*****
The first time I talked to Ajisai-san was the day after the entrance ceremony.
It was a rainy morning.
That day, I was getting ahead of myself since I had succeeded in talking to Mai the day before. At that time, I didn’t have anything to fear.
That was why when I saw Ajisai-san stuck in the train station near our school, looking troubled, I spoke to her.
“If you’re okay with it, how about going together to school?” was what I said.
With a confident smile, I took out the folded umbrella from my bag, sure that I’d invited her naturally. (Glorification)
“Eh, is that okay? That makes me happy.”
Under the rainy sky, the sight of Ajisai-san smiling was just like a scenery of hydrangea flowers amidst the drizzle. She was dazzling.
And after that―
“Please take care of me, Rena-chan.”
After the classroom seat change, she ended up sitting behind me, and we naturally became friends.
Since then, for me, Ajisai-san was the embodiment of my ideal.
Both her adorable appearance and gentle personality really matched each other.
She was one of the first people I knew right after entering high school, so that time I was alarmed, naturally thinking, “Eh, so high-schoolers other than me are angels?!”. But I was wrong. After some time, I could feel that Ajisai-san was special.
She always helped me whenever I was in trouble.
Like that time in physical education class, when I didn’t have anyone to pair with for the warm-up sessions, Ajisai-san saw me standing doing nothing, and came to me, offering her company, “I was troubled since I don’t have a partner. Will you pair up with me?” Just like that, she nearly put me on the verge of tears. That day, I vowed to treasure this person for the rest of my life. My chest was filled with devotion towards her, which made me wonder whether I had been a warrior who had sworn my allegiance to Princess Ajiasai in my past life.
I never found someone else like her.
I was even able to overcome my middle school trauma because of her.
That was why I swore to protect this lovely flower to the end.
That was the form of determination that swirled inside my chest, as I stayed next to her in the swaying train.
“This is my first time boarding the first train like this. It sure is empty, eh?”
“Y-you’re right.”
It seemed that Ajisai-san had a place she wanted to go.
First, we rode along the Keio-line and planned to get off at Shinjuku Station. Then we headed in a certain direction.
“The thing is, I’m always looking at travel sites whenever I don’t have anything to do.”
Both of us held our bags on our laps as we sat side by side. Ajisai-san showed me her phone. Her fingers were painted in adorable pink, and she pointed at her screen.
On the screen was a list of numerous inns.
“When I was planning for my solo trip, this app said it’d take around two hours until my destination. So, I thought about what I should do for two hours by myself. Reading a book, or spending my time fantasizing how my trip would go.”
Ajisai-san said a word like “fantasizing” so naturally like it was something you could say in front of people. This social recluse was getting taught the way to use words properly by the real outgoing person.
“Err, and how long until we reach our destination?”
“Umm, it’s going to be around two and half hours, I think?”
“I see. Okay then! Two and a half hours would pass by in a blink of an eye if we’re on our phones.”
“You’re right, and you are here with me too.”
As we moved further from our hometown, Ajisai-san was smiling more naturally, and more often, compared to earlier.
No, since we were talking about Ajisai-san, it was also possible that she was faking her cheerfulness out of consideration…
Ah, crap. I suddenly figured out something I shouldn’t.
“A train without other passengers is really refreshing, eh.”
“Th-that’s right.
I wanted to protect Ajisai-san and that was why I had spouted stuff like, “So you really are doing this? Alright then, tell me what time you plan to go, I’ll accompany you.” and forcefully pushed myself on her trip.
But what if Ajisai-san really had intended to have a solo trip to enjoy her time alone? What if she had planned everything in excitement since she thought she was going by herself…?
If that really was the case, then we would head back after nothing dangerous happened, even though I struggled to protect her…...
Ajisai-san would think, “Uwaah, why should I be considerate towards someone who can’t read the mood? That was exhausting….” and then my value would go down in her eyes and when we went home, my efforts would turn to nothing, right?! If Ajisai-san ended up hating me, I wouldn’t be able to spend the rest of my high-school life with her anyway, right?!
Well, the most important thing was Ajisai-san’s safety after all, but still! Even so, as long as she was safe, I thought that spending my high school life alone wouldn’t be so bad...or not, of course not!
I started trembling.
Let’s improve the situation with some conversation.
“T-today isn’t as hot as yesterday, eh! It feels better after all!”
“You’re right.”
I thoughtlessly started a conversation about the weather since I didn't have any other ideas. Should I expand the topic by talking about the temperature, or the shape of the clouds…? No, stop it! You will totally end up in a disaster!
When I tried my best to avoid the disaster, our train had arrived safely at Shinjuku Station. We stepped to the platform and when we started walking into the station, I raised my hand.
“U-um, sorry! Is it okay if I go to the bathroom first?”
“Okaay, we still have time until our next train arrives, so you can take your time.”
I walked to the bathroom by myself and took a breath.
“Crap.”
I covered my face with my palms.
―I totally didn’t have any idea how to talk with her.
Wait, let’s calm down for a bit. What was my main objective?
Protecting Ajisai-san was a given...right, the other thing was to make Ajisai-san enjoy this trip.
In short, I should make her think that she was glad that she let Amaori Renako join her trip!
Fufun, if that was the case, the thing I should do next was simple.
Lead the conversation smartly like Mai, show my intelligence like Satsuki-san, and joke around like Kaho-chan, which would lead to Ajisai-san never feeling bored when she was with me.
As if I could do that!
You’re aiming too high! Just lower your bar more! Let’s just make it so Ajisai-san could arrive home safely, as the goal. Yeah, let’s just do that.
It would be okay...Ajisai-san wouldn’t hate me no matter how pathetic I am...I didn’t have any basis to back up this theory though…
Either way, reality didn’t have the kind of feeling gauge like games, so I couldn’t really make sure whether she was really enjoying herself or not…
Assuming Ajisai-san thought that being with me was boring, she would surely fake her emotions and say, “This is fun, eh,” without me knowing anything… But if there was some sort of feeling gauge around and I could figure out her true feelings, it would be another kind of hell though, so I would actually be better without those!
