Chapter 1203 - Hiyoko's Day Off: Part 5
"...—And well, that's pretty much the gist of it."
As expected of a skilled storyteller, or whatever it was.
Perhaps she wasn't putting on any particular acting right now, but it was only to be expected of someone whose voice was one of her professions. Rich with emotion, and with a mountain of realism, Saegusa-san had begun to talk about her past... and although about ten-odd minutes must have passed, it felt like an instant.
And so, a pause. She had probably reached a temporary milestone.
As if raising her head from the sea of reminiscence to catch her breath, she drained the remainder of her already-cooled black tea from her cup in one gulp... yet with exquisitely elegant movements—
"...Fufu. You have a peaceful face."
Looking at me, who had been quietly listening to her memories from across the table, she smiled slightly.
Well, I couldn't know for myself what kind of face I was actually making, but...
"Well, I mean, yeah. I was honestly a bit surprised by the grand 'absolutely hated her', but..."
Whether it was indeed the face Saegusa-san expected or not, I didn't know that either, but describing my impressions in words wasn't particularly difficult.
"I don't think there was much that I found surprising."
Therefore, when I returned my honest feelings, Saegusa-san muttered, "Is that so?"
Her slightly downcast face... but naturally, no sunken color could be seen now. So, yes. Including even the present, to put it in the style of her close circles—
"Putting tiny Nia aside, as far as you're concerned, Saegusa-san, it's a pretty matching interpretation."
"Oh my... you say that as if you understand everything."
"I'm not saying a cocky ten-year-old sounds 'typical' of you, okay?"
Whether it was good or bad, it was a subtle reaction.
While making a face that was barely in the category of a bitter smile... was it my imagination or not that her gesture of pouring black tea from the teapot into her empty cup looked somewhat like an action to hide her embarrassment?
It must be my imagination. No doubt about it—and,
"...Somehow, it's a bit annoying."
"That's the second time today for 'annoying'. You don't get called 'annoying' very often in real life."
I wouldn't know if the word 'peaceful' was appropriate unless I looked in a mirror, but well, judging by her reaction, I must be making a similar face. I was aware that I was being told a reasonably heavy story, but at the same time, I was conscious of listening to it with a light heart.
...Because, you know? Just as I declared, it's a matching interpretation.
—Therefore, it couldn't be helped that I had somehow read the upcoming development.
"Then, shall we check the answers?"
"Please stop reading my mind."
To have my thoughts snatched away like this when we were still in the process of becoming close was, well, not limited to Saegusa Hiyori... no, it wasn't limited to her, but it was a common occurrence.
In that aspect, she was an expert on par with the maid I went on a date with the other day. Because I had been thoroughly teased and bullied by both of them, I was fed up, but not troubled. I would complain, but it was meaningless.
I had my doubts about it, but I was used to it.
"So, yes. After all that, I received an unprecedented fatal wound to my heart in the history of Hiyori-chan... but to put it simply, I was knocked out."
"Eh, knocked out?"
And so, Saegusa-san resumed her old story while casting a half-glance at me. As for me, even though I said I had read it, it was only 'somehow', so if an unexpected turn of events was told, I would tilt my head.
Then, the story that followed was...
"A chain combo of travel fatigue, an unfamiliar environment, and my pride being shattered to pieces made me collapse."
"Ahhh..."
Once told, there was nothing to do but agree that it made perfect sense.
"It wasn't just a matter of getting sick in a foreign land... apparently, I fell ill for the very first time in my life at that time. I don't remember my own medical history, though."
"Oh... you were a sturdy child, weren't you..."
"Apparently. So, my parents panicked like crazy."
"Of course they would."
She said it lightly, but under the circumstances, they would obviously panic, and I could only agree with the Saegusa couple of that time. Taking their child on their first overseas trip only for her to fall ill and collapse for the first time in her life—for her parents, wouldn't that normally be a traumatic experience?
Leaving aside me, who was feeling sympathy for her parents whose faces I didn't even know.
"Anyway, I ended up bedridden like that. It was the day before our scheduled departure, so naturally, our stay was extended—though I grumbled that I 'wanted to go home'."
"..."
