouble for something like that!”
“So, what, you were planning to just ask me straight up to show you?”
“Of course not! And if seeing underwear embarrasses you so much, maybe don’t ask me to help with laundry!”
I was referring to the time I looked after her while she was sick. She woke up in the middle of the night and asked me to bring in the laundry. I’d folded her clothes and put them neatly in her drawer to prevent wrinkles.
“Well... I couldn’t help it. I had a fever. Sorry for causing you trouble.”
“I-it’s not like I thought it was trouble. I was happy you relied on me...”
“...Yeah. You were really dependable back then, Kouhei. Thanks for taking care of me.”
“You’re welcome.”
With the issue of the underwear completely forgotten, we made up and resumed rowing.
The boat wobbled this way and that as I rowed, but we managed to enjoy the ride before eventually returning to the dock.
"I still feel like I’m swaying..."
"Yeah... Did you enjoy the boat ride?"
"Mm-hmm. I want to come again."
"Me too."
Using muscles I don’t usually use had left me completely exhausted.
But seeing Yuzuhana’s happy face made all that fatigue disappear in an instant.
"Next is the movie, right? Let’s hurry!"
"Are you sure you don’t need a break?"
"I’m fine. When I’m with you, Kohei, any fatigue just disappears!"
"Same here. Alright, let’s head to the theater."
"Yeah! Do you know what we’re watching?"
"I figured we’d decide once we get there."
"Okay. Just promise me, no horror."
"That’s fine... but didn’t you brag about overcoming your fear of horror movies a while back?"
"That’s only because you were with me. If I watch a horror movie now, I’ll be too scared to sleep alone. …Or are you saying you’ll stay with me until morning?"
"T-there’s no way I can do that."
"You did during the training camp."
"That was because Akabane-senpai was there too."
Back then, my feelings for Yuzuhana weren’t nearly as strong. Sure, I was flustered thinking I’d fallen for her, but looking back, it was only the beginning.
Now, though, my feelings are completely different.
I’m not just “starting to like” her—I’ve completely fallen for her.
The “shock therapy” I started was meant to help me manage these feelings, but honestly, it’s obvious in hindsight. Holding hands with a girl I like would only make me fall for her even more.
And yet—
"Hey, how about we hold hands? Like we used to, with our fingers intertwined..."
It seems the “shock therapy” is working too well because Yuzuhana herself is suggesting we hold hands like lovers.
If I continue this therapy, will my feelings eventually stabilize? Could we reach a point where we’re just closer friends without the complications of romance?
I don’t know. But one thing is clear—no matter how much time passes or even if this so-called “comfort phase” arrives, my feelings for Yuzuhana won’t disappear so easily.
"Well? Aren’t we going to?"
She asks in a sweet, coaxing voice.
Knowing that falling for her even more would be dangerous, I decide to counter with a suggestion of my own.
"Before we hold hands, could you do me a favor?"
"A favor?"
"This might sound weird, but... could you make a funny face for me?"
When I said it seriously, she stared at me in complete bewilderment.
"...Huh? A funny face?"
"Yeah. For example, if you roll your eyes and throw up double peace signs, that’d help."
"W-wait! Stop! That’s so stupid—cut it out with the eye-roll-double-peace thing!"
"Don’t call it stupid! I’m giving you a clear example here! Come on, your turn, Yuzuhana!"
"No way! Why on earth would I roll my eyes and do double peace signs on a date!?"
"It’s not a date—it’s a reenactment of one!"
"How is this a reenactment!? You didn’t do eye-roll-double-peace on our first date!"
"Of course I didn’t! What kind of guy does that on a first date? Even just showing you an example earlier was super embarrassing!"
"Then don’t make me do something that embarrassing!"
"I wouldn’t want to either! But it’s your fault for being too cute!"
"Excuse me!? Are you an idiot? Don’t yell out stuff like ‘cute’ so loudly!"
"I can’t help it! You’re cute, and that’s the truth! That’s why I need you to reset things with a funny face! To erase all these fluttering feelings and kill the mood—like, ‘cool off a hundred years of love’ kind of reset!"
