Chapter 193 - After the Rain, the Earth Hardens (1)
Today is Saturday.
The weather is rainy.
I can relax at home...
I can sleep without Airi bothering me...
"Toya! Get up already! Give Airi-chan some attention! Just because Airi-chan is bored, she's doing the housework! Even though it's a holiday!"
I was woken up by Mother.
...That happened.
Usually, I had the mission of getting Airi out of the house on holidays so she wouldn't do the chores, but today, since going out was cancelled due to the rain...
Sighing, I sat up and hugged Airi, who was cleaning the room.
"You mustn't get in the way of the cleaning~"
"Won't Airi give her husband some attention?"
"Uuu... what a troublesome husband~"
Though her face didn't look troubled at all.
"Well then, I'll just clean this room~"
In that case, I'll sleep in the meantime...
Bonk
"You're going back to sleep after asking for attention!? I can't believe it!"
"But it would be bad to get in the way of the room cleaning, right?"
"You could at least go get the laundry!?"
"I don't mind mine, but I don't know where yours are, Airi."
"I can't believe you don't know after seeing them every day!"
"Then, from now on, I'll look very closely so that I'll know..."
Bonk
"Airi-chan. I'm doing the laundry, so I'll leave this here."
Mother placed the laundry basket in the room and left.
Now I can sleep.
"Uuu... sit there!"
Airi pointed to the bed. I sat on the bed as told.
Then, Airi resumed cleaning while playing the radio.
"Toya-kun is a husband who mustn't be allowed to do housework, isn't he?"
"?"
"I'll have to handle all the housework myself..."
"...Are you disillusioned?"
Airi shook her head.
"No, it's given me a sense of purpose. Toya-kun is hopeless without me."
"Makoto is probably about the same, right?"
"That's true~, from what I heard from Kanna"
Only the sound of the FM radio and the quiet hum of the silent motor dominated my room.
"Airi, shall we go to Blue Bird when you're finished?"
"Booo. Once this is done, I have to put away the laundry."
"Airi, the housework..."
"I already did the laundry, so it can't be helped."
Well, I suppose that's true.
Once Airi finished cleaning, she turned off the radio and turned on the TV.
While watching it, she began to iron.
I watched her blankly. If I slept, Airi would get angry.
"What are you doing?"
"Eh?"
"The cleaning is finished~"
"?"
"Come over here."
Airi beckoned.
As told by Airi, I sat on a cushion.
"Once the rainy season ends, it'll be summer~"
"True."
"Where shall we go for this year's summer vacation?"
There are places I want to go, but it'll depend on the Watanabe squad's schedule.
"There is a place I want to go."
"Where~?"
"The Sea of Trees."
"Hoe?"
"The Aokigahara Forest at the foot of Fuji."
Airi let go of the iron.
"Toya-kun, was there something I was lacking!?"
"Eh?"
"If you have some worry, please consult me! Don't brood! Am I not reliable!?"
"Calm down, Airi! There's nothing in particular, okay?"
"But wanting to go to a place like that means you must be brooding quite a bit, right?"
"Airi... you're misunderstanding. First of all, I've never thought about wanting to die."
"Really?"
"I wouldn't do anything to make my cute bride sad."
"Then why did you say you wanted to go?"
"I heard it's a very beautiful place, and apparently there are tours."
Airi seemed to have regained her composure and resumed ironing.
"The impression Airi has seems to have started from some old drama. Apparently, it's just a naturally beautiful place."
"I see."
"Want to try going this year?"
"I don't want to."
"Eh?"
"Because, even if you say that, I heard there are ghost spots and such. You know I'm bad with that kind of thing!"
"Then, I'll go alone."
Bonk bonk
"I'm absolutely not letting you go to a place like that alone! I mean, isn't it cruel to go on a solo trip and leave your bride behind?"
I knew she'd say that.
"Then, is there anywhere Airi wants to go?"
"Hmm..."
Airi was pondering.
"Ah, I thought of something good."
"?"
"Let's go to Kyoto and Shiga Prefecture."
I understand Kyoto, but Shiga Prefecture?
"Is there something in Shiga?"
"A trip around Lake Biwa! I've always wanted to try doing that once!"
