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Dreamland
—Nanato—
Today was the promised day when all of us would head over to the large theme park also known as Risney Land. Reaching the train station we agreed to meet up at, there weren’t many people around because it was still rather early. I even saw some middle-aged men running around, probably after they missed the final train. Others were wearing weird ear accessories, clearly the type you wouldn’t want to get involved with. Looking at all the weird people around, I managed to spot Reina in the distance. Not to mention that someone looking like a university student was hitting on her, while she just stared down at her phone.
“Yo, Reina. Who’s that?”
“Ah, my boyfriend is here!”
Reina spotted me and ran over, clinging to my arm.
“For real? You had a boyfriend?”
The man seemed disappointed, but then—
“Well, if you’re happy, then I’m happy!” The man said and walked away, satisfied.
It’s odd to see someone this genuine despite having been rejected.
“So he was hitting on you?”
“Yeah. I was ignoring him and all that, but he just wouldn’t let up until you came.”
It’s still three minutes, and I thought I was the earliest one, but I guess Reina beat me. She didn’t seem too excited about today, but maybe I was wrong after all.
“I don’t know if I just look more mature if I don’t wear my uniform, but I get a lot of people talking to me like this.”
Just as she said, she did look like a young woman in her early 20s. She wore a white top with laces on her sleeves. Since it was a rather tight fit, it emphasized her chest. Adding her side-cut mini skirt, which revealed her thighs. Wearing such a seductive outfit, it’s no wonder people would try to hit on her.
“Your outfit is the best as always. I get why guys would talk to you all the time.”
“Really? I chose stuff that I thought you would like.”
It seems like she thinks I like revealing outfits. Well, she’s not wrong, so I can’t argue.
“I think it’s a bit too revealing.”
“I heard it’ll be hot today and with the amount we’ll be walking…”
Well to be fair, with these outfits and her sticking to me like glue all day, I keep having lewd dreams. It’s like she’s a modern succubus.
“Sorry for the wai-wai-wait!”
“Nanato-.kun, Reina-san, morning!”
Shibayu threw us a greeting I’d never heard before, followed by Tsubasa. Looks like they came here together, close as always. Tsubasa wore an off-shoulder white top that revealed her beautiful décolleté. If she leaned forward so much, I wouldn’t be able to tear my eyes from that. And I bet Shibayu must have organized this outfit. Said Shibayu wore a one-piece with frills. It was a lot more feminine than the uniform I was used to, and with her hair down, she was rather adorable.
“You two are looking cute as always.”
“Thanks, Nanato-kun,” Tsubasa responded happily while blushing.
It just makes me want to rub her head for some reason.
“Tsubasa-chan’s just adorbs, right? Yuzu almost broke out in tears.”
“You’re plenty cute yourself, Shibayu.”
“Sh-Shush. Nobody cares about Yuzu. Just continue praising Tsubasa-chan.”
Seems like she’s rather unwilling to be praised and instead deflected everything toward Tsubasa-chan.
“Now we’re just waiting on Hirose, huh?”
As Reina said, Hirose was the one who had yet to appear.
“I feel like he might cancel on us. We never went to a theme park or whatever before, so maybe it’s not his thing.”
I took out my smartphone, seeing that I didn’t get any message. Maybe he just overslept.
“I’m here!”
I heard a rage-filled voice behind us and turned around, where I saw Itsuki.
“I’ve been here before anybody else!”
He was wearing an ear accessory looking like a Risney character, standing behind me. I was wondering what that guy was about, but to think it was Itsuki of all people.
“Did you…get some kind of punishment that forced you to do this? Normally you would put that on when you’re there.”
“I was so excited, I couldn’t stop myself.”
He’s normally so cool, yet this kind of gap is what makes him a genuinely interesting guy. If I was an older woman, I might have fallen for him instantly. But the people of the same age as us would most likely be bewildered. And since we were all gathered now, we quickly entered the train.
“Might be a bit chilly.”
The A/C was running inside the train, so with her light outfit she was definitely feeling a bit cold. I would have loved to lend her my jacket…if I had been wearing one. She probably wanted to warm herself up, because she was closely stuck to me. A floral scent drifted up my nose.
“I wouldn’t mind if you used your large hands to rub my thighs.”
“…What are you, some molester?”
“I-It’s just some regular physical contact, right?”
That’s not something I would be able to do on public transport. Might be doable if it was in private.
“Oh, you managed to get the ring off?”
“Yeah. It helped thanks to the lotion Reina-san gave me.”
Shibayu sat across from us as she asked about Tsubasa’s ring. It was originally her idea last lunch break when we talked. Reina said she had the lotion on her, and the others just bluntly accepted it…But it caught me thinking. Why would she have that? I could only think of it being used in a weird way. My curiosity got the better of me, so I looked it up online, but I only got back lewd pictures and videos. Maybe she’s also using lube in the same way…?
“U-Um…Reina?”
“What’s up?”
“Why did you have that lube on you?”
I just had to ask. There’s a good chance she might do something weird with it, so I wanted to avoid that possibility.
