Epilogue

“I managed to avoid failing any classes, so I can enjoy summer vacation in peace~”

“This is the first time Yuki hasn’t failed a class.”

“I wonder if it’s going to rain spears.”

A few days after the Tanabata Festival, after the closing ceremony, the three of us were riding the train together, getting along splendidly.

The train car was full of students who had also just finished their closing ceremony.

The scenery rushing past the windows was dominated by lush green trees. After yesterday’s rain, the trees, bathed in warm sunlight, looked somehow cheerful.

“Hey, hey! What should we do for summer vacation?!”

Yuki, her amber hair styled in half-twintails, clung tightly to Sara’s arm as she spoke.

“Since we have the time, it might be fun to go somewhere a little far away!”

“Hokkaido or some other summer resort sounds nice, but what about you, Shinya-kun?”

“How about the beach?”

“Hayasaki-kun, you just want to see Sara in a swimsuit, don’t you~?”

“E-You’re such a pervert!”

We were throwing out ideas—wanting to have a barbecue, maybe going to the mountains, or even being bold and going to Okinawa.

“It seems some people have summer courses during the break, but what about you, Sara?”

“I have a summer course for my violin lessons. Yuki, are you going to a cram school or anything?”

“My grades are bad enough that I probably should if I want to go to university. But maybe a vocational school would be good, too, I don’t know.”

Although, looking at Yuki’s grades, she would have to study extremely hard to get into a decent university...

“Have you decided on your path, Shinya-kun?”

“I’ve only decided on going to university. Science track, for now.”

That’s right. We were all in the middle of deciding our paths forward.

But our destination for today was set.

After riding the train for a while, we got off and walked briefly along the main road.

We arrived in front of a magnificent, towering gate.

It was one of the largest theme parks in the country.

The castle, visible even from the entrance, was radiating an intense fantasy atmosphere.

Perhaps caught up in the obviously cheerful atmosphere, Yuki said excitedly.

“Since we’re here, let’s take a picture!”

“That’s a great idea.”

We moved to the edge of the gate and lined up with me in the middle. Yuki held up her smartphone.

“Say cheese! Three, two, one!”

Click.

A moment of our youth was captured on camera, with the spectacular theme park entrance in the background.

The three people in the photo were the same as always.

—Yes, everyone but me was exactly the same as they had always been.

Since other schools must have had their closing ceremonies too, the park was packed with young people wearing animal-ear headbands, despite it being a weekday.

Everyone walked with light steps, and we could hear the cheerful screams from the roller coaster.

We, too, rode the attractions, swept up in the excitement.

“We have you to thank for today, Sara.”

“It’s fine. I had extras.”

The reason high school students like us could come to a theme park with such skyrocketing prices was thanks to the complimentary tickets Sara’s parents owned.

But attractions weren’t the only fun thing at the theme park.

“So yummy~!”

Yuki was enjoying herself to the fullest, a strawberry crepe in one hand and a melon soda in the other, a full load of snacks...

“H-Hold these for a second!”

Yuki handed me the crepe and melon soda. Then she frantically ran off.

Well, after eating all that, she probably needs the restroom.

Knowing the theme park restrooms would have a line, Sara and I decided to sit on a bench and wait for Yuki to return.

“Shinya-kun.”

Sara gently placed her hand over mine, so I squeezed it back.

“Even though you told me I’m your number one, it’s a little hard to act on it when Yuki is around...”

“I love that gentle side of you, Sara.”

“It feels like you’re saying ‘I love you’ too casually, Shinya-kun, or maybe you’re just getting used to girls.”

“It just means I love you that much, Sara.”

When I said that, Sara blushed and hugged my arm tightly.

“I want to have a sleepover during summer vacation.”

“That sounds nice.”

“And we can talk until we fall asleep. Maybe plan our summer vacation dates.”

“Camping might be fun.”

“If that’s the case, the Segawa family has a summer house. We’re planning to go as a family, and I think my parents would be happy if you came too, Shinya-kun. They seem curious about what kind of person my boyfriend is.”

Apparently, Sara talked about me to her parents quite often.

As a very handsome, intelligent boy who looked good in glasses.

The only thing that was probably true was the glasses.

“This is a little late, but...”

I pulled an envelope for letter paper out of my school bag and handed it to Sara.

“What is this?”

“It’s a letter I wrote with the fountain pen you gave me. I want you to open it.”

At my request, Sara carefully opened the envelope and took out the letter.

“It’s late, but I really wanted to leave a permanent record of it.”

Yes, it was something I wrote because I wanted to immortalize the feelings I confessed to Sara at the Tanabata Festival.

In short, a love letter.

“Remember what you said when you gave me the fountain pen? ‘So your memories won’t fade for ten thousand years.’ I hoped my feelings could be like that, too.”

“...It seems you’ve really become quite the flirt, Shinya-kun.”

She blushed as she said that, but she began to read the letter as if it were the most precious thing in the world.

I had become quite familiar with the fountain pen and could write smoothly with it now. The ink didn't flow too much or too little. It was just right.

After finishing, Sara carefully put the letter back into the envelope.

“Thank you, Shinya-kun. I’m going to make this letter my phone’s home screen.”

“Isn’t that a bit much?”

Sara really did have a unique sensibility.

“Sorry to keep you waiting~!”

Just as we finished talking, I saw Yuki running back.

