Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/822139843121925685/episodes/822139844297465856
“Haa… Really… What should I do…”
I sighed deeply, recalling yesterday’s events.
‘—I’ve fallen for Yuu…’
Following Karen, even Yukina had said something like that.
Because of this, I—had to choose one of them.
No… I could try for both of them, but—
“Come on, that would be downright dishonest… This isn’t some dating sim…”
…Wait, this world is a dating sim.
“But… as a human being, I feel like that’s just wrong…”
No good, agonizing over it won’t get me anywhere…
For now… I’ll just date whichever one I fall first.
That’s the most honest approach.
—Knock knock knock
At that moment, there was a knock on the hospital room door.
“Um… Yu-san? It’s me, Tsukino… Is now okay?”
“Oh, Tsukino! Come on in!”
Thank goodness…
Tsukino…!
If it had been either Karen or Yukina, things would have gotten complicated.
But with Tsukino, I can relax.
“Um… Yu-san, you seem unusually happy…?”
Tsukino, who had entered the room, tilted her head curiously.
“Well, yeah…! I guess I just felt like seeing Tsukino today… you know?”
“Huh…! R-Really…? Yuu-san… wanted to see me…!”
Tsukino’s expression blossomed with joy.
That’s it. That’s exactly it.
A normal girl, giving me a cute reaction, so earnest—
“…Then… if Yuu-san wants to see me, I’ll stay by your side forever, okay?”
…Huh?
I cautiously shifted my gaze to Tsukino… and she was hugging my arm, her eyes dimly lit.
…Hm? That’s… weird…
“Tsukino…? What’s wrong?”
“…? What’s wrong or not… Since Yuu-san said he wanted to see me, I just thought I’d stay by your side forever?”
Tsukino tilted her head curiously.
“Eh, um… Tsukino, you don’t have to take my words that seriously, okay? I said I wanted to see you, but it wasn’t like forever or anything…”
At that, Tsukino’s expression darkened visibly.
“…I see. Someone like me… staying together forever would just be a burden, right…”
“Huh?! N-no… n-no, no! That’s not what I meant… Everything has its limits, right? Even the most delicious food gets boring if you eat it every day, right? That’s what I meant…!”
“… I see. So, Yuu-san thinks of me as just another luxury item, then…”
Tsukino’s expression didn’t return to normal; if anything, it grew worse.
“T-Tsukino! We promised no gloomy faces, right? Come on, smile, smile!”
“…Y-yes…”
Tsukino forced a strained smile.
Yeah… It felt pretty awkward, but it was better than her gloomy face.
I decided to quickly change the subject while I had the chance.
“B-by the way, Tsukino, did you come to visit me today?”
“That’s part of it… But today, I was actually thinking more about helping you with your studies.”
“Studies?”
“Yes…! Since Yuu-san was hospitalized after the accident, you must have fallen behind in your studies, right? If you plan to return to high school, I thought it’d be best to fill those gaps…”
“I see…”
I thought I’d be fine since I studied in my past life… but I died in the fall of my second year of high school, didn’t I?
Which means… the winter of my second year—now—the gaps I have are subjects I didn’t study in my past life either.
“Then… would it be okay to ask you? Tsukino?”
“Yes…! Of course! Studying is the one thing I’m good at, so I’ll teach you anything you need.”
Tsukino smiled softly.
She was incredibly dependable.
“So… which subject should we start with? Is there anything you’re particularly weak in, Yu-san?”
“Ah… well, actually, I’m not very good at math…”
“Come to think of it, Yuu-san was in the humanities, right? I’m humanities too, but I’m pretty good at math, so leave it to me…!”
Saying that, Tsukino took out her study materials and textbooks, spreading them out on the desk attached to the bed.
Then, Tsukino sat down right next to me and began teaching me.
“…”
Even if it was for teaching, the distance was far too close.
The scent of her floral perfume filled my nostrils, and for a while now, her chest had been lightly touching mine.
Because of that, I couldn’t help but be conscious of Tsukino.
“So, integration is the exact opposite operation of differentiation…”
Maybe that’s why I couldn’t quite focus on Tsukino’s explanation.
Um… integration? What was that about?
“…Yu-san? Are you listening? You’ve been zoning out the whole time, haven’t you?”