“I mean, girls used it for makeup and all that. I have to take care of my skin while I’m young or I’ll regret it later.”
“Ah, I see. For makeup, I see.”
Seems like this lube is different from what I had in mind. Now that I think about it, I did hear about skincare or hair lotion before.
“Nanato…Were you thinking of something weird just now?”
She must have seen through my thoughts, as she gave me a teasing glance.
“Did you have lewd thoughts? Something about me using it on you?” Reina grinned.
I was so embarrassed I was forced to look down, but that made me see her cleavage, so I was even more flustered.
“Not at all. I was thinking you’d use it for swimsuit sumo.”
“What kind of use is that?! I’m not some comedian…”
Backed into a corner, I came up with the best possible excuse I could think up in the heat of the moment.
“Stop with the weird misunderstandings. I’m not some pervert.”
“My bad, my bad. But whatever you might be into, I’m down, okay?”
What kindness…Still, whatever I’m into? I think I’m rather normal when it comes to fetishes. I wouldn’t force her to do anything weird.
“We’re still only halfway there, huh?”
“True. But riding the train with you is pretty fun, Nanato.”
“Since we had the entrance exams to worry about last year, we didn’t have much time to hang out, so let’s have fun today.”
“Nanato…I feel the same way. I’ve always dreamt of a day like this.”
Last spring, I did my best to teach Reina as much as possible. Through her efforts, she managed to get into the same school as me. So today, we should be using this chance to reward ourselves for that hard work.
—Reina—
“The park is closed today?!”
We got off the bus and made our way to Rsiney Land, but once we came to the gates, Shibayu screamed in shock.
“For real?!”
Hearing that, all of us were bewildered. To think we’d come on the day they’re closed…
“Just kidding! That was Yuzu’s biggest prank ever!”
Witnessing Shibayu’s confession, both Nanato and Hirose sank to their knees. Even I sighed in relief.
“They just haven’t opened yet. Says they’ll do it in ten minutes.”
“Gotcha. I’m heading to the bathroom in the meantime,” I said, and Shibayu followed me.
I checked the mirror to see if my makeup was still good. Three other girls were next to me doing the same. I guess they all want to look as best as possible.
“Shibayu, do you have any idea what I could use at this park to win over Nanato?” I asked if she had any good strategies.
“Hmm…Maybe you could pretend to be all scared while going through the haunted mansion so you can cling to him as much as you want.”
“Haunted mansions don’t scare me one bit, so I doubt that will work.”
I don’t believe in ghosts and anything the like, so I don’t understand the appeal of those places. I can’t enjoy horror movies, either. Maybe I’m a boring woman?
“How about rollercoasters?”
“Can’t speak of that since I have no experience…I guess I might be a bit scared at high places.”
“Then Yuzu’ll do my best so you can be next to him on the rollercoaster ride. Pretend to be scared and show him how feminine you are.”
I don’t have any confidence that I can force myself to scream. He’ll just think I’m putting up an act to pretend like I’m cute.
“Won’t he just be annoyed at me?”
“Boys like being relied on, so he’ll probably think he has to protect you.”
“Makes sense. I tend to be rather stubborn at times, so I have to show my femininity.”
Maybe he’ll just think of me as boring if I keep up my calm face like this.
“Is there something you want me to help you with, Shibayu?”
“Not really. Yuzu would rather not overstep her boundary and make Tsubasa-chan hate her. She’s satisfied as long as she can have fun.”
“Don’t play tough like that. I bet you wanna hug her real bad, right? This is the perfect chance, so take a step forward. I’ll help if I can,” I rubbed her head because she looked pretty lonely.
Rather than regretting not doing anything, it’d be better to take a step forward and regret something later on.
“Reinan…Yeah, you’re right. Yuzu should use this chance to be more assertive.”
“Exactly. If you just stay down, no way a miracle could happen.”
“True. Please, let Yuzu experience a lucky pervert moment with Tsubasa-chan!” She put her hands together in a prayer.
I think it’s a weird way of being assertive, but I regularly turn into an idiot because of Nanato, so I’m not one to speak. We all returned from the bathroom and entered the Risney Land that had opened now. It was a lot less crowded than I thought, but not that small a number where you couldn’t get lost. I bet lining up for stuff is gonna take ages…
“You were just feeling annoyed at the idea of lining up, weren’t you Reinan?” Shibayu guessed what I was thinking, so I forced a smile.
“Nowadays, you can easily find your way around with the smartphone app, and because they marked up the popular attractions, you can see how much traffic is everywhere.”
“Oh, huh? That couldn’t be any more convenient.”
Since I was so focused on becoming an adult soon, my parents never took me to a theme park. And I said I wouldn’t go even if they did. That’s why I don’t even know how things usually proceed here. I guess I can only leave it to Shibayu.
“So, let’s use up today’s quick pass and check out as much as we can before we’re out of time.”
Nobody objected to Shibayu’s idea, so we all followed her.
“Let’s keep it simple for starters.” Shibayu pointed at something looking like a character from the part, spinning around.
I guess that would work just fine.
