"—That kind of thing happened."
"Hmm, I see."
The day after our bowling match, I briefly reported to Yoshino what had happened.
However, while sipping her hot coffee, Yoshino didn’t seem to react much.
It didn’t seem like she was particularly worried about any worst-case scenarios.
"Saigawa wasn’t a bad person, right?"
"Well, yeah. But it was my first time giving a guy my contact information..."
"What about Torachii?"
"That's a different matter."
"'That' matter?"
If I were to summarize my background, I went to an all-girls school from middle school through university. I lived in a student dormitory until high school, and now that I’m in college, I share an apartment near campus with my best friend, Yoshino. I guess I’m just an ordinary university girl.
However, since I’ve always been at an all-girls school (and still am), I never really had opportunities to meet guys, and I’ve never exchanged contact info with one.
But somehow, that person—Saigawa-kun, also known as "Feather Hunter"—easily crossed that boundary.
He’s older than me and went to a co-ed school, so maybe he’s used to interacting with the opposite sex. When I think about it, I get this weird feeling, like something’s stuck in my chest.
"The match was a win for me, so there’s no need for me to keep interacting with him anymore."
"Well, I think there's a disconnect on his side, and that’s why he’s so stubborn about it..."
"Hey, Yoshino. Do you think I should meet him again? I did say 'see you' after all."
I don’t really feel the need to meet Saigawa-kun again.
But he seems to want to continue, and I kind of understand where he’s coming from.
...Honestly, I’m really torn about this.
"Wow, my best friend is finally asking for love advice. Why does she get to this before me?"
"It’s not love advice, okay? He’s just an old rival."
"You, who were so awkward at mixers that you practically froze up, are giving me advice?"
"That’s not fair! It’s strange to suddenly go to a mixer after being in an all-girls school!"
"Throwing ice at people right off the bat has nothing to do with all-girls school, though~"
Well, that’s true, but what could I do? I was nervous, or rather, scared...
"Well, in the ‘organization,’ we were practically the youngest, surrounded by older people, both men and women. We were always treated like little sisters. And guys our age? They were like mythical creatures to us, for sure."
"Exactly! That’s why it can’t be helped! Everyone was so fussy!"
"That’s one weird mythical creature you’re talking about..."
—I’ve never really been proactive when it comes to romance.
I still don’t have the same mindset as Yoshino, who’s all like, "I’ll get a boyfriend as soon as I get into university!"
I don’t really think a boyfriend is something I need that badly, and for some reason, I still feel a bit resistant to the idea.
The only reason I went to that mixer was because Yoshino forced me to go as a filler.
Oh, but I do read romance manga, so it’s not like I have no interest at all.
"I think you just don’t know what love really is, Ritsuka."
"What’s that supposed to mean? I know what love is!"
"No, you don’t. You’ve never really fallen for someone before."
"That’s not true… I like Yoshino and my brother, after all."
"That’s not quite the same thing. You get that, right? Just by saying it, you can kind of tell?"
"Ugh…"
I can’t argue with that… Even I understand that the feelings I have for my friends and family are different from romantic feelings. But even if I’ve never known love in that way, or if I’ve never fallen for someone seriously, I don’t think it’s that important right now.
"Hey, this is about whether or not I should meet him again! Don’t change the subject!"
"Oops, busted. Well, to be honest, I’ve been feeling lately that I can’t really trust my Blessing that much. It’s my ability, but still."
"Yoshino’s Blessing… you mean the ‘Dark Night Incense Burner’ thing? What does that have to do with anything?"
Yoshino tapped her nose with her finger. It was kind of cute, in a very animal-like way.
Dark Night Incense Burner—Yoshino’s Blessing related to her sense of smell. Basically, Yoshino has a nose even sharper than a dog’s, and she can track people and do all sorts of things with it. It’s not at all suited for combat, so in the past, I would take the lead, and Yoshino would help me from the back.
"Well, even if I can tell things about people based on their scent, I’d probably still think ‘he’s a good person’ if I smelled Saigawa’s scent four years ago."
"Eh? But he was an enemy back then?"
"People’s essential scent doesn’t change. I think he’s pure in some way… he doesn’t have any malice. He’s kind of like you, Ritsuka. That’s why I’d think he’s a good person, even if he was my enemy back then. So, my judgment on him doesn’t really count anymore."
Blessings are unique to each individual, and only the person with the Blessing knows the true nature of it. Since Yoshino said this, I couldn’t exactly argue with her.
"So, what should I do then?"
