CH 51

Chapter 51 The Final Stage (Part 1)

March 3, 2022

I was in a room overlooking the Bay Bridge with senior staff member Touko-senpai.

We were in a room at the Hotel Intercontinental Tokyo Bay.

The room was not what I expected, but it was a twin room.

We were sitting on the bed facing each other.

Incidentally, we knew in advance that the prize for the “Best Couple” was a hotel room voucher.

This was our plan.

And no matter what, The winner of the “Best Couple” was, the ticket was going to be in her hands.

We had predicted from the very beginning that the pairing of Touko-senpai and Kamokura would come in first place.

Touko-senpai has been playing with her phone for a while now.

My heart is racing.

What can I say ……

Excitement is a little different.

Impatience, close, but I don’t think it’s the same.

Anticipation, hmmm, still no.

Anyway, my heart was pumping so loudly that I was afraid Touko-senpai might hear it.

…… Calm down, Yu Isshiki. You’re not a virgin, what are you nervous about……

That’s what I tell myself.

But we are going to start …… from now on, with Touko-senpai and ……

With that, Touko-senpai, whom I’ve been admiring since high school……

It’s impossible to tell me not to be nervous, isn’t it?

“Oh, um, what are you going to do now?”

I couldn’t take it anymore, so I said the words.

Touko-senpai suddenly looked up.

“I guess we’ll just have to stay here until 12:00.”

…… until 12:00 ……

I looked at my watch.

Two hours to go.

But that’s not an option.

If you say you’re going to “spend the night” with me, but if you get pushed down the movement you walk in, there would be no mood at all.

Besides, it’s Christmas Eve.

Should I try to set the mood until then?

But I don’t know how to “set the mood”.

I felt the silence was getting too much for me, so I asked her.

“Um, …… are you sure this is the right thing to do?”

Touko-senpai looks up from her phone again.

“What is?”

“I mean, about Kamokura-senpai, about doing this here with me. ……”

I, for one, have no intention of forcing myself to spend the night with her without regard to her feelings.

The first condition is that she must be willing to do so.

If she has any doubts about it,……, I will go home quietly.

“I don’t have a choice about Tetsuya. I’ve already made up my mind to just ‘break up’ with him.”

But there was something that bothered me at that party.

It had been nagging at my heart for a long time.

“But you were lost at the end of the party, weren’t you? ‘Depending on Kamokura-senpai’s answer, I’ll tear up the accommodation ticket. Could it be that you’re still thinking about Kamokura-senpai ……?”

When Touko-senpai looked me in the eye, she smiled sadly and shook her head.

“That’s not true. But I kept wondering, ‘Do I really want to push Tetsuya that far? I could imagine how much Tetsuya would be hurt if I said, ‘I’m going to spend the night with you. Besides, my relationship with him wasn’t all bad. Tetsuya was kind to me and always had my best interests at heart. And we had some fun memories.”

Touko-senpai cut off her words once there.

“I still think we were wrong. I think we were both wearing too many masks. Even without this, I think we would have broken up in the end.”

Then she looked at me and smiled.

“So you, you don’t have to worry about it.”

“And are fine with me here?”

I hesitated, but then I mentioned it.

“That’s okay, too. I’ve been thinking since I first made this plan, ‘You’ll probably be the last person standing beside me, Isshiki-kun.'”

Even before that?

I look at Touko-senpai in wonder.

“And the deciding factor was that date around Boso,” she said. “I thought you were looking at me.”

When she said that, I was finally able to feel relieved and at ease.

I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

“I’m not sure if it’s safe to assume that you and I are going to be “going out” from here on out.”

This is the last and biggest question.

I asked with all my might and with all my strength in my lower stomach.

Touko-senpai looked surprised.

“Of course, you intend to, don’t you? Otherwise, everyone would think we had a “one-night stand. I’d hate that, no matter how much I wanted to.”

“So, isn’t it?”

I laughed and faked it.

…… but then ……

I straightened my posture once again.

“There’s something I really need to tell you, Touko-senpai.”

“What?”

Touko-senpai looked up with a surprised expression on her face.

I took a deep breath and swallowed once to moisten my throat.

After a pause, I take a big breath.

“I have always admired you. And it was Touko-senpai who supported me when I was in a messed up state mentally. And you have always been charming.”

After saying that much, I ask how Touko-senpai is doing.

She rolled her eyes and looked at me.

“Now all I can think about is you. I love you, Touko-senpai. Please go out with me.”

I bowed my head and held out my right hand.

Suddenly, a laugh echoed from above my head.

“What’s that? After all this time?”

I felt my face heat up.

“It’s a little late for that, isn’t it? I’m sorry, I’m really late. But I have to tell you this …… is the most important thing. ……”

I wasn’t looking for a “one-night stand” with Touko-senpai.

I really want to have a relationship with her.

Until now, she has been just beyond my reach.

But now I have a chance to be alone with her.

I want to be with her from now on.

As I keep my head down, Toko-senpai calls out to me in a gentle way.

‘Yes, you haven’t said the ‘important word’ yet.’

Just a few moments.

I held out my hand, and Touko-senpai gently took it in hers.

When I looked up, she smiled at me.

“I knew you liked me,” she said. “I’m willing to go out with you.”

I feel an indescribable warmth from her hand.

“Well, then, I’m looking forward to getting to know you from now on. Touko-senpai.”

I feel very embarrassed.

I unconsciously scratched the back of my head.

“I guess so. I’m looking forward too. Yu-kun.”

Touko-senpai also said so, and put more strength into my hand, which I held.

“Oh, um, With this…” ……”

“But I guess it’s still ‘under a provisional boyfriend license’?”

Touko-senpai said with a slightly teasing smile.