How should one react when the person they love suddenly appears right in front of them? I was overjoyed, yet my mind went completely blank. There was no way I could think of anything clever to say; the words I managed to squeeze out in less than a second were some old-man-sounding drivel that didn't have a shred of coolness to them.
"Pfft... What was that even supposed to be?"
Oh no, she was adorable.
No, wait. Natsukawa—who rarely ever laughed directly at me—just laughed? Was this a precursor to some cataclysm? I’d always had this image of her as a strict, prickly Goddess whenever she dealt with me, but was that smile finally being directed my way? Whoa, hold on, was this my time to go? Had I finally worked myself to death?
"No, well, you know... I had to carry a lot of stuff today."
...Wait a second. Could this be the best possible way to go? Working my hardest and then being watched over by my Goddess in my final moments? Could there be any greater happiness? That was strange, Patrasche... even though I was on the verge of death, power was surging through me. I felt like I could take on King Enma himself right now. Wait, why was I falling into Hell in this metaphor?
"Yeah... I know. I was watching."
"Oh, you were... eh?"
Was it finally time?
She wasn't just waiting for her chance, was she? No, jokes aside, why was this so hard to believe? Maybe it was because I’d never had a look like that directed at me before. A happy face, a face having fun, a face looking delighted—I knew all of them well, but in my memories, almost none of them had been meant for me. This was the first time.
Perhaps the distance was too great for a conversation, because Natsukawa took one step, then another, closing the gap. Um, excuse me... I was happy, but also not... or rather, if I wasn't mentally prepared, I was just going to make a total fool of myself. If she came any closer, my eyes might melt from the divine radiance—huh?
"You worked so hard... you smell like sweat."
"——!?"
Natsukawa brought her face close to my chest, almost as if she were leaning on me. Whether it was unconscious or not, she patted my chest a few times with her hands before stepping back and smiling brightly. No, wait a minute, even one step back from zero distance was still incredibly close. This was brutal, brutal, brutal, brutal. I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight. This was bad. I seriously, seriously didn't know what to do.
"N-Natsukawa."
"Hmm? What is it?"
Wait, why was she acting so casual? Where did her thorns toward me go? Was she unaware of the effect she was having? What on earth happened in the first half of this summer vacation?
As Natsukawa tilted her head in front of me, there was no sign of her usual anger. Looking closely, her hair was unusually disheveled, and the way a bit of sweat made it stick to her skin looked rather alluring. The stray hairs that had bounced up were sparkling in the sunlight. Her breathing was a bit heavy, and as she looked up at me, her breath hit my face directly. I felt like I was about to lose my mind.
I recoiled. I trembled. I stood frozen.
A bench was behind me; there was no escape. Seeing Natsukawa for the first time in a while was far too much stimulation. Was it just because it had been a while? Or had she always been like this? If so, it made sense why I was falling into Hell. Sorry, my fellow Average Guys across the nation. Did you see that? You’re jealous, aren't you? I felt like I was going to die.
"He-Hey, you're too close."
"Eh? Ah... s-sorry."
Finally realizing our abnormal distance, Natsukawa took another step back and smiled brightly, seemingly without much concern. I could feel my heart going haywire. While my lifespan lengthened from pure happiness, I knew it was simultaneously shortening because my blood pressure was through the roof. I didn't quite understand it, but the current Natsukawa looked like her whole body was brimming with excitement.
"Um... did something, you know, good happen?"
"Eh?"
"Well, you know, your aura is soft... or rather, you have a really pleasant look on your face."
"Eh!?"
I phrased that poorly. Agitated by my words, Natsukawa began patting her own face. How was she this cute? Was she an airhead now? I wanted to marry her.
Oh, crap, crap. That was dangerous. Natsukawa was so charming I almost proposed to her on the spot. I hadn't received three months' worth of salary yet, so I couldn't buy a ring. No, that wasn't the problem, was it? Was I an idiot? Three months of part-time money wouldn't be enough anyway. I’d need at least two years' worth. In fact, for Natsukawa's sake, I'd even borrow money from a bank to give more——no, that wasn't the point! Get a grip on yourself, me!
U-Um, Natsukawa-san? Have you figured out why you're in such a good mood? It was just that she was in a good mood today regardless of me, right? Tell me, the reason why Natsukawa is a Goddess (Philosophy).
"I-I just felt relieved because Wataru was the same as always!"
What did she want from me?
Wait, was she the type who felt relieved when I was the same as always? What a coincidence, I was also the type who felt relieved when Natsukawa was the same as always. That's why I wasn't relieved at all right now. Had she lost her mind, or was it just that Natsukawa was a Goddess? She was an absolute Goddess; that was all from the scene.
"I-I see... So, what's up? You seemed to come out here in a hurry."
"Eh... t-that's, well, um..."
"...?"
When I asked, Natsukawa started to falter. She moved her hands restlessly and looked up at me repeatedly as if gauging my reaction. It would be boorish to rush her for an answer; there was no way I, who wouldn't miss a single word from the Goddess, would do such a thing. Yes, this was an Oracle. Let my humble self answer any request the Goddess may have.
"—talk... because..."
"Eh?"
"B-Because I hadn't talked to Wataru yet today!"
Was I still breathing? Check: yes.
