Chapter 5
This chapter was translated by yuugs, dei-hime, and shizuumi, and proofed by kuririn, yuugs, and dei-hime!
One day...
The moment I opened the classroom door that morning, the students inside stopped talking all at once and turned to look in my direction. Even when I just stood up from my seat and started walking, I could feel everyone's gazes following me.
...Now that I thought about it… The atmosphere at Hakuo Academy had been sort of weird since this morning.
We were well into the new semester. The unforgiving chill of winter was finally beginning to let up. Since the start of February, I'd grown used to rubbing my shaking hands together while walking to and from school.
After completing the most arduous class of the week― Monday first period―I frowned, thinking about the odd feeling that had been growing since that morning.
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
Classmate A: "......"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Um... Do you have a minute?"
Classmate A: ‘!! W-What is it, Yukimura? Oh, do you wanna tell me something? Whatever it is, you can tell me!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "...No. Sorry. It's nothing, actually."
Seeing the jumpy, nervous state my classmates were in made me frown even more deeply. And it wasn't just my classmates, either. Everyone I passed by in the hallways, all the senior students...absolutely everyone had been acting downright strange since that morning.
Classmate B: "......"
I'd lock eyes with people, and they'd quickly look away.
Classmate C: "......"
The opposite happened, too. People would shoot me an earnest look whenever I said something inconsequential. Honestly, just what in the world was going on with everyone...?
And then, during the lunch break after morning classes, I just couldn't stand how everyone was staring at me anymore. I rushed out into the hallway as soon as the bell rang. When I first enrolled, I got a lot of stares as the only female student, but even so...
Chizuru Yukimura: "I feel like people are staring at me even more than they did back then..."
In the courtyard. In the corridor outdoors. I grabbed my bento and walked off, hoping to get away from all the stares. I looked for anywhere I could go where no one else would be around. The place I finally settled on was the quietest room in the school.
Chizuru Yukimura: "―Excuse me."
Keisuke Sannan: "Oh? What an unexpected guest to have."
Susumu Yamazaki: "Yukimura-kun? What's wrong? Are you feeling sick?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "No, I feel fine, thank you. Actually..."
[time skip as she explains]
Keisuke Sannan: "...I see. You feel as though you're drawing even more attention than usual."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yes. I may just be being overly self-conscious, but I feel like there's always someone who's looking at me. Is there anything...strange about me today? Like my appearance, or..."
Maybe I had bed-head, for example. Or maybe my jacket was buttoned wrong. As I spun once in place to show them how I looked, Yamazaki-senpai quickly averted his eyes.
Susumu Yamazaki: "......"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Oh, something must be out of place then, huh? Is it my clothes? Or my face...?"
Susumu Yamazaki: "No, there's nothing wrong with your face. You look as good as you alw― um, you look like you always do!" Yamazaki-senpai hurriedly shook his head for some reason.
Sannan-sensei smiled wryly and said:
Keisuke Sannan: "I haven't seen the situation firsthand, so this may be mere conjecture, but… could it be that all the students in your vicinity look restless and agitated?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Ah, yes. Now that you put it that way, I think that's right. Someone nearly jumped out of their skin earlier when I called out to them. I wonder if I did something wrong without noticing, somehow...?"
Keisuke Sannan: "I suppose. You may be correct, in a certain sense."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Huh...?"
Keisuke Sannan: "Hehe, in short, you are at fault for being too attractive."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Whaaat...!?"
Keisuke Sannan: "I think you will come to understand what I mean soon enough. Isn't that right, Yamazaki-kun?"
Susumu Yamazaki: "...I do not understand why you're trying to drag me into this."
Sensei had called me 'attractive'... Could it be that he was teasing me...? I reflexively shot him a reproachful glare, but he showed no signs of noticing. He gave me a sweet smile and spoke again.
Keisuke Sannan: "Ah, more importantly, it seems as though you have yet to eat your lunch."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yes. I couldn't stand to stay in the classroom any longer, so I didn't eat there."
Keisuke Sannan: "Well, then, why don't you eat here? It seems you brought along your bento."
I felt that he had deftly dodged my questions somehow, but… I decided that I'd take him up on his offer for now and gave a little nod. I ended up staying much longer than I'd intended to. By the time I left the infirmary, I had very little of my lunch break remaining.
Chizuru Yukimura: "I'm pretty sure that my first afternoon class is math with Nagakura-sensei..." Maybe it was because I had had a good meal, or because I had talked with those two, but I felt a little less anxious. "...But, for the time being, I need to find somewhere to kill a little more time."
Then, as I walked off, away from where math would take place, a huge obstacle blocked my path and my vision.
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Whoops! Where are you off to, Yukimura-kun? Don't you have math in just a bit? If you wanna skip my class, then I don't wanna hear about it!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "No, I wasn't intending to do that..."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Hm? Well, where are you going then? Toilet?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "......" Nagakura-sensei sometimes was a little...lacking in tact. "No, that's not it. Actually..."
[time skip as she explains]
Shinpachi Nagakura: "So your classmates are acting kinda weird, huh? I see."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Do you know something about it?"
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well, that's, you know… It's just that time of year." He folded his arms, nodding sagely to himself as he replied. "The day that men both dream of and dread… Valentine's Day!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Oh..."
I hadn't been consciously aware of it because there were still a couple of days left before the 14th, but now that I thought about it, it was already February. Valentine's ads usually flooded the city around now. That would more or less explain all the attention I had been getting since that morning. It was actually a bigger mystery that I hadn't noticed sooner...
Shinpachi Nagakura: "You're the only one in the whole school who can do something for Valentine's Day, Yukimura-kun. Who does the school idol's heart belong to? Anyone would be interested in finding that out."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Please stop. This is so embarrassing… Incidentally, how about you, Nagakura-sensei? You sound like you're excited for Valentine's Day."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Of course. This year, I'm definitely going to get chocolate from some beautiful ladies for once!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "'For once,' huh..." I was sort of wondering if he'd ever gotten any before, but I decided not to ask for the moment.