But wait, let’s think about this from another standpoint.
Ajisai-san was someone always overly considerate with people. If by any chance she sensed that I didn’t enjoy my time, she would surely say, “As I thought, you forced yourself to be with me after all…” right?!
Th-that wouldn’t do…!
Fun, having fun...hehe, hehehe...see, I can have fun. This is a trip where I can have Ajisai-san to myself, you know? Hehe, see, I smiled, Renako, was having fun to the fullest…
There was a limit to this!
I couldn’t, I couldn’t do this alone!
That was it. I had to send an SOS sign.
He-lp-me.
After I sent it, the reply came quickly although it was still early in the morning.
Satsuki: What is it? Is there a zombie outbreak happening?
Aah, as expected from Satsuki-san, my friend!
I quickly typed a reply.
Renako: Satsuki-san! The truth is, Ajisai-san is currently running away from home! I can’t start a conversation! Help me!
Satsuki: Huh? Sorry, what?
Satsuki: There’s too much information in a single text.
Renako: So Ajisai-san intended to run away from home by herself, and then I decided to accompany her! Which means I will be together with her for a while! What should I do?!
Satsuki: What on earth are you doing…
Renako: I don’t know! I just went along with the mood!
And after that, there was no response.
I was flustered.
Oh, my friend, Satsuki-san?! Where is your reply?! Are you going to abandon me?!
Oh no...so Satsuki-san wasn’t my true friend after all…? This must be a lie… It meant that the one who had thought of us as friends was only me…? Even though we had kissed three times!
So she didn’t care about me… She only wanted my body… I bet she was reading her lewd book and had already forgotten about me by now…
I scrolled through my phone and arrived at another contact.
―Oozuka Mai.
What if I consulted Mai about this?
I ran away from home with Ajisai-san now...like that.
But Mai was busy with her work right now. I couldn’t impose on her with something like this.
Besides, I remembered that day when she hurriedly came home from France because of me.
I, I couldn’t say this to her...I definitely couldn’t...she probably would listen to me with a smile plastered on her face, but when everything had ended, she would definitely indulge herself with my body… Just like what she had done that one time after things with Satsuki-san…!
What about Kaho-chan...if it was Kaho-chan, she would surely listen to me, right…? I didn’t know. I really didn’t have any idea about Kaho-chan’s private life!
This was the end. Was it really a sin, for a talentless and hopeless girl like me to try to become Ajisai-san’s power?
That was a given. Someone like me trying to help an angel was out of question after all…
I had already yielded myself to the situation and thought to show her my true colors when a message arrived from Satsuki-san.
Eh, eh eh eh.
She suddenly sent me four text files.
Renako: What is this!
Satsuki: Things that could help you.
Satsuki: I wrote a few topics with few pointers.
Satsuki: Open that when you’re in trouble.
Renako: Thank you, Satsuki-san! Friends are really your most precious treasure!
Renako: I’m very moved right now!
Renako: Thank you very much! I like you Satsuki-san! I love you! Satsuki-san is the best! My very best friend Satsuki-san! A lovely girl who thought of her family, losing in a Daifugo, making pasta, I’m so in love with you!(*)
Satsuki: Annoying…
Renako: Well then, I’m going to open the first one!
Satsuki: You really are cornered, eh.
(TL Note: * Renako’s line was a parody of a love song, that’s why it doesn’t really make sense)
From the four files, I opened the first one.
Inside the file, there was a single topic for what I should be talking about.
[A talk about places you want to go]
Ooh….an unexpectedly normal choice….
Since this was something that Satsuki-san made, I thought that her topics would be something along the lines of, what is your favorite torture method? You see, as for me, ufufu, I love walking on the burning charcoal method♡.
No, wait, this was okay. Normal was the best. I was grateful. Even I wanted to be normal if I could (sudden darkness). Normal was really the best!
Satsuki: But let me advise you about one thing.
Renako: Eh, what is it…? Scary…
Satsuki: It seems like you’re really concerned with Sena, but remember, humans are basically scum. Even Sena would surely show her human-like ugliness once she takes off her mask.
Renako: Eeeh?! That’s not true! Ajisai-san isn’t human, she’s an angel. She’s a whole different being, unlike us, people with terrible personalities!
Satsuki: Did you just group me and you together?
Renako: ………...😋
Satsuki: Well, whatever. What I wanted to say is, can you really accept every part of her, including her hidden side that you would never imagine, and still behave just like your usual self?
Renako: That’s a given, right! Since I love every part of her…
Satsuki: Loving every part of a human is plainly impossible though.
That was Satsuki-san’s declaration.
Satsuki: That’s why, you should stop looking at the Sena inside your imagination. Open your eyes and see the real Sena before you.
Renako: Err...okay, I understand.
Satsuki: That’s it from me. Well then, good luck.
And that was the end of our conversation.
So, Satsuki-san was basically saying that I shouldn’t push my ideal version of Ajisai-san, right… “Loving every part of a human is plainly impossible”, eh. Those words from Satsuki-san remained inside my chest.
That was reasonable, since Mai and Satsuki-san had things they liked and hated about each other, which was a given.
...which meant it also could happen with Ajisai-san. For me who hadn’t reached the proper level of being a person with a bright personality, I couldn’t see that side of her at all.
Ah, this wasn’t good. I was making Ajisai-san wait. I should go now.
I trotted out from the washroom, and after a while I saw the gorgeous beauty in front of me.
Uwaah, how cute. It was Ajisai-san. She was really adorable!
“S-sorry for making you wait, Ajisai-san.”
“Nah, it’s alright.”
Happiness flooded me the moment she showed me her smile. Ah, as I thought, Ajisai-san wasn’t someone capable of having bad qualities inside her! Geez, Satsuki-san was really a worry-wart! Ajisai-san was flawless! A perfect girl! A great angel!
I, who already had these files in my hands, had nothing to fear!
