───● The Energetic College Girl Runs Away ●○●

​If you’ll indulge me, I’d like to talk about myself for a moment.

​I—Katasato Masato—had a somewhat unusual upbringing.

​From my earliest memories, my home was an orphanage.

​It wasn’t until I was old enough to understand the world that I realized I had been abandoned by my parents… and taken in by the orphanage.

​The truth was certainly a shock, and there was a lingering loneliness in not having parents of my own. However, I viewed the people who raised me at the orphanage as my true parents, and I believe they raised me as their own child in return. That thought made things easier for me.

​My foster parent had a habit of saying one thing constantly: “Always be kind to others.”

​I sometimes wondered why I, who had been treated with zero kindness by being “abandoned by my parents,” had to be kind myself. But one particular encounter changed my perspective entirely.

​It was an encounter with a girl who often came to a nearby park.

​I happened to be alone in the park when she spoke to me.

​I was so happy when she asked, “Let’s play together.“

​For about six months, there was a period where we played together almost every day.

​She was kind to me. Looking back now, I’m sure she realized that I wasn’t a “normal” kid raised in a standard household.

​Despite that, she didn’t seem to care. She was always kind, always friendly. That made me incredibly happy.

​I loved the time we spent together more than anything.

​However, one day, as I was headed to the park to play with her as usual…

​I overheard a conversation between some housewives in their forties on the street.

​“Did you hear? So-and-so’s daughter has been playing with that kid from the orphanage lately.”

​“Oh, really? She’s such a good girl; she probably just can’t say no, even if she doesn’t want to be there…”

​“Poor thing…”

​To my young self, those words were devastating.

​Even if I didn’t know her full name, I knew instantly that they were talking about her.

​But perhaps it was because of the months we had already spent together.

​I simply couldn’t believe that she was playing with me out of mere sympathy or pity.

​I turned on my heel quietly, making sure I wasn’t noticed.

​If my intuition was right, she thought well of me. Even so…

​If playing with me was going to be a negative for her…I decided that I shouldn’t go see her anymore.

​On the way home, wiping away the tears that flooded my eyes, I made a vow.

​I would be kind to everyone within my reach. ​Just like that girl who had been kind to me.

​I would be a man who could be kind to anyone.​…I suppose I was naive about this world.

​I thought that just because the values surrounding men and women had shifted a bit, nothing else had really changed.

​I figured that since I wasn’t particularly good-looking, even if I got hit on occasionally, I could live a normal life without any issues.

​But that assumption was a massive mistake.

​”Thanks for the hard work~!”

​”You too!”

​We finally stepped off the gondola, that cramped, sealed space.

​Mizuho gave a big stretch, looking quite satisfied.

​In contrast… I felt a heavy exhaustion weighing down my shoulders.

​My body was still flushed with heat, and my head was spinning.

​I did my best to organize the information in my mind while following the small girl walking ahead of me.

​Mizuho was the girl who had been looking for her contact lens back then.

​The “fated person” she had been searching for all this time was actually me.

​I had no choice but to accept the fact that Mizuho still harbored feelings for me.

​While my head was in a muddle from the sheer volume of information, I had been hit with Mizuho’s straightforward expressions of affection, to the point where I couldn’t think straight.

​I arrived at the present moment without having sorted out any of my thoughts.

​Mizuho, walking ahead, spun around lightheartedly.

​”Ah~ that felt refreshing! The view was beautiful, wasn’t it, Masato!?”

​”Y-yeah…”

​Forget the view, I couldn’t see anything halfway through!

​I didn’t even have the energy to snap back with that… and seeing Mizuho’s dazzling, happy smile, my frustration drained away.

​…What should I do about Mizuho’s feelings?

​I was too shocked by the intensity of the love she had conveyed; my thoughts simply wouldn’t coalesce.

​As I walked with my head down, trapped in a mental labyrinth with no exit, Mizuho suddenly peeked up at me from below.

​”Well then, I shall go to attend to my appearance for a moment, so Masato should… wait for me down by that area!”

​”Eh? I can just wait right here…”

​The spot Mizuho pointed to was a bit further ahead.

​There were benches here, so I could wait anywhere, but…​Mizuho shook her head, a gentle expression on her face.

​”No, over there, if you please. —My turn is already over, after all.”

​”…Eh?”

​”Just do it, just do it! Anyway, wait for me down there! Bye!”

