Chapter 192 - In the Sky Where the Rainbow Hangs
(1)
"Toya-kun, it's morning~"
"Just a little more... We have time today, right?"
Toya-kun sometimes has trouble waking up.
I try various things, but none of them work very well.
I think doing something painful would be pitiful, so I don't do it, but is that too soft?
Occasionally, Toya-kun wakes up first.
At those times, he wakes me up gently. Though sometimes he does various things in secret.
I make an effort to wake him up as gently as possible too, but there are times when he won't wake up.
Toya-kun has recently become more conscious of romance.
Because of that, the methods I've used up until now sometimes don't work.
The North Wind and the Sun strategy does get him up, but the aftermath is difficult.
Toya-kun is mean and sometimes notices but won't wake up, waiting for my tactics.
I'm happy that he does it, but I want him to consider the time and place.
Thinking about it the other way around, should I just do it when I want him to do those things?
Toya-kun has become gentle. When I want to do it and spoil him, he accepts me right away.
But occasionally he plays mean tricks.
Today's Toya-kun is also the latter.
He is purposely not waking up, waiting for my action.
If you think I'll do it for you every single time, you are sorely mistaken.
"I don't care if you're late!"
Saying that, I begin to change.
It was originally my preference too, but in the summer, I often wear one-pieces or long skirts.
Though I am matching Toya-kun's preference. Toya-kun's preference is the vocalist girl from Elto.
While changing and thinking that Toya-kun had that kind of preference too, Toya-kun suddenly hugs me from behind.
Bonk
"I'm in the middle of changing right now."
"...I thought you might be in a bad mood today."
"I'm fine, so let me change."
Then, although Toya-kun let go of his hands, he still looked like he wanted to say something.
Oh, honestly.
Once I finish changing, I kiss Toya-kun.
"Toya-kun, if you don't change quickly too, the food will get cold."
Toya-kun finally begins to change.
"I'm going downstairs first~"
Saying that, I leave the room.
"Oh? Airi-chan, where is Toya?"
Maya-san asks.
"Toya-kun is changing right now. I think he'll be down very soon."
"Is that so? Sorry for making you deal with this every morning."
It is a wife's duty, after all.
After a little while, Toya-kun came down.
He still looks sleepy, but his appetite at least is fully there.
I finish eating first and head to the washroom.
Since Toya-kun came in, I shift over by one person's width to make space for Toya-kun.
Finishing my preparations first, I prepare the coffee.
By agreement with Maya-san, it's decided that making breakfast is my role, and cleaning up is Maya-san's role.
I want to clean up too, but since Maya-san says so, I am taking her up on her kind offer.
Putting coffee into a mug, I enter Toya-kun's room, and Toya-kun was watching TV.
It's the usual program.
It seems he made it in time for the game.
"What color will you choose today?"
"Hmm..."
Because I always choose red, Toya-kun thinks I like red. Shall I change it for once?
"Yellow... maybe?"
Making a "Huh?" face, he selects yellow. Then, yellow was the correct guess.
After that, I watch a drama while getting ready.
Once I finish getting ready, I sit next to Toya-kun and watch TV.
When there is a cooking segment, I ask Toya-kun, "Do you like this kind of thing?"
Since healthy ingredients were the main focus, Toya-kun doesn't seem to have much interest.
The olive oil segment still seems to attract Toya-kun's interest more.
"Airi, next time, shall we go to a restaurant specializing in Hamburg steaks?"
"Hoe?"
"It looks like they have a course for light eaters too. I've wanted to go there once."
"Hmm, well, if it's after we finish shopping..."
"Then, the shopping mall up toward the mountains."
Saying that, Toya-kun searches on his smartphone.
What is he searching for? I peek at Toya-kun's smartphone...
"...Underwear."
Bonk
"You were the one who brought it up, Airi!?"
"You don't have to look it up every single time!"
By the way, apparently there was one.
