V3C4

Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.

I thought this chapter would take longer but turn out we could release this chapter early along with the epilogue. Enjoy the last two chapters.

It's nice seeing a lot of comrade here even though our ship isn't as strong as other two💀 and don't get me wrong, I didn't wish for any shipper war, just enjoy the story in your own way👋

*****

“What should I do, what should I do, what should I do…” Ajisai-san pressed on her chest as she breathed out heavily, her face pale. “I’m getting nervous…”

This was a serious matter...!

I had managed to maintain my composure, at least on the outside, to encourage Ajisai-san. Inside my heart though, the turmoil made me feel like a hamster in danger.

“It’s going to be alright! Totally alright! We’re talking about you after all! Of course they will forgive you! No matter what, you’re innocent!”

In the first place, if we were talking about being a burden for the family, I was an expert compared to her. I had been a shut-in who had troubled my family during middle-school, you know?

...but If I told Ajisai-san, she definitely would worry over me though!

We sat side by side on the train.

Soon, we would arrive at the station near Ajisai-san’s house.

It seemed like her mother and little brothers would pick her up at the station.

And that was the reason why Ajisai-san was scared to face her family.

“But I irresponsibly left my little brothers for two whole days, and troubled everyone… What if those guys turned into delinquents?! What if they’ve already dyed their hair blond, and gotten piercings and tattoos…”

“You’ve only been away for three days, right?!”

I grabbed her hands and held them. Her fingers were so cold!

“D-don’t worry… Everyone can live properly even when you’re away… Ah, no, that’s not what I meant, since you’re kinda the main pillar that supports your family! What I wanted to say is, uh, they must be waiting for your arrival impatiently...no, wait, uhhhh, well!”

Ah, I couldn’t do this. I really sucked at encouraging others. I was such a hopeless person…

“At least I’ll be by your side if you're anxious...okay?”

“Uuu, Rena-chan.”

Ajisai-san, who seemed weaker than usual, slowly squeezed my hand back.

U-uwaaa...how cute… It would be great if I could see her in this state everyday, and then she would rely on me, only me, for eternity, depending on me… I would definitely protect you, Ajisai-chan…

As if I wanted her to be like that! The usual Ajisai-san with her lively smile is the best!

Swish, swish. I frantically brushed those scenes from my mind. As I fought my foolish and sinful heart in a holy war, our train arrived at our destination.

I totally hadn’t prepared my heart yet, but! We got off at the platform.

Ahh, Tokyo.

Even though I had been away for only a short while, it felt like I had been gone for a lot longer. I had missed this environment. The breeze didn’t carry the scent of the ocean, and there weren't any hills at all. But it sure was hot!

“Errr, a-are you okay? Can you walk, Ajisai-san?”

“Y-yeah...I’ll do my best…”

Ajisai-san was doing her best. She was really doing her best to keep walking...how adorable for her to be able to walk on two legs…

We shouldered our bags and then climbed the stairs in the direction of the ticket gate.

I wondered what would happen between Ajisai-san—who ran away from home—and her family.

The best outcome, of course, was that they would make up.

But what if Ajisai-san got condemned by her family...o-of course it would be my role to take her away!

Since I currently had no money for another trip, this time we would go to my house!

Eh, bringing Ajisai-san back to my home…? Eh, did that mean I would have to lock her up in my room, like I was confining her…?

When I got home, Ajisai-san would sit in my room, waiting for me? While I gamed, woke up in the mornings, or fell asleep at night, she would be with me?

What if she said something like, “Hey, Rena-chan. What should we do for today? Ehehe, I’m okay with everything. Since I already have nothing other than you…” It was basically a relationship where we would totally depend on each other, right?

That would be extremely lewd...no, I’d never see Ajisai-san with those kinds of eyes anyway…

Wait a minute, did I just think that it would be great if Ajisai-san didn’t make up with her family?! Stop it! Did I just wish for Ajisai-san’s misfortune out of my own foolish self-interest?! I would totally get tossed into the deepest pit in hell!

It was noon in the empty station. We kept walking with heavy, conflicted feelings, until at last we saw them.

Behind the ticket gate, there were two little boys and a pretty lady. So that was Ajisai-san’s mother. How young...she looked very kind...a pretty mama…!

At that moment, Ajisai-san walked towards them. Ah, ah.

Ajisai-san trotted forwards and passed the ticket gate, dashing towards her family.

She pulled her little brothers into an embrace.

I didn’t know what kind of things they talked about...I only watched the scene unfold from behind the ticket gate.

I was sure that the little brothers had also felt lonely, since they were also tightly hugging their big sister who had been away for a while.

Somehow...I felt like this wasn’t my place to interrupt, so I just stood where I was.

But, yeah.

Looking at the family reunion, I felt like all of my worries were washing away.

That was a given, since we were talking about Ajisai-san’s family. Of course, she would have a family of good-natured people.

I stopped gripping my shoulder strap and could finally breathe properly.

With this, our three night, two day runaway trip really had come to an end.

Well then...let’s go home.

Right after I turned to go, Ajisai-san called me from behind the ticket gate, “Rena-chan!”

I looked behind me, and she was waving her hands at me.

Seeing her weakened state had really triggered my desire to protect her, but as I thought, a smile really suited her the most.

“I’m really, really, thankful!”

In an instant, warmth filled up my chest.

I really could be useful to her.

With a smile, I flashed her the peace sign.

“Yup.”

This time, our trip really had arrived at the grand finale.

We had reached a happy ending!

The end!

***

And then—

When I arrived back home, I threw myself onto the sofa in the living room.

“Fueee……”

Being home really was the best…

Well, the trip had been really fun. Everything had turned out alright since I had been with Ajisai-san. But in exchange for that dreamlike experience, it had cost me a huge amount of mental points, maybe as much as three whales.

With this amount of MP I had lost, one or two weeks wouldn’t be enough for a complete recovery…

“Uwaa, it's Big Sis. Why do you always look like a corpse whenever you come home from outside?”

My little sister entered the living room. She was wearing her uniform, so it was likely that she had only just got home from her club activities.

Huh, it was evening already? How long had I lain on this sofa for?

Well, this happens sometimes… I once again emptied my mind to recover, but a hand waved before my eyes. Huh?

“What?”

“Where’s my souvenir?”

“Nah, there isn’t any. I’m broke.”

“Uuwaaah.”

The heck was with that reaction…? Why was she looking at me with contempt…?

Yeah, right. This brat might be the fake little sister that was connected to me by blood after all...

