Chapter 86 - Eat Your Ramen Before It Gets Soggy
(1)
Lunchtime.
Yes!!
I've finally encountered Hokkaido!
My small wish has finally been granted.
A bowl sits before me.
One filled to the brim with various types of sashimi, starting with sea urchin and salmon roe.
I pour soy sauce into a small dish, dip the toppings, put them back in the bowl, and take a big bite with the rice.
Delicious!!
This is truly Hokkaido!!
Maybe I'll have some buttered potatoes for a snack later.
I devour it with gusto.
Phew, I'm satisfied, satisfied.
Now all that's left is the ramen waiting for me tonight.
At that moment, I noticed Airi's piercing gaze.
Eh? I just ate lunch.
Is it a crime to eat food with gusto?
I think leaving food behind is far more of a crime, don't you?
Just as Airi was about to say something.
"You really do eat with such gusto... here, I'll give you mine too."
Kanna? You can eat as much as I can, even if not quite as much, right? You've barely eaten anything.
"I feel kind of sick. Maybe I ate too much yesterday?"
"Hey Kanna, are you okay?"
"I just feel a little sick, so don't worry. More importantly, just eat."
Well then, I'll help myself without hesita... tion?
Airi's face looks lonely.
Looking at Airi's bowl, she also has about half left.
She was holding that bowl with both hands.
...I can do it!
After polishing off Kanna's bowl, I took Airi's and ate that too.
"Eh? Eh? If you eat that much, you'll get an upset stomach!"
"I'm not the kind of person who refuses food offered to me."
I shove it all in at once.
Phew... maybe I really did eat too much.
However, the smile has returned to Airi's face.
With this, I should be in the clear.
But...
"Kanna, are you okay!?"
"Watching Toya eat made me feel even worse."
"Maybe you should rest in your room..."
"Maybe..."
Airi calls for Mizuta-sensei.
He arrives immediately.
"Otonashi, can you stand?"
"Yes..."
"The rest of you, continue your activities as planned for the afternoon. Let's go, Otonashi."
"I wonder if Kanna is okay?"
"Surely... it's not that, right?"
Ai and Airi are talking to each other.
"I think she'll be fine. Hey, Toya-kun, do you think we should contact Makoto-kun?"
Airi directed the question to me.
Yes?
What should I tell Makoto?
"Telling him Kanna feels sick will only make him worry, right? It's better not to say anything until we know the cause."
"That's why that cause... is the problem!"
"It's better to hear that from Kanna... ow!"
I told you, stop pinching my cheek.
"Toya-kun, you're so oblivious. I bet it was the same with me!"
"I'm asking what you've been talking about for a while now!"
"What do you mean 'what'! Toya-kun!? Have you studied nothing!?"
"I'm asking what!?"
"Hahaha, Toya is such a child. So, Tosaka-san, do you know Otonashi-san's cycle?"
Watanabe-kun tries to settle the situation.
Cycle? What are they talking about? I have no idea.
"Yeah... she said her stomach hurt a while ago, so I think she's fine."
It seems Airi understood.
"I see. She didn't say anything before the trip either, right? Then there's no problem. It's probably just that she got motion sickness from the shaking while skiing."
"I see~, you're very knowledgeable, Watanabe-kun."
"No, I just heard it from my seniors, stories about people suddenly feeling sick while skiing."
"I see, Watanabe-kun is so reliable~. Quite a difference from a certain someone!"
"Airi, that applies to our Eita too."
Watanabe-kun seems to have increased his favorability with the two girls.
In contrast, I...
(2)
"Toya, come practice with me."
"U-uh, okay."
I get on the lift with Watanabe-kun.
Since Watanabe-kun had become quite capable of skiing alone, he was allowed to act independently.
Eita, Ai, and Ishihara-kun, who couldn't ski, and Airi, who had too much free time, were skiing with Iida-san.
"Toya, that last part was your mistake."
"Eh?"
"To be blunt, you guys have had sex, right?"
"Well, yeah."
"Having gone that far and knowing nothing about a woman's body is far too irresponsible."
"And what does that have to do with Kanna feeling sick?"
I understood that there was a connection.
Then, Watanabe-kun gives a smirk.
"I called you out specifically to explain that. I'll explain it to you."
"...And that's how it is."
I see, so that's why Makoto...
But if that's the case...
"That's why I told you. You're at an age where 'I did it but didn't know' doesn't fly. It also connects to how much you care for your partner."
