Ah... she was beautiful. So truly beautiful.
The tears I thought had finally stopped began to overflow once more.
When I pulled my lips away and looked at Sara-san, she still had her eyes closed, tears streaming down her face. A shiver of pure emotion ran through me. Between the impact of our first kiss and the overwhelming sentiment of the moment, I was trembling with a feeling that defied description.
Sara-san slowly opened her eyes. Though tears still clung to their corners, her expression was serene—a complete departure from how she had looked moments ago.
"Another... of my dreams has come true..."
"...A dream?"
"Yes. My first kiss... Another of my 'firsts' given to Kazunari-san..."
Sara-san looked radiant, yet she also seemed somewhat dazed, as if she were still adrift in the middle of a dream.
Her gaze drifted back and forth between my eyes and my lips...
Perhaps she was doing it unconsciously, but she touched her own lips with her finger. That gesture, combined with her expression, exuded a strange sort of allure that made my heart race.
"Kazunari-san..."
"...Yes."
"I am so glad... I didn't ruin your feelings after all... I'm so glad... truly..."
"Sara-san..."
There wasn't a man alive who could withstand such endearing vulnerability.
Why was Sara-san so cute? I didn't even know what to do with myself anymore; the only option I could think of was to keep holding her tight.
"Sara-san, I really wanted to work and prepare a present for you myself. I wanted to surprise you, I wanted you to be happy... but I never intended to make you suffer for it. I'm sor—"
"Kazunari-san."
"...Yes."
"Please don't apologize. I am truly happy right now. This pendant you worked so hard for, even injuring yourself for my sake... it is a lifelong treasure to me."
"Sara-san..."
"Fufu... excuse me, let me pull back just a little. Please, let me see the treasure you gave me more closely."
Reluctantly pulling away from me, Sara-san gazed at the pendant, stroking it tenderly with both hands.
However, as soon as I regained a bit of composure, I started to feel incredibly embarrassed. I had no idea what kind of face I was supposed to make now.
Carried away by the intensity of the moment, our first kiss had suddenly taken on an atmosphere of mutual longing.
I had been moved to tears myself by the depth of Sara-san's feelings, but it made me wonder about other couples who shared a first kiss like this. Was it unusual?
To be honest, I had secretly hoped that if the atmosphere was right after giving her the present... she might accept it.
But I had miscalculated, placing unexpected pressure on Sara-san because of my actions. Seeing how distressed she had been, I'd thought I shouldn't push her that far.
Though, it was precisely because of that distress that my love for her overflowed when I saw her crying.
Sara-san was touching the pendant with such joy when she seemingly realized it was a locket.
"Ah... was this a locket?"
"Yeah. There's a temporary photo inside for now, but if there's one you like better, please feel free to swap it."
Without answering, Sara-san opened the locket and froze again.
"Fufu... honestly... oh, Kazunari-san..."
It seemed she liked the photo as well, which made me breathe a sigh of relief.
She continued to stare at it intently. She would probably ask where the photo came from eventually.
"Fufu... such a... hic... wonderful photo..."
...Ah.
"It's... it's not fair... I'm so happy... hic... a photo like this... like this... like this..."
"Sara-sa—"
Thump.
Before I could finish calling her name, a soft impact hit my chest as she dove into me.
"I... hic... Kazunari-san, you dummy... I love you so much... Just how much more do you intend to make me happy before you're satisfied?"
The usually mature Sara-san was so cute today—she looked like a girl my own age, or even younger.
"Gusu... I'm so happy."
"Me too."
"I love you..."
"Yes. I love you too."
"I love you so much..."
"Sara-san..."
"Mm..."
We stayed embraced for a while until Sara-san calmed down. As the sun slowly sank, our shadows stretched out, remaining joined as one for a long, long time...
The train on the way back was relatively empty, but Sara-san refused to leave my side.
She seemed to be in total spoiled mode today, leaning her body against mine and resting her head on my chest.
"Kazunari-san... thank you so much for today. This is the second time in my life I've felt this happy."
"Eh, ah... is that so?"
There was another day as happy as today? I thought I had worked pretty hard to make this one special...
"Fufu... Kazunari-san, you're such a dense-san. There's only one other thing that could have made me as happy as today, you know?"
Poke, poke...
Perhaps my slight disappointment had shown on my face, because Sara-san put on a mischievous expression and poked my cheek.
So, that other happy occasion was also something related to me.
Let's see... ah!
Seeing that I had realized what it was, Sara-san puffed out her cheeks just a little.
"The day Kazunari-san confessed to me was the happiest day of my life up until then. And yet... if you forget it, I'll have to scold you."
"I-I'm sorry. But it's the same for me, you know? The day Sara-san became my lover and today are the two greatest days in my heart..."
"...Yes. We're the same. From now on, everything will be together with Kazunari-san."
As she smiled happily, Sara-san's left hand never left the pendant around her neck, as if holding it unconsciously.
Even after we got off the train and left the station, Sara-san didn't let go of my right arm. She seemed concerned about my right hand, reaching out her free hand to gently stroke the back of it.
"When we get home, we must treat your right hand properly. ...Come to think of it, did you skip the treatment just to keep the injury a secret?"
"Well... that is..."
I figured she'd think that.
It was the truth, and I had been prepared to be scolded once she found out.
