Chapter 356 - Lullaby of Time
（１）
「Toya-kun, it's morning～ Time for breakfast～」
When I woke up, Airi was already changing clothes.
Is she going somewhere?
I don't remember making any such promise, though?
「Airi, did we have plans to go somewhere?」
Poke
「You're still half asleep! School starts today～」
Ah, right.
「But you got dressed pretty early」
「If I was still changing, you wouldn't be able to hug me— eep」
Before she could finish, I had already hugged her.
「Ugh... my clothes will get wrinkled, and breakfast will get cold, you know?」
That would be bad.
Hurriedly, I leave the room.
「Make sure you wash your face before you eat～」
I head towards the dining room, her words at my back.
「By the way, Toya, have you found a place to live yet?」
Father asks.
「I'll look after the New Year」
「That's probably for the best. At the end of the fiscal year, everyone's scrambling to look anyway」
「What area are you thinking of living in?」
「I'll look around here if possible. It'd be easier to move, and there are plenty of apartments, right?」
「Doesn't that defeat the purpose of being independent?」
「I wanted to be independent for the household finances. Besides, you're going to leave me this house eventually, aren't you?」
In that case, closer is better.
「Well, it's no problem for us either since we can see our grandkids whenever we want」
I haven't planned that far ahead.
「I want a girl and a boy」
Airi pushes the conversation forward.
「Why?」
「Because Rie-chan said she wants a boy, and Toya-kun's dad said he wants a girl」
「Oh my? That's sweet of you to say」
Mother seems pleased.
「You've already decided on names, haven't you?」
「Ah, of course……」
Really?
「What are they?」
I asked.
「For a daughter, Tsubasa or Amane」
「And for a boy?」
「Sora」
Looks like we won't have trouble with names. At least my parents' naming sense seems normal.
「We have to make three, don't we? Let's do our best, Toya-kun!」
「Stay strong. We're not at an age to meddle anymore, so feel free to make them whenever!」
「Don't do anything shameful like a shotgun wedding that would embarrass Airi-chan, okay?」
Father and Mother said to me.
If I did a shotgun wedding, Airi's dad would probably strangle me.
Speaking of which, I wonder how everyone else is doing? Are they already thinking about kids?
Ishihara-kun and Sakai-kun are probably having a tough time. If they have a boy, he'd be rigorously trained.
As for Makoto, a girl would be bad. She'd get dyed by his hobbies, and that would be a disaster.
Though Kanna probably wouldn't let that happen.
「Toya-kun, if you're done eating, you need to get ready」
Airi says, and I stand up.
I pour coffee into a mug and take it to my room.
「Katagiri Tsubasa, Katagiri Amane, Katagiri Sora, huh～ Tough luck, Toya-kun」
I want to retort in various ways, but I just brush it off with, 「Ah, yeah」
That seemed to be a mistake.
「Ugh... You thought 'whatever' just now, didn't you?」
「N-no, not at all. I was just wondering if you'll be okay giving birth to three, Airi? I've heard it's pretty tough」
「Yeah, I've heard from Rie-chan too」
But I'll do my best! Airi is already pumped up.
Tsubasa, Amane, and Sora, huh... Sora will definitely never be able to stand up to his sisters. It's in the blood.
「Hmm～……」
Airi is thinking while sipping her coffee beside me.
I'm scared to ask, but if I don't, she'll pout, so I guess I'll ask.
「What's wrong?」
「Don't you have any preferences for what kind of kids you want, Toya-kun? If you have any wishes, we can make four」
Please don't say it as casually as reheating something in the microwave.
「As long as they're kids with you, Airi, they'll be cute no matter what」
「Right～ Well, what about names? We only heard your parents' wishes, so we haven't heard yours yet, Toya-kun」
「Hmm... Ichigo?」
「Huh?」
「And, like, Mikan, or Maron?」
「M-ma-ron?」
「Written with the character for chestnut, read as 'maron'」
「We definitely can't leave the naming to you, Toya-kun」
Airi said that and laughed.
「What about you, Airi?」
「Hmm, like, Tsuki?」
That's definitely out of bounds, Airi.
（２）
At lunch break, everyone gathered in the cafeteria.
「Kids?」
Emi-san and Akira-san said.
I wanted to ask if everyone was already thinking about kids.
「Well, Nozomi is ready to make them anytime if she wants, but she insists it's impossible while she's a student and won't listen」
「Right, Emi and I are full-time housewives, so we're fine anytime」
Emi-san and Akira-san answered.