"It’s simple. You need to think for yourself, Ritsuka. We’re at the point where we can’t stay kids anymore. When it comes to how you interact with the opposite sex, you don’t have to follow what I say. If you don’t like him, it’s fine to hate him. If you like him, you can say it. If you don’t know how you feel... then I guess the only way to find out is to meet him face to face and figure it out."
Sometimes, Yoshino says tough things. I tend to be a bit “out of it,” in her and my brother’s eyes, and I end up worrying them a lot.
But even though Yoshino is tough, she’s also kind, so in the end, she gave me some kind of answer.
"I see… You’re right. I should meet him again."
"Yeah, that’s what I think. Honestly, even if you say you don’t want to meet him again, I’d probably make you do it."
"Huh? Why?"
"Well, it’s not because I think you don’t want to. For someone like you, who’s not good with guys, the fact that you’re even considering ‘meeting him again’ means that Saigawa is a pretty special person. People like him don’t come around too often in life."
Yoshino finished the last of her coffee with a slurp and set the empty cup down with a clink on the saucer.
“—Leaving the past aside, I think you two make a good match.”
"I-I don’t think we’re a good match!! I don’t care about Saigawa-kun, okay?!"
"Is that really something to get so flustered about? Also, 'Saigawa-kun,' huh?"
"W-W-What’s wrong with that?! I just call him that because he’ll get mad if I call him ‘senpai’!"
"Well, if that’s the case, you could just call him by his last name with a ‘-san,’ like I do. He’s technically your senior. Oh, oh, I see! You two are probably going to start calling each other by nicknames soon, like ‘Sai-kun,’ right?"
"That’s like a zoo, though!"
"My thoughts are so far behind you at this point."
It seems like Yoshino is thinking way ahead of me, like she’s already imagining a relationship with Saigawa-kun, or something like that.
Just to make it clear, the only reason I’m considering meeting him again is because he insisted, and technically, I already won the match, so it’s not like I owe him anything. But somehow, the situation ended up with the idea of meeting again, and I’m still figuring it out...
"I can tell you want to say something, but I’ve got work soon, so I’m off!"
"Huh? What about today’s lecture? Are you just going to skip it?"
"According to my research, all of today’s lectures are ones I can skip a few times without much trouble. So, Ritsuka-chan, I’ll need you to take notes and get the handouts for me, okay?"
"…For each lecture?"
"Two cream puffs per lecture! That’ll cover it! I’ve really been busy lately!"
"Ugh… Don’t skip too much work, okay?"
Yoshino has been secretly working part-time since high school.
She says it’s some kind of office job, but she never really tells me the details. It's a bit of a secret, apparently.
But she seems to enjoy it, and she knows the value of money. Since I’m in university now, I guess I’ll have to start working part-time at some point, but skipping lectures for it doesn’t sit well with me.
So today, I ended up going to class without Yoshino.
...And it was really lonely.
＊
I thought there would be a bit more tension or confusion when exchanging messages with someone I’m not very close to, especially if they’re the opposite sex—
(He just sent the date, meeting place, and time…)
But with Saigawa-kun, it was different. Just when I thought he might not even message me, he sent me the date for the next match, and that was it. No greetings, no stickers—nothing, just the details, like a… mission or something.
I almost thought about declining, but after what I said to Yoshino, I replied with "Got it." And that was it. He left me on read.
(So annoying…)
Honestly, I had been a little conscious of it too. I thought the bowling match was kind of like a date at first, but he didn’t think of it that way at all.
Well, obviously, it wasn’t a date! No matter how many times we meet!
"You’re late."
"I’m still fifteen minutes early…"
We were meeting at a station I’d never been to, at an unfamiliar ticket gate.
The last time, I was the one who showed up early, but today, he was the one who arrived first. It’s not like he was being considerate of me. He probably just didn’t like being told he was late last time.
"So, what are we doing for the competition today? You didn’t mention that."
"Oh. The issue last time was that we competed in something you’d never done before. It’s your fault, but that aside, I think we should compete in something we both have experience with."
"Was that really necessary to say? But fine, I’m okay with that."
It’s true I never mentioned I hadn’t played bowling before, but still.
When I gave him a ‘whatever’ look, Saigawa-kun snorted like a large dog.
"So—basically, we don’t know anything about each other."
"Yeah, I guess that’s true. But then, why are we having this competition?"
"I don’t know."
"Huh?"
"I don’t know. Because we don’t have anything in common. I don’t know anything about you. So, I don’t know what we should compete in."
