Chapter 393 - Wanting to Entrust My True Voice to You
(1)
Everyone is busily preparing breakfast.
Many women are running around the spacious kitchen.
And around the time breakfast is ready, I head to the dojo.
In the dojo, today as well, the new recruits are receiving Shinjo-san's baptism.
"Breakfast is ready."
At those words, the men head toward the dining hall like fleeing rabbits.
Toya-san is not like that; he remains behind alone and pats my shoulder.
"Good morning, Airi. Thanks for your hard work."
"Thank you. Good morning. Come, let's go to breakfast, shall we?"
"Yeah."
My Husband-sama, who is kind to me from the morning.
I specially serve him a large portion of rice.
"Thank you."
Saying so, he sits at the table.
Toya-san is a troublesome person who, whenever there is a raw egg, immediately wants to pour it over his rice and eat it.
And then he asks for seconds.
"Please eat it alternately with the side dishes properly."
"I'll do that from the second bowl."
He really is hopeless.
Once breakfast is finished, the women clean up the dishes.
Even though the men are all waiting in their rooms, Toya-san remains in the dining hall alone and waits for me.
I clean up while having a fun conversation with such a Toya-san.
"Toya-san, do you have any plans for today's Yufuin sightseeing?"
"I'll match wherever Airi wants to go. Airi, don't you have anywhere you want to go?"
"Hmm, let see."
Since we have covered most of the places.
"...Shall we sightsee while doing some shopping?"
"Yes!"
"We haven't gone on a date recently, after all."
"As for dates, you take me on one every week, you know?"
"A proper date has been a while, right?"
"That is true."
I am happy.
"You two are passionate from the morning."
Kanna said.
"Are you guys like that every day?"
Mika-san was asking.
"That's right~"
"Isn't that what living together is like?"
Toya-san said.
Toya-san is probably asking seriously.
"Say that after looking at the other men. They've already gone back to their rooms quickly."
Ai says.
"...Are we in the way, by any chance?"
"That is not the case."
Toya-san seems to have taken it in a different direction.
"I said I'm envious, didn't I? You guys are the ideal."
Kanna says.
"Is Katagiri-kun like that at home too?"
Ai asks.
"On days off, is it mostly like that?"
"On weekdays, I leave early in the morning so I can't pay attention to her. I'm not even allowed to do housework, so I thought I should at least be someone for her to talk to."
When I and Toya-san say so, everyone is impressed.
"You really get along well."
Ai says.
"If we didn't get along, we wouldn't live together, right? Isn't marriage the same?"
"The majority of men suddenly change when you start living together."
When Toya-san asks, Ai answers.
"Toya-san, the cleanup is almost finished, so please go call everyone. There is a table manners lecture."
"Understood."
Toya-san went to call everyone.
Everyone is seeing off such a Toya-san.
"Even as a husband, Katagiri-kun is perfect!"
Ai shouts.
"It's frustrating, but I'm envious of Airi-chan."
Emi says.
"As I thought, should I have won Toya over back then, even if I had to use forceful means?"
"Maybe I should have chased after Toya-kun without giving up too..."
Kanna and Saki say.
"I think that is not correct."
Miyuki-san says.
"Because it is a world reached precisely because it is Tosaka-san and Katagiri-kun. Just because you went out with someone else doesn't mean you would necessarily stand in the same state."
"The reverse is also true. It means there might be a world that can only be reached precisely because it is Kanna-san and Tada-kun."
When Miyuki-san said so, Satomi-san said.
"In the end, it is each other's effort. Making it turn out that way is also a woman's skill."
Satomi-san said.
"Was it Emi-san? The one who said 'disciplining a man is important.' It's not wrong, but they still don't understand anything. They are desperately thinking while groping in the dark. Kindness is what is important."
Well, you all are probably groping in the dark too, but the feeling of caring for each other is important, Satomi-san says.
As expected, Satomi-san and Miyuki-san are amazing.
"Caring is important... huh."
Kanna says.
""Was it like that for Miyuki-san and the others at first too?""
I tried asking.
"I haven't grown old for nothing, and I've been with Keisuke for a long time too," Miyuki-san says.
"I am a divorcee, despite how I look, so at first, I was the same as everyone," Satomi-san says.
I want to become cool like this.
The men came down.
We took the table manners lecture and faced the final event of the training camp, the practical application.
(2)
How many times has it been that I came to Yufuin with Airi?
But this time is different from usual.
The first Yufuin date since we started living together.
Airi has changed.
