Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16817330668330007208/episodes/16818023212911710361
“Kurusu, how are you feeling?”
Arata called out to me as I was lying down on the sofa to rest.
“I’m …… all right now. What about unpacking ……?”
“all done. I’ve put all the little things on the shelves as far as I can tell.”
“Thanks …….”
Arata nodded and sat down on the sofa.
Then he gently patted my head and smiled.
“When I was opening the cardboard, you know, I found the graduation album from junior high school.”
“..Yeah”
“You know, this one from the entrance ceremony. The lifestyle guidance teacher got mad for dyeing you hair.”
“Arata explained that it’s not the same.”
“Yes, yes. I remember that Soichiro san got mad and got into a lot of trouble when you was yelled to dye it black.”
It was also Arata who intervened and told him not to make a big deal out of it, wasn’t it? …… “
“Well, there’s no way that person would fire one of the teachers, and that would affect Kurusu’s reputation as soon as he enrolled.”
“At that time …… I was so happy.”
Turning the pages fluently.
I hear nostalgic breathing from above.
“Oh, a picture of a forest school. We made a stone oven in the forest and baked pizza, wasn’t it delicious?”
“I’m sure you caught the boy who tried to attack me at night, ……and you took care of him, right?”
“W-What? Who told you that?”
“All the girls knew. They all praised Orimura-kun for being so amazing.”
“Everyone? How did they know?……”
“I was so happy …… at that time, too.”
The warm memories of him come back to me with the sound of the album being rolled up.
The warmth of the album is now gouged out of my heart and tears are coming to my eyes.
“……,Uuuuu ………uuuu”
“W-What’s wrong!? Does it hurt somewhere ……?”
“…I feel like I’m always causing trouble for Arata. Even today…!”
“Trouble?”
On the first day of living together, I collapsed with a nosebleed and left all the preparations for my room to Arata ……! I’m the worst, aren’t I? I’ve always been like this!
“I’m Kurusu’s escort, so I don’t think anything of it.”
“Escort, but we’re already lovers,……! We’re equals,……, and yet,……!”
It wasn’t supposed to be like this.
It was supposed to be a fun and memorable day.
But in the end, it ended up like this.
Instead of memories, all I did was cause trouble.
The tears that flowed endlessly were wiped away by Arata’s fingers.
He hands me a tissue and asks me to blow my nose.
“I know this may sound strange, but …… I’m kind of glad.”
As I sit up, for some reason, Arata’s mouth relaxes.
I tilted my head, not understanding the meaning of that smile.
“The more you cried, the more I realized how much I was looking forward to living with you…I’m so happy. I’m glad I’m not the only one having fun.”
He smiled like a boy and hugged me.
I feel a strong sense of strength.
It hurts a little ……, but it’s very reassuring.
“If you think you’ve caused me trouble, you can pay me back for it in the future. I want to be with you for years and decades to come. There’s always a time to pay back.”
“Yeah. ……”
“I don’t think anything of it myself, so as long as Kurusu is smiling, I’m happy.”
“…… Arata.”
“Hmm?”
Thanks.. Thanks …… for everything you’ve done for me today and in the past.”
“What’s with all the wishy-washy talk? Stop being so cute, it’s like a death flag.”
With a playful tone of voice, he gently pulled away from me.
We looked at each other and giggled.
I took his hand and stood up.
“Then, let’s go to the convenience store. We need to rent some DVDs.”
“Let’s rent the DVD first. It’s too heavy to walk around with drinks.”
I put on my hoodie and headed out into the night.
I am holding hands with Arata as we walked along the street lit by outside lights.
◆
“Here you go. It’s for Arata.”
“Thanks.”
I rented a DVD and went shopping at a convenience store.
I bought an ice cream as well as a Cola. I ate it with Kurusu and headed home.
“After all, Garigari-kun is soda. After all, this taste is the strongest.”
“Didn’t you say last year that the cola flavor was the strongest?”
“Are you trying to say I’m an inconsistent person? You’re going to get a pay cut.”
“Are you going to take a pay cut for such a lighthearted move!?”
“I told you before, we’re a very black company that doesn’t even allow you to quit.”
“If you keep taking pay cuts like that, I’m going to have to pay you eventually,……?”
“I’m glad you want to pay me to work and that you’re a motivated Escort.”
“You were so whiny earlier about us being lovers and not equals, but you’ve perked up considerably.”
“Is that sarcasm? You’re taking a pay cut.”
“Stop acting like the god of poverty in Peach Tennis.”
We talked nonsense and laughed at each other.
Suddenly, we passed by a park.
An empty park at night.
The park was empty at night, and Kurusu looked at the slightly eerie place and said, “Ah,”
“This is where I used to play with Arata. Wow, nothing has changed.”
With that, she walked into the park and threw the ice cream stick in the trash.
She looked around at the playground equipment and then turned her attention to the swings. She sat down and began to pedal lightly.
“I remember the day Arata and I became friends, we played here. He told me he was going to introduce me to his garden.”