“It can fit two people at once, so let’s decide with rock, paper, scissors.”
Since we’re five people, splitting will be rather difficult. One person would have to take the ride alone.
“Let’s do that!”
“Let’s rock that!”
Everyone cheered in unison except Shiroki.
“What the hell was that just now? How adorable was that.”
“I haven’t heard that in such a long time. And it’s as cute as always.”
“Tsubasa-chan, you tryna kill Yuzu with your cuteness?”
Hirose, Nanato, and Shibayu all groaned in unison at how cute Shiroki was. Dialect? Really? She’s cute just by talking? Not fair.
“Agh, I didn’t mean to…How embarrassing…”
Even as she was flustered, her femininity was on full display. You’re cheating at this point! I’m gonna report you to the teacher! In the end, Nanato got paired with Hirose, I was with Shiroki, and Shibayu had to ride solo. Since we got paired up right away, I thought it’d be best to discuss things with Shiroki. We both got on the ride, with Nanato and Hirose in the ride in front of us. Watching them ride together on such an adorable right was rather funny, so I decided to snap a picture. Then, our own ride started moving. It didn’t look as scary when we looked at it, but with the take-off, I was starting to feel scared.
“Oh, this is pretty fun, right Reina-san?”
“Y-Yeah. I didn’t expect it to be so thrilling.”
Shiroki seemed to be genuinely enjoying herself. I guess she doesn’t feel scared of this whatsoever.
“You know, Nanato uploaded some real cringe poems on his social media back in early middle school.”
“What are you telling them?! Keep my dark past a secret from her, got it?!”
“It’s an exciting game to take the risk and see if you can actually hear me or not.”
The two guys were fooling around, and we could totally hear them.
“In our second year of middle school, Itsuki got a virus after checking out a porn site and started crying in front of me!”
“You bastard! That’s way worse!”
Watching them wrestle as they always did indeed healed my fear of this attraction.
“They’re some big dummies, huh?”
“Yeah. You know, back in Fukuoka, Nanato-kun always wanted a male friend, so I’m happy he’s found one in Hirose-kun.”
Hearing about a Nanato I didn’t know frustrated me.
“You know that there may be students from our school walking around here, yeah?”
I jumped right to the point, warning her that she shouldn’t get too close to Nanato while we were in public.
“I know. I wouldn’t want Nanato-kun to be the target of some weird rumors.”
“Exactly. I don’t like to tie you down like this, but I appreciate it.”
She might be thinking that she can use this situation to get all touchy with Nanato, but I won’t let her.
“And more than worrying about Nanato-kun, I want to have fun today.”
“…Yeah, that makes sense.”
I forgot something important today. I was so focused on Shiroki and Nanato that I completely missed the point of having fun today. And Shiroki reminded me of that. She never saw this as another battleground.
“Sorry. I completely missed the point and caused needless conflict.”
“It’s fine. I just want to have fun with you and everyone else, so let’s stop talking about this.”
Today, we shouldn’t try to fight over Nanato in an attempt to steal him and instead have fun. If she feels this way, then I can take it easy. Maybe I really am just too self-absorbed. Looking at how pure she is makes me feel like I’ve got a nasty personality.
“What kind of character do you like in Risney?”
To dispel this heavy atmosphere, Shiroki changed the topic.
“The Beast Beauty Bell.”
“Really? I prefer Cinderella.”
She actually dropped the name of the character I despise the most. How do I say this…We really don’t match at all. Even our thoughts are the exact opposite.
We finished our first attraction and then headed for a haunted house. It took us a bit of a wait, but we managed to enter just fine. The surrounding area was dark, as scary pictures were hung up everywhere. It was definitely a haunted house aimed at children because I doubt anybody our age or older would get scared of this.
“Waaah, Nanato-kun!”
Something looking like a ghost walked past Shiroki, who shrieked in fear and jumped at Nanato. Wait a damn second! What was that about just enjoying the amusement park today?! You’re going for the kill right away! You didn’t seem scared at all until a minute ago, either!
“You okay, Tsubasa?”
“I…I don’t think I can handle this…It’s my first time coming to a haunted house, so I’m really scared…”
“Then stick close to me.”
“Yeah, got it.”
Shiroki pulled off exactly what Shibayu suggested, which made Nanato show his reliable side. I was a bit jealous, but I really didn’t want to stoop that low.
“Yuzu is scared too, Tsubasa-chan!”
Meanwhile, Shibayu showed flawless acting as she clung to Shiroki in return. She’s definitely not scared.
“Let’s hold hands, Yuzuyu-chan.”
“Okay. Yuzu might cry.”
Yeah, she might start crying, but for a different reason.
“You’re not scared at all, huh?” I whispered to Hirose behind me.
“That’s because you’re a lot scarier than anything hiding in here.”
“Gross.” I glared at Hirose.
If we weren’t friends, I’d definitely not be around him any more than necessary.
“You okay, Reina?” Nanato turned around to look at me with a worried gaze.
“I’m fine.”
I knew he’d be kind to me if I showed my weakness, but my pride wouldn’t allow that.