"No way!"
"Please! It doesn’t have to be eye-roll-double-peace! Just any super weird face will do! I think it’ll help me calm down! I’m seriously about to lose my mind from all this nervousness!"
"You’ve already lost it! If you hadn’t, you wouldn’t be asking for eye-roll-double-peace during a date!"
"Exactly! That’s how messed up I am right now! So, please, I’m begging you—do a funny face! Help preserve the fragile balance of our friendship...!"
As I pleaded from the bottom of my heart, Yuzuhana let out a reluctant sigh, clearly annoyed.
"...Just this once, okay?"
"Thanks! I owe you big time!"
Blushing slightly, Yuzuhana leaned closer to me so I could get a clear view. My heart was racing in anticipation when—
She puckered her lips like she was going for a kiss.
"Why a kissing face!?"
"I told you, it’s a fish-lips face! You said the same thing the other day, didn’t you? Are you saying I made a weird face when I kissed someone!?"
"First of all, that’s not even a weird face! It’s like a half-hearted attempt at being quirky, like when a news anchor tries to be funny but can’t commit!"
"Your comparisons make no sense!"
"Watch more variety shows! This is how you really do a fish-lips face!"
"You’re not one to talk about kiss faces!"
"Wait, is this the face I make when I kiss!?"
"When you’re drunk and begging for kisses, that’s the face you make!"
"I don’t remember that."
"Of course you don’t! You were completely wasted!"
Yuzuhana shouted with a bright red face and abruptly turned away. Then, she glanced at me and reached out her hand.
"As promised, hold my hand."
"And the next funny face is—"
"You only get one! That’s the deal. Now, give me your hand."
"F-Fine…"
When I touched her soft, pale hand, her slender fingers intertwined with mine. My heart pounded so hard my hand grew hot, and sweat made my palm damp. Yet Yuzuhana didn’t show even a hint of discomfort and looked utterly pleased.
Seeing her "kiss face" and holding hands like lovers only made me fall for her even more.
Holding hands with the girl I love—something that should make me happy—only left me with a heavy heart.
But I had to endure it.
I had to suppress these feelings, to hold them back forever.
I couldn’t erase my love for her, and it hurt knowing this love would never be returned. But this was my punishment—for the foolish choice I made that day, for choosing divorce.
As long as we aren’t lovers, as long as we aren’t husband and wife, we can stay close.
Just being able to stay close to Yuzuhana should be enough to make me happy.
Telling myself that, I continued with this "date" (a reenactment).
By the time we finished reenacting our first date and reached the station, it was already past 10 PM.
Man, the me from back then really packed way too much into our first date…
"I'm exhausted..."
"Yeah, that was rough..."
With the same drained energy as overworked office employees, we exited the station together.
Unlike work, this was just play. Spending time on a "date" (reenactment) with the girl I love was fun—but that didn’t mean it wasn’t tiring.
Being able to spend time with Yuzuhana made me happy.
But the more I savored that happiness, the harder it became to bear later.
The frustration of loving someone so deeply but never being able to confess—it’s a weight I’d have to carry for the rest of my life. Just thinking about it was emotionally draining.
But for now, my love life could wait.
There was something more important I needed to confirm.
"So, we’re done reenacting the first date. Did you enjoy it?"
It had been a 14-hour marathon, from 8 AM to 10 PM. If her response was something like "The original date was just nostalgia; doing it again was just exhausting," I wouldn’t have been surprised.
But Yuzuhana, as if to erase my concerns, smiled at me with complete satisfaction.
"I had so much fun! Really, I did! If I didn’t, I would’ve left halfway through."
That smile only made my feelings for her grow even stronger.
"Hearing that puts me at ease. All right, let’s head home."
"Yeah, let’s go home... wait, where are you going?"
"To the taxi stand."
"No way. Taking a taxi doesn’t feel like a date."
"The date already ended with the cake, though."
"No, a date isn’t over until you see me home. On our first date, you walked me all the way back, didn’t you?"
"...Fine. I’ll see it through to the end."
