Chapter 33

I have a bit of important news to report.

For more details, please refer to the activity report.

Fireworks were launched into the sky one after another.

The blue and red lights illuminated the dark sky brightly.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Arisa murmured softly.

Yugen shifted his gaze from the fireworks to Arisa.

Each time a firework soared into the sky, her face, which resembled a work of art, was brightly lit.

She squinted her eyes, relaxed her lips slightly, and gazed up at the night sky with a dazed but happy expression. The sight of the beautiful girl was truly picturesque.

The garden, the fireworks, and Arisa.

If these three could be captured in a photograph, it would surely be a wonderful piece of art.

"... Nagasawagawa-san? Is something wrong?"

"No, I just thought it was beautiful."

"The fireworks?"

"Of course, the fireworks."

He couldn't possibly say, "You are."

Yugen shifted his gaze back to the fireworks from Arisa.

When he realized, they were in silence.

There was no conversation between them.

But strangely, there was no awkwardness, and Yugen felt a sense of comfort.

Finally, a grand finale of fireworks lit up the night sky, and the fireworks show ended.

With the main fireworks over, the festival was also coming to an end.

In about an hour, the stalls would start preparing to pack up.

"They were beautiful, weren't they?"

"Yeah..."

"Nagasawagawa-san."

Their eyes met.

Arisa smiled.

"I had a great time today. Thank you."

"I did too. It was fun playing with you."

Yugen conveyed his sincere feelings to Arisa.

Then Arisa shifted her gaze back to the night sky.

The night sky after the fireworks seemed strangely lonely.

"Your family was really nice. Everyone was kind, gentle, and bright."

"You're just a bit excited because you came."

"Maybe so, but... it's still a far cry from my family."

Arisa said this with a hint of sadness.

Her expression carried a tinge of envy and a slight jealousy.

Then, Arisa shifted her gaze to Yugen.

Her eyes were filled with hesitation.

Anxiety, fear, and guilt... a mix of various emotions.

Arisa, on the verge of tears, but with a determined look, clenched her fists tightly.

"Nagasawagawa-san."

"... What's wrong?"

"Really... I'm very sorry."

Arisa bowed her head to Yugen.

Yugen didn't understand what she was apologizing for.

"Did you do something?"

"... I lied."

Arisa said in a small, almost inaudible voice.

She had lied.

In other words, she had deceived Yugen.

Yugen tensed slightly.

"What did you lie about?"

If it was something serious, he was a bit nervous.

Arisa was also tense.

"During the arranged meeting... I said that my adoptive father forced me to accept it."

Arisa said in a trembling voice.

Indeed, she had told Yugen that.

That's why Yugen had decided to protect Arisa by entering into a fake engagement.

"It's not true."

"... How is it different?"

"My adoptive father... just asked if I wanted to try the arranged meeting. I wasn't forced. But I... was scared, so I said I would accept it."

Arisa lowered her head, afraid to look at Yugen's face.

Though her expression was hidden, it was clear from the slight tears that she was overwhelmed by anxiety and fear.

"But I still didn't want to... so I kept refusing. And then... I had no way out. So, it's all my fault. I strangled myself."

Drops of water fell from the veranda.

Arisa's small shoulders trembled.

"I thought if I said this... you definitely wouldn't help me. I hid the inconvenient truth. And then... I couldn't bring myself to say it. I'm sorry for taking advantage of your kindness, Nagasawagawa-san."

Then Arisa fell silent.

It seemed her confession was over.

Yugen sighed involuntarily.

"It's just that, is it? ... Raise your head."

When Yugen said this, Arisa hesitantly raised her head.

Her beautiful face was a mess from tears.

"It's not a big deal."

Yugen said this slowly and carefully.

Arisa's expression twisted.

"But... but..."

"Besides, I wouldn't call it a lie."

Yugen interrupted Arisa's voice.

Then he looked into her eyes and spoke as if trying to convince her.

"You were mentally cornered. At the very least, you couldn't refuse your adoptive father's proposal. You were in that mental state. So, you had no choice but to accept his proposal. In the general sense, that's called 'being forced.'"

Yugen didn't know what Tashiro Naoki, her adoptive father, was thinking when he proposed the arranged meeting to Arisa.

Perhaps he was genuinely asking for her free will.

Maybe he thought Arisa genuinely wanted to go through with the arranged meeting.

This could only be confirmed by asking him directly.

But... in the end, Arisa was forced into an arranged meeting she didn't want.

She was pushed into a situation where she was forced into an engagement or marriage.

