Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818023212795389552/episodes/16818093075660191833
Kusunoki is leaning on my chest. It smells really good. And it’s soft.
Normally, I would be happy to let go of my consciousness, but I can’t do that now. I shouldn’t do that.
She was crying just now.
“…You know. I didn’t know who to believe.”
Kusunoki whispers through tears.
If you think about her feelings, you should never feel that way. Or rather, I can’t hold it.
“The leak of the e-mail address. Is it a business partner, a friend, or…a member? Manager san, or even the producer…..I thought the culprit is among them. I was scared”
I heard those words quietly. My clothes were grabbed tightly.
“Especially Kasumi and Tsumiki. I’ve been working hard with them for a long time, and it’s fun to be with them…”
The tears that fall down wet the clothes. Kusunoki was concerned about this and tried to move away a little, but then I approached her. I don’t want her to worry about me for now.
At that point, Kusunoki stopped leaving and calmly entrusted her weight to me again.
“…..I thought I was the only one who was having fun. Suddenly I was afraid that the people in front of me were differenet Kasumi and Tsumiki.”
…It must have been so painful that I can’t even imagine it.
“I tried to believe in Manager san somehow…..but even then, I couldn’t sleep at night and had dreams of being betrayed by the two of them…..I was so scared.”
The grip on my clothes became tighter. Is there anything I can do? I hesitated a little and put my hands together tightly.
Her soft hand moves from my clothes to my palm.
“I’m glad the two of them weren’t involved…..but.”
The overflowing tears turn into large drops.
“I was relieved. I was so relieved…that’s all. I-I was suspicious of the two of them…..that’s why.”
“Kusunoki.”
Sheheld my hand tightly. Kusunoki raises her head and looks at me with tears streaming down her face.
“Kusunoki is kind.”
“…I’m not kind at all…..”
“You are kind. Even though it hurts that much, you still care about the people you love.”
However, it is very bad that you’re going in the direction of blaming yourself. No one wants that.
“Let’s be kind to ourselves, okay? It’s okay. They both won’t mind.”
“……”
Difficult, huh? I don’t think it’s a good idea to drag this out too much. But I also don’t want her to overdo it.
After a bit of hesitation, I open my mouth and force my voice out. I decided to stop if it seemed even a little painful.
“If I’m next to you, will you be okay?”
Kusunoki’s eyes widened. Then…..she shuts down for a little while.
She presses her face against my chest and the clock ticks in the room.
“Do you wanna call both of them? I’ll be right beside you.”
……This is a gamble. Perhaps Kusunoki would be under a tremendous mental burden.
But I believed in her.
“—Yeah. I’ll call.”
I knew that Kusunoki would want to meet with them, and it would definitely not end badly.
◆◆◆
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to call you out of the blue.”
“That’s totally fine, but…..let’s see. What’s the situation?”
“A-are we interrupting something?”
“Well, there’s a little something going on. I’m worried if I don’t have Yukito kun next to me.”
Now I was next to Kusunoki,…….but.
Holding hands. Yeah. We’re holding hands.
I know. It’s a serious thing. In fact, I know Kusunoki is anxious, and I would give two or three of my hands for that.
But you know what? It’s so soft. Eh? Are you sure that Kusunoki and I are the same creature? Is it really so soft just because we’re different genders?
I wanted to say out loud, but I had to be patient. I have to be really patient.
“Well, you two should go inside for now.”
“Yeah, I’m sorry to bother you.”
“Excuse us ! This is my first time in Nanami chan’s room !”
The two of them went inside. I remember Kusunoki said that she doesn’t often invite other members to her room.
“Let’s go to the living room. …There’s something I wanna talk about.”
“Okay.”
We went to the living room, me, Kusunoki, Kasumi chan and Tsumiki chan sat down over the table.
“So, what happened?”
“I wanted to apologize to you both.”
“Apologize?”
“…..Yeah. I wanna apologize.”
