Chapter 8
It was almost three days past New Year's when I got a call from Itsaki.
Mahiru and I passed the New Year, and we made sure to pay our first respects of the year, so we spent our time relaxing and quiet. I was worried that Itsuki wouldn't contact us during that time, but even I was quite shaken the moment his name was displayed in the notification section of the message.
Having read the message firmly asking if they’d be able to meet now, Amane sent a reply of agreement without a second thought.
After turning down Mahiru, who was studying with him in the living room, Amane left the house, sent a message, and headed for the park where they were supposed to meet The cold air stung his cheeks as winter turned into the main event, but Amane paid it no mind as he walked down the quiet road.
Itsaki was apparently nearby, so it wouldn't take long, so if he dared to walk to the park at just the right speed, he arrived at the same time as Ittsuki, who had just walked in.
As expected, she was wearing a thick coat, a scarf, and ear protectors, as well as cold gear, which were clearly designed to protect against the cold today.
As I was relieved that I didn’t seem to have caught a cold after what happened on New Year’s Eve, I saw the usual light smile on Ituki’s face.
"Happy New Year."
"Happy New Year. I'm looking forward to working with you again this year. Oh, I borrowed this coat and scarf. You saved me. I didn't catch a cold.”
At any rate, at a glance, inside the paper bag handed to me by the usual-looking Itsuki was a neatly folded coat and scarf, and on top of that was a box of expensive-looking sweets for some reason, as if I'd been indebted to him, so I couldn’t help but smile at how dutiful this sort of place was.
“You didn't have to worry about it I just lent it to you on my own.”
“If Dad borrowed it, he'd say he's an idiot. Whose fault did he have to borrow it.. Well, there's no point in complaining."
Her tone sounded like she was spitting it out, but there was no revulsion in her voice itself. She seemed to have calmed down quite a bit since then, and for Amane, who hadn’t heard from her, it was a quiet relief.
“Oh, go ahead and do that with Shina-san. Thank you for taking care of me on New Year's Eve."
“I didn't really do anything.’’
"That's how it is with you. ..I'd really like to give it to Shuuto-san, since he helped me out, but I don't know his address, and it'd be rude to just send it to him if I asked around.’’
“I think Dad would probably say, 'I didn’t do anything, so don't worry about it'”
"Haha,you sound like you'd say that They're just like father and daughter."
“I really didn't do anything.’’
Shuuto was the one who mainly consulted with him, and Shuuto lighten Ituki's heart It wasn't something Amane should be thanked for, so if he denied that, he was sent one of the words that had been frequently directed at him lately, saying, "That's how it is, isn't it?” and when he made a sour face, he laughed.
Amane stared intently at Ituki's face as the poison drained from him at the sound of his non-teasing, yet casual laugh
Her light smile, as if she’d lowered something on her back, made me realize that I didn’t have anything to worry about. Just in case, I whittled down the worry I'd hidden deep in my chest
He walked slowly next to Ituki, who could see from the outside that he was in a mostly calm state of mind, and sat down on an empty bench.
It seemed that no one but Amane and the others had gone out of their way to talk in the park in this cold weather. The park, which would normally be quiet with children, was quite quiet, with only the sound of airplanes and the faint wind rustling the trees in the distance.
“Did you have a fight?’’
He wasn't sure if it was okay to ask, but it also seemed like he’d been waiting for Ituki to hear it.
That's why I asked her, as if to break the silence that had been hanging over me for about ten minutes.
I asked Raphas much as I could, and just like Amane, Ituki shrugged his shoulders with his usual smile and said to Raph, 'We had a fight the moment we ran away from home already.’’ "Well, I guess so. ..Have you made any progress?"
"There is, and there isn't Nii-san and Dad are in the Cold War. I'll leave them half alone, and Mom can talk to each other as much as she wants. My family is generally individualistic.’’
I don't know about my family, but her voice sounds bitter, but she doesn't speak in a cold voice that makes my chest tighten on New Year's Eve. It's like she's desperate.
“Hey, heyi’
'Yeah.’
“I've been thinking about it ever since then. Shuuto-san said that if we're going to get people to listen to us, we need to work hard to get them to sit down."
'You're right."
“I figured you'd be the one who wouldn't go to the negotiating table if you didn't set up a meeting. You were unfaithful, but I was the first one to kick off the discussion, wasn't I?”
Leaning against the back of the bench, Itsuki murmured nostalgically and regretfully, then looked up at the sky and closed his eyes.
“You know I'm against my dad, right?"
'Yeah."
"After arguing with Dad, who couldn't accept that I'd changed, Dad stopped trusting me because of Chii, and then I turned against Dad even more and started a vicious cycle. ..Well, it's only natural that I would interfere. I was the quiet, serious, and obedient honor student type until I met Chii. Even if I made a mistake, I wasn't a cheeky kid who'd laugh and take an irresponsible attitude. From Dad's point of view, when he thought he'd gotten a girlfriend, he suddenly became a sloppy, insincere, and frivolous person.’’
