CH 41

Because it’s a waste.

After that, Mizutani and I continued to look around the various stalls.

I guess it was because she was not familiar with this kind of event.

Mizutani’s eyes lit up and she was enjoying everything.

Still, I was glad.

At first, I wasn’t sure what we were going to do, just the two of us going around a summer festival.

It turned out all right.

But I guess this time might be coming to an end.

“Mizutani, it’s time to go to Shuji and Ogura…”

As I was about to say this, I looked next to me and saw that Mizutani was not there.

I hurriedly look back behind me.

Mizutani, who had been following a little behind me, tilted her head, “Hmm?”

Her bright blonde hair sways in the darkness of the night.

“What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong with what?”

“…What are you saying.”

“…What’s wrong with you, Aizawa.”

Mizutani was dumbfounded.

“Sorry, it’s nothing,” I muttered.

Huh? Why did I feel strange just now?

Was it the fact that Mizutani wasn’t next to me?

But when I looked around, I saw how crowded it was.

It wasn’t like I had to walk alongside Mizutani all the time, and it wasn’t unnatural for her to be behind me in terms of walking speed…

No, that’s not it.

Today I was walking slower than usual because Mizutani was wearing geta.

If Mizutani had been walking at the pace she was walking before, she wouldn’t have fallen behind me.

In other words, for some reason, Mizutani slowed down her pace.

And she did so without saying anything to me walking in front of her.

Was it simply because he was tired of walking? Or—

“Mizutani. Are your feet all right?”

“What, so suddenly? I’m all right. More importantly, let’s go eat some candy apples next—”

“Forget the candy apples, answer my question. You didn’t hurt your feet, did you?”

“…I said I’m all right.”

Mizutani turned away. I guess I was right.

“Hmm. Then, can I check?”

“Check? How?”

Mizutani was a little defensive, and I said, “I’m sorry,” as I pulled her hand away and left the crowd.

When we reached the side of the road so as not to disturb others, I let go of Mizutani’s hand.

I crouched down and examined Mizutani’s feet.

Mizutani pulled her foot away.

I looked up and saw Mizutani’s eyes meet mine as if she was looking at trash.

“…What are you doing?”

“I’m just making sure. Come on, let me see your foot. If you didn’t hurt your leg, it should be okay to check it, right?”

“That’s not the problem here…”

Mumbling, Mizutani put her foot back to the original position.

Her skin was translucent white.

I was impressed in an odd way that it was the same color as her face and arms.

It was not that surprising when I thought about it. The skin on her face and arms is the same as the skin on her legs.

I lightly pressed the right strap of the geta Mizutani was wearing.

I heard a stifled “itta” from above my head.

When I looked up again, Mizutani was looking away with her hand over her mouth.

Her eyes are swimming at the level of a world swimmer.

“Ita…lia, I wonder what kind of place that is. I’d love to see the Colosseum, for example.” (+)

“Do you think that’s going to fool me?”

“……”

“……”

“…I don’t think so.”

“Of course not.”

I remained in a squatting position and turned my back to Mizutani.

She must have understood my intention.

I heard a whisper, “I’m sorry,” and Mizutani climbed onto my back.

Mizutani’s arms were placed behind my back and in front of my body.

I hold the backs of Mizutani’s knees in a reserved manner.

It felt smooth and untainted.

It was soft, yet had a definite weight to it.

Even with the same weight, this would not feel so if it were a man.

I wandered around the area with Mizutani on my back, trying to find an empty bench for the time being.

Mizutani’s blonde hair sometimes tickles my ear, perhaps because it swayed with my movements.

The flowery scent of shampoo or something tickled my nostrils.

“Why did you hide it from me?”

Mizutani’s body jerked at my question.

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb. You know what I’m talking about.”

“…Because it’s a waste.”

“What is?”

Not understanding what she meant, I asked in return.

Mizutani continued to whisper as if she had no choice.

“…It’s not often I get a chance like this, so I wanted to enjoy it to the fullest. It would have been a waste of time if I had to waste it all because of my sore feet.”

“…I see.”

I remember the piano recital about two weeks ago.

Mizutani’s mother was a very strict person.

She didn’t seem to allow much in the way of fun.

Perhaps today’s summer festival was a reward that Mizutani had managed to win. Considering that the summer festival that came every year for me, Mai, and Shuji was something special for her, I could understand why she said it was a waste of time.

…Ah, but.

For me, too, this was the first summer festival I’d been to with Mizutani.

And I was not sure if we would be able to go to the same festival together next year.

It was probably more likely that we wouldn’t.

If that were the case, Mizutani wouldn’t be the only one for thinking that this time was precious.

“Even if you’re injured, we can still enjoy the festival…maybe.”

I tried to cheer Mizutani up, but I lost confidence in the process.

As a result, I ended up saying things in a half-hearted way.

There was a sign of Mizutani’s flinching from behind me.

“For example?”

“For example, fireworks…or…what else, I wonder…”

“…just fireworks?”

“…I’m sorry. I couldn’t think of anything.”

Mizutani giggled when I jokingly made an unfaithful attempt.

Yes, this is good.

It’s better to laugh and be happy than to be sad about something that has passed.

Finding an empty bench, I dropped Mizutani there.

We sat down side by side, and I checked Mizutani’s right foot again after she takes off her geta.

The part where the strap was touching was a little red. I wondered if it was a because of that.

Hmmm, I guess she could walk if I put a bandage on it.

I wonder if there were any convenience stores around here.

I opened the map app on my phone and checked the nearest convenience store.

It was not far, but not close either.

In the darkness of the night, I felt a bit uneasy to leave Mizutani behind, who was injured and unable to walk.

…Should I carry her on my back?

“Mizutani, I’m sorry, but one more time—”

—Let me carry you.

Just as I was about to say something, Mizutani shouted, “Ah”

I looked next to me and saw her blue eyes, wide open, looking straight ahead.

I was caught and turned my head in that direction, and there was a familiar girl’s figure.

Her hair was a familiar brown with a perm.

She was wearing a yukata with lotus flowers on a white background, which looked fresh.

“…Aizawa and the Thieving Cat.”

Satomi Ayaka was standing there with her mouth gaping open as she caught the gazes of Mizutani and me.