"You don’t have to keep saying 'I don’t know!' It’s like you’re cramming for a test!"
"You wouldn’t say you didn’t know before a test."
"Oh, you sound like someone smart…!!"
Now that I think about it, Saigawa-kun’s university was a pretty good one, wasn’t it?
But anyway, thinking about it, I don’t know anything about his hobbies or what he likes, and it’s the same for him with me. So even though I agreed to the condition of competing in something we both know, I have no idea what that 'something' could be.
…But wait, if that’s the case…
"Then why don’t you just ask me on the messaging app before we meet up?!"
"I did think about that, but—if I suddenly messaged you saying, ‘Hey, Ritsuka, do you have any hobbies?’ would you honestly answer?"
"...I probably wouldn’t."
I’d probably be extremely suspicious… like, thinking there’s some hidden agenda or something…
The idea of having those kinds of "getting to know you" exchanges that you’d usually do with a new friend—doing that with him hadn’t crossed my mind until now.
"Then! You should've just said, 'Let’s find something we both have done before,' and then asked me about it! Right?!"
"I did think about that, but—asking you something like that feels like I’d be bothering you."
"What’s that supposed to mean…"
"That’s why today, I’m just going to walk around and observe your experience points. If I find something, I’ll ask you if you’ve done it before, and you’ll answer honestly."
(So this is just a no-plan date…)
I doubt he has that kind of thought in his mind, and of course, I don’t think of it as a date either. But if you look at it that way, I guess he’s sort of inviting me to hang out, though… probably not. Yeah, I don’t think Saigawa-kun is the type to make plans like that.
So, Saigawa-kun and I started walking side by side, keeping a comfortable distance.
"There's karaoke over there. Ritsuka, have you ever been to karaoke?"
"I’ve been, but I don’t want to."
"Is that so?"
He crossed his arms. It seems like he’s about to start analyzing things.
I’ve been to karaoke a few times with Yoshino and other friends in high school. Sure, I might not have a lot of experience hanging out, but it’s not like I’ve never done anything.
"Is that so? Well... you don’t have to be embarrassed about not being good at singing. I’m the same way."
"I never said I was bad at singing! Don’t just assume that!"
"Then, why not go?"
"I told you I don’t want to!"
"Ah, so you're looking for a guaranteed win, huh..."
"No, that’s not it..."
I don’t know the latest songs very well, and my singing ability isn’t anything special, but the real reason I don’t want to go isn’t because I might lose.
The problem is that karaoke rooms are all private, and being alone in one with a guy is really uncomfortable. Well, even if Saigawa-kun tried something, I have a ton of confidence in my own strength, so I’d definitely beat him. It’s more of a psychological thing.
"You don’t really go with just two people, right? Karaoke, I mean."
"Is that so? I think it’s rarer to go with a big group."
"Even so, you usually go with three or four people. It’s not the kind of place you go with someone you’re not close to!"
"I see. So, that’s how you think about it."
"What kind of thinking is that...?"
In any case, karaoke is off the table. If, by some chance, I end up getting along with Saigawa-kun in the future, maybe I’d go with him, but… I don’t see that kind of future happening.
After walking for a while, Saigawa-kun pointed to a building up ahead.
"Ritsuka. There’s a mahjong parlor. Have you ever played mahjong?"
"No, I haven’t. I’d bet there are fewer female college students who’ve played mahjong than those who haven’t."
"I don’t know about that. Well, there’s a lot to learn. Maybe I was wrong to ask."
He lightly bowed his head, as if to apologize.
Ah, this is his way of subtly mocking me. Like, "You probably can’t do it, right?" with a laugh.
"Huh? I know the rules of mahjong!"
"Oh? Then tell me. I’m not planning on challenging you to a game at the parlor, though."
"Well, you have to collect a bunch of tiles, right? Some that are the same, some that are different… And you say 'Pon' or 'Chi' or whatever… And sometimes 'Kan'... And then at the end you say 'Ron' and flip the table over."
"…That’s mostly correct."
"Hmph! I used to watch my brother play with people from the 'organization' behind the scenes!"
And whenever my brother heard 'Ron,' he’d kick the table over with his foot and flip it, ruining everything. Every time, he’d end up fighting with everyone.
"The 'organization' seems surprisingly homey…"
"Is it? But mahjong is a game where you gamble, so it’s not good. It’s bad news."
"Well, since I’m not going to play, I’ll leave your warped view as it is."
"What do you mean by that?"
Isn’t it the people who gamble that are the warped ones?