"I see."
It would be good to grant Airi's wish once in a while.
"Then, let's do that for summer."
"Yay!"
While we were talking, it seemed Airi's ironing was finished. Airi folded them neatly.
I watched her intently.
Yeah, as expected, Airi usually has a lot of blue-toned things...
Bonk
"What are you looking at? Toya-kun, you're becoming like Makoto-kun after all! You're talking about something in secret again, aren't you!?"
"I'm not! Makoto seems busy with club activities lately anyway."
"Uuu... then show me!"
"You see my underwear every day, don't you?"
"Idiot! Not that, Toya-kun's smartphone!"
"Why?"
"I will censor what you're talking about with Makoto-kun!"
"...Seriously?"
Airi was glaring at me. I silently handed over the smartphone.
Airi checked the logs of the boys' group chat and the conversation logs with Makoto.
Airi blushed...
"Toya-kun!!"
Airi's voice echoed through the room.
(2)
"That idiot Toya!"
I held my head in my hands.
"What's wrong, Makoto?"
Kanna sat up, wrapping her naked body in a towel blanket.
I wanted to be captivated by such a Kanna, but now was not the time.
Just then, Kanna's smartphone rang.
It was probably from Tosaka-san.
"Who is it this early in the morning?"
"Kanna!"
"What...!?"
I pulled Kanna close. And I kissed her. I have to distract Kanna!
"Kanna, the morning sun is so dazzling today."
"It's raining incredibly hard right now, you know?"
She was right; the sound of rain could be heard clearly.
"You're hiding something, aren't you?"
Gulp!
If it's come to this...
I pushed Kanna down.
"Kanna, I love you..."
"Yeah, I know. And does that have something to do with the smartphone?"
"Nothing in particular. Forget the smartphone and with me..."
"...The smartphone first."
Despite my pathetic resistance, Kanna looked at the smartphone.
Then she looked at my face; Kanna was smiling.
"Makoto, let me see your smartphone."
"Kanna, I can't hold back..."
"Show me."
Kanna's smile was scary.
I obediently handed over the smartphone.
Kanna without hesitation looked at the boys' group chat and the conversation logs with Toya.
Kanna stared at them for a while. Then she looked at my face.
Her face was smiling. She was smiling, but that made it even scarier.
Thump
"You idiot! Were you brainwashing Toya!?"
"Stop using such a bad-sounding word as brainwashing."
"Looking at the logs, it's obvious that you're the one instigating!"
"You saw the beginning, right? 'How did you learn how to play?'... I just taught him various things."
"I heard that idiot has started smirking when he sees Airi's underwear!"
"I heard that too."
That guy doesn't understand. It's no good if you're shaken by something as simple as the underwear section. A true gentleman fantasizes about the underwear hidden underneath!
"Airi is worried that Toya has recently become too interested in such things."
Isn't that a joyful thing? It's not like he's going to sex shops or anything.
"I have to tell Ai too, 'Check Eita's smartphone'..."
Kiritani-kun, sorry. It was an act of God.
"Actually... it'll be faster to spread it through the 'Girls' Group'."
Saying that, Kanna operated her smartphone.
Then, for some reason, my smartphone rang.
"Makoto-kun... that was a disaster."
Kanna was looking straight at my smartphone.
"I'm fine. How about everyone else?"
"Tada-kun and Eita, come to Blue Bird once! I'll give you a lecture!"
"Please don't blow strange things into our Isshy's head!"
Uwah... everyone is angry.
The Girls' Group chat also seems to be in a state of total meltdown.
This coming Monday is likely to be a storm.
(3)
Cafe Blue Bird.
Me and Eita. Kanna and Tada-kun were at the same table.
Everyone else was positioned as if surrounding them.
"Now then... what shall we do..."
When Kanna said that, most of the women began to voice their complaints one after another.
Complaints such as, "Don't drag my boyfriend into this!"
"Kazu-san didn't look, right?"
"I told you yesterday, right? Please believe me that I didn't look."
"It's also troubling that he has absolutely no interest."
Akira let out a sigh.
"I'd forgive it if it were just erotica. There are lonely nights when two people are apart, right? But what you two did has gone too far."
