Chapter 161 - Winter Scales
(1)
"Toya-kun, wake up."
...
"Uugh... breakfast..."
Jolt!
"Wah, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"
I sat up while shouting.
"Hoe?"
"Eh?"
Airi and I looked at each other.
"What happened all of a sudden?"
"Ah, no. The other day you said if I didn't wake up, I'd go without breakfast..."
Poke
"How do you misinterpret it to become that!? I said I'd be angry if you didn't wake up. I never said anything about skipping breakfast!"
Ah, I had it wrong.
"Even so, it's a bit hurtful that you don't react when I tell you to wake up, but you react the moment I say 'breakfast'."
"Ah, no. It's just that not being able to eat the food made by my beloved Airi is quite a significant matter..."
That's a desperate excuse. I wonder if I'll make Airi angry again with this...?
"...Say it one more time."
"Heh?"
"I said, say it one more time~"
"...My beloved Airi's...!?"
Airi hugged me before I could finish the sentence.
"Yay, you're saying such happy things to me from the morning, Toya-kun."
I don't really get it, but it seems Airi's mood has improved. Let's leave it at that.
"Well then, let's have breakfast!"
"Right."
After eating, I was the only one relaxing as usual, while Airi worked busily.
Since I'd only be in the way, I quietly returned to my room to check my PC and watch TV, and then Airi brought over a mug. A certain question occurred to me, so I asked.
"Airi, didn't you usually have tea in the morning?"
"Yeah."
"Why are you drinking café au lait?"
"Because black coffee is bitter."
"No, not that..."
"I thought putting tea in a mug felt somehow wrong."
"No, that's not what I meant..."
Airi raised her index finger and shook it lightly from side to side, laughing, "You just don't get it~"
"The drink isn't what's important! What's important is drinking morning coffee from matching mugs with Toya-kun."
Sometimes I don't understand what Airi is saying. You can just put tea in a mug, right? Maybe it's because it's more effort...
"Is that wrong too? Drinking the same thing as Toya-kun is what's important; it's a matter of atmosphere."
"Hmm..."
"I've always longed for this kind of thing... You can just think of it as me being selfish."
What a cute kind of selfishness. In that case, I shall grant that wish.
Would a CD be better for setting the mood? I rummaged through the rack haphazardly... then Airi started operating the TV remote.
The usual program began.
Perhaps because Airi is a woman, she seems to like these kinds of shows.
She probably prefers watching that program together with me, just the two of us.
When I gave random impressions while watching, she reacted happily.
She was in a great mood today. Studying, which had been banned, was now permitted.
We both opened our laptops and began creating materials.
Airi, despite knowing the answers, would say "I don't knooow~" just to enjoy skinship with me.
When I'm with Airi, even study time is fun, and the morning passed in the blink of an eye.
"I'll make lunch soon. Toya-kun, you..."
"I'll go buy hamburgers."
That would be easier for Airi, right? She wouldn't have to clean up either.
"Then I'll come along. Toya-kun, the last time you said you'd buy some, you did, but you bought way too many. I have to keep you in check."
Well, I guess that's fine. In that case...
"Then, let's eat at the shop. I want to stop by the coffee shop for the first time in a while too."
"That's fine, but food is forbidden at the coffee shop, okay?"
When Airi warned me, I had no choice but to obediently comply with a "Yes~".
Clink-clink.
As the door bell rang, Sakai-kun greeted us with an "Welcome."
It seemed Nakajima-kun and Shimizu-san had arrived first.
We chose a table seat in the back.
"The usual... just the drinks, please."
"I'll have my usual."
"Understood."
Saying so, Sakai-kun headed toward the kitchen.
"Speaking of which..."
Airi said this and looked toward Shimizu-san.
"How did you know the other day when you said 'Shimizu-san and Sakai-kun have opened up to each other'?"
You can tell just by looking, right?
Looking at Shimizu-san, she was talking and laughing with Sakai-kun, but the type of smile was different. It was a smile that, just by looking at it, made one feel relieved.
"Toya-kun, you notice things like that too?"
"That's a rather thorny way of putting it, isn't it?"
"I just thought I wanted you to be more sensitive to my feelings too."
I'm properly sensing Airi's feelings; otherwise, we'd be having a huge fight by now.