I must rewrite my own instruction manual from scratch too.
This time, we were acting as just the two of us.
It was Airi's wish.
It seems Makoto and Kiritani-kun had the same idea.
Together with Airi, we stroll along Yunotsubo Avenue.
In addition to the cat shop, the music box shop, and the glasswork shop, we look around at seasonings and folk craft shops.
Airi looks happy.
I just walk with arms crossed. After that, I just match the conversation to Airi talking to me happily.
Just with that, Airi is pleased.
She doesn't throw tantrums much.
Just going around the shops together makes Airi pleased.
Finally, we take a break with Airi at a cafe.
Sitting at a terrace seat where Lake Kinrin can be seen, we make our order.
"Thank you for today. It was very fun."
Airi looks truly happy.
"I'm glad Airi had fun. I'm sorry I can't take you anywhere usually."
Should I take her for a drive or to a movie about once a week?
"Let me see~ Then, we have consecutive holidays in the summer next time, right? Shall we go on a trip somewhere then?"
"Is there somewhere you want to go?"
"I leave it to Toya-san. Toya-san, do you have somewhere you want to go?"
"Is anywhere fine?"
"Yes."
"Then, the Tottori Sand Dunes."
"Eh?"
Airi's expression darkens.
"What's wrong?"
"Um, was there still something lacking in me? Or does Toya-san have something on his mind regarding work?"
Why does it turn into that?
"Because, Toya-san, you only say worrying things like wanting to go to the Sea of Trees in Fuji or the sand dunes."
I laughed.
"That's true, maybe I'd like to try going to Tojinbo too?"
"Toya-san..."
Airi's face wore an anxious expression.
"I just thought I wanted to go for sightseeing. There is no other intention. There are sand dunes in Japan. Just with that, wouldn't you think you want to see them?"
"If you have worries, please tell me. I might not be of help, but..."
"Even if you don't worry, I can't do something like leaving Airi behind and dying. Sorry, was my prank a bit too much?"
"Thank goodness."
Airi's expression is showing a look of relief.
"Airi, don't you have somewhere you want to go?"
"Let me see, because you took me to the places I wanted to go during my student days."
"I see."
"After that, is it a matter of the season? For example, wanting to go see the Takegiyo in winter."
"I see."
Were there still things we hadn't seen even locally?
"Also, I want to go to a hot spring with Toya-san. Because Toya-san must be tired too."
"Thank you."
"No..."
"Come to think of it, have you noticed yourself recently, Toya-san?"
"What?"
"You haven't been overeating and overdrinking much?"
Ah.
"It was like that last night too, but when we go to drinking parties, Airi takes food for me, right? I've just decided to stick to only that."
Because I don't want to do things that trouble my precious wife, I tell Airi.
"We have both changed. Have we been able to become adults?"
Airi says that I have stopped requiring so much care. Though she also says that is lonely.
"For the last two days, I will spoil myself with Airi to my heart's content."
"Yes, please let me spoil myself with you too, okay?"
"I know."
After talking for a while after that, I was called out to, "Toya." It is the Watanabe couple. The two sit at our table.
"Good work. You've surely grown tired of it by now, but did you enjoy it?"
Watanabe-kun asked.
"I'm fine, I enjoy it every year."
"If so, that's fine. It seems Mika is tired of it, as expected."
Watanabe-kun says so and laughs.
"It can't be helped, right? It's not like the shops change every year! The shopping doesn't change either."
That might certainly be true.
"What do Toya and the others plan to do with the remaining holidays?"
Watanabe-kun asked.
"I'll spend it relaxing at home with Airi."
"Well, that is the best."
Watanabe-kun laughs.
After that, we chat with the Watanabe couple and arrive at the gathering place five minutes before.
Haruto and the others were waiting.
"Good work, Senpai-tachi."
Haruto says.
"Did Haruto and the others have fun?"
"It was super fun. Haruna was pleased too."
Indeed, Shiratori-san seems to be enjoying herself.
While listening to Haruto and Shiratori-san's talk, we were waiting for everyone.
(3)
"Oh? It's Shoko!"
"Long time no see, Yoshiki."
"Who's the guy next to you? Your new man?"
Torishima Yoshiki. My first love. My first partner. And...
"Shoko, an acquaintance?"
Towa asked.
"Torishima Yoshiki, the guy I used to go out with."
"Ah..."
Towa seems to have grasped the situation. He is watching silently.
"Heh, so you got a man too. Are you still binding him as usual? What number man is this?"
