───● The Childhood Friend JD Confesses ●○●

​“Are you really okay with not coming tomorrow?”

​”…”

​“I’ve confessed many times before—but this time, I’m serious.”

​”…Yeah, I know.”

​“So, come. I’ll be waiting.”

​“Otherwise, I’m going to steal Masato-kun’s heart all for myself! Just kidding!”

​”Mizuho…”

​The sound signaling the end of the call rang out.

​I pulled the phone away from my ear.

​”…Mizuho is too kind…”

​Mizuho had been trying to cheer me up and give me courage this whole time.

​Even if those were words I might not have accepted from someone else, because they came from Mizuho, they resonated in my heart.

​I walked unsteadily to the closet. Opening the door slowly, I gently pulled out a single cardboard box.

​Peeking inside the box, I found it right there.

​This was my treasure. Even though it had grown old and I no longer used it, I had taken care of this glove meticulously.

​Masato had the exact same one.

​These were no longer in production; they were matching gloves we received when we were little.

​I’ve never seen this manufacturer or shape anywhere else.

​So, it wasn’t a coincidence.

​Then why?

​Why would Masato tell such a lie?

​Is there a reason for it?

​…I don’t understand.

​I sighed and put the glove away.

​I lay down on the bed just like that and closed my eyes.

​Thoughts swirled and vanished in my mind.

​Why didn’t he say “That’s right” or “It’s been a long time” back then?

​If he had just said that, my heart surely would have been satisfied.

​What kind of face am I supposed to make when I see Masato now?

​My feelings of love haven’t changed one bit.

​But the shock is too great right now. I can’t organize my emotions.

​“…I’m going to confess to Masato tomorrow.”

​Mizuho is definitely serious.

​She isn’t the Mizuho from before, who was just in love with the idea of love.

​Since the day she found the person she truly loves, Mizuho has been shining. It’s almost blinding.

​…What will Masato do?

​I can’t really imagine Masato turning Mizuho down.

​Will he say yes? If he does… will there be any room left for me?

​”Hahaha… what is this?”

​I can’t sleep. I don’t even know how many hours have passed since I closed my eyes.

​The pillow I hugged felt strangely cold.

​Ping. A notification sound pulled my consciousness to the surface.

​What time is it now?

​In the end, I couldn’t sleep until morning. By the time I finally drifted off, I feel like the morning sun had already risen.

​I woke up a few times in between, but I had no desire to actually get up, so I pulled the covers over my head to escape reality.

​I forced my heavy head to move and looked at the phone still connected to the charger.

​”…!”

​Seeing the text, my consciousness snapped awake.

​I vaulted out of bed and sat upright.

​mizuho:“I’m going to confess to Masato now.”

​My heart rate spiked.

​Even though there was nothing I could do right now, I felt my body tensing up for no reason.

​Immediately after, another message came from Mizuho.

​mizuho:“Koumi, are you okay staying like that?”

​”I’m not…!”

​The words slipped out.

​Of course I’m not okay. It’s not okay to just do nothing like this.

​I typed a message frantically.

​I poured out my feelings exactly as they were, in all their messy glory.

​As I put my feelings into words, I finally realized what I needed to do.

​After Mizuho had pushed me this far, I couldn’t just stay moping in this dark room.

​mizuho:“Yeah, exactly. You aren’t wrong about anything, Koumi.”

​mizuho:“So, come. Even now, it’s not too late.”

​mizuho:“If you don’t come, I know you’ll regret it.”

​I tossed my phone aside and prepared to head out.

​The shock was real, and the pain was real. But my feelings hadn’t wavered in the slightest.

​If I gave in to despair and ran away, I would definitely regret it.

​I finished my makeup several times faster than usual and pulled out my favorite outfit.

​Standing before the full-length mirror in the entryway… I finally noticed my hair was a mess.

​But I don’t have time to wash and dry it now!

​I grabbed the cap hanging in the hall and shoved it on, and instead of cute pumps or boots, I laced up my sneakers.

​I ran out of the house.

​By the time I reached the station nearest to the theme park, it was already dark.

​On the path to the park, there were already more people leaving than arriving.

​”Haah…! Haah…!”

​I pushed forward at a pace that was barely a walk and more of a jog.

​I didn’t know where the two of them were.

​I didn’t know how Mizuho’s confession had turned out.

​Maybe I’d already been tossed aside, and I’d just be getting in their way.

​Maybe Masato had come to hate me after what happened yesterday.

​Terrible imaginations swirled in my head, tightening around my chest.

​I clenched my fists tight.

​…But, even so.

​If I don’t tell him how I feel right now, I’ll regret it forever.

​Just as I was about to take out my ticket for entry, my phone buzzed.

​Looking down at the screen, it was from Mizuho.

​My feet stopped for a moment.

​mizuho:“The prince awaits at the church.”

​mizuho:“…Just kidding.”

​”…Thanks, Mizuho.”

​I took a deep breath.

​And then, I rushed toward that location.

​In this theme park, there was only one building that could be called a church.

​At the end of my hurried path… he was there.

​In front of the church, illuminated by an otherworldly glow.

​Forcing my trembling legs to move, I started walking.

​Before I knew it, my walk turned into a run.

​”Masato!”

​As Masato turned around, he looked like a painting set against the scenery.

​I’m sure the current me doesn’t match a person as wonderful as him.

​My rushed, slapdash makeup was probably already a mess.

​If I were presented as the heroine to this hero, the public would criticize me without mercy. I’d probably do the same.

​But none of that mattered.

​My legs moved on their own.

​Just like they did back then.

​“Um… are you here for course registration, by any chance?”

​“Eh?! …Ah, yes. Due to some circumstances, my enrollment procedures were a bit late…”

​On that day, when I had firmly believed we were meeting for the first time.

