Tōha Tsuki Likes Swinging

[Eh—]

Ichijou Rikou let out a surprised sound.

[Rikou, I’m very sorry to have told you such things so abruptly.]

Nishimura Noriyuki spoke with a trace of apology.

[It’s fine.

Please, go on.]

[Since you’re still willing to listen, Rikou, then I’ll take the liberty.]

The sound of a book closing.

[I was born into the Nishimura family.

It’s fine if you’ve never heard of it.

Just know that it’s a rather cold, unfeeling household, and that’s where I grew up.]

[The one who stayed by my side and taught me was my mother.]

[If you asked me who the gentlest person in the world was, I would answer without hesitation—my mother.]

Her calm voice told the story in that silent space.

[From a young age, she taught me to love and treat everything around me with kindness.

No matter how small a living thing was, it always deserved to be taken seriously.]

[She stayed with me until I was nine years old.]

At this point, her voice paused.

[Noriyuki—]

[My mother was physically weak.

They told me it became that way after giving birth to me.

Before that, she was lively and full of joy, not someone so frail she couldn’t even exercise.]

[In my memories, she was lying in bed in her later years.]

[In the end, she fell ill with a disease no one could cure, and she closed her eyes in front of me.]

[What I can never forget is that my father arrived late, at the very moment when my mother desperately needed someone by her side.]

Even as she spoke of this, her tone remained steady.

But if you listened carefully, you could hear the sorrow beneath it.

[Even now, after all this time, I still can’t come to terms with it.]

[I can accept my mother’s passing.

But I can’t accept that she never saw him before she left.]

[Rikou, I’m sorry for burdening you with these complaints.]

It felt as though silence would follow again.

[I think I’m a fairly qualified listener.

If there’s anything that troubles you, Noriyuki, you can tell me.]

Words that naturally inspire goodwill—at least, that’s how they would sound to Nishimura Noriyuki.

[Thank you, Rikou.]

I could smell something very pleasant, even though we were so far apart.

[Still, Noriyuki, you must have been a very lively girl before.

I can feel it.

And you said your mother taught you these things.]

[If you compare it to now, that’s true.]

Her voice carried a hint of loneliness.

[But over these past years, I’ve completely lost that part of myself.]

[Then let’s find it again.]

Ichijou Rikou said.

[I can tell that it’s something you’re troubled by, Noriyuki.]

[—Yes, Rikou.]

That slightly happy response made my eyes narrow a little.

Well done, Ichijou-kun.

On the way back, a pleasant atmosphere lingered between us.

[Looks like today was a big gain, Ichijou-kun.]

I turned my head slightly and looked at him as he was lost in thought.

[Yeah.

You also gained a lot today, Tōha-san.]

He looked at my cheeks and sighed sincerely.

Was he talking about my makeup.

If so, that really was a big gain.

Nishimura Michiko’s makeup skills were top-tier.

She hadn’t changed my face itself, yet she elevated Tōha Tsuki’s already striking looks to a new level.

It was the kind of beauty that could attract most people’s eyes.

Like right now—

[Ichijou-kun, do you like the current Tōha Tsuki.]

I showed him a gentle smile.

[Yes.

I like her.]

Since he’d answered once before, he seemed a little more relaxed this time.

Ah—

I thought I might get some rare pleasure out of this.

That won’t do, Ichijou-kun.

You also serve the purpose of providing me with enjoyment, you know.

But that’s not hard to fix.

[So that means my previous makeup was no good.]

A deliberately troublesome question made Ichijou Rikou fall silent for a moment.

Then he answered honestly.

[Yes.]

You really don’t know how to talk, do you.

[I’m very sorry, Tōha-san.]

He scratched his head awkwardly.

[But honestly, I like every version of Tōha-san.

That wasn’t a lie.]

[Don’t worry, Ichijou-kun.

I’m not the kind of troublesome woman who picks fights for no reason.]

Because I’m not really a woman to begin with.

[But Ichijou-kun—

that’s not good, really not good.]

[Not good.]

[You keep saying you like every Tōha Tsuki, but you’re forgetting—]

I gathered my drifting hair, pressed down my pleated skirt that threatened to reveal a little too much, and smiled beautifully under the midday sun.

My lips, coated with lipstick, must have been faintly shining, like a painting imagined in the mind.

Being seriously and joyfully gazed at by a beautiful girl, overflowing with youth and sunlight, tinged with that peach-colored feeling that only romance brings—

That’s probably what it felt like.

But—

[I’m a fake.

A rotten man, Ichijou-kun.]

[…]

The contrast must have hit him again, leaving him speechless.

I narrowed my eyes slightly.

[Hehe—]

I lightly covered my mouth.

An odd smile must have appeared on my face.

[Hehehehehe.]

[Tōha-san—]

He turned his head away, then sighed instead of keeping that stunned expression.

[I really didn’t expect Noriyuki to have such a past.]

[You didn’t expect it, Ichijou-kun.]

[Not exactly.

I could tell she had things she needed help with.]

[Everyone has a past they can’t bear to look at, Ichijou-kun.]