I was currently in the middle of the best situation ever. What should I worry about? I was with Ajisai-san right now, and it made me afraid? What a joke, I must be lacking faith if I felt like that.
“Well then, let’s go.”
“Ah yeah, umm, err.”
Aa, aaah, Ajisai-san walked ahead of me. The topic, the conversation…
Walking inside the Shinjuku Station, I couldn’t get the timing right to start a conversation. Even though I already had topics on hand…! Geez, Satsuki-san, it’s not enough if you don’t include how to start the conversation!
Ajisai-san, who looked more motivated than usual, walked at a quick pace. I had no idea where we were headed, so I obediently followed after her like a duckling…
We exited the ticket gate and then climbed up the stairs.
After walking along a narrow passage, we arrived at a platform for the Odakyu-line.
“Err, where are we heading to, Ajisai-san?”
“Fufu.”
Behind the white line on the platform, we finally stood side by side. Looking at her playful smile that looked like one from a mischievous kid, I guessed that her answer would be something like, “We’re going to a world where it’s only me and Rena-chan.” Huh, so we were going on a trip to heaven then. But if it was with Ajisai-san, it would be okay, I thought with a smile.
But it seemed that my guess was wrong.
“Alright then, a question for Rena-chan.”
“Eh? Ah, okay.”
The Ajisai quiz had started its first question. Huh, if you answered it right, would it increase Ajisai-san’s favorability level toward you as the reward?!
“Where is the place that I’ve always wanted to go?”
“Ee? I wonder where… Umm, Nezumi Land?”
“Bu-bu. Well then, a hint. A place where I can relax.”
“A place for relaxing… Eh, we’re not going to Kyoto, right? Places like temples…”
“Bu-bu. Time for the true answer then~”
Looked like my guesses were wrong and the time was up. Our train arrived, and when the doors opened, Ajisai-san merrily stepped inside the train.
Ajisai-san turned around, her skirts swaying.
“The answer is hot springs, Rena-chan.”
What came to my mind was a professional online player who didn’t appear on the offline competition.
That was the degree of how devastated I became with her answer.
Along with the restoration of my brain, mainly for the conversation function, I widened my eyes in surprise.
“H-hot springs?!”
“Yup. Ah, I already reserved seats for us. Let’s sit.”
“Awawawa.”
Ajisai-san pulled my hand, leading me into the train.
I still had no idea where this train was heading. But since she had said she wanted to go to a hot spring, we probably were going there, huh…
So...I was going to a hot spring with Ajisai-san...we were going… I hadn’t prepared my mind yet but was going anyway…
So this was what it meant to become agitated. While my feelings were still in jumble, we arrived at our seats. Ajisai-san put down her bag, and flashed a smile.
“Rena-chan, you too.”
“Ah, yeah.”
I stood still, and then it hit me.
So, things were already escalating this much and we came this far… The fact that I was in the middle of “running away together with Ajisai-san” kicked in.
The moment I boarded this limited express train, I was departing further from my hometown…
If we wanted to turn back, now would be the last chance, was what I thought.
“Rena-chan?”
Ajisai-san tilted her head slightly, like she was asking, “Will you go to heaven with me?”
Eei! What were you doing, getting frightened like that! This was not the time for that, Renako!
Remember what Ajisai-san had done for you up until now! This is how you repay her kindness! Whatever happens, I couldn't leave Ajisai-san alone!
I grabbed Ajisai-san’s shoulders when she gestured for me to have the window seat.
“Fuee?”
Then I forcefully made her sit on the window seat.
“Because today is Ajisai-san’s day!”
It was a bit embarrassing, so I turned my face away while telling her that. It wasn’t like I was trying to look good in front of her...it was just something like my form of resolve!
Ajisai-san looked taken aback for a while, and then like a blossoming flower, she smiled.
“Thank you, Rena-chan.”
Uuuh, she was so cute…
“N-no, it’s okay.”
I also set down my bag right next to my feet. I took out the stuff I needed for the trip like a power bank, and other things. I tried to look occupied so I could hide my burning cheeks.
Ajisai-san gazed out the window, and then giggled.
“Sitting on the window seat, eh, it sure has been a while. Whenever we go on a family trip, this seat would belong to my little brothers after all. The truth is, I’ve always wanted to sit here.”
Judging by the volume of her voice, I didn’t know whether she was talking to herself, or to me.
I checked up on her, and she also turned around. Our eyes met.
“Hey, what do you think, Rena-chan?”
I had no clue how I should answer her.
So, I was being my stupidly honest self.
“E-err… I don’t know.”
She didn’t look like she despised my answer. Instead, she smiled.
“I see, is that so.”
“Yeah...”
The train began to leave the station.
For a while, both of us didn’t say anything and Ajisai-san just stared at the outside scenery.
R-right, the topics.
It would be okay, I could do this. I had Satsuki-san supporting me.
“H-hey, hey.”
“Hmm?”
“If you could go anywhere, is there any place you want to go?”
“Some place I would like to go, eh? Is it okay if it's fantasy-like? Something like a wonderland?”
“Eh, I don’t know…”
“You don’t?!”
There were no rules inside the file…
“Eeh, but, let’s see, I think I would like to see some western castles. Places like Neuschwanstein Castle, or Windsor Castle.”
“Aah, right, castles would be awesome! They look like they have something like a treasure chest inside after all!”
Hey, Satsuki-san, things weren’t going well at all though! Why hadn’t you considered my low response to conversation ability when you made this?! I really had no idea about castles other than stuff that appeared in the RPGs!
I wondered if Ajisai-san sensed that I had trouble responding, because she continued the conversation by herself, “Aside from that, I also want to try to go to Comiket…? That event.”
“Comic Market?!”
Ajisai-san replied with a laugh, “Right, that one.”
I only liked to game, so I didn’t really know stuff like anime and manga. I did have a few series I liked, but I enjoyed it in modesty.
B-but, if by any chance, Ajisai-san liked anime, then, I-I would try to get into it so we could enjoy it together… Something we could talk about, just between me and Ajisai-san…!