​Before I knew it, I had spoken to him as he sat on the university bench.

​Back then, my instincts must have been screaming at me not to let this fate slip away.

​I’m sure it’s the same now.

​”Koumi…!?”

​Masato’s eyes widened.

​Standing before him once again.

​I understood it so clearly it was painful.

​Ah, I knew it.

​I’ve reached a point where I can no longer turn back—

​”I love you.”

​The words came out with surprising honesty.

​■

​”Eh?”

​I froze, unable to process the situation.

​Lately, things like this have been happening constantly.

​Koumi, smiling while crying just a little, looked so beautiful.

​I couldn’t find any words.

​Koumi slowly approached me—and leaned her body against my chest.

​”I’ve loved you for so, so long. The past is important, but that’s not it. I felt that telling you how I feel right now was much, much more important.”

​My heart rate was higher than it had ever been.

​The heat packed into Koumi’s words was far too real.

​It made me feel pathetic for making excuses, telling myself that the “me” in Koumi’s memories wasn’t the current me.

​Koumi slowly pulled away.

​The tears spilling from her beautiful cinnabar eyes were like jewels.

​”—So, let me say it. Let me tell you. Since the day I met you…”

​I caught my breath.

​”Katasato Masato-kun—I love you.”

​I don’t know how many seconds, or rather, how many minutes passed.

​Time ticked by as I held Koumi. Only my face, which felt impossibly hot, and my heart, which continued to pound like a drum, reminded me that this was reality.

​I couldn’t keep up with anything anymore.

​…But, I felt like I had to tell her this one thing.

​As gently as possible, I took Koumi’s shoulders.

​”…Koumi, thank you. Before I answer those feelings… there’s something I have to tell you.”

​”Eh…”

​After all she had done for me, I felt it would be wrong not to face it head-on.

​The present and my childhood. Those were certainly different worlds.

​But there was no way to confirm what happened to my previous world, or if it was even moving forward in parallel.

​Maybe the “me” who was supposed to be in this world is in the old one, or maybe not.

​That was beyond the scope of what I could understand.

​…But if there was one thing I did understand. It was the memories remaining within me.

​Because the memories of the seasons I spent with that girl still remain clearly.

​”I’m sorry for lying to you.”

​”…!”

​Suddenly feeling an overwhelming sense of affection, I stroked Koumi’s silken hair.

​”…You’ve grown so beautiful. I didn’t recognize you. …It’s been a long time.”

​”…!”

​Her eyes flew wide, and tears overflowed once more. ​Koumi dropped her head against my chest again.

​”I wanted to see you…! Ever since you disappeared…! I wanted to see you so badly…!”

​”…I’m sorry.”

​Overwhelmed with emotion, Koumi’s body trembled. At the same time, her hands, which had been clutching me, let go.

Then, ​Koumi let out a breath.

​”…But, I know now. Whether it was then or now, I love Masato from the bottom of my heart.”

​With a dazzling smile.

​Just as Koumi finished saying that, she grabbed the front of my shirt.

​Before I knew it, the distance between us became zero.

​Koumi’s beautiful face filled my vision, and her lips touched mine.

​That kiss tasted slightly of tears.

​…Slowly, she pulled back. “Ehehe,” Koumi giggled bashfully.

​Looking satisfied, she leaned against me again. Left with no other choice, I could only hold her.

​I didn’t regret telling her that we had met before.

​…Perhaps, in the future, discrepancies might arise in our memories when we talk.

​When that happens, we’ll talk it out properly. I don’t know how much she’ll believe me.

​But I believe that’s the best sincerity I can show.

​”…Let’s play catch again sometime.”

​”Yeah… yeah…!”

​For a while after that, I continued to stroke Koumi’s head.

​”Phew, that felt great!”

​Koumi suddenly looked up.

​Her eyes were red, but her expression was no different from usual.

​Anyway… since she had told me her feelings, I had to put my own thoughts into words.

​”Um, about the confession…”

​”Wait just a second!”

​Koumi suddenly held up her right hand to stop me, and then hurriedly opened her phone with her left.

​…?

​After some light tapping, she pressed it to her ear.

​A call…?

​The ringing sound echoed… wait, was that coming from behind us too?

​”Hyaah!?”

​A voice came from the bushes behind us.

​A very familiar voice.

​”…You weren’t planning on just going home like that, were you?”

​Koumi called out toward the bushes.

​”…Nyahaha… so I’ve been found out, have I…?”

​”Mizuho!”

​”Hail and well met, Masato-dono! It hath been a short while since we last parted…”

​The one who emerged with an awkward look was Mizuho, who had been with me until just a moment ago.

​So… she was watching?

​Mizuho walked over to stand beside Koumi.

​”Why would you call me! You were in such a perfect mood just now! You could have just enjoyed the moment all to yourself!”

​”I already enjoyed it enough, so it’s fine. I wouldn’t like it if Mizuho wasn’t here too.”

​”…Seriously… thou art such a fool…”

​”And weren’t you waiting for me, deep down?”

​”…Hmph, Koumi is so mean…”

​”U-um…?”

​After some back-and-forth, the two of them turned toward me.

​”Sorry, sorry. So, anyway… once more, Masato.”

​Koumi and Mizuho. It had been a while since we started spending time together.

​But seeing them lined up like this once again, I was reminded of just how lovely and truly beautiful they both were—the kind of girls anyone would turn to look at.

​They closed the distance by one step.

​Koumi had a serious expression, while Mizuho was smiling a bit shyly.

​””Will you go out with both of us?””

​”…Eh?”

​…Apparently, my idea that I could live a normal life in this world was indeed a mistake.