"Because I didn't want to be near the fairy for even one more second."
"..."
"Fortunately, no one found out my true feelings. They thought I was just feeling weak from falling ill. They thought I had gotten homesick. No way, no way..."
"..."
"They wouldn't think I was saying it out of hatred for a certain someone."
Pricking, she stabs at me.
Thinking to myself that she was doing this on purpose, I also emptied my teacup. After agonizing for a few seconds over whether to retort or not—
"And?"
"...What do you mean, 'and'?"
Having decided to retaliate with a straight face, I said,
"And—it's about time you were won over, right?"
"..."
An extremely rare situation.
I had drawn out a displeased expression, which was probably her true feelings, from that Saegusa Hiyori.
...Following the example of the past Nia, should I go for a follow-up attack?
"No, 'won over' is different, isn't it? In my opinion, if it's you, Saegusa-san—"
"—Ahhh! Ahhh! No, no, I don't want that, no thank you! Girls are creatures who are happy to be empathized with, but they are creatures who hate being seen through!"
Truly, extremely rare.
From the bottom of her heart, it was unlike her...—yet, now that I had heard even a little of her past and her outline had deepened, it was a messy behavior that could also be said to be like her.
With a completely natural expression now, Saegusa Hiyori glared at me... and with a reluctant look.
"...From there, the extended stay."
"Yeah."
What she began to tell was probably the continuation of the story that I had seen through.
"Well, naturally, the pure and innocent fairy worried about me... or rather, she went and did so."
"Yeah."
"She stuck to the side of my bed the entire time and wouldn't leave."
"Yeah."
The scene floated before my eyes.
Along with the state of mind of the young Saegusa-san, who was approaching her limit in various senses.
"...And, I finally said it."
"Yeah."
"...'Just go away already.'"
I didn't nod. I didn't even make a conversational response. Because the feelings she felt at that time belonged to her alone, and I had a premonition that they must have become something precious now.
"And... she went away. That girl. With a face like she was about to cry."
"..."
"And then, until the final day of the extended stay, she didn't return to my side."
"...And then?"
I knew the conclusion. I knew the present. That was precisely why I could keep my heart peaceful... but even so, it wasn't like I wanted to listen to it willingly.
The present Nia and Saegusa-san...—the past misunderstanding between the two, who entrusted their hearts to each other beyond best friends, like family, like sisters. It felt as if my heart was being pricked with a needle.
Therefore, I hurried her. To the next part.
To quickly let me hear the happy ending leading to now, from the future (present).
"Instead of that girl coming, Elena-san was by my side the entire time."
As usual, her way of speaking was clear and skillful.
"She said she was pleaded with in tears, 'Mama, help Hiyo-chan'."
For her, it was a past she had already walked, a precious memory.
She wouldn't look back on it now and cry from the memory in front of others... especially in front of an "enemy" like me. In other words, because she was the one making a 'peaceful face'—
"...Saegusa-san."
It wasn't that I was trying to meet her expectations, but... checking the answers.
"You've been a child who could do anything since long ago, after all."
"..."
That was indeed tracing the "correct answer" she had placed at the beginning of her story.
Thus—what returned was silence and, as expected, a glare of deep dissatisfaction from the bottom of her heart.
"That's right."
And, shaking it off, a single grand nod.
"I was a child who could properly do both looking back and reflecting all by myself."
Saegusa Hiyori smiled, full of confidence.
"Like, 'That girl didn't do anything wrong at all'."
Smoothly.
"Like, 'Hating her one-sidedly and selfishly, I'm a really awful child'."
Smoothly.
"Like, 'Even acting, deceiving her, and reluctantly getting along. I'm a super awful person'."
Smoothly, smoothly.
"I was ashamed."
She laughed at her past self, without sneering.
"I thought, 'I have to say sorry'."
Not treating it as if it never happened, but treasuring it.
"...Saegusa-san?"
"What is it?"
Seeing her like that, I also—reading the room, made a single smug face.
"It's a matching interpretation."
"I told you to stop that. I'll scream 'Big Brother' right here in this residential area (here), you know?"
It seemed I wouldn't have to feel any more pricking.
She was ten years old. She was an incredibly clever child.