"But... I wanted Sara-san to be happy. If it was for that, then—"
"...That's unfair. If you say something so sweet, I won't be able to scold you..."
"...No, I didn't mean it that way."
Sara-san put on a slightly troubled expression and looked me straight in the eyes.
"I was in pain for a while."
"...Yes."
"It was so hard to pretend everything was fine when I knew Kazunari-san was injured... It was truly painful..."
"Yes... I'm sorry."
"I won't forgive you with just words."
I could tell from her tone that she wasn't truly angry, but this was the first time I'd had such a playful, childish exchange with Sara-san. The happiness of it made me break into a smile despite myself.
"It's cruel of you to laugh."
"I'm sorry. What can I do to be forgiven?"
"......Later, one more time."
I noticed her eyes were fixed on my mouth. The current Sara-san made me want to tease her just a bit.
"...One more time?"
"...You know exactly what I mean... meanie."
I reached the limit of my endurance for Sara-san's cuteness and decided to resort to forceful action to silence her.
It was just a light kiss, a mere touch of the lips, but it seemed to satisfy her. Her mood brightened instantly.
"Fufu... I shall forgive you for now with that."
"Eh, 'for now'?"
"Of course. Because..."
"...Because?"
"Because next... it's my turn."
As she said that, Sara-san's smile was so radiant that she seemed to shine.
During Birthday Party Preparations
"Excuse us~."
As Yokokawa-kun unlocked the door, everyone filed into the room one by one.
It wasn't my first time in Takanashi-kun's room, but it was a first for everyone else.
"E-Excuse me..."
Among us, Eririn seemed incredibly nervous and was being unusually quiet.
"Heh... it's my first time in a boy's room, but Takanashi-kun keeps things quite tidy."
"No, that's just because he has a wife."
Hanako-san's retort to Todo-san's observation was spot on. The room was always under Sara's management, after all.
"The kitchen is perfectly organized too. As expected of Satsukawa-senpai."
Tachikawa-san, who had been peering around the kitchen, shared her thoughts. It seemed she really idolized Sara, but the way she attributed every single thing to her being "perfect" was a bit amusing.
"Um... isn't it rude to look so closely at someone else's room?"
Eririn was trying to be the voice of reason, but she didn't seem to realize it was obvious she was dying of curiosity herself.
"Now then, as his older sister, I shall check to see if my younger brother is hiding anything strange..."
"No, Hanako-san, Kazunari doesn't have anything like that, so please stop."
"Yeah, Kazunari is fine. More importantly, let's start getting ready. We can chat after we're finished."
Naturally, the male officers stepped in to support Takanashi-kun. Well, I didn't think there'd be anything strange in this room either, considering how much time Sara spent here.
"U-Um, everyone..."
「「「「「「 ?? 」」」」」」
Eririn spoke up timidly. What was it?
"What specifically do you mean when you say 'anything strange'?"
「「「「「「 ...... 」」」」」」
Everyone except Eririn looked at each other awkwardly.
"Natsumi?"
"D-Don't ask me that! H-Hey, Tachibana-kun!"
"Eh!? R-Right, I'm sure Natsumi-san wouldn't know!"
Tachibana-kun immediately jumped in to back me up. It was a baseless follow-up, but still...
"I see... Ah, Hanako-san, you're trying to look because you know what they are, right?"
"Eh!? I-I... maybe Yoko is unexpectedly knowledgeable?"
Hanako-san called Tachikawa-san 'Yoko'.
They were at the same school, and it looked like they had become close.
"N-No, not me! M-Marina!"
"Whaaa!? Why are you turning to me!?"
Poor thing... Todo-san turned bright red.
"N-Nishikawa-san, this is Kazunari's private business, so let's drop the subject!"
"Yokokawa-kun!"
Perhaps thanks to Yokokawa-kun's quick intervention, Todo-san called out to him happily.
Oh? Has the atmosphere between these two changed a bit without me noticing?
"Y-Yes, you're right. My apologies. I've said something rude to Takanashi-san as well..."
Phew.
I suspected Eririn actually had a hunch, but the fact that she asked anyway meant she was secretly interested.
"Alright, let's stop talking and get started!"
When I gave the order to get back on track, everyone took the items they needed and began working on their assigned tasks.
Right, I should—
"Is it okay to move things that are in the way?"
I turned toward Tachikawa-san's voice and saw that some folded bedding was in her path.
"Kazunari told me to just handle things as needed, so I think it's fine to move it if it's in the way."
"Got it~."
"I'll help move the futon too."
As Hanako-san went to help Tachikawa-san, Eririn spoke up again.
"Um............"
"Hm? What's wrong, Eririn?"
"This bed is Takanashi-san's bed, correct?"
Eririn was pointing, of course, to the bed Takanashi-kun usually used.
"Yeah, that's right."
"Nishikawa-san, did something happen?"
"Is there something on your mind?"
Tachibana-kun and Yokokawa-kun joined the conversation, seemingly on guard against her saying something strange again. I didn't know what she was getting at, but Eririn's expression was a bit scary...
"In that case............ whose futon is this folded one?"
「「「「「「 ............. 」」」」」」
No one answered her.
However, Todo-san's face, which had turned beet red, told the whole story...
And the expression vanished from Eririn's face.