“…Huh?! Ah~… Integration is like the evolved form of differentiation, right? I, I was listening, I was listening!”
“No, it’s the opposite operation of differentiation that’s integration…! Seriously…! You weren’t listening, were you?”
Tsukino puffed out her cheeks.
“Please listen properly…! …Or is there some reason you can’t concentrate on the conversation?”
“Huh?! N-no, no way! I was just… spacing out… sort of…”
“Huh? You were spacing out…?”
Tsukino thought for a moment… then suddenly remembered something.
“Could it be because you were out late somewhere with Yukina-chan yesterday? Come to think of it, you got back really late, didn’t you~…”
Tsukino stared at me with narrowed eyes…
“…That’s unfair.”
…she murmured.
“Huh…?”
“It’s unfair… Only Yukina gets to have special experiences with Yuu-san… I’ve decided to devote my whole life to Yuu-san…”
“Tsukino?”
Tsukino kept muttering to herself.
…Is she… okay?
Just as I started worrying…
“—I’ve decided…! Today’s study session is canceled.”
Tsukino said that and closed her textbook.
“Huh…? What’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong? What’s right? Even if I teach you, Yuu-san can’t concentrate because you’re thinking about Yukina-chan, right?! Even though I’m sitting right next to you…”
Tsukino bit her lower lip in frustration—
“…So, today, whether you like it or not, I’m going to make you think about me.”
Saying that… she sat down in seiza next to me—then suddenly pulled my head toward hers.
“Huh… Tsukino?!”
I couldn’t resist as she pulled my head closer—
“Huh…?”
Something soft covered my head.
It was as soft as marshmallow, and I could feel human warmth…
“~?!?!”
I… immediately realized what it was.
W-wait, wait, wait!
This is bad, I’m not a baby…!
I tried desperately to break free—but… between bedridden, muscle-wasted me and Tsukino… she was stronger.
“No way. As punishment for not concentrating on your studies, Yu-san, you’ll stay like this for a while.”
“Nnnnngh!!!”
“It’s fine, isn’t it? You and Yukina-chan did much more intense things anyway, right? Compared to that… this is nothing, right?”
“…?!?”
She… she’s misunderstanding, she’s misunderstanding…!
Yukina and I never… never got to that kind of stage…!
…Though we almost did.
“But…! I’m definitely not smaller than her either…! In fact… I should be bigger.”
“…Hm…”
Oh no, I’m losing consciousness from lack of oxygen.
I’m gradually getting sleepy… my eyelids are closing…
“…Huh? Yu-san? …Yu-san?!”
Only then did Tsukino finally seem to notice something was wrong with me and let go.
“Haa… haa… I… I thought I was gonna die…”
“I-I’m sorry…! I just… got carried away…”
Tsukino apologized repeatedly, flustered.
“W-Well… it’s fine. You didn’t mean any harm, right?”
“Y-yes…”
“But can I just say one thing?”
I looked straight into Tsukino’s eyes—
“—I absolutely did NOT end up in that kind of situation with Yukina!”
“Eh…?”
Tsukino
“B-but… you two came back after midnight, right? I just assumed… that kind of thing had happened…”
“Ah… Yeah, you’re right, coming back after midnight… That was my fault.”
I could understand why Tsukino misunderstood.
“The reason I got back late… was because Yukina invited me to the aquarium at night.”
“The aquarium at night…? …Well, that’s quite a romantic place to go.”
“Well, yeah. But… things definitely didn’t go that way for us.”
I looked straight into Tsukino’s eyes and said it firmly.
“…Is that so?”
Tsukino looked back into my eyes… then replied softly.
“…It doesn’t seem like a lie… I see… That’s good…”
Tsukino visibly relaxed, her chest heaving in relief.
“I thought… you’d gone ahead without me.”
“Oh… Huh?”
Gone ahead?
Hearing this baffling phrase, I shifted my gaze to Tsukino… She was staring intently at me with moist eyes.
“…But maybe, just maybe—”
I felt a sense of déjà vu.
No way, but—
“Tsukino… do you… like me too?”
Then Tsukino let out a soft chuckle, “Fufu.”
“—Of course I do. I—I like you, Yu-san.”
She said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
–
–
If you enjoy our content, feel free to donate, Thank you in advance !