Chapter 141 - Fragments of Love
(1)
Ding-dong.
The doorbell rang.
Given the time, there was almost certainly a chance it was Makoto.
I could also more or less guess why he had come.
Today was my birthday.
Surprise or not, if you're told to take the day off from your part-time job today and tomorrow, you're bound to notice, whether you want to or not.
Good grief, maybe I'll give him a surprise for once.
I put on a shirt and went to the entrance.
For the record, I was wearing nothing but panties underneath.
"Good morning... wait, whoa!?"
Makoto acted visibly shocked.
I wasn't naked, but I only had a single shirt on top.
He's probably satisfied with this.
"Are you satisfied? You got to see me right after I woke up, so you're satisfied, right?"
"Kanna... what would you have done if the visitor wasn't me? It makes me want to pin you down."
Makoto said this with a straight face. Is this guy an idiot?
"I did it because I thought it was you, you idiot. Otherwise, do you think I'd do it?"
"Thank you, Kanna. This is the best reward ever."
Makoto said, pressing his hands together in prayer.
"Enough of that, just get inside. I can't close the door."
It would be embarrassing if someone saw me from the outside.
"Ah, sorry. But really, Kanna, you have the kind of figure that suits that kind of outfit."
I couldn't tell if I was being praised or insulted.
"So, what do you want today?"
"Since it's a special occasion, why don't we go out?"
"Yeah, I took the time off like you told me."
"Alright! Oh, make sure to pack a swimsuit in your luggage, okay?"
He's not planning some kind of swimsuit play, is he?
(2)
Following Makoto's instructions, I prepared an overnight set and a swimsuit, then got into Makoto's car.
Makoto drove along Route 210.
"So, where are we going?"
I asked Makoto.
"A hotel."
"...Let me out. Let me out right now!!"
"Whoa! It's not that kind of hotel you're imagining, Kanna. It's a hotel with proper leisure facilities!"
"Then say that from the start!"
"But for you to imagine that, Kanna, you're actually surprisingly... Whoa, I'm lying, it's a joke, I'm seriously sorry."
Honestly, this man...
"Hey."
"What is it?"
"Where are we?"
"Yufuin, though?"
"We were just here the other day, weren't we? Why Yufuin?"
"To kill some time, and there's something I want to do."
When we stopped in front of Yufuin Station, Makoto handled some procedures. He came back.
"There was one at just the right time!"
I wondered what "one" he was talking about.
A horse-drawn carriage trotting through the streets of Yufuin.
We explored Yufuin.
That ended in about an hour.
We moved to the area around Kinrin Lake by car for lunch.
"There's one more thing I want to do, is that okay?"
"That's fine, but is there time for the pool?"
"That's already perfectly timed!"
The other thing Makoto wanted to do.
That was exploring the town in a rickshaw.
You can get a pretty high vantage point.
However, I felt a slight resistance to pushing through the crowds of Yunotsubo Kaido.
Despite how I look, I don't really like being in front of people.
Unaware of me looking down, Makoto was making a fuss.
"Toya said, 'It's actually pretty fun to ride one with someone you love.'"
I find it embarrassing, though.
"That guy, despite how he looks... he's gone to various places with Tosaka-san, hasn't he?"
"I told you to stop comparing us to those two."
"I'm not comparing, I just think it's enviable. Rather than a comparison, maybe a goal? Like, I want to be like that."
I see...
But just as there's a world that only Toya can create, I think there's a world of Makoto that only you can create. Shouldn't you just aim for that?
I'll help you too...
(3)
When we arrived at the hotel, we began checking in.
"See? The timing was perfect, right?"
The room was spacious.
One double bed. There was also a zashiki, and you could see the sea.
"Let's go swimming right away."
When Makoto said that, I also headed for the pool.
The pool was large. However, there were many people.
And I felt blue all by myself.
Seeing other women with breasts that weren't as meager as mine.
I was concerned about Makoto's gaze. I wondered if he was looking at other women's breasts.
...There was no need for that worry.
It seemed that in Makoto's field of vision, there was only me. In both a good and bad sense.