"I think I've said this before, but you are a victim. You might think you have some fault in your actions. There might be a little bit of that. But that doesn't mean you have to be unhappy. And it doesn't mean you lose the right to seek help."

If there was anything to be angry about.

If there was anything Yugen was dissatisfied with.

It was just one thing.

"I've said this before. I don't find it a bother to be asked for help. You should rely on me a bit more."

That was all Yugen wanted to say to Arisa.

She had red, teary eyes and said in a weak voice:

"Then, can I ask one thing?"

"Sure."

"... Can I lean on you?"

Yugen complied and embraced Arisa.

She pressed her face against Yugen's chest and sobbed.

Holding her, he could feel how small and delicate her body was.

Her warmth, softness, and the trembling of her body were transmitted to him.

She must have been enduring a lot with this small body.

Perhaps her tendency to feel guilty was a kind of defense mechanism.

She might have been trying to convince herself that her unhappiness was due to her own faults, not injustice.

This might be an overthinking, but in any case, her timid personality and the way she put up barriers with others were likely due to the oppressive family environment she grew up in.

Yugen gently stroked Arisa's head, careful not to mess up her hair.

He wanted to do something to help her, even if it didn't solve everything.

After a while.

Arisa lifted her face from Yugen's chest.

Her eyes were still wet with tears, but her face was much better than before.

She blushed, perhaps embarrassed by crying in front of Yugen.

She averted her gaze awkwardly and remained silent.

"Yukise, do you feel better now?"

"... Can I be a bit selfish?"

"Sure."

"Can I stay like this a bit longer?"

Arisa said this and pressed her face against Yugen's chest again.

This time, she pressed her cheek against his chest.

"Can you stroke my head?"

"Sure, Princess."

"... Isn't that embarrassing to say?"

"Didn't I say it's more embarrassing to point it out?"

"... Not being pointed out is also embarrassing, I guess."

"Your request is quite a lot, I think."

Despite saying this, Yugen stroked Arisa's head.

Her hair was smooth and felt very good to touch.

While holding her tightly and stroking her head, Arisa spoke again.

"Um, Nagasawagawa-san."

"What is it now?"

"... Can I call you by your first name?"

"First name?"

"Can I call you Yugen?"

Yugen was taken aback for a moment.

His hand, which had been stroking Arisa's head, stopped.

Arisa explained as if making an excuse.

"Because, Sato, Ayaka, and Chiharu all call you by your first name. ... It feels a bit distant to be the only one using your last name."

Arisa said this with a hint of pique.

She seemed a bit anxious and looked up at Yugen with a shy glance.

Yugen started stroking Arisa's head again.

"Sure. ... Can I call you Arisa in return? Everyone calls each other by their first names."

"Yes, please call me Arisa."

Arisa nodded in satisfaction, closed her eyes, and grabbed Yugen's body with both hands, like a baby clinging to a favorite blanket.

"Hey, Arisa."

"... What is it?"

"How long do you want to stay like this?"

While stroking Arisa's head, Yugen asked.

It was tiring to keep stroking, and even though it was night, it was a bit uncomfortable to be so close in the summer heat.

Arisa's answer was:

"As long as I feel better. Is that okay?"

Yugen sighed.

"Can't be helped. Absolutely."

Yugen continued to stroke Arisa's head.

Finally, we are calling each other by our first names.

This concludes the first chapter.

From the second chapter, it will be sweeter.

Also, the project for 'book publication' is underway. I will report on the illustrator, publisher, etc., in the future. For more details, please refer to the activity report.

If you could bookmark and rate (change the ☆☆☆☆☆ under the table of contents to ★★★★★), it would make me very happy as an author.

Dere Level: 120%

S, Scouter is!!!

So it has exceeded 100%. However, if it inflates too much, it will become trivial, so from now on, I will change the standard.

From now on, it will be 'True Dere Level'.

The previous dere level was an indicator of "I could be lovers with this person. I like this person." The new True Dere Level is an indicator of "I could be married to this person. I could spend my life with this person. I could have children with this person."

To put it in common terms, the previous dere level was 'love,' and the new True Dere Level is 'love.'

The current True Dere Level is...

About 5%.

There is a huge difference between being lovers and being married. Arisa is quite reserved, so the idea of having children is a bit daunting.

If you are interested in, looking forward to, or expecting the future True Dere Level,

If you could bookmark and rate (change the ☆☆☆☆☆ under the table of contents to ★★★★★), it would be a great motivation for updates. Thank you.