A guy who gets on my nerves at every single turn.
"Yoshiki~ Who is this woman?"
"My ex-girlfriend, Sakuragi Shoko. Though even if I say ex-girlfriend, we broke up right away."
"Heh..."
The girlfriend next to Yoshiki is looking at me.
"She's a flashy-looking woman you would like. You were just after her body anyway, right?"
"Well, yeah. I thought she would let me play around more, but contrary to her appearance, she was a troublesome woman..."
A troublesome woman.
Don't say that in front of Towa.
But I cannot say anything. Even though I want to completely forget about a guy like this.
Towa is silently listening to our conversation.
However, the talk turned toward Towa.
"So, what's your name?"
"Umemoto Towa."
"Umemoto, huh... Have you done it with Shoko yet?"
"Not yet, though?"
"What's that, Shoko went that way? You've become quite a good girl. How dampening. Umemoto-kun, you should push harder too. If you push a little, she'll easily let you do her."
Towa is listening silently. And then, he started laughing.
"What? What happened to you all of a sudden?"
"No, it's just funny. To think Shoko was averting her eyes from fun things for the sake of a man like this."
"What do you mean?"
Yoshiki's expression becomes harsh.
"Anyway, you're just a man of the level who is satisfied boasting about the number of women you've done, right? Dealing with loose women who open their legs for a man of your level."
"What? Are you picking a fight?"
"Hey, loose woman... This guy is annoying. Yoshiki, do him in."
"If you want me to pick a fight, I'll gladly pick one. When I think that Shoko received a lifelong wound from a guy of your level, I get irritated too, you see."
"Wait, Towa, stop!"
I hold Towa back.
"Just go already, Yoshiki. You found your favorite girl in your own way, right? Don't involve yourself with us anymore."
"Shoko is the same as ever too. Anyway, Towa is a boring guy too, right? Why are you getting so worked up over something trivial?"
"The boring man is you, isn't it?"
Towa said in a single word.
"Satisfied if you do it with a woman. After that, you don't care? That's wrong. You're just a coward who is running away because you can't take responsibility for what comes after. At best, enjoy yourselves among those with loose lower bodies."
Towa provokes him, saying he is a monkey who has only aged but has the mind of a middle schooler.
"What did you say!?"
Yoshiki raises an angry voice.
"Why are you getting so worked up? Did I hit the mark? Seriously hilarious. Well, isn't it fine? If you are enjoying your own self-satisfaction. Let's go, Shoko."
Towa takes my hand and tries to walk away.
"Are you running away? Lame!"
"Dealing with a brat is just ridiculous. I'll give you a piece of advice while I'm at it. Probably that woman is also just a low-dimension whore boasting about the number of men she's eaten."
"Towa, that's enough already!"
"I know. Shoko, shall we go?"
Saying so, we walked away.
After that, Towa guided me to various shops.
As if to distract me.
A boring woman.
Does Towa think the same way too?
I ended up welcoming my first date with Towa in the worst mood due to the encounter with my first love.
Finally, we stop by a cafe.
Is Towa also sensing my mood?
Or is he still just irritated?
He doesn't say anything to me.
"The date we went to all the trouble for got dampened, didn't it?"
Towa said so.
"Sorry..."
"It's not something Shoko should apologize for."
Why does it turn out like this?
Will I repeat the same thing again?
They say the past repeats itself.
Repeats itself, huh... Will Towa be kind to me?
"Towa, are you free tonight? Are you free tomorrow?"
"Well, I haven't put in any plans, but why?"
"If you like, tonight..."
Please give me a final memory.
"No way."
He said so in a single word.
"Are you disillusioned with me?"
"Shoko, aren't you making fun of me?"
Eh?
"Don't lump me together with that stupid man from earlier who readily goes along with an invitation if a woman invites him, okay?"
"I didn't say it with that intention."
"It's the same. Anyway, you're thinking of spending a final night with me, right? You think I'm the kind of man who would do Shoko and throw her away, right?"
"Sorry."
But I hate having such painful thoughts.
"I want to hear Shoko's true feelings. I want to hear Shoko's true voice."
My true feelings?
"What Shoko needs is not some passing love. It is to learn the joy of loving. I will make you forget about a guy like that."
In the battle of past versus future, what is needed is firm confidence, love, and bonds.
Leave the hesitation behind. Are you prepared?
"I will protect Shoko. I swear it."
With Towa's words, true colors are attached to the whole of the world.
I was slightly frightened of loneliness.