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well, I think that there are tons of guys who are hoping to get chocolate from you, but… If you feel obligated to go around and give some to every one of 'em...no matter how much you have, it'll never be enough. It'll at least be peaceful around here until the 14th, so just forget about it for now! C'mon, let's head to class!"
After he had explained what was going on, Nagakura-sensei started walking, leading the way to the classroom.
Would it be easier for me to go back in if he was there with me...? I decided to follow after him.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Valentine's Day, hmm..."
Now that he’d mentioned it, I realized I really did need to start thinking about it. The holiday was inching closer and closer.
‘What should I make this year...?’
My afternoon classes felt like they'd lasted longer than usual, but they were finally over. A feeling of freedom came over me as the final bell rang. School had finished for today. The moment homeroom ended, I left the classroom.
Thanks to the chats I had during lunch break, I knew the reason why everyone was acting like that, but that didn't change how uncomfortable it made me. On the contrary, now that I knew what everyone was expecting from me, I felt more and more like I couldn't stand to stay there a second longer.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Phew..."
As the sun began to set, the shadow of all those chocolatey expectations caused my face to fall. Soon enough, the day that gave women the courage to confess their love would roll around. A day where girls gave both chocolate and their hearts to the object of their desires, hoping to start something.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Who in the world should I give―" I was shaken from my thoughts by some sort of commotion going on right in front of me. "What's with this crowd...?"
There was a throng of people, all crowded around some sort of notice board affixed to the hallway wall. I spotted some people I recognized amidst the crowd and called out to them.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Amagiri-senpai, Shiranui-senpai!"
Kyuuju Amagiri: "Oh, it's Yukimura-kun. Are you on your way home?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "I was, but… What's going on over here?"
Kyou Shiranui: "Don'tcha think it'd be faster just to see it? Hey, you―move it or lose it!"
I stepped into the space Shiranui-senpai had made for me and began to read the bulletin aloud.
Chizuru Yukimura: "'Announcement― Beginning tomorrow, students will undergo random personal effects inspections for a week. Entertainment and gaming systems, as well as unnecessary food and drink, will be confiscated’...!?"
Kyuuju Amagiri: "Starting tomorrow and lasting for one week. In other words, until Valentine's day. The perfect plan to eliminate any potential chocolate-giving."
Kyou Shiranui: "And the only person nasty enough to think this up… Well, you can take a guess, yeah?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Don't tell me...it's Kazama-senpai?"
Kyou Shiranui: "Naw, it ain't our boss. He's aiming for the opposite, actually."
Kyuuju Amagiri: "Yes. Contrary to this announcement, Kazama-sama is impatiently awaiting his chocolates."
Chizuru Yukimura: "So, if it's not him, then it's..."
???: "It hurts to be called ‘nasty,’ you know?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Kaoru...!"
Pushing his way through the crowd, Kaoru strode swiftly up to where we were standing.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Kaoru, what does this mean? Is this notice from the disciplinary committee?"
Kaoru Nagumo "Of course. It's our job to correct any disruptions to order within the school."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Why are you doing such a thing...?"
Kaoru Nagumo: "Why? Isn't it obvious? If we take no preventative measures, the riffraff won't have a shred of shame coming to pester you for obligation chocolates. But if it's banned from the school grounds entirely, everyone will have to give up, right? You should be grateful to have such a kind older brother."
Chizuru Yukimura: "But, if things are like this now, if I happen to bring romantic chocolates, won't they end up being confiscated, too...?"
Kaoru Nagumo: “! ...R-...Romantic chocolate, you say? Hmph, well, say whatever you like. If I recall… You don't have anyone you want confess to in the first place, right?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Well..."
Kaoru Nagumo: "Or...don't tell me you intend to confess to someone like Toudou or Okita, or even Saitou...!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "I-I didn't say anything like that...!"
Kaoru continued to rattle off a rapid-fire stream of questions while completely ignoring my objections. How should I put this...? I had had no idea he was even capable of looking as frustrated as he did now.
Kaoru Nagumo: "Anyway, you're still too young! You absolutely can't bring any chocolate! Got it? You absolutely cannot!" Kaoru went to the trouble of reminding me twice before he briskly marched away. I was left dumbfounded in his wake and turned around to face Amagiri-senpai and Shiranui-senpai.
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Amagiri-senpai, Shiranui-senpai. I'm sorry you had to see such a shameful display."
Kyou Shiranui: "I mean, I don't mind, but… What even was that?"
Kyuuju Amagiri: "It seems that the inner workings of an older brother's mind are just as mysterious as those of a woman's..."
After that, I parted ways with Amagiri-senpai and Shiranui-senpai and passed through the front gate on my way home. Even if I set aside the random inspections for now, I couldn't escape the fact that Valentine's Day was fast approaching.
Chizuru Yukimura: "I really don't have a choice. I need to start thinking about what chocolates to make… And the person I want to give chocolates to, huh?" My mumbled words turned to white fog as they left my mouth, floating up out of anyone’s reach in the pink sky.
Just one week left until Valentine's Day.
I wondered whether anyone would accept these sweet, aching feelings in my heart...
The sun rose just as it had the day before, and with its light, morning reached my room, too. I got ready for school in a daze, mindlessly going through the motions. I took my time getting dressed and let out a deep sigh. I peered at my reflection in the mirror and fiddled with my bangs.
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
I unconsciously touched my cheek.
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
A faint blush rose to my cheeks as I watched my reflection. It had already been a month since that day… Since New Year's. I couldn't lie even to myself and pretend I wasn't conscious of it. Ever since that day, like just now, I would touch my cheek and recall that warmth...
Chizuru Yukimura: "Agh, this is no good, if I keep this up, I'll be late...!"
It was already long past the time I usually left for school.
Chizuru Yukimura: "If I run as fast as I can, I could still make it...!"
I strengthened my resolve and started to run. But as I did...
???: "Chizuru-chan."
Hearing that voice, my heart skipped a beat. Thinking it couldn't be, that I must have misheard, I turned to face the person strolling casually up to me.