Huh? Mahjong is gambling, right? It’s not, is it? Wait, it’s definitely gambling, right?
I was curious, but Saigawa-kun just kept walking ahead, not answering.
"Darts, billiards, pachinko, pachislot, horse racing, boat racing, bicycle racing, fishing ponds… Are all these off-limits?"
"Hey, more than half of them are places underage people can’t go. I’m still 18, you know?"
"So, I guess you're a good girl more than I thought."
"And I thought you were a delinquent, Saigawa-kun."
He asked me about a bunch of things, but I hadn’t done any of them. I was honestly surprised at how many places there were to hang out in the city, even though most of them weren’t places I was interested in.
But, well, I know about them because they’re all things my brother used to do…
Now, we’re sitting side by side on a bench in the park. There’s a space between us.
"Guess that means next, we’re looking at sports? Baseball or soccer…?"
"I’m not in a sports club, and I don’t have those two in my classes either."
"Then what do you do with your time?"
"Huh? Well, um..."
"Never mind. I’ll go buy a drink from the vending machine. Watch my stuff."
As I hesitated, Saigawa-kun stood up from the bench and walked toward the entrance of the park. The vending machine was pretty far away, so I’d be alone for a while.
I sat there, letting my thoughts wander. The spring breeze gently blew, and the trees rustled with a soft sound.
(It feels nice...)
We wander around, looking for something to compete with each other over. It’s a strange time, I think.
But, it wasn’t bad. I don’t feel like going home right away or that it’s a waste of time.
—Thinking about it, that person is somehow pure… and not malicious. He’s like Ritsuka.
I suddenly remember Yoshino’s words.
(Well, whether he’s really like him or not, he’s definitely not malicious. And pure…)
Purely, he wants to settle a competition with me. That’s all, so I don’t feel any bad vibes from Saigawa-kun.
In the "organization," I was probably the strongest.
Well, my brother was pretty strong too, but I was just a little bit stronger.
So, within the "organization," there was no one who could compete with me. Even in the "Shishima Agency," my strength was known, and whenever I showed up, everyone quickly retreated.
...Except for a few. That few was Saigawa-kun—Feather Hunter.
He didn’t have any special abilities, just his body and weapons, and he made me suffer countless times.
He would never give up, and his spirit never broke. He would always glare at me, like a beast, in the depths of his eyes. "I won’t lose to you," he said. "I’m better than you."
A person like that—honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever meet someone like him again, now or in the future.
(...But in the end...)
Crack!
While I was lost in thought, something dropped in front of my toes with a little thud.
Looking down, a baseball rolled to my feet.
"Sorry! Did the ball hit you!?"
A high school student, wearing a baseball uniform, ran over and bowed his head.
I guess he’s one of those high school baseball players. He has blonde hair, but this kid...
"No, it’s totally fine."
"Really? I heard a noise, so I thought it might’ve hit you…"
"Maybe it was the sound of it hitting a branch? Here, the ball."
My "Blessing," automatically intercepts anything flying towards me with ice and knocks it down. Since I was spacing out, I didn’t even realize the ball had come flying at me, but it seems like my Blessing protected me.
"Thanks. Seriously, don’t throw balls like that in the park."
From behind the blonde-haired kid, another tall boy in the same uniform appeared.
"You could’ve caught that, it was just that much."
"I could catch it during a game, but—ah, sorry about that. Hey, you should bow your head too!"
"Sorry about that."
"It’s fine, it didn’t hit me!"
Since they were wearing baseball uniforms, I wondered if they were local kids. Probably, right?
Maybe they have some useful information, so I decided to ask.
"Hey, you guys. Are there any places or facilities around here where we could have a competition? I’ve seen most of the typical spots, but it wasn’t quite what I was looking for…"
"A place for a competition? Well, we’re just here for a practice match, so we’re not really locals."
"Oh, I see."
"If it’s a baseball field, there’s one over there—"
"No, that’s not it. Ah, wait, maybe you’re talking about…"
"Hmm?"
The blonde kid nodded to himself, seemingly having figured something out.
They weren’t locals, but maybe he had an idea about something.
"Well, there’s a bus we can take, and there’s an observation deck. They say the bell up there doesn’t ring properly, but if you manage to make it ring, the couple will be bound together forever or something like that…"
"Wow… Wait, couple?! I never said anything about being a couple!?"
"Huh? I just assumed, since you’ve got a men’s body bag next to you, that you were on a date with your boyfriend."
"Wow, you’re observant... But no, we’re not on a date…"
"Well, I guess that’s about it. After our match, we’ll head there too. At night."