A dystopia that sparkles even when covered in wounds.
I don't mind even if I forget everything I learned.
Even if I throw away what I have in hand, I want to confirm that resolve.
Towa said he would save the future me.
I will hesitate no longer.
Wanting to blend with Towa (T/N: "永遠" (Towa) is a pun meaning both "Towa" and "forever") with my true voice.
"You said you would protect me, right?"
"Yeah, I'll protect you to the end."
"That won't do."
"Eh?"
"Protect me forever."
Just as your name indicates.
"As I thought, won't you spend tonight together with me?"
"...Is it okay?"
"I have prepared myself to face the past."
Towa solidified it for me.
"Understood. It's fine."
Towa smiles for me.
Because I want to entrust my true voice to you.
Listen to it properly.
(4)
"Wait a moment, Akisora."
"Ah, sorry!"
It is crowded, partly because of the consecutive holidays.
Moving around is also tough.
"At this rate, we'll get separated immediately, won't we?"
Akisora is worrying.
He is probably worrying about something that can't be helped anyway.
Since he isn't used to it, it can't be helped, I suppose. Though I'm not used to it either.
But there was something I was interested in. What kind of feeling would it be?
That's why I put it into action.
I grab his arm.
"Tsubame!?"
"With this, we won't get separated, right?"
Like that, we went around various shops.
Buying and eating croquettes. Eating soft-serve ice cream.
The fun time passed in the blink of an eye, and it became the gathering time.
When we arrived at the gathering place, several people had already gathered.
We were talking with Miyuki-senpai at the gathering place.
"How was your first date?"
Miyuki-senpai asked.
"U-Um..."
"It was fun."
In place of the hesitating Akisora, I answered.
"That's good then."
Miyuki-senpai says so and laughs.
Akisora seems to be worrying about something.
"What's wrong?"
"Tsubame, do you still want to do things like dates?"
"...I think a girlfriend who doesn't want to go on a date with her boyfriend is the rare one, though?"
"That's true..."
Akisora's worry is something like that?
I was laughing.
"I told you, didn't I? That I'm dating Akisora every day. When I study with Akisora, it makes good progress, you know?"
"Is something like that fine?"
"Something like that is what's fine!"
Because just being with you attaches color to a sepia-colored world.
"Once we go back, it's studying again, right?"
"That's right."
Let's tick away the same time in the same space.
Because our clock synchronization is already complete.
(5)
A forgotten world.
We walk through the miscellaneous streets.
Looking at various miscellaneous goods, food, and clothes, I make merry with him.
The time when I can exist as Akiyoshi Arisu.
Several weeks since I changed my surname to Akiyoshi.
My blog and SNS went up in flames.
My fans also decreased.
Even so, there were fans who enthusiastically attended the performances.
From tomorrow, the days of performances and lessons will start again.
The person named ALICE is not here right now.
I am nothing more than an ordinary person blended into the crowd.
Within the noisiness, our peace was promised.
"Thank you for your hard work."
Keita says so.
"Good work to you too, Keita."
We are in a cafe right now.
We are taking a breath while drinking juice.
Keita seems to be tired.
Did I drag him around too much in various ways?
But it was fun. Thank you.
"But I had fun. What about Keita?"
"I had fun too."
He, who is bad at fake smiles.
Looking at such a face, I laugh.
"Let's come again."
"That's true."
I was frightened of loneliness.
A dystopia that sparkles even when covered in wounds.
Shaking my heart and throat at the same time, the hand I stretched out grasped an unwavering dream.
"Keita, don't you have somewhere you want to go?"
"I haven't thought about that kind of thing, so what about Arisu?"
Somewhere I want to go, huh.
"Let's see, I'm interested in amusement parks or wandering-around-town dates."
"I see... I will think about it."
"I'm counting on you."
"It will become busy again from tomorrow, won't it?"
"That's true."
A busy daily life will start again.
But right now, even that is not bad.
Right now, Keita is always by my side.
"It is almost time. Shall we go?"
"Yes. Let's go."
Taking each other's hands, we headed toward the gathering place.
(6)
"Ah, everyone, good work for the three days."
Once everyone is assembled, Watanabe-kun says.
"The year has only just begun. We'll do various things, so let's play together again. We'll disband with this, but those who have time, let's gather at the local family restaurant on the way back, eat dinner, and go home. Well then, good work. Disbanded."
When Watanabe-kun says so, everyone gets into their respective cars.
And everyone set off on their way home.
