CH 40

Just the two of us (2)

“The hot dogs you wanted were not as good as you thought they would be? Inumaki-kun.”

A food court-style eating and drinking area.

Raimon Shiori appeared in front of me as I relaxed at a table in one corner with a hot dog in my hand. Neither Kouta nor Kazemiya was by her side. It seemed that she had snuck out by herself. I knew he was a smart person. Just as I expected.

“No, it’s not like that. If you were eating this at home, it would taste ‘normal,’ but there is no spice that can beat the ‘situation.’ A hot dog at such a bargain price can be turned into an exquisite dish that will add color to your memories of your youth.”

“Situation, huh…”

Raimon-san sat down at the same table as me. That series of everyday actions alone attracted the eyes of about eighteen men around me at once. Fifteen of them noticed my presence sitting across from her late and dropped their shoulders in disappointment. The remaining three men were considering whether to call out to her or not, without regard to my presence. Do I look like a weakling?

“’Situations’. Is that what you’re after?”

But Raimon-san asked me questions without regard to the eyes of those around her.

She must be used to this kind of thing.

“What do you mean?”

“About Kohaku and Narumi-kun. Are you trying to get them to become a couple?”

“Hmm…50 points. Ah, that may be too low. I will give you a score of 75.”

“I’ve never gotten a score like that before. If you don’t mind, can you tell me the answer to the remaining 25 points? Sensei.”

“As you wish.”

After finishing the rest of my hot dog and quenching my thirst with the melon soda I had ordered, I decided to answer a question from one of my best students. I would have tried to steer the conversation away from the topic, but it was Raimon Shiori, you know. I didn’t think I could pull off such a trick in this situation.

“Kouta seems to like Kazemiya-san, so I thought I’d give him a chance to be alone with her at the pool in the summer. I thought I would make an opportunity for the two of us to be alone. This is a consideration from me as a friend…maybe also a little bit of meddling as his childhood friend. Isn’t this at least normal?”

It seemed that this alone was not the answer that Raimon-san wanted. It was written on her face. Most people would probably be satisfied with what I’d just said, but I guess it was different with Raimon-san. As expected of the student council president. Really…

“I hope Kouta enjoys the situation of being at the pool with the girl he likes, and that he has a happy time. Whether he confesses his feelings or not is up to him. We are still young, and we will probably find a new love sooner or later. So, in the extreme—he doesn’t have to become a couple with Kazemiya-san.”

It was perfect. To the point where I feel annoyed.

“You said earlier that ‘I was trying to make the two of them a couple.’ No, I’m not trying to do that. I’m trying to make Kouta happy, but I don’t care about Kazemiya-san.”

“…I see. So you’re kind of a fan of Narumi-kun. And a very devoted one too.”

“Hahaha. Yes, “fan” is probably the closest word to describe me. I can give you 100 points this time.”

As expected of the student council president. I didn’t expect her to be so very accurate.

It was partly because I gave too many hints. Well, I didn’t mind if it was Raimon-san.

“As a fan, it’s natural to wish for the happiness of your favorites, isn’t it?”

“Can I ask you why you are so devoted to Narumi-kun?”

“Why, huh…”

If I moved my eyes a little bit, I could see children of about elementary school age frolicking in the nearby swimming pool. They looked so happy, swimming and splashing each other with joy. They had such innocent smiles on their faces, but it was human beings who were capable of hurting others with the same look on their faces.

“Raimon-san, do you know what mud tastes like?”

“…No. I don’t know.”

“I know what mud tastes like. I’ve been kicked in the stomach as a soccer ball, and I’ve been stabbed several times with a sewing needle used in home economics. It’s the worst, really. It’s best if you don’t know.”

It was a bitter memory. At the same time—

“And that Kouta saved me from having to shove mud in my mouth. He saved me from becoming a soccer ball. He saved me from being stabbed with needles over and over again. Kouta is—my hero.”

—It was also a time when I was able to see the light for me.

“Have you ever seen any hero shows, Raimon-san? The ones on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Oh, I still watch them. They are cool. Heroes are cool. Whenever people were in trouble, they would come running. Kouta is like that. …But, you know. It happens sometimes. Even though they are fighting hard, the heroes are unhappy. I can’t stand that.”