“Eeek!”
Now I heard a loud crashing sound, which made even me scream.
“Don’t force yourself,” Nanato said and took my hand.
I’m not forcing myself or anything, but I guess it must have looked like I was playing tough. Still, he really is so kind…I’m gonna keep holding his hand and gradually get closer to—
“Ah, it’s over already.”
It ended right as we got to the good part?! Read the mood, dangit!
“They called his place a pension, but it was rather small, huh?” Nanato said as he let go of my hand.
Gaaaah, Not long enough…!
“It’s time to go to the attraction we reserved earlier,” Shibayu said as she looked at her smartphone.
We saw a large dragon attraction in the distance, with a dragon zooming down a waterfall with screams reaching us. That…Definitely looks a bit too terrifying for my taste. Shibayu said it wasn’t that big of a deal, but my legs started shaking. I’m getting worried if I make it through this…
—Nanato—
I’m glad I’m alive. That was my genuine feeling right now. Going to a theme park with friends is a part of youth I never thought I’d experience. This time might be the most fulfilling in my life so far. I would never be able to feel this fulfilled all by myself, so I have nothing but gratitude for my friends. We headed to Squat Mountain, the name of the rollercoaster, and although we announced our arrival there, there were still a lot of people waiting.
“How is it, Tsubasa? Enjoying the amusement park of a city?”
“Yeah. I always gave up on visiting Risney Land until I’d become an adult, so this is like a dream come true.”
Since we lived in the middle of nowhere, we always envied those who could go to Risney Land like this. But even now, it feels unreal.
“And being with Nanato-kun makes everything so much better.”
I guess I wasn’t the only one who was indulging in this situation. It’s not like I was doing anything bad directly, but I’m glad she’s enjoying herself for all the years I left her by herself.
“Hey, hey.”
As I was enjoying my conversation with Tsubasa, Reina approached me with a rather severe expression.
“There’s two men wearing suits behind us. They don’t look like they’re here for fun, and isn’t it suspicious for two grown men to ride this?”
Just as Reina said, I saw those two suspicious men.
“For real? Smells like trouble to me.”
Of course, people all have different tastes, so it’d be polite to watch over them with a smile, but I can’t help worrying. We split up the group, ending up with Reina and I, Shibayu and Tsubasa, and Itsuki. Since a rollercoaster is more exciting than scary, I was looking forward to it quite a bit.
“Are you good with rollercoasters, Reina?”
I never really asked her about this before. She seemed a bit scared at the haunted mansion earlier, but she should be fine with rollercoasters.
“Never rode one of these so I don’t know, but I should be fine.”
“Gotcha. I figured you’d be riding these at least once a month.”
“Why would you think that?”
I thought a flashy woman like her would love the thrill, but maybe that was just my prejudice at work.
“You look a bit pale. You good?” I asked Reina, who was fidgeting awkwardly.
“I might be a bit worried, if only a little bit.”
“You should just be honest with these things.”
Reina is the type of person to play strong, so I’m usually worried she goes too far.
“I was fine for the first thing we rode, so I should be able to handle myself.”
“That? You can’t even compare that. This one is terrifying.”
“No way?!”
The first one moved at a slow speed and up and down, but the rollercoaster is a lot faster.
“Oh no…But I can’t just leave again…”
“Just close your eyes and it’ll be fine.”
“But the darkness worries me…Can I cling to you?” She looked at me directly.
This weakness she shows from time to time is absolutely adorable.
“Sorry, that was a bit cringe, huh? I’ll handle it myself.” Reina blushed and hid her face.
She’s acting tough again.
“No can do. We’re gonna make it through this together.” I grabbed her arm.
I can’t leave her alone like this.
“Nanato…”
The staff guided us and let us board the rollercoaster. We ended up at the front, arguably the scariest place. Reina embraced my arm and pulled herself closer. I could tell she was shaking. We put on the seatbelts, and the whole machinery started moving. We moved forward, as various characters appeared to the left and right.
“Oh? This might not be so bad?”
Reina seemingly calmed down and showed a confident smile. However, with a rattling sound, we accelerated.
“Nevermind, this is too much!”
She clung to me and shivered in terror. My arm was wrapped in her chest, making it too much for me in a different sense. And because she was only wearing light clothes, I could see right down her cleavage. The characters around us were whispering, saying stuff like “Look at us instead,” but I was utterly focused on Reina’s body.
“Oh no…Can’t we go back?”
“No more. You just have to get through with this.”
Reina was screaming with tears in her eyes as the coaster sped up further. My body was starting to shake, too. But rather out of excitement than fear.
“No! I can’t! This is stupid!” Reina got pissed in order to cope with her fear, headbutting my arm.
“It’s coming! It’s coming!”
We reached the peak, allowing us to see the scenery outside. The rapid drop was approaching soon.
“Don’t! Get away from me!”
I’ve never seen her this bewildered. But even so, the only thing I can do is hold her hand.
“Nanato! This is actually bad! We might die!”
The drop was right in front of us and she started crying for real.
