Chapter 115 - What I Want Tonight Is
(1)
6 o'clock.
My smartphone alarm goes off.
I hurriedly stop it.
Because it would wake up Toya-kun, who's sleeping peacefully beside me.
A calm sleeping face.
Next to it, I'm staring at him intently.
What kind of dream are you seeing?
Please, just for today, think of me.
"...Airi."
My name was called.
You're seeing a dream of me, huh.
"...I'm hungry."
thud
Well, whatever.
I'm happy just knowing I exist in Toya-kun's world.
Because I'll fill Toya-kun's stomach.
Toya-kun, you moisten my heart.
Leaving socks at the bedside is meaningless.
Santa Claus can't make me happy.
For a Christmas present, I just want you, only mine.
More than Toya-kun thinks.
Grant my wish.
What I want for Christmas is only Toya-kun.
...Has that already come true?
Toya-kun is mine alone, right?
I'll never give you to anyone else.
You swore we'd be together forever.
Even with an imitation ring.
Until the day you give me a real ring, I won't let go.
Keep your promise.
I'll be waiting forever.
I'll be waiting forever.
What I want for Christmas is only Toya-kun.
I don't wish for many things.
Only Toya-kun.
I'm not asking for much this Christmas.
I won't even pray for snow.
Santa, won't you bring me what I want?
You can't, right?
Because he's sleeping right next to me now.
Suddenly, Toya-kun's smartphone rang.
Toya-kun wakes up.
It was 6:30.
I stop Toya-kun as he tries to get up.
I roughly know the reason he got up.
It's something like wanting to take a morning bath or eat breakfast, right?
Papa and the others haven't contacted us yet.
Please, Toya-kun, just for today, grant my wish.
I want to stay like this a little longer.
Toya-kun seemed to understand my feelings.
Toya-kun lies down on the bed again.
It's embarrassing to be stared at like that.
It's not like it started today that you see me without makeup.
But this morning, it's somehow embarrassing.
I press my face against Toya-kun's chest.
Is your heart pounding really hard right now?
I can feel your heartbeat.
Then, listen to my feelings too.
I hug Toya-kun.
Can you hear it now?
My heart is pounding really hard too right now.
Toya-kun strokes my head.
I close my eyes and sneak into his heart.
There, it's a world with only me and Toya-kun.
I wish it would last forever.
Let's make it come true, not just in dreams.
A world with only me and Toya-kun that we'll build someday.
Ah, how many children do you want?
Toya-kun's father said he wants a daughter, but I want a boy like Toya-kun.
...Either is fine, I guess? They're our children, after all.
My smartphone rang.
It's from Papa.
When I answered the phone, it was an invitation for breakfast.
Before I could tell Toya-kun, he was already changing clothes.
I stopped him.
Isn't it too early to change yet?
Checkout is at 11, right?
I'll let Papa and them know.
Let me enjoy our time alone just a little longer.
(2)
Today is the day I meet Masashi's friends.
It's been a while.
Since the opening ceremony of the overall athletic meet, I think.
I thought about inviting my friends too, but I decided not to.
It's not like we're doing anything weird, but we're from different walks of life.
That goes for me too, though.
"Yo, Mika. Long time no see."
Kanna, the person closest to me, called out to me.
Her left hand is linked with her boyfriend's.
I said she's the closest, but she's a much, much more amazing person than me.
I heard she's studying for university entrance exams while also working a part-time job.
But what she thinks about is the closest.
Let's drink together at the graduation celebration, okay?
Huh? Minors aren't allowed to drink?
Isn't it strange that we're given the right to vote but can't drink?
Being recognized as an adult but not being allowed alcohol — that logic doesn't hold up.
It's what you call an unreasonable world.
"If it gets found out, you could even have your graduation revoked, so you'd better not," Masashi advised me, though.
After that, Masashi's friends gathered one by one.
It seems Toya and Airi aren't coming today.
When I grumbled, "That's boring," Masashi said, "Those two have their own stuff going on."
"So, what are we going to do to play today?" Emi said.
When you say play in town, there's only the arcade or karaoke, right?
"Sorry it's the same every time, but I've got a karaoke reservation," Masashi said.
"I like karaoke, so I don't mind," Ai said.
"It's about time, shouldn't we get going?" I said, and Masashi replied, "Yeah," and started guiding us.
The eight of us headed to karaoke in a group.
Everyone ordered drinks, passed the terminal around, and put in songs.
I'm starting to get a feel for everyone's preferences.
Kanna mainly sings 90s J-POP. She occasionally sings recent stuff too.
Makoto sings recent J-POP. He seems to like visual kei. He occasionally sings weird songs and gets scolded by Kanna.
Eita mainly sings Vocaloid and game songs.
Ai sings recent J-POP.
Emi feels like she can sing anything competently. She does a lot of love songs, though. Probably singing them towards Nozomi.