"And just like back then, you have to hold my hand properly, okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, I know."
Holding hands like lovers, Yuzuhana and I walked down the quiet nighttime streets.
It had been a silent night back then too. Yuzuhana, perhaps tired, had barely spoken, and I had been too preoccupied with thoughts of kissing her to make any conversation.
During the date, I’d kept thinking about kissing her over and over, but I just couldn’t summon the courage.
However, in the end, I succeeded in both a first date and a first kiss. Just as we were about to part in front of her apartment, she gripped my hand tightly and gazed at me with lonely eyes. So, I hugged her and kissed her.
The sensation from that moment still lingers on my lips.
"……"
And now, I’m thinking the exact same thing as I did on that first date.
──I want to kiss Yuzuhana.
But I can’t.
There’s no way I can.
Unlike back then, we’re not a couple anymore.
We swore to maintain a friendship and grew close again.
Even if we’re getting along now, if we started dating, it might sour into a strained relationship again. I might lose the happiness I’ve finally regained.
To avoid repeating the same mistake… to ensure I never have a falling out with Yuzuhana again, I can’t let these feelings be known.
I know that in my head, but my heart refuses to agree.
The more time I spend with her, the stronger my feelings grow.
If I keep holding her hand and staying by her side like this, I might actually confess.
Then there’s only one action I can take.
I stopped in front of the crosswalk.
“We should take a taxi home after all.”
“Even though we’ve come this far?”
“You must be tired from walking all day, Yuzuhana.”
“Going back to the station would be more tiring.”
“Then I’ll call a taxi here.”
“I’m fine, but… well, if you’re tired, Kouhei, I guess that’s okay.”
“No, sorry, but I’ll walk back on my own.”
“Why?”
“Well… I have somewhere to stop by…”
“At this hour? Are you renting some anime? If so, I’ll come with you.”
“It’s not the rental shop.”
“Then where are you going?”
“That’s…”
There’s no way I can say it’s because being near Yuzuhana makes it impossible to suppress my feelings, and I might end up confessing.
If I said something like that, it would be as good as confessing already. It would destroy our friendship.
As I stayed silent, Yuzuhana looked at me with sad eyes.
“Is being with me… not fun for you?”
“Th-that’s not it at all! It’s fun, that’s why I spend every day with you!”
“Then why are you trying to push me away?”
Suddenly feeling like I was being distanced, Yuzuhana looked like she was on the verge of tears.
If I told the truth, I’d trouble Yuzuhana. If I kept up the lie, I’d make her sad.
No matter what I did, I’d end up hurting Yuzuka.
What should I do? How can I make Yuzuka happy?
I hesitated to respond, and an awkward silence started to settle between us. Just as Yuzuhana opened her mouth to speak—
“Anyway, I just want to stay by your si—”
“Shh! Quiet!”
“Huh? I wasn’t even speaking that loudly…”
“Just be quiet!”
I silenced Yuzuhana and strained my ears.
...In the distance, the sound of a police car’s siren could be heard.
The siren was gradually growing louder.
I took Yuzuhana’s hand.
“We need to move somewhere else quickly.”
“Wh-why?”
“Just think about it.”
“Think about what…?”
“You hear the siren, right? What if they’re chasing a runaway car? That car could come down this road, and we might get hit. See what I mean?”
“You’re being overly cautious.”
“Of course I am. If I’d been more alert back then… if I’d noticed the car approaching sooner, I could’ve protected you.”
Yuzuhana’s eyes widened at my words.
Slowly, joy began to spread across her face—
“…I knew it.”
Her cheerful voice reached my ears, and at almost the same moment, I felt her hug me tightly.
“Hey, Yuzuhana!? What are you—”
“You really were trying to protect me!”
“Wh-what are you talking about?”
“That day we got hit by the car! When you jumped into the street, I thought maybe… but now I know for sure! You really were trying to save me!”
“…Wait, I jumped… into the street?”
As I stood there dumbfounded, Yuzuhana looked at me, puzzled.
“You don’t remember…?”
