Chapter 377 - A Bouquet in the Left Hand, a Promise in the Right Hand
(1)
"Toya-san, please wake up, it's morning."
Awakened by Airi, I open my eyes.
I wash my face, fix my bedhead, and change my clothes.
Today, we are going to Cape Soya from the morning.
The northernmost edge of Japan.
What kind of feeling will it be when standing there?
Standing in front of the monument of the northernmost land facing the sea, the sea is in three directions ahead, and the shadow of Sakhalin Island rises directly in front, making me truly realize that this is the northernmost point.
What kind of state of mind were those who aimed for this land in?
What kind of thoughts did they have when they stood on this land?
While thinking about such things, I was lost in thought alone.
There are various other monuments.
If I kill time while looking at them, it will be time for the bus.
"Toya-san, let's go soon."
Was it a little boring for Airi (T/N: speaks without honorific, signaling intimacy)?
"Sorry for making you wait."
"It's fine, because the memories with Toya-san are firmly engraved in my heart."
Airi says so.
Going near Wakkanai Airport by bus, we walk for nearly 30 minutes on foot.
Having a slightly late lunch, we board the plane bound for Haneda Airport.
The sky journey from Haneda Airport to the local airport.
It seems Airi was tired.
It was a relatively forced march, after all.
Airi is sleeping while leaning against me.
I decided to sleep while leaning against Airi too.
(2)
"Kanna (T/N: speaks without honorific, signaling intimacy), it's about time."
Oh no! Even though I'm tired, I overslept.
Waking up in a hurry, the preparation for breakfast... is done?
"I thought Kanna must be tired, so I'd let you sleep soundly."
Burnt bread and bacon and eggs. And coffee.
"Thank you."
I say thanks to Makoto and have breakfast.
After that, I get ready.
"You're early today, right?"
"Yeah, I'll be back in the evening."
"Then, shall we eat out somewhere? We haven't gone lately, right?"
"That's fine."
"Well, take care."
Saying so, Makoto saw me off to the entrance.
The part-time job also ends this month.
From next month, I will start a job.
Makoto will also join the local team from next month.
Though I don't know if he can play in matches suddenly.
"I'll let you know when I can play in home games, so everyone, please support me!"
Makoto was saying so.
The content of the part-time job is changing, and I hand over the work to the newcomer who is coming in as a replacement.
He is serious, has a good memory, and is quick-witted, so it helps.
After finishing the part-time job, I go straight home.
Makoto had returned home first.
"Get ready. Because I've finished mine. You can take your time."
"Yeah."
When I get ready, I tell Makoto that I'm done.
Going out to the city by train, we enter a restaurant and take our seats.
"So, what happened today?"
I tried asking Makoto.
"Ah, you've been doing part-time work all the time lately, right? To take time off for the trip."
"Well, yeah."
"From now on, I'll be a pro, and Kanna will also be busy with work, so this kind of relaxing time will decrease."
That's probably true.
"What we can do while we can. I thought of doing things we can only do now."
"I see."
"We've already been married for two years, haven't we? It's fast."
"Because we were busy with various things."
"I also made Kanna worry about various things and caused trouble. So, partly as thanks for that."
"Don't worry about it, I understand your feelings."
Doing this for me is also your kindness, isn't it?
"From now on, I might cause Kanna more trouble. I might place a burden on you. There will even be days when I can't come home."
"I've been prepared for that kind of thing since the time Makoto decided to become a pro. Don't worry about it."
"Thank you, Kanna."
Being thanked again makes me feel ticklish.
"Hey? Do you still regret it even now?"
"What?"
"Choosing me over Toya."
"Let's see... if it were Toya, maybe I could have been happier."
"You're right..."
"...Is what I would say, would that satisfy you?"
"Eh?"
"I have no mistakes in my choice. I'm living a life with no regrets. That's what I think. What you're thinking is meaningless. I don't need 'what ifs' in my life."
Repeat it any number of times, trace it over and over. That is the gear of fate.
"Though you might be the one regretting it. A nagging wife."
"But because it's Kanna, you forgave me. Even I'm not stupid. I understand at least that much."
"For all that, you were venting various dissatisfactions to Toya, though?"
I tried saying something a little mean.
"Th-that's because even that guy will have various things from now on... and besides, I was drinking."
"That's fine. Just... if you have dissatisfactions, please tell me. I want to accept at least your dissatisfactions."
Because I am Makoto's one and only wife.
"From now on, you will also enter the pros and various dissatisfactions and grumbles will increase, right? I'll accept at least that much."
"I understand. I'll be conscious of the fact that because Kanna is here, I can leave the house."
"It helps if you do so."
After eating the food and leaving the shop, we bar-hop about two places.
And when we return home by train, I take a shower.
And when I return to the room, there is Makoto who is dead drunk and rolling on the floor, sleeping.
Good grief, I wake Makoto up.
"If you sleep in a place like that, you'll catch a cold. At least sleep in the bed."
"Ah, sorry."
Saying so, Makoto gets into bed.
I also get into bed and fall asleep.
Even if we are far apart, our two hearts are together.
Always, always watching over.
The ring worn on the ring finger is still an important amulet even now.