Makoto's gaze, which seemed to cling to this body that had nothing to be proud of, was very embarrassing.
Once I started worrying, I couldn't stop.
I began to feel the gazes of the men around me as well.
The shaking of my body wouldn't stop.
Even though my body was this hot.
Makoto finally seemed to notice me, my lips turning pale blue.
"Kanna, are you okay?"
"A-ah... it's nothing."
Stop it, don't be so kind to me.
Just being seen like that is embarrassing.
"...Let's go back to the room. Can you make it to the changing room on your own?"
I nodded silently.
"Then, I'll be waiting where you come out of the changing room. Be careful."
Saying that, Makoto left the pool.
I also left the pool.
Returning to the room, I lay down on the bed.
Makoto bowed his head and spoke to me.
"Sorry, I didn't consider your personality, Kanna."
"Don't worry about it. I thought I'd become a bit more normal. I'm the one who's sorry for ruining a precious pool date."
"It's fine. I just wanted to make happy memories with you, Kanna. Sorry, I feel pathetic for not understanding you at all."
"I wish I could expose my life-sized self to Makoto, just like Airi does."
Then, I wouldn't have to put Makoto through such trouble.
In truth, I'm not something special. I've shown Makoto a face I've never shown anyone else.
"That's true. You accepted the true me, so now it's my turn to accept you."
Saying that, Makoto hugged me. No, not now. My heart is pounding so hard it feels like it might burst.
With breasts this thin, he'll be able to feel it.
"Show me more of those weak parts. I'll wrap you up gently."
"...Thank you. I'm showing them to you now."
"I know."
I feel like I could accept Makoto's bad taste right now.
Makoto, right now, I wouldn't mind sharing the world with you.
However, Makoto comforted me and then pulled away.
I don't want that, I want to be together right now. Don't let go.
Without thinking, I grabbed Makoto's arm. My face remained turned down. I was afraid to look. That's why I didn't notice. Makoto's gentle gaze.
"I'll be right back, so wait a moment."
Being told that, I let go of Makoto's arm. Makoto rummaged through his luggage and took out a small box.
"This is a birthday present."
What he handed me was a key and a small box.
"Thank you. Can I open it?"
"Yeah."
When I opened it, there was a small pair of earrings inside.
"Kanna, you have your ears pierced, right? So I thought these might be okay."
"Can I put them on?"
"Of course."
I took off the earrings I was currently wearing and put on the gifted ones.
Open-heart earrings from a famous brand.
"They suit you. You're beautiful."
"T-thank you."
Now, there's something I'm curious about. This key...
"Ah, that key is a spare for the apartment where I live. It means you can come in whenever you want."
"I-is it really okay?"
"Yeah. You're mostly alone now since you're at the University, right? If you get lonely, you can come anytime, okay?"
"You're not saying that just to make me your housekeeper, are you?"
"It's not that I wouldn't be into that kind of play, but..."
"You gave me these earrings knowing the meaning behind it, right?"
"Huh?"
"Apparently, it means 'I want you to feel my presence even when we're apart'..."
"Then there's no problem, right? Because that's actually how it is."
"Thank you."
"Yeah..."
He gave me a spare key... Does that mean he's thinking about the future too?
I tucked that faint hope gently into my heart.
"Shall we go eat soon? I want to go early and take a bath."
"Is there a meaning to rushing the bath?"
If you're in such a hurry, there's a shower in the room, you know?
"I heard the fountain show at night is amazing. Don't you want to see it?"
Ah, if it's that. Airi sent me a picture.
"Alright. Then, let's go eat quickly."
Saying that, we left the room.
(4)
After eating dinner, Makoto and I entered the hot spring.
When I came out, Makoto was waiting.
"As I thought, Kanna after a bath is the best... guheh!"
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"Then you didn't have to hit me..."
After putting our luggage in the room, we checked the time.
The time was about right. We took the shuttle bus again to move.
And when we entered the facility... it began.
Makoto was desperately taking a video with his smartphone.
"Crap! The battery isn't holding up!"
He seemed to give up halfway through.
When the fountain show ended, we played a bit at the amusements before returning to the room.
Makoto turned on the TV and was enjoying himself.
