Chapter 63

That day was spent buying bedding and, since Ravia said she wanted them, a set of two matching dishes.

In the evening, they took out a few dishes from a food stall and decided to eat them at their new home.

When they sat side by side at the table to eat, Ravia looked very happy.

(…Is this…?)

At night, while Hikaru glanced at Ravia, who was sleeping wrapped in the new sheets, he thought to himself,

(It feels like we’re a married couple…)

Although they had left Ponsania, Ravia showed no signs of wanting to distance herself from Hikaru. Since the day she said, “It doesn’t have to be equal,” the distance between them hadn’t changed.

Hikaru didn’t know what to do.

They were still 15 and 14 years old—yet they were doing things and Ravia was acting as if she belonged to Hikaru.

(Maybe going to school will change her mind…)

Hikaru also thought that telling Ravia to “do as she pleases” in this state would be cruel.

Ravia, who had lived in a mansion, had finally gone outside.

But, “do as you please” wouldn’t help her figure out how to live. She would have to depend on someone else for a while.

The thought of Ravia depending on someone else and living somewhere made him feel sick.

So, for now, it would be better to have a stable life.

In fact, when he thought of “going to school,” he had such intentions.

If they could have a stable life, Ravia might find her own path—

(But if she says she’s going to leave me… Can I recover?)

Hikaru lacked confidence.

(I should stop thinking too much. I shouldn’t emphasize to Ravia that she’s free either.)

—Life is tough, isn’t it? You might be smart, but you’re unreliable. Somewhere, sometime, you might just… die suddenly.

He still clearly remembered being told this.

Strangely, he didn’t feel bad about it.

Although he was a “rude” boy—his rudeness faded in front of Hazuki-senpai.

“Senpai… I died just as you said. Suddenly.”

—Of course. My intuition is always right.

“But I came to another world and am living happily. I’m still pretty ‘rude,’ though.”

—That’s fine. It’s okay.

Hazuki-senpai didn’t meet Hikaru’s eyes—she looked into the distance and just smiled.

He felt distant.

The distance he felt back then. It seemed close enough to touch, but Hikaru couldn’t close the gap.

He thought it was fine.

As long as he could look at Hazuki-senpai from the closest possible distance without touching her.

He believed she felt the same way.

He trusted her.

—But, Hikaru-kun. You should… create something.

“What? I didn’t hear that.”

—You should… create something.

“Hazuki-senpai? —Hazuki-senpai!”

“—Huh”

He woke up.

It was just before dawn.

Hikaru noticed his stiff body and took a deep breath.

(…It’s been a while since I had a dream about Japan that ended like this… But it was nostalgic… Hazuki-senpai)

He tilted his head.

(Hmm—Did she say something like that? That I should create something?)

“Hmm, Hikaru?”

It seemed Ravia had also woken up.

She sat up and stretched.

The balcony was wide, and there was also a skylight.

Even though the sun hadn’t risen, the room was bright enough.

“?”

Ravia looked at Hikaru with a puzzled face.

Maybe because Hikaru reached out and held her hand.

“…It’s warm”

And her soft hand.

Hikaru thought it was natural to sleep with Ravia.

They had been together ever since he saved her.

(But… back then, there was no one like that)

His parents were far away.

He couldn’t make friends.

He couldn’t touch Hazuki-senpai.

(Is this… what she meant?)

He suddenly thought he understood what Hazuki-senpai was trying to say.

(She meant I should… create something. Create someone I can trust from the bottom of my heart…)

“Hikaru, you’re being serious this morning. Worrying too much is a bad habit of yours?”

Ravia’s face came closer.

A gentle kiss, just a touch of their lips.

“Ravia”

“What is it?”

He had thought it would happen someday.

He thought he would eventually figure out when it would happen.

(Just waiting won’t make it happen… I have to reach out to her. That day will never come if I don’t. I always had the chance, but I just kept putting it off)

“W-What’s wrong, Hikaru? Are you… tired?”

“Ravia must be wondering. How I disappear—no, how I maintain a ‘hidden’ state from others”

“——”

Ravia was startled when she realized he was talking about his secret.

“Hikaru, but you don’t have to force yourself to talk about it—”

“Ravia. I’ve always thought I should talk about it someday. But, it could have been anytime. I could have talked about it whenever I wanted”

“Is now the time?”

“Yes”

“Why now?”

“I don’t know. …But, Ravia. Will you listen to me?”

“——”

Ravia, who had a serious expression, sat up straight.

“Yes”

To her—himself, Hikaru felt deeply grateful for Ravia, who faced him so straightforwardly.

“Then… I’ll tell you. Where should I start—how about from the beginning? Yeah, that’s right… I’ll start from when I met Roland Nui Zarasha in the land of the dead—”

I wonder if important decisions are always triggered by trivial things.

In Hikaru’s case, it was the first night of his new life.

Sorry, this one is a bit short.

Actually, I was writing a completely different story, but I thought, “No, I’m not really facing Ravia properly,” and ended up scrapping it all.

Hazuki-senpai appears from time to time, but she hasn’t come to this world. Ravia is the main wife.