Because I can swear forever and ever.
I love you...
In this room illuminated by the moonlight, while listening to a song of memories, I remember Makoto's words.
Because I love you forever.
Even if we are separated,
I won't forget the meaning of kindness.
Even right now, I want to convey that warm warmth.
Right now, I was feeling Makoto's warmth.
(3)
Today as well, a group of five women is talking at the counter.
Mainly dissatisfactions about their partners.
Well, if they aren't kept company until Sunday, dissatisfactions would come out, wouldn't they?
Though I can't talk about others.
Cling-clang.
It seems Nakajima-kun has arrived.
He arrived at a bad time.
Today's target is you, surely.
"How about Nakajima-kun? Have you been keeping your promise properly since then?"
Akira-chan immediately asks.
"According to what I heard, I hear you've been going to the mountain as a spectator, Senpai? What are you thinking?"
"It's fine since I'm not driving myself, right!?"
Nakajima-kun makes an excuse.
That kind of excuse will only make Honoka-san angry, you know?
"You still don't understand, do you? Have you never thought about a car crashing into you or something!?"
See, she got angry.
Nakajima-kun, it's useless even if you appeal to me for help. I can't compete with these people.
Cling-clang.
At a bad time, the Hiyama couple, Kisaragi-kun, and Asakura-san arrived.
"You guys haven't been going to the mountain at night as spectators either, have you?"
Akira-chan attacks without mercy.
"I-I haven't gone. Really, there's no time to do that kind of thing anymore!"
"I haven't gone either, I'm keeping the promise properly."
"Sh-Sho-chan isn't doing that kind of thing, we're together every night, so I guarantee it."
The three of them make excuses. ...Wait, eh?
"Iori (T/N: speaks without honorific, signaling intimacy)? What did you say just now?"
"We are together every night."
Asakura-san said embarrassedly.
"Does that mean, in other words..."
Emi-san tries to say something.
"Ah, we're cohabiting. I was told by my parents that it's better to cohabit before getting married."
Kisaragi-kun said nonchalantly.
"Cohabiting, how are you handling living expenses?"
Kana-san was asking.
"Iori is working. Also, the allowance from my home."
Kisaragi-kun, I think that's bad...
"Don't you feel anything making only your girlfriend work!?"
"Don't you feel like becoming independent yourself!?"
Honoka-san and Kana-san blame Kisaragi-kun.
"Even if I tell Iori that there's plenty of money even if she doesn't work, she works on her own accord, so it can't be helped, right?"
"Are you thinking about the future? Do you intend to live by sponging off your parents forever!?"
"In the future, I'll inherit my parents' business anyway, so there's no problem. I'm thinking at least that much."
"Conceding a hundred steps, I'll acknowledge the allowance. In return, you're helping with housework, aren't you?"
"That's right... there's no way you're making her work and even do housework, right?"
Emi-san and Akira-chan say.
The one who threw unnecessary fuel here was Kisaragi-kun.
"Working is Iori's own choice. Doing housework is a woman's job, right?"
"Unbelievable..."
Honoka-san and Kana-san are speechless.
"It seems there is a need to educate you..."
Emi-san is making a phone call.
"You said doing housework is a woman's job, didn't you? Then shouldn't you also do a man's job?"
"When there's no need for that, why do I have to work?"
The women's group presses charges, but Kisaragi-kun was like pushing a shop curtain.
Emi-san says after finishing the phone call.
"Kisaragi-kun, bring your resume tomorrow! I'll hire you at our place. I'll thoroughly retrain you."
Emi-san says.
"That's why I said I don't need to work!"
"There is a need to beat the concept of living together into you! What you're doing is being a gigolo! Don't you think it's pathetic?"
"Then it's just a matter of not needing to make Iori work, right?"
"Decide right here and now whether to do housework or work!"
The battle between Emi-san and Kisaragi-kun continues.
"Well, I won't say to work and support yourself, but considering the future, there is a need to make Kisaragi-kun gain social experience."
Akira-chan also says.
"No housework, no part-time job. Then what are you doing?"
"Playing games at home."
Kisaragi-kun was an honest person in a bad way.
The women's verbal abuse knows no end.
"Why don't the men say something too!?"
"That's right! Shouldn't there be at least a word!?"
Kana-san and Honoka-san say.
It doesn't seem like it will settle down unless I say something.
"Kisaragi-kun, you should follow Emi-san here. You're just spoiling Asakura-san. If you don't want to work, you should learn to do housework. If you don't even do that, it's not cohabitation. It's just parasitism."
I point out gently.
I won't say that if you're a man you should work, just that you should share the work of living. What Kisaragi-kun is doing is just being a freeloader.
"I get it... I just have to bring a resume, right?"
Kisaragi-kun seems to have gotten the motivation to work.
"Sh-Sho-chan, are you okay? You've never done a part-time job, right? There's also school life."
Asakura-san is worried.
"It's fine. It's just remote work that you can do in your spare time. You can do at least that much, right?"
Emi-san says.
"What kind of thing is it?"
"Data entry. You can handle at least a PC, right?"
"Well, if it's just that much."
