kscans

Chapter 58 - Forms of Love

After cooperating with Toak to move the wardrobe, we were wiping down the bedroom floor with rags.
Normally, just cleaning under the moved wardrobe would have been enough, but I was having Toak help me since we were at it anyway.
Polishing the floor like this made me realize just how dirty the bedroom floor actually was. I carefully removed the dust that had blown in from outside and the faint traces of dirt that had been tracked in.
When I did, a beautiful floor that looked brand new appeared, which felt quite refreshing. I'll keep cleaning the bedroom at this rate.
"...Hey, Aldo."
"What is it?"
As I was mindlessly scrubbing the floor, Toak spoke to me in a strangely hesitant voice.
"Did you and Flora end up doing it?"
"Pfft! You too!?"
I reflexively spat out at Toak's sudden question.
Just when I thought I had escaped the conversation in the living room, it was my turn to be the one questioned.
"When you say 'me too,' did Aisha ask you while you were harvesting radishes or something?"
"No, when I went back to the living room to get some water, Flora and Aisha were having that conversation."
Well, considering the conversation Aisha and Toak were having in front of the house, I figured they'd be overheard.
The reason Toak helped me clean so readily might have been with this intention in mind.
"I see. No wonder I thought you were late coming back."
Toak nodded repeatedly while resting his hand on his chin.
"So, the fact that you aren't denying it means you did it, right? Your feelings reached each other and you got permission to marry, but it's not like you're still just holding hands because you're embarrassed, right?"
"...We did. I'm not that much of a coward."
It was embarrassing, and I wondered what I was even saying, but Toak was a friend who had watched over the relationship between Flora and me in his own way. It should be fine to say at least this much.
Of course, no matter how much of a friend he was, I had no intention of telling him anything beyond that.
"I was surprised about the marriage too. Knowing you two, I thought you'd continue a leisurely lover's relationship for about a year."
Well, how should I put it... once I realized that Flora and I shared the same feelings, a joyful emotion suddenly overflowed. It was like my desire to be with Flora forever just exploded...
The moment I almost lost Flora, I realized I loved her.
And then I managed to save her with my own hands.
And I learned that Flora had been thinking of me single-mindedly for nine years.
"...The moment I saved Flora, I felt like I never wanted to be apart from her again..."
My ability to make a quick decision regarding marriage was partly due to those feelings.
"...I see."
Toak's expression and tone held not a shred of mockery.
He had his usual sullen face, but that expression seemed softer than usual.
Because Toak was looking at me with a somewhat warm gaze, I couldn't help but feel embarrassed.
I'd rather not be teased, but being straightforwardly congratulated like this was also ticklish.
While hiding my embarrassment, I asked Toak a question that had been on my mind for a while.
"...So, Toak, is there anyone you're interested in?"
If there was a woman Toak was interested in, I wanted to help him out.
When I thought of women close to Toak, only Aisha or Ina came to mind, but I wondered how it really was.
"Me? No one in particular."
"Is that so? You're quite close with Aisha, are you not interested in her?"
When I threw that simple question at Toak, who had answered flatly, this time Toak was the one who spat out.
How dirty. Wipe the floor properly, okay?
"There's no way I'd get into that kind of relationship with her. I've never thought of her that way."
"Is that true? When we were playing in the water at the river, you were awkwardly averting your eyes from Aisha, weren't you?"
Since I was curious about the relationship between the two, I pressed further.
When Aisha's clothes got wet, I felt like Toak's face turned quite red. If he had never thought of her that way, he shouldn't have had that kind of reaction.
"No, you wouldn't normally stare at someone when they're in that state, would you?"
That was true. No matter how much you didn't see a woman as a member of the opposite sex, it was common manners to look away if her clothes got wet.
As I nodded in agreement, Toak smirked and said,
"Unlike you and Flora, I'm not a closet pervert."
"Wh—!? A closet pervert!?"
"That's right. You two were staring way too much at each other's skin. If you were that interested, you should have just pushed her down sooner."
Gunuunu... I was certainly aware that I had been staring at Flora's cleavage, her translucent skin, and her beautiful legs back then. Even if there was guidance from Aisha, that was an undeniable fact.
Yesterday I called Flora a closet pervert, but now I was made aware of my own perversion and felt embarrassed.
Or rather, Flora really was looking at my skin too.
Satisfied by the sight of me groaning in embarrassment, Toak snorted with a "Hmph" and sat on a chair.
"We've done nothing but fight since we were little. It's too late to start seeing each other that way now. I like my current carefree life alone."
I don't think Aisha and Toak necessarily need to have a typical lover's relationship, though. They probably have their own easygoing relationship, and I think the bond between Aisha and Toak isn't bad either.
"...I think a relationship like yours, where you can act naturally without being conscious of it, is good too."
Even if there are no lover-like interactions, there is a feeling of understanding each other. I think love is different for every person.
"...What are you talking about?"
"I don't know about the old days, but I heard Elgis-san and Fiona-san used to get along poorly too, so it might be possible?"
Even a couple as harmonious as those two apparently used to be like cats and dogs. It's hard for me to believe, but since Flora and the villagers said so, there's no mistake.
"Don't overlap us with those two."
When I said that, Toak stood up and started wiping the window.
I couldn't see Toak's expression well at that time, perhaps because of the sunlight.
◆
After keeping my questions to Toak moderate, I moved briskly and finished the cleaning and the organization of the wardrobe.