I was about to look inside the website, but I stopped.
Then, there is an incoming message.
It seems several have arrived.
It was the Watanabe group chat.
"Are you free this coming Saturday?"
It seems Nishimatsu-kun is hitting on Sakura-san.
"I do have plans."
"What kind of plans?"
"It's a secret~"
"Cancel those plans. I'll arrange a wonderful night for you."
"Is drugging someone a wonderful arrangement?"
"I won't make the same mistake."
"...I suppose so. It might be about time."
"?"
Sakura-san's posts stopped for a moment. And then Sakura-san comments again.
"If it's Saturday, I'll be at the station ticket gate at 10:00 AM~"
"10:00 AM, right... Understood."
Only my smartphone rings.
"Wait, Sakura, what are you thinking!?"
It's Ai.
"It's just a little prank~ Please don't worry~"
"That prank is going to cause an accident, you know? Do you understand?"
"It's absolutely fine, I've worked out a plan. He really is simple, isn't he~"
"?"
"My own desire is mixed in a little too~. I'll let you know on Sunday~"
What could the plan be? I exchanged looks with Toya-kun and fell into thought.
(2)
On Saturday, shortly before 10:00 AM, I was standing by a pillar near the station ticket gate.
This pillar is perfect.
Five minutes before, Nishimatsu-kun arrived.
He is as full of confidence as ever.
Touching his bangs, he speaks to me. If it bothers him that much, he should just cut it.
"Hey, sorry to keep you waiting. I thought I rushed here, though."
"I wasn't waiting, so it's fine."
"Then, shall we go see a movie?"
"I don't really understand what you're saying?"
"Eh? Weren't you meeting up with me?"
"I said I would 'be' here, but I didn't say I was 'waiting' for you, did I?"
"Then why are you here?"
"Because I'm waiting for someone?"
That person arrived before long.
"Sakura!!" Hiyama-senpai called out in a loud voice.
I waved my hand in response.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. My bad, I've never been inside the station, so I didn't know the way."
"If that was the case, you should have just told me."
"Sakura, the North Exit near the station building would have been fine anyway."
"Since it's far, I thought you would come by train."
"So, who's this guy?"
"A member of the Watanabe group, sort of. Nishimatsu-kun. We talked about him on the phone the other day, right?"
"Ah, this guy..."
He scratched his head with a sigh, thumped the pillar behind me, and glared at Nishimatsu-kun.
"So, does this Nishimatsu-kun guy have some business with my Sakura?"
My heart skipped a beat.
"Y-You're the one who got dumped by Sakura-san, so why are you here?"
"Sakura, did you explain to this guy?"
"No, he didn't ask, so I didn't?"
"I see."
Saying that, he wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulled me close to him, and said to Nishimatsu-kun:
"This girl became my woman."
When he said that, Nishimatsu-kun tried to say something.
"What? If you have something to say, I'll listen."
"You probably don't know, but that woman has plenty of men..."
"So what? No man other than me is reflected in Sakura's eyes."
"You're quite overconfident, aren't you?"
"Well, I am who I am. She's a woman I've acknowledged. I think that much is only natural."
"And with that, see you later~. Shall we go, Haruki-senpai?"
Ignoring Nishimatsu-kun, who stood there dumbfounded, we headed to the coffee shop in the station building.
"Listen here, Sakura."
"What?"
"I know about the game between you and that Nishimatsu guy, but don't drag me into such a farce."
He said that and drank his coffee.
"Thanks to that, I feel refreshed. When you play that kind of role, you really nail it, Senpai."
"What do you mean, 'that kind of role'? I only stated facts, didn't I?"
"I've never seen anyone other than you, Senpai, look so good saying heart-throbbing words like 'No man other than me is reflected in Sakura's eyes' or 'She's a woman I've acknowledged.'"
If Katagiri-senpai said it, it would probably just be lame.
"...Well, I've been made to play those kinds of roles before."