Ishihara-kun and Sakai-kun are smiling wryly.
Is it that the women are more proactive?
「How many kids are you planning to have, Emi?」
Airi asked.
「I don't know. I'm prepared to have as many as it takes until a boy is born」
「Then it's a competition to see who makes the first one, Emi. I want a boy too, and more than anything, my parents want one」
When Emi-san and Akira-san said that, Ishihara-kun and Sakai-kun held their heads in their hands.
Well, that's to be expected.
「Have you decided already, Airi-chan?」
When Emi-san asked Airi, she happily began to speak.
「My goal is at least three? Two girls and one boy」
Does she really have to give birth to exactly the number of names?
「Then what would you do, Airi-chan, if you ended up with three girls?」
「What should we do, Toya-kun? Is it okay if I keep giving birth until we get a boy?」
Are you really throwing that topic to me?
「I've been thinking about kids soon too, but Mika has to take maternity leave, right? Or I need to create an environment where Mika doesn't have to work」
Watanabe-kun said.
「But why two girls and one boy, Airi-chan?」
Emi-san asked.
「Toya-kun's parents thought of the names for us」
「Isn't that unfair?」
「Huh?」
「Aren't you going to ask your own parents' opinion, Airi-chan?」
「Ah, right. Then I guess we have to try a bit harder」
Saying that, Airi operates her smartphone.
It was in our "Katagiri / Tosaka Family" group, which includes Rie-chan and her father (Papa-san).
「Rie-chan, do you have any preferences for kids?」
「Let's see～ Maybe a boy would be nice? After all, right, Papa-san?」
「U-umu」
「Then, names?」
「You two can decide that freely～」
「Got it～」
For now, three seems enough.
「Senpai, you're already thinking about kids?」
I think these three are the abnormal ones, Haruto.
「I've been thinking about it soon too, but Yuma is……」
Saki-san said.
「We're still students! Isn't it too early!」
Takemoto-kun said.
「I don't mind dropping out of school anytime. My future is already decided」
「Saki, no. You'd be wasting the tuition they paid for you」
Airi said.
「What about you, Manabe-kun?」
Watanabe-kun asked Manabe-kun.
「In my case, Satomi's income supports us, so it's impossible until I graduate from university」
「What about you, Kana?」
Airi asked Kana-san.
「I'll graduate too, so I was thinking about it soon, but my husband is so absorbed in work that he's not in the mood……」
「What about you, Tasuku?」
「I've already secured a job, but Sakurako is still a student」
「We're not even married yet!」
「If you'll have me, I'll propose after graduation」
「Stop hedging like Katagiri-senpai!」
You've got it wrong, Sakurako-san.
By the time he noticed, his head was taken by a subordinate from the inner moat.
「Kids, huh... You guys are really thinking about it……」
Kanna sighed.
「When are you going to make them, Kanna～?」
Airi asked.
「We had a fight about that last night……」
「……Makoto did something again?」
When I asked, Kanna nodded and began to speak.
「He started saying that if we're having kids, it's definitely a daughter. I saw that coming. He said he'd help take care of her too... And I thought, well, that's fine if he cooperates... But then」
「But?」
「He started saying he's already decided the daughter's name!」
Everyone has their daughters' names decided, huh.
「What was it?」
Airi asks. I feel like it might be better not to ask.
「He said something like 'Goddess' or 'Angel'... I finally lost my patience and we had a huge fight, shouting 'Don't mess with me!'」
Makoto... what the hell is wrong with you...
「You said you've decided on names for your kids too, Airi-chan. What are they?」
Emi-san asked.
「Daughters will be Tsubasa and Amane. Son will be Sora～」
「Did Toya decide?」
「No, Toya-kun's dad. Toya-kun is a bit better than Makoto-kun, I guess. He suggested things like Mikan, Ichigo, Maron……」
「……Can men never think of normal names?」
Emi-san sighed.
Everyone has their own problems.
「Sho, you guys haven't yet, right」
「Y-yes!」
「……Yes」
What's wrong with them? The atmosphere is so weird it's hard to tell if they were even listening.
「Ah right, Sho, you're dealing with that injury, so you probably aren't in the mood……」
「Eh!?」
「W-why do you know about that!?」
It was a complete guess, though.
I grinned.
「Sho! What's going on!? Explain yourself!」
Sakurako-san said.
「N-no, it's nothing serious. Just a minor sprain」
「I read in a book that sprains can become chronic. Lying is bad」
Chii-chan and Sho started arguing.
