Chapter 162 - The Iris of the Eye
(1)
"Good morning, Toya-kun. Breakfast is ready."
Airi, wearing an apron, came to wake me up first thing in the morning. I heaved my heavy body up with a "yoisho."
"Saying 'yoisho' makes you sound like a grandpa, Toya-kun."
Airi laughed as she said that. Say whatever you want...
As I began to change, Airi took off her apron and started changing as well.
One might wonder, Why doesn't she change first? but since I have a vague idea why, I intentionally didn't ask.
When I headed to the dining room, breakfast was laid out.
I took my seat and started eating. I think putting a first-period class on Mondays was a mistake. From next year, I'll ask Airi to help me out a bit.
Seven days have passed since the start of the year. It's the day for seven-herb rice porridge. My only image of it is porridge with some grass in it. I don't like it very much.
While chatting about such things, I finished breakfast and headed to the washroom. Unusually, Airi came to the washroom with me.
"What's up?"
"I thought we could get ready together."
"Am I in your way?"
"So Toya-kun thinks I'm in the way..."
This is bad; Airi is one step away from pouting. This is the first time I've encountered this case. What should I do?
On impulse, I pulled Airi's shoulder close to me.
"Eh?"
"You aren't reflected in the mirror with me, right? Not unless we're stuck together like this."
"It's hard to move like this, though?"
"Ah, right. Sorry..."
"No, it's okay. I see that even Toya-kun will go along with my selfishness..."
And so, I brushed my teeth and washed my face together with Airi.
Since Airi takes a long time to wash her face, I left the washroom first.
Thinking that Airi would eventually return to the room anyway, I waited there, and she came back with a clatter.
Airi headed to the dressing table that had been placed in the room at some point and began applying makeup. It's probably better not to stare too much.
Thinking that, I leisurely gazed at my PC.
I tried searching for the words Makoto had said were recommended. As expected... it was exactly that.
Morning urges are really something. I typed in "female university student" as a keyword and hit search, since I was sort of looking for a girl who seemed like Airi... Then they started appearing, one after another...
While I was looking, thinking how amazing it was, Airi—who had finished her makeup at some point—was watching from behind.
Noticing this, I hurriedly closed the browser, but it was already too late.
Poke
"I wonder what you're looking at so early in the morning~? Toya-kun."
The face Airi made as she said this was a smile itself. It was actually scary.
"I-isn't it a breach of manners to silently peer into another person's PC?"
"And what about watching erotic videos openly in front of your fiancé?"
"Ugh... sorry."
There was no way "sorry" would be enough; Airi traced the history and watched the video I had been viewing.
"...Toya-kun. You really do like the ordinary ones, don't you? And female university students, at that."
"Ah, no. I was just sort of looking for a girl who seemed like Airi..."
Poke
"Geez, if that's the case, you should have said so sooner. I told you, didn't I? 'I'll do anything Toya-kun wants.'"
"I was searching for that 'anything.'"
Because they said at the boys' gathering that it's a man's role to casually lead things toward those kinds of situations.
"...But this person's body is so flexible. I couldn't do something like this."
"Within the range of what you can do is fine. I couldn't do it for this long either..."
"Yeah..."
I looked at the clock in the bottom right of the screen. It'll be bad if we don't leave soon.
"Airi, it'll be bad for the time if we don't leave soon."
"Ah, you're right!"
Airi said, looking at her wristwatch.
It's the one she bought in high school. Since she's a university student now, maybe a watch would be a good birthday present next time?
Thinking about such things, we left the room.
(2)
When the transport car arrived at the university gates, the men flocked over.
They were waiting for the Queen to emerge from the car. They didn't notice me, who came out after her.
Well, that's only natural. However, as if to say that didn't matter, Shimizu-san linked arms with me and started walking.
Naturally, cold gazes and chilly words pierced through me.
"Who the hell is that guy?"
"Was a guy like that at our university?"
"Why is a guy like that with the Queen..."
They've already gone beyond the realm of whispering. I can hear them clearly.
My position worsens every time I hear them. Endure it! This too is my trial.
"Yoshiyuki, you said you didn't have a first-period class, right?"
"Yeah."
There are probably only elective compulsory subjects for Monday's first period, right? I wouldn't go out of my way to take one that makes it easy to oversleep.
"Then, you can accompany me to my class."