"I see~. ...But it suits you."
"...Thanks. So, what are we doing now?"
"Since it's our first date, how about a classic movie~?"
"That's cliché."
"Do you dislike it~?"
"...Is there a movie you want to see?"
Hiyama-senpai said that, and then he looked at a website on his smartphone with me to search for a movie.
After watching the movie, we ate lunch, drove around a bit in Hiyama-senpai's car, ate dinner, and then he drove me home.
"Won't you stop by my house~?"
"You're not the kind of loose girl who would let a man into her house on the first date, are you?"
"That's true too~"
"Also, I'll give you this, so make a promise..."
Saying that, Hiyama-senpai gave me a present.
"What is the promise~?"
"Stop doing things like being alone with men other than me. Think only of me."
"..."
"Sorry, but I've lost interest in women other than you."
I had no words to return. I could only nod repeatedly.
"Well, good night."
Saying that, his car drove away.
Returning home and opening the wrapping, there was a necklace inside. Two rings were tied to it.
After putting it away, I took a shower, returned to my room, and operated my smartphone.
I reported everything that happened today.
Everyone was laughing.
"I'm starting to feel a bit sorry for him now," said Otonashi-senpai.
"It's still not enough. I'm still dissatisfied with his reaction," said Shimizu-senpai.
"From here on, it's education time," said Eguchi-senpai.
"Everyone, it's too early to let your guard down," said Sashihara-senpai.
"The one to deliver the finishing blow is Takashina-senpai, right?" said Tosaka-senpai.
"Eh? Me?" Takashina-senpai is bewildered.
"Didn't I tell you? That something wonderful is waiting," Tosaka-senpai says.
"I've never had that kind of emotion before," Takashina-senpai says.
To that Takashina-senpai, Tosaka-senpai says:
"That's why I will present you with that kind of emotion."
How on earth would she do something so magical?
I was growing interested in the method of that spell.
(3)
"President, I'll be leaving now."
"Yes, good work."
While the employees left saying that, I worked silently.
"Manabe-kun, you can go home too, you know? The documents I've entrusted to you aren't that urgent."
"But they'll be finished soon, so I'll get them done before I leave. You'll probably need someone for chores too, President."
"I'll be going home soon too, so don't worry."
"All the more reason to stay. It must be tough taking a taxi all the time, right? I'll drive you home."
"Is that so... Then, maybe I'll ask for some coffee."
"Understood."
I brew coffee and hand it to the President.
"You would be an immediate asset. You'd do fine at any design firm."
"In that case, you could just hire me here, you know."
"..."
The President answered nothing.
Even if I block her escape routes in advance like this, she slips through.
"But is it really okay for you to be hanging around here so much, Manabe-kun?"
"Even if you say hanging around, it's only about three times a week."
"A guy like you must have a girlfriend, Manabe-kun?"
"Relationships during your college days are important, you know?" the President laughs.
"Did you have a romance during your student days, President?"
"I did... with my husband."
"Ah... I'm sorry."
"It's fine. I was the one who brought it up."
The President, Harada Satomi, had been married.
However, she lost her husband in a traffic accident and was seriously injured herself.
Now, she is struggling as the president of a private design firm. Pushing her injured body.
What I was asked by Tange-sensei was to support her.
I was entrusted with it because I have a good personality and would be suitable.
However, I ended up attracted to her body that seemed like it would break if touched, and her beautiful yet fleeting figure.
It was from Tange-sensei that I heard about the President.
"I didn't think you were the type to pry into people's pasts," Tange-sensei told me with a laugh.
Knowing that past, she seemed all the more attractive to me.
I wanted to support her personally, not just as a part-timer. That was what I thought.
But she tried to maintain the stance of a part-timer and their employer to the end.
She had built a thick wall.
A small door set into that thick wall.
I spent every day searching for a way to open that door and slip through.
"Well then, shall we head home soon?"