The bedroom for Flora and me was now so sparkling that it was unrecognizable from this morning, and the room looked slightly brighter. That must be how much dust had accumulated on the walls and floor.
Since Flora will be living here from now on, I should probably clean more frequently.
Looking at the cleaned room, I resolved to clean the other rooms properly as well.
"The position of the wardrobe isn't off, right?"
"I told you it's perfect. How many times do you think I adjusted it?"
Toak confirmed it dutifully despite being fed up.
Yeah, the position of the wardrobe isn't off.
Having confirmed that at the end, I nodded with satisfaction.
"Alright, finished! Thanks, Toak."
"You aren't tired at all after lifting that wardrobe so much. Next time I'm hauling lumber, you'd better help me, okay?"
"I know."
Since he helped me this much, I'll help Toak too. Though lumber that's too heavy is impossible. Remembering the lumber in Toak's workshop, it looks like it'll be quite tough.
"Well then, shall we head back to the living room? Want to stay for some tea?"
"No, it's almost evening. I'm heading home soon."
"Got it."
While having that conversation with Toak, we returned from the bedroom to the living room.
"We're done with the wardrobe and the bedroom cleaning—"
Since they might be having a strange conversation like before, I spoke up as I entered the living room.
When I did, Flora and Aisha were leaning in close to each other, deep in conversation about something.
Aisha was whispering something, and Flora, who was listening, had her hand over her mouth and her face was bright red.
"I-Is that so!?"
"Yes, that's why in the morning you have to properly—"
Aisha was about to say something, but she seemed to notice Toak and me.
"—eat, or you won't have energy. It's already summer!"
"Eh? Eh? Aisha, what's with you all of a sudden? More importantly, a man's morning—mmph!?"
"Shh! The men are here!"
Flora hadn't noticed that Toak and I had entered the living room, but her mouth was covered by Aisha's hand.
We walked down the hallway while talking to Toak, and I even spoke up when we entered, though.
They must have been very deep in conversation. Judging by the atmosphere, it was probably a continuation of the earlier talk.
When I glanced at Toak with a wry smile, he just shrugged his shoulders.
It's probably best to go on without touching upon the content of the conversation.
"We're done with the wardrobe and the bedroom cleaning—"
"Y-Yes! Good work! You didn't just organize the wardrobe, you even did the cleaning."
When I threw out the same words again, Flora thanked me while her face turned slightly red.
"Yeah, because Toak was here, the cleaning finished quickly too."
"I'm sorry for having you help with the cleaning on top of the wardrobe. Toak-san, thank you very much."
"I don't mind this much. I was treated to lunch, after all. Well, I'll have Aldo help me with work next time, so it's no problem."
Toak answered a bit shyly to Flora, who bowed her head to say thanks.
I had hoped a little that Flora's appreciation would exempt me from the hauling labor, but unfortunately not.
"Don't make me carry anything unreasonable, okay?"
"It's fine. With your physical strength, you could probably carry lumber the length of this whole living room. I'll make you go back and forth as many times as you made me move that wardrobe."
"...Isn't that too many?"
As I thought, he was holding a grudge about making him adjust it so finely.
"Ufufufufu, Aldo-san, that sounds tough."
"No, Flora. It's so tough it's not funny."
"I'll prepare lunch boxes and lemon water, so please do your best."
Well, if I have Flora's delicious lunch boxes, I can manage to do my best.
I thought so as Flora stroked my back.
"...There's a total aura of a married couple drifting around them."
"...Yeah, even though it took them so long to get together."
It was embarrassing to be stared at while Aisha and Toak said such things.
"By the way, I heard Ina cleaned your house a bit the other day? Repay labor with labor. Clean my house for me."
"That was offset by feeding Ina vegetable soup. Either way, you didn't do anything, so I have no intention of helping with your work."
We might look like a married couple, but I think that side looks like a married couple too.
"Those two get along well too, don't they?"
"..."
I whispered to Flora beside me, but Flora was staring blankly at me. Was it my imagination that her gaze was around my crotch area?
"Flora?"
"I-It's nothing!"
When I called out to her, feeling a bit worried, Flora spoke while her face and ears turned bright red.
It feels like there's definitely something. Did Aisha put something into her head?
I continued to watch Toak and Aisha as they kept bickering while thinking about that.
Then, Toak seemed to remember the conversation in the bedroom earlier because of my warm gaze, and he grimaced with an "Ugh."
"Stupid. I'm heading home soon."
"Hmm, that's true. I guess I'll head home soon too."
Bickering doesn't continue if there's no opponent to compete with.
"Well then, take some radishes home. Here, this is for Toak and this is for Aisha."
"Oh, thanks."
I handed Toak the spicy radishes I had selected with my discerning eye.
"Yes, thank you."
When I handed Aisha the radishes that probably weren't spicy, she thanked me with a very nice smile.
Aisha and I leaked smiles while glancing at Toak.
"Well then, see ya!"
Toak put on his shoes and left, and Aisha approached Flora.
"Do your best. Be proactive."
"Y-Yes!"
Seeing Flora nodding repeatedly, Aisha smiled with a satisfied face and then ran over to me.
I wonder what she's going to say to me.
"...Hey, take good care of Flora. If you make her cry, I won't forgive you."
"I know."
While surprised by Aisha's unusually serious voice, I nodded firmly. If I ever did something to make Flora cry, she would surely be the first to come and punch me.
Satisfied by my voice filled with resolve, Aisha smiled brightly and patted my shoulder.
"Well then, you two. See ya!"
Then she bustled over to the entrance and left in an instant.