CH 65

Not A Lonely Festival (5)

As time passed by, the students cursed Reze for making a fuss and left.

“Are you guys okay?”

The owner gave us some juice and asked. The three of us were fine, but I was worried about Vivian. Vivian trembled like a frightened baby sheep, and when he felt our gaze, he immediately flinched. He was clenching his fist and his lips twitched.

Vivian tried his best to smile, but tears were already forming in his eyes. Embarrassed, Vivian abruptly rose from his seat.

“Vivi–!”

When I caught him, he shook my hand off. Vivian froze as he watched my hand that flew in the air. Vivian’s eyes trembled anxiously, then he quickly wiped the tears on his cheeks.

“Sorry, I have to go.”

Vivian’s back, that left his seat, was small. Heartbroken, I got up from my seat to follow Vivian. Leto grabbed my hand and shook his head, but I ignored it. I couldn’t ignore or give up on Vivian like this.

The moment I left the restaurant, a dry wind blew in. I found Vivian’s figure who had already gone far away.

“Vivian!”

I shouted loudly and Vivian stopped. I couldn’t tell if Vivian was crying since he didn’t turn his head. I wanted to comfort him after looking at his sight, but I held back and opened my mouth again.

“Tomorrow! You’re coming tomorrow, right?”

It was about the cricket tournament. The four of us promised to watch the match between the medical and the swordsman department tomorrow. Vivian didn’t reply to my question and moved away again.

“Please! Please come!”

Despite my beg, he walked away without looking back. I stood there in silence until he disappeared. Leto and Bona, who followed me out of the restaurant, approached me.

Seeing Vivian struggling made me feel even more terrible than I thought. If I had known earlier, could I have made Vivian smile? I scolded myself for being indifferent to him this whole time.

“It’s not your fault. Briseis.”

Leto gently grabbed my hand. I lifted my head and looked at Leto, whose face was still stiff. I felt his anger towards Reze even more.

“And Vivian will be able to smile thanks to you.”

“……It doesn’t have to be because of me. I just want him to smile.”

“Yes.”

What should I do to achieve that? I was about to think about it.

“I guess I have to do it soon.”

Bona spoke.

“What?”

“Torturing Reze. I told you it was my speciality.”

“…….”

“……W, Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Bona, can I call you older sister from now on?”

She grinned as I spoke tearfully.

“First, let’s torture him.”

＊  ＊  ＊

Please do not repost. Read only at Dropped Inks.

On the third day of the festival, a cricket match between the Medical and Swordsman’s department began. The winner of this match will be playing against our Magics department. Leto focused on the game, perhaps paying attention to the players he would compete with.

Bona was still craving something to eat, but I was bothered by the vacant seat next to me. Vivian did not show up after all. On the other hand, I ran into Reze this morning, who I didn’t want to see. He simply passed by us without arguing as usual, as if ignoring the fuss yesterday. 

I felt a little disappointed with that. In fact, I wanted Reze to be aggressive as usual. Then, I would have used that as an excuse to punch him……

“Where are you going?”

I couldn’t concentrate and when I rose from my seat, Leto grabbed me.

“It’s noisy, so I’m going somewhere quiet for a while……”

“Let’s go together.”

“There’s still a lot of time left of the game. And if we go, we’ll lose our seats.”

“Hey.”

Leto ignored my words and tapped Bona, who was concentrating on eating.

“What?”

“I’ll buy you something to eat, so guard our seats.”

“Bye-bye.”

Bona bid us with a smile. Leto pointed to Bona and said to me, ‘Now, you aren’t worried about your seat right?’. When I nodded my head absentmindedly, Leto nudged my back and said let’s go. I secretly sighed inwardly as I watch Leto step out of the audience zone first.

Actually, I wanted to wait for Vivian alone, but Leto didn’t give me the chance. When we left the stadium, it was quiet, unlike how it was full of excitement in the audience zone. Leto and I remained silent before finding a bench in front and taking a seat.

