Prove Your Eternal Love. There Shall Be No Heroine Correction. - Chapter 4 Part 2

“Did Aogashima-san remember about me yet?”

I asked Aogashima-san, who wore an armband on her right arm. From now until 15:00, we have patrol duty as we did yesterday. I finally finished stamping my five stamps, and all I have left was the memory of Aogashima-san. And Nagisa should have left me one stamp so that the game would not be over.

“No. Only my memories of you are still lost.

“Why? Nagisa’s conclusion was that she could allow you to remember.”

“…Because I’m more honest about these feelings in my current state.”

Not knowing how to react, I falteringly replied, “I see.”

“More importantly, a cultural festival date. …Where are we going?”

“It’s not a date, it’s work, and we’re just going to follow the route.”

“Hmmm, you’re such a bore.”

Aogashima-san looked happy, grabbed my arm, and pulled me along. Her gait was light and her confrontation with Nagisa a few hours earlier seemed like a lie.

“No, I told you, you can’t slack3”

“I’m not slacking off. I just follow the route and watch a few of the exhibits.”

It was also the job of the committee members to confirm the items to be presented. There was a possibility that they were operating with contents that have not been approved in advance, and in one case yesterday, a class doing food and beverage developed a new menu and we got angry. So while I certainly wasn’t slacking off…I still felt guilty about getting her hopes up.

“Aogashima-san? I’ll tell you first. …I have no intention of going out with you.”

The movement to pull me along stopped with a snap. When I looked back at Aogashima-san, she had returned to her expressionless face.

“In other words, you’re going to bend your principles and forget me?”

Aogashima-san looked into my eyes. I looked away to avoid her gaze. Realizing that I have no answer in my mind, Aogashima-san lifted the corners of her mouth slightly.

“I knew it. There…is still a chance for me.”

“…Stop it.”

Don’t sway my heart any further. Don’t put my uncontrollable thoughts on the balance.

“I won’t stop. Because she, of all people, gave me the time of day.”

“Nagisa…did?”

“She gave me time to approach you to be fair to me. Tokiwa Nagisa is a very cute, kind, and nice girl with a beautiful heart. I have thought so since the first time I saw her…”

— Please talk to…Aogashima-senpai properly, okay?

Nagisa certainly said that to me as well. My heart has always leaned toward Nagisa. I have no memories of Aogashima-san. In that state, it was true that it may be at a disadvantage to Aogashima-san.

“Even so, I.”

Without finishing, I swallowed my words. I followed behind Aogashima-san, not having time to look around. The astronomy club, the magic club, the origami club. She had accurately selected the exhibits that would be fun even if they were only on display. She probably had a plan in advance.

And so the time for a pleasant look around passed quickly, and we were back in front of First Conference Room, where we started.

“…How did you like it?”

“Yeah, it was fun.”

It was a strange sensation. I should have been wary of her. I should have tried to keep my mind still. And yet, I felt so comfortable. Was it a feeling of being in the right place? I could understand why I had become attracted to her. We must have really grown closer, quite naturally, in proportion to the amount of time we spent together.

It was really fun.

But that was all. Nothing happened that shook my heart, and I was secretly relieved. However, Aogashima-san quickly took my hand in hers, as if to say that my relief was not a problem.

“Then, here is the last time.”

Aogashima-san inserted the key into the doorknob of “Second Conference Room,” next to First Conference Room, and turned it. She opened the door and pulled me into the darkened room.

“Aogashima, san…?”

Unlike the First Conference Room, which was used as a fortress by the Fuyo Festival committee members, this room was cozy and about four tatami mats in size. The desks were low and the chairs were sofas. I remember coming here around May of this year for the third-party meeting. My mother came to see me, but she listened to me from beginning to end as if she were a stranger.

From outside the larger window, I could see a stage a dozen meters away, and they were having some kind of contest. I could hear the host’s voice through the microphone and the laughter of the audience through the window. But soon, Aogashima-san closed the brown curtains, and the sound was muffled.

“…Uh, so what are we doing here?”

“Rational, discussion.”

I glanced at the door behind me and saw that it was locked tight. A closed room, no lights on, and a rational discussion? How could it be? As soon as I suspect it, my heart beat faster.