It was Okita-senpai, after all.
I remembered that he was usually late, in fact. Maybe because he was normally here by this time, there wasn't a hint of worry or hurriedness in his expression.
Chizuru Yukimura: "G-Good morning, Okita-senpai. But, um… Sorry, but I'm in a hurry this morning...!" Of course, that wasn't a lie. If I didn't hurry, I would be marked late. I left Okita-senpai behind and started to run. But… for some reason, even though he'd never run in front of me before, there he was, sprinting alongside me.
Souji Okita: "Even though it's really not worth the effort..."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Well, I don't want to be late."
I kept my eyes fixed straight ahead, avoiding meeting his gaze. Lately, whenever I faced Okita-senpai properly, I felt awkward and shy, and found myself tongue-tied. But meeting him with this kind of timing, too, might not have been entirely a bad thing.
...After all, at a time like this, it wouldn't surprise anyone to see my face burning red, or notice I was short of breath...
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Okita-senpai, you don't have to force yourself to match my pace, you know?"
Souji Okita: "You, too. You don't need to push yourself to run all the way, y'know? You'll be late even if you hurry anyway."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Maybe I can't make it in time, but if you run at your own pace, I think you can make it in time!"
Souji Okita: "I don't care if I'm late. It's way more fun talking with you than sitting in classical literature."
Chizuru Yukimura: "......" I ran with all my might.
Okita-senpai had no trouble keeping up, and suddenly, he broke out into a smile.
Souji Okita "By the way, Chizuru-chan. Valentine's is coming up, isn't it?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "...!?" Caught completely off guard, my breath caught in my throat, and I ground to a halt. "Th-That's right, but, now's not the time to...!"
As I opened my mouth to voice my protest, I heard the school bell ring in the distance.
...We were late...
Souji Okita: "Look, there's no point hurrying now. Let's take it easy and walk the rest of the way."
Chizuru Yukimura: "No way!"
Souji Okita: "There's really no way? I want us to take our time talking about the 14th, though."
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
Hoping to escape both Okita-senpai and that topic entirely, I broke into a run again. It wasn't that I didn't want to talk about it, but rather that I couldn't talk about it. After all, I myself didn't know what I wanted to do about Valentine's Day…
By the time I finally reached the classroom, morning homeroom was already over. I made it just in time for first period to start.
Ryuunosuke Ibuki: "Did you oversleep? You're lucky we didn't have to change classes for first period."
Too tired to speak, I nodded my agreement to Ibuki-kun and sat down.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Haaaah..."
The morning's events brought memories of Okita-senpai to mind. Like the evening after our New Year's shrine visit… I'd been spending a lot of time in such a mood, since we didn't seem to cross paths very often. Even that morning, we didn't end up talking much, and we went our separate ways at the shoe lockers.
Even though I never meant to avoid him, it ended up turning out exactly as if I actually did. I wasn't doing it on purpose, but I still felt like I owed Okita-senpai an apology...
The last class of the morning was PE. The morning's events were still spinning around inside my head, and it turned my legs to lead. Passing a term calendar displayed in the hall, the month's events and holidays were posted.
Chizuru Yukimura: "February 14th, huh..." As I murmured that, the very person I had on my mind suddenly appeared at my side.
Souji Okita: "That's one gloomy face you're making, Chizuru-chan."
Chizuru Yukimura: !
Souji Okita: "What's that about the 14th? Wondering what to do about Valentine's Day?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "...U-Umm..."
Souji Okita: "......"
Chizuru Yukimura: "I-I'm sorry...! I have PE next, so let's save it for next time...!"
Just like earlier that morning, I ran off again, as if to escape him. Just seeing Okita-senpai's face was enough to make my heart race. Just hearing his voice made my body stop listening to what I tried to tell it to do. The more I tried to act natural, the more awkward I became. I always ended up weirdly stiff and formal with him, without meaning to… I didn't know what to do to go back to how we used to be around each other―
And then, after PE had finished… As we were leaving the gym, Ibuki-kun called out to me, a worried expression on his face.
Ryuunosuke Ibuki: "You've been seriously off today, y'know that?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "You might be right..." My shoulders drooped with my dejected reply. Today's class was volleyball, but I sprained my finger after almost missing a ball. It was probably because I was distracted throughout the whole class, my thoughts still stuck on Okita-senpai. I told Ibuki-kun, "I'm gonna stop by the infirmary for a bit," and I turned to make my way there.
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Thank you very much."
The school nurse, Sannan-sensei, finished bandaging my sprained finger, and I left the infirmary.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Haaah..."
No matter what I did, I couldn't stop thinking about Okita-senpai. What was the meaning behind his kiss that day? Since it's Okita-senpai, surely there wasn't any deep meaning behind it… He must have just been teasing me, or messing around, like he always was. But...
Chizuru Yukimura: "...I guess, as long as I don't look him in the eye, I should still be able to talk with him."
Making up my mind, I got my phone out. I wondered for a moment if a text would be better, but I decided that calling was best after all. Otherwise, who knew when I might get a reply… Rather than staying restless and distracted, I wanted to get answers right away.
Souji Okita:【Hello?】
Chizuru Yukimura: "Um, Okita-senpai… Do you have time right now? There's something I want to ask you."
Souji Okita: 【Is it something I can answer?】
Chizuru Yukimura: "It's something only you could answer."
Souji Okita: 【That so? So it's 'How can I get better at kendo,' or something?】
Chizuru Yukimura: "No, that's notー"
Souji Okita:【If it is, then you can just come visit the kendo club next time, and I'll teach you. See ya.】
I got the feeling he was blatantly ignoring me.
Chizuru Yukimura: "...But why..." The pent-up feelings I'd been bottling up were growing stronger and stronger…
I sighed for the umpteenth time that day as I stood in the empty classroom after classes had finished.
Chizuru Yukimura: "...I couldn't focus on any of my classes today..."
