Epilogue
This chapter was translated by dei-hime, and proofed by kuririn, yuugs, and dei-hime!
And so…
Suddenly, it was March of my second year. Souji-senpai was graduating from Hakuo Academy this spring. The day of the graduation ceremony dawned bright and clear. A procession of graduates left the school gym, followed by the PTA members, and finally the rest of us students.
Ryuunosuke Ibuki: "Man, time sure flies, huh. I can hardly believe it's gonna be our turn to graduate next year."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yeah..."
We left the gym, making our way back through to the school halls whenー
Chizuru Yukimura: !
Ryuunosuke Ibuki: "Hey, what's up? Your expression's changed all of a sudden..."
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Sorry, Ibuki-kun. I'll be right back!"
Ryuunosuke Ibuki: "H-Hey, Yukimura!? What about homeroom!?"
Ibuki-kun's voice echoed at my back as I left the line of students. The shadow I glimpsed just now. It had to beー
Chizuru Yukimura: "Souji-senpai, what are you doing in a place like this?"
Just as I thought. Leaning against the wall facing the rear of the school was my capricious boyfriend.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Aren't you graduating students having your last homeroom right about now?"
Souji Okita: "But I can listen to Hijikata-san drone on any old time."
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
His smile, just then, seemed to be tinged with a hint of loneliness… but maybe I was just imagining it.
Souji Okita: "Rather than listen to that old bore, I thought I'd come see these beautiful cherry blossoms. It's my last spring here at this school… I wanted to come say my farewells to them."
Chizuru Yukimura: "...You sure like them, don't you."
Souji Okita: "Yep. I really like this cherry tree's flowers, hidden away at the back of the school. I like it a lot." Somehow, there was something vulnerable about Souji-senpai as he stood there beneath the drifting cherry blossoms' petals. I even found myself thinking it seemed like he might fade away with them, disappearing from sight. That was why...
I felt like I needed to grab hold of him. I summoned all my courage and said:
Chizuru Yukimura: "You can come here whenever you want to visit this cherry blossom tree. Just like how you can see Hijikata-sensei anytime. So don't say you're saying your farewells. Please come visit us here at school anytime, too..."
Souji Okita: "You're right. I'll even come see your graduation too, maybe."
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
Souji Okita: "......"
Chizuru Yukimura: "I'll miss you..."
At my murmured words, he narrowed his eyes. His gaze, mischievous but gentle, met my own steadily.
Souji Okita: "Even if I've graduated, I'll come see you, y'know. On days you're late heading home, text me. I'll come walk you home."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Th-That's..."
I wanted to say that I didn't want to bother him, that he didn't need to go that far, but he continued―
Souji Okita: "I want to. You've gotten so super cute this year that I'll be worried. And on weekends, we can go out together-- wherever we feel like. Staying in at your place or mine, or going to amusement parks, even; it's all fine. And on long weekends, let's go on trips together, yeah?"
I nodded slightly. His soothing words consoled me, their warmth spreading through my chest.
Souji Okita: "Oh, that's right. Will you accept the second button off my uniform? So that you don't feel so lonely during the rest of your time at Hakuo Academy. Unless, Chizuru-chan… maybe you don't like stuffy old traditions like this..?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "...I like them. I'll take good care of it." Hearing his words, spoken with so much tenderness, brought an honest smile to my lips. Though I was thinking, 'I'm already fine now,' to myself… It seemed that he could tell that there still remained a pang of loneliness deep within my heart.
Souji Okita: "...If you're that worried, I'll cast a magic spell on you to make it fly away."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Magic spell...?" I blinked at him in confusion.
Souji-senpai continued in a tender whisper:
Souji Okita: "I promise you, no matter what, we'll always be together from now on. ...Now, close your eyes." Reaching out to me, his fingertips lightly brushed my cheek. I obediently closed my eyes…
(CG get!°˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°)
When he kissed me, I could feel the conviction of his vow behind it. Quiet, gentle, contended... There was a kind of sanctity in that kiss, purer than anything else in the world. The feel of his lips against mine told me everythingー
declared his feelings to me.
That kiss told me he loved me from the bottom of his heart. On this day, amongst the falling cherry blossoms... In this moment, I could feel that our hearts were joined more strongly than ever.
His lips parted from mine as gently, as slowly as they had met as he ended the kiss. As he drew slowly back from me, he looked deep into my eyes and said:
Souji Okita: "It's alright. I'll always, always be together with you, Chizuru-chan."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Souji-senpai..." Tears welled up in my eyes, and one slipped down my cheek. "It's alright. I believe you, I really do. Even if we have to be apart sometimes, we'll always return to each other."
Hearing my words, Souji-senpai gave a small, teasing chuckle and tilted his head to one side.
Souji Okita: "Then, why're you crying?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "...These are happy tears." The promise he’d given me was so very, very gentle. I just...I couldn't help but cry. I had to see Souji-senpai off as he graduated. And that was such a lonely thing. And yet...
My heart was full, the joy of being together chasing away the loneliness that hid inside. This relationship between us two would continue. That glimpse he gave me of our future replaced the loneliness, and filled my heart with a bittersweet feeling. I knew I couldn't lose to him; I had to grow up more, too. After all… The Souji-senpai standing before me, who'd grown even more mature than ever, had stolen my heart all over again.
Really, so much had happened to me since I entered Hakuo Academy. Of all the things to happen to me during my time so far at Hakuo Academy, the one thing that influenced me the most...
It had to be meeting Souji-senpai. During my two years at this school, my feelings for Souji-senpai had taken root and grown. Even now, he still teased me, and I often couldn't grasp what he was thinking… But I thought I'd grown to understand him better. And really, I always had the most fun when I was at his side.
Those two years I spent with Souji-senpai had flown by in the blink of an eye. Seeing him in the line of graduates, I'd felt a sense of pride, but I couldn't totally erase how lonely I felt, then. I'd wanted to spend just a little more time here at Hakuo Academy with him...
After his graduation, Souji-senpai was set to start attending university. Seeing his skills in kendo, he was scouted by a university that wanted him on their team. So when I heard he passed their entrance exams, I was even more excited than he was.
As for me, I still had one more year to spend at Hakuo Academy. It'd be lonely without Souji-senpai there with me, but I wanted to work even harder than before, all the same. We could go on dates on the weekends after all, so if anything, our time together might very well increase in the future, compared to when we were together at school. And after I also graduated from Hakuo Academy… I decided that I wanted to follow Souji-senpai to the same university.
If I chose the same major, I might even get a chance to sit next to him in class. We couldn't ever do that in high school, but that wouldn't be unheard of in university. So, meanwhile, I'd dream that we'd sit in the same classroom then...
I knew that if I told him about it, he would surely just laugh at me, so I kept it as my own little secret.......
From now on, no matter what the future held in store… I hoped that our hearts would stay as close as now, and that we would stay at each other's sides…
The End
(Yuugs: Aren’t these “morning after” CG’s fun?(*^▽^*) But Souji, what’s up with that furry jacket…?)
(Dei: At last, the neko-mimi shounen transformation is nearly complete... )