"What are you talking about?"
"We’re gonna ring the bell while enjoying the night view together. Don’t you think that sounds nice?"
"Yeah, sure… It would be nice if we could ring it."
"Shouldn’t we be focusing on our baseball skills instead of ringing bells?"
I was kind of impressed by how recent high school baseball players seem to go to night observation decks alone together.
As I thought to myself, the blonde-haired boy bowed his head and started to walk away.
"Anyway, sorry again. Enjoy your date."
"I told you, it’s not a date…"
"Hey, what’s the deal here? Aren’t you supposed to go back to school and practice after the match? Right?"
The tall kid didn’t seem to quite understand, but they definitely seemed like they were getting along well.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. The vending machine was farther than I thought—here."
Just then, as if on cue, Saigawa-kun returned to the bench. He had only brought his wallet and left his body bag behind, which is probably why those high school baseball kids mistook us for a couple.
However, he handed me a bottle of water, and I took it without a word.
"I don’t know your drink preferences, but water should be fine, right?"
"...Are you treating me?"
"Yeah. But more importantly, I heard an interesting story. Apparently, there’s a bell at the observation deck you can get to by bus from here, and no matter what, it never rings. How about we make it a competition to see who can ring it first?"
"Huh, that’s…"
"We won’t question the method—you can even use your 'Blessing' if you want."
Saigawa-kun seemed completely on board with the idea. The information he’d heard about the bell was a little different from what I had just learned—less accurate, maybe—but it seemed like there really was a bell that wouldn’t ring…
Since Saigawa-kun quickly started walking toward the bus stop, I had no choice but to follow him.
＊
After taking the bus up the mountain, we reached a building perched on a cliff-like protrusion.
As expected from the name "observation deck," it was a wonderful place where you could enjoy a panoramic view of the city. It was still before sunset, but I thought it would be beautiful at night as well. The area was filled with couples and families, so it seemed like a popular spot for picnics and dates.
However, since it was at a high altitude, a strong wind blew, making it a bit chilly.
"That's the bell, huh? It’s more like a bell tower or a tall tower structure."
"It's pretty crowded, though..."
"Yeah, but no one's been able to ring it yet. We'll get our turn soon."
Next to the two-story observation deck, there was indeed a tall tower-like structure, just as Saigawa-kun had said. Inside, it seemed there was a large bell, with a long rope or string hanging from it. I assumed that was what you were supposed to use to ring it, but...
"Huh? Isn’t a bell something you hit with a wooden mallet, like at a temple?"
"That's the Eastern style bell, struck with a mallet. This is a Western bell, so you’re probably supposed to ring it from the inside."
"Like a giant handbell?"
"Yeah... something like that."
It seemed neither of us knew much about bells.
Saigawa-kun seemed pretty knowledgeable about a lot of things, but I guess he didn’t know everything.
There were a lot of children and couples in line, so it seemed like some people just wanted to try ringing the bell, while others, like the high school baseball kids, believed the story that if you rang it, the couple would be together forever.
However, despite all the attempts, not a single person had been able to ring it.
"Hey... when you said it was okay to use your 'Blessing' to ring the bell..."
"Yeah. In this crowd, it’s not like we could really use it anyway."
"Hmph... that's a bit of a mean thought."
Using a "Blessing" in front of others is generally considered a no-no. It’s a shared understanding among us "Blessed Ones." Well, not everyone follows the rule, and I can’t say I always do either, but...
But with such a long line and people waiting behind us, there was no way I could use my Blessing. Saigawa-kun must’ve anticipated that... Ugh...
"Nine times out of ten, something’s broken inside the bell. It’s high up, and since it’s dark inside the tower, we can’t really know what’s wrong, but if we figured that out, we might be able to ring it."
"If we could use our Blessing, it’d ring easily..."
I thought that if I could launch ice projectiles at the bell, it would ring for sure. But, as I just mentioned, with so many people here, it’s a bit tricky.
Soon enough, it was our turn. Up until now, no one had managed to ring the bell. Everyone was pulling, swinging, or shaking the ropes in various ways, but nothing was happening.
"Hey. Are you really going to try ringing it? Personally, I’m not so sure..."
"What? Are you getting scared? Fine, I’ll go first—"
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"
Just as Saigawa-kun was about to give it a try, a woman’s scream echoed from the observation deck.
We both immediately turned toward the sound. The people in line also looked over.
"Huh? Whoa, there's a child on the roof! A little girl!"