I’d never thought that the topics from Satsuki-san could make me feel like this...thank you, Satsuki-san… Friends are really your most precious treasure… Our friendship would last for eternity…
So I pretended to take a sudden interest, but on a casual level, and asked her.
“Umm, you said that you wanted to try going to Comiket. Are you interested in that kind of stuff, then?”
I waited for Ajisai-san’s answer a bit nervously.
She looked a bit embarrassed.
“Yeah. I often see cosplayers on the news, and I think they’re very cute. And so, I thought that I wanted to see them in person.”
“I see!”
That was dangerous. That was practically a trap. It was a trap for otaku. Wait, it was only in my head. Even if Ajisai-san knew that I was an otaku, I was sure that she would accept me with a kind smile…
“I’m quite busy this year so it would be impossible for me to go, but I want to go one day!”
Cosplay, eh…
“Speaking of which, I really want to see Ajisai-san cosplay.”
“Eeh?”
She placed her hands on her cheeks, looking embarrassing. Cute.
“But cosplaying is for people who like a certain series, right? Ah, if that’s the case, I think I would like to try the Magical Girl show that usually airs every Sunday morning. Their costumes are pretty cute.”
I see. Since she had little brothers, of course she would accompany them to watch the Kamen Rider series, which meant she also ended up seeing the magical girls show that aired after that.
Eh, Ajisai-san cosplaying as a magical girl? That would be very adorable… I really wanted to see it… Ajisai-san wearing a frilly skirt… Hey hey, that would be outrageous…
“You see, I have this one favourite character, but she just appeared in the middle of the story, and then―”
After that, I listened to Ajisai-san talk about that certain show.
When I saw Ajisai-san talk about a magical girl show that was intended for an audience of little girls, it made me think that it was really worth it to tag along with her runaway trip.
Having an adorable person talk about an adorable thing really doubled the cuteness, eh…
In a certain train that went further from the metropolitan area, in a certain corner, the most gentle atmosphere in the world was created.
A trip with only Ajisai-san really was the best!
***
“Rena-chan, we’re arriving soon.”
“Ha!”
I had fallen asleep. I couldn’t really sleep last night, so this was inevitable… I quickly wiped my mouth.
“I-I’m sorry, Ajisai-san.”
“No, it’s okay. I also slept a bit after all.” Ajisai-san answered while laughing, looking a bit bashful. If I had seen Ajisai-san in the state where she had just woken up, I wouldn’t be able to keep my sanity, I bet…
We grabbed our bags, and then got off the train.
The view from the platform was practically nothing. The ticket gate looked pretty retro, and the atmosphere wasn’t like a place for some tourism activity.
How should I put this, it was practically…
“What a deserted place, eh.”
“Eh?! Is it okay to say that?”
“Ahaha, since that’s the truth.”
No, well, it was just as she said… But I thought this was a place she had longed to go…
In this town, I could feel the sea breeze, which reminded me of that one time I went to Odaiba. That time, the one who walked beside me was Mai, though.
Right now, the one next to me was Ajisai-san. While holding her hair against the wind, she stood while gazing at something far away, something that wasn’t here.
I wanted to keep staring at her profile without saying anything, but we would be suspected as fishy people if we stood here doing nothing. So I spoke to her.
“Err, so your destination is around here?”
“Yeah, today we’re staying at the nearby inn.”
“I see.”
Ajisai-san glanced at the clock in the station’s plaza.
“It’s noon already. I’m getting hungry. How about we look for a restaurant?”
“Sure!”
It looked like we didn’t have many choices, so we stood before the udon store in the front of the station.
The customers were sitting here and there, so Ajisai-san and I went for counter seats and sat next to each other. With her delicate shoulder so close to mine, I was desperately trying to control my emotions.
“Ah, do you like udon, Ajisai-san?”
“Yeah, I like it. I basically like noodle-based dishes. Ah, but I can’t really enter these kinds of stores by myself.”
“I get that!”
Even though I agreed with her, the truth is I was the type who could easily eat by myself in these kinds of places…
That was when, in the corner of my mind, Satsuki-san appeared with her sharp gaze.
“Why are you lying? I already said it before, right?”
I-it wasn’t like that! I did that unconsciously! I just went along with the flow and ended up agreeing with her! I didn’t mean it!
I flusteredly trying to resolve the misunderstanding.
“Nah, but I often eat ramen by myself, I think!”
If by any chance after this Ajisai-san glared at me with cold eyes and said, “Why were you lying?” I think I would just bawl here.
But that didn’t happen.
“Hee, that’s amazing. Then, as long as I'm together with Rena-chan I can enter whatever store I want.”
This could be interpreted as an indirect way to diss me, (Huh, you could enter whatever store by yourself, eh. What a lonely life lol.), but since it was Ajisai-san, of course she wouldn't mean it like that.
“Of course!”
Our udon was served. I’d ordered a cold kake-udon, while Ajisai-san had ordered kitsune-udon. She took a hair band from her bag and then tied up her hair. I could see her nape, and it made my heart skip a beat.
“W-well, let’s eat then.”
“Let’s eat~”
Still, a cute girl eating ramen with her hair tied up was really a sight, eh. Listen, this didn’t mean that I was a pervert, okay? I was just stating a general opinion from a general perspective!
“This tastes great, eh?”
“Y-yeah.”
That was dangerous. I had crossed the line where I wanted to be the noodle she was blowing gently on.
Even though I was already used to having lunch together with everyone...having a meal together with just the two of us made me nervous. Perhaps I viewed something like this as another different thing, huh.
It wasn’t the same as having tea together, or eating crepes after school. I wondered what made it different. Was doing an everyday thing like having a meal together with a friend something that embarrassing?
I peeked at her, and then our eyes met.
“Want a bite?”
“Th-that’s not it. I just, uh, just ended up looking at you. Sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing? Weird Rena-chan.”
“He, hehe.”
This wasn’t good! I was slowly becoming more and more disgusting! I really wanted to have a proper conversation! What were proper conversations?!