“Is there anything you have left to say before you regret never saying it?” I returned these words in the hopes of her calming down, but…
“I’ve always loved you, Nanato!”
Together with these words, our coaster rushed straight down. As my body began to float ever so slightly, all the memories I made with Reina rushed into my mind like I was watching my final moments pass me by. I always had trouble dealing with gals, and Reina couldn’t stand men. We should have been the worst possible pairing, but through entrance exams and our studies, we managed to overcome that and move on together. We’d laugh together, get angry together, and share both bitterness and fun. Giving presents, helping each other. She even allowed me to check inside her skirt once in order to overcome my trauma. She filled the gap left by Susuki and Ootsuka, and not long after, we became best friends.
I always had a feeling that she liked me because she’d been getting rather assertive after we moved up into high school. And, the fact that she seemingly liked me all this time formed a definitive feeling toward her in my chest. But…I also like Tsubasa…
“Cold!”
The coaster ended its descent as a bit of water splashed our upper bodies. Looking over at Reina, she seemed like she just went through an out-of-body experience.
“You okay, Reina?”
“Huh? Ah, yeah…It’s over…”
She finally returned to her senses.
“Since we were at the forefront, we got splashed with a bit of water, huh?”
“Yeah. My top and bottom are both drenched.
It didn’t seem that bad to me, but if she said so… After that, she just went silent without really looking at me. She must be bewildered that she just came clear about her feelings for me in the heat of the moment. Honestly, I’m not calm at all, but more than anything, I feel relieved. We got off the coaster, struggling to walk straight because we had to get used to being on the ground again.
“They take pictures right during the descent which you can buy here,” Shibayu said so we all went to check it out.
“Sorry, I said something weird earlier. Don’t worry about it.” Reina tapped me on the shoulder, whispering in my ear.
“Y-Yeah.”
Of course, there’s no way I could just shrug it off. Rather than some joke, it felt like those were the genuine feelings she kept locked away inside of her all this time. But, if we were to make all that a fact, we wouldn’t be able to keep our current relationship. I checked the picture of our descent, which showed Reina looking at me with a love-drunk gaze. I…think she really likes me. Not to mention since middle school, if I can believe her words. And with all that, there’s no way I couldn’t be conscious of her. Of course, I’ve always seen her as a girl, but…she wants to go out with me. Knowing that, I don’t think I can treat her the same way as before.
What to do…Staying as friends while ignoring her feelings is definitely a no-go. I’m sure that going out with Reina would make me happy. But…As I said, I also love Tsubasa. I don’t think I can find myself choosing between them, which is just absolutely pathetic. But doing things in a half-baked way would only hurt both of them more. It was a luxurious thing to worry about, but thinking about the future scared me. How do I find the answer which I see no way of reaching…If I were to choose one of them, the group would fall apart. I would obtain something great, but lose something even greater in return.
Returning to Shibayu and the others, Reina’s expression had returned to normal. I was still utterly bewildered, but I had to get a grip so that we could enjoy the rest of the day—
—Reina—
I did it…I went and did it…I’m such an idiot. It’s all over. What am I saying?! Right at the drop of the rollercoaster, the fear got the better of me and I blurted out something unnecessary. I mean…I was genuinely terrified. Who even made that spawn from hell?! I really thought I was going to die, so…I confessed. I did say I liked him before, but that was in the context of being friends. Surely, he must have realized. I’m just not asking him to go out, but this was pretty much a confession.
I told Nanato not to worry about it, but he’s clearly taken aback. At the very least, I’m just glad he doesn’t have me. There was always a chance he would push me away after I confessed. Ahhh, what even…Now this’ll make it harder to be close to him! And while I was a bit away from the others, holding my head, Shiroki glanced at me…
Noon rolled around so we all collectively decided we should grab a bite to eat. They all headed to the bathroom, while Shibayu and I reserved a table.
“Hey, Reinan?”
“Yeeeeeah?”
So much happened, I was too exhausted to even mutter anything in an energetic voice.
“Are you stupid?”
So she did hear me, sitting right behind us on the coaster…That means Shiroki did, too. I can already tell this is gonna be annoying to explain.
“I went and did it! What am I doing?!”
“That was too much! You made Yuzu fear for her life for a whole different reason! How do you just confess like that?”
“It wasn’t a confession…My feelings just came out, and…”
That’s right. That wasn’t a confession. I just said I like him.
“Tsubasa-chan had a majorly conflicted expression, too.”
Well…We did promise that we wouldn’t confess to him, so I’ve pretty much gone and gone behind her back despite being the one who set it up.
“Waaah…No more rollercoasters for me. I’ve got my own trauma now.”
“Don’t say that. Seeing you absolutely terrified like that was adorable.”
“I just looked pathetic. He must be disappointed in me.”
From an objective point of view, I was clearly lame. Just like Shiroki in the haunted house, only worse.
“But think about it. It wouldn’t be so bad if he knows of your feelings, right? That way, he has to pay more attention to you.”
“But he could also realize that dating me won’t work and reject me.”
“No, I’m pretty sure he likes you. No reason to worry.”