"Even while saying that, you've noticed too, right, Airi? My feelings."
When I said that, Airi nodded with a smile.
"Yeah, Toya-kun has been very kind lately. It seems you've finally taken an interest in me too."
Airi said this and drank her beverage happily. Then, a clink-clink sound echoed. It was Oshima-san and Kimoto-senpai. Noticing us, the two sat at our table and ordered "the usual."
"Airi-chan, I'm looking forward to tonight."
"I'm looking forward to it too~"
What Airi and Oshima-san were talking about was likely the girls' night they were planning for tonight. We were also supposed to gather as just the men.
"Speaking of which, Toya-kun doesn't drink. Are you serious? Or are you a lightweight?"
"Ah, that's..."
"We've decided to drink together on Toya-kun's birthday."
"I see, you're saving it for a special occasion. That might be important too."
Kimoto-senpai seemed convinced. When the ordered items arrived, he sipped his drink and talked with Oshima-san.
Other customers entered.
Ichinose-san and Sakai-kun began moving busily.
I wonder if we're becoming a nuisance by staying any longer?
It seemed I wasn't the only one who judged it so.
"Kana? Shall we head out soon?"
"Yes..."
"Airi. We should too..."
"Yeah."
Saying so, we paid and left the shop.
"Well then, see you tonight."
With that, Kimoto-senpai and the others got in their car and left.
We also decided to put Airi in the car and head home.
(2)
A Mexican restaurant in Funai-machi.
The men of the Watanabe group were gathered there.
Once everyone had ordered drinks, Watanabe-kun stood up.
"It's just the guys today, so let's go wild! Cheers!" he said, and the banquet began.
"Tada-kun, what happened after that?"
Watanabe-kun immediately directed the conversation to Makoto. Makoto shook his head and spoke.
"In the end, we scrapped the cosplay."
Well, that's reasonable.
"Hey, Makoto. Even if you do cosplay, you'll just end up stripping her anyway, right? Isn't it pointless?"
"Toya, you don't get it. The situation is what's moe!"
Makoto spoke passionately. Yeah, I don't get it at all.
"What about you, Toya? Is the DVD still your textbook?"
"No, lately I've been thinking for myself... by putting myself in Airi's feelings."
That pleasure is probably something that can't be conveyed well to anyone.
"I'm envious that Toya has that special skill. That's probably why things are going well with Tosaka-san too."
"What's that? That special skill..."
Watanabe-kun bit onto the topic.
"This guy puts himself in her feelings and creates a world for just the two of them. It seems he won Tosaka-san over with that method too."
"Hoh, that is enviable."
"Right! Lately, Toya's become 'anything goes,' and I'm so envious it's unbelievable!"
"What about Watanabe-kun and the others? Are you thinking about anything else?"
"I-I couldn't do that. I can't put myself in her feelings, but I'm doing my best just to make sure I don't make her angry. I'm nervous," Ishihara-kun said.
"Isshy, that's no good. If you don't have the composure to enjoy yourself, that nervousness will be transmitted to her too. Surely."
I think Watanabe-kun is right.
Kiritani-kun seems to be led entirely by Sashihara-san.
Kimoto-senpai also doesn't seem very used to such things and is apparently going through a lot of trial and error. However, he said he doesn't do things like cosplay.
Then, what about Watanabe-kun? I asked him.
"We're normal too. Though Mika is excessively proactive. How about you, Sakai?"
Sakai-kun, who was eating tacos, was surprised to be suddenly thrown into the conversation.
"Normal or not, I'm not in that kind of relationship with Shimizu-san yet."
"Hah?"
Makoto was surprised. It's not something to be that surprised about, is it? They've only just finally opened up to each other recently, so there's no way there'd be sudden progress.
I listened while eating my tacos.
"Well... it's not that I have absolutely no experience. But with Shimizu-san, I can't quite get into that mood yet. I've only just started to understand one side of her recently..."
"That's why our men are looked down upon as herbivores. If you've decided you like this person, push forward aggressively."
"Makoto-kun, are you telling me to ruin myself?"
I somewhat understand what Sakai-kun is saying.
Once you go, it's probably like a one-way street where you can never go back.
It's no wonder he's cautious, but...