By the time I'd copied down everything from the board in my notebook, the light from outside had already grown dim. The sun had gone down a little faster than it had been a short time ago… As I sat there, thinking about that faint sign of spring, the door to the classroom suddenly opened.
Sanosuke Harada: "So you’re still here, Yukimura?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Ah, Harada-sensei..."
Sanosuke Harada: "You haven't really been yourself during class lately. Is there something bothering you?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "...You can tell?"
Sanosuke Harada: "Of course. I mean, I'm your homeroom teacher, you know? ...Let's talk about it. Even if we can't figure out a solution, maybe we can at least find the first step."
Chizuru Yukimura: "...It's not me, but rather a friend who's having trouble..." disguising the specifics, I tried discussing it with Harada-sensei.
I told him what happened on New Year's in broad strokes, leaving out various incriminating details. Nodding along, Harada-sensei listened to my story through to the end, and said...
Sanosuke Harada: "A kiss on the cheek, huh."
Frowning in thought, he seemed to be thinking something through.
Sanosuke Harada: "Do you know that there are different meanings behind it, depending on where someone kisses you? A kiss on the forehead is a mark of friendship. on the back of the hand is respect...and so on. There are lots of different kinds. It's said that a kiss on the cheek signifies deep affection or satisfaction."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Deep affection...or satisfaction..."
Sanosuke Harada: "Maybe that person wanted to convey their affection 'as a friend'... Or, perhaps it meant, 'for now, I'm satisfied with how things are between us,' maybe. ...Where did they really want to kiss 'your friend', I wonder," Harada-sensei spoke with a smile, but I...
I suddenly imagined what Okita-senpai's feelings might really have been at that time, and my face flushed red.
After leaving Harada-sensei in the classroom, I decided to follow Okita-senpai's advice from our call and made my way to the kendo dojo. I decided it was best to ask him what he really meant with that kiss, face-to-face.
When I reached the kendo dojo, for once, Okita-senpai was all alone inside.
Souji Okita: "Oh...you really came?"
Looking into his surprised face, I gathered my courage and asked:
Chizuru Yukimura: "Okita-senpai, about New Year's..."
Souji Okita: "Oh, yeah. Will you give me chocolate on Valentine's Day?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "......" He was evading my question, just like when we'd been talking on the phone earlier. He was definitely doing it on purpose. I was convinced of that. And I said...
[That depends on how you answer me now]
[...Probably, for sure]
Chizuru Yukimura: "I'm still thinking about it, but… I think I'll decide based on how you answer me now."
Okita-senpai laughed coolly.
Souji Okita: "That's not fair, you know?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Not fair...?"
Souji Okita: "You're not answering my question, but I have to answer yours?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "What..."
Souji Okita: "See? It's not fair, is it?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "But, just now, I tried to ask you a question first..."
Souji Okita: "I'll accept that you started to, but in the end, you never actually asked it, did you?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "......" No matter how I looked at it, he was just nitpicking… After thinking about it for a moment, I tried a new tactic. "Then, if I give you an answer, if I answer you properly… Will you give me an answer in return?"
Souji Okita: "That still seems sly to me, but..." He smiled wryly and walked up to me just like he did on New Year's, and brought his face close to mine. When he did, he softly whispered into my ear: "I keep my promises. Always."
He quickly pulled back, and only the tickle of his breath against my ear remained. If I was being honest, I wasn't sure I had enough courage to give him Valentine's chocolates. If Okita-senpai cared that much about it, then I simply had to give him chocolates.
...But, Okita-senpai was looking me straight in the eyes, and I found myself lost in his gaze.
Souji Okita: "I'd be happy if I got some, but..."
Chizuru Yukimura: "...But?"
Souji Okita: "What feelings would be behind your chocolates, I wonder?" Okita-senpai's smile when he asked that told me he still wasn't going to tell me about his real intentions on New Year's Day.
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
I really wanted to know how he felt…
I wanted just a little more time.
But time still marched on regardless, and the days couldn’t very well get longer just because I wanted them to…
Before I even knew it, the calendar already read mid-February.
I spent my Saturday afternoon preparing for Valentine's Day, which was fast approaching…
I visited the Hakuo Academy cafeteria with Osen-chan and Kosuzu-chan over the weekend.
Sen Suzuka: "This is Hakuo Academy's cafeteria? I saw a little bit of it during the cultural festival, but it really is spacious."
Kosuzu Suzuka: "Ours is a little bit smaller. Lots of people bring bento lunches anyway."
Usually, I was the only girl here, so it felt really strange seeing other girls in school like this. The two of them looked at the unfamiliar menu and grinned.
Sen Suzuka: "Look, Kosuzu! Doesn't this pudding sound delicious?"
Kosuzu Suzuka: "Osen-san, we're not here to eat or anything..."
Well, Kosuzu-chan was right. We didn't come here today to eat...
Genzaburou Inoue: "I hope you three weren't waiting long. Everything's ready now."
Chizuru Yukimura: "That must have been a lot of work, Inoue-san. Thank you so much."
Kosuzu Suzuka: "But is it really alright? For people who aren't students here to borrow your kitchen like this?"
Genzaburou Inoue: "You've already gotten permission, haven't you? Besides, you're from Shimabara Girls' High School. There's no need to be shy."
Sen Suzuka: "Well, we'll take you up on your offer, then… So? How about we get started? Time to make chocolates!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yeah!"
Genzaburou Inoue: "Now, I don't want to get in the way of you girls, so I'll stay in the back and leave you to it. You're free to use whatever equipment you need in the kitchen. Just be careful with the stove."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Sure thing! Thank you so much!" After thanking him, we first lined up all the ingredients we had brought in a row.
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Fresh cream. Unsalted butter. Cocoa powder..."
Kosuzu Suzuka: "Wheat flour, eggs, baking powder..."
Sen Suzuka: "Chocolate to use, more chocolate to use. Oh, and some chocolate to use."
......
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Um, Osen-chan? Are you making a life-sized chocolate statue?"
Sen Suzuka: "Huh? What, Chizuru-chan, would you be the model for it?"