Even though he worked so hard, even though he fought for me. Kouta, my hero, was unhappy. He began to distance himself from others, fearing that he might disappoint them.

“Heroes deserve to be happy.”

I didn’t want a sad ending. I didn’t want to see that. It was of no value to me.

The ending of a hero who fought hard should be the happiest ending.

“…So those are the remaining 25 points.”

“Yes. That’s right. So, if Kouta likes Kazemiya-san, I would like to give him a boost so that his feelings will bear fruit. But I don’t want to force them to be together. If he doesn’t grab happiness with his own hands, he might end up being unhappy.”

“You think a lot about this, huh?”

“Well.”

“…So, is this part of the ‘push’ you’re talking about?”

The destination that Raimon-san was urging us to go to. A group of high school students walked a short distance away from this food area. One of them, or rather the central figure, was —Sawada-kun, who was in the same school as me and Kouta. He was also known as the prince of the school, the so-called popular guy. They were a group that should be called the top caste.

“Is it a coincidence that all of the popular kids at school came all the way out here on the same day?”

“It’s a coincidence. I was also surprised when I found out about their schedule. In a way, it’s your lucky day, Kouta.”

“…You mean you were aware of their schedule? But you didn’t tell them?”

To Raimon-san’s point, I just replied with a smile.

“That would make the situation more exciting, wouldn’t it?”

***

I was not sure about Inumaki, but maybe Shiori was being considerate of me.

Because I told her I liked Narumi. That was why she left me alone with him…

I should have been thanking Shiori today, but I felt sorry for making her feel uncomfortable, but my gratitude was greater than that.

“…Hey. since we’re here, why don’t we go in the other pool for a minute?”

Alone with Narumi. Perhaps my heart was fluttering at the thought of such a situation.

I had no intention of saying this, but before I knew it, the words had left my mouth.

“Just the two of us…”

I said it. I said it. I said it. What should I do? Did that sound weird?

My heart was racing. …In my head, I imagined Kotomi-chan crossing her arms and nodding with satisfaction.

But really, I should be thankful to Shiori. If she hadn’t been so thoughtful, I wouldn’t have been able to invite Narumi to be alone with him like this…

(…Ah.)

After I said it, I remembered my conversation with Shiori.

—Hey, Kohaku, could it be…

—……….

—Have you gained some weight?

(I’m…now…wait, fuuu…!)

I could not allow more words to take shape, no matter how much they were in my mind.

I was so nervous that I forgot…! No, haa…but it’s just really a little bit! Ahhhh…! But now I’m in a swimsuit…!

“….N-nevermind!”

Thank God Narumi hadn’t answered me yet. It was not too late now. Cancel. I should cancel it.

“Sorry. To suddenly say something weird. Forget it. Just forget it. Let’s hurry up and meet with Shiori and Inumaki.”

After saying that,  I tried to leave the place without being able to see Narumi’s face. I just couldn’t take it. Because the more I got conscious of it, the less confident I become. I didn’t know whether Narumi prefer someone fat or skinny since I wanted to look good to the boy I like…

“Kazemiya.”

Narumi’s hand grabbed my hand as I was about to leave the place.

“…N-Narumi?”

Uuu. I wonder what’s wrong. Maybe he noticed that I…was a little bit flustered.

“Let’s run away.”

“Huh? Wait…!?”

Why? Where to? Before I had time to ask such questions, I was taken by Narumi and moved as if to escape from the place.

***

A familiar group snatched at the edge of my vision. I could also see Sawada Takeru among them. He was a classmate of mine, a famous person in the second grade, and he tried to talk to Kazemiya many times.

If it was him. I had a feeling that if he found Kazemiya here, he would call out to her. No, even if it wasn’t him. If I found such a beautiful Kazemiya, I would probably call out to her.

…I hated it. I hate just imagining it.

I didn’t want him to talk to Kazemiya. I didn’t want him to touch her. I wanted to keep my time with Kazemiya to myself.

I was aware that I was losing my mind, and I was trying to suppress it, but I had reached my limit. I couldn’t hold back any longer, and I found myself taking Kazemiya’s hand and leaving the place.

“Na-Narumi. Hey, why are we running away?”

“I don’t know either.”

—This is what Kouta really after, isn’t it?

Natsuki’s words flashed back in my mind.

Was this my true feeling? Was this my ugly feeling of wanting to keep Kazemiya all to myself?