That sounded to me as nothing more than "Accompany me." I silently headed toward the large lecture hall.
While dragging along a trailing crowd of men.
By the way, I was wearing a tracksuit today as well. One shouldn't wear clothes they aren't used to.
"Hey? Yoshiyuki?"
Shimizu-san, who had started calling me by my first name before I knew it, gave me a further trial while I endured the bed of needles.
"You can call me by my first name too. Like Akira, or Akira-chan, or Akira-kky."
For now, I'll pass on the very last one. There was some anime like that, wasn't there?
That character had a bad end in the end, though.
However, it would be pitiful to keep calling her by the formal name of Shimizu-san forever. I made a huge concession.
"Then, Akira-chan..."
"Thank you, I'm happy."
Saying that, Akira...-chan boldly clung to me in front of these men.
It wasn't something as gentle as needles; what the men held were full-fledged blades. I felt as if my entire body was being carved up.
It hurts, it hurts, Akira-chan.
And so, I took a class I didn't need to take for the first period, and my body was battered by colder gazes than necessary, leaving me exhausted and worn out.
"I'm free for the second period, though?"
"I start from the second period."
Since I've planned my courses to match my part-time job hours, I often take classes from the second to the fourth period. Of course, if there are compulsory subjects, I take first or fifth period too.
"Then, we can take the second period together too."
There's absolutely no need to take it together, though. It's useless to resist poorly, so I didn't resist.
Or rather, I'm terrified of myself for having absolutely no sense of resistance lately.
Since we had different subjects for the third period, we acted separately.
"Don't you dare cheat," she left me with those words and headed toward the education building, leading half of the men with her.
As for the other half, they followed after me.
When I entered the classroom, Tosaka-san and the others, and Nakajima-kun, had already arrived.
I mustn't bring harm to them.
Thinking that, I sat in a place far away from them.
Ignoring my consideration, Nakajima-kun moved his seat toward me.
"What's wrong, Yoshiyuki? It seems like you're being totally surrounded...?"
The one who jumped into the fire is you, Nakajima-kun, okay?
"No, well, after commuting with Shimizu... Akira-chan this morning, it's become like this."
Thinking about it, it might have been fine to just use "Shimizu-san" during the time she wasn't around, but I dutifully called her "Akira-chan."
"Akira-chan!? Well, if you say it's the natural way to call her, I guess it is?"
If you say it that loudly, the people around will react, right? Look, a dark aura has started to drift over.
A small aura from one person becomes quite large once the entire area is enveloped in it.
It seems Nakajima-kun noticed the anomaly as well.
Katagiri-kun, who had been slumped over his desk, also seemed to notice the anomaly.
It might be because Tosaka-san was frightened and clung to Katagiri-kun's arm, but they moved away from us so as not to be noticed.
That's the right choice, Katagiri-kun. As for Nakajima-kun...
"Sorry, it seems I've suddenly felt unwell. I'll be heading out..."
Saying that, Nakajima-kun left the classroom.
Now, there were only enemies around me.
This is exactly what they mean by being surrounded on all sides.
I know how to handle these situations.
Endure it relentlessly.
That's the only way. It wasn't a matter of once or twice.
It was a crisis I had experienced countless times since declaring my relationship with her.
Rather than responding carelessly, if I stay silent like a clam, they will eventually leave.
As the precedent showed, one by one, they left the classroom.
In the end, they aren't seriously chasing me.
They just followed me for the sole reason of "Why with a man like this."
If I don't react excessively, they won't do anything.
If they had the courage to do so, they'd be confessing to Akira-chan specifically.
If I continue such days, their passion will cool down, the iris of their eyes will return to normal, and they will naturally drift away.
Though occasionally, some with strong passion still remain.
"It's always tough, isn't it, Sakai-kun?"
Tosaka-san called out to me. With her usual order.
"I've gotten used to it. Today is actually better."
In the beginning, there were times when I had my collar grabbed and was asked, "What the hell are you to her?" It's simply unreasonable.
"But keep doing your best. Shimizu-san's will seems firm. If Sakai-kun doesn't break, it'll surely go well."
"Why can you assert that so confidently?"
I felt a question regarding Tosaka-san's confident statement.
"Because I was the same way. I was arbitrarily treated like an idol, receiving gazes of expectation and envy, and when I summoned my courage to declare I was dating Toya-kun, everyone drifted away."