When Kanna said that, the two of them simply remained silent.
"Ah, since everyone has gathered, there's something I want to talk about..."
"We're in the middle of something!!"
Watanabe-kun tried to change the subject, but I wouldn't let him.
Watanabe-kun had a face that said, "I'm beat."
"It's fine if you two get excited on your own. It might be inevitable for boys to get excited over those kinds of talks, but the problem is that it's having a negative effect on Toya."
Katagiri-kun, as if he had heard nothing, was eating Napolitan. Without knowing that he himself was one of the centers of the topic.
"I didn't know Toya had changed that much. I apologize for that."
"It's not something for Makoto to apologize for, right? I'm the one who's bad."
Does Katagiri-kun really understand?
"Toya is Toya too! Of all things, what are you requesting from Airi!?"
"I'm not requesting anything in particular. I was just looking because I was interested. If you say that's bad too, then I have no choice but to apologize?"
"But?"
I asked back.
"Is that a bad thing? In my case, then, does it mean it's okay if it's a woman other than Airi?"
Bonk
"Of course it's not okay! Toya-kun, you idiot!"
I wish that intuition of hers worked normally. Katagiri-kun.
"I've been thinking this for a while, but why do the women make such a fuss? Unless someone cheated, you were just watching videos, right?"
"Listen, the shock of finding out that your precious person is watching strange videos and doing strange things is something only women can understand."
"I was told the same thing by Airi. I certainly don't understand. That's why I cherish Airi. I feel that I'm cherished by Airi too. So when I feel that way, I act spoiled with Airi."
Airi looked down shyly.
"Listen, Katagiri-kun, I think you don't understand because you spend time in the same house as Airi, but we're apart, you know?"
"Let me say something too, since I came all the way from Beppu..."
Hiyama-senpai spoke up.
"It's trivial, just watching some erotica. Is it really something to make such a fuss about?"
"Haruki-senpai watches them too~... I'm kind of disillusioned."
"I don't watch them. I told you, right? I have no interest in any woman other than you."
Saying that, Hiyama-senpai laughed.
"Men who don't watch are fine~. The problem is the men who do~"
"Those who watch and those who don't are the same. It's not like they're falling in love with the actresses. In short, it's just that someone else's bento looks delicious, right?"
Katagiri-kun's talk about food started again.
"You get curious about other people's bentos, or curious about the food they're eating, right? Airi lets me eat hers. There are times when I'm curious about others' bentos, but Airi tacitly allows me to have a share. But after all, Airi's bento is the most delicious. I get distracted by other menus, but Airi forgives me, you know? In exchange, I share with Airi too. Isn't that what affection is?"
"No one would make a fuss over bentos or side dishes. Don't lump them together."
"I think it's the same, you know? Because if you like someone, you think about making that for them, right? Kanna, you're striving to fulfill Makoto's requests, aren't you?"
"...Well, a little bit."
"Airi told me we should watch together. Airi watches intently too. She's analyzing what kind of things I'm interested in."
"In other words, are you saying we should accept men's requests?"
When I asked Katagiri-kun, Katagiri-kun looked at Kanna and spoke.
"Wouldn't it be better to ask Kanna about that?"
When Katagiri-kun said that, Kanna spoke.
"I guess I'm looking for a compromise... this is impossible, but this much is okay."
"Men are all working hard to create instruction manuals for their partners too. If you call yourself a girlfriend, wouldn't it be good to understand how to handle your boyfriend?"
"I think it's just as Toya-kun says."
Airi spoke up.
"Toya-kun is working hard to overwrite how to handle me. We clash occasionally, but even so, when I realize Toya-kun is saying it because he's thinking of me, I can forgive him."
"Wait, Airi, you were the one who made it a problem at first."
I said to Airi.
"Yeah, I got angry and told him not to teach Toya-kun strange things, but Toya-kun understood immediately. That this is no good. Isn't that how you come to understand each other? If you state your claims properly, they'll understand."
"Talking honestly with each other... huh."
I muttered.
"That said, I cannot forgive what Makoto-kun and Kiritani-kun did. As a woman."
"That's because Toya..."