“It’s not that I don’t remember, it’s just… I was so caught up in the moment that I don’t really recall what I did. Did I really jump into the street back then?”
“You did. With such a desperate look on your face, reaching your hand out to me… That’s why, as soon as I time-slipped, I came to find you. I wanted to repay you, Kohei, for getting hit by that car because of me. I thought maybe if we became friends again, it’d make you happy…”
So that’s why she approached me.
Not to get close to Sana, but to become friends with me again…
“But in the end, I couldn’t protect you, could I?”
“Even so, you tried to protect me. You said you hated me, and yet you risked your life…”
Yuzuhana’s eyes were brimming with tears.
I felt bad for ruining such a heartfelt moment, but I couldn’t let her believe a lie. If I didn’t tell her the truth, it would feel like I was deceiving her, and the guilt would crush me.
Even if telling her made her hate me, it would be better than continuing to lie.
“…No, that’s not it. Maybe it looked like I was trying to protect you, Yuzuhana, but I didn’t have any intention of doing that. My body just moved on its own, unconsciously. At that time, I really did hate you. I hated you so much that I regretted marrying you. I wanted to punch myself for submitting the marriage papers that day. …But.”
…But, what?
What am I trying to say?
“…But what?”
Even though I’d said such awful things, Yuzuhana wasn’t glaring at me.
Instead, she stared at me with eyes full of expectation, as if waiting for something.
I couldn’t look away from her gaze.
I shouldn’t say what I’m about to. I know I shouldn’t, but…
“…But now, I want to punch the version of me who submitted the divorce papers.”
I couldn’t stop the words.
“Then… does that mean you like me?”
“…Yeah. I like you, Yuzuhana. It’s not that I’m starting to like you or anything. I’m completely in love with you. We’ve fought, we’ve divorced, and there have been more than a few times I thought you were insufferable. But even so, I love you. I love you with all my heart.”
That’s precisely why I say it.
“For both our sakes, we should make today the last time we’re involved.”
“Why?”
“Because I can’t stay just friends with you anymore. I see you as a woman, Yuzuhana. And if a man like that is always by your side, you won’t be able to live in peace, right?”
I love Yuzuhana.
Even though we’ve divorced, I still instinctively want to protect her—that’s how much I love her.
No matter what happens from now on, this love isn’t going to disappear.
As long as I’m around, Yuzuhana won’t be able to live her life in peace.
If that’s the case, we shouldn’t stay involved anymore.
It hurts not to be by her side, but hurting Yuzuhana would be far worse.
“Then… should we get back together?”
………………………………Huh?
“Reconcile!? W-wait, did you just say reconcile!?”
“I did.”
“Why are we getting back together!?”
“Because I realized we’re in love with each other.”
“In love!? You mean you love me too!? Not just ‘starting to like me,’ but fully!?”
“I’ve completely fallen for you. Honestly, do you think I’d go on a date with a guy I didn’t love?”
“N-no, but today’s thing was just a reenactment of a date!”
“It was a reenactment, sure, but what we were doing was still a date. Honestly, I’m so relieved that you were thinking the same thing as me. I was so miserable wondering if I’d have to stay stuck in this frustrating limbo forever.”
Apparently, Yuzuhana had been hiding her own pain, too.
She’s good at keeping a poker face—just like me. I had no idea.
“But, you know, if we get back together, we might end up fighting again.”
“Whether we reconcile or not, we’ll still fight. But every time we do, we can make up again. Just like when you invited me to the zoo.”
Then, with a smile, Yuzuhana added,
“Besides, we’re on our second life now, aren’t we? We already know what kinds of problems we’ll face and what might cool our relationship. If we just avoid them one by one, it’ll work out. For example, Kohei, you’re going to steer clear of black companies, right?”
“Of course. I want a lifestyle with plenty of free time this time around.”
“Well, that clears one problem already. The reason our marriage turned cold before was because we barely had time to see each other. If we spend our days like this, having fun together, we won’t drift apart.”
With her bright smile and confident tone, it suddenly felt like everything might just work out.
“…You’re right. We’ll face other problems, but we can overcome them, can’t we?”