But right now, my real little sister (Ajisai-chan) who wasn’t connected to me by blood must be having fun with her family, so I guessed I had to put up with this fake for now…

My little sister shoved my legs away from the sofa and sat down. What was she planning to do?

“So, did you have fun?”

“Well, yeah, since Ajisai-san was with me. Mai came along too.”

“...fuuun.”

Hearing a curt answer that sounded intentional made me pause.

Oh?

Could it be that she had also felt lonely, just like Ajisai-san’s little brothers?

She had been left alone since her only big sister hadn’t been home. So she could also be tormented by loneliness. Couldn’t be helped then. A normie like her couldn’t stand being alone after all. (Prejudiced thought)

You finally figured out the true value of the big sister you always ridicule, huh, huh?

“Fufufu.”

I got up and then stretched my arms wide in her direction. Here, big sis will let you hug her.

“You don’t have to worry. I’ll stay in the house for a while, okay? Shall we play together after this? You were lonely, right? Hmmm?”

“Gross.”

…………

That was a word you definitely shouldn’t be saying to a recluse. Why had she been able to say it so easily? Had her capacity for experiencing basic human emotions been impacted when she was born?

Since my past few days had been filled with Ajisai-san’s “benevolence”, I had momentarily forgotten the coldness of the real world. Big Sis was surprised. The real world was scary.

Aah. My little sister stretched her legs out onto the coffee table, leaning back into the sofa. I could see your panties, you know?

“High-schoolers sure have it nice huh, going on a trip with friends.”

“Eh? Aah, yeah. So that’s why, huh.”

She hadn’t felt lonely at all, she just envied me. Nah, of course it felt great when my little sister was feeling jealous of me like this. This was also nice.

“You’re going to be a high-schooler soon. Well, you have to pass the entrance exams before that, though.”

“Yeah, I know. Why are you looking so smug, like you are more experienced than me?”

“Of course, since I am more experienced than you!”

This brat, she was really belittling me. One day I would definitely show her my true ability. Until that day…

“Ah yeah, Big Sis.”

“What?”

“Mom was pissed since you suddenly went on a trip, so you should probably apologize to her later.”

“It’ll be scary to apologize alone, so I’m counting on you to back me up, Haruna-chan!” I requested in a sweet voice, clinging to her.

“If only you had brought me some souvenirs from your trip, I would’ve helped you gladly, you know… You're so thoughtless, you really suck at conducting yourself!”

“I’m begging you~~~!”

Well, I might need some more time until I managed to overturn this sister relationship…

After that, I properly apologized to my mother since I had acted rashly and made her worry. Luckily, she forgave me.

My lifespan had decreased though… My mother was someone who’d never gotten angry even during my shut-in days where I gamed all day after all. Since I had troubled other people and did something dangerous this time, she got really angry… My mother could be terrifying when she’s angry…

At least she let me explain the circumstances so she wouldn’t get the wrong idea, which I was thankful for… My little sister too. She ended up really helping a lot, so I was grateful to her…

And another thing.

I got a message from Ajisai-san.

She thanked me once again and told me that she would visit my house next time.

Honestly, I didn’t think that I had done much for her, but it made me happy knowing that what I had done was helpful. That I had been of use to her enough to receive her thanks made me glad.

Also, I wanted to meet up with her again anyway, so of course my reply was an immediate “OK”. I just needed more time to recover my MP so it would be great if she could hold on for a while!

After that runaway trip, I spent the rest of my summer break normally. Enjoying the cool breeze from the air conditioner, I gamed from morning to evening practically everyday. It felt so natural. Of course, I also did my summer homework once in a while.

As expected, I really loved gaming after all...I didn’t want to be apart from that world...

Haa. I really couldn’t get enough FPS as of lately. It was just a single software, but since it updated regularly, it kept getting more fun each time I played it. Yeah right, I didn’t really care about my savings!

Being home was the best!

—was what I said to myself every month.

I always thought that days like this would go on forever.

I had safely passed through one of the biggest events in my life, my “High-school Debut”, and my life finally went back on track. Right, my life was basically running smoothly on the track of success right now.

I felt like a protagonist from an Isekai series, a character who sailed smoothly through their life, thanks to the cheats they had. That’s why I also had nothing to fear right now.

Once the summer break ends, school will start. I already had a place where I belonged, the Mai group. It would go on just like the usual, where we had fun together while I worried constantly about my role.

Even during times when I was feeling down, or making mistakes, I would keep growing older and eventually become an adult. At that time, I imagined that once I got to second year, I would keep being the plain old me who would only get a single glance from my classmates, and nothing else.

Right.

Somewhere inside my heart, I always harbored that kind of happy-go-lucky view.

But that was wrong.

The moment I had decided to become someone with a bright personality—the moment I became someone I had always longed to be since those gloomy days—I couldn’t stay as someone who existed only in the corners of the classroom. I should treat people around me sincerely, and proactively reach out to everyone.

Even if I would face the fact that I was a powerless being again, again, and again.

Even if I would become so desperate facing my own powerlessness, I would keep struggling, striving to do my best.

I would definitely keep moving forward even if tears flowed from my eyes. I should keep moving forward.

At this point, I totally had no idea that the moment you started moving forward, the clock wouldn’t be able to turn back. Not even to a point before the summer break.

***

One week after our runaway trip, our doorbell sounded. Ping-pong.

She was here!

I hurriedly flew out of my room and dashed down to the front door.

Today was a happy occasion, the day Ajisai-san came to our house.

I arrived at the door and calmed my breathing. It wouldn’t do if I welcomed Ajisai-san with heavy breathing. I would be mistaken for a suspicious person.

Well, I had frantically cleaned up my room yesterday just for today. I had really made sure that not even a single strand of hair could be found. I also kept applying and removing my makeup in the morning since I couldn't calm down. Considering this chain of events, I had to admit that it was debatable whether I wasn’t some sort of suspicious person or not.

Alright, let’s open the door.

I really intended to greet her casually, waving my hand while saying, “Heya,” casually with a sparkling smile just like Mai.

A smiling Ajisai-san stood before me, looking like her usual self.

“Good afternoon.”

It really was Ajisai-san, with a box of sweets in her hand. The last time I had seen her was during our trip.

“G-good afternoon!”

Nnnn~~~ how cute! She also scored a perfect 100 points today, no, five hundred million points!

The only people I had seen lately were my family members and the characters from the Western video games I played. As a result, Ajisai-san really inflicted a huge damage on me. If I could download her character online, I would definitely buy it, even if it cost more than the console itself.