Satsuki-san’s second file, let me open it. We were still on the first day, and it had only been a few hours. This was bad, right? Right, this was really bad!
The second file had this written on it.
[Dreams about future.]
A-as expected from Satsuki-san… It really was a proper topic. No one would look down on this kind of topic, since this topic was in a neutral zone, a normal thing to talk about… Even though Satsuki-san looked like she had no interest in conversing with people, she really showed off her ability in times like this. She was really someone essential in my life.
Without thinking further, I started the topic that Satsuki-san gave me. I became a robot controlled by a remote.
“Do you have a dream for the future, Ajisai-san?”
“Eeh, a dream? I wonder.”
While she moved her chopsticks, she laughed like she was troubled.
“Dreams are pretty complicated, don’t you think?”
She was right!
“Do you have any, Rena-chan?”
“Me...let’s see.”
I would like to avoid working for the rest of my life, have as little contact with other human beings as possible, live my life in solitude, and then die alone.
I deleted the words inside my head quickly. I bet even Ajisai-san would be appalled if she heard something like that.
“It would be great if I could feed myself through gaming, ahaha. It’s pretty popular right now, someone who streams gameplay, hahaha…”
“Eeh, sounds fun. That’s lovely.”
Ajisai-san emitted a positive aura from her whole body as she smiled.
If I was someone more naive than this, I would definitely think something along, “Th-this girl, she acknowledges my dream… Let’s aim to become the strongest game streamer in the world, and then I would make her my wife, hehehe…” and reach that kind of dangerous determination.
“B-but, well, I think it’s different now. Somehow, I want to do a lot of things, but I don’t know if I can do it well or no…!”
“Is that so? That’s wonderful. Hearing other people’s dreams is very interesting, eh?”
Ajisai-san listened to me while maintaining her smile.
I could hear the sound of my favorability rate increasing...hehe…
“I was also the same, you see. Back then, I wanted to start my own confectionery store. Aside from that, I wanted to become a mature lady, I think.”
“M-mature lady?”
“You must be puzzled, right? What kind of thing is that? Back then, I thought that the ladies I met who walked with a straight back looked very cool, even though I didn’t know what their jobs were. I just thought that wearing suits and high-heels while walking around the city was something awesome.”
It was a childhood dream after all. For Ajisai-san who was already mature like this, I tried to imagine her dashing appearance like that, and I ended up drowning in excitement. Ajisai Big Sis…!
“But, the truth is, I think it hasn't changed that much even now.”
Ajisai-san picked up her bowl with her hands, and then sighed.
“Sometimes I think about it, that I want to grow up and become an adult. Treat people with kindness, have courage, and be able to do everything.”
“Is that what you meant by wanting to change when we called last time?”
“That’s right. For now, it’s my main goal, I think. The finish line looks still far away though…”
From my perspective, Ajisai-san was a perfect being. But she thought that she was still lacking and acknowledged that, which pushed her to do better.
“Well,” Ajisai-san continued with a laugh. “I was not good at all, since I nagged my little brothers, got mad, and ran away from home.”
“I-it happens sometimes! It’s impossible for humans to keep doing their best without any rest!”
“Rena-chan is really a good girl, eh… Since you keep encouraging this hopeless me….”
Her smile was transient, like it would vanish in a flash!
But why?! Wait a minute!
“No, that’s not what I meant! Me, for example! I’m totally not good. You encouraged that hopeless side of me, but it was still not enough! Since I tire quickly, I properly rest when I need to rest, and when I don’t need to do my best, I totally slack off!”
I had zero trust in myself. I would lose courage at critical moments. I was someone who could betray someone else suddenly after all!
“So you understand your own capability. That’s amazing, Rena-chan.”
I wasn’t talking about that though!
“I buried myself inside my bed for a whole day, you know?!”
“Rest when you need to rest. It’s important.”
“I lazily game, procrastinate, and leave my homework to the next day!”
“You have something you are passionate about. How envious.”
No matter how much I slandered myself, somehow Ajisai-san’s self-esteem kept decreasing. She only praised me no matter what I said!
I really longed for the dark Ajisai now!
At this rate, my body would become obliterated by my own guilt. I really need to do something.
“I beg you, Ajisai-san...please shower me with your insults…”
“What kind of wish is that?!”
Ajisai-san widened her eyes, looking surprised, and nervously asked me.
“But, why…?”
“You only need to slander me with a secretly bad thought you have of me...”
“Eeh~...? Things like that are…”
Ajisai-san looked like she remembered something, and then she stared at me.
My pulse increased, I could feel cold sweat flowing down my back.
I had never seen Ajisai-san slandering people before, but I wondered what she would say…. Could it be something adorable like “Stuuupid bird-braaain,” or something that would crush my heart like “Rena-chan, you suddenly rarely speak when talking to more than three people, right?”
Amidst my nervousness, Ajisai-san, with her half-closed eyes, slowly opened her mouth.
“Rena-chan is...really kind to everyone, eh~”
“Did you really say that?!”
In response to Ashigaya’s angel, I impulsively shouted.
We thanked the store for the food, then left after. Once again, Ajisai-san and I walked around the town.
A coastal town with nothing. This was my first time walking here, but I felt nostalgic seeing the scenery before me.
Ajisai-san was walking ahead, looking like the usual Ajisai-san from one glance...but judging by our conversation during lunch, it seemed that she had really been bothered by what had happened. It was unusual to see Ajisai-san being self-deprecating like this.
Sometimes she would cast down her eyes…
I wanted to cheer her up, but things weren’t going well at all.
If only I didn’t do a high school debut, but a middle school debut instead. I probably would’ve already collected a huge amount of life experience, and could do better at comforting her.
Her feet stopped moving. She stared at something beyond the embankment.
The ocean, illuminated by the sun, sparkled in white.
The sea that entered my vision looked so vast, I couldn’t see the end. I shortened the distance between us, and stood next to her.
“I came to this town a few times before. One of my relatives owns a guest house around here.”
“Ah, so that’s why.”
This wasn’t a totally unknown town then.