“Did I say something so embarrassing ……?”
“So for a while I seriously thought this park was Arata’s property. Our villa had a park about this size, and I thought it was something like that.”
Kurusu left the swings, went upside down on the bars, slid down the slide once, and moved to the covered rest area.
Sitting on benches side by side, we look up at the nostalgic ceiling. It is much older than it used to be, and perhaps because there are fewer children to play with, it is covered with cobwebs.
“When I was in elementary school, there was a time when I didn’t want to go to a piano recital, so I hid here with Arata.”
“I remember that time. You said you were going to live here forever.”
“Because, if I go home, I’m sure I’ll get in trouble. I was happy when you told me that you were going to stay with me,…….”
“…… Well, I can’t just leave it at that, can I?”
“Not here, but back then I didn’t think we’d actually end up living together.”
“I guess.”
Neither one of us did, and the fingertips of our hands, which had been resting on the bench, touched each other.
The two of us looked at each other for a moment, and then took that as a cue to connect rigidly.
Fingers intertwined, exchanging body heat.
The wind was blowing, the trees were singing, and the smell of summer was on my cheeks.
Several cheerful male voices, perhaps returning from club activities or cram school, pass in front of the park. Somewhere, an annoyingly loud car engine rumbles, and the seasonal insects also make their presence known in a whisper.
“Hey, Arata.”
“Hmm?”
“I like you.”
“Yeah. ………… hmm? Eeh!?”
It wasn’t that I was replying in a random way.
But it was said so casually that my brain couldn’t take it well for a moment.
I looked to the side and saw that Kurusu was also looking at me.
The usual cool expression is still there, only the eyes are smiling softly.
“W-What is it suddenly?! I’d be surprised, wouldn’t I!”
“For some reason, I agreed to confess my feelings, and we even started living together right away, but I don’t think I properly expressed my feelings.”
“But you should’ve thought about your timing!”
“Are you excited?”
“W-Well, yes, that’s right. ……”
“Hee, ……, hey, Arata.”
“Hmm?
“I love you.”
“Ugh……ugh…!”
It was a tremendous shock, like being hit with a body blow.
And the bad thing about this is that it doesn’t hurt at all, nor does it cause any discomfort. I was so happy, it was impossible to avoid, defend, or endure. Kurusu sniffs coolly when she sees me fainting in agony.
“Haa…”
“What, you sighed.”
“No,……, I just thought you said it before I did.”
“You already told me”
“It wasn’t because I was forced to do so, because …… I didn’t confess of my own volition.”
“You’re as loyal as ever.”
“Is it bad?”
“Noo. I like that part too.”
“Uguufu……!!”
Kurusu’s eyes were completely playful as if she had gotten a taste of it.
I know I’m being played nice, but I’m still going to react the way she wants me to. My face is already hot.
I take a big breath and renew the air in my lungs.
I turn my body toward Kurusu and take her hand in both of mine.
“–……I’ve liked you for a long time. Please go out with me.”
Kurusu’s grinning face returned to a straight face like taut shoji paper.
Soon after, her cheeks turned vermilion, her eyes were like heated whipped cream, and her gray eyes were moistened. With a warm breath, her closed lips relax.
She looks at me from right to left.
Finally, she stares at me and nods her head with a smile that seems to ooze from within.
“Really ….. I’m so embarrassed. ……”
“I win.”
“What’s that, a contest?”
We locked eyes and smiled softly.
Kurusu suddenly stood up and turned her body towards me. Her silver hair, which doesn’t lose its presence even in the dim light, shines like the tail of a meteor as it is curled in the night breeze.
“Well, let’s go home. I’m hungry.”
“I guess so”
I was just about to get up with my shopping bag–
Kurusu put her hand on my shoulder and lightly put her weight on it.
I looked up to see what was wrong and saw her.
“Arata–“
A voice like the sound of a bell falls.
–Before I could reply, she took my lips.
It was warm and soft to the touch.
The smell of sweat and shampoo.
The slightest, cheap soda taste of ice cream.
Our lips parted, and I fell back on the bench, my entire body drained.
Kurusu smiles against the light of the outside lamp. I smile mischievously, my white teeth peeking out with a grin.
“I love you, I love you!”
Saying that, She take a step.
She spun around on the spot and took a light step.
“I win with this… ～～～～!”
With a voice that seemed to light up the night, she ran away.
I looked at her back in a daze and finally came to myself and let out a sigh.
It would be impossible to recover from this after she did such a cool thing.
“…I’ll never be able to win”
I raised the white flag, half pitiful and half happy, and followed her.
With a much, much bigger step than usual.
(A/N :
Chapter 1, complete.
This work will come to a close here for now.
I would like to continue, but I have a lot of things to do, such as writing a manuscript for commercial use and filing a tax return, so I will think about the second chapter when I am done.
Now, thanks to all of you, this work has grown considerably larger than I had expected, with 5,000 followers, 1,800 Stars, and over 10,000 ♡. Thank you so much.
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