“You could have told me you were on your way, so I could pick you up at the station.”

“Nn, but I kind of remember your house, so it’s okay. I would feel bad for you if I made you walk under the scorching sun.”

How kind...geez...I liked her…

As my eyes turned into heart shapes, my mother, who had a day off, walked in from the living room.

“Oh my...your friend, Renako?”

“Yes, pardon me for the other day.”

Ajisai-san bent at the waist and bowed towards my mother courteously.

“Since I dragged Renako-san on my trip.”

“So you are, I see...eeh…?”

My mother surveyed Ajisai-san from the top of her head to the tips of her toes, looking puzzled.

By the way, I had redacted the ‘runaway’ part of my explanation to my mother so it wouldn’t get more complicated. I had simply told her that it was a normal trip. Ajisai-san was following along with my version of the story.

But this was dangerous.

I would be completely okay if my mother got angry at me (nah, I wouldn’t be okay), but if right now, my mother also directed that anger toward Ajisai-san, I wouldn’t want to see that…

Why were you acting out your own convenience and going on a trip without saying anything! My mother had reprimanded me harshly that day. I was afraid of the same scene unfolding for a second time.

“Umm, I see… I’m sure that you have your own circumstances...but next time, make sure to tell people properly, okay? So you won’t worry anyone.”

“Yes, I’m sorry for troubling you. This isn’t much, but it’s a fruit tart from my neighborhood, if you’re willing to accept it.”

“Oh my, thank you for your thoughtfulness. Ah, please take care of Renako.”

“Yes, of course.”

The conversation had ended peacefully!

H-huh…? Wasn’t your trust in me a bit low, Mom? But well, as expected from Ajisai-san who walked around looking like a perfect and beautiful model student…

After that, my mother finished the conversation with, “Since it’s dangerous for two girls to go on a trip alone, if you really want to go somewhere, you can bring your friend on our family trip if you want,” with a gentle expression on her face.

Y-yeah no...that would be very embarrassing. But since this ended without Ajisai-san getting reprimanded by her, it was a great result. A good friend really was a great blessing…

It would be awkward with my mother around, so I offered, “E-err, since standing while talking like this is a bit awkward...wanna go to my room?”

“No, it’s okay.” Ajisai-san shook her head with a smile. “Today I only planned to see you for a bit, so I’ll be off now.”

“Aah...is that so?”

“Yup, let’s meet at school, Rena-chan. Bye-bye.”

She bowed her head gracefully once again, and then turned her back.

Eeh...what was this awkward mood…?

Ajisa-san’s scent was getting further away.

In a fluster, I jammed my sandals on and then chased after her.

“W-wait a moment, Ajisai-san! At least let me walk you to the station!”

“Fufu, even though it’s okay.”

“Nah...since you went out of your way to come here...umm, I also want to talk with you even for a little bit…”

I had said an embarrassing thing. Uuh, this made me sound like I wanted her to entertain me…

But I really had been granted a copious amount of Ajisai-san during our trip, so meeting her only for this amount wasn’t even close to enough to fulfill my need for her. It seemed like I was close to becoming dependent on her like an alcoholic. My hands...my hands were trembling…!

“Fufufu, alright then. Let’s talk until we reach the station.”

Seeing her smiling at me gently, my head was working full throttle, desperately seeking conversation topics.

“Ah, that’s right. How are your brothers? Did you guys make up?”

“Yup, perfectly. Well, it’s more like they had already forgotten about the whole thing and are back to their normal behavior. They really hadn’t learned their lesson at all.”

“Ahaha…”

After that, we talked normally about summer homework, or about the games I was playing lately, and other stuff.

Ajisai-san listened to me, and then laughing, she responded to my words properly and expanded the topics. This, could it be that I was the only one who had fun?! During moments like this, I usually went straight to that kind of thinking,

But, ever since our last trip, I understood that Ajisai-san also enjoyed the time she spent with me, so I didn’t get too desperate like before.

Nevertheless, the fun time passed in the blink of an eye.

We had already arrived at the station. Even though it would’ve been great if time also passed like this during my usual morning commute to school!

“Ah, we’re here already.”

“Yeah, thank you for walking me here, Rena-chan.”

“Sure, um...”

I glanced at her from the corner of my eyes at a lower angle.

“Uh, please take care of me...at school.”

“Yup.”

Ajisai-san answered with a smile.

It was like she accepted everything, kindly.

That might be the reason why I felt like she spoiled me with that smile. I ended up saying very embarrassing things.

“U-umm, hey. Before, you said that you were thinking of me even when you’re home.”

“Eh?”

In the broad daylight, in front of the station, I said that while staring down at my feet.

“You see, I’m also the same. Sometimes you would come to my mind. Like, I wonder what you’re doing right now, or things like, I wonder if Ajisai-san is also troubled with this problem, and other stuff. Also, like, I wonder if Ajisai-san is having another fight with her brothers.”

Saying things like this would have been easier by phone, since doing this right before her was crazily embarrassing!

I should gather my courage right now before I chickened out and behaved suspiciously, pretending like I’d never said anything in the first place… I could do this. I could say it until the end.

“That’s why, uhh...if-if you face another problem, you can tell me. I know that you probably don’t want to show others your weakness, but...I’m okay with that. In fact, I would be happy if you relied on me, or so.”

I wanted to lessen her guilt even a little since she had already visited my house, bringing sweets as her apology.

Ah, I wondered if this was okay. What if she interpreted my words as, “I wish you’ll face another misfortune soon”? Were my words not clear enough after all?

What I wanted to convey were my genuine feelings. That I regarded Ajisai-san as my very precious friend…

I wondered if she properly understood my feelings…? I glanced at her to see her reaction.

Ajisai-san cast down her eyes, and then said, “Yeah, thank you, Rena-chan.”

Right, her usual smile.

She had tears flowing from her eyes.

“A-Ajisai-san?!”

“Eh? H-huh?”

Tears dripped down Ajisai-san's cheeks. Even she looked surprised.

“Huh, I wonder why I’m crying? Huh, this is weird.”

My head went blank as I stared at Ajisai-san, who was suddenly crying.

Wh-why…?

What happened? Eh, what was it? Ajisai-san was crying…!

Still confused, I quickly pulled out a pocket tissue and handed it over to Ajisai-san.

“S-sorry, Rena-chan.”

Ajisai-san used the tissue to dab at her eyes, but for a while, her tears didn’t stop.

Why...why…?