“Yeah. I thought this town sure had nothing, eh. But then, I wondered if it’s because I’m already used to living in Tokyo? And so, when I tried to just leisurely enjoy this town, everything looked better.”
With the huge bags on our shoulders, we started walking again.
That was when I realized something. Could it be that the direction we were heading to was to the guest house owned by her relative?
“I often browse travel sites while wondering where I would like to go, but...once I decided to run away, the first place that came to my mind was this town.”
She lowered her eyes again.
“In the end, I couldn’t help but think that I really couldn’t go to some new, unknown place, eh.”
Her expression looked sad. It reminded me of a little girl who couldn't hop inside a pool since she was afraid of the pool water.
Slowly, I started to understand the things I could do.
...let’s do this.
I could do this much!
I grabbed Ajisai-san’s hand.
“Hyaa, Re-Rena-chan?”
“Hey hey, Ajisai-san! It seems like there’s another inn around here!”
I showed her my phone screen, and flashed a smile.
“A place that you’ve been to sounds great, but if we’re together, want to try somewhere different? It might lead to some trouble but...we can deal with it when the time comes!”
I really said something irresponsible.
Looking surprised, she stared at me.
I was anxious in case I had said something that I shouldn’t say. What if she answered with, “This isn’t the right mood to say something like that, though?”. I really didn’t want that!
Glossing over the awkward pause, I snuck in some embarrassing words.
“It will be alright! You are someone who’s capable of choosing your own destination! If you’re anxious by yourself, I will stay with you!” At the sea with no one close by, I shouted while holding Ajisai-san’s hand.
It wasn’t like I had any special intention for doing this. It was just that I thought I could convey my feelings better to her by doing this. It was something that Ajisai-san herself had taught me.
Ajisai-san furrowed her eyebrows, and then looked at me.
“Rena-chan…”
“Y-yeah. And that’s what I want to say, so umm.”
“...this inn, is that one?”
“Eh?”
Ajisai-san pointed in a certain direction and I also looked at the building she was pointing at. That’s when I saw—
“It's already closed down...!”
The inn across the street had a paper with the word “CLOSED” glued on it.
What the heck! I was thrown into confusion.
It was so extremely embarrassing that my sweat wouldn’t stop trickling. I felt like I could collapse right now at this place. I understood that they had their own circumstances, but couldn’t they have properly erased their place from the Internet?!
Ajisai-san giggled.
“Then, what if we try the next station, Rena-chan?”
“Eh, ah, okay! Let’s do that!”
I desperately nodded towards Ajisai-san’s voice that sounded like a whisper.
She was being considerate and covered for me...I was really thankful. Thank you, Ajisai-san… As expected, I couldn’t become Mai after all…
“.....thank you.”
“Eh, h-huh?”
Ajisai-san said her thanks in a very small voice.
I couldn’t turn around since I was becoming embarrassed. We kept walking. I didn’t know why but our hands were still intertwined, as we headed to the station. We walked down the previous street we came from.
I felt like Ajisai-san’s palm was hotter than that one time we had held hands.
In any case, it would take another 40 minutes until the next train. When I saw something like this, it really brought up the fact that we really weren’t in Tokyo, huh.
***
From the coastal town Ajisai-san was familiar with, we moved to another completely unknown coastal town.
We stayed at the sole inn of this town.
It looked like there were no other guests other than us, I thought as we arrived at the front entrance that reminded me of a public bath.
“I hadn’t considered this when I said it, but is it okay for high-schoolers to stay at an inn like this…”
Since minors needed consent from their guardians if they wanted to stay at places like this.
Seeing me all jittery, Ajisai-san smiled.
“Let me ask them.”
“Excuse me,” she said, as she walked to the reception.
Humans who could use the special skill, “Let me ask them,” sure were strong, eh...as expected from Ajisai-san. She really could do anything.
In the end, we were able to stay here normally.
Even the reception granny looked like she didn’t suspect Ajisai-san at all… Now, for us to be able to stay here without even needing to tell her the reason, it was all thanks to Ajisai-san, I guess?
Really, as expected of Ajisai-san...villager-cheat holder… I bet she’d never get questioned by the police. She radiated positivity from every inch of her body. I wished it would last for eternity.
Ajisai-san received the room key, and then waved her hand in my direction with a smile.
“Rena-chan, there’s an empty room for us. That’s great, right!”
“Yeah, that’s great.”
After that, the granny (the landlady?) conversed with Ajisai-san about casual stuff. I only listened from the sideline.
“Your friend?” “It’s only you two? Sounds fun,” “There’s nothing here, but please have a good time,” “Ah, tomorrow, there will be a festival. It’s our specialty so please drop by if you have time,” et cetera. She was like a machine gun of words.
Unlike me whose brain would definitely stop functioning out of confusion, Ajisai-san had a smooth conversation like she was talking to her neighbour even though it was their first encounter. Awesome.
We walked along the hallway as the granny guided us to our room.
Oo.
The lodging room was a proper room (I was fully aware that I was being rude.)
It was a Japanese-style room the size of my living room.
There was a huge table and then four tatami chairs. There was also a television and a small refrigerator, regular for a very normal inn. In the next room, there was a space to lay down the futon.
I had said “It might lead to some trouble but I’m sure we can deal with it” before, but in the end we had arrived in a perfectly normal room. I think this was also thanks to Ajisai-san’s daily good deeds. Yup, that was convincing enough.
“Well then, just tell me if you need something~ Ajisai-chan~”
“Yes, thank you very much.”
Ajisai-san who had managed to open up the granny’s heart in a few minutes bowed her head.
The door closed, and both Ajisai-san and I were left alone.
Ajisai-san put down her bag, and then smiled happily.
“To think that we have this room for just the two of us. How luxurious!”
“Th-that’s right.”
I also stowed my bag in the corner, turned on the air conditioner, and then sat down on the tatami chair.
Phew...for now, let’s rest for a bit.
Ajisai-san was surveying the room like she was having fun.
“Waah, what a lovely inn.”
