Chapter 292

Chapter 292: Atop the Trailer

Translator: Reflet
Editor: ryunakama

「You mean……you knew me a long time ago？」

「Wellll, not quite that either」

「Then？」

　Taiyou tilted his head .

　Not metaphorical nor literal . Then what could it be? He was certainly justified in wondering that .

「Yeah, I don’t get what I mean either . I just feel like I’ve known you for a long time ago」

「That’s just like you though」

「Not a compliment?」

「In a good way」

「Were you always so difficult to communicate with?」

「You’re no different though」

「……」

「……」

　Briefly gazing at each other, they both burst into laughter .

「Aha, ahahahahaha . This is so weird」

「Heheh, yeah, it sure is」

「Thinking about it, we haven’t talked like this in a while . Vague conversations without substance」

「Did we used to？」

「Yeah, Kohaku-san likes this sorta thing, but Youran dislikes this sorta thing――」

　Taiyou stopped, tilting his head .

「Oh, no, that’s not it, huh? Yeah, that’s not it」

「What？」

　Taiyou looked straight ahead .

　He gazed at the townscape from the vantage point of Tsugaiyama’s peak .

　He hadn’t realized it until now: Talking like this, he came to the realization that he truly had changed .

「What what, stop teasing me and speak up」

「It’s nothing important」

「Then tell me! Here, coochy coochy」

　Akiha tickled his side with her finger .

　He felt both ticklish and in pain . It was a strange sensation .

「He-, hey quit it, stop it」

「Then tell me! Poke, poooke」

「Who are you trying to act like? Seriously, it’s nothing important . I just got more used to being straightforward . I can now say openly what I like」

「……」

　Akiha’s eyes widened, then she made an odd face .

「I guess once I started honoring the promise to love everyone individually, I just started naturally saying “I love you” and it started affecting me」

「Maybe your girls are happy . Always hearing that from you . Usually people don’t say it」

「You don’t either？」

「It’s harder in my case . I can’t just……speak so casually to Aoba after all」

「But I might envy that aspect of you . Cause there are times when I feel like vocalizing it too much leads to it having less of an effect」

「Aw maaan, I just totally got comforted by my rival」

　Akiha said, dangling her feet from the trailer .

　Taiyou pondered what it was like to not feel frustrated in these situations .

　He attempted to deduce something, but quickly stopped .

「……Do you not like reassurance?」

「I do not」

「Then I won’t do that . In exchange…」

　Inhaling air, he said it over again .

「I like you」

「Sounds a bit hollow」

「You may be right . But I intend to take a fierce lead from now on」

「……」

「……」

　Taiyou waited for Akiha’s answer .

　It would be easy for him to insist .

　Both physically and emotionally . He could force it, but he chose not to .

　He already took her out of that room, so he didn’t force it……nor did he want to .

　After a bit, Akiha looked straight into his eyes .

「I still like Aoba」

「Ah」

「Whatever you say, I like Aoba, I love her . For the rest of my life . No matter what happens, that will never change」

「……Okay」

「Hey, wanna hear a story about Aoba？」

「Bragging about her？」

「Yeah, let me brag」

「I’m not even surprised」

　Taiyou chuckled, shrugging his shoulders .

「Let’s hear it . Or, please, tell me . About Aoba in the past」

　Akiha began speaking .

　Her encounter with Aoba, how they became close, and their lives after becoming close .

　And then, their everyday lives after she began viewing her romantically .

　She told him in great detail .

　On top of Tsugaiyama Peak, Akiha spat out the feelings she had harbored for so long .

　Soon, Akiha began speaking less, but her emotions grew stronger .

　She expressed the contents of her heart in rich detail to Taiyou .

　The sun descended in the west, and their surroundings were enveloped in darkness .

　Not even an outstretched hand was visible .

　――Smooch

　As soon as she stopped speaking, he felt the sensation of lip touching lip .

　A wet noise hit his ears, and the sweet scent of her nasal cavity tickled him .

　Taiyou quickly understood that was a kiss .

　But he was perplexed .

　Why did she kiss him? That girl, standing right next to him…

「Akiha――」

「Shh」

　This time, her fingers touched his lips .

「Don’t say anything」

「……」

　He shut up as he was told .

　And then the lips grew heavier .

　It was no mere kiss . It was……a kiss that pushed strong feelings onto him .

　His arms hanging, Taiyou responded with his own lips, putting them between hers .

　Until……the kiss broke .

　Their lips separated――along with Akiha .

「――ngh！」

　Gripping her wrist as she moved away, he pushed her down .

　He pinned her down on the trailer .

　And kissed her .

　Holding her body down and pushing his lips into hers .

　He pushed his own strong feelings onto her .