[For example, you—Tōha-san.]

My steps slowed.

[Do you want to help me too, Ichijou-kun.]

[If I can.]

[I’m not some heroine you need to攻略.

On the contrary, someone as rotten as me would only waste your time and effort.]

[Does that have anything to do with my decision.]

[Ichijou-kun—]

I lowered my head, then raised it again, meeting his gaze.

At some point, he had stepped in front of me, blocking my way.

[You have a surprisingly forceful side.]

[I just feel there’s a responsibility I can’t put down.

Just think of me as a strange person, Tōha-san.]

This kind of personality is exactly what makes galgame protagonists so annoying.

I wouldn’t say I hate it—

It’s just troublesome.

[Tōha-san.]

In the silence, he suddenly looked toward the distance.

There was a small park there, with people playing inside.

[Let’s go take a look.]

[Hm—]

I was surprised by the sudden suggestion.

[After all, in Fujimiya-san’s eyes, we’re on a date.

If we go back too early, they might suspect we argued or something.

So we should enjoy ourselves before heading back, right.

You wouldn’t want to disappoint them, Tōha-san.]

There was no real need to care about their thoughts, but for the sake of Tōha Tsuki’s image, appearing smooth and normal wouldn’t do me any harm.

And it was fine to just let things pass like this.

[Then let’s go, Ichijou-kun.]

There were quite a few people in the park.

After all, it was a leisurely weekend, and several children were playing around.

[Big brother, is this big sister your girlfriend.]

A boy ran up to us.

[Yes.

I’m his girlfriend.]

Before Ichijou Rikou could react, I answered directly.

[Eh, that’s too bad.

I also want a girlfriend as pretty as big sister.]

[You’ll have one someday.]

I comforted him gently, mostly just wanting him to stop bothering us.

As I expected, the boy brightened, nodded, and ran off.

People fooled by appearances are never in short supply.

[Want to sit.]

We stopped in front of a swing.

[Hmm—]

At this point, there was no reason to refuse.

I sat down and gently started to sway.

[I guess it’s better if someone pushes from behind.]

He said, grabbing the swing’s chains.

[Then I’ll leave it to you, Ichijou-kun.]

[Sometimes you don’t have to be so polite with me, Tōha-san.]

[Hm, could it be—]

Before I finished speaking, my body was already lifted by the push.

Ichijou Rikou was actually quite strong.

You could tell from how easily he resisted Amano Sora’s grip.

After all, he grew up in the countryside.

I swung high, closed my eyes in the headwind.

It felt wonderful.

Even a dead heart could feel a faint stir.

It reminded me of something.

I’d played on swings long ago.

As a child.

[Want to swing again, Tsuki.]

In my memories, he asked me.

A vague silhouette in front of me.

[Yes, of course, Dad.]

Back then, I was lively and brave too.

It felt like returning to those happy times.

The wind died down, and Ichijou Rikou’s voice reached me.

[Was it fun, Tōha-san.]

[What do you think, Ichijou-kun.]

[You were smiling just now.]

[I’m always smiling, Ichijou-kun.]

[Yeah, but the smile you have now feels different from before.]

[Is that so—]

I lowered my head slightly.

[Thank you, Ichijou-kun.]

[—Want to go again.]

[I can.

No matter how many times, Tōha Tsuki will agree, Ichijou-kun.]

[What matters most is that you like it, Tōha-san—]

Even as he said that, the feeling of swinging, of floating through the air, returned once more.

I slowly closed my eyes and enjoyed the moment.

[Oh, Tsuki, you’re back.]

As expected, when we returned, Fujimiya-san’s family greeted us.

[Staying out so late, looks like you had a great day.]

[Rikou-kun treated Tsuki well, right.]

We’d only spent the afternoon on swings, but there was no way to say that.

[Fujimiya-san, we’ll be going now.]

[Ufufu, bye-bye.

Get along well, you two.]

At the door, Ichijou Rikou stopped and faced me.

[Tōha-san, you can tell me the answer now, right.]

He was waiting.

And I fell silent.

[—Ichijou-kun, do you think there’s any meaning in saving a dead person.]

[If someone is already dead, then there really is no need to save them.]

He pondered for a moment.

[Then, Ichijou-kun, you’re doing something meaningless right now.]

[Eh—]

He froze in front of me.

[Then thank you for walking me home.

Goodbye, Ichijou-kun.]

I waved with a smile.

[Yeah.

Goodbye, Tōha-san.]

He still wore that indescribable expression.

I closed the door and collapsed in the entryway, just like before.

I was so tired.

But I couldn’t rest.

I still hadn’t replenished today’s energy.

With a bit of willpower, I prepared something to eat.

And finally—

[Ugh—]

I suppressed the nausea and tapped on my phone.

—Tsuki, then you’ll work the night shift from now on.
This leave request is approved.

—Okay, boss.

After sending that reply, my fingers moved unconsciously, opening my chat with Ichijou Rikou.

There were so many messages there.

Long conversations.

I touched his name.

Then I turned off the phone.

Along with it, my eyelids finally gave in.

And just like that, I fell asleep.