Ah, I see...
"Then, should I ask Airi too?"
"Idiot, unless Airi-san trusts you immensely, even if you ask, it'll just end with 'you pervert'."
I think I am trusted, though.
"Besides, asking persistently is also bad. If you worry that much, you'll just get yelled at with 'I'm not doing it anymore!'"
"So what should I do in the end?"
"Think for yourself a little... If it were you, how would you casually ask about something the other person doesn't want known?"
Simply not asking isn't the answer.
Ask indirectly...?
But from where do I start circling?
While I was worrying, Watanabe-kun answered for me.
"Your intuition doesn't work outside of soccer, does it? Something like 'How's your stomach feeling?' is fine."
Ah, I see...
"Keep it natural. Now, let's ski and regroup. When we do, try asking with that approach while apologizing for earlier."
"W-will I not get yelled at?"
"That depends on how you say it."
"Got it."
In reality, I don't really get it.
For now, let's enjoy skiing.
I'll think about it later.
After skiing for a bit, I saw Iida-san's gear.
"Heeey!"
I wave my hand to signal Iida-san and the others.
"Ah, you two are already done skiing? You're quick learners~. At this rate, I'll be out of a job."
Iida-san says with a laugh.
"I-I'm still here!"
Ishihara-kun skis desperately.
"True, it might be tough for you to learn in two days~."
Huh? What is it?
The feeling is different from the night of the first day.
He's more hardworking than yesterday, or rather.
He's desperately trying to appeal to Iida-san.
Come to think of it, where is Eguchi-san?
What happened to the talk about bringing those two together?
"Hey, what happened to Eguchi-san?"
"Eguchi-san?"
"Ah, no, uh..."
Ishihara-kun looks troubled.
Did I step on a landmine?
The other three are looking at me with demon-like expressions.
Eh? You're wondering how I can tell even though they're wearing goggles?
You can feel the atmosphere, or rather, an aura, pulsing through.
Thwack
Watanabe-kun hit me on the back of the head.
"Ah, Eguchi-san is a girl in our class who's smart and popular."
Watanabe-kun explains.
At this rate, I'll lower the girls' favorability even more.
"By the way, how's Kanna doing?"
"It seems like simple ski sickness. She said she'll stay quiet for two days."
Airi answered for me.
Airi, huh... first, I have to apologize.
"A-Airi. Sorry about earlier."
"Whaaat? I told you no apologizing without a reason, right?"
"No, I mean, I lacked consideration..."
"Huh?"
"Is your physical condition okay, Airi?"
"Eh? I'm totally fine, what's wrong? All of a sudden..."
I was put in a chokehold by Watanabe-kun.
"Ah, I just explained the situation to this idiot. He seems to understand but doesn't actually understand. Please forgive him. He's not saying it with any ill intent."
Airi seems to have grasped the meaning and smiles brightly.
"Hey~ Watanabe-kun, can I borrow Toya-kun? Are you done practicing?"
"Borrowing or not, I'm returning him to Tosaka-san. Thanks, I feel like I've improved a bit."
"Thank you. Toya-kun, let's go ski?"
"A-ah, okay."
I get on the lift with Airi.
"What were you talking about with Watanabe-kun?"
"Ah... th-that is..."
There's no way I could say I was being taught about the mechanisms of a woman's body.
I'm not that thick-skinned.
Airi would surely start getting angry.
"You were probably getting various lectures about girls, right?"
I've been found out.
"If you know, then you don't need to ask."
"It's not something that's troubling to be asked, right?"
Is that so?
Since it's Airi, I thought she'd be embarrassed and call me "Idiot!" or "You pervert!"
"Well, if someone I didn't know said it, I'd think they were a pervert, but Toya-kun and I aren't in that kind of relationship, right? So I just wanted you to be a little more considerate. Do you remember? When I was feeling sick and missed school, Toya-kun didn't notice until the very end."
"Ah!! That was it..."
Back in the third year of middle school...
The incident where I misunderstood and thought she had started refusing to go to school.
"Girls have things that are painful in their own way~."
We get off the lift.
"So it's totally fine for Toya-kun to ask 'Is your condition okay?'~."
Saying that, Airi heads toward the beginner course... huh?
"Is that way okay?"
"We can talk more leisurely this way."
Ah, I see.
Airi and I ski down the gentle slope course leisurely.