My chest was hurting.

To make sure that she wouldn’t attract attention from passersby, I slowly placed my hands on her shoulders, and steered her to the corner of the street… But this was the only thing I could do for her.

I bet I looked pathetic right now. Ajisai-san still pressed the tissue to her face, while shaking her head.

“That’s not it. Sorry. I’m sorry, Rena-chan.”

What happened? Ajisai-san…

Why are you crying…?

Ajisai-san kept crying.

“I’m sorry.”

I couldn’t say anything. All I could do was just stare at her.

I felt like the warm world I had built on the water, a world filled with happiness, had suddenly vanished, sunk underneath the frigid waters.

Ajisai-san finally stopped crying, but she kept saying, “I’m sorry,” and wouldn’t stop saying that until her train arrived and she went home.

No matter how many times I asked her, she wouldn’t answer me. Of course, I couldn’t force her to tell me.

In the end, even though I had tried to convince her that I wasn’t troubled at all, I totally hadn’t understood the reason behind her apologies.

Tantalized by the reason, I was only able to watch her train depart and see her leave me.

What happened to you, Ajisai-san…?

It couldn’t be nothing if you cried like that…

No, well, if we were talking about me and my mentally unstable state, it might be possible… But right now, we were talking about Ajisai-san who was capable of controlling herself, you know? I was sure that something must have happened.

I was curious...but what if I did something uncalled for… What if it was better that I don’t involve myself in her problems?

Since I didn’t really want to go home right away, I stopped at the park near my house and stared at my phone that I had neglected for a while.

Ummm, ummm. Yeah, I was curious after all.

Since I didn’t want to force my way to an answer from Ajisai-san, what about Mai?

During our trip, she had said something questionable in the public baths after all. It was possible that Mai knew about this whole thing.

Alright, I would ask her. Let’s just ask her.

And if, by any chance, Mai had no idea, then I would just send a message to Ajisai-san and ask her indirectly. Indirectly? What was indirect again…? How are you going to do it…?

I tapped Mai’s name on my phone and did something I was bad at. A phone call. Huh, rather than a phone call, a message would also be okay, right?! I regretted my decision three seconds after that.

But if I cut the call right after she picked it up, it would be rude! So I started rowing across the ocean of regrets (sailing while wailing, I sure said a clever thing). All I could do was pray that she wouldn’t pick up the phone.

She picked up the call.

“Hello, Renako?”

“Ah, yes.”

“It sure is rare for you to call me.”

So she had really picked up her phone...

I felt nervous but since the call had already connected, I couldn’t do anything other than carry on with it...

I sat on the swing in the park, and then spoke to her.

“Umm, the truth is.”

“Fumu, I see. So you are lonely and that’s why you call me.”

“That’s wrong!”

“Then, you called me for my sake since I was longing to hear your voice, right? That makes me happy.”

“That is also wrong!”

Ha! Would it be better if I just accepted whatever she said to keep her in her good mood? I had unconsciously retorted out of habit.

Ugugu. Even though I could be honest if the other person was Ajisai-san...why did I always become like this whenever I was with Mai.

Still, everything was for the Great Angel Ajisai’s sake. I could do this.

I conjured up all of my willpower.

“Th-the truth is, you’re right...since I wanted to hear your voice…!”

“I see. Well then, let’s move to the real topic.”

“Even though I did my best to suppress my embarrassment, you chose to dodge it, huh?!”

I could hear her laugh from over the phone. Well, that was to be expected, huh, since she could read me perfectly?! This jerk!

“The truth is! I want to ask about Ajisa-san! We met up just now, but somehow she still looked a bit downcast!”

“Fumu.”

Mai sighed.

“And so...I thought that maybe Mai knew something, and that’s why I called you…”

“I see. Well, I thought so.”

“Predicting what I would do and then making sure to mess with me, that sure sounds like Mai alright…”

“My bad, it’s my bad habit… You always put down your guard and look so vulnerable. It made you look so adorable that I end up wanting to tease you as an everyday thing…”

“You, you pretend to reflect on your actions like that, but actually you just want to say that I’m a scatterbrain, right?!”

Mai laughed like she was having fun, and then went back to the main topic.

“If it’s about Ajisai, well, I have an idea.”

“As expected from Mai! Mai really knows about everything! Someone who has special access to the Akashic Records!”

“It’s just I don’t have any intention to tell you.”

“But why?! Bully!”

I protested vehemently.

“Nah, it’s not like I want to bully you…”

I could understand that she was really troubled. That was why I got ahead of myself.

“Then, what am I supposed to do so you are willing to tell me?!”

“What are you supposed to do? Are you saying that you will do something for me?”

“Eeh...ehh?”

Crap, I had misstepped. She countered me perfectly.

Through the phone, I understood that Mai had regained her composure. It made me hesitate for a second. Gugugu.

Still, if it was for Ajisai-san’s sake…

I couldn’t buy Mai with money. I also couldn’t do her homework, and she also probably wouldn't be interested if I offered to level up her game.

If that was the case, what I could offer her right now was something that held great value at least for Mai.

There was nothing other than that...

Gulp. I swallowed nervously. Right, I would sell my body.

“S-something like a k-kiss on the cheek…!”

It was my complete determination. And Mai’s reaction was…

“.............aah, alright, I see.”

“Wait! Just now, you thought of me as someone at a grade-schooler level, right!? You’re wrong, that was just a demo version! The real thing is something awesome!”

“How awesome it is?”

She was really toying with me while I buzzed like a noisy mosquito in the middle of the park.

“I-I will give you...a kiss…”

Geez, even though I had done my best to cover the embarrassment I had, Mai’s response was very composed.

“We always do that though.”

“Uuuuuu.”

I felt like I would cry blood any time now out of embarrassment.

This had completely turned into something to see how far I would be willing to go for Ajisai-san’s sake, huh…

“A-alright, I get it...this time is special…!”

“You will marry me?”

“Are you really intending to ask for my life in exchange for this?!”

“Nah, the mood was kinda right to say that, so I just carelessly said it.”

I did my best to keep my composure in response to Mai’s bad joke, and then, I solemnly threw my joker card.

“B-before, you showed me a paper filled with your list of lust and desires, remember...?”

“Of course I remember. We had already promised to fulfill everything one day after all.”

(TL Note: From v1c2 part 1)

She hadn’t remembered properly at all! I really wanted to retort but I did my best to restrain myself. I couldn’t get swayed by her tempo, let’s proceed carefully…

I was perfectly aware that my cheeks grew hotter each passing second, and then I said it in one fell swoop.