'You're the one who said it's a joke."
“Shut up, I'm aware of it.”
When he dared to make fun of her, she would return it as usual, and Amane was relieved to hear that.
“It's only natural for a parent to be dissatisfied or object to their relationship if their serious, docile child becomes the complete opposite of their personality, and they end up getting hurt and being called to school on top of that There's no point in interpreting their son as being captured by a strange woman. ..Damn, we don't know that changing each other is something I suggested."
The palm of her raised hand fell, as if to hide Ituki's eyes.
As if to block her line of sight, as if to concentrate her thoughts.
“My dad's my dad, so it's bad that he's so fixated on me, but it'd be my feult if I gave him the basics. I can understand why he'd get stubborn if I became like that when I was oversensitive about my brothers. At least if I'd maintained my reputation at school, I think he would've listened to me a little more."
As he spoke, Ituki seemed to regret it, but at the same time, he seemed to understand that there were things he couldn't take back, and his voice was strong, as if he was looking ahead to the end.
"I knew it I knew it, but I was the one who averted my eyes. I was also the one that ran away in an easy direction. ..I was the beginning."
Slowly, the palms covering her eyes parted.
There was a definite light in her exposed eyes, and her gaze, so powerful that it left my eyes wide open, asserted her firm determination even now.
Not only did he regret his past, but his quiet, unwavering eyes caught Amane as if he was convinced of what he had to do next.
I don't think I need to worry anymore.
“That's why I'm going to do my best to increase the number of cards in my hand in orderto earn your approval," Amane quietly nodded at Ituki, who smiled as he said it so clearly.
“It's not like I'm going to be a good girl just like Dad's ideals, though. I get that if I just want to do this and neglect everything else, he won't listen to me. That's why I want to get him back. I'll start with trust. ...That's true if he says it's too late."
"I see. AU I can do is cheer you on, but 111 be watching."
The only thing I can do for Amane after seeing through Itsaki's determination is to understand his efforts and reach out to him when he's in trouble. Itsuki is probably the one who understands better than anyone that he has to do it himself.
That’s why I'm not going to lay a finger on him. I’ll just watch him stand up straight.
"Tell me you're not slacking off by putting pressure on me every once in a while, 'cause I'll be all over you.”
“If you don't like it, 111 at least kick your ass."
“Hey, hey, aren't you trying to give me a gentle push?”
“Oh? I was hoping you'd give me a gentle push."
She looks away awkwardly when I smile. It's probably something close to hiding her embarrassment. Because it's Amane, I can guess.
"..Do whatever you want, Amane."
"Yeah, 111 do whatever I want. I think you can do whatever you want too."
"Yeah. Ill do my best."
Seemingly embarrassed that Amane had assumed a supportive stance, Itsuki nodded, still carrying that embarrassment, after his cheeks wriggled.
I glanced down at my phone, secretly relieved that Itsuki had calmed down after deciding on our next course of action, and saw a stamp on the talk.
“What are you going to tell Chitóse?”
When Amane checked his message history to make sure Itsaki couldn't see, and asked while turning off his smartphone screen, Ittsuki's cheeks stiffened in an easy-to-understand way.
“..I'm the one who started this, so I know I shouldn't get you involved. But I want to be with you from now on, so if you'll forgive me, I want you to do your best with me. If you say it's painful, 111 do something about it on my own.”
I have no intention of leaving her. Just hearing that is enough.
“Chitóse will always be by Ituki's side, and I don't think she'll give up.”
“How can you be so sure?”
"Right, Chitóse?”
“It’s about time," I called out without turning around, and after I heard footsteps coming from right behind me, a shadow fell over Itsuki, and the white hands that sprouted from Amane’s side firmly grasped both of his shoulders.
“Ikkun, you idiot!”
“Whoa!?”
The one who shakes her shoulders with all her might is Chitóse, who was the most involved
but had been left out
He'd sent a message the moment Itsaki contacted him and revealed the location of the discussion, but to be honest, this was also a gamble. Even Amane didn’t knowif it was a good idea for Itsuki to let Chitóse know his weakness and indebtedness.
He also wondered if it was okay to tell Chitóse about how he’d confided in Amane. There was a chance that Amane and Itsuki would get upset and have a felling out.
Even so, Amane thought they should talk properly.
So that Itsaki wouldn't try to smooth things over and take it all on by herself again, so that Chitóse would never be clouded over just by being protected by Ituki. So that the two of us would never move forward on our own, what we needed to overcome together.
Chitóse ignored Ituki, who was practically frozen at the unexpected entrance, and glared at him while shaking Ituki with a bright red fece, probably from running or outrage.