​Leaving only those words behind, Mizuho ran off.

​I couldn’t catch the words she murmured at the end, even though I asked her to repeat them…

​I felt like I caught a glimpse of a melancholic expression on her face.

​The temperature difference was extreme, especially after that… intense sensuality back in the gondola.

​Blinking in confusion at the sudden change, I obediently looked toward the spot Mizuho had pointed to.

​There… in the park grounds now fully embraced by the night’s darkness, stood a building emitting a white light that felt almost divine—a church.

​Of course, it wasn’t a real church.

​It was a replica of a church from a fairy tale. Around it were people taking photos and couples soaking in the romantic atmosphere.

​”I could have just waited back there…”

​Feeling a bit awkward going there alone, I sighed.

​That said, while there were benches here, there was nothing to serve as a landmark.

​I walked obediently toward the base of that church.

​■

​I turned the corner, reaching a spot where Masato could no longer see me.

​And then, I plopped down right where I stood.

​”Hahaha… I really did it.”

​I had decided that I would tell Masato how I felt today.

​I had made that choice, so I have no regrets.

​But I’m a coward. I didn’t want to hear Masato’s answer while Koumi wasn’t around.

​Just now, driven by the selfish desire to have one good memory, I stole Masato’s lips.

​I can feel my heart thumping wildly.

​—It was the first kiss of my life.

​A kiss delivered with all my heart to the person I love… it tasted far too sweet.

I kissed him deeply, as if carving the sensation into my soul.

​I opened my phone.

​There was the message I had been hoping for.

​”…Thank goodness.”

​Relieved, I typed a reply.

​The night breeze brushed against my cheeks as if to cool my flushed body.

​Thinking back, so much has happened.

​My best friend’s crush turned out to be an incredibly wonderful person.

​Just as I was thinking I’d like to have a love like that, I had a fated encounter.

​I never imagined that person would be the one my friend loved.

​But even after I learned the truth, my friend remained my friend.

​That’s why, in truth, I shouldn’t have been allowed to enjoy such a sweet moment.

​It’s all thanks to Koumi.

​That’s why.

​I’ll leave the rest to Koumi. I truly believe that even if I’m not enough on my own, together with Koumi, we can capture Masato’s heart.

​…I was so surprised when I heard the reason they fought yesterday. To think those two were childhood friends.

​As I listened to the serious details, I couldn’t help but think:

​That’s basically a forbidden card, I thought.

​That childhood friend card is so powerful that I briefly wondered if Masato might choose only Koumi.

​Koumi is a charming girl, even from my perspective.

​It wouldn’t be strange at all if he wanted to be with only her.

​Especially if they were childhood friends who had been close since long ago.

​I clenched both my fists tight.

​…Even so, even if that happens.

​I don’t want Koumi to give up without confessing here.

​I know because we’ve always been together. Koumi’s feelings are the real deal. It’s the love of my dear friend Koumi, whom I’ve always wanted to support.

​So, even if I’m not the one chosen, if the person by his side is Koumi, I’ll be happy.

​I curled up, hugging my knees.

​The winter night breeze should have been cold, but strangely, my body didn’t feel the chill.

​I opened my phone once more.

​The text I had sent about ten minutes ago was still there.

​The location where Masato is now, written in the heat of the moment.

​”Did I… try a bit too hard to act cool?”

​Just kidding.

​Leaving the screen open, I looked up at the night sky.

​A refreshingly clear, starry sky stretched out above me.

[ The Case of Igarashi Koumi and Tonosaki Mizuho 2 ]

​< Koumi

​[ Voice Call Ended | 11:31 ]

​18:35 | Mizuho: I’m going to go confess to Masato right now.

​18:35 | Mizuho: Are you really okay with staying as you are, Koumi?

​18:36 | Koumi: I’m not.

​18:36 | Koumi: I’m really not okay with it.

​18:38 | Mizuho: Aye, ’tis so. You’ve done nothing wrong, Koumi.

​18:38 | Mizuho: So come. Even now, it’s not too late.

​18:38 | Mizuho: For if you do not come, I’m certain you shall regret it.

​18:39 | Koumi: Mizuho.

​18:39 | Koumi: Thanks.

​18:40 | Mizuho: Think nothing of it!

​19:41 | Mizuho: The Prince awaiteth at the church.

​19:42 | Mizuho: …Just kidding.