Taking breaks occasionally.
"Also, there was one more thing I wanted to say~."
Eh? I made another mistake~.
"I think Toya-kun didn't notice because it's him, but Ishihara-kun definitely likes Iida-san~."
"Eh!?"
No no, that's impossible, right? How far apart are their ages! It's beyond the level of long-distance!
"You really hadn't noticed. As expected of Toya-kun."
I don't know if I'm being put down or praised.
Which means...
"Does everyone else know?"
"It seems Watanabe-kun noticed too."
So the Kiritani-kun couple knows.
"You mustn't tell Ishihara-kun. Only if he consults you. You can't bring it up first, Toya-kun!"
"I-I got it."
But, would that couple even work?
Wouldn't the probability be higher if he tried talking to Eguchi-san, even if it's a long shot?
Besides, it's not a distance a high schooler can do anything about, right?
Is he going to confess?
Is he going to be crushed?
A banzai attack?
If he has that kind of courage, he could try other girls...
"Is Airi rooting for him?"
"I am~."
"He should try other girls..."
"Did you choose me based on probability, Toya-kun?"
"That's not it."
Rather, being chosen by Airi is closer to a miracle...
"He fell in love, so it can't be helped~. It's not about logic~."
I understand that.
You don't know until you dive in.
It's about whether you have the courage to take that first step.
Believing in a 1% possibility even if there's a 99% failure rate.
In that case, there's nothing I can do but give him a push from behind.
"Heeey, you're zoning out again."
"Ah, sorry."
"I'm saying this myself, but really~. How can you always leave such a cute girl behind and enter your own world?"
Yeah, I think so too.
Why do I end up overthinking?
"If it's come to this, I'll just have to drag you out by force."
"...Please don't overdo it."
"Yes! But... if you're zoning out because of me, I'll forgive you."
Is it the magic of the white snow that makes it feel that way?
Was it the cold, or was she blushing?
Her cheeks flushed red, and she was very beautiful.
(3)
Dinner.
It was a buffet.
A buffet with everything from Japanese to Western to Chinese.
And...
Miso ramen!
I've wanted to meet you.
The more I thought of you, the further away you felt...
The more strongly I felt, the more painful it became...
Thwack
"W-why do I have to be hit?"
"You were thinking about something incredibly trivial just now, weren't you? Also, what's with the number of plates!"
"It's a pain to go back and forth for every single thing, right!?"
"You're just going to eat it all anyway!"
"Airi~..."
Kanna seems to have found it too tedious to even speak.
"Kanna, I think I've become quite tolerant. So I want Toya-kun to accept me tolerantly too! I'm the one who plays the role of scolding Toya-kun for overeating."
"That's not a couple, that's a mother-son relationship..."
"No it's not~! I'll correct that to the relationship of a wife scolding a useless husband!"
"A married couple, huh! That's great!"
This is no time to be laughing, Watanabe-kun.
"Ai~. I can't tell if you came for a meal or to eat cake."
"Didn't you know that dessert goes in a separate stomach?"
That couple over there seems to be doing well too.
"Ah, that's right. Let's gather in the lobby again today."
"Most of the teachers are men anyway, so wouldn't the girls' room be fine?"
"Among those female teachers, there's a noisy old hag... it's a last resort."
"Today, at the ramen shop... look, it's less conspicuous than the lobby, right?"
I've already gotten permission from Airi.
"Toya-kun, what are you eating now~?"
"Eh? Miso ramen."
"Then the promise for this morning is okay, right?"
"Eh..."
"I didn't say it had to be ramen from a shop~."
That's just ego, Airi.
"Well, I was curious too, so let's go to the ramen shop. It's true that it's harder to be found."
"Are you planning to make girls eat carbohydrates late at night?"
That was the moment Kanna became an enemy.
"I heard the ramen shop here also has parfaits."
"Alright, then it's settled. Let's go to the bath, the bath."
The girls stand up from their seats.
Leaving only one person behind.
"What are you doing~? Toya-kun."
"No, just one more bowl of ramen..."
"I'm eating it later, so it's fine!!"
Ramen also goes in a separate stomach.
I heard that the spoons at Hokkaido ramen shops have holes in them.
Apparently so you can scoop up the corn.
But how do you drink the soup?
I wondered that when I actually saw it.
But that doesn't matter.
I've finally met you, ramen.
Next is the Genghis Khan tomorrow night.