Kosuzu Suzuka: "It's surreal to imagine that being eaten..."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Absolutely not!"
Sen Suzuka: "Oh, boo... Well, we're not even making one big chocolate in the first place anyway. We'll be making lots of smaller ones."
Kosuzu Suzuka: "Osen-san has a large circle of friends. She also needs to prepare some for her relatives."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Ohh, I see..."
Sen Suzuka: "It must be nice for you two. You look like you're making chocolates to give to your special someone."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Huh!?"
Sen Suzuka: "Well, I don't know if you have anyone like that to give chocolates to, Chizuru-chan… But lately, Kosuzu's gotten close with that Ibuki-kun guy we met at the pool, see."
Chizuru Yukimura: "S-Since when...!?"
Kosuzu Suzuka: "I-It's not really like that… These chocolates are just friendly ones..." With her ingredients cradled in hand, Kosuzu-chan's expression softened tenderly, her muttered protests weak. I felt a bit jealous seeing that, but I also found myself making a similarly fond face.
Sen Suzuka: "Now, then, how about we make those chocolates?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yeah! Let's do this!"
I wondered if I'd ever make such a tender face as I put my heart into what I made. But either way, I had to do my best making them...!
Before anything else, our first step was to warm things up. The chocolate we heated inside the bowl slowly started to melt.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Now, next is..."
With the chocolate's sweet-smelling fragrance, it was only natural that I was reminded of someone.
(CG get!°˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°)
―When I thought about Okita, my heart ached somehow.
I dipped my marshmallows in their chocolate coating and let out a small sigh.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Even though he's been by my side this past year..." I couldn't understand him at all, in the end. The fact that the person I liked most was the one I understood the least...
Chizuru Yukimura: "Whew..." I had to finish these chocolates so I could find out how he really felt. I shook off my gloominess, and shaped the chocolate as I thought about him...
As I made my meringue, I mixed some sugar and honey into a separate bowl that had some melted butter...
While I’d thought about all that, at the end of the day… Even with the tasty chocolates prepared, I wasn't even sure that I could bring them to school in the first place...
Chizuru Yukimura: "Hmmm..." Maybe I could trick the Disciplinary Committee one way or the other during the inspections...
Osen-chan and Kosuzu-chan cocked their heads a little at me. Maybe because they realized that I'd stopped working at some point.
Sen Suzuka: "What's wrong, Chizuru-chan?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Nothing, I just don't know if I can bring these to school, even though I've made them."
Kosuzu Suzuka: "...What do you mean?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "The truth is..."
[Transition while she explains]
Sen Suzuka: "That's what the inspections are for...? What the heck!? That's so mean of them!"
Kosuzu Suzuka: "The fact they're doing it now means they're totally targeting Valentine's Day."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yeah..."
Hearing the situation, the two were infuriated. They stopped making their chocolates and looked ready to run over and give the Disciplinary Committee a beating right this second. I shook my head in a hurry at them.
Chizuru Yukimura: "C-Calm down, you two. It's already been decided anyway..."
Sen Suzuka: "But, isn't that just totally tyrannical!? Maybe if I go and give them a complaint or two..."
Kosuzu Suzuka: "Osen-san. You'd be sure to cause havoc if you did that, so try and bear with it. ...Although, even though it's definitely unfair, I feel like there is some point to it. Speaking practically, you have fewer boys to worry about wanting chocolates from you thanks to that notice."
Chizuru Yukimura: "You...have a point, but..."
Sen Suzuka: "Mm..."
Kosuzu Suzuka: "You can't really do much seeing as it's already been decided, and if there's someone you want to give chocolates to, you could just do it on your way home, right?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yeah..." Honestly, Kosuzu-chan might've been right. Even if I wanted to give chocolates to someone, there wasn't any reason I had to bring them to school...
Sen Suzuka: "...I think that’d be a waste. I mean, Valentine's Day alone is a whole page in this chapter of our lives as high schoolers, right? There's meaning in giving chocolates to the person who you want at school, plus you'll make memories that way, too."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Y-Yeah... I guess that’s true too..."
Sen Suzuka: "If there's someone you wanna give them to no matter what, then this is the one chance you get this year! You can't give in to the rules!!"
Kosuzu Suzuka: "But I think it'd be really sad if you got your chocolates confiscated as a result."
Sen Suzuka: "...Well, whatever you end up doing, it’s all up to you, Chizuru-chan."
What was the right thing to do? I thought about that in the back of my mind as I finished preparing my chocolates.
Between the cracks of the cold, leaden winter clouds, the occasional glimpse of the vivid blue sky broke through. The refreshing and perfectly vivid blueness of it somehow reminded me about how close spring was. The sky on Valentine's Day was just a little bit brighter than usual.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Now then..."
Just a little more until I got to school. Since I'd been walking to school by myself up until this point, I snuck a glance at my bag.
―In it were my feelings given shape.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Will I be able to give them to him at all...?"
If I just wanted to give him some chocolate, there were plenty of other ways I could do it. I could go home and bring them after school like Kosuzu-chan said, and that would work. Or I could bring them tomorrow. But…
"There's meaning in giving them to the person who you want to at school,
plus you'll make memories that way, too."
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Osen-chan's right." If I was going to express how I felt with my chocolates, I wanted to do it this Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day was a magical occasion that gifted bravery to girls.
Chizuru Yukimura: "But to do that, I have to get through the personal effects inspections first."
I’d thought up all sorts of schemes to hide my chocolates, but I wondered if it would really fool them… I worried over that as I set foot onto the school grounds.
Isami Kondou: "Ohh, morning! I'm happy you're looking well today, as ever."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Good morning, Kondou-sensei. Are you greeting people this morning? That must be hard work."
Isami Kondou: "Not at all. I feel energized just by seeing all of my students doing well!" After he said that with a hearty laugh, Kondou-sensei suddenly lowered his voice and fixed his gaze on me.
Isami Kondou: "Incidentally, Yukimura-kun… You didn't do anything like bring chocolates with you today, did you?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Huh...!? N-No, I, uh..."
