Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818622176550308690/episodes/16818792438064516858
We arrived at the nearest station and began our journey by train.
Though Renka stood out in her yukata, there were plenty of other couples around us—well, we weren’t really a couple—so we weren’t the only ones who looked out of place.
Anyway… Renka’s stunning yukata naturally drew the attention of the passengers. A guy from a nearby couple had gotten so mesmerized by her that they started arguing on the train. While I felt kinda bad about it, it also made me feel a little better.
We got off at our destination station and headed straight for the aquarium.
After buying two tickets, I approached the entrance where Renka was waiting.
“Akito. Let’s go?”
She tugged my sleeve tightly and looked up at me with a cheerful, upward glance. …Cute.
These were the two main gestures Renka often used with me lately, but I still couldn’t get used to them. Every time her beautiful eyes locked onto mine, I felt tense.
Also, she stood very close. Close enough for our clothes to brush against each other. The sweet scent wafting from Renka’s hair made my head spin.
Dragged along by such Renka, I entered the building.
In the quiet darkness, the first thing that caught my eye was—a huge tank of sardines.
“Wow… amazing, amazing, Akito”
Tug, tug. Renka pulled my sleeve even harder than before.
Unusually, or rather, her voice sounded quite excited.
“Whoa, this is definitely something… I wonder how many of these guys are in here?”
The sight of countless sardines swimming in a swarm was truly spectacular.
Despite my age, I found myself getting a little excited. For a guy, big is right.
“Ah, Akito! Hey, look! Over there, there’s a shark too?”
“Oh, uh… yeah…”
Renka pointed innocently at the tank.
Her eyes sparkled brightly, making her look somehow much younger than usual. It reminded me of when she was in elementary school.
Standing beside her, I gazed at the tank for a while. Not just sardines and sharks—all sorts of different fish were swimming around. It had been a while since I’d been to an aquarium, but it was far more enjoyable than I’d imagined.
Was that because… I was with Renka?
“Hey, Akito.”
She tugged at my sleeve.
I looked down at her. And then—Renka let out a little giggle, her cheeks softening.
“It’s… beautiful, isn’t it?”
You’re prettier than that—I held back from saying something so cliché, like something out of a manga.
If I were Renka’s boyfriend, I might have blurted it out reflexively.
◇◇◇
After that, Renka and I slowly made our way through the aquarium, following the path.
The whole time, Renka was acting like a kid, all excited.
“Wow, Akito! Look, a huge turtle!”
She’d press herself against the sea turtle tank, mesmerized by the slow-moving creature.
“Hey, Akito! Jellyfish! Can I take a picture?”
In front of the beautiful jellyfish tank, she snapped photo after photo.
“Ah… Akito. Let’s move on to the next one…?”
In the deep-sea fish area, where many fish had grotesque appearances, she seemed a little scared and tugged hard on my sleeve.
And… that’s how it went. Renka was clearly having the time of her life.
“That was amazing, Akito! Dolphins are so smart!”
After watching the dolphin show we stopped at last, we headed toward the exit.
Renka told me her impressions with a bright, cheerful smile.
“And they can jump that high too? I was so surprised!”
“Yeah. And that was amazing too. The one swimming upright.”
“Yeah, that was amazing. Hehe, it was so cute.”
Walking beside the cheerful Renka, we exchanged our thoughts on the aquarium.
We eventually reached the exit and stepped back out into the blue sky.
It was late August, when the days were quite long. It was almost 5 PM, but the sky was still quite bright.
“What should we do, Akito? …Should we head to the venue already?”
“Let’s do it. The food stalls should be out by now.”
“Okay, got it.”
And so we started walking toward the fireworks venue, within walking distance.
Today was still a long day ahead. That fact made me unbearably happy.
I was able to quickly forget the loneliness I felt the moment the dolphin show ended.
—I felt happy all over again.
(After all—I definitely, unmistakably, like Renka.)
Every time I saw Renka’s beautiful profile, my chest tightened painfully.
Every time I heard Renka’s delicate voice, my mind went fuzzy.
Every time I saw Renka’s happy smile, I couldn’t help but smile happily too.
In other words, I…
Ayata Akito—there’s no denying it, utterly and completely—is in love with Fujisaki Renka.
And it’s not some trivial childhood friend thing.
As a member of the opposite sex, I’m in love with Renka. Ever since that time.
“Hey, Akito. I’m so excited for the fireworks!”
She flashed a smile, innocent and childlike.
I was mesmerized by that smile. From the bottom of my heart, I cherished her.
But—then why, I wondered.
(Why… does it hurt so much…?)
Walking through the aquarium with the one I loved. Saying how much fun it was together as we headed to the fireworks festival.
It was a happy time. To be able to go on a date with that Renka… to my past self, it would have been nothing short of a dream day.
…That’s right. Back then—before Renka and I drifted apart.
I think I would have been able to genuinely enjoy this date. More than that, I would have been overjoyed.
Then… that me back then, and me now.
What’s different, I wonder.
I’ve gotten used to Renka acting strangely. Sure, I still get flustered by her current affectionate gestures… but honestly, Renka was clingy like this around me until she was about elementary school age. So I’ve learned to accept the Renka of today to a certain extent.
Then. I think the cause must lie with me.
What on earth… has changed?
Why does the simple fact that the person I like is right beside me make my chest ache so much?
“…Akito, are you okay? Your face… looks kind of scary?”
“Huh!? Ah… s-sorry. I’m fine, don’t worry about me.”
“R-really? Maybe… maybe it was boring after all…?”
Renka asked that, looking anxious.
Of course, it couldn’t have been boring. In fact, my mental folder is completely filled with the smile she showed me at the aquarium earlier. I enjoyed this date so much that I found every single conversation we shared precious.
But that’s beside the point.
The true nature of this discomfort, born deep within my chest and painfully familiar… I still couldn’t quite grasp it.
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