[ENG] Soshiki no Shukuteki to Kekkon Shitara Mecha Amai V2 Interlude 2

Interulde 2

"Yo!"

With the form that Rouji had taught her in the past, Ritsuka throws the bowling ball. However, compared to before, her movement is much more refined, and the ball’s path is almost like a different one altogether. It spins in a wide arc down the lane, cutting through from a diagonal angle to hit the pins, knocking them down in an avalanche.

Of course, she’s not using the Blessing; everything she did was on her own.

"Another strike... You've really gotten good."

"Well, everything you taught me back then is still helping me now!"

"Did I teach you that much? I wasn’t that good myself…"

They had a full day ahead of them. After cleaning up after Nyankichi's mess, the first stop for the two of them was the bowling alley. Since meeting again in college and eventually getting married, it's been a regular spot for their dates.

One reason for this is that Ritsuka has been hooked on bowling for years.

"You did teach me! Besides, the bowling alley is where we had our first date."

"True, but it was a different place…"

Another reason is that every time they visit, Ritsuka feels happy because it reminds her of their first date.

Of course, Rouji remembers it well too. After a group date, it was decided that they would settle the competition by playing bowling. Thanks to a little interference from Yoshino, the two ended up going bowling together.

So, it wasn’t exactly a ‘first date’ atmosphere, but somehow, it had turned into one over time. Rouji had come to terms with that, accepting it as it was.

"In the end, Ritsuka, you’re better at throwing with a curve than just throwing straight. At the time, I just thought it was a bad habit, but I guess your flexibility in your joints is your weapon."

"Embrace your individuality! Even this little one says so!"

Ritsuka’s sudden improvement came when she realized the flexibility in her wrist and began to control the spin on the ball. It turned out that her method, which was the opposite of Rouji's belief in throwing strongly and fast, was the one that worked best for her.

But despite her progress, there’s one thing that hasn't changed. Ritsuka takes a ball from the ball return, a shiny black ball, and begins polishing it while sitting still.

"You really like it, huh... Keeping the heaviest, least useful ball as a good luck charm..."

"Having someone watch over you is really important, right? It helps me put more effort into it!"

"I get what you're saying, but it’s still weird, talking to a ball like that."

As for Ritsuka’s unique sensibilities, Rouji accepts them all, even if he doesn’t fully understand them.

In fact, it’s probably the things he doesn’t quite understand that make being together more interesting.

"Well, I do appreciate this glossy black ball."

"Really? Want me to take it home?"

"Can't, Nyankichi's at home."

That cat, seeing Ritsuka lovingly admire the bowling ball, might have thought, "This woman’s really something..." but Ritsuka, imagining Nyankichi sulking, laughed and said, "True!"

Not that it would ever be heard that someone took a rental bowling ball from the alley.

"More than gratitude, though, you remember when Ritsuka got a strike without using the Blessing?"

Rouji said this while taking his own ball and heading toward the lane.

"Ah, yeah. That was when I got my second-ever strike in my life."

"Exactly. At that time, you smiled so happily—"

He started his throwing motion as he spoke.

In battle, maybe, but when it comes to everyday life, work, or leisure, Rouji isn’t the most skilled. He doesn’t put spin on the ball or aim at angles—he just throws the ball fast, straight, and strong. That hasn’t changed, then or now.

"—It was that smile of yours, Ritsuka, that made me fall for you."

"Eh?"

By now, he didn’t try to hide his feelings.

"Ah, a 2-pin split. Looks like only one of them's going down with the next shot."

He sighed in frustration and stepped back.

In short, the reason he appreciated the glossy black ball was that it had played a part in making Ritsuka smile that way. So he was grateful to it. But he noticed Ritsuka was staring at him intently.

"I don’t remember smiling that much... Wait, so you liked me that much already back then?"

"It wasn’t that exaggerated... I mean, back then..."

"Really? That’s surprising! You should've said that sooner!"

Both of them knew where their love began.

However, the start of a romance was often a surprisingly unclear thing.

"When I fell for you, Ritsuka, doesn’t really matter, does it? In the end, we started seeing each other more after that bowling match. I was a kid back then, so looking back now... well, it was just something like that."

"Hmm. But don’t you want to know when I started liking you?"

"……… Yeah, I really want to know."

When did she start liking him?

Now that they had pledged to love each other and live and die together, it certainly seemed like a trivial matter.

...However, human emotions are never that simple.

Rouji, forgetting his second throw, leaned in close to Ritsuka.

"Hey, when did you start liking me?"

"You're really pushing for it... You said it wasn’t that important when I fell for you, right?"

"It turns out, it’s surprisingly important."

"Geez... Then, how about we make it a competition?"

Ritsuka grinned mischievously. Rouji let out a loud groan.

Now that they were married, they no longer had the same kind of competitions—but that wasn’t exactly true.

In fact, because they spent more time together, they started competing over the smallest things. Whether it was betting on the last remaining pudding they had received as a gift, or deciding who would take out the trash on cold mornings the night before, it was always something trivial.

If there was any change, it was that neither of them really cared much about the outcome anymore—but…

"If you can knock down that split, I’ll tell you!"

"Got it... I’m okay with that. But Ritsuka."

"Mm?"

"Can you use the Blessing to help me out? There’s no way I can knock that down with my skills."

"Of course not! Absolutely not!"

"Yeah, I figured..."

—Even so, it was still true that Rouji was the one who really wanted to win.