Nozomi only sings anime songs. Even so, he picks love song types. He's probably singing towards Emi too.
Masashi, as usual, is singing rock from the 80s to 2000s.
As for me...
"Huh? Mika, that song choice?"
Kanna was surprised.
Yes, despite how I look, I like enka.
Of course, I sing recent idol-type stuff too. But since everyone's song choices were pretty similar, I practiced specifically to stand out and got hooked.
"This guy's a show-off, you know."
Masashi explained.
"Isshy, are you an anime otaku!? And you're hitting weirdly high notes too."
Eita teased Nozomi.
Then Ai poked him.
"Eita! You're not that different! I thought you were getting up suspiciously early on Sundays, but you're watching tokusatsu!"
I thought it took some guts to watch tokusatsu while she is sleeping next to him.
"Yeah, it's Christmas today, so I'll sing that one."
The song Kanna chose was a representative Christmas song from the 90s.
Kanna's good at English, huh.
Kanna sings in fluent English.
Kanna is good at singing. With that looks and singing ability, couldn't she be an idol or a regular singer?
"When you were in Tokyo, weren't you ever scouted?" I asked.
"When I was in Tokyo, I was quiet, and I was approached a few times, but it scared me. Even when my parents told me to go to auditions, I was too embarrassed to go."
I wanted to ask about Kanna's life in Tokyo, but Masashi said, "Don't pry too much," so I didn't.
Starting with Kanna, everyone started singing Christmas songs.
Ai's J-POP was pretty good too.
Time passed at karaoke, and when we left the store, it was night.
"With 8 people at once... there's only that place, huh."
Masashi said that and glanced at me.
"I know... but take me along later, okay."
"...Got it."
When Masashi said that, we started moving in a group.
At the izakaya, we ordered a course meal, and food came out one after another.
Even without Toya, the guys (excluding Nozomi) dug in.
If Toya were here, we'd be ordering more.
I was absorbed in love talk with Kanna.
"Masashi is really kind, he'll listen to any request I have."
"Is that so? Makoto is a thorough pervert... his demands keep escalating."
"And Kanna, who responds to that, is kind. I love you more than anyone."
Makoto joined the conversation.
Kanna, her face bright red, poked him.
"You just eat your food! Don't join in on the girls' talk!"
"Huh? This is a party, right! It's not a girls' night!"
"Well, that's true. But don't say unnecessary things."
"Well then, let's have a good listen to this perverted habit of yours."
Masashi stepped in to mediate.
Or rather, Masashi might have just gotten curious about Makoto's perverted habit too.
"This is the first time I've seen someone seriously request a naked apron. Also, making me say things like 'Good morning, master'..."
Without realizing it, everyone was listening intently to Kanna's story.
"Isshy, I do want you to be interested in me... but don't go that far, okay."
Emi said to Nozomi with a sigh.
"I-I can't do that."
Nozomi cowered.
There are all kinds of couples in the world, huh.
When we left the store, we disbanded.
"Well, next time will be the after-exam celebration or the graduation party."
Masashi said that.
Ah, right, everyone has university entrance exams.
Masashi took me to a bar that's open at night.
"Merry Christmas."
Saying that, me and Masashi clinked glasses.
"You seem to have opened up quite a bit. With everyone."
"I want to introduce my friends too, but I can't, right."
I've never introduced them to Masashi either.
Because he might get taken away?
That's not it.
Masashi only looks at me.
"I don't really mind, though?"
Masashi said that.
"It's not that I want to badmouth my own friends, but we're from different walks of life."
"Isn't that fine? It would broaden everyone's horizons too."
"My worldview is just a tiny thing."
"That's something I... everyone will broaden for you."
Masashi drained the drink in his glass.
"Mama, can I use the karaoke?"
He borrowed the karaoke terminal from the mama and input a song.
He had two microphones prepared.
It was a 2000s love song that Airi and Toya had sung before.
"Want to sing it together?"
I gladly took the microphone and sang.
(3)
"Hey, Kanna."
On the bus home, I asked Kanna.
"What is it, Makoto?"
"As I thought, do you hate it... my fetish."
"...I don't think there are many people who would say they like it."
I see, that's right, huh...
"...That's good for you. Having such a rare species by your side."
"Kanna?"
I see, you'll accept me, huh.
"But restrain yourself a bit, okay... Even I have my limits."
"I know."
That Kanna is putting on a brave face.
That she's actually unbearably embarrassed.
And that on top of that, she likes me, and because she doesn't want me to hate her, she's accepting it.
But Kanna...
"If you really hate it, you can refuse, you know? I won't start hating you for it."
"...I know."
If this wasn't on the bus, if it was in my own car...
I need to get my license soon.
"About the car thing I mentioned before..."
Kanna suddenly changed the subject.
"Doing it in a car is a no-go. I don't like one-box cars with tinted windows on all of them."