"Well, it's true that our men have a tendency to be looked down upon by the women. Toya, do you not have those elements?"
"Well, Airi holds the initiative, but I don't think I'm being looked down upon. Though sometimes I make a mistake and she pouts."
"But?"
"I end up thinking that a pouting Airi is also cute."
"Toya, have you never felt dissatisfied with Tosaka-san?"
Dissatisfied... now that you mention it... not particularly. Well, if you say there are small dissatisfactions, I suppose there are...
"To borrow Airi's words, I guess it's 'accepting the partner's flaws and loving her just as she is'?"
When I said that, there was a stir among everyone.
"Toya and his partner's relationship is probably the most ideal. I find it enviable."
When Watanabe-kun said that, everyone nodded.
"But accepting a loud and noisy Ai just as she is would be impossible," Kiritani-kun said.
"Airi also nags quite a bit, you know? And she pouts immediately..." when I replied, "That's also an element you like, right?" came the response.
"Yeah," I nodded, and "Katagiri-kun really does love Tosaka-san, doesn't he," came the words from Ishihara-kun.
"If I didn't love her, I wouldn't be dating her, right? Are you all dating people you don't love?" When I asked, everyone was convinced.
"Now that you put it that way, you might be right," Sakai-kun also agreed.
"But if we stay like this, it'll be just as Watanabe-kun said, the women will say whatever they want to us," Makoto said.
"Including that, I thought we should all think about it together. That's why I had you all gather today," Watanabe-kun said, and everyone began to rack their brains.
Is it something to worry about that much?
I thought while eating paella. Isn't it just a matter of normally listening to what they have to say?
Just whisper sweet words occasionally. It's a bit embarrassing, but if that's all it takes to see her smile, isn't it a cheap price to pay?
Accept her selfishness, listen to her nagging in silence, and whisper love, and she'll be satisfied.
Although it took a considerable amount of time to reach such a simple answer.
Hasn't Makoto noticed that too?
Sakai-kun is probably just starting, and while it'll be hard, I'm sure he'll reach it eventually. As long as he continues to want to be with her.
I wonder about Watanabe-kun? I think people like Watanabe-kun, who can control their partner well, are also impressive.
"What do you think, Watanabe-kun?"
I decided to ask Watanabe-kun.
"Me? I'm probably the same as Toya. Just listen to them, be kind to them, and firmly suppress the bad parts. That's all there is to it."
Airi's bad parts... I guess it's the way she won't listen once she starts talking? If I resist poorly, she pouts immediately, so I usually give in.
"Mika-san seems to have a fierce temperament, is there a secret to suppressing it well?"
"There isn't. If there is, it's probably letting it go in one ear and out the other while only saying 'no' to the bad parts. Isn't that what you're doing too, Toya?"
"Airi's selfishness is just too cute, so I end up forgiving everything."
"She's a good girlfriend."
That's true.
"Right, Toya, teach me your driving technique next time!"
The topic seemed to have shifted.
"If I teach that, I'll be hated by Sashihara-san. Besides..."
"Besides?"
"I acquired it by feel, so I'm not confident I can teach it well."
"Was it Kiritani-kun? You'd better stop trying to learn things from this guy. He's the type to settle everything with 'somehow'."
Makoto said this and patted Kiritani-kun's shoulder.
"But when you taught Tosaka-san skating, you did it well."
"That's only because it was Tosaka-san, so it just looked like I was teaching well. Tosaka-san is also excellent."
Now that he says it, that might be true. I'd heard that teaching beginners is difficult. I'd looked up teaching methods a little bit. Even if I were told to teach soccer, I probably couldn't.
"A couple where both are capable, huh."
Kiritani-kun lamented.
"I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of child is born," Watanabe-kun said with a laugh. They've already reached the stage of making children... Well, since he himself calls her his fiancée, I guess that's how it'll go.
"Is it about time?"
By the time we were eating the closing ice cream, Watanabe-kun had said so.
"Well then, shall we merge with the other side?"
Eh?
"Everyone intended to merge anyway, right? I heard about the shop from Mika."
Well, that's true. Watanabe-kun is thorough in his preparations.
That attentiveness is probably the secret to things going well with Mika-san.
"Well, I suppose that's how it'll be..."