“Sit down, Shirase-kun.”

I hesitantly sat down on the sofa, and naturally, she sat down next to me. The soft seat sunk deeper than I expected, “Wow,” Aogashima-san let out, and we both chuckled.

But it was already an illusion. We were the only two people in the world now. The cheers and voices coming from outside seemed like a different world.

Ahh, I shouldn’t have done that. I shouldn’t be relaxed like this. I shouldn’t let her get to me any more. I chanted in my mind and realized. Yeah, I see, this was her trap. I had been able to keep my guard up against her all this time. But not anymore. The thread of tension has now been broken. She was about to go on the offensive. I no longer have the means to prevent it.

“So, Shirase-san. Who would you choose?”

“…Nagisa.”

Aogashima-san let out a giggle in response to my stubborn answer.

“It isn’t. Whether or not you deny the process that you care so much about for that girl.”

“That’s—”

If I choose Nagisa, I have to do so as a result. …This was the worst possible answer.

But that wasn’t it. I have to face everything apart from the consequences. Yes, even to Aogashima Yuno. I know that. But I was afraid to face the feelings I had for her.

“If Shirase-kun chose Tokiwa-san. …Shirase-kun, would you leave me and forget about me?”

Aogashima-san turned to me and gently touched my cheek.

“That’s not right. Irresponsible. You didn’t let me give up.”

Her cold fingertips trembled.

“This is because you couldn’t lie. You should have just told me you didn’t like me. Then I wouldn’t be like this.”

She was very right. It was my fault for making her face distorted like this.

“Shirase-kun. Look at me.”

Aogashima placed her hand on my right cheek as well. Slowly, she turned my head, and I was drawn to her unfathomable eyes.

“Take responsibility.”

I gulped. What exactly does she mean by responsibility?

“Take responsibility for these feelings.”

What does she want from me now that she continued to stare at me without even blinking?

“I had given up because I didn’t want you to hate me.”

Aogashima-san took off her shoes and placed her knees on the sofa. Sinking down again, we lose our balance as we sank. On the spur of the moment, Aogashima-san kneeled down and hugged me.

“But I don’t care anymore. I don’t care if you hate me. I don’t care how much you hate me. I’m going to tell you how I feel as best I can, with all my might.”

She put her arms around my shoulders as if she wanted to wrap everything around me. Then, she brought her mouth close to my ear. Her lips touch just a little, and it was cool there, but soon it became hot.

“Shirase Suguru-kun. I love you. I can’t help it, I love you.”

A shudder. A shaking sensation in the core of my body. My pulse quickened. Aogashima-san naturally felt it, too.

“Fufu. I was so happy to see your reaction. …I knew you loved me too, Shirase-kun.”

“…Yeah, it looks like it.”

I would not lie. I would not deceive. Because I have to seriously face her feelings and my own feelings. No matter how bad they may be, no matter how dirty they may be.

“But why do I love you? I don’t remember, I don’t know. There was no record of it anywhere.”

“I don’t know either, but I think I was attracted to the way you tried to change. I’m that kind of person.”

“I said that I wanted to forget you, and you denied it. In other words, Shirase-kun didn’t want the reason why you fell in love with me to disappear.”

“…You’re right. I can’t deny that either.”

There was indeed an aspect of that. It was still the worst. It was the worst of me, but it was a good thing for Aogashima-san, and that was why her hugs on me were getting stronger.

“I’m very, very happy. Shirase-kun. …I love you. Everything was so unbearable without you. So please, choose me, not her.”

“I can’t do that.”

It was still okay. I could still reject her. Aogashima-san moved away from me, breathing shallowly. Her eyes were dark, but she still hasn’t lost hope.

“…Shirase-kun. Close your eyes. I want you to imagine. If you can no longer imagine, you can let go of my hand. Then I’ll give up everything.”

As she said this, she took my left hand and held it in a lover’s grip. I did as she said and looked up at the ceiling with my eyes closed.

“Laugh with me.”

Aogashima-san shuffled. With just one hand, she deftly removed my tie.

“Embrace me.”

A can was pulled out of my chest pocket.

“You must kiss me.”

From the top, the buttons of my shirt were unbuttoned.