Saying that, she stands up.
"Then, I'll go get the car."
Saying that, when I brought the car around to the entrance, she was waiting at the entrance.
"Sorry for always troubling you."
"Please don't worry about it. It's a well-paying part-time job, so I'm the one being helped here."
"It helps to hear you say that."
The apartment where she lives is less than ten minutes by car from the company.
"Thank you. Well, I'll contact you again."
"Yes."
Saying that, I dropped her off in front of the apartment and drove off.
It was at that moment. The sight of her collapsing, seen through the side mirror.
I stopped the car immediately and rushed to her side.
"Are you okay!?"
"I'm fine... It'll pass if I take some painkillers."
"...The key to your room."
Receiving the key from her, I carried her in my arms, entered the apartment, and reached her room.
Once she took her medicine and calmed down, she fell asleep right there.
I carried her to the bedroom, laid her down on the bed, and left the room... The reason I left while still holding the key was to move the car.
After parking the car in a nearby parking lot, I entered her room again, and there she was, trying to change.
"E-Excuse me."
Rushing out of the bedroom, I waited until her faint voice said, "It's fine."
When I knocked and entered the bedroom, she was in bed.
"Thank you, you saved me... It's already late today, so stay the night."
Somewhere in my heart, there was a part of me rejoicing.
But now was the time my self-control was being tested.
I lay down on the sofa in the living room.
After a while, I heard some groaning.
It was from the bedroom.
"Excuse me."
Saying that, I entered the bedroom and found her having a nightmare.
Unconsciously, I held her hand and spoke to her, "It's okay."
Then, she hugged me.
There was no longer any such thing as self-control.
I hugged her back.
She was surprised at first, but she accepted it.
This is the story of the day she and I spent our first night together.
The next morning, I prepared breakfast and woke her up.
"I'm sorry for having you take care of everything from start to finish."
"Please don't worry about it."
After that, when I drove her to the company, she said, "Well, see you later," and disappeared into the building.
"I didn't understand the meaning of what that 'see you later' was pointing to."
(4)
"Oh? Keisuke?"
"Miyuki... why are you here..."
I doubted my eyes.
Why was Keisuke in a place like this?
This is the ticket gate of the station building.
I was called out by Katagiri-kun and came to the ticket gate.
Apparently, Keisuke was called out by Tosaka-san and came here.
However, neither of them shows any sign of appearing even though the time has come.
"Tch! Again..."
Keisuke muttered.
Again...
He is probably referring to what Sakura-san did to him the other day, right?
If it's this time too, does that mean I was set up as well?
Come to think of it, she did say. That she would "present me with something wonderful."
Is this it?
If so, it's a huge miscalculation, you know?
There's no way he would fall in love with me.
To him, someone like me is just like an option that has been attached from the very beginning.
He doesn't think anything of me.
Just like the feelings I hold toward him...
"Looks like we've been had."
I muttered unexpectedly too.
He reacted to those words.
"It can't be helped. Miyuki, shall we go hang out somewhere? To blow off some steam."
So I'm nothing more than an object to blow off steam with?
I thought myself foolish for thinking such a thing.
Isn't that something I've known from the very beginning?
"That sounds fine too... Where are we going?"
"For now, maybe drink some coffee and cool our heads...?"
Keisuke's words stopped halfway.
I look back.
Tosaka-san and Katagiri-kun are walking over, stuck close together.
I exchange looks with Keisuke.
"Tosaka-san and Katagiri-kun..."
"Sorry~ We're a little late~"
Tosaka-san apologizes.
"Tosaka-san, what on earth is this..."
"Yeah, well, Toya-kun overslept."
"Ah, if Airi had just woken me up properly..."
"How awful. I don't think you should blame everything on your wife, you know? Right, Nishimatsu-kun, don't you think so?"
"Indeed, blaming everything on women is not good. It's the bare minimum of manners for a man, Katagiri-senpai."