Sakai-kun muttered with a sigh.
Despite everything, everyone probably cares about their respective partners. Even if they can't say it honestly.
Otherwise, normally, you wouldn't date them.
Everyone, do your best!
While standing in a slightly superior position, I sent a cheer to everyone.
(3)
An Italian restaurant in Funai-machi.
"The 2nd Girls' Night begins!!"
When Mika-san announced that, the banquet began.
Each person stated their drink. I ordered oolong tea.
"Airi-chan, are you a lightweight?"
When Emi asked, I told her the reason why I don't drink. She understood, saying "I see."
"That aside, Akira. You've become quite mellow lately. I'm telling you, I don't mean your figure. I mean your personality. It's like the prickly things have disappeared..."
"That's the first time I've been told that. Thank you."
Emi and Akira have also become quite close.
"Kanna, what happened with Tada-kun after that?"
Ai immediately cut into the theme that would likely be today's main subject.
"...In the end, I escaped the cosplay. But, you know... somehow that's also lonely."
She was so against it, yet she's lonely?
"I was prepared to accept it, but then suddenly being told it's fine? I feel a huge sense of anticlimax."
"That's what makes Tada-kun get cocky, Kanna. Sometimes you have to tell him firmly!"
Ai stated this decisively.
I feel like I understand what Kanna is saying. If Toya-kun is in that mood, I want to grant it. If I'm suddenly told "actually, let's stop," I'd be lonely. In the first place, Toya-kun would absolutely never do anything weird.
"But, Ai. If Eita started saying 'then I'll do it with another woman,' what would you think?"
"T-That would be a bit sad, I guess?"
"It's the same. If I don't accept it at least a little, I think 'will I be pushed away?'..."
"You should just break up quickly with such a weak man."
Emi discarded the idea flatly.
"I wanted to talk about that today. Aren't the men of the Watanabe group too weak?"
"Exactly! I wanted to say the same thing as Emi! There are too many pathetic men!!"
"I'm joining that conversation too! Now, how can we beat the rotten nature out of those men!"
Mika-san also joined in.
"Shall we educate them all together?"
"I might want to ask for that!"
"A Watanabe group training camp, then!"
Uugh... that might be pitiful for Toya-kun.
"Toya-kun can stay as he is, right?"
I defended Toya-kun just a little.
"Airi, Makoto is terrible, but Toya is also quite something. If it weren't for Airi, he'd have been ruined long ago."
That's true, it's because it's me that things are continuing with Toya-kun.
That's why I can say it. That I love him.
"It's continuing because it's me. Is that a bad thing? It just means no one else can absolutely take him, right?"
"I think I've mentioned this before, Airi-chan. That's a typical pattern of falling for a useless man. I admit he has good points, but..."
"That alone is enough, Emi. I'm happy that I was able to find even one of Toya-kun's good points before anyone else. Besides, Toya-kun has plenty of good points."
"That might be fine for Airi, but what about me? There are really no good points in Eita!"
"Isn't finding them Ai's role? Finding even a small good point in him. You must have noticed them, really? Otherwise, you wouldn't be dating him, right?"
"When you put it that way, I have no words to reply..."
Ai said this and fell silent. The others also remained silent and listened to my story.
"It's the same for everyone. You've noticed them, haven't you? The good points of your own boyfriends. I want to hear those kinds of stories. I'm sure that'll be more fun."
It might not get exciting, but there's no point in just complaining. Can you change them to someone else? That's impossible, right?
"Makoto's good points... well, he looks good, and he's kind, I guess," Kanna said.
"Eita's good point, the kindness he shows occasionally. He's clumsy, though," Ai said.
"The gap between his usual self and how he is in front of me. He's incredibly clumsy, though," Kana said.
"He's become a bit more manly lately, despite how he looks," Emi said.
"The way he wraps around me kindly, despite everything. He's actually quite kind, you know," Mika-san said.
"He looks good, he's kind, and above all, the way he expresses his intention that he loves me," Honoka said.
"I've never spoken with him... I guess it's the way he looks past my appearance and sees my inside," Shimizu-san said, to which Emi replied, "I get that. I think Katagiri-kun and Isshy are the only ones who approached me without being so pretentious."
