Chapter 32 - Flower of Connection
5th place in the quarterly rankings. Thank you very much.
Aisha's Perspective
"So, in the end, you couldn't say it today either?"
"...Y-yes."
When I glared with half-closed eyes while resting my elbows on the table, Flora answered with her shoulders hunched.
In the evening after finishing work in the vineyard, my best friend Flora had come to the vineyard to consult with me.
The subject of the consultation was, of course, Flora's person of interest—Aldo.
If she likes him, she should just say she likes him and get together already, but this best friend of mine is the type who can't do that. She's shy and bashful. In a pinch, she sometimes gets flustered and runs away.
Flora is hopeless like that, but she has many merits that more than make up for it.
She's considerate of others, kind, devoted, caring, and pure, and she has a cute appearance like a doll. The way she looks up with her round eyes while being shy would surely stir a man's protective instinct.
She looks slender in clothes, but she actually has a great figure, and if she put her mind to it, she should be able to win over any man.
Despite being such a girl, she was completely unable to confess her feelings to the person she liked because of her shyness.
What is she doing?
"...You've liked him since nine years ago, right?"
When I muttered that, Flora, sitting in the chair, gave a small start, turned red, and nodded with a gulp.
I don't know the details of the events nine years ago, but apparently Flora and Aldo met nine years ago. It seems Flora fell for Aldo then, but at that time Flora was a nine-year-old girl. The eighteen-year-old Aldo had left without being swayed.
For such a person of interest to arrive about three months ago and reunite with her, it's as if they are tied by the red string of fate.
"In the first place, does Aldo even remember Flora?"
That's the big question. Even if Flora says, "I've liked you since nine years ago!" when the other person doesn't remember, it seems like it would take time for Aldo to process it.
Combined with negative thoughts like what if he's creeped out, she probably can't bring herself to say it.
Well, he's been traveling all over as an adventurer, so I don't think he'd remember a girl in a backwater village like this.
While I was sighing and thinking such things, Flora was swaying her body restlessly, wearing a somewhat happy expression.
This is the sign when Flora wants to say something but is hesitating because she's a little embarrassed.
"What's wrong?"
"...Um, Aldo-san seems to remember, albeit vaguely. About nine years ago..."
"Really!?"
Hearing Flora's words, I leaned forward and asked. Then, Flora nodded slowly with a bashful smile.
"Yes. Today, Aldo-san muttered about nine years ago at the flower field."
"Isn't that great! So, what was the situation?"
When I asked about the situation, the flow, and the conversation at that time, Flora happily recounted today's date.
I was forced to listen to conversations about farm work with Aldo that had absolutely nothing to do with the main point, and even about Aldo's kindness and cute points, but I listened in silence.
"And then, what did Flora do after Aldo muttered that he felt like he'd been taught like this nine years ago!?"
The long-winded account of today's events finally reached its climax, and I also got excited in spite of myself.
"...Um, I was so happy that Aldo-san remembered even a little bit about nine years ago that I ended up crying."
Y-yeah. Well, it's a feeling from nine years ago. It might be unavoidable to cry out of happiness that the other person remembered.
If Flora cries, Aldo will definitely be concerned.
Using Flora's beautiful crying face as a weapon, if she just confessed including the past in that flow...
"So, did you say it then?"
I asked Flora while swallowing hard. Then Flora, while averting her gaze, said,
"...Um, my feelings of happiness overflowed and I couldn't think of anything beyond that, so I instinctively made an excuse... I put dirt near my eye and said dirt got in my eye from the wind..."
"Good grief, this girl..."
I leaned back into the chair as if collapsing while groaning.
Come to think of it, she said at the beginning that she couldn't confess her feelings. What was I expecting?
"I-I'm sorry! My mind just went blank!"
Flora apologized while bowing her head repeatedly.
Even though her mind went blank, what does it mean that she's good at making excuses for the reason she shed tears? An ordinary man would be suspicious, but it's the dense Aldo. He must have taken it at face value.
"Ah, but thanks to that, Aldo-san wiped the dirt from my eye with a handkerchief! Oh, his face was so close and my heart was pounding!"
Even though it didn't go well, Flora said such things with a loose expression.
When I sent her a half-lidded gaze as if to reproach her, Flora also seemed to realize it and immediately made herself small.
"Honestly, even though he brought up the story from nine years ago and it was a chance, why are you running away?"
"Uuu, I also thought that wouldn't do and tried to say it after that, you know!? But Aldo-san's stomach growled and the atmosphere just vanished all at once..."
When I spoke in an exasperated voice, Flora defended herself with teary eyes.