“I'm an idiot too! It's partly my fault, but it's my fault for letting you stand up to me all the time! Idiot! Impossible! Imbecile! Immense!"
“Eh, hey, tch, no, umm.."
“It's my fault for not being recognized by Daiki-san in the first place, but you're the only one who has to bear it!”
“N-No, that wasn't Chi's fault!"
“It's my fault too! Admit that! I dragged you into this!”
At times like this, it’s the two of them who claim to be at fault, and they’re similar, thought Amane as he stood up to give the place to the being who should normally be sitting next to him.
“Anyway, now you two need to have a proper discussion. It's not something I can say, but you're taking it too far by yourself. You thought you'd be too good at smoothing out the surface and wouldn't be found out if you did.Too bad you can't tell."
"You're the one who revealed it!”
“It's not just your problem. It's your fault for trying to decide everything on your own. You're the one who has to watch the Chitóse cloud over forever."
I don't know about secrecy, either. It's not as foolish as I can imagine what would happen if I hid it from Chitóse, who's already worried about Daiki.
If he was determined to put in the effort, it would be more awkward to report it to the people walking with him, Amane thought
That would be true if she told me it was none of my business, but this time it was also Mahiru’s hope. I heard that Chitóse was confused because Itsuki hadn’t replied, so I decided I should clear up the misunderstanding and reassure her as soon as possible.
At the very least, Chitóse seems to be glad she came here.
I could see feint tears welling up in her eyes, so I averted my eyes to avoid looking at her expression as much as possible, then threw some change into the vending machine on the side.
“Come on, talk it over with the two of you. Don't catch a cold. Try to avoid something that'll make it impossible for you to show your face on your first day at school.”
It looks like there's going to be along discussion in the future, or at least it'll be.
Casting two warm cocoas into their hands, Amane turned on his heel
“..Thank you.”
Without turning around to look at the voice that had reached him, he waved back, and heard Itsuki’s unfaithful, yet clearly brighter voice, saying, "Show off, you idiot," so Amane smiled so the two of them could hear and quickly left the park.
“You two have changed."
On the first day of school in the new school year, classes were still in session from day one, but neither Itsuki nor Chitóse would normally complain about it In feet, they were even willingly working on it, to the point where Yuuta, who didn’t know what was going on, was bewildered.
Just when I thought we’d eaten lunch during lunch break too, the two of us were having a staring contest with our textbooks, and even Mahiru, who knew what was going on, looked half bewildered and impressed.
"Yeah. ...Isn't it better than being depressed?"
At the very least, I can say for sure that the two of them are in much better shape now than they are now.
"You're right. Besides, for the sake of their futures, I think it's a good thing. As the teacher, it'll be better for you to swallow your feelings more positively."
"You look like you're having fun.”
“It's not that it's fun. I'm just happy that Chitose-san has found a goal. ..No, no, if I do that, I won't be able to learn anything. Besides, as your friend, I'd be happy if I could help you two get along.”
Mahiru would probably be the most reliable person in terms of studying, but she didn’t even seem to consider that a burden. In feet, her smile softened happily, so from the perspective of the two of them, she must have had a good friend, Amane thought with a laugh.
Amane and Mahiru both looked over to see the two of them diligently sitting at their desks, their usual cheerfulness unchanged.
I shouldn't laugh at Chitóse glaring at my textbook every now and then, but it was still a little funny.
“Well, if you don't cram it in with a little spartanism, it'll be tough."
“I have no intention of spoiling you.”
"..Yeah, I'm not worried about that Chitose's the one who's worried about you.”
The feet that Mahiru had no intention of spoiling him really didn’t mean she was going to spoil him.
When she decides to teach him, she smiles and gives him guidance. She can adjust her mental and physical condition to some extent, but Mahiru will use the pressure of her smile like a whip and candy until she achieves her goal. Because she knows it'll be good for that person.
As someone who knew about Chitose’s grades, I was a little worried that she might be able to afford to accept all of her guidance based on her current basic academic abilities, but Mahiru didn’t seem that anxious, so she looked at Chittose with trust in her.
“I think it'll be fine, though. Chitose-san, you don’t need to worry about the basics. Your motivation hasn't been properly output until now, or rather, it's just been jammed, so there's no need for you to worry anymore."
“In other words, I don't think 111 be able to cry with Mahiru anymore."
"No, that's..”
"Mahiruuun! Help!"
Just as he hesitated, a cry like a cry from Chitose's seat and a cry for help reached him, so Mahiru smiled wryly but stood up from her seat, apparently happy that he’d asked her to help him, saying, "That’s different"
"Well, it’s not like you’ll learn it right away."
"That’s right We just have to keep going."
He thought solemnly that if he only took it a little seriously, he wouldn’t have any trouble learning it, and since his efforts were wonderful and he was willing to help, Amane went with
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