Katagiri-kun had it tough too. Well, since it was Katagiri-kun, the iris Tosaka-san saw must have been correct.
"I'll tell you now, it's not something as grand as you might think, Sakai-kun. It's the same as the current Sakai-kun. I felt an inferiority complex. But Airi changed me. Even if I'm looked down upon by others, as long as Airi recognizes me, that's enough. Once I thought that, I felt at ease."
Katagiri-kun said this while stroking the head of the frolicking Tosaka-san.
"I don't know what happened with you, Sakai-kun, but look at Shimizu-san with your own iris. You felt you loved her, right? Then don't let go of that. No matter what. If you just protect that, it'll go well."
That's right. I fell in love with Akira-chan.
That is the one unwavering fact. I must not let go of it... or so I think.
I might just be unilaterally receiving her affection, or I might have just been attracted to her earnestness.
Even such a tiny feeling is no different from love. I'll cherish it.
Looking at these two, I think so. Because I think that is likely a wonderful thing.
(3)
What awaited me upon waking was an unknown world.
And his smile flickering in my chest.
While wandering with those feelings held within, I began to walk toward him.
Fog blocking my path.
Even when putting my heart into it, words are sometimes powerless.
Even when acting, a cruel truth awaits.
Still, I won't give up.
Men who see a false image of me and are arbitrarily misled.
But he possessed the strength to brush aside that fog.
He, piercing through the illusions of hesitation.
I thought I was lonely.
Even on a difficult path, even if today was the worst, I believed a day would come when I could smile, and as a result, I met him.
How does his iris reflect me?
That's where my dream ended.
I felt that meeting him was destiny.
My feelings finally reached him.
Though he still doesn't take any action, as usual.
Still, the eyes he uses to look at me have clearly changed.
It finally reached him.
He, who brushes aside the fog separating me from others without hesitation.
I want him to be more proud of himself.
Just as Katagiri-kun said, Yoshiyuki is the first one to break through my shell.
Today as well, I make my way to the cafe where he works.
When I'm at the university, I stay by Yoshiyuki's side as much as possible.
The men around us... to put it in Emi's style, the "small fry" are noisy.
I might be causing him trouble, but still, I want to be by his side. Please forgive me.
At first, everyone in the Watanabe group seemed like enemies, but when my feelings changed, they accepted it.
It felt like a very comfortable place.
And the cafe, which has almost become the Watanabe group's strategy meeting room.
Upon entering, I order my usual lemon tea and watch him moving briskly.
This has been my daily routine for over half a year now.
That alone makes me happy.
Today as well, I took my usual spot, placed my usual order, and gazed at him.
In the back, Katagiri-kun and the others, and Kimoto-senpai and his group, are there.
Next to me is Yoshiyuki's friend, Nakajima-kun.
That Nakajima-kun is talking with Yoshiyuki's ex-girlfriend, Ichinose-san. I don't know if it's right or wrong, but she fell in love with Yoshiyuki on her own, became disillusioned on her own, and threw it away on her own.
To put it in Katagiri-kun's style, I suppose she was unable to obtain Yoshiyuki's instruction manual?
It might also be fine to settle it with a simple word like compatibility.
Clink clink
Along with the sound of the door bell, my old enemy, Emi, and her boyfriend, Ishihara-kun, appeared.
"Are you still coming here every day, as usual?"
Emi said that when she saw me.
I can't feel the hostility like before.
She even has the leeway to show a smile. That smile wasn't provocative like in the past, but something gentler.
"That's right, it's my daily routine."
I replied to her with a smile.
"Geez, there's no need to do that anymore, is there? Isn't there something more important than that?"
Emi said. This is also an important thing for me, though.
"Wouldn't it be better to prepare to welcome him warmly by making some home-cooked food or something?"
"Ah, that sort of thing. I have no problem with that. I intend to go home after drinking this cup."
"Is that so? Then it's fine..."
During a girls' gathering, Emi and I had once hit it off over "having soft boyfriends."
However, we both hit it off again at Tosaka-san's question, "But there's still something you love about them, right?"
After that, the four of us talked.
It was a very enjoyable time.
Past grudges melted away as if they were a lie.
"Well then, I'm going home."
Saying that, I paid the bill and tried to leave the shop, but I stopped.