Sara gently let go of my arm, and as she tucked the letter into her school bag, she whispered in my ear.

“It’s kind of fun, sharing a naughty little secret just between the two of us.”

Sara had become a little bit naughty, too.

As night fell, the surroundings became even more vibrant.

The park was lit up primarily in blue, creating a fantastical atmosphere. It was romantic, and couples were all over the place, cuddling up to each other.

A crowd was gathering, leaving the center of the main path clear.

It looked strange at first glance, but it was for the parade that was about to begin. Smiles filled the faces of the people around us, all anticipating the show.

Yuki and I sat on a bench, watching the scene.

“Sara is taking a while.”

“Her negotiation must be taking longer than expected.”

Sara had stepped away to negotiate an extension to her curfew with her parents. It seemed to be a very long phone call.

After a few minutes, she still hadn’t returned, and Yuki gently leaned into me.

“Ehehe, it’s warm when we snuggle up together on a cold night.”

“Do you know what a tropical night is?”

On a summer night with this many people, it definitely wasn’t cold.

But I figured it was fine since Yuki looked so happy.

Yuki, radiating pure happiness, was touching her mimosa hairpin and humming, “Secret love, secret love~”

Seeing her happy face made me feel a surge of guilt.

“I’m sorry about today. I made you hold back a lot, Yuki.”

Yuki had toured the theme park as just a friend. Sara had been mindful of Yuki, but she maintained the distance of being my official girlfriend.

“It’s totally fine. Because I’m your number one, Shinya.”

That’s why our relationship was stable, and I wouldn’t be forced into a situation where I had to lie. Yuki had no reason to feel anxious.

“But,” Yuki said, opening her arms and letting her eyes well up.

“We’re alone now, so let’s do a real one, not just practice.”

At her request, I hugged Yuki. And I kissed her.

But it was just a light peck.

We laughed, agreeing that we couldn’t do anything more in a theme park, and pulled apart.

We usually had much more passionate kisses, so this felt a little lacking.

“Do you kiss Sara, too?”

“I do, but it’s a pretty soft one. The ones I have with you, Yuki, are much more intense.”

When I said that, Yuki hugged me even tighter and rubbed her cheek against mine.

“Lately, I even feel like I have the upper hand. No matter what Sara does, Shinya always tells me I’m his number one like this. I know that Shinya’s heart won’t leave me.”

“But I still think I cause you to worry sometimes.”

I pulled the envelope for letter paper out of my school bag and handed it to Yuki.

“I wanted to put my feelings from the Tanabata Festival into writing and give them to you.”

“What? I’m so happy! Can I open it?”

I nodded to the eager Yuki.

Yuki excitedly opened the envelope and began to read.

A fountain pen becomes more familiar the more you use it. Thanks to that, I was able to use it well now.

But it wasn’t just the fountain pen that I had gotten used to.

“Ehehe, it feels like a love letter, I love it.”

“I was hoping this would help you feel a little more secure, Yuki. You’re the girl I love the most, so I don’t want you to worry.”

I had become as accustomed to lying as I had to the fountain pen.

Since that day, I had been continuously lying to both of them, telling each one that she was my number one girl.

I had told Yuki, “Because of the three of us, Sara is my official girlfriend, but you are my true number one.”

Sara believed that Yuki and I were just friends and that only she was my girlfriend. This worked because of the kiss at the Tanabata Festival.

Having secured me, Sara gained confidence and reconciled with Yuki, even regarding the daily girlfriend arrangement and her being my ex. I also explained that the sex was a lie I’d told in the heat of the moment.

Yuki was unable to stop herself from going overboard when she tried to become my number one, which was what she wanted to avoid because it forced me to lie. But now, with the security of being my number one girl, she was fine even when Sara and I flirted. This meant I wouldn't be forced to lie. I could remain the lie-free Hayasaki Shinya that Yuki loved, and I could keep my promise to Ichinomiya-san.

That’s what Yuki believed.

And it was better if she kept believing that.

Now, both of them were my number one, their friendship was preserved, my burden was gone, and none of the three of us were unhappy. I had finally found my first love, and I was beginning to walk forward as a new Hayasaki Shinya.

“I’m sorry. I took a little while.”

By the time Sara returned, Yuki and I had completely reverted to the distance of friends.

Her curfew negotiation was apparently successful, and we decided to keep playing.

“Sara’s back, so let’s go!”

At Yuki’s urging, we entered the crowd watching the parade, with me in the center.

After a moment, a cheerful announcement came over the speakers.

“The Summer Parade is now beginning~ Please enjoy this world of dreams~!”

The moment the announcement ended, the parade began with cheerful background music.

Fairytale soldiers in dazzling LED-lit costumes marched beautifully. The pumpkin carriage that followed was equally brilliant, captivating everyone’s attention.

In the middle of it all, Sara was gazing at my face.

I squeezed the hand she gently offered me, and she gave me a soft smile.

But my other hand was—

“Ehehe,”

—holding Yuki’s.

Looking up at the night sky, the beautiful Summer Triangle constellation had formed.

“I’m happy.”

Both of them smiled at my words.

I had finally managed to make Yuki and Sara, the girls of my first love, smile.

That made me happier than anything else.

But I also remembered the girl I hadn’t chosen, Ichinomiya-san.

It wasn’t that my feelings for Ichinomiya-san had vanished. They were still there, a cherished part of my heart.