She was so cute...just looking at her walking around, it already healed me… I wanted to set up a camera so I could watch her for 24 hours straight.
Ajisai-san opened the closet, and like she had found a treasure, raised her voice.
“Hey, hey, there’s yukata! Let’s change into one, Rena-chan.”
“Ah, okay.”
I had certainly sweated a lot considering I had been walking around since the morning.
For this shut-in, I was glad that I was finally able to make a home point. Since I felt relief, I carelessly nodded my head, without knowing the wickedness behind yukata…
I stood next to Ajisai-san, and when I reached my hand to the normal-pattern yukata, it came to my mind―
Ajisai-san in a yukata…?!
That was a bit, uhhh, was it really okay…?
“Waai, how refreshing.”
Ajisai-san looked like she would change right here, so I hurriedly turned around before I became more lost in the situation.
“Ah, umm, uhh, uhh.”
“Ah, sorry. I’ll go change in the next room.”
After that, Ajisai-san, being considerate, took her yukata and then went to the next room. She started slowly closing the sliding screen, but then she looked like she realized something.
Her lips formed a smile.
“Rena-chan...you can’t peek, okay?”
“Hyaa?!”
Hearing my odd squeak that sounded like a weird bird, Ajisai-san giggled and then closed the sliding screen for real.
So, Ajisai-san was changing her clothes in the next room, huh…
I took off my shirt and skirt, and changed into my yukata…
We had always changed clothes together during P.E., but since there were other girls around, it was quite lively, unlike this quiet situation…
I focused my hearing, and could hear the sound of rustling clothes amidst the noise from the air conditioner, so I flusteredly continued to change. What I could hear most at this moment was my own heart beat though!
I wrapped the yukata around my camisole, and made sure to properly tie up the obi.
How long had it been since the last time I wore a yukata? It was a bit tight, but it made my back straighten so it felt nice.
I made sure that I didn’t look weird in front of the mirror. Ummm, I didn’t have any idea… It was just, it felt like my chest was being emphasized more than usual.
I kept my usual hairstyle, so it didn’t feel that special. Should I arrange my hair…? Nah, I should stop doing things I wasn't used to.
Then, the sliding door behind me opened, and Ajisai-san was done wearing her yukata.
“Sorry for making you wait.”
“Ah, it’s alright.”
She walked into the room, and I only thought one thing. Yamato nadeshiko.
“Ehehe, the yukata feels nice.”
“Awawa.”
This was bad… Ajisai-san was really wearing a yukata…
She had tied her hair up into a simple style, and the rest of her hair was swaying down below her neck. I could see her nape. This was really dangerous. How should I put this? She was alluring.
Her bare feet were slightly revealed from the yukata that reached her ankles, and it was sparkling just like the ocean from earlier. I didn’t know whether it was because of the outfit, or Ajisai-san just being lovely, but I couldn’t help but see her more charming than usual.
Her shoulders were very thin… I see. The line from her nape toward her shoulders… This was undoubtedly my fetish…!
“Rena-chan in a yukata looks great, fufu. It sure is nice, eh, matching like this.”
“You’re right!”
A sight for sore eyes. There were no other words to describe this scene…
Kuh, her cuff shifted a little whenever she walked, and it made me able to slightly see, see, see...dammit! I really wanted to make that cuff work properly to cover her chest!
Under the same roof, together with Ajisai-san in her yukata...we were practically a married couple, right… Ah no, not good...we had just finished changing but I would be drenched in sweat again at this rate.
“It really feels like we’re staying in an inn!”
“Right?”
I took a deep breath. At least I was calming down for now.
If Ajisai-san knew that she was staying in the same room with another girl who looked at her sexually, she would be troubled, right?
Huh, wait, no, I didn’t look at her with those eyes though?!
The heck were you saying, Renako? Even I was surprised myself. Ajisai-san? Sexually? I had never looked at her with those kinds of eyes, not even once. Fuuh, that was surprising.
No, well, that sometimes happened. We, from Mai’s group (excluding me), often became the subject of conversations from other students. Something like, who do you like the most? Those kinds of questions.
Of course not all boys had awareness so things like, “Ah I want to date Oozuka”, or, “Nah, that should be Sena, right?” were often heard.
It was a given that those conversations happened without the subjects themselves present.
When I heard something like that, deep down I thought, “These boys…” and got a bit annoyed, but…
If I looked at the current me, I was completely on the same level of those boys, right…? So I had the mind of a high-school boy…
Kuh, my self-esteem was lowered again.
Listen, you. Ajisai-san was an angel. No matter how bad Mai had swayed your interest, I definitely would never see Ajisai-san through those kinds of eyes. Ajisai-san was a holy being that had been brought down to this dirty world as the last “hope”...
That “hope” was currently sitting and reading something like the inn’s instructions? I guess. (It was called an information book.)
“Wow, this inn provides a private bath if you make a reservation ahead of time. Let’s call them later.”
“S-sounds great.”
Bath...private bath…?
“That’s—”
“Yes?”
I placed my hand on my chin.
“Does it mean it will be only me and Ajisai-san in the bath?”
“Yup.”
It seemed like I hadn't misunderstood.
With a high level of carefulness just like playing jenga, I asked her once again, “...getting into a bath with Ajisai-san...it means, I will get into the bath together with Ajisai-san…?”
“Y-yeah.”
Nah, that’s…
That’s...not good, right?!
Certainly, I’d never seen her with weird eyes ever since the creation of the earth, and I had also entered a bath with Mai and Satsuki-san before... But Ajisai-san was just plain dangerous, right?! I had a feeling that it was definitely not a good thing! Abort! Abort, abort!
“Ah, s-sorry, I think I’m good without entering one.”
“Are you?”
“Y-yeah! Umm, like, I’m not good when being seen by others. Ah, but it doesn't mean it’s because of you, okay! This is a completely different thing!”
“I, I see.”
Against me who showed a drowning cat level of panic, Ajisai-san didn’t push things further and easily stepped back, “Too bad, even though I had wanted to enter together.”
