Chapter 1224 - 4/1
—And so, after the banquet.
Talking much, playing much, filling not just our stomachs but our hearts to the absolute brim. Not forgetting the cake, which was the one thing prepared by just me and Itsuki-san, without involving the guest of honor.
Blowing out the sixteen firmly planted candles... of course, we pulled off that important event flawlessly as well. Truly enjoying everything to the absolute fullest, after the banquet.
"............................................................"
I lay in an unfamiliar bed in my own room, staring at the ceiling in the darkness.
Needless to say what I was thinking about. It was by no means because my stomach was so full my body was about to burst and die, or because my heart was so full of happiness it was about to burst and pass away.
Only one thing, or rather, "one person," just for now.
Needless to say what I was waiting for in this room, which I had used for various things before but was staying overnight in for the first time... Indeed, without even needing to bring up any counterexamples—
Knock, knock... only this knock.
A short while after wrapping up the banquet. A short while after finishing the cleanup.
Just as promised beforehand. Precisely because that promise existed, I had been waiting while desperately soothing my heart, which felt like it was about to burst, explode, or detonate in various ways.
Therefore, the moment that modest greeting echoed in the room.
Even if an acrobatic spring-up action like some other "me" was impossible, I sprang out of bed with a movement that was undoubtedly the fastest in my life.
And then, a movement that no longer involved consciousness or anything. Without a second thought, I rushed straight to the door, and kicking aside any hesitation, I twisted the doorknob—
On the other side, visible through the opening gap.
"So—... O-Oh..."
Before I could even take her in, she came to this side.
In other words, into the room.
Someone stepped in with quick paces, just like me who had opened the door in a split second as if there were no other choice. As if there were no other choice... she dove into my arms.
""......""
—And so, the moment she entered the room. Dividing into the roles of the hugger and the hugged, we clung to each other, both our movements and words stopping as we thought for a few seconds.
Taking a step back together, and then, with a click...
As I reached out with all my might and closed the door, we were safely alone together.
With no time to hold back, and no time to compose ourselves, we were stuck together, clung together, pressed close, exchanging each other's heartbeats from the very start, so there was no longer any need to pretend,
just the two of us.
...And then, continuing without hesitation—click.
"... ..."
To ensure that, even by some remote chance, there would be no interruptions in the time to come. When I locked the door, someone's... Sora's delicate shoulders jumped slightly, probably from tension.
"...Haha."
The current time was just before twelve midnight. That is to say, late at night.
Visiting a guy's room, throwing a passionate embrace right from the start, and this was her reaction. Good grief, she was so incredibly cute it felt like I was going crazy... well, it was a bit late for that.
I, who had long since gone crazy, instead felt calm, and while letting out an unconsciously relaxed laugh, I stroked the girl's head. As if it were the natural thing to do, to reassure her.
It wasn't like we were going to do "bad things" now... well, actually, I couldn't say for sure that we wouldn't, but at least no "incident" would occur.
You can read my mind, right? As if speaking to her with unquestioning trust.
—Then,
"...O"
One step,
"o-oh..."
two steps, three steps,
"W-Whoa...!"
With a strength that suited her delicate body. Yet, with a certain strength that felt far from fragile. As I was steadily pushed backward, the destination I arrived at was on top of the bed.
My knees bending, I sat down vigorously but without falling over, and after wondering what to do for just a moment—while holding a precious weight that was by no means light as a feather.
Without resisting, I was pushed down in accordance with my partner's wishes.
""......""
We stared at each other. With a pair of sky-blue eyes that still sparkled even in the dim darkness.
Naturally, I had already informed the maid... Itsuki-san. I locked the door to somewhat reinforce my peace of mind, but even without doing so, there would be no interruptions.
This night, forever.
""..........""
We could stay like this, staring at each other forever—but,
"...The time is going to come, you know?"
Because for the "play" we intended to do now, the timing, which seemed to exist yet not exist, was important. There was no meaning to it, but it was an important game only to us.
"...There's still a little more time, after all."
Therefore, we couldn't stay silent forever.
Just staring at each other would be a waste.
—Because I knew we were thinking the same thing, without even having to check.
Without hesitation, I caught Sora's body as she relaxed and came down from above. Accepting her, melting our warmth together as if embracing not just her body but her heart.
And then,
"...Happy birthday, Sora."
"...Geez, you've already said that to me so many times."
