The Happiness That The Shinigami Gave Me - V3 Chapter 16

Volume 3 Chapter 16

We both ran toward the shrine while soaking wet. Eventually, we reached one of the shrine buildings.

There were many tourists here, already taking shelter from the rain. I couldn’t see any sign of Motoyama. Suzuno and I ducked into one of the corners of the building, where there were fewer people around. After brushing off some of the raindrops on our skin and wiping the water off our foreheads, we started checking on our belongings.

“Ugh, it’s soaking wet. I hope my phone is okay…”

“What a mess…”

I took out the school trip leaflet from my bag. The Ono no Komachi illustration on the cover was blurred because of the water, which made sense, since this leaflet was placed on the outermost part of my bag. Her face blurred to the point it was indistinguishable and the 12-layered kimono she wore failed to retain its original shape. The most beautiful woman of all time had turned into a hideous specter. (T/N: Ono no Komachi is a Japanese female poet from the Heian era, one among the six best during the period and the symbol of feminine beauty in Japan.)

Seeing this mess, we let out a hearty laugh.

“You need to apologize to Ono no Komachi for treating her like this, Yuuma.”

“But, they say that she’s so beautiful that water drips off her.”  (T/N: This is a pun on the expression 水も滴るいい, which means someone is so beautiful and clean that if you sprinkled water on them, there wouldn’t be any dirt in the water droplets. And since the illustration is wet, well, that’s the joke.)

After another round of laughter, silence followed. I could hear the sound of falling water gently caressing my ear. Leaning my back against the wall of the building, I watched the rain fall without saying any words.

Suzuno sat next to me without making any fuss. As if the awkwardness between us hadn’t existed in the first place… No, that wasn’t it.

I was the one who started it because I had avoided her until now.

After making up my mind, I called out to her.

“Thank you for waiting for me, Suzuno, even though Motoyama and the others already went ahead of you. Also, I have something to say–”

“That’s not it, Yuuma. They only went ahead because they’re trying to be considerate toward us.”

Suzuno’s serious gaze met with mine.

“I…have been wanting to talk with you for a long time, Yuuma…”

My heart beat louder and louder.

After I avoided her for so long, there was only one thing that she could say to me.

Let’s break up.

I could see it coming.

After all, she didn’t need someone like me anymore.

I wanted to cry.

She would definitely go out with Motoyama; that was why he was confident enough to leave her with me.

This development made sense. He was a way better guy than I could ever be. Even though he clearly knew that his presence irritated me, he always did his best to stay by my side.

I was hurting. It felt like my body was being torn apart.

I loved her. So much.

My mind was slowly being driven mad by my jealousy.

The jealousy that was strong enough to outweigh my fear of death.

But, I had no right to complain. It was my fault that she chose Motoyama over me.

I turned to face Suzuno with determination.

Since I was the one who ran away from her, I had to take responsibility.

A curtain made of rain separated us from the rest of the world. Within our own private world, cut off from reality, both of us sealed our lips shut.

After a long period of silence, Suzuno joined her fingers together in front of her chest, as if she was praying, before she opened her mouth.

“Yamaoka Yuuma-kun. I love you. Will you go out with me again?”

TL: Iyo

ED: samheart564

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