When Keisuke said that triumphantly, did Tosaka-san giggle?
She seems to be plotting something.
"By the way, why is Katagiri-senpai with you?"
"Hoe?"
"Today, we were supposed to go out as two..."
"That's why I meant we should go out as two couples, you know?"
There is no doubt we were set up.
I don't know what the purpose is, though.
"It's what you call a double date, Nishimatsu-kun."
When Katagiri-kun says that, the smile disappears from Keisuke's face.
But he recovers immediately.
"If that's the case, please say so, Senpai."
"Sorry~ It seems I was a bit lacking in words."
"So, what are we doing now?"
I switched the topic.
"For now, why don't we go to a coffee shop?"
"Sure."
"Let's go."
Saying that, when Keisuke reaches out his hand, I dodged that hand and clung to Katagiri-kun's arm.
"Toya-kun, is it true you saw it on the website?"
"Yeah, it said there's one in the station building too."
I wonder what is there?
"Tosaka-san."
"Ye~s?"
"Do you think you've won with this?"
"Hoe?"
To anyone's eyes, Tosaka-san looked like she was playing dumb.
"I wonder what you mean?"
"You're the one who set up today's double date, right, Tosaka-san?"
"That's right?"
"Your scheme is probably to stick us together and make it look like your victory, but it won't go that way... In the first place, Miyuki and I are..."
"Nishimatsu-kun and Takashina-senpai are...?"
Tosaka-san is grinning.
"...Just childhood friends! I believe I've told you before."
"Do just childhood friends kiss on the street?"
"That's because Miyuki said she wanted to!"
As expected, my chest pricked with pain.
He is trying to escape by blaming it on me.
It's the usual Keisuke, so I try not to mind, but it still makes me feel bad.
"That's no good. Didn't you say so yourself? 'Blaming everything on women is not good.'"
"..."
The pace of the conversation is completely controlled by Tosaka-san.
Katagiri-kun is just listening on the side.
Keisuke is self-destructing all by himself.
This turn of events is not good. As someone who is "Keisuke's ally" by position, I call Keisuke out.
"What's wrong? The one you should be calling out is Katagiri-senpai, not me, right?"
"Calm down a bit. You are being completely toyed with by Tosaka-san. Their intention is to push us into the fait accompli of being a couple. You can at least understand that much, right?"
"If that's the case, isn't this situation all the more bad?"
"Do you want to expose your disgrace and go home again like that other time?"
"..."
"Calm down a bit. I'll handle things from here."
"I'll leave it to you."
Saying that, he returned to his seat.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
"It's fine~. If you want to be alone together, anytime."
"Then there would be no point to today's double date, would there?"
"That's true~"
"By the way, we have a proposal of our own."
"What is it?"
"Why don't we exchange couples for today?"
"That is a no."
Tosaka-san smiled and rejected it.
"Oh? Don't you trust Katagiri-kun, Tosaka-san?"
"But I don't want to see Toya-kun getting along with Takashina-senpai. Because Toya-kun belongs only to me."
"Then we can just act separately. You won't have to see it."
"That is a no, Takashina-senpai."
Katagiri-kun joins the conversation.
"Because I've promised Airi that no matter what happens, I won't leave her alone. Airi and I are no longer just lovers or anything like that, but more like partners sharing our lives."
Tosaka-san is listening to Katagiri-kun's words with a smile.
"I envy being able to trust someone to that extent."
"Do you not have someone like that, Takashina-senpai?"
"Unfortunately, I've never had that kind of emotion."
"Is that really true?"
For the first time, Tosaka-san's words pierced my heart.
"Because love isn't just about fun things. Because there are painful things, lonely things, bitter things, and sad things too. Loving each other isn't just about beautiful things. I thought you would be the one who knows that best, Takashina-senpai."
I don't understand the meaning of what Tosaka-san is saying.
"You mustn't run away."
It pierces my heart again.