“Th-the content from that list...you can ask me to do one of them…and I will do it for you.”

Over the phone, I could hear her breath catch in surprise.

The loud cries of cicadas drifted in the summer wind.

“...one of them.”

“...yes.”

I meekly nodded.

After that day, I had done my best to forget everything she wrote, but I remembered that it had been filled with outrageous stuff…

This careless proposal was especially targeting Mai, who was brimming with desires.

“I see...your suggestion is really something that would easily destroy my reasoning.”

“Then, are you…”

When I wanted to ask when I could meet her, Mai spoke before I did and said it clearly.

“But I can’t.”

“But whyyyy?!”

I had no other idea than this though?! It was not good if you do something like that during negotiation, you know?!

“To be exact, well, my bad. It doesn’t mean that you’re in the wrong...since I never had any intention to tell you from the start.”

“What are you saying…”

So she wouldn’t tell me after all!

“Uuh, how mean...you really played with my feelings...sob sob sob…”

“M-my bad.”

“Even though you didn't want to tell me from the start, you kept messing with me, and you must have laughed at me, right...huwaa, huwaa, that was too much…”

“I’m sorry.”

From that point, I kept attacking her conscience. After around an hour, I finally put a stop to it.

No matter how weak Mai was with my tears, if I kept using it, I got a hunch that I would slowly turn into her favourite kind of woman...

Who cared about me. The most important thing right now was Ajisai-san!

Mai continued talking, and the mood changed.

“The problem Ajisai has right now is something that she needs to solve on her own. It’s not just you. It’s also something I can’t help with.”

“I-is it?”

“Aah, no matter how much I want to help.”

Mai sounded like she really understood what had happened with Ajisai-san.

When I remembered her tears from before, my voice grew lower.

“B-but...am I, I really can’t do anything?”

“That’s right, that's especially true for you.”

“...”

Honestly, it was very difficult for me to accept this obediently.

But if I kept sticking my neck into something delicate like this, it was also possible that I would only hurt Ajisai-san. That was definitely something I wanted to avoid at all costs.

During my shut-in days, no matter how many times my parents showered me with gentle words, I couldn’t accept them at all. What I did was only close my world tighter.

What pushed me to free myself from that isolated room was myself. It had been my own hand that had opened that door.

During my time in the outside world, I was helped by a lot of people, and I had a place where I belonged. Everything that had happened were things that really saved me.

But the first trigger was none other than me who had been determined to push that door open. It was as simple as that.

That was why, what I could do right now was wait. That was also probably what Mai wanted to say.

“...I see.”

I couldn’t forcefully knock on that door and make Ajisai-san's fear worse. That was an outcome that I definitely would avoid. Since I perfectly understood how it felt to be in that position.

But still.

I timidly opened my mouth.

“Then, does that mean it has something to do with me…?”

Mai’s answer came one beat late.

“...that’s right, but it’s not your fault.”

“But…”

Mai said her words decisively.

“It’s not anyone’s fault. Regarding her problem, it is something that can’t be avoided… Right, just like when a girl suddenly falls from the sky all of sudden, of course it’s not something that people can foresee beforehand.”

If by any chance I didn’t ask Mai and went directly to attacking Ajisai-san, when I thought of that possibility, I couldn’t help but think that I might end up regretting it and blame myself.

“...I understand.”

I nodded gently.

I sighed, and then put on a brave front.

“Even though I intended to do something for her sake, it would only trouble her, right? Alright then. I understand. It means I just need to not think about this too much, right?”

Honestly, I totally couldn’t accept this situation at all. I really wanted to scramble over and pound on the locked door that she used to cover herself, since I wanted to force her to tell me what was troubling her.

But to think that the reason for her crying was me, I couldn’t stop the pain inside my chest. I felt like my heart would be crushed into pieces.

Also, it wasn’t like I wanted to trouble Mai further since she was the one who told me this much.

Mai let out a single sigh.

“That’s good. Thank you for doing that for my sake.”

Huh, even though I did my best to hide it, why had she grasped what was in my mind so easily, I wondered...how cocky of her…

That was why you’re so popular, you know?

“...can you tell me just one thing?”

“What is it?”

Staring at the people walking by the park, I asked her quietly.

“Is she alright?”

“Well, I wonder.”

Again, Mai answered my question like she also wanted to ask her the same thing.

“But you see, the moment you wish for something you never had, it would be practically like some sort of a curse that binds you. For that purpose, you should move forward using your own strength. I’m sure that you understand that, right?”

...was it about something like that?

If that was really the case, then...

I understood perfectly.

Since I was someone who looking up to the light that moved so fast, and desperately stretched out my hand to reach that light.

“...yeah.”

Once again, I slowly nodded.

I really wanted to support Ajisai-san when she felt lost, and I needed some extra courage if I really wanted to be a source of strength for her.

I wanted to tell her that even though she made mistakes, or even failed, everything would be okay.

Even though I wasn’t someone reliable.

Just like me who wasn’t alone, I wanted her to know that I would be by her side and wouldn’t let her be alone.

Because for me, Ajisai-san was a very, very precious―

―A very precious friend after all.

*****

Sena Ajisai's Story (4) - I Will Properly Convey These Feelings, Okay?

Her first summer break as a high school student passed by.

What changed from her usual days was that she had more free time than normal.

During the summer break, Sena Ajisai finished her homework early, experimented with complicated recipes she’d never tried before to widen her cooking repertoire, and completed the difficult action video game she usually wasn’t able to clear on her own.

That was how she spent her time.

Since that day, she never got in touch with Renako.

Ajisai was haunted by the embarrassment of suddenly crying in front of her. Every time she remembered that day, she would writhe in agony inside.

In the end, she gambled everything on her ability to regain her composure and face Renako normally when school started…

Ajisai decided to leave that for when it really happens. It wasn’t like she could stop going to school because of that. She had already given up halfway, such that she thought she would leave it to the universe, going with the flow to wherever life would bring her.

And so, she concluded that she was already dealing with her feelings. Probably.

Time really was the best medicine for everything after all.

She wondered if it was because she had already settled this that she felt her days trickle by gently. It was rather baffling.

Her days felt peaceful, like the curtains had been drawn shut.

One day, just a few days before the end of summer break, Ajisai-san was staring outside the window absentmindedly when a girl’s voice pulled her away from her thoughts.

“President, president~”

“Eh?”

She was sitting in a family restaurant with three other girls, her middle school friends who had gone to different high schools.