Wait, what was with that adorable reason? Did that mean the reason she rushed outside was that she was looking for me? Did that kind of thing actually happen? Wouldn't it have been better for her to be talking to Sasaki? Why did she want to talk to me that badly? Could there be a reason why she was acting without regard for appearances?
"Um... and why is that?"
"W-What do you mean why? Why wouldn't we talk!?"
Eh, why? Was it like I was lacking in etiquette if I didn't talk to her? Personally, I thought I was being considerate by staying away. Same for Sasaki; I felt that would be better for Natsukawa's future social standing. Well, putting my own feelings aside for a moment...
"W-We finally met after such a long time... and I felt lonely..."
"How cute."
"Geez! That part of you!"
My inner voice slipped out. I couldn't help it; Natsukawa was so cute that all sorts of emotions were overflowing. So, Natsukawa. Don't puff out your cheeks with a face that says it's all my fault—wait, "puff out her cheeks"? Wait a minute, what was with that adorable face! Seriously, knock it off! Did she want me to seriously buy an engagement ring and propose? Was she okay with that? I’d borrow money from the bank and bring one worth a fortune!
...C-Calm down, me. It wasn't like Natsukawa just started being cute today. She was cute today, too. Think of it in terms of a game. If someone has a cuteness stat of 99, even if they get cuter, 99 is the cap, so it won't increase any further. It was the same thing. Conclusion: Natsukawa was always cute. There, I was calm.
"No, my bad, Natsukawa. I just didn't have much free time."
"I-I know."
"...ngh..."
No, I was seriously at my limit here.
It wasn't even a matter of the heart anymore. My whole body was creaking and screaming at Natsukawa's cuteness. Was I going to have muscle pain tomorrow? I was going to become a macho man from Natsukawa's cuteness...
As I felt dizzy from the sheer overwhelm, something inside me seemed to come full circle, and I actually became calm.
"That's true. It's been a while, Natsukawa."
"Y-Yeah... it's been a while."
When I said it a bit more calmly, Natsukawa smiled as if she were a bit tickled. The fact that she looked so happy about it still didn't feel real. She was... happy to be able to talk to me, wasn't she? I didn't know. Was this the heart of a girl, or just because it was Natsukawa? If there was one thing I could say, it was that I was incredibly happy right now. That was strange... I used to work so hard just to get this smile directed at me. I wondered why it was happening "now." Even though this couldn't be called an ideal relationship.
Maybe that was exactly why. If Natsukawa intended to interact with me while completely excluding "those kinds of feelings," then maybe I too could forget my heated feelings for her and one day become her friend—eh?
"..."
"..."
Suddenly, Natsukawa approached me again. When she was right in front of me, she softly reached out and pinched my sleeve.
The gaze she used to look up at me from such close range seemed somewhat anxious... and yet, there was a straightforwardness to it, as if she were expecting something. It felt like if I reached out, I could easily touch her hair, and if I brought my face a little closer, I could easily kiss her.
...This was impossible.
"Um... Natsukawa."
The emergency alert ringing in my head grew louder. What barely held my broken self together was the advice Ashida had given me on the way back from the family restaurant before.
"No matter who it is, having someone like you makes you happy."
That was right; this wasn't just about me. To Natsukawa, she’d be happy with anyone who liked her. Even if the acquaintance here right now weren't me, the same thing might have happened. Thinking that way gave me a surge of courage.
I might be disliked. I might be brushed off. Even with such fears, I gently placed my hand on Natsukawa's shoulder with the hand whose sleeve was being pinched.
There was no resistance.
Feeling that this distance was dangerous, I tried to gently make Natsukawa let go. Even so, Natsukawa kept pinching my sleeve, and in my own selfish interpretation, she seemed to be saying she would absolutely not let go. Was it the ugliness of a man? It felt as if Natsukawa belonged to me, if only for this single moment. Feigning composure, I squeezed out words while trying to suppress the wicked thoughts beginning to sprout.
"Natsukawa... shall we talk somewhere else?"
"! Y-Yes, let's!"
Natsukawa's expression brightened as she pulled away. The joy of seeing her dazzling smile and an intense sense of regret washed over me at the same time. Even though my brain knew it was no good, the desire for Natsukawa still remained deeply rooted within me. It wasn't a question of which was stronger; they were mixed together and tangled into a mess in my head.
"Huh? Aichi and Sajocchi!"
"Oh..."
"Ah...!"
Just as I was about to fall apart, a voice cut in. There was only one person who would call us by those names. Both of us stopped and looked toward the voice. Seeing that face for the first time in several weeks, I honestly felt saved.
That person—Ashida—was walking toward us in her school uniform, carrying a large sports bag, looking as if she had just finished club activities.
"K-Kei!"
"Whoa, what's up, Aichi!? Hey, I'm pretty sweaty right now!"
Natsukawa ran to Ashida and hugged her as if jumping on her. Receiving the sudden embrace, Ashida blinked in surprise. Ashida seemed concerned since she was sweaty from practice. But apparently, Natsukawa didn't care.
Leaving the two of them aside, I touched the sleeve Natsukawa had just been pinching. Without even being conscious of it, a sweet scent still drifted before me.
Feeling as though my brain were melting and my soul were leaving my body, I had no choice but to sink onto the bench.