“Doing…umm…more than that with me.”

Her voice was shaky, strained, and raspy, riding on shallow breathing.

“I think it’s crazy, too. But you’re the only one I can think of.”

Even though it was wrong. I couldn’t reject it. The sweet air that filled the room caused a balloon to rapidly deflate in my mind.

What would happen if this balloon were to burst?

I felt a cold sensation on my lips. It was pushed into my mouth, and I understood. It was a lemon-flavored candy ball. The sound of a candy ball hitting my teeth was the background, and my brain overlapped with the call of “Shirase-kun,” which was poured directly into my ear.

“If you insist on forgetting me. At least. Give me a memory—”

What part of this was rational discussion?

“Aogashima-san. What are you talking—”

“Don’t open your eyes yet.”

I knew immediately by the sign. She was going to kiss me.

So my body moved on its own. I pushed her back and got up from the couch. When I opened my eyes, I saw Aogashima-san’s eyes widen, her face bright red as she repeats, “Um,” “Um,” “Um,” in a whisper.

“…I’m sorry. I.”

“Sorry. …Ever since the summer, I just can’t help it, I refuse to be kissed.”

Ahh, why was I apologizing? I don’t need an excuse. With that, Aogashima-san regained her flow and got up from the sofa. She slowly approached me and herded me to the locked door.

“…Then will you do it for me?”

Aogashima-san took my left arm and read my watch. The long and short hands were just overlapping.

“There is still plenty of time.”

Then she hugged me again.

“I’m not like her. I can understand you better than anyone else. I won’t be jealous. I will never doubt you. So—”

I had a feeling that somewhere, sometime, or in a dream, this had happened.

At that time, I was almost swept away by such a convenient option — that I could choose Aogashima-san and followed my principles. But I realized something at that moment and defeated her temptation.

But now I have no trigger. There were only results here, both in me and in her. It was a mass of purely refined feelings. Only feelings were squeezed into the space where memories have disappeared, and I couldn’t think about anything else.

This love was undeniably real.

Then why did I choose Nagisa and not Aogashima-san?

It was because I promised Nagisa. Because I swore to her.

But I was sure that a happier outcome awaited me if I go out with Aogashima-san. I even felt that way.

In my pocket, my smartphone trembled.

“…Don’t answer.”

Aogashima-san tightly gripped my hand, shoving it into her pocket, and wouldn’t let go.

“Please, look only at me. Think only of me.”

The vibrations stopped.

Aogashima-san stepped away from me. Slowly, with trembling legs, she put one hand on the wall and fingered the ribbon on her chest.

If I let her undo that—it would really be the end.

“Aogashima-san—”

That was not good. I tried to stop her, but I didn’t think my words would stop her anymore. Yeah, what was I going to do? My thoughts were too dizzy to think properly. It was at such a moment.

“Hey, Shirase Suguru! Can you hear me!?”

A deafening scream. The spiky wavelength belonged to Kuroiwa Aika. Where waws it coming from? Outside the door? Inside the room? No, not that.

“…Ai-ka?”

As soon as Aogashima-san turned around, I jumped to the window at once. I opened the curtains to find that somehow, Kuroiwa was standing on stage, holding a microphone.

“What is it? What’s going on?”

There was no way that Kuroiwa was scheduled to be on stage. Looking at my phone, I saw that the call I had just received was from the President. I quickly called her back with one touch. I switched to speaker mode and place it on the table so that Aogashima-san could hear it.

『Shirase-kun, thank you for calling me back. Do you already have the stage figured out?』

“Uh. I’m looking at it right now. It’s Kuroiwa again. I’m sorry.”

『No, that’s fine. A volunteer band that was scheduled to perform at the festival broke up due to differences in musicality. Can’t you handle it somehow? Originally, we had a full slate of bands, but as a result of various power relationships, we were forced into mixing it up. It would have been troublesome if we had left a hole in the lineup. I should have just turned them down in the first place.』

“Hey, can you hear me? Shirase Suguru! Aogashima Yuno! And while we’re at it, we’re also looking for people who can improvise and play bass!”

『And they’re short on bass.』

“It seemed so.”

As I hastily put back the button that had been undone, I turned to Aogashima-san.

