CH 79

After a two-hour train ride, Rin and I arrived in the peaceful countryside.

Unlike the dull landscape of the local buildings, the place we were in was beautifully lined with lushly colored mountains.

The ticket gate at the station was brand new and stood out from the rest of the old station.

“Hmm…”

I stretched and slowly relaxed my stiff and sluggish body.

Beside me, Rin was gazing around with sparkling eyes, observing the surroundings with great interest.

“Did you see anything unusual?”

Responding to my voice, Rin turned around to look at me.

Then the clear air rushed between us like Rin’s divine presence.

The wind fluttered and swayed her skirt.

But alas, there was only a gentle hot breeze and no sudden gusts of wind to make ‘that’ scenario happen.

Well, even if that scenario is about to happen, in the case of the Rin, it would be prevented …

“Yes. It’s interesting in many ways. The station, the train, this scenery ……”

“It’s definitely not something you see very often.”

The train was a double-car configuration.

It’s a regional line, with one train every 20 minutes.

The interval between each station is also very long, about 10 minutes.

(TLN: Bruh, that’s not long…..)

There is not a single convenience store around the station, only a bus stop and an old bicycle parking space.

The fact that there were no station staff at the station was also somewhat refreshing.

“Is this the first time Rin has been to a place like this? Well, it seems like it’s your first time because of your reaction. ……”

“No, it’s actually my second time here.”

“Wow. I thought it was your first time because you were looking around so curiously. So, you’ve been to the festival before?”

“Yes, I did. I enjoyed the festival.”

“I see……”

I replied blankly, looking uninterested and looked at Rin, who was standing half a step behind me.

As usual, there was no change in her expression, but her mouth seemed to be smiling faintly.

And when she looked up at the sky, Rin had a somewhat pondering kind of look in her eyes.

What happened in the past?

What are you remembering?

Besides……, who did you come with……?

(TLN: OH NOO, DRAMA)

But somehow I feel like I shouldn’t be asking that.

It’s something I’m very curious about, but …… it’s not good to dig up the past and remind people of traumas and such.

So, I can’t ask.

It’s something I’m very interested in. ……

“Is there something on your mind?”

My face naturally tensed up as Rin said something to me as if she knew what I was thinking.

And then I looked down at the ground to avert my gaze from the awkwardness.

Perhaps Rin was curious about my behavior.

She moved in front of me and looked at me with an upward gaze, as if she was trying to figure out my expression.

“You still have something on your mind.”

Damn it.

She’s an esper as usual …….　

How does she know what I’m thinking? …….

“No seriously ……. , it’s not worth asking. I’m fine. ……”

“Are you sure, Towa-kun? Asking is a temporary shame, not asking is a lifelong shame.　Don’t keep things like that bottled up. Don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Eh …….”

I can just get it out of the way. ……

I bet that’s impossible. ……

I sighed loudly and looked at Rin.

Rin stared straight at me, her big eyes seeming to tell me that there was no point in deceiving her.

I sighed again.

” ……. Okay, let me ask you this: …….”

“There you go.”

“Well, it’s really not a big deal. I was just wondering when you’ve been here. For example, in middle school. ……”

I couldn’t ask.

In the end, I couldn’t ask, “Who did you come with?”. I couldn’t ask her, and I had to say it in a very indirect way: …….

I’m ashamed of myself for not being able to ask. ……

In response to my question, Rin said, “Well ……,” showing a slight hint of distress.

Then she looked at me with slightly indulgent eyes and put her hand on my chest.

“Towa-kun, …… are you perhaps wondering about something else?”

“What do you mean, I’m wondering about ……?”

“For example, ‘who have I been with’?”

“No, not really……”

That’s what the words “with whom” mean……, I guess.

At that moment, something different from palpitations, a kind of tightening pain, struck my chest.

It’s hard to describe the frustration and emptiness …….

But at the same time, I was convinced that it was natural for Rin.

A beautiful girl that everyone would look towards.

A godlike beauty.

I’ve said things like ‘I was never interested in love’ before, but I don’t feel particularly comfortable when people say things like that.

If I think about it, I can understand.

It would be strange if she hadn’t experienced a relationship or two.

“The last time I went with my father, though.”

(TLN: Huuuu, I’m relieved.)

“……Huh?”

“So, this is the first time I’ve been with a boy my own age.”

“Is that so……”

“Yes. But it seems that Towa-kun was imagining something different.”

She smiled mischievously, almost sticking out her tongue.

I looked at it and sighed.

“Rin ……, you knew and you hesitated to give me an answer, didn’t you?”

“What are you talking about?”

“What do you mean? You’ve got to be kidding me. You were in a weird mood. ……”

“I’m sorry about that. But the fact that Towa-kun cares about me makes me honestly happy.”

Rin smiled at me, her cheeks colored by happiness.

When I saw that, I sighed loudly and shrugged my shoulders.

“That’s what’s been chipping away at my life. ……”

Well, I’m a little relieved about it though. ……

I won’t say it but …….