I saw a girl, about elementary school age, crouching and trembling on the red observation deck's roof. Looking up at her in panic was a woman, probably her mother.
"It looks like it. Did she climb up using the rain gutter? Why would she do something like that..."
The observation deck was two stories high, with stairs leading up to a terrace-like area where you could overlook the view. If a small child used the narrow rain gutter on the terrace, they might be able to climb up to the roof. But honestly, analyzing that right now doesn’t matter!
"I’m going to help! Stay here and wait!"
"Hey, wait! Yanagi! At least get prepared—"
"I don’t have time for that!"
She might have been able to climb up, but getting down would be much harder. It's already a high place, and the poor girl’s legs have probably gone numb with fear. If no one helps her, she won’t be able to come down.
People around us were starting to panic and were trying to call for help, but that wouldn’t be fast enough. The roof was slanted, and if she lost her footing, she could fall off. If she fell onto the terrace, it would still be bad, but if she fell over the cliff, there was no way she’d survive.
I hurried out to the terrace and approached the panicking woman.
"Her, her eyes! I wasn’t looking, and suddenly she’s up there!"
"It’s okay, ma’am. I’ll help her right away."
I didn’t wait for a response. The surprised look on her face was probably because I looked like just an ordinary college student. Yeah, that’s the normal assumption. But I’m not like other people.
Plus, I’m light on my feet, so if I use the rain gutter, I can climb up to the roof!
"Alright... Whew. It’s okay now, right?"
"Ah... Ugh..."
"Stay still, okay? I promise I’ll help you."
Climbing up to the roof, I felt a chill running down my spine. The town stretched out even further below me, and it seemed that the height of the roof matched the tower. When I looked to the side, I could clearly see the bell in the bell tower.
The roof was slanted, and there was nothing to grab onto. If I lost my balance, I could fall off in an instant. The girl was only able to turn her face toward me, but she couldn’t move at all. That was probably for the best.
I could just pick her up and leap down to the terrace—
"Ah..."
—A low buzzing sound rang out. The wind here was incredibly strong.
The girl was swept away by the wind, as if being blown off the roof. She was sucked farther and farther toward the cliff...
Without thinking, I kicked off from the roof, chasing after her.
If I could catch her in midair, I’d be able to land safely, no problem.
(But... it’s not enough! I can’t reach her...)
But even though I reached out, my fingers barely missed. The girl’s eyes were wide open in fear, her expression frozen as she couldn’t process what was happening to her.
I had to do something. I had to save her, no matter what.
"Yanagi!! Get ready!!"
I heard Saigawa-kun’s voice, and then I collided with something big and rough.
No, that’s not it. Saigawa-kun had caught me with one arm. With his other arm, he securely held the girl. He must have jumped over the fence near the cliff and made it this far.
But he didn’t have a Blessing. Jumping like that without one was like committing suicide...
"Saigawa-kun!? Why—"
"I’m throwing you two back to the observation deck! At the same time, the fire hose around my body won’t hold! Freeze it and reinforce it! Got it?!"
Saigawa-kun’s body bent and swayed in the air like a pendulum as he held onto both me and the girl. At the same time, the white hose wrapped around his waist made unsettling snapping sounds.
There was no time to chat. The reason why you issue orders before thinking is so you can act faster than your brain can process, something Yoshino often says in support. Saigawa-kun was executing that perfectly.
"Got it! Do it!!"
"If worst comes to worst, I’ll survive the fall! Prioritize the girl—please!!"
With a swing of his arm, Saigawa-kun threw the girl, and then me, into the air. It was unbelievable strength, but even though he was powerless, he was far from ordinary.
I caught the girl smoothly, twisting my body in mid-air and focusing. I summoned thin ice to spread across the air, stepping on it, jumping, and running through the air. I was used to aerial maneuvers, so it was easy for me.
At the same time, I froze the hose that was holding Saigawa-kun in place. The parts that were about to snap, I encased in ice, ensuring it would hold long enough for him to climb up to the cliff's edge.
(It’s okay. We’ll make it...!)
If our breaths hadn't synchronized, or if either of us had hesitated for even a moment—there's no way we would’ve succeeded. But even though we weren’t lovers or best friends, even though I didn’t know everything about him like his personality, hobbies, or favorite foods—I was confident we could do this.
As his former rival, I knew better than anyone the extent of Saigawa-kun’s abilities.
And so, we managed to save the girl.
"Really... really, how can I ever thank you enough?!"
"No, I’m just glad your child is safe."
"Uwaaaah!!"
"Thank goodness… really… Waaaahhh!!"
