Chapter 750 - To You
"—Hm?"
A sound rang out in her head, and Mi-na stirred within the silent space.
It was a notification that a message had arrived from someone—the friend message function. She summoned the window with a motion so ingrained she didn't even have to think about it…
"Huh."
The name was one from which she rarely received personal messages, so it was probably a mass send. Though the suddenness of it was a bit surprising, the content itself was not unexpected in the least.
In preparation for the next huge event, I will be taking a short rest—that was all it said.
It was hard to imagine that guy, the very embodiment of endless motivation, would come to such a sensible decision on his own. So, he was probably talked into it by someone.
He was always in such a rush, it made her want to ask, 'Where are you off to in such a hurry?' so the only reply she could muster was something like, "Yeah, yeah, get some rest already." …He had so much momentum that today, of all days, he had managed to beat his own great senior. He was truly becoming a monster.
Just remembering it started to make her feel frustrated again. And then,
"—You could at least turn on a light."
"Starting off with a complaint? You sound like a dad, so could you stop that?"
Light and a visitor arrived at the Eastern Round Table, which had been filled with silence and darkness.
The original occupant, who had been curled up asleep in her own chair among the ten seats—which had been changing rather frequently of late—turned her gaze to see…
"Sorry to call you out when you're tired."
"You're telling me. Casually saying 'give me a minute'… what do you think the preeeecious time of a busy, overworked idol is worth?"
…Irori, turning a sidelong glance at the completely sprawled-out Mi-na, whose silky blond hair, so perfect it was slightly annoying even from a girl's perspective, swayed gently.
"It seems you're more energetic than I thought. I take back my apology."
"No returns accepted!"
"That's something the one who received it should be saying."
It was true that she was tired. Which was why her complaining and pouting with a 'how rude' was her true self showing. Not that showing him this side of her was anything special.
It's just that with these two, she let her guard down just a little more than with others.
"Honestly… that's so indecent. At least sit up properly."
"Where are you looking, you perv."
"Do you want to be turned into an ice sculpture, squirt?"
"Eek! I'm being assaulted by a lolicon!"
"I see. Are those your last words, then?"
How many times had they had this sort of brainless conversation since they met?
The young man, who had been strictly taught by his mother to be kind and sincere to women, would never raise a hand to a girl outside of battle, no matter what he said.
Even in battle, if his opponent wasn't another 'swordsman,' his hand would hesitate to swing his sword. That's why he would never use a disrespectful blade, and would at least go all out with everything else.
She knew that ridiculously earnest personality of his like the back of her hand by now.
"Have some consideration for how you look to others. I know you're like this even when you are, but this is too much."
"Geez, you're such a nag, Dad."
"Who are you calling Dad? I'd rather not have a daughter like you."
"Hey! What a thing to say to a top idol who's still in high school! I'll have you know I'm ranked a proud thirteenth in the 'Idol You'd Want as a Daughter Ranking'!"
"That's a ranking chart that's hard to describe for a number of reasons… By the way, what rank is Ri-na?"
"Okay, that's enough. Are those your last words, you—hup, there we go."
While continuing their exchange of what were likely thoughtless words, she obliged the noisy boy's request and sat up primly and properly.
And as she did, she looked at him again.
"Oh?"
"…………"
"Oh my, oh my?"
Naturally, the 'sword' he wore at his hip caught her eye.
"Right, right, I see. So I'm number two, is that it, you lady-killer?"
"…Don't put it in such a strange way."
Something like this… she didn't even have to be told or think about it to easily guess. Who he met, what happened. It was easy to read from their exceedingly easy-to-understand interactions.
"You just couldn't stand it anymore, so you went and threw down the gauntlet, didn't you?"
"Of course not. I was just—"
"Seeing her on a screen wasn't enough for you, right? Yup, yup, I get it, I get it."
"……,…………You little…"
"I'm not a little anything, I'm a super cute girl!"
This, too, was nothing new. She didn't think anything of it.
Even if those feelings were in the past tense, as long as nothing surpassed them, his admiration would continue to draw his heart in. She was convinced of that—
—and that was why, unexpectedly…
When Irori, who she had expected to be backed into a corner as usual, showed a mischievous, boyish grin that was unlike him, Mi-na tilted her head with a genuine question mark.
"I confessed."
"—………………………………Huh?"
"I confessed to Sensei. In a roundabout way, in the past tense, but I did it."
"………………………………………………………………………………Huh?"
Struck directly by a bombshell she had never expected, all she could do was let out a dazed voice.
She didn't get it. Well, she did, but she didn't.
"Wha—what, wait—"
"Knowing her, she won't be confused for long. She'll understand and accept it soon enough."
Why?
"I don't get it, I don't get it! I don't get the flow of this conversation! Where is this going—"
"It might worry her a little… but at this point, it shouldn't be a problem. Just a trivial, belated bit of heartache to place upon a now-clear heart."
Why?
"Well, yeah, I guess so. Ui-chan could probably use a little bit of that kind of trouble for her own good down the line—that's not the point!"
Why call her here just to tell her something like that?
Again, she understood. It wasn't as if she'd been consulted, but she had been the one to poke and prod and dig it up, and they had talked about it. Because he had acted in a way that was so earnestly clear, he probably knew she'd been worried in her own way. So she understood why he would want to report it.
But again, she didn't understand. Why now, at this very moment?
How could he say it so casually, as if it were nothing?
"Isn't it too soon?! Are you too refreshed?! Wha, huh, y-you got some closure, or a conclusion, or something, right…?! That's it, isn't it?! So you should at least—"
"Carry that sentiment around and cherish it? —Hah, no thanks."
And yet, he cut down her barrage of confusion and bewilderment head-on, and Irori, still looking as if it were nothing, wore an extremely natural smile…
"Huh…? Wha, hey, what…"
When had he?
She realized he had walked up to her, right next to her chair.
"Unfortunately, I'm different from a certain 'junior' of ours. I don't have the courage to face someone else's feelings, or my own, with such life-or-death intensity that it wears down my body and soul."
"…………"
And she realized where his turquoise eyes were looking.
"Do you think I'm a heartless man?"
"………………If anything, our 'junior' is the one who's not normal."
For some reason, somehow, she was the only one he had called to this place.
"That's why."
I don't get it.
"That's why. Because I could finally forgive myself and move on to the next step. …Because I was able to accept it."
I don't get it.
"From now on, I want to step forward without hesitation—and settle things quickly."
"Wha, huh…………I, I don't get it. What are you saying?"
She had come here with no preparation at all.
Where was he trying to take her from this place?
"I'll put it into words, so you can understand."
To the girl who looked up at him, still not understanding.
"I'm in love with you."
The young man, with utter directness.
To the girl who had been watching only him, he confessed the feelings he had held since who knew when.
To be continued.