Ajisai had to turn down every invitation to hang out since she was too busy taking care of her brothers. Despite that, these girls were stubborn enough to continue inviting her. They really were patient enough to wait for Ajisai, and she was truly thankful for that.

“How about you, Prez? Are you enjoying your high school life?”

The other girls also nodded at the question.

“Well that’s a given, right? I can’t imagine a situation where Prez is a loner.”

Ajisai-san let out an awkward laugh. “We’ve already graduated, so I’m no longer your student council president, you see?”

The other girls glanced at each other.

“Even though you say that, Prez is Prez after all.”

“Well then, what should we call you? Ajisai...chan?”

“That sounds off!” One of them clapped her hands, laughing.

“Eeh, that much?”

Ajisai had been the Student Council President in her second year in middle school. After she formally held that title, everyone started calling her “President”. Even now, the few students who were at the same high school as her still called her that.

The conversation had gotten lively as the girls recalled the past.

“Yeah right, Prez is extremely popular after all.”

“She was like the idol from our generation...or rather, a legend?”

“Even after we graduated, it seems like President Sena’s heroic story is still being passed down!”

“Ahaha…” With a dry laugh, Ajisai sipped her iced tea.

The ‘Things that make Ajisai a splendid figure!’ talk that the three of them were absorbed in were a bunch of greatly exaggerated stories from the past. It would take a lot of time and effort if she wanted to straighten it out.

“The student council during her year was so magnificent, huh.”

“Since everyone relied on her. Whenever you had a problem, you could just go to Prez and ask her.”

“Ah right, remember the time there was an argument over the gym use schedule—”

Ajisai didn’t really feel bothered doing tasks that most people found troublesome and didn’t want to do. Personally, she thought that it wasn’t even that bad.

She was only doing her best at everything bit by bit, and soon she realized that everyone was depending on her. Even she herself hadn’t expected that.

“Hey hey, are you going to join the student council too at your school, Prez?”

“Nn~”

The Ashigaya High Student Council would kick off the election after summer break. During that period, the council would take applications from those that wanted to join...or so she heard.

For some reason, the girl next to her responded with a laugh. “Of course she’ll join, right? It would be a waste if Prez Sena didn’t join. Have you guys never heard of ‘right person at the right place’?”

“But well, I still haven’t decided yet.”

When she said that, everyone was surprised.

“Really?!”

“Did you join a club?”

“Or is it about your family?”

“Um, it isn’t anything like that.”

It was just that she felt like she already had her fill of student council activities during middle school. If she worked harder than those days, she had a hunch that she would face a lot more difficulties than before.

Looking at Ajisai’s vague reaction, one of the girls spoke again out of excitement.

“Ah, I get it! You got a boyfriend!”

Hearing those words, the other two spilled out their drink.

“Prez has a boyfriend?!”

“The Prez who always shook her head no matter who confessed to her?!”

“Hey, what kind of person is he?!”

“Eh, eh.” Ajisai’s face turned red.

“Th-that’s not it. Something like having a boyfriend is…”

The three of them grew more and more animated as Ajisai desperately waved her hands.

“If it’s true that Prez got a boyfriend, we should make a public announcement to everyone from middle school.”

“I can already predict a huge heartbreak party...”

“We should also join that, right…?”

“Y-you guys are getting it wrong…”

They made it sound like it was a huge deal, but the reality was that the number of confessions she received during middle school wasn’t...well it had been a bit more than others, but only around that degree.

“But you have someone you’re interested in, right?”

“Since look at that blush. You’re so cute, Prez~”

“Eeh…?”

Ajisai placed both palms on her cheeks, while the other three laughed.

“I-it’s not like that...but, I wonder, how I should put this... um, like I can’t express my feelings, that kind of thing?”

“Eh, but why?!”

“Don’t worry, if a beauty like you is the one making the move, no matter what kind of person they are, they’ll surely fall into your hands!”

That wasn’t the case though…

Ajisai lowered her eyebrows, then laughed.

“It would be quite wrong of me to do that.”

Her three friends seemed to understand what she had meant.

They exchanged glimpses with each other, then started whispering amongst themselves.

“Do you mean that…”

“With someone like a teacher…”

“Adultery…”

“Eh, eh?”

As Ajisai became baffled at their words, the three of them sounded out their thoughts as one.

“I really want to support your relationship but...it’s not good after all, that kind of thing.”

“She’s right, it will only bring you misfortune…”

“Right, it would be better if you stop involving yourself with a half-baked kind of person! But well, I admit that a romantic relationship with an older man really suits you!”

“Y-you got it wrong!”

Although this time she was upfront in denying their opinions, the three of them weren’t listening to her. They were seriously discussing how to conduct a panel interview to judge whether he was good enough for her or not.

Ajisai sighed and then gazed out the window again.

It would be better if you stopped, eh.

Those words echoed inside of her while an image of a single girl appeared.

It’s okay. She already understood.

She was already aware that her personality wasn’t suitable for romance, since she was someone who was always too considerate of others.

As long as she didn’t insert herself between the two of them, something like unnecessary conflict wouldn’t arise.

Everything would be normal, just like their usual days, where everyone was together.

(Since I was already determined to keep things that way.)

The time they returned from their runaway trip, that day, in that station, she had already made up her mind.

This time, she would be a proper good girl.

Ajisai intruded with a smile when there was a gap in their conversation.

“Everything is alright, you guys. Thanks for worrying about me.”

After Ajisai said that, her friends finally calmed down and became convinced to move onto the next topic.

When it was time, Ajisai stood up from her seat.

Catching up with old friends sure was a fun thing to do. When they talked about happy things without feeling sadness or painful feelings, the time passed in the blink of an eye.

That was when it happened, on her way back.

The four of them left the family restaurant. It felt like the warm air warped her body instantly as she tasted the outdoor humidity. Lately, she thought that she had become quite used to this sense of discomfort. This year, fall might come earlier than usual, she mused silently while peering at the sun that was still shining brightly.

Halfway to the station, one of them suddenly noticed something interesting.

She raised her voice, “Huh, what’s with that crowd? Hey hey, it looks like they’re filming something, doesn’t it?”

They paused by the crowd and discovered that it was a photoshoot. This area was often used as a photo spot, so it wasn’t that strange to see a celebrity having their photoshoot here.

Her friends became excited in a flash.

“Eh, for real? Could it be that...”

“Eeh? It’s Oozuka Mai?!”

Ajisai stood there and watched her.

It was someone who was surrounded by countless staff. Her classmate.