What is wrong with me today? I'm strangely shaken.
"Hmm, isn't that a bit too hot for the coming season?"
"Then, shall we go with this one?"
Tosaka-san and Katagiri-kun are choosing matching pajamas.
They are showing off how close they are.
I don't know what kind of meaning there is in that, but...
To me, it was nothing but yearning.
"What's wrong, Miyuki? Aren't you the one whose pace is being controlled now?"
"You're right..."
"Didn't you have confidence that you could win him over?"
I chew gum.
Let's calm my head.
Right now, a double date is being forced on us. I proposed exchanging partners. But I was rejected by Tosaka-san and Katagiri-kun.
...
"Keisuke, do you have the confidence to provoke Katagiri-kun?"
"...On the contrary, I was provoked."
"Eh?"
That was the story from the time of the movie before.
"You get along as well as ever."
"Well, according to her, she's my wife, after all."
"Could you lend me that wife for a bit?"
"I thought that's what this was about. I'm sorry, but I can't go along with that. I was just scolded that my duty is to make sure Airi is never put in danger, no matter what."
"Is it like a knight protecting a princess?"
"Can't the same be said for you?"
"?"
"If you treat her carelessly, won't you end up abandoned?"
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly what it means, though?"
Keisuke ended up shaken.
Seeing that, Katagiri-kun says as if convinced.
"Just as I thought. Your mind is easy to read. If she has a weakness... it's you."
"What nonsense."
"Whether it's nonsense or not is obvious at a glance, though."
"How much do you know about the relationship between Miyuki and me?"
"Which means, saying you're just childhood friends is a lie, right?"
"...There's no way we could remain just childhood friends for over ten years."
"You might be the only one who thinks that, you know?"
"What do you mean!"
Keisuke was shouting. Looking at Keisuke like that, he smiles warmly.
"Didn't I tell you? That if you don't cherish it, it's something you will easily lose."
Keisuke said nothing more.
He couldn't say anything.
"...And that's how it went."
"That was your mistake, Keisuke."
"I know that."
"That's why I told you. That they wouldn't be easy to deal with..."
"I told you I know! In the first place, if Miyuki had won over Katagiri-senpai sooner—"
Shifting the blame this time?
I chew my gum further.
Calm down. If I get shaken here, it'll play right into their hands.
"Are you listening, Miyuki?"
"Shut up, be quiet!!"
I was shouting in a loud voice.
The surrounding customers are surprised.
Naturally, it was heard by Katagiri-kun and Tosaka-san as well.
"Toya-kun, this is fine, so go to the register."
"Understood."
Saying that, Tosaka-san comes over to us.
"Nishimatsu-kun. I'm borrowing Takashina-senpai for a bit."
"Understood."
Saying that, she took me and headed to the restroom.
Spitting out the gum into its wrapper, I throw it into the trash can.
If I look at my own face in the mirror, I can regain my composure.
What am I irritated about?
Keisuke's words and actions?
Keisuke's behavior?
Keisuke's attitude?
...Am I irritated because of Keisuke?
"I told you. That love isn't just about beautiful things."
Tosaka-san, who was watching me from behind, said.
"Are you trying to say that I love Keisuke?"
Don't make me laugh. The things that guy has done to me. What has he ever done for me?
"Then what is the reason you help that Nishimatsu-kun?"
"That's... because it's boring, so I'm just playing around."
"If you run away here, you'll regret it for the rest of your life!"
Tosaka-san said in a strong tone.
"I'll say it clearly. Tolerating his selfish behavior—can't that be called love?"
I gasped at Tosaka-san's words. Because it couldn't be helped, I had given up... Does that mean it was an escape to hide my painful self?
"I don't think there is any human without emotions. They are just hiding them because it's painful. Just running away from the self that has noticed."
Before I knew it, I was crying at Tosaka-san's words.
It is no wonder, since a first love suddenly turns into a broken heart.
