Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818093094088809262/episodes/16818622170344788554
“P-a-r-k ! ! !”
Aira shouts with her arms outstretched, her red hair swaying in the wind.
The way she bounces at the entrance of the amusement park is exactly like a child.
To others, Aira and I might look like a married couple and Yua chan is our child.
But from my perspective, knowing what’s going on inside, Yua chan and I are the guardians, and Aira is the noisy child.
After an hour’s drive, we arrived at a recently built amusement park.
Even though it is a weekday afternoon, the buzzing of people echoes far and wide, and families and couples are lined up here and there at the ticket booth.
The sweet smell of popcorn on the breeze tickles my nose.
Now…where to start?
“Yua chan, is there anything you want to ride?”
“How about that one ! That one ! Dangerous Go Karts !”
Before I could ask Yua chan, Aira excitedly interrupted.
Ahead of her, she points to a fancy signboard and a track full of curves.
What the heck is Dangerous Go Karts?
It’s not the first attraction I’d choose, usually.
“…What about you?”
“…I wanna do it.”
Yua chan nodded her head.
She seems to be surprisingly enthusiastic about it.
The attraction was not popular, and there was no waiting time.
The staff member handed us helmets with a sleepy look on his face.
The three of us put on our protective gear and sit side by side in the narrow seats of the go kart.
Aira is next to me, grinning and gripping the steering wheel, while Yua chan is expressionless and fastening her seatbelt.
The reason they call it “Dangerous” is because the course is uneven and has many curves, and if you’re not careful even for a minute, it will overturn. The staff explained over the microphone in a lazy tone.
“Well then, let’s get started. We’ll start on the count of three. Let’s go. Three, two…”
“Whoa-ohh !”
Before the count is over, Aira hits the gas pedal at full throttle and takes off with a rumbling engine sound.
“Eh !? Hey wait !?”
With the staff waving panickedly, Yua chan and I also start off in a hurry.
Aira is shifting gears as we plow through the bumpy road at breakneck speed.
The tires bounced, dust flew, and the wind whistled through my helmet.
I press down on the accelerator pedal and try to catch up with her.
Yua chan, on the other hand, is far behind me, driving safely with a blank expression on her face.
She gripped the steering wheel carefully and drove like she was in a driving school.
That’s not quite right, is it?
[Illustration.]
https://kakuyomu.jp/users/tanakamatao01/news/16818622170351425003
“Yay ! No one can stop me !”
Aira shouts as she drifts through a curve.
“Hey, hey, hey, Aira ! Don’t you dare look down on me !” I replied, and she grinned in return.
We managed to stay side by side, dodging the lapped Yua chan as we entered the second lap.
She was running at her own pace, glancing left and right.
“There you go, Paisen ! Amazing driving technique ! I bet you must be good at night too !”
“I’ve told you already ! I’m a virgin !”
The result was my victory.
I crossed the finish line, took off my helmet, and said, “Oops ! I win !” I shouted.
“One more ! I’ll win next time !”
Aira clenches her fist in frustration.
Ahead of her, Yua chan slowly crosses the finish line.
It’s strangely funny to see her quietly getting out of the car while driving safely.
Oh no…I got too excited and reverted to my childhood.
“S-sorry, Yua chan…”
“No. I had a lot of fun. And it made me happy to see the two of you enjoying yourselves.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle at her parental-like comments.
“O-okay ! This time, let’s ride something you want to ride ! Which one do you want?”
I pick a pamphlet from my pocket, unfold it and show it to her.
Yua chan looked at the pages with her tiny fingers and eventually pointed to one attraction.
It was a big Ferris wheel.
“….Okay, let’s ride this one.”
The Ferris wheel seemed to be very popular, and the line stretched like a snake.
After waiting in line for about 15 minutes, Aira suddenly began to get nervous when she was almost ready to get on.
“….Senpai. My bad……I have to pee. The toilet is a bit far away, so I probably won’t make it in time, so please get on without me.”
“O-oh. Then sit on the bench and wait for me.”
“Okay ! Then.”
Aira runs away.
I watched her red hair disappear into the crowd, and Yua chan and I took our turn to board the Ferris wheel.
The doors closed and we sat down facing each other.
The Ferris wheel slowly rises with the low hum of its motor.
Outside the window, the hustle and bustle of the amusement park fades away, and the balloons and colorful food stalls become smaller.
I wonder how long it has been since I rode a Ferris wheel.
My father had taken me a few times when I was a child.
But my memories of the ride were far from enjoyable.
For my father, amusement parks were nothing more than a tool to keep up appearances in society.
Making family memories was just a superficial pose.
Now, the view from the window is completely different from those days.
When I see families happily holding hands, I feel neither envy nor jealousy.
Is it because I’ve grown up?
No, it must be because I have a new family.
When I glanced at Yua chan, she was staring at me, not outside.
Her eyes were shaking quietly.
“….What’s wrong? You don’t like heights?”
“….No. I…am…very happy right now. It’s all….thanks to Yuito san.”
The moment she called me by name, my heart warmed.
“…I’m also happy. It’s all thanks to you, Yua chan. Thank you.”
“…..I’m the one…who should thank you…..for making me feel that it’s okay to live and that you want me to live.”
Those words made my tear gland slowly loosen.
I was honestly glad that she had received, even if not directly, the words I had wanted someone to say to me back then.
We both started crying together and naturally hugged each other in the Ferris wheel.
It was different from the tears she shed the first time we ate sushi. At that time they were a reaction to regret and sadness, but now they are just tears of happiness and pure joy.
Let’s make lots of happy memories together from now on.
I thought sincerely.
By the time the Ferris wheel reached the bottom, the tears had dried up and we both regained our composure.
The air is a little embarrassing, but it’s not an uncomfortable silence. It’s a peaceful afterglow.
We get off and head to the bench where Aira is waiting, but she’s not there.
That guy…where did she go?
I look around and see Aira tangled up with a couple a short distance away.
She’s shaking her red hair and saying something with her body language.
I was speechless when I saw the couple.
The person there was…Akino-san.
[Illustration.]
https://kakuyomu.jp/users/tanakamatao01/news/16818622170354093279
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