...Just for today, it's fine, right.
I sat right up against Makoto's side and watched TV.
I could clearly tell that Makoto's gaze shifted from the TV to my chest.
Put some effort into making it so it's not so obvious!
Something is wrong with me today. Normally I would be angry, but I'm confused, with embarrassment and anger mixed together.
Makoto noticed this and looked surprised.
"Y-you're kind of innocent... You're lovely, Kanna."
Being told that by Makoto made me even more embarrassed. This idiot!!
"Kanna."
Makoto is calling me. I steeled myself and looked at Makoto's face.
It was a very gentle face. It might have just seemed that way.
It felt as if the time around us had stopped.
Ah, I feel like I've finally arrived too.
Airi's feelings. I understand them well now.
Nothing other than me and Makoto existed in this world.
Beep-beep-beep...
I woke up to the sound of my smartphone alarm.
Makoto seemed to still be sleeping.
I cast off the open yukata and put on my clothes.
Then I woke Makoto up.
"Tch! I missed out on seeing Kanna change naked."
You'll have plenty of chances to see that, won't you?
We ate breakfast and checked out early.
Apparently, there was a place he wanted to go.
He said that if you're a local, you'd want to go there at least once.
It was the safari park in Ajimu.
Instead of entering in our own car, we took the safari bus.
Apparently, the animals come closer that way.
They also seemed to have a feeding service.
Even though they told us to give meat to the lions, I smacked Makoto for trying to feed them carrots, saying "You have to eat vegetables too."
After that, we toured the park and had lunch.
I settled for grape juice.
After going around everything, we started the journey home.
There was a hot spring on the way, and Makoto stopped the car upon seeing a sign that said "Family Bath."
Normally it would be different... but today is special.
I decided to accept Makoto's desires.
If it's just the two of us, it's not embarrassing.
It's a strange thing.
After satisfying Makoto's desires, we headed back again.
In exchange, I'm going to have my demands accepted too.
"There's a place I want you to stop by before we go home."
"Where?"
"First, the supermarket."
"Which one?"
"The one that was near the Private University, remember?"
"Ah, sure, why not?"
Makoto stopped at the supermarket near his house. We bought ingredients there. And then...
"Next, Makoto's house."
"Eh? Right now!?"
"Is there something bad about going? You said it yourself, 'Come whenever you want.'"
Makoto's house was an apartment in a place not so far from the University.
"If you're worried about the key, Kanna can open it?"
"I'm not worried about that."
"I see..."
Saying that, Makoto unlocked the door and opened it, and we went inside.
...It was a disaster beyond my expectations.
First, it was scattered to the point where there was no place to step—magazines and various other things.
There were also dolls and such placed around.
"How could you feel okay about inviting a girlfriend here?"
"No, I was going to clean up today..."
Upon entering the room, I began piling up the dust-covered remnants and such haphazardly. I placed them in the corner of the room and then cleaned the floor with a vacuum cleaner.
I moved the dishes scattered on the table to the kitchen and gathered the remains of cup noodles into a trash bag.
"When is the next trash day?"
"I think it was tomorrow?"
"Make sure to put it out."
"Got it."
After that, I washed the dishes, put them away in the cupboard, spread out the ingredients, and began cooking.
Ingredients for two people.
When it was finished, I plated it and we both ate.
After finishing, I washed and dried the dishes.
Then, just in case, I checked the bathroom and toilet.
...They were surprisingly clean.
"...Coming here today was the right choice."
"Sorry, while you're tired."
"Get rid of those dolls by the next time I come."
"To get rid of my second lovers... ow!"
"Think about the feelings of a girlfriend whose boyfriend is cheating with dolls! ...I'll come when I have time."
"Thank you."
"Don't worry about it."
After that, he gave me a ride home.
"Well, see you."
"Yeah, see you."
Saying that, Makoto went home.
I also returned to my own home.
A sense of loneliness attacked me upon returning to my room.
But tomorrow will come.
The day we can meet again will come.
Makoto promised me.
I gently attached the proof of that to my keychain.
So that the fragment of love wouldn't disappear, I reached out and hugged it strongly and deeply.