“…I saw Sawada was here. With his other friends.”

When I stopped at a reasonable place and explained the situation, Kazemiya looked satisfied, yet somewhat…disappointed

“…Ah. I see.”

“It would be troublesome for us to be found, especially you.”

“…right. Thank you. For being considerate to me.”

Consideration for Kazemiya. That was supposed to be it. That was what I was going to say. But it seemed like an excuse. There must have been something else I really wanted to say.

“…It’s not like I’m being considerate of you.”

Considerate was a lie. It was not such a beautiful thing. This heart was dirtier than that.

“It’s not? Then…why?”

—And it’s not funny to run away from your feelings and be unhappy.

Natsuki’s exact words were going through my mind again. As if to pry open the lid inside me.

“…Because I want to keep you to myself.”

We had been running away to that family restaurant. Our relationship began as an escape. But surely, just now, no matter what—I shouldn’t run away.

“I don’t want to give you to anyone. You look so cute in your swimsuit right now. If possible, I don’t want anyone to see it, not Natsuki, not RAimon-san, not even Sawada and his friends. That’s why I ran away…”

As if in a film, I let the words that had been accumulating in my chest flow out like a flowing pool spreading out in front of my eyes. I couldn’t stop. It wouldn’t stop. Because I was aware of the feelings that I had unconsciously been running away from until now.

“…I’m sorry. I said something weird. Just forget it.”

“No. I don’t want to.”

This time Kazemiya’s hand grabbed mine.

“I don’t want to forget what you just said. I want to hear more. I want…to keep you to myself too.”

Kazemiya’s eyes reached straight to me. Our eyes were drawn straight to each other and we stared at each other. 

The world became transparent, so much so that even the heat of summer was forgotten.

The eyes in front of me almost sucked me in—-

—Baaaaammmmm!!!

““………….!””

The huge sound, reminiscent of a volcanic eruption, brought me back to myself.

It seemed that it was the same for Kazemiya. A beautiful face, stained with surprise, was in front of me.

A moment later, a huge spray of water came down, and we were quickly exposed to the downpour.

Apparently, it was staged by the giant rock-like object we were hiding behind.

Come to think of it, I think there was a zone that had a contraption where water spurts out with the sound of an eruption at regular intervals…

“Whoa! What’s that noise!?”

“Come here, Sawada! There’s some kind of awesome rock!”

Not good. This voice…they seemed to hear the sound of the eruption and Sawada and his friends were coming over.

Is there anywhere nearby where we can escape to…

“Kazemiya, this way.”

“…Yeah.”

Spread out before us was a flowing pool. Reflexively, I took Kazemiya’s hand and we dove into the water together. Leaning back, we flowed together through the water. This way, we could hide ourselves and move around undetected.

The inside of a summer pool was like a different world from the one on the ground.

It was as if we were the only two people in the pool. Right now, the only person in my world was Kazemiya Kohaku.

“……….”

“……….”

There were only two people in the water, me and Kazemiya.

We were the only two people in the water. In this quiet world of water, there was no room for the painful reality, for running away from home, or for anything else. Nothing.

“……………….”

Bubbles just spilled out of my mouth as I tried to say something.

Kazemiya seemed to be the same way, and a faint bubble escaped from her beautiful lips.

We stared at each other, lost in each other’s eyes.

We were drawn to each other, attracted to each other as if we were losing ourselves in a flowing pool. I didn’t know whether it was from me or Kazemiya, our lips—-overlapped so naturally in the water.

The contact was instantaneous. The feeling was fleeting. But the sweet, numbing heat that ran from my mouth through my body became eternal and was etched into my body.

““—–puhaa””

As soon as our lips left each other’s, we turned our heads to the sun for air.

As it was, we climbed out of the flowing pool and ducked into a nearby rock object.

A curtain of water falling from overhead just blindfolded us, creating a space reminiscent of the inside of a waterfall. We were sure that no one would see us or find Sawada and the others here.

“………Hey. Did we just…kiss?”

“………Well. We were in the water, and it was only for a second.”

“………As I thought, I don’t know either.”

“………I see.”

“………Yeah.”

A moment of silence followed, during which we breathed well enough with each other.

“………Then let’s do it until we figure it out.”

“………Yes.”

Then again, it took me a while to get my breathing under control.