How do I know? Because it was written clearly in the itinerary.
The women were eating parfaits.
Sashihara-san had a fruit parfait.
Airi had a strawberry parfait.
Kanna had a chocolate parfait.
The chocolate parfait looks delicious.
"Excuse me, one chocolate parfait..."
Thwack
"Strawberry is delicious too!"
I see, so strawberry is fine!
"Excuse me, I'll change my order, one strawberry parfait..."
Thwack
"There's strawberry right here."
Ah, she's saying she can't finish it, so she'll give it to me.
Then, the bowl and spoon...
Airi scoops up the soft-serve part covered in strawberry sauce and brings it to my mouth.
It's a smile that says, "Hurry up and open your mouth."
I resign myself and open my mouth.
Chomp!
If this puts Airi in a good mood, it's a small price to pay.
"This looks interesting, like feeding a baby bird. I have chocolate, so do you want some of mine?"
Kanna takes a scoop of her own soft-serve...
"Say ahh..."
Thwack
"It's not 'say ahh', Toya-kun! You too, Kanna! I'm telling Makoto-kun!"
"Makoto won't get angry over this. Especially since the partner is Toya."
"Ugh... Toya-kun, I'll give you all the rest of my parfait."
"All the rest? Airi, you haven't even eaten half."
"I didn't think it would be this big!"
"Listen... you two..."
Kanna and Airi look this way.
Their eyes are serious...
"Kanna might be Makoto's preference, but for Airi, as a man, I think a bit more curves would probably be..."
Thwack thwack
"Don't just calmly say things people are self-conscious about!"
"Toya-kun, you really lack delicacy!"
"I get it, I was wrong. I'll eat all the rest of both your portions."
"That's not the point!"
"It can't be helped since I can eat as much as a certain someone!"
Sashihara-san and Kiritani-kun are flirting as they please.
"Um, sorry, but... I want you to listen while you eat."
Watanabe-kun started the conversation.
"About the matter I mentioned yesterday, there's a slight change in plans. It seems Isshy has found someone he likes."
Ah, that story.
"So, I was wondering if there's anything we can do."
Watanabe-kun, you're half enjoying this, aren't you?
"Watanabe-kun, who is the person Isshy likes?"
Slap!
Sashihara-san slaps Kiritani-kun on the back.
"Eita! I told you during the day! Sorry, Isshy. It seems Eita also lacks delicacy."
Sashihara-san apologizes like that.
Did Kiritani-kun not notice?
"I'm happy about everyone's feelings... but it's still impossible."
Everyone sinks at Ishihara-kun's single sentence.
I wonder if I can encourage him somehow...
"Ishihara-kun. If you don't eat your ramen quickly, it'll get soggy."
I said, looking at Ishihara-kun's remaining ramen.
"Toya-kun, what are you talking about...?"
Watanabe-kun interrupted Airi's words.
"Keep going, Toya."
"Yeah. Ramen isn't delicious once it gets soggy, right? Parfaits are the same. Even if you wait, they'll melt and disappear."
"Sorry, I don't have an appetite right now."
"Yeah. But because of that, if you just let a precious chance pass by, it'll become something that can never be recovered. You don't know if ramen or parfaits are delicious until you try them, right? But once the ramen or parfait has melted, that's it. Love is the same. And I think now is definitely the timing. Even if you fail, you can just look for someone new. But you mustn't give up for reasons like not having an appetite or thinking it's impossible for you."
"Katagiri-kun."
"Rather than just looking at the result, the path you walked is more important. It's your own life. You have to spend it so that you have no regrets about the days you lived without giving up."
When I said that, Ishihara-kun was eating his soggy, cold ramen.
"I'll try. Thank you."
"That's the spirit, Isshy! It's okay, even if you're crushed, I'll pick up the pieces for you."
No, it's troubling to be told that with the intention of letting him be crushed.
"But how... being alone together is impossible..."
"I see, that was a factor!"
Watanabe-kun thinks deeply.
Isn't that easy?
"Kanna? You're staying in your room all day tomorrow, right?"
"Yeah, except for meal times, I'll be spacing out in my room."
"If Watanabe-kun is with him, Ishihara-kun will be fine, right?"
"Ah! That's it."
"Yeah, we'll just make up some excuse and flirt, so confess during that time."
"Toya, you're actually sharp!"
"I agree with Toya-kun's opinion!"