「Sho, you should listen to your manager. Especially since she's your girlfriend, right? All the more reason. Don't overdo it」
Tasuku said.
「Let me see your leg for a second」
Sakurako-san said, but Sho refused.
「You did the same thing to Chitose, acting like a spoiled child, didn't you!? Stop making excuses and show me!」
「So the morning commotion was about that……?」
Tasuku said.
「What happened in the morning?」
When I asked, Chii-chan answered.
（３）
It was during morning practice.
I was checking everyone's condition as ordered by Sakurako-senpai.
Ever since that night, I can't help but be conscious of Sho.
I get absorbed in Sho's play.
It creates a world for just the two of us.
I can't seem to escape.
Is this what love does?
I wonder how Sakurako-senpai escapes?
I asked Sakurako-senpai how she escapes that world.
「That's a difficult question. Isn't it just a matter of getting used to it?」
Even Sakurako-senpai finds it hard.
While having that conversation with Sakurako-senpai, I was watching Sho's play.
That's when it happened. Sho fell down after a contact play with Akai-senpai.
「Sorry, sorry... You okay?」
「I'm fine」
That's when I noticed it.
Sho was limping slightly.
「Excuse me, I'll head out first」
「Ah, take care」
Sho entered the locker room.
The men's locker room. I hesitated, but I knocked.
「It's Chitose. Can I come in?」
「Ah, sure」
When I entered the locker room, Sho hadn't changed yet.
He had rolled up his trouser leg to his knee.
Naturally, my eyes went to his ankle.
And the spray he was holding……
「What's that?」
「Just a cold spray」
「Why do you have that?」
「I think I hurt my ankle a bit earlier. It's no big deal」
「I'll decide if it's no big deal. Show me」
Without letting him refuse, I looked at his leg, which was exposed up to the knee.
He flinched in pain just from me touching his ankle.
「Let's go to the hospital today, okay?」
「It's really not that serious. It'll be fine after I rest a bit」
「Then you'll rest today, right?」
「It'll be healed by practice」
「There's no such convenient injury」
I've read in books. I've heard from Sakurako-senpai. Foot problems can become chronic, so you should get treated at the hospital early.
「Let's go to the hospital today. I'll talk to the coach」
「Wait, please keep it from everyone on the team! I'll go to the hospital!」
「Why? If you push yourself here, you might never be able to play basketball again, you know?」
Sho's dream is to stand on a bigger stage, isn't it?
「If I tell them now, I'll definitely lose my starting spot in the league! You might not understand since you've only been a manager for six months, Chitose, but this might be my last chance!」
「It's not the last. Next year, the year after that—there are plenty of chances!」
「……This team is probably the strongest since the local university was founded. The feeling of wanting to play alongside such members is something only a player can understand! You can't understand it, Chitose!」
Slap!
「I don't understand, and I'm not interested! The only thing I care about is Sho's future! I may be an inexperienced manager, as you say, but at the same time, I thought I was your only real supporter!」
This is the first time in my life I've been this upset.
Have I ever cried for someone else's sake?
Apparently, this is the first time Sho has ever seen me like this.
「What's wrong? Did something happen?」
The seniors came in.
I shielded Sho from the seniors.
"Get rid of that now," I thought.
Sho pulled his trouser leg back down. He put the cold spray back in his bag.
I glanced to confirm, then quietly left the locker room.
「What, were you two fooling around in the locker room?」
「No, nothing like that. We were just talking」
「About what?」
Listening to that, I was troubled.
Should I report this to the coach?
Or should I respect Sho's wishes?
I couldn't even consult Sakurako-senpai.
Me and Sho... I didn't know which one was right.
（４）
「Sho is in the wrong!!」
Sakurako-san declared firmly.
「But Chitose is also failing as a manager! Keeping secrets like that!」
「But don't you think we should also understand Sho's desire to play in the game?」
Chii-chan said, but Sakurako-san didn't back down.
「I understand the feeling of wanting to treasure your partner's feelings. But even so, persuading him is your duty as a manager. If you let Sho push himself and ruin his life, you'll be the one regretting it, Chitose」
「I agree with Sakurako. I can understand how Sho feels to some extent, but treating the injury comes first. What Chitose says is right」
「Skip practice today and go to the hospital! Chitose goes with him! That's an order from me as a senior! I won't let you practice!」
「Understood……」
「……After the hospital, you treat Chitose to dinner or something. It's a punishment for worrying your girlfriend!」
「Yes... I'm sorry... Chitose」
「It's okay……」
Chii-chan looks down. Well, the rest is up to Sho, I guess?