No...right now, the one there wasn’t her classmate. It was the splendid, charismatic model, Oozuka Mai. It seemed like she was taking a break since she was throwing charming smiles to the surrounding crowd.

From behind, her friends were raving about her.

“Uwaa...as expected from the real thing, how wonderful.”

“Her aura is really on a different level. She’s really someone special.”

“If only I was born with Oozuka Mai’s face, eh~”

After that, the three of them giggled at one another’s comments.

Aah, she really is beautiful after all, Ajisai thought.

If this had happened earlier, she was sure that she would’ve joined her friends’ casual banter.

But the current Ajisai knew.

That she couldn’t be her.

That her only role was to be the cupid that blessed the world with Mai and Renako’s happiness.

At that moment, she heard a voice.

—really?

It was something that emerged from her thoughts, something that she was supposed to have already sealed off.

I—

Right after she placed her hand on top of her painful chest, her eyes met with Mai’s across the crowd.

“Ah.”

Her breath caught in her throat the second she met those blue eyes.

A confident voice suddenly resurfaced in her head.

“You see, I like Renako.”

Mai’s face when she declared that was beautiful, her expression dazzling.

At that moment, Ajisai had been taken aback by her.

Boom. Just like the fireworks that had blossomed vividly against the night sky, that day, that night, the feelings she had left behind at the festival were beginning to stir.

Seeing Mai who had said her feelings so directly was really...

—really.

When she came to her senses, she had already walked away from her group of friends.

This time, without borrowing anyone’s power, she approached Mai by herself.

“Mai-chan.”

The people around them became rowdy. Many hushed whispers like, “Is she also one of the models?”, or a compliment like “How cute~” could be heard from the crowd.

Her friends became flustered, trying to stop her, “W-wait, stop.”

But none of that reached Ajisai’s ears.

Mai saw her classmate and smiled.

“Oh, Ajisai. It sure is a coincidence. It makes me happy that you showed up to greet me.”

“Mai-chan, I—”

Ajisai looked like a child who was getting reprimanded.

Seeing Ajisai like that, Mai cocked her head to the side, then smiled.

“Say it, Ajisai.”

In front of the noisy crowd, the two of them were lost in their own world.

“I—”

It was a continuation from that day.

Towards Mai, who had waited for her, Ajisai told her earnestly.

“I too...like Rena-chan.”

Once the words were wrung out of her mouth, she felt the power draining from her body.

For a while, Mai didn’t say anything. Then she glanced up at the sky.

Like she was influenced by her action, Ajisai also peered up at the blue sky that was slowly being painted in the colours of dusk.

Mai asked, “Ajisai, do you have time after this?”

“...ah, yeah, I do.”

“I see.”

Ajisai was instantly charmed by her smile.

“Then, can you accompany me for a bit?”

That moment, a sound that was supposed to be the gentle last curtain call, had a completely different tone blended in.

***

Declaring something that bold in front of so many people made Ajisai somewhat embarrassed and nervous.

Right after the sun went down, Ajisai and Mai boarded the train and headed to the city’s aquarium.

Gripping the admission pass in her hand, she followed behind Mai. Walking in the dark tunnel made her feel like a lost child.

When she told her friends, “I’m hanging out with Mai-chan for a bit,”, her friends clamored.

“You know Oozuka Mai, Prez?!”

“Come to think of it, both of you go to Ashigaya-High, right?!”

“Umm, is it okay if we tag along?!”

Hearing those questions, Mai responded with a smile.

“I’m sorry, we have something important to talk about. I’m going to borrow her for a bit. Ajisai is my precious friend after all. Please take care of her from now on.”

When she said that, of course they had no other choice but to back down.

Once they passed a corner, the scene unfolded before their eyes.

A whole wide surface of the sea.

Mai, who was walking a little ahead of her, stopped right before the enormous tank.

“Sometimes I come to the aquarium by myself.”

“Is that so?”

“Aah, since it’s quite dark here. No one can see me clearly here, and that somehow makes me feel like I’m alone in a way. It’s very calming.”

Ajisai moved to stand next to Mai.

“...I think I can understand.”

Mai answered her with a smile.

“Shall we hold hands?”

“Just like a date, eh?”

“Fufu, ‘The celebrity Oozuka Mai’s secret date. Her partner is unexpectedly her beautiful classmate’, something like that?”

The way Mai said it was quite amusing and Ajisai laughed, forgetting her anxiety just a bit.

Mai and Ajisai walked around the aquarium holding hands. Doing this, Ajisai was under the impression that the distance between their hearts was getting closer.

“Someone like me isn’t good enough for Mai-chan.”

“Renako also says that a lot.”

“I’m sure that everyone feels the same.”

Ajisai laughed again. A laugh that sounded like she was freed.

“You look very pretty when you’re working. It made me think that anyone would surely fall for you if they received a confession from you.”

“It would be great if that’s really the case.”

Mai paused right before an especially large tank.

Reflected on the glass were two girls that looked very close to each other, their hands intertwined.

“Rena-chan is a very good girl, right?”

“That’s right.”

“I wonder if Mai-chan would make Rena-chan happy.”

A big fish slowly passed in front of them.

Hearing Ajisai’s words, Mai didn’t take it easily.

“Of course I want to make her happy, but it seems like she prefers to achieve happiness using her own strength.”

“Using her own strength...”

“That’s right. We’re still fighting about that, even now. I’ve done my best to show her that I can make her happy, but currently we’re kind of in a tie.”

“Rena-chan is really amazing. She sure is strong.”

She knew that there weren’t many people at school who could stand on the same ground as that Oozuka Mai.

“Ajisai.”

“Yeah?”

“I like you.”

That was surprising for Ajisai.

“Mai-chan, you...eeh, not in that way, right…?”

“Of course, as a friend.”

“O-of course. Right. I was confused... I even imagined for a second that it would be me and Rena-chan’s turn to fight over you…”

Mai chuckled. Perhaps she already knew what her reaction would be and had deliberately said that to shock her.

“That’s why, I want your wish to be granted. Since I like you.”

“But, that’s...”

Her eyes wavered.

“Even then, I-I also like you, Mai-chan.”

“I see. Our feelings are mutual, eh.”

“...fufu. That makes me happy.”

Deep down, Ajisa was really grateful toward Mai.

It was all thanks to Mai that the feelings she buried deep inside her heart could be unchained, that the pain in her chest wasn’t as painful as before, that her agony had softened. At this point, she wondered if she could go on like usual with this amount of pain.