Shibayu’s words pierced my heart. She really knows how to make me happy.
“For real?!”
“Yeah. But Yuzu doesn’t know if his feelings for you can win against his feelings for Tsubasa-chan.”
She showed me reality without any hesitation, pulling me down to the pits of hell.
“Don’t say that…”
“It’s better to be realistic than optimistic. Now that your feelings have become apparent, it’s pretty much the start of the real fight. If you just watch from the sidelines, you’ll get KO’d.”
“No way I can lose that.”
“Plus, now that Amamicchi knows how both you and Tsubasa-chan feel, he’ll be forced to make a choice. If you don’t get chosen there, it’s over. There’s no going back anymore.”
Just as Shibayu stated, Nanato knows I like him as a boy, so he’ll be forced to think. I just have to do whatever it takes so that he’ll choose me. And while I was fully regretting my actions, the others returned. Nanato was talking to Hirose, acting as usual, so he must have relaxed. However, Shiroki gave me a condescending look as before.
We finished eating and then headed for the next attraction. Nanato and Hirose went to take pictures with the mascot walking down the path, so I tabbed Shiroki on the shoulder. She’s been looking at me all this time, so she might be actually pissed for good.
“If there’s something you wanna say, then get it over with.”
“We’re here to have fun.”
“But letting it out will make you feel refreshed, right?”
I want to make up for what I did, so I’d appreciate it if she just got it over with.
“Did you just confess to Nanato-kun while on the rollercoaster ride?”
So it did reach her. To be honest, if I witnessed Shiroki confessing her love like that in front of me, I would probably react in a similar way.
“I did say I like him, but it wasn’t a confession. I didn’t ask for him to go out with me.”
“I see. That’s a relief…” Shiroki sighed.
“But, I apologize for saying that. No way can he just let that slide and forget.”
“Can’t help expressing your feelings. I also told Nanato-kun that I still see him as my fiancé, so we’ve done similar things.”
“…Huh?”
Doesn’t that mean you’re more than willing to marry him? Let alone a confession, you pretty much proposed to him. She’s a bit of a dunce so she might not realize, but she pretty much admitted to liking him. She’s gone even beyond what I did! I have no reason to even apologize! What do I do…How did Nanato feel after hearing that? But, it’s a double-edged sword for her. Nanato might think she’s a bit too clingy of a woman if she basically is asking for marriage in high school. And knowing her, she probably does not even realize that.
“That’s not fair.”
“But I didn’t ask to go out with him.”
You wench…Using the same excuse as me. Now I can’t argue back at all!
“Also, aren’t you the one not playing fair? Making Nanato-kun your fake boyfriend and being able to be as lovey-dovey as you want.”
“…Yeah, I guess I’m not one to talk.”
Shiroki would not let me live this down. I’m doing everything I can, so she’ll use every chance she can.
“At this rate, we can only wait until Nanato-kun takes action.”
“Yeah, we’re out of options now.”
I understand how she felt, and she should know what I’m going through. We like the same person, so we can understand.
“But still, no confessions, got it?”
“Yeah. We’re just going to make him confess to us.”
Once he’s in love with either of us, he’ll probably be unable to keep up with all our attacks and ask one of us to date. Until that day comes, giving up is not an option, and I have to show myself at my best. If I get chosen, I’ll be able to live a happy future…But if I don’t, despair will wait. Of course, being rejected is something everybody experiences at least once, but I’m scared.
But surely, the same must be the case for Shiroki. Running away will result in an automatic loss. I can only challenge this hurdle. But I have to be ready to accept whatever result may await me—
—Tsubasa—
Being able to see Risney Land with my own eyes is such a blissful occasion. Nanato-kun is with me, too, and so are my friends. It’s like I’m living a dream come true. I never would have managed to make it here by myself. I wasn’t just running after Nanato-kun anymore. I had everyone else with me. Just being with him made me happy, and so many good things happened. He’s like a power spot to me.
“Tsubasa-chan, let’s take a picture together!”
We reached a wall that would look good on social media, so Yuzuyu-chan took my hand and asked me to take a picture.
“I’ll take it.”
“Thanks, Reinan.”
Reina-san accepted Yuzuyu-chan’s phone to take a picture of us. The two of them have gotten pretty friendly lately. I often see them together.
“Tsubasa-chaaan!”
Yuzuyu-chan clung to me with a sweet voice. I guess it’s that friendliness that allowed her to become friends with Reina-san…
“That…wasn’t too much, was it?”
We finished taking the picture when Yuzuyu-chan stepped away from me, asking. Maybe I seemed a bit like a Debbie Downer?
“Not at all. Come here.”
I opened my arms, to which Yuzuyu-chan jumped into them.
“So…A god really exists…”
“I think you’re exaggerating a bit?!”
It’s like she saw the world being saved from the brink of destruction. We may be the same age, but I would have loved to have a little sister like her.
“I got a pic of your embrace too,” Reina-san reported, returning the phone to Yuzuyu-chan.
“Thanks, Reinan. I’ll pay you 70k later.”