I can understand how Sho feels too.
Everyone has the desire to play in games.
There was a time when I panicked because I knew I couldn't play.
This side of the court and the other side. They are incredibly far apart.
It's something you can almost reach but can't. Everyone stretches out their hands, trying desperately to grab it.
But if you try to grab it by force, you'll fall off the cliff.
Once you fall, you'll never be able to grab it again.
So don't rush, and do your best.
「I have to go soon, so I'll be off」
When Kitamura-san said that, everyone started moving.
We also headed to the classroom for afternoon classes.
（５）
After the afternoon classes ended, I headed to the hospital in Chitose's car.
We both went in for the examination.
The injury seemed to be light. They said it would heal in about three weeks if he didn't overdo it.
Three weeks, huh... It doesn't look like he'll make it for the league games.
「Can't you play in the second half of the tournament?」 Chitose said.
「It's not that easy. Unlike Katagiri-senpai, I couldn't even make the starting lineup」 I said, and Chitose's shoulders drooped.
Once we returned to the university, I headed to Chitose's house in my car.
After she parked her car, she got into the passenger seat of mine.
「What do you want to eat, Chitose?」
「Whatever you want to eat is fine, Sho」
We went to a buffet restaurant.
Here, you can eat pretty much anything.
They have desserts too.
「Sorry about this morning……」
「It's okay. I'm just down because I realized I'm a bad manager」
「I was actually happy, you know. When the seniors came this morning, you instinctively shielded me」
「But maybe that action itself was a mistake」
「You may be a failure as a manager, but as a girlfriend, you're the best supporter」
What's really wrong is me, for making you have such doubts, Chitose.
「I consulted Sakurako-senpai about something」
「?」
「During practice, I naturally create a world for just Sho and me. Isn't that failing as a manager?」
「And the answer?」
「It seems even Sakurako-senpai doesn't know. She just said you have to get used to it」
「I see……」
「I have to study more. Both as a manager, and as Sho's girlfriend」
「I'll study too, as Chitose's boyfriend」
「Yeah」
Chitose smiled faintly.
（６）
「Kids!?」
Ai-san was surprised.
Well, I guess anyone would be surprised if you suddenly brought up that topic.
「My husband is basically a kid himself, so I've never really thought about it」
Ai-san said.
「I haven't thought about it either, since I'm not married yet」
Ichinose-san also said.
「But Honoka, you're registering your marriage in March next year, right? Timing-wise, maybe you could think about it?」
「Well, I'd hate to have a shotgun wedding」
「I see. What about you, Misato?」
Ai-san turned to Kitamura-san.
「I'm not interested. More to the point, is marriage even necessary?」
The women were surprised.
「Don't you normally get curious about it?」
Ai-san asked.
「Well, doesn't it seem like a lot of trouble? From moving to housework, and working on top of that? That's impossible」
「I see……」
Emi-san said.
「Let me ask the opposite. Is there any advantage to getting married?」
The women were perplexed by Kitamura-san's question.
「A sense of accomplishment?」
「Satisfaction?」
「Fulfillment?」
「Happiness?」
「Admiration?」
Everyone said various things.
「B-but, as a girl, don't you want to wear a wedding dress at least once?」
Airi said.
「But there are people here who haven't even had a ceremony yet, right?」
「U-ugh……」
Airi's in trouble. I guess I'll help her out this once.
「How have you been lately, Kitamura-san? Things going well with Kuribayashi-kun?」
「Thankfully, yes. We go on dates at least」
「Have you been able to cook for him?」
「I've made him nikujaga at least once」
「Was he happy?」
「He seemed happy. He said it was delicious. Why do you ask?」
I chuckled and said,
「How did you feel seeing that?」
「I felt happy」
「That's good, then」
「Um, we were talking about marriage, so why did you bring up Kuribayashi-san?」
Kitamura-san asked, looking annoyed.
「That's the answer」
「Huh?」
「You wanted to cook for him, then you wanted to do the next thing for him... The accumulation of those feelings leads to marriage」
「So you're saying I'm still in the middle of that process?」
「Yeah. What do you want to do for him next?」
「Well, maybe I'd like to cook for him again?」
「Because it makes him happy?」
「Yes」
She still doesn't seem to realize.