“Absolutely! After all, we saved Akatsuru-sensei from her fate, didn’t we?”
“If we can change someone’s fate like that, then we can rewrite the fate of our divorce too!”
“We can! We’ll overcome every obstacle and live as a happy couple this time!”
With a determined, spirited look, Yuzuhana gazed at me.
Her cheeks flushed, her face drew close enough that I could feel her breath—
"…Will you take me back?"
The answer was obvious—it could only be yes.
But even putting that into words felt like a waste of time—
So instead, I pulled Yuzuhana into my arms, kissed her, and let that be my answer.
"I’m fine. When I’m with you, Kohei, any fatigue just disappears!"
"Same here. Alright, let’s head to the theater."
"Yeah! Do you know what we’re watching?"
"I figured we’d decide once we get there."
"Okay. Just promise me, no horror."
"That’s fine... but didn’t you brag about overcoming your fear of horror movies a while back?"
"That’s only because you were with me. If I watch a horror movie now, I’ll be too scared to sleep alone. …Or are you saying you’ll stay with me until morning?"
"T-there’s no way I can do that."
"You did during the training camp."
"That was because Akabane-senpai was there too."
Back then, my feelings for Yuzuhana weren’t nearly as strong. Sure, I was flustered thinking I’d fallen for her, but looking back, it was only the beginning.
Now, though, my feelings are completely different.
I’m not just “starting to like” her—I’ve completely fallen for her.
The “shock therapy” I started was meant to help me manage these feelings, but honestly, it’s obvious in hindsight. Holding hands with a girl I like would only make me fall for her even more.
And yet—
"Hey, how about we hold hands? Like we used to, with our fingers intertwined..."
It seems the “shock therapy” is working too well because Yuzuhana herself is suggesting we hold hands like lovers.
If I continue this therapy, will my feelings eventually stabilize? Could we reach a point where we’re just closer friends without the complications of romance?
I don’t know. But one thing is clear—no matter how much time passes or even if this so-called “comfort phase” arrives, my feelings for Yuzuhana won’t disappear so easily.
"Well? Aren’t we going to?"
She asks in a sweet, coaxing voice.
Knowing that falling for her even more would be dangerous, I decide to counter with a suggestion of my own.
"Before we hold hands, could you do me a favor?"
"A favor?"
"This might sound weird, but... could you make a funny face for me?"
When I said it seriously, she stared at me in complete bewilderment.
"...Huh? A funny face?"
"Yeah. For example, if you roll your eyes and throw up double peace signs, that’d help."
"W-wait! Stop! That’s so stupid—cut it out with the eye-roll-double-peace thing!"
"Don’t call it stupid! I’m giving you a clear example here! Come on, your turn, Yuzuhana!"
"No way! Why on earth would I roll my eyes and do double peace signs on a date!?"
"It’s not a date—it’s a reenactment of one!"
"How is this a reenactment!? You didn’t do eye-roll-double-peace on our first date!"
"Of course I didn’t! What kind of guy does that on a first date? Even just showing you an example earlier was super embarrassing!"
"Then don’t make me do something that embarrassing!"
"I wouldn’t want to either! But it’s your fault for being too cute!"
"Excuse me!? Are you an idiot? Don’t yell out stuff like ‘cute’ so loudly!"
"I can’t help it! You’re cute, and that’s the truth! That’s why I need you to reset things with a funny face! To erase all these fluttering feelings and kill the mood—like, ‘cool off a hundred years of love’ kind of reset!"
"No way!"
"Please! It doesn’t have to be eye-roll-double-peace! Just any super weird face will do! I think it’ll help me calm down! I’m seriously about to lose my mind from all this nervousness!"
"You’ve already lost it! If you hadn’t, you wouldn’t be asking for eye-roll-double-peace during a date!"
"Exactly! That’s how messed up I am right now! So, please, I’m begging you—do a funny face! Help preserve the fragile balance of our friendship...!"
As I pleaded from the bottom of my heart, Yuzuhana let out a reluctant sigh, clearly annoyed.
"...Just this once, okay?"