“I don’t need that cash,” Reina-san sighed in disbelief at Yuzuyu-chan going crazy.
“Oh yeah, why don’t you two take a pic together, too?”
““Huh?””
Both Reina-san and I gasped in shock at the same time.
““Well…””
We couldn’t directly decline, but also didn’t agree, either. Reina-san stood next to me with a bit of distance between us. There was only one arm that would fit between us, but the rift felt much bigger. If either of us didn’t take the plunge to make the first move, we probably wouldn’t ever get close.
“Okay, cheese!”
Yuzuyu-chan gave us the signal and I tried to force a smile, but it was rather awkward in the end.
“You’re both so different and yet you’re just adorable.”
Yuzuyu-chan showed us the picture, depicting the two of us with awfully similar expressions. Our looks and appearance couldn’t be more different, and yet we had the exact same expression right now. That in itself was so hilarious, even Reina-san had to laugh. We may have gotten into a bit of an argument earlier, but we realized that we just wanted to have fun today. That said, what happened on the rollercoaster definitely threw me off.
She was perfectly fine during our walk through the haunted house, yet she seemed terrified for her life when we rode the rollercoaster. She was practically glued to Nanato-kun, so she was probably trying to seduce him with her well-endowed body. And in the end, she even said that she likes him. Since she must have known that I was listening, this may very well have been a declaration of war.
And since we got off the rollercoaster, the way Nanato-kun looked at her has changed, too. I always trace Nanato-kun with my eyes, so I knew. Things would be dangerous if they continued. I was satisfied because he came over to visit the other day, but if I stay at this level, Reina-san will take him from me. Because of the atmosphere and fun of the amusement park, I was simply enjoying myself, but I also found myself wanting him more. These irregular times are what’s pushing my back.
My chest felt hot. I want to touch Nanato-kun. Since the parade was about to begin soon, people started gathering around us. A pleasant BGM started playing, and Yuzuyu-chan pointed in a direction.
“Come here, Nanato-kun.”
“Wha…?!”
I grabbed Nanato-kun’s arm and pulled him in the opposite direction of the parade.
“What’s wrong? We’re gonna end up separated from the others.”
“Sorry, I just can’t deal with the crowd…”
“Gotcha. Then let’s head over here.”
He took me to a place where there weren’t many people around. I ended up lying to him, but I was also feeling a bit tired regardless. I had so much fun I didn’t even realize, but I want to take it easy for the rest of the day…with Nanato-kun.
“Sorry, I didn’t even realize. You just came to the big city, so these crowds must be overwhelming.”
“No, I’m sorry. Right as the parade started.”
“Don’t worry, you’re more important than the parade anyway.”
His words made me incredibly happy. It reminded me of when we were little kids. He’d always prioritized me back then, too. We stepped out from a path mostly isolated from the crowd, sitting down on a bench to take a break.
“I sent the others a message to meet up after the parade is over, so let’s take it easy here.”
“Okay, thanks.”
He even set up everything so we wouldn’t worry anybody. It makes me really realize that he treasures me, filling my chest with warmth.
“I do feel a bit tired…” I rested my head on his shoulder.
Normally, I would never do such a thing, but this bristling atmosphere made me go crazy.
“We walked around a lot and had fun after all.”
“That’s true. And I get to have all this fun because of you, Nanato-kun.”
“It’s because you came to Tokyo to see me.”
“But it was you who motivated me.”
I gently touched his arm, feeling his warmth. It was comforting to the point I just rested easy and relaxed. Everything was feeling great, but the couple sitting diagonally ahead of us on the bench suddenly started kissing passionately. Nanato-kun must have seen that and awkwardly averted his gaze. If the two of us started dating, we’d probably indulge in kisses like this. And then, my feelings for him would probably explode. The night of such a day, I doubt I would be able to sleep.
“That reminds me…Did you and Reina-san kiss before, Nanato-kun?”
I remembered seeing Reina-san and Nanato-kun about to kiss back at the karaoke box.
“Nope. We don’t have that sort of relationship yet after all.”
I saw it with my own eyes, and yet he lied. Also, “yet?” So he’s planning on making that relationship a reality? I also want to kiss him. Since he’s doing that with Reina-san despite not dating her, I want it, too.
“…I’m sorry, but I actually saw the two of you when you were kissing.”
“Huh?! Wait, are you sure you’re not misunderstanding something?”
Nanato-kun was utterly bewildered. He’s not good at acting, so this reaction tells me he was speaking the truth after all.
“Back at the karaoke box, right? I happened to witness that…”
“…Ah. Back then? That was just because this weird card forced me to kiss Reina on the cheek.”
So it was just a kiss on the cheek…I was relieved at first, but that didn’t change much in the grand scheme.
“So you’re fine kissing whoever on the cheek just because they’re your friend?”
“Um…I couldn’t talk my way out of it, so…”
It was probably because he trusts Reina-san that much. I get that, but I just couldn’t shake this frustration.
“Sorry, it’s not good to do that even if you’re friends, right?”
“Hee hee, I’m sorry, too. I didn’t mean to corner you like that.”