"...Ugh, certainly you can't say it then."
I'm also a woman with at least some feminine sentiment. I wouldn't want to confess my feelings in that kind of atmosphere.
"But it's because you made an excuse the first time that it ended up like that."
"...Yes."
And the conversation returned here again, and Flora looked down dejectedly.
"It would be solved if he said it from his side even if Flora doesn't confess, wouldn't it? Are you appealing to him properly?"
"Uuu, I intend to appeal in my own way, but..."
Flora answered with furrowed brows at my words. I'm very curious about what this girl's 'appeal' is like.
"For example?"
"Working together, bringing lunch and eating it, taking walks in the flower field!"
"...Anything else?"
When I layered on more questions, Flora said while fidgeting bashfully,
"Eh? Ah, um... like casually trying to touch his hand while working..."
"Are you a child!"
"Eh! Is this no good!?"
When I instinctively slammed the table with a bang, Flora let out a cry of surprise.
Isn't that a level of showing affection like a village child? I think it's a good thing that she goes out of her way to make lunch for him, but Aldo should be frequently exchanging ingredients with Flora's house. He might be receiving it as part of the ingredient exchange.
"No, being reserved is one of Flora's good points, but that won't get through to that dense guy, you know?"
"Eh!? But what else am I supposed to do?"
Eh? Even if you ask me... I've never done such things, so I have no choice but to tell her how other female friends invite the men they like.
"...Like, pressing your chest against him when you get close, touching his body, or saying things directly that show you're interested."
I'm sure all the friends in the village were doing things like that.
"Eh!? I can't do such embarrassing things!"
When I poked Flora's plump chest, Flora turned red and hugged her chest.
She has a swell that doesn't match her shy appearance. Honestly, she should just press it against Aldo with all her might.
"I think you have to do at least that much to get the other person in the mood, otherwise it won't get across, you know?"
Especially if the partner is dense...
"T-that's..."
Seeing Flora being somewhat indecisive, I decided to give her a bit of a push.
"If you don't hurry, Aldo will be taken by another woman, you know?"
"Eh?"
Flora let out a dumbfounded sound at that single remark of mine.
It seems she hadn't even considered such a thing.
"Since he's a former adventurer, he's reliable in a pinch, and his hunting skills are great. His face and personality aren't bad either, and maybe because he has a different atmosphere from other villagers, there are many women aiming for him, you know?"
"No way!?"
Flora raised a panicked voice and leaned forward.
Seeing that, I sighed and said,
"It's true. The other day I saw Colin-san inviting Aldo to dinner at her house."
"T-that's!? No!"
"Then just hurry up and confess."
When I answered flatly like that, Flora's gaze suddenly began to wander.
"...That is, well, it's embarrassing... I don't know how to bring it up... Besides, if it doesn't work out, I think our current relationship will be gone too..."
I suppose it's better than not saying anything because she's embarrassed. Hearing my words, she certainly seems to be panicking, and it looks like she's trying to take action.
If only there were some kind of trigger so Flora could naturally reveal her feelings...
Because I wanted to help my precious best friend, I fell into thought for a while.
A trigger for confession... A situation or object that would be easy for even the shy Flora to bring up...
While thinking about commonalities between the two, one thing came to mind.
"Hmm, if a trigger is hard to find, why not bring a flower? You know, the flower with the legend of being tied to the person you love that Flora's father gave to Fiona-san."
"Ah! The Flower of Connection!"
When I said that, Flora clapped her hands with a look of realization.
Yes, that. It's a flower with a legend among the villagers that if you give it to someone of the opposite sex, you will surely be tied together. Since Flora's father also gave it to Fiona-san under a tree and they were tied together, it must be a flower with special meaning for Flora too.
Well, it's not like they'll surely be tied together, but I won't say that now.
"Aldo likes flowers too, and wouldn't you be able to confess naturally while teaching him the meaning of the flower language?"
The flower language of the Flower of Connection is a perfect flower to express Flora's feelings. It's good luck, and it's good because she can fulfill her purpose.
"...Y-you're right."
Flora nodded slowly, but she hadn't said the crucial line yet.
"At this rate, he'll be taken by someone, you know?"
When I said that to Flora as a final blow, Flora's spine straightened with a start, and her expression changed into various things.
Then, biting her small lips and looking straight at me,
"...I-I understand! Tomorrow, I'll go get a Flower of Connection!"
"And after that?"
"I'll give it to him... and c-confess..."
Seeing Flora answer with a red face and a trailing voice, I couldn't help but feel uneasy.