As long as I had the power of a recluse, I used to make people pull back like this. How many people did you think I had managed to push away up until now? This time, these experiences were really helpful! Suffering.
But well, it was great. If Ajisai-san baited me with, “So Rena-chan doesn’t want to enter the bath together with me?” with a spoiled tone, I might give in.
What had happened during that time with Mai and Satsuki-san was something inevitable and I couldn’t do anything to prevent that (important). That was why this time I wouldn’t let it happen!
Ajisai-san flipped through the information book again.
“Ah, they have a table tennis area. Rena-chan, can you play table tennis?”
“So-so, I think.”
“I want to play with you!”
“Let’s play in moderation.”
“...”
At this particular moment, Ajisai-san, who had been getting worked up, suddenly turned quiet. Then she moved to be next to me.
Eh?!
W-what was it…? Ajisai-san in a yukata was being so close to me. It made me nervous when I could see the shape of her knees under her clothes.
Ahem. Ajisai-san cleared her throat and then looked at me.
“Um, you see, Rena-chan. I have something important I wanted to talk about.”
“Al-alright.”
Something important…? I wondered what it was…?
What if she said something like, she wouldn’t go back forever and decided to work at this inn? Should I cheer for her…? But I didn’t want that. I would get lonely...I wanted her to go back to school.
With fear in my heart, Ajisai-san said, “Everything was vague up until now, but it’s time to straighten things out. We need to talk about money.”
“Huh?”
Money? That was unexpected.
From her bag, Ajisai-san pulled out her pinkish wallet.
“This time, I made you accompany me on my trip away from home, right?”
“Yeah? Well, that’s the gist of it…?”
Her way of saying that bothered me, but I nodded.
The problem came after that.
“That’s why I thought that I should pay for everything. The inn and the travel expenses. Also today's lunch.”
Ajisai-san suddenly said something surprising.
“Huh? Wait. No, no no no!”
Of course, that was...!
“I’m doing this since I want to!”
“Yes...I’m happy hearing that. I’m really grateful to you.”
Ajisai-san furrowed her eyebrows and smiled like she was troubled.
“But you see, this is something that I started. Having you together with me is enough. I can’t accept more than that from you. Sorry for turning the mood awkward.”
“No, that’s...since it’s my share anyway…”
“Rena-chan, I’m the one who made you spend money. This inn is quite pricey for high-schoolers, right?”
My ears were buzzing.
There was a fierce battle inside me, between the yes-man side of me and the side that wanted to deny everything she said.
“Th-that’s not…! Ajisai-san, when someone in our group pointed at a certain café and then we ended up stopping by, we paid for our own share, right? It wasn’t like the one who pointed at the café should be the one who pays for everything, right? Right?”
I tried my best to sound out a fair argument.
“A-also, this is my personal savings. I bet I would just use them for online games or buying games! I’m very satisfied if I can use this money for the trip with you! I bet right now, Fukuzawa Yukichi will also raise a toast to my choice!”
“Well, there was a story that Fukuzawa Yukichi had his own liking for sake, but…”
(TL Note: Fukuzawa Yukichi is the dude on the 10,000-yen bill)
Ajisai-san lowered eyes and stared at her fingers.
“Yeah…...yeah.”
I was so glad.
So my feelings reached her.
When I felt relief, Ajisai-san suddenly shook her head.
“No, this isn’t good after all...I can’t. This isn’t the same with going to a café.”
“B-but why…?”
“Because, running away from home is a bad thing.”
Ajisai-san looked at me with a serious expression on her face.
“I’m an older sister who left my little brothers alone and went somewhere by myself...on top of that, I also involved you in this. If I even make you pay for half of it, I’m no more than a leech then.”
Wh-what was that…
I really couldn’t understand what she was saying at all.
Was it because she was a bad big sis that she should pay two-fold? If that was the case, it was like she was punishing herself…
“I, I…”
I sounded like I wanted to cry.
If it was for Ajisai-san’s sake, money wasn’t really a problem for me.
But when I looked at her current state, it wasn’t impossible that she would reject me with, “That’s your own ego, I’d never hope or ask you to do that.”
I should do something. Give her a logical argument.
Since she always took care of me when we were in school, nope. You don’t give people money for doing that…
“Umm, uhh...I…”
For me, if I let one side pay for everything, I couldn’t really label that relationship as friendship.
It meant that Ajisai-san and I weren’t friends yet…?
U, uuuh…
If I was Mai, I could easily spout, “You don't have to worry about money,” in this situation with confidence. That was unfair. Of course this peasant couldn’t do something like that. She would just shrug it off.
What if it was Satsuki-san? Somehow I had a hunch that she would unexpectedly accept her offer, “Really? Thank you then,” and indulge herself in Ajisai-san’s kindness. What an encouraging choice.
If it was Kaho-chan, she would probably say, “Fufufu! Don’t worry! Since I got this cash from the lottery!” in a joking manner and blow away the serious mood.
I couldn't do things like that.
My words wouldn’t come out.
I should endure this, even though I felt like I would weep any time now.
“Ajisai-san, I...I…”
What now? I could say something like, “I wish I didn’t tag along with you in the first place”?
I gulped down the words that had already reached my throat.
If I said that, it would be game over.
Because I really thought that coming to this place with her was the correct thing to do.
I should believe what I judged as the right thing.
Ajisai-san looked at me with a pained expression, like she felt guilt. Then she spoke again.
“I’m sorry, Rena-chan. It wasn’t my intention to hurt you like this...I just, I don’t want to burden you.”
I slowly stood up.
My shadow cast over her startled face.
“....Rena-chan?”
I placed both hands on her shoulders.
I stared at that delicate-looking body from above.
I―I should choose an option that I could do.
“I, I understand, Ajisai-san… But, I have one condition.”
“Con-condition…?”
Ajisai-san looked perplexed.
“What do you mean by condition…?”
“That’s, your body…”
“My body…?!”
I kept staring at her reddening face, and then said this out of desperation, “―use your body, for a match with me!”
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