I just…can’t hold back these feelings. My body was seeking him out. It won’t listen to me.
“I’m going to help you reflect on that.”
I have to support him. If he did something wrong, then we have to resolve it together.
“Huh?”
“Was it something like this?”
I gave Nanato-kun’s cheek a profound kiss. My heart felt fulfilled like fireworks filling the night sky. So just a simple kiss could make you feel this happy?
“Wh-What are you doing?!”
Yeah, I don’t blame him for panicking…Only after calming down did I realize what frivolous an act I had just committed.
“Reina-san’s fine but I’m not?”
“Huh?! No, um…It’s barely safe.”
Nanato-kun was Nanato-kun, blushing furiously as he panicked.
“But, it’s not good to do this, so let’s reflect on it together, yeah?”
“R-Right, sounds good.”
Even though I should be satisfied with a kiss like this, my feelings urge me to ask for more. I want to start dating him so that we can kiss properly.
“Nanato-kun…”
“We should go back to the others.”
“Y-Yeah, right.”
But I forgot that we were here with everyone else. By staying with Nanato-kun, it’s like I entered my own world. My feelings were about to burst, but I shook my head to swallow them again. I should be satisfied with this today. Any more, and I’ll go crazy…
—Nanato—
Tsubasa kissed me. It was a kiss like I did to Reina before, but she was the one who instigated it. Is it really this different just because I had it done to me? Tsubasa let out a passionate breath as she looked at me with love-smitten eyes. I could directly feel how much she longed for me. Be it Reina or Tsubasa, the stimuli they give me by being with them is no joke. They’re both openly showing their feelings, but I don’t have the necessary preparation done to accept them.
Of course, I’m not that dense to not catch on to their feelings. I’m happy that two girls as cute as they harbor these feelings for me, but I have to pick one eventually. And how could I? Why would it be me? I could see a future where the two of them would fall in love with Itsuki, but I’m not part of his realm. Tsubasa just came here from the countryside, she might find someone better than me. Not to mention that I’m curious about Shibayu’s feelings.
“I wonder where everyone went?”
The parade ended, so Tsubasa and I made our way back to everyone.
“They said to meet at that castle entrance thing.”
It was a bit of a walk, so I used this chance to talk with Tsubasa some more.
“Hey, Tsubasa?”
“What’s up?”
“Let’s say…What if you happen to run into the perfect guy who’s kind and cool and good-looking, someone who’s your ideal man, in the near future?”
Now I asked…I’d rather get this out of the way now before it hurts later on.
“…But that is who you are to me, Nanato-kun.”
No…No, that can’t be. But, that makes me really happy. I fell silent because of her answer, as she watched me with a warm gaze.
“We’ve been together for ten years and more, and knowing you now, I’m sure there’s nobody better for me in the future, or ever.”
“…You’re exaggerating.”
“It’s my evaluation of you, so you can say as much as you want, it won’t change.”
Tsubasa’s words reassured me. As long as I didn’t hurt her in any way, she would probably stay my ally forever. Shortly after, we reached the castle in question and headed for the next attraction.
Time passed quicker than I’d preferred, so we quickly headed to the souvenir shop and then left Risney Land. I didn’t know if we were all sad that it was over or tired from all the fun we had, but we didn’t talk much on the way home on the crowded train.
“Going home is such a pain.” Reina was completely out of energy, leaning against me while softly being shaken left and right.
“It was fun but also exhausting.”
“Yeah. I think I’m gonna sleep right after I get home.” Reina covered her mouth while yawning.
She rarely showed this kind of gesture, making it clear how tired she was.
“Ahn!”
Since the train shook a bit stronger, I wanted to support her from falling over, but I accidentally grabbed her chest.
“Nanato, what was that for?”
“S-Sorry, I tried to hold you.”
With their size, I could almost hear a SQUISH sound effect coming from her chest. That’s how voluptuous they are. They even pushed back on my grip.
“I’m sleepy, so you’re forgiven.”
“Don’t let something like this slide so easily…”
It wouldn’t have been weird if she blew a fuse at me, but I guess she’s just that tired.
“Huh? Cinderella’s Castle? I thought we left Risney?” Reina gazed outside the castle, seemingly half-asleep already.
“That’s just a love hotel looking like a castle.”
“Oh, huh…”
Out here, there’s a lot of love hotels. Another looked like a palace.
“I’d love to go there one day. I bet it’d be fun.”
“Wha…”
Her bold statement completely threw me off.
“…Ah. Not in a weird way! With the person I love, of course!”
She was trying to make excuses, but it didn’t really play in her favor.
“You shouldn’t say that in front of a guy, you know.”
“I’m tired so my head didn’t work properly!” Reina roared in anger with a red face.
You were being serious about that? Going there with Reina…No, I shouldn’t be thinking about that. The train continued to shake us left and right, until we finally reached the train station we started at. I walked the rest of the way home with Tsubasa and Reina, but both of them seemed at their limit, not talking at all. Once I reached home, I took a shower and went straight to bed, falling asleep instantly.
CClaw Translations 