On the way, we stop by the family restaurant designated by Watanabe-kun.
At my table, there were Airi, the Watanabe couple, the Tada couple, and the Kiritani couple.
The same faces as usual.
We take the same orders as usual.
"But this was a tumultuous three days this time too, wasn't it?"
Watanabe-kun says.
It was certainly a tumultuous three days.
Needless to say, the cause is obvious.
"Regarding that matter, Toya, can I consult you once we get home?"
Makoto says.
Saying that kind of thing here makes no sense, right?
"...Makoto, if it's a consultation for me, please do it here. I can't keep secrets from Airi."
"That's right, Makoto-kun. If you have something you want to say, say it openly. You were told during the training camp, weren't you?"
Airi says.
"...Kanna is acting strange."
When Makoto says so, Kiritani-kun also spoke up.
"Makoto too? Me too, Ai has been strange since last night..."
"Strange, how is she strange?"
I tried asking the two.
"I messed up last night too, right? I thought I would definitely get yelled at, but she was smiling..."
"Me too, I thought, 'I blew it!' but she didn't get angry, so I can't help but find it mysterious."
Makoto and Kiritani-kun say.
Airi seems to know the circumstances.
"Does Airi know the reason?"
"We talked about it last night, didn't we? It is a secret between women."
It seems something did happen in the bath after all.
"That's right, it's that 'secret between women' thing."
"That's right, it's a secret between women."
Kanna and Ai-san say.
Come to think of it, Naru's behavior was strange too.
I stare at Kanna and Ai-san.
The hearts of the two are overflowing with kindness.
Airi said yesterday, didn't she? That "we are the ideal married couple."
Ah, is that what it is?
If pushing doesn't work, try pulling.
It seems Makoto and Kiritani-kun are bewildered by that.
I understood somehow.
Looking at Makoto and the other who are bewildered by that, I ended up laughing.
"Toya-san, you must not tell them. Because it is a secret."
"I know, Airi."
"Wait, why is only Toya understanding it? Tell us!"
"That's right! No secrets between men, Toya."
Makoto and Kiritani-kun say.
"Toya! Absolutely do not say it!"
"Katagiri-kun, if you say it, you know what will happen, right!"
"Toya! Do not tell Masashi either, okay!"
Kanna, Ai-san, and Mika-san say.
Apparently, it is literally a "women-only secret."
"Sorry, I can't say. Though, if there's one thing I can say, is it 'put yourself in her shoes'?"
It would be good to try thinking about how she thinks of oneself.
It would be good to try putting oneself in her shoes.
Surely her true feelings are wanting to blend with the partner with her true voice.
A utopia where life dwells in that voice and sparkles.
If the heart and throat shake at the same time, it will guide you to a shining future in the blink of an eye.
"Both Makoto and Kiritani-kun, if you are husbands, listen to your wives' voices. At least the wives are accepting their husbands' voices."
And, they are thinking. That they want to entrust their true hearts to you.
Makoto and Kiritani-kun twist their heads.
Kanna and Ai-san are watching over those two with warm eyes.
I was eating while thinking enviously of those four.
Once we finished dinner, we disbanded and went home.
When we get home, we pack away our luggage.
"Toya-san is really bad at tidying up, isn't he?"
Looking at the crumpled change of clothes inside the bag, she said.
"S-Sorry, because there weren't that many changes of clothes, and I brought a rather large bag."
"At least, please do something like putting a wet towel into a plastic bag."
"Understood."
"You are a Husband-sama who requires a lot of care, aren't you?"
Airi said so, and took them all together to the washing machine.
In the meantime, I take a bath and then relax while watching the television in the bedroom.
Airi also finished her bath and brought over some alcohol.
"So, how far did you understand? About us."
"Eh?"
"It's no use playing dumb. You peeked, didn't you? Into Kanna's and Ai's hearts."
"Well, yeah. They had become very kind."
"Do you understand with just that?"
"Because there was Airi's hint, you see? Airi said it, didn't she? 'We are the ideal married couple.'"
"I see, but if that was the case, there surely would have been an easier method."
An easier method?
"Won't you peek into my heart?"
Ah, I see.
"Then, please peek into it now."
Airi says with her eyes closed.
There is no need to even peek, Airi.
"It was a promise, right?"
"Eh?"
Turning off the television, I lower the lights, embrace Airi, and lay her down on the bed.
"You remembered for me, didn't you?"
"Of course."
Airi's message of wanting to entrust her true voice to me certainly arrived.