We closed our eyes together, two people as if we were one (T/N: ruby text "one" over "two people" in source).
"Somehow... it went by in the blink of an eye, didn't it?"
"For me... it felt very long, though."
"Well, yeah. It was also incredibly long."
"Geez, which is it?"
"It's both. Like an infinite amount of time that ends in an instant."
"There you go saying irresponsible things again."
"It's not irresponsible, it's poetic."
"You don't seem suited to be a poet... A year, is it?"
"A year, indeed. ...Last year, I ignored my own birthday."
"......"
"No, uh, that. It wasn't just last year, but for years now, that—Ouch!"
"... ... ..."
"That's not it, I'm sorry. Well, it's not not it, but I'm sorry. I'm fine now."
"Are you absolutely sure?"
"Absolutely sure. This year... it'll be at a later date, but I have plans for at least two parties. Since we're doing one together, you don't need any proof or evidence, right?"
"...Good grief."
"We were each on our own... in that regard. How should I put it..."
"......Yes, indeed. We were like-minded people who didn't resemble each other."
"Well, in terms of clearly neglecting myself, I guess I was the bigger failure."
"...Even I, in the end, wasn't able to properly cherish 'myself' either, you know."
"That's not true. Sora, how should I say... was just too much of a good girl?"
"What is that supposed to mean? ...Then Haru was just too much of an amazing person."
"What's that?"
"I don't know."
"Haha, what is that...—"
"Even now, I worry about that part of you."
"......What part?"
"The talent (T/N: ruby text "talent" over "part" in source) of being able to run anywhere even when your heart hasn't caught up."
"I don't have anything like that."
"You do, and that's why you met me, isn't it?"
"......It goes both ways, right? Sora, you met me too, didn't you?"
"...Ehehe."
"Cute."
"We really are alike, aren't we?"
"Yeah. We don't resemble each other at all."
"Are we compatible? Or incompatible?"
"Compatible."
"......"
"Why the sigh?"
"You answered too quickly, it felt light."
"That's not true. Don't underestimate my weight."
"......"
"Why the sigh?"
"At first, I didn't think you were this kind of person, though..."
"What's that, what kind of person did you think I was?"
"......"
"Sora?"
"............"
"Sora-san?"
"................"
"If you say you fell asleep, I'll let out a war cry and vanish into the night streets with tears, but—"
"A wonderful person."
"......"
"That's what I thought. Right after we met."
"......Past tense?"
"...Fufu, because now—"
And then, the moment we opened our eyes was surely at the exact same time.
"—To the point where I think, I can't live without this person anymore."
Extremely close. Eyes filled with the blue sky in the dim darkness were looking at me.
"Because you are a precious, beloved person to me."
Me,
"Words like 'a wonderful person'... are not nearly enough."
From the bottom of her heart... she loves me.
"I love you."
Endlessly.
"I love you so much."
Without falsehood.
"......I want you to be with me for the rest of my life."
Without putting a lid on her heart.
Because the precious person in front of me was conveying all of her heart to me.
"I love you."
Me too.
"I love you so much."
So that the Shizuku (T/N: glossary term "雫" translated as "Shizuku") swaying in the sky would not spill from her eyes moist with heat.
Even if it did spill, so that I could catch it without losing sight of it along with her heart.
"...—I love you."
To a single girl, I offer my supreme and only love without contradiction.
And then—just once. A faint low-pitched sound echoed in the quiet room.
It was a signal. A performance we had planned for our play, only for us, of a meaningless yet significant memory... just to look back on and laugh with nostalgia in the future.
The scheduled notification (alarm).
The date changed—4/1, 00:00.
"............Happy birthday, Haru." (T/N: emphasis dots on "birthday" and "congratulations" in source)
"...Thank you."
Today is my birthday.
And so... just as planned.
"......I, too,"
What we were carrying out, as if it were a ritual—
"...love you."
Was the promised exchange of presents.
From me to Sora, from Sora to me. Each other's hearts, one by one.
Exchanging the gifts that we would likely never let go of for the rest of our lives, just as promised.
"................The proposal,"
The girl smiled.
"...I accept."
Gently, onto my forehead as I held her close... she rained down a lovely Kisu (Whiting) (T/N: glossary term "キス" translated as "Kisu (Whiting)", though contextually it means "kiss").
Happybirthday Haru & Sora.