"Makoto-kun, you build it together. Anyone would be angry if unnecessary outside advice was inserted there."
"Then, Tosaka-san, what should we do?"
"For a while from now, perhaps the men should have their smartphones censored by their girlfriends?"
"Are you serious!?"
Eita screamed.
"Eita! Yours was the grossest of all!"
"That's prejudice!"
"Shut up!"
Saying that, everyone laughed.
The hard feelings had already vanished.
"Now that the conversation has settled, I'd like to change the subject..."
When Watanabe-kun spoke, Katagiri-kun interrupted.
"There's no need to change the subject. Next is Takashina-senpai."
"Eh?"
I looked at Takashina-senpai.
Takashina-senpai was looking at Katagiri-kun with a grim expression.
(4)
"Next is Takashina-senpai."
When that was said, my heart leaped.
Are they intending to persuade me?
I unconsciously chewed my gum.
"After saying this much, you understand, right? What I want to say?"
"I have absolutely no idea."
That's a lie; I've actually noticed.
Regardless, Katagiri-kun continued talking.
"I think there are things that can only be understood after clashing your true feelings."
"My true feelings."
"I heard from Airi, you know? Takashina-senpai's feelings."
"That's..."
"Because your parents decided? Can you still say that now?"
I was at a loss for words.
Don't run away.
That one phrase changed me.
However, I couldn't bring myself to say those words.
"If you don't say it, it won't be conveyed, you know?"
Tosaka-san said.
That might indeed be true.
"Have courage!"
I was encouraged by Tosaka-san.
I conveyed everything I could to Keisuke.
"Keisuke... let's end this now."
"What are you talking about. In the first place, with Miyuki, there's nothing—"
"You don't know that those words were tormenting my heart. It couldn't be helped; I was hiding it myself. It couldn't be helped. But now it's different."
"Did you talk... about our relationship..."
"Because there's no longer a reason to stay silent."
"I thought you were an understanding woman."
"I was made to realize I was only pretending to be understanding. And I was made to realize there's no need to endure it."
"You probably understand what will happen to Miyuki's Hospital if you break the promise, right?"
"Can you actually do that?"
"What...?"
"You've noticed it too, haven't you? Though you seem unwilling to admit it. What I can do is make you admit it."
"There's no need for that."
Katagiri-kun said.
"Nishimatsu-kun has noticed. It's natural for a man. Since she handled his requests without complaint. He must understand her devotion, right?"
Was he attracted to me too?
"Shall we end this soon? Once each other's feelings are understood, it's not a competition, right?"
Keisuke remained silent.
"Since it seems you won't understand unless I say it clearly, I'll say it. I admire you. Yes, I love you. It's been painful until now. It's painful to watch you woo other women anymore."
Keisuke said nothing.
"Nishimatsu! Senpai admitted her feelings. She conveyed her feelings properly. Answer her!"
Otonashi-san said to Keisuke. Nishimatsu still said nothing.
"Nishimatsu-kun. If you run away now, we will absolutely never accept you. We will despise you as a mere coward who is running away."
When Tosaka-san spoke quietly like that, Keisuke finally opened his heavy mouth.
"So it wasn't a competition from the start... I have Miyuki. If it was going to be like this, I shouldn't have used Miyuki as a trump card."
"Don't dodge it, answer Takashina-senpai properly!"
"True, I might love Miyuki too."
"It's not 'might'! Say it properly."
"...I love you. I'm sorry for making you feel painful until now."
I was clinging to Keisuke.
"We finally became honest with each other."
Keisuke hugged me back.
"Seems so... I'm sorry for making you suffer until now. I might have been suffering too."
Even with a coupling decided by parents, affection can sprout if you're together for many years.
I was just late in noticing it. If the Watanabe squad hadn't been there, I might have spent a miserable life without ever noticing.
Clap clap...
Katagiri-kun laughed and applauded.
That reached everyone, and we were blessed.
"I'm glad, Takashina-senpai."
When Tosaka-san said that, I was hugging Tosaka-san.
"Thank you, Tosaka-san, it's thanks to all of you."
"In the end, it's the result of Takashina-senpai taking action. We just pushed your back... pushing backs is the duty of the Watanabe squad."