「But maybe he feels the same way. And the result is that you're dating, right?」
「Isn't that just because he makes requests?」
「That might be part of it. But does he ever ask you, 'Where do you want to go?'」
「He does ask that. But isn't that just him being too lazy to decide a place and palming it off on me?」
「Yeah, probably anywhere is fine. As long as you're there, Kitamura-san. But you probably feel the same, right? Anywhere is fine, as long as Kuribayashi-kun is there」
Airi and the others were giggling.
Kitamura-san didn't notice.
「In other words, he wants to be with you, right? Even at home is fine」
「That's true. Home is fine too. It doesn't cost money, you can cook at home, and you don't have to think about what to wear」
「Misato, think about what you're saying?」
When Ai-san said that, Kitamura-san looked puzzled.
「You want to spend time together at home all the time... Isn't that like living together? You want to be together forever... Isn't that marriage?」
「……When you put it that way, I suppose so」
When Airi said that, Kitamura-san seemed to come to terms with her own feelings.
「But, listening to everyone, all I see are the downsides of marriage」
「I'll answer that!」
Airi said.
「Well, you see～ When Toya-kun wakes up, he always gives me a good morning kiss～」
「I've never even kissed before. Is it something you only do when you start living together?」
Everyone fell silent.
Then, cold stares turned towards Kuribayashi-kun.
Kuribayashi-kun tried to leave, saying, 「I'm going home now」 but Emi-san and the others were quick.
They grabbed him by the shoulder.
「I completely forgot about it thanks to Eita and the others' commotion. ...I never thought it was this serious」
「I let my guard down too... I was relieved thinking he'd be able to move things along more smoothly」
「Come to think of it, Kuribayashi-kun and the others didn't receive that education. We were careless」
Ai-san, Akira-san, and Emi-san said.
「N-no, you see, she's quite guarded……」
「It's your job to loosen that up... It seems the Watanabe group still has some issues left」
Akira-san said.
After that, Kuribayashi-kun received a lecture from the women.
（７）
When I got home, I ate dinner, took a bath while Airi was cleaning up, and when I got out, Airi took her turn in the bath. I waited for her in the room.
I turned on the TV and was relaxing when Airi brought a chu-hai.
「Sorry to keep you waiting～」
「Thanks, Airi」
We drank chu-hai together.
「But I was surprised by Kuribayashi-kun. I thought someone like him would be smoother in handling things」
「It just shows how tough a woman Kitamura-san is」
It takes time for her to even realize her own feelings.
「It's the next challenge for the Watanabe group」
「Since they're already dating, I think they should just go at their own pace」
「You don't get it, Toya-kun」
「What?」
「Did you not get into Kitamura-san's world?」
Airi asked.
「Well, a little... but she has no sense of romance, so there are times I don't understand her」
「Even you don't notice it, Toya-kun? It must be hard, huh」
Airi said that and laughed.
I wonder what exactly Airi noticed?
「Did you notice something, Airi?」
「Yeah, I did～ Probably, she felt the same way I did」
「What do you mean?」
「When I said I kissed you, she had a look of admiration in her eyes」
Huh?
「Think about it. She cooked for him, he said it was delicious, and she was happy about that. Wouldn't anyone normally admire the idea of a kiss?」
「Well, I guess so……」
「That's why I ended up having to be the one to give you your first kiss, Toya-kun」
「Ah, were you bothered by that?」
「Well, yeah. For the first time, I wanted you to do it」
「Sorry」
「It's fine. I'm glad I did it in the end. If I hadn't, Kanna might have stolen your first kiss」
「……That's true」
Fate is really complicated.
But when you unravel it piece by piece, it's simple.
Airi looked at her phone and laughed.
「There's an emergency girls' meeting this weekend. I think it's about Kitamura-san」
「I think it might be better to just leave her alone」
「Wrong! We're going to find a way to conquer Kuribayashi-kun together!」
Airi said that with enthusiasm.
Well, the women can handle women's matters among themselves.
「Toya-kun, don't go to any weird places this weekend!」
「I know」
「Ai said we'll have the after-party in the same place. Probably a karaoke place」
「......So you're going to make them go together?」
「You figured it out quickly」
I can tell what you're thinking, Airi.
「Don't force it, okay?」
「I know that much! A kiss you force isn't fun anyway!」
「Yeah」
「Then, how about we go to sleep now?」
「Ah, right」
We both got into bed and went to sleep.
Just doing this makes me happy.
Should I make her a little happier?
I hugged Airi.
She seemed to notice and hugged me back.
The clock's hands continue to mark time.
Savoring this happiness without letting a single second slip away, I fell asleep.