“It seemed to be a standard cultural festival accident. I guess such things really do happen. I don’t think so, but do you possibly play bass…I guess not?”

“I’m sorry, but I only play the zither.”

“That’s too good an asset to leave out of the force. — In the meantime, I’ll hit up someone I know, too.”

End of call. I put the can back in my chest pocket for the last time and opened the window.

“…We were just about getting into a good atmosphere.”

“I think you’re mistaken about the dangerous atmosphere.”

Really, what would we have done without Kuroiwa?

“In the meantime, I’ll speak on my own until you find a bass guitarist. If you don’t want to hear me talk about myself, you’d better get a bass player with superb technique!”

Kuroiwa was blowing some kind of crazy idea all over the school.

“Is it that easy to find one?”

“I only know one person that comes to mind.”

“Tokiwa Minagi?”

It was easy to get an immediate answer when the number of my acquaintances was in the single digits. I looked up Minagi’s name in my call history and called her right away.

“Hey, Yuno! I thought I understand Yuno, but I actually didn’t understand her at all. I think I’ve always loved Yuno, who I created on my own!”

While the call sounded, Kuroiwa really started shouting a message to Aogashima-san that had nothing to do with the band. Our eyes met perfectly as if she had realized where we were, or maybe she had known from the beginning.

“I’ve been in the habit of saying we’re best friends, and wanting to get to know Yuno better, but I’ve only been able to get halfway into it. I was content just to be next to Yuno. That’s why I’m sorry! I’m sorry I didn’t understand Yuno!”

“Aika…I’m the one who should be sorry.”

Aogashima-san muttered. Minagi, after all, did not answer the call. The call continued to ring. If this continued, it would turn into a mysterious private talk show.

“And Shirase!”

My name was called again and I looked up. Kuroiwa, with a scowl on her face, reasserted her grip on the microphone.

“You’ve been thinking about Nagisa-chan in a complicated way, haven’t you? Stop all that. Leave everything about Yuno to me, and think only about what is most important to you!”

What is most important to me?

Nagisa. But no, that was not what I meant. It was about what kind of relationship I wanted to have with Nagisa.

『Ah. I’m sorry, Suguru, I’m a little busy right now.』

I finally got Minagi on the phone, but by that time, there was no need to tell her again.

『The savior always arrives late.』

Minagi was standing on the stage with her bass on her shoulder. As soon as she heard the call go dead, she tossed her smartphone to the staff behind her.

“I will play with feelings that I won’t forgive you if you miss even a single note!”

Kuroiwa put the microphone back on the stand, went to the keyboard, and began to play the introduction, so stagnant and natural that it was hard to believe it was improvised. The guitar, bass, drums, and vocals joined in. The different tones overlapped, connected, and harmonized to form a single piece of music.

I knew immediately. This song was a love song that Nagisa taught me. The title was 『My Destined Is Next To Me』 I glanced at Aogashima-san who was standing next to me.

“…Aogashima-san. I think someone like you is called the destined.”

My mutterings seemed to have reached her, even over the loud noise, and Aogashima-san’s eyes widened as if surprised.

“I feel very comfortable with you. I feel like you understand me without me having to tell you anything, and in fact, you do. We care for each other and give a lot to each other. Maybe that’s because we are so much alike.”

But beyond that, maybe we don’t connect. It felt good, but only in the moment.

I piled up words, leaving out a lot of unexplainable parts.

“I’m sure we won’t fight too often.”

If we only looked at the results, I was sure things would work out well for me and Aogashima-san. I think we would be able to maintain a desirable relationship, build a peaceful home, and continued to love each other without breaking down.

“However, it’s just not my ideal.”

But when I think about the future. It was always a different person next to me.

I think I need to change. I want to change.

Because nothing stays the same. Because it was a lie to say nothing changes.

I have always been alone. But every time I met someone, every time I came into contact with someone, every time I noticed something new, I changed little by little. I was able to grow by overlapping and uniting my ideas with my principles. With Minagi. With Sakuma. And even with Ocupido.

“I love Nagisa more than I love you. I will prove it.”

Aogashima Yuno did not respond.

Or that she mumbled something in a voice that was just enough to be drowned out by the love song just so that I wouldn’t be able to hear it.