"Thanks! I owe you big time!"
Blushing slightly, Yuzuhana leaned closer to me so I could get a clear view. My heart was racing in anticipation when—
She puckered her lips like she was going for a kiss.
"Why a kissing face!?"
"I told you, it’s a fish-lips face! You said the same thing the other day, didn’t you? Are you saying I made a weird face when I kissed someone!?"
"First of all, that’s not even a weird face! It’s like a half-hearted attempt at being quirky, like when a news anchor tries to be funny but can’t commit!"
"Your comparisons make no sense!"
"Watch more variety shows! This is how you really do a fish-lips face!"
"You’re not one to talk about kiss faces!"
"Wait, is this the face I make when I kiss!?"
"When you’re drunk and begging for kisses, that’s the face you make!"
"I don’t remember that."
"Of course you don’t! You were completely wasted!"
Yuzuhana shouted with a bright red face and abruptly turned away. Then, she glanced at me and reached out her hand.
"As promised, hold my hand."
"And the next funny face is—"
"You only get one! That’s the deal. Now, give me your hand."
"F-Fine…"
When I touched her soft, pale hand, her slender fingers intertwined with mine. My heart pounded so hard my hand grew hot, and sweat made my palm damp. Yet Yuzuhana didn’t show even a hint of discomfort and looked utterly pleased.
Seeing her "kiss face" and holding hands like lovers only made me fall for her even more.
Holding hands with the girl I love—something that should make me happy—only left me with a heavy heart.
But I had to endure it.
I had to suppress these feelings, to hold them back forever.
I couldn’t erase my love for her, and it hurt knowing this love would never be returned. But this was my punishment—for the foolish choice I made that day, for choosing divorce.
As long as we aren’t lovers, as long as we aren’t husband and wife, we can stay close.
Just being able to stay close to Yuzuhana should be enough to make me happy.
Telling myself that, I continued with this "date" (a reenactment).
*
By the time we finished reenacting our first date and reached the station, it was already past 10 PM.
Man, the me from back then really packed way too much into our first date…
"I'm exhausted..."
"Yeah, that was rough..."
With the same drained energy as overworked office employees, we exited the station together.
Unlike work, this was just play. Spending time on a "date" (reenactment) with the girl I love was fun—but that didn’t mean it wasn’t tiring.
Being able to spend time with Yuzuhana made me happy.
But the more I savored that happiness, the harder it became to bear later.
The frustration of loving someone so deeply but never being able to confess—it’s a weight I’d have to carry for the rest of my life. Just thinking about it was emotionally draining.
But for now, my love life could wait.
There was something more important I needed to confirm.
"So, we’re done reenacting the first date. Did you enjoy it?"
It had been a 14-hour marathon, from 8 AM to 10 PM. If her response was something like "The original date was just nostalgia; doing it again was just exhausting," I wouldn’t have been surprised.
But Yuzuhana, as if to erase my concerns, smiled at me with complete satisfaction.
"I had so much fun! Really, I did! If I didn’t, I would’ve left halfway through."
That smile only made my feelings for her grow even stronger.
"Hearing that puts me at ease. All right, let’s head home."
"Yeah, let’s go home... wait, where are you going?"
"To the taxi stand."
"No way. Taking a taxi doesn’t feel like a date."
"The date already ended with the cake, though."
"No, a date isn’t over until you see me home. On our first date, you walked me all the way back, didn’t you?"
"...Fine. I’ll see it through to the end."
"And just like back then, you have to hold my hand properly, okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, I know."
Holding hands like lovers, Yuzuhana and I walked down the quiet nighttime streets.
It had been a silent night back then too. Yuzuhana, perhaps tired, had barely spoken, and I had been too preoccupied with thoughts of kissing her to make any conversation.
During the date, I’d kept thinking about kissing her over and over, but I just couldn’t summon the courage.
However, in the end, I succeeded in both a first date and a first kiss. Just as we were about to part in front of her apartment, she gripped my hand tightly and gazed at me with lonely eyes. So, I hugged her and kissed her.
