And so, their fun date came to an end in what felt like no time at all.
They changed out of their sportswear and back into their usual clothes, then left the facility.
On the way home,
the two walked along the road, hand in hand.
“A year ago, I never imagined we’d end up like this.”
Yuzuru muttered that quietly.
Arisa responded with a soft chuckle.
“I feel the same… Back then, we were both so awkward, weren’t we?”
“Haha… We went on dates just to show everyone how ‘close’ we were.”
Now, there was no need to pretend to be close.
They simply were.
“…It might be a bit strange to ask now, but—”
“Yes?”
“What was it like back then? Going on dates with me, I mean.”
Setting aside how things are now—
Back then, Arisa hadn’t actually been in love with him.
At least, that’s what Yuzuru believed. From his perspective, she’d seemed to enjoy herself well enough, but…
“If I hadn’t enjoyed it, I wouldn’t have fallen for you, would I?”
“Ahaha… yeah, fair point.”
Yuzuru gave a wry smile,
then scratched his cheek, half out of embarrassment.
“I mean, going to places like entertainment centres is one thing, but… like, the pool… Didn’t you feel a bit uncomfortable at first?”
“Well, I mean… I did think, ‘Wait, what!?’ at first.”
Arisa said that, her cheeks faintly flushed.
Going to a pool with a guy who wasn’t even her boyfriend was a bit of a hurdle.
But—
The fact that she went meant she’d managed to get past it.
“Thinking about it now… I already liked you back then.”
“Huh? …Really?”
As far as Yuzuru could remember, the first time he’d felt something like romantic affection from Arisa was during the summer festival.
At the time of the pool, he’d had no idea she liked him.
“Well, of course… I didn’t think we’d end up like we are now.”
“…But?”
“Well… I did think you were a wonderful person.”
Looking away shyly, Arisa said that—
then, for some reason, she turned back with a slightly annoyed expression, narrowing her eyes at him.
“And what about you, Yuzuru-san?”
“…What do you mean?”
“It’s not fair if I say it and you don’t.”
In other words—
What had he thought of her exactly one year ago?
“…Yeah.”
When had he started wanting to be her boyfriend?
Thinking back… it was after the summer festival.
That said, it wasn’t like he hadn’t been aware of her as a girl even before that.
“I might’ve… already liked you too.”
“What do you mean, ‘might’ve’?”
“N-no, I mean… I was trying not to think about it too much.”
Arisa was a cute girl.
That hadn’t changed—then or now. …Though, strictly speaking, she was even cuter now.
Being told not to see her as a girl would’ve been a bit unreasonable.
“…Trying not to think about it?”
“We had that ‘fake engagement’ setup, after all… If I thought about it too much, I’d start wanting it to be real, wouldn’t I?”
When Yuzuru said that, Arisa’s lips curved slightly.
“And in the end, you did start wanting it to be real?”
“That’s right.”
Yuzuru answered without hesitation.
He tightened his grip on her hand.
“I didn’t want anyone else to have you… I wanted you for myself.”
“S-so that’s how it is…”
It was stronger than she’d expected.
Arisa’s voice wavered slightly.
“…Hypothetically speaking,”
“Hmm?”
“If I’d said no… what would you have done?”
At her question, Yuzuru let out a small laugh.
“Even if you said no… once I’ve fallen for someone, I’ve fallen for them. I wouldn’t give up that easily.”
“…So you’d try your best to win me over?”
“Of course.”
The corners of Yuzuru’s lips lifted naturally.
“I’d use every means necessary to make you mine.”
“S-that’s a bit…”
“Every means necessary.”
She didn’t need it spelled out to understand that included some rather forceful approaches.
“If you were serious, Yuzuru-san…”
Arisa turned her flushed face towards him.
Her eyes shimmered slightly,
and her alluring lips parted.
“I wouldn’t be able to run away, would I?”
It went without saying—
Between Takasegawa and Amagi, the former was far stronger.
If Yuzuru truly used “every means,” escaping him would be difficult.
“I have no intention of letting you run. …Not now, not ever.”
Yuzuru said it in a teasing tone—
but he meant every word.
“What about you? Planning to run?”
“No way.”
Arisa shook her head.
“I don’t plan on letting you go either.”
On that point, they were the same.
They both laughed.
“Well… you’ve already got me hooked through my stomach.”
“I’ll at least keep making you miso soup until the day you die.”
“Then I’ll be counting on you in heaven too.”
“Heaven… well, if it exists. …Do you think it does?”
“Well… we’ll only know after we die.”
As they chatted about heaven like that—
they arrived in front of Arisa’s house.
This was where they parted.
“Well then, Arisa. See you at school—”
“…Wait.”
As Yuzuru turned to leave, Arisa grabbed his clothes.
He tilted his head.
“…Do you want to talk a bit longer?”
He didn’t want to part from her either.
Of course he wanted to stay and talk more.
…Though they couldn’t just stand around forever.
“No, that’s not it… Um, you know… I still haven’t made my request.”
“Request… Ah, the tennis one. Right, right, I remember.”
Yuzuru said that as if to cover the fact he’d completely forgotten.
Arisa, meanwhile, shot him a flat, unimpressed look.
“Honestly…”
“Uh… so, what is it? …Go easy on me, alright?”
When he said that—
for some reason, Arisa turned her head to the side.
Then she pointed at her own cheek.
“…Arisa?”
“You know… the goodbye… um… that.”
“…That?”
When Yuzuru played dumb, Arisa turned back to face him, her face bright red.
“I mean, a goodbye ki—”
She couldn’t finish her sentence.
Because Yuzuru’s lips sealed hers.
“…!?”
Caught off guard, Arisa’s eyes went wide.
In that moment, Yuzuru pulled her close with both arms and embraced her tightly.
The pleasant scent of deodorant tickled his nose.
He felt her softness and warmth against his entire body.
“W-wait, Yuzuru-sa…n!”
She twisted, trying to protest—
but he silenced her again with another kiss.
As if declaring he wouldn’t let her go,
he held her tighter,
pressing his lips firmly against hers.
…It lasted about twenty seconds.
Finally, Yuzuru let her go.
“…Is that alright?”
He spoke calmly—
though his face was red.
…He was embarrassed too.
“…”
But Arisa was even more so.
Her face completely flushed, she glared at him.
“…Next time, say something first.”
Yuzuru, meanwhile, wore a mischievous grin.
“You’re the one who asked for a kiss in the first place.”
“W-what I wanted was… not on the lips, but on the cheek…”
As she protested,
Yuzuru pressed his lips gently against her cheek.
“Is that better?”
“…Honestly.”
Arisa let out a big sigh, trying to cover her embarrassment.
Then she turned on her heel—
and just before opening her front door, she looked back at him.
With an annoyed expression, she said—
“I’ll forgive you.”