Isami Kondou: "Oh, no, please don't get the wrong idea! I don’t suspect you or anything. I just wanted to check if the rumor I heard was true. That the inspections are just a pretext to stop people from pestering you for chocolate. Setting aside whether you actually brought any chocolates with you… You'll likely have your belongings inspected many times over today. Be careful."
Chizuru Yukimura: "...I-I will."
Everywhere I went, I could see students from the disciplinary committee around me. It made me nervous as I walked down the hallways. I was more keyed in to my surroundings than I needed to be, and the way I gripped my bag probably looked really suspicious.
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
Male Student A: "Yukimura."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Y-Yes!"
Male Student A: "Morning... Hey, what're you so jumpy for?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "N-Nothing―it's nothing."
I kept glancing at my bag that had my chocolates in it and walked down the corridor.
Prefect A: "Yukimura, I'm from the disciplinary committee. Please open your bag for inspecti―"
Chizuru Yukimura: "I-I don't know about any chocolates!"
Prefect A: "Huh? Um, no one said anything about chocolates..."
Chizuru Yukimura: "I don't know anything!" I walked off in a hurry. Even if people started talking to me, I had to pretend I never heard them...!
[Minigame Victory]
I didn't look back at the pursuers on my tail, and kept running as fast as I could. But, standing right in my way was―
Chizuru Yukimura: "Kaoru..."
He'd been lying in wait for me, wearing a disciplinary committee armband, his expression downright terrifying.
Kaoru Nagumo: "You're running pretty desperately there… But you couldn't possibly be carrying chocolates, could you?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
Kaoru Nagumo: "Just to be clear, it's safe to say that the number of upstanding guys in this academy is close to nil… And the worst offender of them all is Okita. He's not at all serious about his classes, and he's just beyond saving in general."
Chizuru Yukimura: "That's not true. He has plenty of good sides to him, too."
Kaoru Nagumo: "......" I’d refuted him on instinct, and Kaoru stared long and hard at me.
Kaoru Nagumo: "I didn't actually think it was true, but you really are..."
I realized that he'd said all that to trick me, but I wouldn't take back any of what I said.
Chizuru Yukimura: "...I'm sorry, Kaoru. I have to give someone these chocolates." After I flatly announced that, I left him behind and turned around the corner down the hallway.
Kaoru Nagumo: "Hold it, Chizuru!"
I couldn't obey. I wouldn't be made to hand my chocolates over to him. Because I'd prepared them all just for Okita-senpai...
I kept on running like my life depended on it, even though I didn't know where to go. I wanted to give him my chocolates. Although I'd thought that to myself, I still couldn't quite work up the nerve, and I ended up getting lost. If I wanted to stay clear of places where there were a lot of people, that naturally meant I should stay away from the second-year classrooms as well… But, at the same time, I was certain that my way out of all this tension would be found somewhere within them.
Chizuru Yukimura: "What do I do...?" It wasn't like I could outrun them forever. If I couldn't decide on what to do now―
Chizuru Yukimura: !?
At that moment, someone suddenly caught hold of my arm. Who was it―? I swivelled around trying to see, but soon the figure who'd caught me was pulling me from the corridor into another room.
I found myself in the library. And the person who'd brought me here was...
Chizuru Yukimura: "Okita-senpai...!"
The tension in my face left me instinctively. Both from the relief of being saved, and from the happiness that he'd been the one to do it. Okita-senpai grinned back before putting a finger to his lips, gesturing to the people around us before he whispered softly:
Souji Okita: "Quiet, now."
I nodded without a word. In the hallway, I could hear Kaoru raise his voice as he led the search party targeting me.
Kaoru Nagumo: "Where did Chizuru go!? Huh? How could you possibly lose sight of her in a place like this? What the hell are you doing?!"
Okita-senpai and I were hiding between the bookshelves, holding our breath. At last, we heard the sound of their footsteps grow farther away, and I felt a huge wave of relief.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Thank goodness… Thank you so much, Okita-senpai..."
Souji Okita: "You're welcome."
His smile lit up his whole face. I returned it, before I froze up for a different reason. I hadn't realized it up until now because of the more immediate threat before… But now that I'd calmed down, I realized he was close to me. Like, really close. I thought I was out of the frying pan, but I now found myself in a raging fire, and the anxiety that had just melted away flooded back in a rush.
Souji Okita: "Chizuru-chan," Okita-senpai called my name, our bodies practically stuck together, paying no mind to how much I was trembling.
I’d meant to give him chocolates, but now wasn't the time or place for that. My heart felt like it was going to explode...!
Chizuru Yukimura: "Umm..."
I had been thinking of all the things I wanted to say to Okita-senpai, if I managed to see him today. Including the one thing I wanted to ask him above all else. It was all on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn't say a word...
Souji Okita: "By the way, on New Year’s―"
But once he started to speak, I grew afraid of what he might say.
Chizuru Yukimura: "I'm sorry!!" I turned away from him on reflex and bolted for the library door.
[pause]
Chizuru Yukimura: "Ngh..."
An arm had shot past me, the palm slamming hard into the wall right beside me, blocking my way.
(CG get!°˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°)
The sudden, loud slap it made had me slightly startled as I turned and saw Okita-senpai looking right at me.
Souji Okita: "Why are you running away? Don’t you want to hear what I wanted to tell you back then… back on New Year’s Day?"
I wanted to say something. But my voice wasn't working. I didn't even know what to say in the first place. No words came to mind at all. He’d put his neck on the line to help me out earlier, and I’d rewarded him by trying to run away. I had no right to complain if he was angry… I didn’t, but...
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
I felt so sad, and my chest felt so strained for some strange reason, that I felt tears threatening to escape my eyes. Despite that, I couldn't tear them away from his level, serious gaze...
(CG get!°˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°)
Suddenly, he grinned.
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
Souji Okita: "......"
We stared at each other in silence for a while. He seemed to bite back his smile before he spoke as to pacify me.