“Are you waiting for Vivian?”

I was taken aback by his words.

“It’s written all over your face.”

“You say the same thing as Kazen.”

“Don’t compare me to him.”

His words made me laugh slightly. Then, Leto tapped my forehead with his hand and frowned.

“You’re way too nice.”

“…So you don’t like it?”

“Who doesn’t like it?”

He immediately responded. Oh, that’s good then. As I smiled brightly, Leto blushed again and instantly turned his head away. I hadn’t been in a good mood, but seeing Leto’s honest expression made my heart flutter for some reason.

“I like that side of you……I like it quite a bit.”

Leto said, avoiding my eyes until the end. I felt like he changed his words in the middle, but it was fine. I was seized with the urge to hug Leto, but I held it in.

“Thank you, Leah. To be honest, I want to ask for a hug, but I’ll hold it in.”

“……I’ll give you a hug.”

He opened his arms timidly. I didn’t expect this.

I was taken aback by Leto’s active appearance, but since such an opportunity was rare, I quickly fell into his arms. Perhaps Leto followed me out to comfort me. If not, would he do something he wouldn’t normally do without hesitation?

The scent of his school uniform made me smile. Leto’s unique scent smells good. Every time he came out of the bath, the scent that spread made me sleepy and my heart pounded. One day, when he regained his true form, I wanted to hug him like this. Then, the scent on his body will be more strong.

“What else do you want?”

“……is it my birthday today?”

“What? It’s your birthday?”

Leto removed me from his arms in surprise.

“You should have told me that beforehand!”

“No, it’s not my birthday. It feels like my birthday because you’re so nice to me today……”

Leto let out a breath as if he was a little relieved by my words, and soon smiled.

“So is there something you want?”

“Name.”

“What?”

“When are you going to call me Bree?”

Leto’s face flushed even more at my words. We were not hugging or even holding hands, so why was he blushing even more? When I looked at him, Leto hesitated and covered my eyes with his own hands. I tried to pull my head back when I couldn’t see anything because his palm blocked my view. But Leto covered my eyes until the end and soon opened his mouth.

“Calling someone by their nicknames……I only say it if I like them.”

“What?”

What is he talking about?

“I only call people I like by their nicknames.”

“You like me.”

“No, I don’t mean that kind of like……”

Leto let out a breath in frustration before removing his hand that was blocking my view. Come to think of it, he has never called anyone by their nickname in <How to Recognise a Murderer>.

I remembered a scene where he had called his brother by his nickname and he got scolded severely. Maybe that’s why he was reluctant to call me by my nickname. It could be some kind of trauma. I was worried that I had troubled him by requesting that.

We spent the time talking more about random things, but Vivian never showed up.

“Shall we go?”

I nodded as Leto spoke. In the end, we brought snacks without achieving the goal and returned to the audience seat.

＊  ＊  ＊

Please do not repost. Read only at Dropped Inks.

The match ended a few hours later. It was, of course, a victory for the Swordsmen department. Tomorrow was the day when the Arts and the Medical department competed for third and fourth place. The students headed back to the dormitory, discussing who will take third place tomorrow. The students stepped out of the audience zone one by one. But the three of us didn’t move.

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

No one mentioned to leave first. It was around the time when there were only a few people left in the audience zone. Even the students, who remained in their seats with the lingering effects of the game, have now come to their senses and left the stadium. Even in summer, the night breeze was chilly. Bona curled up her body and gnashed her teeth. Perhaps she was weak against the cold, her trembling appearance was pitiful.

Leto, who happened to have a coat, took it off.

“Oh, you didn’t have to, thank you…….”

“Who’s going to give it to you? Briseis, cover up.”

Leto covered my bare legs with his coat. Bona glared fiercely at Leto at his brazen behaviour. Leto also returned the gaze, but suddenly his expression changed. Who did he saw? His expression changed completely. I followed Leto’s gaze and looked at the person behind me.

“……Vivian.”

It was none other than Vivian.