"I lose... I'll do whatever you say."
When Keisuke said that, Watanabe-kun grinned.
"You said you'd do anything, right? Make Takashina-senpai happy no matter what. That is the penalty game imposed on you."
"...I understand. I'm sorry, everyone."
"Don't apologize, idiot! You're ruining the celebratory mood!"
When Otonashi-san said that, everyone laughed.
My first love thus reached a happy conclusion.
It's not a conclusion; this is the real beginning.
I must untangle the distorted and intertwined threads one by one.
It might take time.
"There's a place I want to stop by, is that okay?"
Keisuke suddenly spoke up.
"I don't mind, but where are we going?"
Keisuke drove the car in silence.
He stopped the car in a parking lot in the city and entered a jewelry specialty store.
"I want a ring that would suit my girlfriend."
What he chose was an engagement ring decorated with a diamond in the center.
After buying it, he presented it to me on the spot.
"It's as atonement for everything until now. Will you accept it?"
"No."
I answered immediately.
"There's no woman who would be happy to be proposed to as atonement. Today is our anniversary. The anniversary of noticing each other's feelings. That's enough."
"Miyuki... let's get married."
"Yes..."
When I received the box containing the ring from him, my hands were trembling slightly.
The happiness I finally reached.
It was in a very close place. Perhaps that's how it is.
The Watanabe squad's love charm is extremely simple.
A love magic that simply pushes troubled couples forward.
It will likely continue to shine eternally, like this diamond.
Without knowing it, I might have been polishing the rough stone.
The ones who made me realize that were the Watanabe squad.
Thank you.
I am so happy now.
Yes, I prayed to them in my heart.
I'll definitely be happy. I swore that to them.
(5)
"Hmm"
"What's wrong, Airi?"
Airi was pondering while keeping the account books.
"I thought today was supposed to be about having Toya-kun scolded, but it's strange how it turned into helping Nishimatsu-kun with his proposal before I knew it."
"That's what the Watanabe squad is, right?"
"Toya-kun was the one who set it up today."
"You think so?"
"Yeah, Toya-kun is good at creating that kind of flow."
Wait, a proposal?
"Toya-kun really doesn't look at his smartphone, does he? Look at the Watanabe squad."
Looking at the smartphone, there was a beautiful ring placed on Takashina-san's finger.
Ah, Nishimatsu-kun succeeded.
I hadn't calculated that far.
I sent a message saying "Congratulations."
"It's thanks to Katagiri-senpai. Thank you very much," came the reply.
"Toya-kun is mysterious. He's so good at making other people's love come true. But his own love is completely hopeless."
"I intend to be getting along well with Airi too, you know?"
"When are you going to make me your bride?"
"That's..."
As I started to speak, Airi hugged me.
"Just kidding. Toya-kun is always thinking of me. He occasionally runs down a strange path, but he's thinking of me. I know."
Airi said that and looked happy.
When I pulled Airi away, Airi looked lonely.
I left the room.
Then I prepared juice and mugs.
Airi was sitting in a fetal position, looking crestfallen. I spoke to such an Airi gently.
"It's just juice, but shall we have a celebratory toast?"
A smile returned to Airi's face.
"Yeah!"
When I poured the bottled juice into Airi's mug, she poured juice into her own mug too.
"I could have done it for you~"
"It's the same no matter who does it, right?"
"Well, that's true."
When Airi took the mug in her hand, she made them clink.
Then, after drinking it all in one go, Airi held the plastic bottle.
"Here you go."
Airi poured juice into my mug.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
Then we watched TV.
Naturally, I was holding Airi's shoulder. Airi also snuggled up to me.
Around the time the late-night programs began, we turned off the TV, got into bed, and dimmed the lights.
Airi fell asleep as if embracing me.
I also closed my eyelids.
The rain had stopped.
A rainbow will likely be hanging in the sky tomorrow morning.
A rainbow will likely be hanging in their hearts.
Just as the earth hardens after the rain, the bonds of their hearts have likely become strong.
It likely emits an eternal brilliance, like the ring he presented.
As the stone's meaning indicates.
They've arrived, haven't they. Though they took a detour.
I sent blessings to them.