Souji Okita: "Sorry. I was kidding."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Wha...?" I slowly digested what he meant by that… Several seconds later, I came back to my senses. "H-Honestly, you...! Please don't tease me like that!"
He really made me mad, sometimes. I was seriously worried there...!
Souji Okita: "It seemed like you were panicking a bit there, so I thought I should calm you down a bit first."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Calm me down? You made me feel even more worried than before, if anything..."
Souji Okita: "Did I now?" He paid no heed to my complaint, and his smile stayed even as he pulled away.
It might’ve been me simply overthinking it… But I wondered if he really was joking just then. I'd been avoiding Okita-senpai lately, even if it wasn’t on purpose… I'd been desperately escaping to protect myself, but it must’ve hurt him, being avoided like that. That was why him being mean to me made me think a bit. It might've been his way of getting back at me a little...
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
Earlier, he was honestly so close to me that I could feel the warmth of his body. Even now, my heart was still galloping like a runaway horse in my chest. But I couldn't run any longer. ...I didn't want to any longer.
Souji Okita: "So, have you calmed down yet?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yes..."
If he meant if I felt calm, then the answer was no, but I had made up my mind. I looked straight back at him. Studying me like he was trying to read my mind, he smiled faintly as he spoke.
Souji Okita: "Do you have something to give to me?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "...I do." I slowly opened up my bag, and handed him the chocolates I'd so painstakingly hidden and carried with me.
Souji Okita: "You wrapped it up real nicely. Are they really handmade? ...Oh. I'm not accusing you of anything, just so you know. I meant it as a compliment," he sounded a little worried when he hastily added that clarification. I smiled and nodded.
Chizuru Yukimura: "I know... It's alright. I understand what you mean."
Souji Okita: "......" He looked surprisingly serious as he stared at me. "Thank you for the Valentine's chocolates, Chizuru-chan. I'm happy. It seems... I’m in love with you."
Hearing his words made me even more acutely aware about what happened on New Year's.
Souji Okita: "I'm probably not as smooth a person as you think I am, and I do think I'm incompetent in some places, too. But... If these chocolates, and the meaning you put into making them, are what I think they are… Then I want you to always be by my side from now on."
Hearing that straightforward, honest confession of his feelings, I firmly nodded back at him.
Chizuru Yukimura: "I do, too… I also want to be by your side. From now on, and always..."
Souji Okita: "...Thank you." Okita-senpai gave me a broad, relieved smile, and his expression made him look unusually childish― it was adorable.
Souji Okita: "Well, then, I’d better eat your tasty-looking chocolates before someone else snatches them away."
Chizuru Yukimura: "U-Uh, wait...!"
Souji Okita: ?
Chizuru Yukimura: "Eating is forbidden in the library, so I don't think it'd be a really good idea to eat them here..."
Souji Okita: "...You really do go by the book, don’t you?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "...I'm sorry."
Souji Okita: "It's not like I'm reading right now while I'm eating, so shouldn't it be fine?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "I mean, maybe, but..."
He looked surprised, but then he let out a sigh, like he'd given up after seeing how nervous I was.
Souji Okita: "Let's find ourselves somewhere else to sit."
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Would that be alright?"
Souji Okita: "Yeah. Your no-nonsense hard-headedness and how much you worry are what make you you, after all."
I was pretty sure that was him complimenting me in his own way, too. ...Pretty sure. About half-sure, at least. We made our way up to the rooftop, taking care to avoid being seen.
Okita-senpai was untying the wrapper of the chocolates he’d begun to open earlier. They were marshmallow chocolates filled with pistachio and almond paste.
The Valentine's chocolates I’d made specially for Okita-senpai.
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
Thinking he might be bothered by it if I stared at him while he ate, I tore my eyes away from him and looked upwards to look at the sky... Watching that cloudless sky, I began to feel a bit strange. The whirlwind of a morning now felt almost like a dream…
Okita-senpai gave me a guileless smile after enjoying my chocolates.
Souji Okita: "They’re delicious, Chizuru-chan."
Chizuru Yukimura: "That's great..." I was really relieved to hear that the chocolates that I'd packed my feelings into were tasty. His smile also made me so happy that my cheeks grew warm.
Souji Okita: "Oh, right. If anyone says anything to you about Valentine's chocolates― Tell them honestly, okay? Say you already gave chocolates to me."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Umm..." I was confused, and asked, "I should tell them if they ask me if I gave any to someone...?"
Souji Okita: "Yeah. Once you say that, I think everyone will focus on me instead of you. If you said anything weird to hide it, you'd have to lie and try to fool everyone as much as you could, right?" He smiled .
...To be fair, his plan might've been the safest course of action. The ruckus would also likely die down if people knew I didn't have any chocolates anymore. But...
Chizuru Yukimura: "Okita-senpai, you couldn't be thinking that..." I knew from experience that when he reasoned about things like this, there were a lot of times when he was plotting something else as well.
Souji Okita: "You know what I'm thinking?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "That this could be an opportunity for us to announce that we’re a couple, maybe...?"
I knew it. But that would be ridiculous. It couldn't be. I thought that, even as I spoke uncertainly...
And he answered by grinning from ear to ear.
Souji Okita: "Correct," he added.
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
While I did feel that he went about it in a dishonest way, no other alternatives came to mind. Maybe the only way to get out of this was to do as he said…
As I found myself pondering this, Okita-senpai prodded:
Souji Okita: "More importantly, since I’m not just one of your senpai anymore, you can call me Souji, you know?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "What?! B-But that's so sudden...!"
Souji Okita: "Don't you think it'd feel stuffy if you don't use my name even though we're in a relationship?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "B-But I still can't change that so suddenly― it's impossible...!"
Souji Okita: "Never mind ‘impossible’, just test it out. C'mon, try saying it."
Chizuru Yukimura: "S-Seriously...?"
After we squabbled over it for a while, we finally came to a compromise. I'd call him Souji at times, but I'd still treat him as my senpai.
Souji Okita: "I still think we could ditch the formalities, though… Well, it is only the first day of our new relationship. It's understandable."