"I'm telling you, 'I don't know, so Iori do it' won't pass, okay?"
"I-I know!"
Thus, it was decided that Kisaragi-kun would subcontract work from Emi-san's company.
"Now that the problem is solved, next is Nakajima-kun, right?"
The spearhead turns to Nakajima-kun.
"I-it's not like I'm driving myself, so isn't it fine!?"
"It doesn't change the fact that it's dangerous, does it?"
Well, it's probably not a situation where he can leisurely say "Did the brakes go bad!?"
"Why do men only do things that increase their girlfriend's or wife's worries like that!?"
Kana-san says.
I'm not doing it, because I'm monitored almost 24 hours like this.
I guess I have no choice but to say it. Because the other men are all having a hard time soothing their own girlfriends.
"Nakajima-kun, since it's a good opportunity, you should graduate from cars at this point. You are also someone who has registered a marriage. It shouldn't be your problem alone."
Isn't making the important person feel at ease also important?
"Just as Yoshiyuki (T/N: speaks without honorific, signaling intimacy) says. ...I won't go to the mountain anymore. I won't go to see Zero-Yon either. Is this fine, Honoka (T/N: speaks without honorific, signaling intimacy)?"
"Can you swear?"
"I swear. Please believe me."
"...I understand. I'm not saying this because I like to either. I'm just saying it because I can't help but worry about Ryuji-kun."
"I understand, sorry."
"Not yet, you're awfully obedient... You still have something you're hiding, don't you?"
A woman's intuition at times like this is scary. Emi-san says.
"Ryuji-san, speak honestly!"
Honoka-san says.
"It's not a big deal!"
"Not a big deal? What are you hiding? Whether it's a big deal or not is for us to judge."
"...I'm just going to the Land of Harmony with my friends."
Yes?
"Come to think of it, mascot character stuffed toys are awfully piled up in the car, aren't they?"
Honoka-san says.
According to Nakajima-kun's story, it seems to be a boom now. He seems to be so into it that he goes once a week.
Of course, it buys resentment.
If it's that kind of place, take Honoka-san with you.
It's a surprise that there is a man who wants to go to such a place of his own accord.
"It's a lively place as always."
Hiyama-senpai says.
Hiyama-senpai, don't just keep quiet, please cooperate a little in settling the situation.
(4)
Arriving at the local airport, returning to the local station by highway bus, eating dinner, and returning home by bus.
When I return home, I sit on the sofa in the living room and take a breath.
I immerse myself in the feeling of relief of having returned home.
"Toya-san, please clean up the luggage. Put the laundry in the washing machine."
"Ah, sorry, I'll do it now."
I start organizing the luggage.
"Toya-san, you must be tired, right? Please take a bath first."
"Ah, I'll do that."
After taking a bath, I return to the bedroom, turn on the TV, and start up the PC.
No big news is on.
When I shut down the PC,
I sit in front of the table and fiddle with my smartphone.
The TV isn't showing any big programs either.
After a while, Airi returns from the bath.
"Here."
Airi gave me a can of chuhai.
"Thank you."
Receiving it, I drink.
"It was fun, wasn't it?"
"Did I just make Airi tired?"
"No such thing. It was very fun."
She says that because she is with me, any place is fun.
Airi is looking at her smartphone and laughing.
"Nakajima-kun was still doing it, wasn't he?"
"It seems so."
Once possessed by the speed devil, it's not that easy to let go.
I guess there is no choice but to weigh something and remove it.
If there is even a little attachment, one is dominated in an instant.
Even so, I didn't think he would be possessed by the Land of Harmony.
I feel bad for Honoka-san, but I ended up laughing.
"Is Toya-san also possessed by something?"
"That's right."
"What are you possessed by?"
"Airi."
"Uu... you say such mean things again."
"It doesn't feel bad. You are always with me. I think this is the place I should return to."
"Is it true?"
"Yeah, I'm grateful to Airi."
A bouquet of heart called gratitude in the left hand, and words of promise in the right hand.
Let's be together until death do us part.
The words the two of us swore.
Airi's right hand wraps around my left hand.
"Toya-san's bouquet, I have certainly received it."
With a gentle smile, Airi said.
"But, the promise shouldn't be with the right hand."
Airi says so and closes her eyes.
I grant Airi's request.
We exchange a kiss of promise.
"Shall we die?" (T/N: possible typo in source, original reads "死ねようか" (shall we die) instead of "寝ようか" (shall we sleep))
"Yes."
That is an alluring woman's sigh, that is a sweet man's whisper.
Lovers looking up at the night sky, a common scenery, a repeated love pattern, just a trivial matter.
Believing such a whimsical moment is eternity.
Believing such an uncertain thing is fate.
Crying, laughing, loving, hating.
That is for a fleeting moment, thinking back to the light of the far past.
In front of the tremendous scale called light-years, a human life might be nothing more than a transient illusion of an instant.
A bouquet in the left hand, a promise in the right hand.
The impulse that started running can no longer be stopped...
Is there romance there?
Our story does not end yet. A fate that continues to be spun toward an unknown future.
Toward a paradise that no one knows, we continue to run until death visits.
That will probably become a page of history lost in the distant future.