Kusunoki adjusted her breathing. She looked nervous and held my hand tightly.
“It’s just…..the two of you know about my situation.”
“Yeah, that’s what I heard.”
“But the truth is a little different. Actually—“
Apparently, Kusunoki was not telling the whole story.
Kusunoki was told that her e-mail address had been identified. And that it had been exposed on an anonymous Internet message board. After that, she talked about how she had become sensitive to the mindless comments.
They listened quietly.
When Kusunoki finished, Kasumi chan nodded her head in understanding.
“So that’s it….I see.”
“Hmm? What do you mean?”
“No…I guess that’s what Manager san meant when she said that Nanami chan’s email address has changed.”
“Y-yeah. But I don’t really exchange emails with the two of you that much.”
I see. So the two of them didn’t notice that much.
“But, what about the leaked e-mail address……”
“Yeah. I guess, well, there are only a limited number of people who know my e-mail address……”
Her voice began to tremble, and Kusunoki bit her lip. Her eyes looked at me…..she brought her hand closer to me and placed it on my lap.
Then, she huffed once and looked up.
“I got a call from Manager san just now. She said it wasn’t Kasumi and Tsumiki. I was relieved to hear that.”
She’s looking straight at the two of them. Her eyes are no longer wavering.
“I was relieved and realized…I had been suspicious of both of you….that’s why, I really wanted to apologize, so I called you over.”
“I’d like to add a little bit. I was the one who said to call the two of you. I think it’s better to do something like this sooner rather than later. Sorry for calling so suddenly.”
“No, thanks for having us over. It was a good call.”
“I was originally off today after the morning stuff ! I’m still free right now !”
I’m very grateful when they say so.
Hearing their words, Kusunoki relaxed her hand. Following her words, I also relaxed my hand and let go of it.
“Thank you, both of you. ….Alsom I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry.”
Kusunoki bowed deeply.
“I couldn’t trust the two people I should trust the most. I’m sorry.”
“Nanami.”
“Nanami chan.”
The two stood up and approached Kusunoki. I’ll just leave for a little while.
“Look up, Nanami.”
“……But I.”
“Then !”
Tsumiki chan looks into Kusunoki from below. With a smile that makes you feel good when you look at it.
“Na-na-mi-chan !”
“Hyah !”
And then, Tsumiki chan jumped on Kusunoki from there. As if to make her look up.
She was about to fall backwards with the momentum, and Kasumi chan hugged her from behind to support her.
“Geez, Tsumiki. It’s dangerous.”
“It’s okay because Kasumi chan is here!”
“Y-you both…..?”
Kusunoki is in a sandwich. What a precious sandwich. The very serious atmosphere turned into something more pressing.
“I’d like to say that Nanami has nothing to apologize for….but I think you’d probably mind if I said that. So I just wanna say one thing.”
Kasumi chan hugs Kusunoki tightly from behind.
“Let’s get along even better from now on…I won’t let Nanami look at me like that again. Absolutely.”
“That means we can become even better friends ! Let’s go to various places !”
…….
“……Thank you, both of you. Yukito kun too—um, why are you crying?”
“I’m a wall. You can think of me as a wall.”
I’m crying like this. I’m crying. I have no choice but to cry.
Now I have no choice but to keep on supporting the three of them for the rest of my life. I was originally supporting them, but now my feelings are even stronger.
“……POP, I’ll think of something new.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“Me too !”
“…..Fufu. I’m looking forward to it too.”
Kusunoki smiles with a smile, even though her eyes are moist.
The smile was so beautiful. I fell in love with her thirty times in these few moments. I love her.
“Yukito kun, you wanna join in too?”
“I’ve decided that I’m gonna be a wall for now, no matter what anyone says.”
There were some exchanges….I’m glad that the three of them could become better friends. I’m glad she mustered up the courage to call them.
But who leaked Kusunoki’s e-mail address?
I wonder if it is safe to leave this matter to Kifune san.
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