For some reason… Seeing him thinking about every little thing like this made me feel, well...
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Haah..."
My feelings were all over the place, and they came out in a sigh. Okita-senp-...no, Souji-senpai looked tickled pink.
Souji Okita: "Keep sighing like that and you’ll let out all your happiness, you know?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "......I don't think it will."
Souji Okita: "How come?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "...That's a secret." My happiness was right next to me, after all. And he wasn’t going anywhere. I had confidence that from here on out, even into the farther-flung future as well, he'd stay by my side.
...Though it would be a little embarrassing to say that out loud.
Souji Okita: "But that just makes me so much more curious when you say that."
Chizuru Yukimura: "A secret's a secret."
We smiled at each other and stayed on the rooftop a little longer.
I found talking to Souji-senpai, to the one I loved, about silly things so fun. I was sure I would never forget this day…
Souji-senpai and I confirmed our mutual feelings for each other on Valentine's Day, and we started going out as boyfriend and girlfriend.
In a blink, that rumor spread around the academy like wildfire.
Before I’d even realized it, it had gotten to the point where every single person seemed to know. And then, one weekend around the end of his third term… Souji-senpai competed in an invitational kendo tournament. The result: he'd finished in second, after an amazing performance. If he had been the same Souji-senpai as a little while ago, he might've been really disappointed with this result. But, now… I sensed he was a little different.
The Monday morning after Souji-senpai returned from his tournament―
Chizuru Yukimura: "Souji-senpai! Good morning. You did great in the invitational tournament!"
Souji Okita: "Yeah. Thanks. I was the runner-up, though."
Chizuru Yukimura: "But even that's amazing!"
Souji Okita: "You think so? I'd be fine with first or second place… But what made me happiest was seeing you smile from congratulating me just now."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Souji-senpai..."
Souji Okita: "Ah, but I might've been happier having Kondou-san congratulate me."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Oh... Right. That makes sense. I think he'll definitely congratulate you, too!"
Souji Okita: "...I'm joking. The truth is, the face you made when you congratulated me was the best."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Th-That's no fair. Saying all of that..."
Souji Okita: "Hehe. If that's how you looked congratulating me for being runner-up, I wonder how you'll look if I take home the gold the next time around...? I wanna see that for myself, so I gotta make sure I win even more now."
Chizuru Yukimura: "I knew it... You really do hate losing."
Souji Okita: "Is that what it is?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "It is."
As we chatted about that on the way to school, we found Kondou-sensei on the lookout at the school gates.
Isami Kondou: "Souji! Congratulations on the invitational tournament results!"
Souji Okita: "Right. Thank you very much, Kondou-san. I lost in the finals, though."
Isami Kondou: "Oh, don't mind that. Your opponent was a national champion who had lots of experience. You did plenty well! Also, you fought with precision and confidence in those finals. That made me so happy to see! Nghhhh...!"
Kondou-sensei was overwhelmed with emotion, and was fighting back tears. Hijikata-sensei appeared from behind him and called out to Souji-senpai.
Toshizou Hijikata: "Runner-up, huh… You really satisfied with that?"
Souji Okita: "Of course. I've even got Kondou-san delighted about it."
Toshizou Hijikata: "...I see. In that case, do what you like," his small smile told us that despite his aloof tone, he was happy for him. "Alright, Kondou-san. We’ve got preparations for morning assembly to do. Let's go."
Isami Kondou: "Alright then, Souji, I'll be seeing you later!"
Kondou-sensei and Hijikata-sensei left Souji-senpai behind and headed for the school building. He and I were about to continue on our way when we were suddenly stopped in our tracks.
I didn't know when he had approached us, but a large shadow stood in front of Souji-senpai, blocking his way.
Kamo Serizawa: "You weasel. Why were you so shoddy during the finals yesterday?"
Souji Okita: "That's a bit mean, calling my performance shoddy. I fought seriously and lost."
Kamo Serizawa: "Knowingly throwing a match you were winning… Your opponent was hurt in the semi-finals. You would've won if you’d applied the proper pressure on him. Why didn't you?"
Souji Okita: "Oh, was that what it was? Man, I just didn't notice it."
Kamo Serizawa: "Hmph. You can play dumb if you want, but the results say you came second. You need to keep winning to revive that musty old dojo you want to bring back so badly. You know that?"
Souji Okita: "...I do. Someday, I will bring Shiei Hall back to life. But it’s pointless if it doesn’t happen the way Kondou-san wants it to. That's why I'll win the next one with his coaching, no matter what."
Kamo Serizawa: "Well, well, well... So you’re talking back now. I can make you quit the kendo club as well, you know?"
Souji Okita: "In that case, I'll show you not through kendo alone, but by bringing back Shiei Hall. Kondou-san's teachings don't just stop at kendo. Winning isn't everything. I know that now... So I've decided that I'll become a source of strength for him in my own way."
Kamo Serizawa: "You're still just a brat, yet you talk like you think you’re a full-fledged adult. Show me, then. Through your kendo... No, through the teachings of your Shiei Hall. Depending on your results... I may just choose to restore that dojo as well."
Souji Okita: "Good. I'll make sure that it happens."
Serizawa-san looked a little pleased, a thin smile spreading across his lips. Then he turned his back on us and left. I watched him go until he disappeared from view. After a short pause, I heard Souji-senpai's voice and looked up at him.
Souji Okita: "Thank you, Chizuru-chan. It's thanks to you. That I can share a dream with Kondou like this," Souji smiled a little as he stared at me. I answered him with a grin of my own.
Chizuru Yukimura: "...No. I didn't do anything. Because you haven't changed from the start."
Souji Okita: "Hehe... Thank you, really. Will you keep supporting me from now on, too?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yes, of course!"
Souji-senpai gently reached his hand out to squeeze mine. I squeezed his back, and the two of us stepped into the school hand in hand.
That’s right. I could help Souji achieve his dreams. We could make it happen. Together. Now, and for a long time to come. Walking hand in hand just like this...