"Why are you crying too?"
"Because… h-heehee..."
The girl’s mother bowed her head to us repeatedly, over and over. Watching the girl cry from being scolded, I felt relieved and happy that she was safe—and then I ended up crying too. Saigawa-kun, standing beside me, looked exasperated, but I couldn’t stop the tears.
---When we returned to the ground, having flown through the air, a crowd gathered around us. People kept saying things like "Unbelievable," "A miracle," and "Is this a film shoot?"—so many different things.
Fortunately, Saigawa-kun handled it smoothly, but unlike me, he might have been better at dealing with these situations. As for whether he managed to convince them all by telling them we were aspiring action actors… I’m not entirely sure.
"U-um, please, we really want to give you something as thanks."
"Yes. We didn’t do this for money, so we can’t accept it."
The mother, who had taken out her wallet, was stopped by Saigawa-kun. Meanwhile, the girl and I were sitting side by side on a bench, still sniffling. Saigawa-kun walked over to us.
"Are you two done? You’ve been crying together too much."
His tone was blunt, but he squatted down and gently handed the girl a handkerchief. He tossed a pocket tissue to me. I thought to myself that he really was a good person.
"…Thank you."
"Is he your…"
"Hm?"
The girl wiped her face with the handkerchief and then stared at Saigawa-kun.
"Is he your boyfriend?"
"Eh!?"
I let out an odd noise. On the other hand, Saigawa-kun just smiled as he stayed squatted down.
"Yeah. He’s a kind older brother, isn’t he?"
"Yeah!"
"Eh!?"
I had no idea what was going on. Saigawa-kun looked up at me and made a motion with his mouth, like "It’s not the right time to be honest here." Oh, yeah, I guess she’s just a little kid…
"That’s it! Big brother, big sister, over here!"
The girl jumped off the bench and started running. It was already evening, and the place was quieter now, probably because of the commotion earlier. We followed her as she ran ahead and...
"Here! Hold this!"
The girl was waving us over under the bell and handed us the rope hanging from it.
"The bell... Well, it doesn’t really ring, though."
"No, you do it like this!"
"Uhh, like this?"
We all grabbed the rope and, instead of pulling or forcing it, moved it in circles like stirring a pot.
It was a method that no one else had tried.
"Could it really work this way—?"
—Clang, clang, clang…
The moment Saigawa-kun was filled with doubt, the girl suddenly let go of the rope, and as soon as he and I held onto it, the bell rang out as if it had been perfectly timed.
I was surprised the bell had actually rung, but more than that...
"H-How did you know how to make it ring?"
"Well, I saw it from over there. From here, you can’t see it properly!"
The girl pointed to the roof of the observation tower. Saigawa-kun muttered, "Could it be...?"
"You were observing the bell from the roof? I didn’t understand why you climbed up there, but now it makes sense."
"Ah, yeah... If I climbed to the roof, I could see the bell clearly. The tower’s the same height as the observation roof, so at least it’s much clearer than from the ground."
It seemed like she had climbed to the roof to figure out why the bell didn’t ring and how to make it ring. Normally, this wouldn’t be possible, but I guess it was something only a pure child could do... Such remarkable initiative. This kid’s going to be someone big in the future.
However, the girl’s mother, who had been watching us nearby, looked utterly flabbergasted.
"I can't believe this... I’m sorry, she’s always been a silly child..."
"No, it’s a fantastic sense of observation and initiative. You should cherish that."
"By the way, they say that if they makes the bell ring, they’ll get married!"
"…Married?"
"Ge-gege, I knew you’d know about that..."
"So, big brother and big sister are going to get married?"
"Hahaha. Well, maybe."
Saigawa-kun casually brushed it off, seemingly deciding that the girl was just saying whatever.
But as soon as the girl’s mother started to explain the rumor about the bell to him, his face quickly turned awkward.
"What’s this... The story I heard was different... It wasn’t just that it wouldn’t ring... Hey, Yanagiri, you knew about this from the start, didn’t you?"
"Well... kind of. That’s why I didn’t really want to ring it!"
"So that’s what it was...!"
"What’s wrong? Aren’t you happy?"
The mother seemed to have figured out our relationship, but the girl didn’t quite understand. Still, we both agreed we didn’t want to dismiss the girl’s good intentions.
"...I’m happy, thank you."
"Yeah! If you marry this person, it’ll be because of me!"
With that, the girl gave us a beaming smile.
There had been a lot going on, but as long as this girl was smiling like that, I was content.