"I might have that too; Makoto only shows those perverted habits in front of me," Kanna said, and Kana replied, "I get that."
Everyone does have them after all. We're wrapped in kindness, aren't we?
And they treat us with special emotions that they only show to us. Just that alone, how happy and fun it is. Right? You can say you love them, can't you?
Just having them smile beside me is enough; I don't need anything else beyond that.
Everything started from the moment we met. There are days we hurt each other, but even so, the feeling of "wanting to be together" connects us to a tomorrow that we still don't understand.
"But as I thought, it's embarrassing, like bragging about love," Mika-san said.
"I definitely can't say this in front of Makoto. He'd get cocky," Kanna laughed.
"That's why it's a 'Girls' Night,' right?" I said, and everyone nodded in agreement.
"But there are still dissatisfactions, like 'notice my feelings a little more.' Moments where I think 'you're too dense'," Kanna said.
"I have that too. Like when I wore the earrings I got for my birthday and he didn't notice."
"Toya seems like he'd be dense about that kind of thing."
And so, overflowing with bright topics and wrapped in warm feelings, the girls' night ended.
Everyone is properly looking at you.
So please notice it, please look at them properly.
I'm sure you'll both be able to feel happy.
When we left the shop, everyone was surprised.
The men were all waiting for them.
"Are you finished?"
When Watanabe-kun said that, everyone rushed to their respective partners.
I also rushed to Toya-kun's side.
"Toya-kun, what happened?"
"No, Watanabe-kun said he knew the shop. Otherwise, I would have sent a message."
"Then, shall we go home?"
"Is it okay already... aren't you going to a second party or something?"
"I'm in the mood to go home today!"
Saying so, I clung to Toya-kun's arm.
"Well then, thank you everyone for today."
"Airi, see you later."
Looking around, everyone was walking away with their own partner.
"Did you have a fight or something?"
"It's a secret~ it's cold, so let's get in the car quickly."
(4)
Airi had been in a great mood ever since the girls' night ended.
When I asked if something good had happened, she just laughed and answered, "It's a secret."
Well, she seemed to have fun, so it's fine.
"Everyone is so lovey-dovey~" Airi suddenly blurted out.
"Well, I suppose so," I replied.
"What kind of stories were you guys getting excited about?" Airi asked, so I told her what happened.
"Hmm, so that's how it looks from a man's perspective~" Airi pondered alone.
"So, Toya-kun, do you have any dissatisfactions with me?"
Airi asked mischievously.
"I told you, right? I love everything about you, including your flaws...!?"
Airi kissed me on the cheek.
"You say such happy things!"
This cute little devil, while I'm driving... is this the part that should be suppressed, as Watanabe-kun said?
"It's dangerous while driving, isn't it?"
"But I did it properly when the light was red. ...Was it no good?"
Airi looked at me with upturned eyes. Sorry, it seems it's impossible for me.
"It's not that it's no good, but you'll have to wait until we get home."
"Yes~"
Airi sulked a little. As expected, she's cute.
I said, while petting Airi's head with my left hand.
"In exchange, I'll let you be as spoiled as you want once we're home."
"Is it okay even though your parents are there?"
Airi's eyes were sparkling. Anyway, if I asked "should we stop after all," she'd either sulk or say "then, do you want to stay at my house?" Since it's the same either way, it's better at my place where we can save the effort of going back to get a change of clothes. For the record, most of Airi's clothes have already been moved to my place.
"I don't mind. It's too late for that now."
"Don't say lonely things like 'too late now'."
"Sorry, sorry."
"It's okay, I love Toya-kun... I love you."
She's really in a great mood. Airi, could it be...
"You didn't drink anything, did you?"
Poke
"I remember the promise! The first day we drink is..."
"My birthday, right."
"Yeah."
Airi smiled brightly and looked ahead. I glanced at her.
Because I'm truly happy to have come to love you this much, even if I falter in the future, I will not let go of the hand I've grasped.
Weighing myself against Airi?
It would probably tip toward Airi.
But if I don't value myself just as much, the one who will be hurt is Airi. I'll value Airi while maintaining myself. It seems difficult, but it's not that difficult. Because that's how I've done it until now.
Ai in the right hand, love in the left.
Balanced... winter scales...