"Please don't cry. Because it hasn't been decided that it's a broken heart yet. Pushing through the impossible is the duty of the Watanabe group."
"...Do you have a secret plan to win him over?"
"We are going to think of that now."
Her smile seemed like that of a goddess.
Fate is cruel, but you must not fear it. Because the goddess never smiles on anyone but those who fight.
(5)
"Hmm..."
"..."
I was thinking.
When Airi and Takashina-senpai returned, Takashina-senpai said she was going home.
Nishimatsu-kun chasing after that Takashina-senpai.
When we tried to follow them too, Airi grabbed my arm.
"Did you buy the pajamas?"
"Yeah, I bought them?"
"Toya-kun, you said there was one in the station building, right?"
"Y-Yeah. There is, but..."
"Then, let's go buy it?"
"This is hardly the time for—"
"For now, it's fine to leave it to those two."
And so, we've come to the underwear section, but...
As expected, the looks from around us are painful.
Am I worrying too much?
Would fidgeting awkwardly make me look more suspicious?
After thinking about it, I ended up thinking about something else.
I heard most of the circumstances from Airi.
But is there really a way? A way to make Nishimatsu-kun turn around.
It's not that there isn't one. But I don't know if it will work.
But I also feel like for this kind of thing, it might be better to go straight rather than using clumsy tricks.
"Toya-kun, which one is better?"
I was called by Airi.
What Airi chose was... normal panties and... ones with a structure tied at the sides with strings or ribbons...
"What are you choosing, Airi!?"
"If you raise your voice that much, it'll trouble the people around us."
Airi makes a face like "You just don't get it~."
"Those must be hard to wear, right?"
"You just don't get it~. Kanna said they're unexpectedly better than normal ones, you know?"
"Which means Kanna is..."
Bonk
"You don't need to think about unnecessary things!"
Airi brings over several types, but honestly, I couldn't look at them directly.
There are other couples here, but...
"You can't try them on, you know?"
"I know."
"Then, Toya-kun, imagine it yourself. Which one do you think suits me?"
"Then, this one..."
It was a frilly one tied with strings, with pink patterns on a white background.
"Hmm, so Toya-kun has this kind of taste. Then, I'll buy this and this one too."
Airi went to the register holding several sets of underwear.
Airi was choosing things so much to my liking that I wondered if she was reading my mind too.
When she bought them and came back, Airi whispered in my ear.
"Shall we try using them tonight?"
In return, I whisper in Airi's ear.
"Tonight, I'll enjoy just the pajamas."
Then, Airi smiles with a grin, "That's right!"
After that, we chose and bought shoes and clothes.
Airi chose sandals, I chose sneakers, and we chose clothes according to each other's preferences.
We eat dinner at a chain restaurant specializing in Hamburg steaks.
It's soft, overflowing with meat juice, and delicious.
Airi had chosen a small, regular-sized one.
But since she had also ordered a parfait, in the end, I had to finish the Hamburg steak.
On the way home.
Airi is diligently operating her smartphone.
Probably a strategy meeting about what happened today.
Apparently, they are doing it in a girls' night group chat.
"Toya-kun, do you have any good ideas?"
"It's not that I don't have any, but..."
"But?"
"In the end, it depends on Takashina-senpai, after all."
"I see~"
"But, you know."
Airi reacts.
"I don't think it's hopeless. I think that's why he fell for my provocation, after all."
"I see~"
The problem is how to create a situation where Nishimatsu-kun confesses to Takashina-senpai.
It would be easy if it were the other way around, though.
Hmm, maybe the other way around is fine too?
It started to rain.
But after the rain falls, a rainbow hangs in the sky.
We should just pour rain on Nishimatsu-kun and Takashina-senpai too.
If we do, a beautiful rainbow will surely hang.
A firm bond will surely be formed, won't it?
But perhaps rain is already falling in both of their hearts.
All that's left is to wait for it to clear up.