The sensation from that moment still lingers on my lips.
"……"
And now, I’m thinking the exact same thing as I did on that first date.
──I want to kiss Yuzuhana.
But I can’t.
There’s no way I can.
Unlike back then, we’re not a couple anymore.
We swore to maintain a friendship and grew close again.
Even if we’re getting along now, if we started dating, it might sour into a strained relationship again. I might lose the happiness I’ve finally regained.
To avoid repeating the same mistake… to ensure I never have a falling out with Yuzuhana again, I can’t let these feelings be known.
I know that in my head, but my heart refuses to agree.
The more time I spend with her, the stronger my feelings grow.
If I keep holding her hand and staying by her side like this, I might actually confess.
Then there’s only one action I can take.
I stopped in front of the crosswalk.
“We should take a taxi home after all.”
“Even though we’ve come this far?”
“You must be tired from walking all day, Yuzuhana.”
“Going back to the station would be more tiring.”
“Then I’ll call a taxi here.”
“I’m fine, but… well, if you’re tired, Kouhei, I guess that’s okay.”
“No, sorry, but I’ll walk back on my own.”
“Why?”
“Well… I have somewhere to stop by…”
“At this hour? Are you renting some anime? If so, I’ll come with you.”
“It’s not the rental shop.”
“Then where are you going?”
“That’s…”
There’s no way I can say it’s because being near Yuzuhana makes it impossible to suppress my feelings, and I might end up confessing.
If I said something like that, it would be as good as confessing already. It would destroy our friendship.
As I stayed silent, Yuzuhana looked at me with sad eyes.
“Is being with me… not fun for you?”
“Th-that’s not it at all! It’s fun, that’s why I spend every day with you!”
“Then why are you trying to push me away?”
Suddenly feeling like I was being distanced, Yuzuhana looked like she was on the verge of tears.
If I told the truth, I’d trouble Yuzuhana. If I kept up the lie, I’d make her sad.
No matter what I did, I’d end up hurting Yuzuka.
What should I do? How can I make Yuzuka happy?
I hesitated to respond, and an awkward silence started to settle between us. Just as Yuzuhana opened her mouth to speak—
“Anyway, I just want to stay by your si—”
“Shh! Quiet!”
“Huh? I wasn’t even speaking that loudly…”
“Just be quiet!”
I silenced Yuzuhana and strained my ears.
...In the distance, the sound of a police car’s siren could be heard.
The siren was gradually growing louder.
I took Yuzuhana’s hand.
“We need to move somewhere else quickly.”
“Wh-why?”
“Just think about it.”
“Think about what…?”
“You hear the siren, right? What if they’re chasing a runaway car? That car could come down this road, and we might get hit. See what I mean?”
“You’re being overly cautious.”
“Of course I am. If I’d been more alert back then… if I’d noticed the car approaching sooner, I could’ve protected you.”
Yuzuhana’s eyes widened at my words.
Slowly, joy began to spread across her face—
“…I knew it.”
Her cheerful voice reached my ears, and at almost the same moment, I felt her hug me tightly.
“Hey, Yuzuhana!? What are you—”
“You really were trying to protect me!”
“Wh-what are you talking about?”
“That day we got hit by the car! When you jumped into the street, I thought maybe… but now I know for sure! You really were trying to save me!”
“…Wait, I jumped… into the street?”
As I stood there dumbfounded, Yuzuhana looked at me, puzzled.
“You don’t remember…?”
“It’s not that I don’t remember, it’s just… I was so caught up in the moment that I don’t really recall what I did. Did I really jump into the street back then?”
“You did. With such a desperate look on your face, reaching your hand out to me… That’s why, as soon as I time-slipped, I came to find you. I wanted to repay you, Kohei, for getting hit by that car because of me. I thought maybe if we became friends again, it’d make you happy…”
So that’s why she approached me.
Not to get close to Sana, but to become friends with me again…
“But in the end, I couldn’t protect you, could I?”
“Even so, you tried to protect me. You said you hated me, and yet you risked your life…”
Yuzuhana’s eyes were brimming with tears.