Everything was thanks to Mai.

That was why she wanted to convey her gratitude. It was something simple like that.

That was her only intention, but—

Mai smiled again.

“But it will be okay, Ajisai.”

Her eyes, deeper than the ocean, gazed into Ajisai’s.

“Since you are very kind, you’re trying to hold back for my sake. But you see, I don’t need something like that. The feelings you have are meant to be conveyed.”

“But if I do something like that…”

“It won’t bother me,” Mai cut her off. “It’s far more painful for me to see you live your life in anguish, holding back your feelings. I’m also sure that Renako feels the same.”

The hand that was holding Ajisai’s hand grasped back stronger.

“Why won’t it bother you?”

“Of course.” Mai smiled.

“Because I’m certain that Renako will choose me in the end.”

Aah, Ajisai looked at Mai.

Perhaps she hadn’t really understood Mai after all this time, was what she thought.

Mai really was cool.

Moving people’s feelings like magic, showing that being a step ahead didn’t mean that she had already guaranteed her victory... It all became clear when she recalled how anxious Mai had been. When she found out that Renako and Ajisai had gone on a trip together, she hurriedly chased after them in a panic. When she learned that they shared a room, she became flustered.

Mai was the same as her. Just simply a girl in love.

Even so, the girl in front of Ajisai was standing up proudly.

Without any hesitation, she had made that declaration to assure Ajisai that her future with Renako wouldn’t change.

Which is why you should do whatever you like, was what Mai was conveying to her.

It was a roundabout way of expressing that, but it sure seemed like something that Mai would do, to push Ajisai forwards.

Mai was engulfed by her own weakness and doubts, caused by none other than her own confusing thoughts towards her friend.

In Ajisai’s eyes, her majestic figure looked gorgeous.

“So, it means I have no chance at winning, eh?”

Mai’s cheeks loosened, and her lips curled upwards.

“Renako is kind, which is why she might become confused, but it will be okay. It’s a given that she would be delighted to receive your confession. In truth, I feel bad making you do something like this.”

“No matter how hard I try to convey these feelings, it won’t reach her after all?”

“That would be regretful. From a friend's point of view, you really are splendid and charming. It’s just, well, you have the wrong opponent.”

During her exchange with Mai, Ajisai slowly felt like her feelings were becoming lighter.

It was possible that during the festival, this was what Mai had wanted to tell Ajisai. That she also shared the same feelings, which was why it was okay if Ajisai wanted to express her feelings to Renako.

If that was true, then she sure was saying it in a clumsy way.

It was very unlike Mai, who usually did everything perfectly.

But perhaps, this was also proof that Mai was expressing her feelings honestly and confronting Ajisai directly using her own words.

I see.

So it was okay for her to tell Renako her feelings.

Ajisai had been moving in a circle, distressed by her own emotions, doing many things that were unlike her. Nevertheless, she had really done her best to suppress everything in her chest. It now finally felt like she could deal with and put an end to these overflowing feelings.

She took a deep breath. Everything that she had locked inside her felt like it had melted into one clear feeling.

“You see...I was scared.”

“Aah.”

“That’s why I always thought that staying like this forever would be better. That’s how I persuaded myself.”

“I understand.”

“Since it’s something that I wished for, I should act according to my rational thoughts, to not upset the balance of our relationship.”

But it had been impossible for her to seal off the feelings that kept growing ever larger.

Someday eventually, it would grow too large and burst the box in her heart.

Mai released her hand, and moved to embrace Ajisai’s shoulder.

“Being alive means to change. Whether it’s your environment, or having new encounters. Being alive means going through infinite changes. Even the fish that once swam in the ocean evolved into birds that could fly in the skies. When you give up on changing, it's practically the same as giving up on being alive.”

“Even so...”

As if she was enduring the pain, Ajisai pressed her chest with her palm again.

“I want to keep being an angel in her eyes.”

“What are you saying, Ajisai?”

Mai tilted her head and leaned it on Ajisai’s head.

Ajisai could feel her warmth.

“On n'a qu'une vie. We only have one life. When you were born as a girl, being in love is something that you should experience,” she whispered.

“And since the beginning, you weren’t an angel. You are simply an adorable girl.”

Ajisai’s vision blurred.

“Somehow...this feels like I’m the one getting confessed by you…”

“...right. It seems like I stepped ahead of you in terms of showing courage.” Mai said, chuckling.

Ajisai’s nervousness up until now felt like some strange phenomenon.

“Thank you, Mai-chan. I mean it.”

“Don’t mind it. You too...thank you for listening to what I wanted to say.”

In front of the aquarium glass, their shadows became one.

“If lovers mean supporting each other whether it’s during harsh times, or when I feel loneliness in my heart, then for me, friends are those who would walk together with me when I experienced problems, putting their faith in me.” Mai seemed rather bashful after saying that.

“It would be pretty unlikely, but I will definitely still do that even though pushing you like this means putting me at a huge disadvantage. I wouldn’t be Oozuka Mai if I had acted out of my self-interest and made you regret your decision.”

Once again, Ajisai wrapped her arms around Mai.

She couldn’t help but feel proud since Mai had really thought of her wellbeing like this.

“You really are lovely, Mai-chan.”

“You make me blush.”

“Really...thank you.”

For the last time, she hugged Mai strongly.

It will be okay, Ajisai thought.

Whatever happened next, her friendship with Mai would last. Even though they didn’t know what kind of changes awaited them, the fact that at one point they had harbored the same feelings towards the same girl would last for eternity.

That was why, everything would be alright.

Ajisai released herself gently from Mai, then wiped away her tears with her fingers.

She smiled.

“Watch me, Mai-chan.”

“Aah, as you wish.”

Ajisai took a deep breath, and then—

She pulled out her phone and made a call.

It connected.

“Ah...err, Rena-chan? Is it okay to talk right now? Err...yeah, listen…”

This moment, she really said something selfish.

“I wonder if we could meet right now? Yeah, yeah...just for a bit...yup, thanks.”

She mentioned the park closest to Renako’s house, setting it as their meeting point, and then ended the call.

Ajisai’s slender body swayed like she had lost her strength, and Mai quickly caught her.

Mai gave a hearty laugh.

“You sure did well, Ajisai.”

“Yup...that was nerve wracking.”

They laughed in harmony, like the school of fish that swirled peacefully as one in the glass tank.

And so, Ajisai stood up and walked.

She stepped lightly, as if she was defying the gravity that had burdened her body up until now.

*****

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