"Yoshiyuki, is there anything you want to eat today?"
"I-I'm fine with anything. There were times when I spent every meal eating ramen."
"Ramen? Do you like it?"
"N-no, it's just that I didn't have money. I'd stock up on instant ramen."
"I understand. I'll make you some of this 'ramen' thing once in a while."
"Pardon?"
"I've never eaten it either, so I'm interested. In this 'ramen' thing."
"I-is that so? It's quite delicious."
"Well, I'll buy the ingredients and go home, so see you later at the house."
"Yes..."
Saying that, I left the shop.
Getting into the car, I told Kazami.
"I'm going to make something called instant ramen, so please tell me the ingredients."
"Instant ramen? If that's the case, I believe it's sold at any supermarket."
"Then, please stop by the supermarket."
"Understood."
In the meantime, I searched for how to make ramen on a search site.
Oh? It seems easier than I thought.
Learning the dishes he likes. That seems fun too.
(4)
After leaving the cafe, we went home.
Did we get a bit late?
At this rate, dinner will be left to Maya-san.
Please forgive me, I'll do the cleaning.
When we returned home, Toya-kun's parents were waiting in the living room.
Food was laid out on the dining table.
"Sorry for being late..."
"Airi-chan, please go home right now."
"Eh..."
Did I do something I wasn't supposed to?
"Am I a nuisance...?"
"N-no, it's not that, Airi-chan. It's just that a guest has come to Tosaka-san's house. Toya! You go too."
"...Do I have business there too?"
Toya-kun asked suspiciously.
"Yes, you're not unrelated to this either..."
"What on earth happened?"
"You'll understand when you go..."
Toya-kun's Papa-san said meaningfully.
I wonder what's happening?
I headed toward my house with Toya-kun.
When we returned home, Rie-chan greeted us. Something about her seemed strange.
When I was guided to the living room, a girl with a bob cut slowly stood up and looked back.
Inoue Ako.
Toya-kun's cousin. The person who once tried to steal Toya-kun away from me. The younger sister of Katsuya-san, who launched an attack on my house.
Why is she at the house? She had a man with her. She said he was her boyfriend.
"Airi-chan, I've tidied up the room, so please talk slowly in the room~"
Seeing that Rie-chan's tone was the same as usual, it didn't seem like a dangerous conversation.
However, Ako-san refused, saying, "No, here, because it's something I want to talk about with your parents as well."
Toya-kun and I sat on the living room sofa. Then, Ako-san and her boyfriend bowed deeply.
"First, I offer my deepest apologies for the things my brother has done and for my parents' discourtesy."
It was a very business-like tone. Did she come just to convey that?
The boyfriend offered a gift box. The father didn't accept it at first, but since Ako-san insisted, he reluctantly took it.
The business is finished now, right? However, her talk didn't stop there.
"Actually, my brother has disappeared..."
"What!?"
Toya-kun cried out in surprise.
"Even so, I thought it might be possible, so I searched around here, but I couldn't find him."
"But, wasn't he supposed to be unable to approach this area because of the pledge~?"
"I don't think my brother would withdraw quietly, so I thought I would give a warning."
Ako-san spoke while looking at me.
"I'm sorry. For having such an incompetent brother. I also thought it would be better if I didn't show my face before you as much as possible. There was also my parents' lack of manners, and I thought I'd feel more secure if I were with my boyfriend."
I only replied, "Don't worry about it, thank you for the warning."
"Then, I shall take my leave. If you happen to see my brother, please report it to the police immediately."
Saying that, Ako-san and the others left.
After they left, the four of us consulted.
"Do my parents know about this?"
When Toya-kun asked, Rie-chan answered.
"Know? It seems they visited the Katagiri residence~"
"...Toya-kun, I truly hope you won't do anything reckless."
Saying that, the father bowed his head.
"I'm asking too, please don't be reckless."
I grabbed Toya-kun's arm.
"Since it's a failure of my own kin, I intend to handle it myself."
Anxiety crossed my mind at Toya-kun's words.
"...I understand your feelings, but you are still a child. It's okay to rely on adults, you know?"
The father's words were gentle, but his expression was serious. Toya-kun must have felt that too, as he quietly backed down, saying, "...I understand."
Spring is far off.
As the saying goes, winter still continues.
It was an occurrence during the winter crescent moon turn.