I felt bad for ruining such a heartfelt moment, but I couldn’t let her believe a lie. If I didn’t tell her the truth, it would feel like I was deceiving her, and the guilt would crush me.
Even if telling her made her hate me, it would be better than continuing to lie.
“…No, that’s not it. Maybe it looked like I was trying to protect you, Yuzuhana, but I didn’t have any intention of doing that. My body just moved on its own, unconsciously. At that time, I really did hate you. I hated you so much that I regretted marrying you. I wanted to punch myself for submitting the marriage papers that day. …But.”
…But, what?
What am I trying to say?
“…But what?”
Even though I’d said such awful things, Yuzuhana wasn’t glaring at me.
Instead, she stared at me with eyes full of expectation, as if waiting for something.
I couldn’t look away from her gaze.
I shouldn’t say what I’m about to. I know I shouldn’t, but…
“…But now, I want to punch the version of me who submitted the divorce papers.”
I couldn’t stop the words.
“Then… does that mean you like me?”
“…Yeah. I like you, Yuzuhana. It’s not that I’m starting to like you or anything. I’m completely in love with you. We’ve fought, we’ve divorced, and there have been more than a few times I thought you were insufferable. But even so, I love you. I love you with all my heart.”
That’s precisely why I say it.
“For both our sakes, we should make today the last time we’re involved.”
“Why?”
“Because I can’t stay just friends with you anymore. I see you as a woman, Yuzuhana. And if a man like that is always by your side, you won’t be able to live in peace, right?”
I love Yuzuhana.
Even though we’ve divorced, I still instinctively want to protect her—that’s how much I love her.
No matter what happens from now on, this love isn’t going to disappear.
As long as I’m around, Yuzuhana won’t be able to live her life in peace.
If that’s the case, we shouldn’t stay involved anymore.
It hurts not to be by her side, but hurting Yuzuhana would be far worse.
“Then… should we get back together?”
………………………………Huh?
“Reconcile!? W-wait, did you just say reconcile!?”
“I did.”
“Why are we getting back together!?”
“Because I realized we’re in love with each other.”
“In love!? You mean you love me too!? Not just ‘starting to like me,’ but fully!?”
“I’ve completely fallen for you. Honestly, do you think I’d go on a date with a guy I didn’t love?”
“N-no, but today’s thing was just a reenactment of a date!”
“It was a reenactment, sure, but what we were doing was still a date. Honestly, I’m so relieved that you were thinking the same thing as me. I was so miserable wondering if I’d have to stay stuck in this frustrating limbo forever.”
Apparently, Yuzuhana had been hiding her own pain, too.
She’s good at keeping a poker face—just like me. I had no idea.
“But, you know, if we get back together, we might end up fighting again.”
“Whether we reconcile or not, we’ll still fight. But every time we do, we can make up again. Just like when you invited me to the zoo.”
Then, with a smile, Yuzuhana added,
“Besides, we’re on our second life now, aren’t we? We already know what kinds of problems we’ll face and what might cool our relationship. If we just avoid them one by one, it’ll work out. For example, Kohei, you’re going to steer clear of black companies, right?”
“Of course. I want a lifestyle with plenty of free time this time around.”
“Well, that clears one problem already. The reason our marriage turned cold before was because we barely had time to see each other. If we spend our days like this, having fun together, we won’t drift apart.”
With her bright smile and confident tone, it suddenly felt like everything might just work out.
“…You’re right. We’ll face other problems, but we can overcome them, can’t we?”
“Absolutely! After all, we saved Akatsuru-sensei from her fate, didn’t we?”
“If we can change someone’s fate like that, then we can rewrite the fate of our divorce too!”
“We can! We’ll overcome every obstacle and live as a happy couple this time!”
With a determined, spirited look, Yuzuhana gazed at me.
Her cheeks flushed, her face drew close enough that I could feel her breath—
"…Will you take me back?"
The answer was obvious—it could only be yes.
But even putting that into words felt like a waste of time—
So instead, I pulled Yuzuhana into my arms, kissed her, and let that be my answer.
Act 5 END
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