"It's fine, nowadays cars have plenty of interior space, and if it's not a kei car... well, even a kei car would work."
thump
"That's not the problem. If the windows aren't tinted, people can see inside, and it's embarrassing, right."
So that's what it was.
It's fine, unlike Toya, I've got it all figured out.
"There are these spots for doing that kind of thing. Like the seaside or the TV Tower parking lot..."
thump
"You... you get really into it when the conversation turns to that kind of stuff. I told you it's embarrassing and I don't want to."
"There's the mood of the place, and probably even Toya and the others..."
whack
Th-that hurt, Kanna.
"I'm starting to get scared of being alone with you in a car."
"And I was determined to have you be the first one in the passenger seat."
"Is it even safe to be in the passenger seat of a beginner like you?"
"It's fine, I'm not interested in drifting or anything like that."
"That's not what I meant."
I know.
But I want you to sit next to me.
I don't want you to go anywhere.
I want you to always think only of me.
If I said something like this, it would be uncool and Kanna would just laugh at me, so I'll wrap it up.
"Kanna, I love you."
"Yeah, I love you too, Makoto."
What should I do when I get home tonight?
(4)
When I got home, Airi hurried back to her house.
I thought she'd stay over tonight.
Then my mother said she was going to Airi's house.
"You're tired, right? You should rest a bit," my father said.
"But I can't leave everything to Tosaka-san," my mother said.
I kind of understood.
Looks like I'm staying over at Airi's house tonight.
Oh well, I sighed and put my stuff away, then started preparing for the overnight stay.
It's not like I don't want to, you know?
If I didn't want to, I wouldn't be dating her.
I wouldn't even prepare.
I'd say, "I'm tired, maybe next time."
I love her.
Airi's smiling face when she's happy.
I love her.
Airi, who devotes herself to me with all her might.
I love her.
Airi, who likes me. Airi, who says "I love you."
So, I think I'll keep liking her too.
Even if from the outside it looks like a windfall fell into my lap!
I think that meeting wasn't a miracle, but fate.
I think I'll keep cherishing her from now on.
I think I'll devote myself to Airi in my own clumsy way.
It's embarrassing to say those words out loud.
I act like I don't want to.
But I really do love Airi.
In the evening, the doorbell rang.
Since my mother wasn't home, I went to the entrance.
When I opened the door, Airi was standing there with a big smile.
"I'm all ready."
"I'll go call my dad."
I told my father and then went to the second floor to get my luggage.
Airi was surprised when she saw that luggage.
You were expecting this, right?
Airi nodded and headed towards her house.
We followed behind them.
"Merry Christmas."
The parents raised glasses of champagne, and me and Airi raised glasses of shammerry high.
"Is it good?"
Airi asked, looking worried.
"It's delicious."
When I answered, Airi breathed a sigh of relief.
"Good~ I was worried because it was the Tosaka family style this time."
I've tasted the Tosaka family's cooking plenty of times.
It's fine, don't worry.
"It's all good now~ Airi-chan seems ready~ so it's up to you now, Toya-kun~?"
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
"It's fine, Maya-san, I promised I'd wait forever."
"But I can't keep you waiting forever, right~"
"Being together while I wait is fine, so it's no problem~"
Airi seems to be in a good mood.
"Toya, I'm telling you, don't you dare do anything to embarrass Airi-chan. ...Being a ronin is absolutely out of the question, you know."
"U-um..."
Don't put pressure on me, Dad.
"It's fine, Toya-kun always comes through when it counts."
Even Airi...
After we finished eating, I borrowed the bath and went to Airi's room.
"You can go ahead and get to work making babies already!"
That's the complete opposite of what you said earlier, Dad.
"Ahh~ I'm tired~"
Airi came up from the bath, carrying the leftover shammerry and a glass.
"Good work."
I took the glass and had her pour the shammerry.
"Good work to you too, Toya-kun."
We clinked glasses.
Now then...
I took out the study materials I brought.
"Don't you have any desire to comfort your tired wife, Toya-kun?"
Airi's mood suddenly turned sour.
Huh?
Usually, it's "Let's study, right?"
"After coming back from the trip and making Christmas dinner, I'm exhausted, and you still want me to study?"
"Shall I rub your shoulders?"
"Yay~"
I positioned myself behind Airi and rubbed her shoulders.
"Ahh~ that feels good~"
Her small shoulders, so delicate they might break if I rub too hard.
I rubbed them gently.
But when I rub her shoulders from behind, my gaze naturally goes to...
Airi noticed my gaze.
She flashed a mischievous, little devil-like smile and said playfully.
"Want to rub somewhere else?"
"If I say yes... you'll let me rub it... hey!"
That little devil lay down on the bed and beckoned me.
"You're tired, right? Take it easy today."
"I will rest, so I want you to come here, Toya-kun. Hold me~"
Oh well...
I decided to give in to Airi's request.