"For once, Toya says something good."
"We have no reason to oppose it, right? Eita."
"Of course."
"Then, it's settled. We'll settle this tomorrow morning."
"Then, praying for Ishihara-kun's success, one more bowl... ow!"
"Don't get carried away."
But there are no refills here, so it's not enough.
(4)
"Right, right, I say something good for Toya, don't I?"
Saying that, Kanna is reporting today's events to Makoto-kun over the phone.
"Hey, hey, Airi."
Ai-chan spoke to me.
"Whaaat?"
"I asked you in our first year, remember? Why are you dating Katagiri-kun?"
"Yeah."
"Now I feel like I vaguely understand the reason. I think Katagiri-kun has a sharp intuition for everything. And he's decisive."
"Not really."
"It was like that during skiing today too. I don't think you noticed, Airi, but the moment Katagiri-kun saw you being bothered by the snowboarders, he started skiing down. Faster than Iida-san."
"Is that so."
So that happened.
With everything that happened today, I had completely forgotten.
"It's the same during soccer. He jumps out and scores a goal right at the critical moment."
That must be a natural instinct.
"I heard the story about Airi and Katagiri-kun before, and I think that too was a case of him deciding 'now is the time!' and showing courage. He probably possesses that kind of sense."
When put that way...
I used to think he was the kind of person who only acted after pushing himself to the brink, but all those actions have been successful.
"Airi always says 'Toya-kun is oblivious,' but I think he actually has a very sharp intuition."
I'm starting to feel that might be true.
More than that, it's a fresh feeling to have my boyfriend praised.
Because he was always being put down in comparison to me.
Above all, I myself hadn't properly seen Toya-kun's good points.
To realize it because someone else pointed it out, how pathetic.
"Thank you. But if we're talking about that, Kiritani-kun is... kind, and always makes me feel loved."
"I wonder. Speaking of lovey-dovey, you've always been like that with Toya-kun too."
It looks that way, doesn't it? But far from it.
"He's very good at making mistakes at the crucial moment and making me angry."
"It means both of you have endless struggles, huh."
"That's right~."
"What what, love talk!?"
Kanna, having finished her call, joined the conversation.
"What kind of person is Kanna's boyfriend?"
Ai asked with interest.
"What, suddenly throwing the conversation to me?"
"Because the talk between you two is over~."
"I guess... if I had to describe Makoto in one word, he's a huge idiot and a pervert."
Kanna, you're the only person on Earth who can say that about Makoto-kun.
"Hmm, I guess it'd be the same even if you asked him. How about it, Airi?"
"Makoto-kun is kind, mature, good at soccer, and cool."
"What's with that, it's all good points."
"I admit he's good at soccer, but he's not as good as Toya. He said so himself. Also, he's not kind or mature at all."
"You don't have to be so humble."
"Airi, you were just bad-mouthing Toya a moment ago too."
"That's..."
"That's?"
Ai stares intently.
"Because I love all his bad parts too..."
"That's what they call love is blind."
Ai, you're probably using that wrong.
Knock knock
Someone knocks.
"Yes~."
"Lights out time has passed. You're skiing tomorrow too, so keep it moderate."
Saying that, Mizuta-sensei left.
He says keep it moderate, but he doesn't say don't do it.
"Come to think of it, he did say 'Don't make me do tedious things like night patrols. Everyone move on their own responsibility'."
"I wonder why he decided to take such a tedious job as a teacher."
"But the rooms in this hotel can be locked from the inside, huh."
"And the patrol is Mizuta-sensei..."
"Kanna, this is..."
"We have to do it, Ai."
Ai and Kanna look at each other and grin, then look at my face.
Eh? What what?
"Airi is okay with it too, right?"
"I'll get to see Toya, after all."
What are you talking about?
Kanna whispers in my ear.
Eh, eeh!!
That's surely too risky, right?
Kanna immediately sends a message to Toya-kun.
But there's no reply.
"He's already fallen asleep, huh."
"Kanna, tomorrow still remains."
"Shall we save it for tomorrow's pleasure?"
"This is a bit dangerous~ if the teacher finds us..."
I try to stop them.
"You heard the talk from before, right? It'll be fine!"
Ai-chan is eager.
"Wouldn't it be better for Airi not to get irritated than talking at a food stall?"
Ugh...
It might be better than feeling anxious or irritated.
Wait, is that the issue!?