And then, the girl and her mother left. As the girl waved, I waved back with both hands. Saigawa-kun waved back with a small wave of one hand.
"...Ha. I’m tired."
"Yeah, I guess you are..."
As we both absentmindedly watched the sinking sun, a wave of exhaustion hit me all at once. There was something I wanted to ask him, so I decided to ask now while I had the chance.
"Hey... why were you able to save us at that moment? Did you know we were going to fall off the roof or something?"
"Of course not. It was just that the wind was strong, and I had a bad feeling. I thought about the worst-case scenario, and when I considered how to recover from it, I decided the best course of action was to stay in position and be ready. If nothing happened, then that would have been fine."
He had been watching our movements, preparing by using the fire hydrant hose on the outer rim of the observation tower, just in case something happened.
"Well, even so, not many people would have jumped into action like that... If it hadn’t worked, at least you’d be at the bottom of the cliff, right? You’d be seriously injured, or worse, dead."
"That wouldn’t have happened."
"Huh?"
Saigawa-kun casually denied it, looking at me as if I were saying something ridiculous.
"All the uncertainties were nullified by your presence. At least, that’s my assessment... You’re someone I can rely on in situations like that. As an ally, that is."
"…Hmm."
"What's wrong? Are you dissatisfied? Oh, so I’m not your ally, huh?"
"That’s not it! It’s not about being an enemy or an ally!"
I couldn’t understand why I was reacting like this. Well, I did understand, but I couldn’t bring myself to admit it, at least not in front of him.
—Just as you correctly evaluated me, I also evaluated you correctly.
It all went smoothly because we shared the same values. And that... made me so incredibly happy.
"I don’t really understand... Ah, and one more thing. Yanagiri—"
"Y-yeah?"
"—I respect and appreciate your decisive ability. Thank you. It’s all because of you."
As he said this, with the sunset at his back, those words of his shone brighter than any words I had ever heard from anyone else.
True praise, given from the bottom of his heart, was clear and pure... and beautiful.
"Ah...!"
"I tend to think things through first. If I’d been the only one there, I probably would’ve just watched as the girl fell. Saying we helped together is too much. It was only because you were there, Yanagi. You should be proud... you’re amazing."
And the kind of person who can give something as sparkling as that to someone else isn’t all that common.
So, I think this person is really—kind, brave, and just a little bit.
Just a little bit, but. I think he’s a cool person.
"Well, it’s not just me... I’m reckless, thoughtless, and I’ve been scolded a lot for it since I was a kid. Even this time, if you hadn’t been there, I definitely wouldn’t have been able to help that girl. It wasn’t just one of us—it was because of both of us that it worked out."
"...I see. So it’s because we teamed up. Haha, I didn’t think of it that way. If we had teamed up from the start, I guess we could have done anything."
Saigawa-kun said it jokingly, and now we’re no longer adversaries… so there’s definitely a possibility that we’ll team up again in the future to do something. But I couldn’t find the right words to say that, so I just gave an ambiguous response.
"Well, as for the outcome, it’s a draw this time. The bell rang, but... if we set aside the dubious rumor, it was because of that girl that the two of us rang it. The decision will have to be postponed again."
"Wait, why are we talking about that all of a sudden?!"
"Well, what else is there?"
"I don’t know, but…!"
"...? You’re a little red in the face, aren’t you? Do you have a fever or something?"
"It’s just the sunset!"
I didn’t want to think about what my expression was like, so I just decided to go with that.
Saigawa-kun tilted his head slightly, saying, "I see," and then turned his back. We had to head to the bus stop soon, or we’d have to walk down the mountain. We couldn’t just relax here forever.
And then, I finally noticed something off about Saigawa-kun.
"...? Your posture’s strange, Saigawa-kun. Hey, did you hurt somewhere?"
"It’s just your imagination. Come on, let’s go quickly."
He was walking in a way that suggested he was favoring a certain part of his body, possibly because of some strain, but he wouldn’t admit it. Why not?
"No way, you definitely hurt yourself! Where is it!? Show me!"
"I’m not showing you! Nothing hurts!"
In the end, he stubbornly refused to acknowledge that he was injured until we parted ways.
At the time, I had no idea why, but it wasn’t until much later that I heard the real reason from him.
Apparently, if he admitted to being injured, it might make me or that little girl feel guilty.
And more than that—he thought it would be embarrassing and just not cool.
I see now—he really is a cool person, and someone who wants to appear cool.
In the end... I think that, with all of that included, he’s actually a really cute person.
Post a Comment