CH#253
#253
The weather on the second day of the school trip was sunny, but my mood felt cloudy.
Sharing a futon in a Japanese-style room with three other guys was surprisingly uncomfortableā¦
The thunderous snores of the two baseball team members were terrifying as they echoed through the room late at night.
I wondered if I had ever slept so lightly even during the school trips in middle school, and I tried to shake off my drowsiness in the bathroom.
Water droplets from my bangs fell, and in the mirror, I saw the reflection of a young man with somewhat cloudy eyes.
No matter how many years passed, I couldnāt perceive any change in my own face, which was a bit strange.
After leaving the bathroom and confirming that none of the members in the same room were awake, I left the room for some morning air to pass the time until breakfast.
It felt too cramped to quietly pass the time until breakfast, and unlike the previous night, the only sounds in the hallway were the soft background music and the quiet footsteps of the employees.
With a small nod and a polite smile, I acknowledged the employees as I used the elevator to descend to the first floor.
Even if the students were still asleep, the work of the employees had already begun.
Preparing breakfast, getting ready for new guests, arranging for departuresā¦ I wondered what motivated them to do and choose this type of job, as I opened a small door on the east wall of the hotel.
Inside was a small open space with grass, almost like a rest area where you couldnāt see the view between the buildings.
I imagined that it was set up for employees to take a breath of fresh air during their breaks, sitting on the benches intentionally placed there, basking in the morning sun.
āā¦Itās a bit warm.ā
Even though it was already November, the sunlight was slightly warmer here than in Kanto. But it was just right for a body that hadnāt fully awakened in the morning.
After enjoying the morning sun for a while, I noticed someone else entering this small space from the direction I had come.
Kirasaka, her short black hair neatly arranged, walked while brushing her hand through her hair and then took a seat beside me with a faint smile when she spotted me.
āI thought you were someone who takes it easy in the mornings.ā
āWell, it turns out, those cheap beds at home are more comfortable after allā¦ā
Perhaps, no matter how high-quality the bedding material was, it just didnāt agree with my body.
Kirasaka, without commenting on my answer, seemed satisfied with it and took a seat beside me.
A faint but distinct fragrance, not at all like the bedding she had slept in, tickled my nostrils, and she looked at me with a curious gaze.
āCan I ask about what happened yesterday?ā
āā¦ā
Kirasaka asked in a concise manner.
There wasnāt really any grand reason behind what she was thinking.
Nevertheless, I had prepared words that I believed would satisfy her.
āI had no choice but to act when I found myself holding a good hand* unexpectedly in a situation where no one benefited from itā¦ Thatās all.ā <Poker terminology: Possessing cards(hands) with chance of winning>
āIs that about you, Makoto-kun, or someone else?ā
āBoth.ā
Her voice sounded gentle, like a mother asking her child, a kindness that was unimaginable in Kirasakaās usual demeanor.
On the contrary, sheās being so kind that itās scary.
However, whether it was due to the pleasant morning sun or for some other reason, words flowed naturally from my mouth without overthinking.
āMe and those guys, at one point or another, had all found our answers. But from those answers, some of us moved forward, while others stagnated.ā
āBut the actions they sought werenāt their true desires, were they?ā
āā¦ Probably not. But in that situation, I didnāt think anything would change unless someone in that place took action.ā
The image of a park with aging playground equipment, where boys and girls dressed in the same uniforms created a scene reminiscent of a shounen manga, was still etched in my mind.
As I spoke somewhat self-deprecatingly, Kirasaka quietly lowered her gaze and fell silent.
However, it seemed that my lack of change in attitude towards taking action had been communicated to her.
There was no trace of joking in her eyes.
It might have appeared as if I were using a fellow student, Miyashita Aya, for my own purposes, and she is probably similar.
Mutual interests rather than values led us down this path.
What Kirasaka had been concerned about was whether there were any special feelings or relationships between Miyashita and me.
As long as there were no unnecessary intrusions into the affairs of the people you were observing and interested in, there wouldnāt be any issues.
āAre you satisfied?ā
āYes, I understand that thereās no avoiding this, no matter what you say.ā
I couldnāt help but smile bitterly at the complaint mixed in with a sigh.
As long as we were in the same group, it was inevitable that I would cause some trouble for both Kirasaka and Shizuku.
However, I had a feeling that they would provide me with some assistance to some extent, even if it was somewhat self-serving.
She lets out a sigh as if she could see through my ulterior motives.
āI wonder if thereās something you can gain from witnessing the conclusion of this romantic journey.ā
Kirasaka muttered in a soft voice, as if she were speaking for the doubts that everyone might have.
In terms of visible gains and losses, there was probably no benefit for me in expending unnecessary consideration and effort.
But precisely because I had lived in a small world, opportunities to closely witness someoneās romantic journey were rare.
Regardless of the outcome, by watching and listening in on this precious moment, I felt like I might grasp something that had previously eluded meā¦ or at least, I had a feeling.
ā¦Well, itās just a feeling.
If this ends up being a waste of time, so be it.
It might serve as a catalyst for a change in the relationships with those around me, including me.
So, Iāll cooperate to the extent I can and maybe even offer some support.
What I truly believed was that Shinra Minato was a person who was rotten to the core, through and through.