Episode 16 – Connected feelings

“Kazuki?”
“…… Hey Kasumi, let’s talk for a minute.”
“? Okay”

I moved away from Kasumi and sat down in front of the desk in the middle of the room.
I thought Kasumi was sitting …… across from me, but then she moved next to me as if she had just noticed me.

“Not there ?”
“Hmm, I don’t understand why I have to be there when Kazuki is with me.”

…it seems to be the case.
Chuckling at my childhood friend who was still bugging me with distance, I opened my mouth to reminisce a bit about the old days.

“I was looking at the album and it reminded me of a lot of things. I really remember that Kasumi and I used to be together.”
“I know. We’ve really been together the whole time.”

Kasumi also closed her eyes as if remembering the past.
I enjoyed all the days with Kasumi that I can still remember. It was really fun. But those days came to an abrupt end when I left Kasumi’s side on my own accord.

Kasumi’s smile in the album was definitely cut off because I was no longer by her side.

“……I’m really sorry.”
“Well yeah. But that’s enough. I’ve already had you apologize.”

Kasumi said as she turned her eyes to me.
We’ve already talked to each other about this and resolved it. There was no point in dwelling on it, so I wanted to move on.

“Kazuki, what’s really going on?”
“…..Ahaha, Well, it’s a little different than usual.”

I realized a lot of things, or I was able to organize them. ……
I looked into Kasumi’s eyes as she stared at me and decided to tell her the words that naturally came out in my mouth. I’m sure those are words from my heart.

“I think I’ve spent quite a bit of time since I started talking to Kasumi again. It hasn’t been a month, but I think it’s been a long time.”
“Yes, it was. I think it was a short but long …… really intense time.”

Yes, it was a really intense time.
It started with my mom’s idea for her to cook dinner for me, and then we had a proper talk with Kasumi and things were back to the way they used to be. I was bewildered by Kasumi’s aggressive approach to make up for the time we had been apart, but I didn’t mind at all.

I thought it was because she was my childhood friend.
…… but that wasn’t all.

“Spending time with Kasumi has helped me understand …… a lot about myself.”

I was so pleased with Kasumi’s concern that I somehow followed it with my eyes.
The heartache of being told during the senpai confession that it had nothing to do with me.
I had always wanted to be by Kasumi’s side, to protect her smile, and I was able to realize my own feelings, which I became aware of when I realized that I had left her on my own accord.

“Kasumi is really beautiful and …… considerate, and I’m proud of her as a childhood friend. The most important thing to remember is that I’m not good enough for you. Kasumi didn’t care at all, but I did, and I …… hurt you.”
“….That’s”
“Kasumi told me not to worry about it anymore, but I still go there when I think about things.”
“…… even though it’s really fine.”

Yes, I knew Kasumi would say that.
I took my gaze away from Kasumi, who was staring at me, and thought about it again. Perhaps I feel guilty that I let her spend such a time with me. But that is unnecessary for what I am about to say.

“…… Kasumi, I love spending time with you.”
“Ah….”

I reach up to Kasumi’s head, who rolls her eyes, and slowly stroke it.
Kasumi accepted my hand in confusion and stared at me without saying a word. In the end, it didn’t matter what the people around me said. All that mattered was what I wanted to do and what I thought I should do.

“I….”

I’m not going to be influenced by anyone, I’m going to tell Kasumi in my own words.

“I like you. I like Kasumi.”

As we spent time together, I was reminded of the past and at the same time I was curious about Kasumi.
I’ve always wanted to see Kasumi’s smile by my side the most because I’ve been with her for so long that I’ve been late to realize my feelings …….

“…Kasumi?’

I told her I loved her, and she reached out and pinched my cheek.

“Ouchhhhhhhhhhhh!?”

The pain was unexpectedly strong, and I was vocal.
Hearing my voice, Kasumi removed her hand and now pinched her own cheek.

“…… ouch.”
“That’s right.”

Of course it hurts if you pinch it so much that it turns red.
As I giggled at Kasumi, who was trying to ease the pain by rubbing her cheeks, she blurted out, “I’m sorry, but I can’t help it”

“I’ve been thinking about Kazuki for the past two years at ……. I always wanted to go back to the way things used to be, to talk to Kazuki again like I used to.”
“Yeah”
“I thought it was just because Kazuki, who had been with me for so long, had left me and I was lonely ……, but it wasn’t.”

Kasumi jumped into my chest.
She just leaned in close to me so that her cheeks were against mine and her hands were also against mine.

“The time I spent away from Kazuki taught me that I love him. I understood that I love Kazuki and that’s why I feel for him so much.”
“…….”

It’s really too late …… now …….
It was only because I understood my feelings in this way that I was able to realize that Kasumi’s treatment of me was a mixture of male-female favoritism.

“I like Kazuki too, I like him so much I can’t help it.”

Then Kasumi gave me a big smile.
She showed me my favorite smile again, the smile I had seen so many times in the past, the smile I hadn’t seen for a while.

“……It took me a long time, but I’m going to start again.”
“Yes. Let’s start …… a new us, from childhood friends to lovers.”

If I may be honest, there was no mood or anything like that for a confession. But I feel like this is the way for us to do it.

“Kasumi”
“Waa!!?”

I stretched out my arms and hugged Kasumi as hard as I could. But I was careful not to hurt her, so that I could feel her presence all over my body.

“I don’t really know what it’s like to be in a relationship, but I’ll have to learn a lot from now on.”
“I’m sure you’re right. ……. You’re being very aggressive, Kazuki.”
“I’ve come this far, …… so I want you to tell me more about Kasumi. That’s how I want to like you more and more.”
“……Kazuki is a coward.”

Kasumi, her face bright red, continued to speak, though her voice was small.

“From the time I started spending time with Kazuki, until aunt and uncle came back, I decided that I would absolutely make Kazuki fell in the next three months.”

Oh, that’s ……, but if that’s the case, you’re probably right.

“I didn’t. …… If anything, I was the one who fell out instantly.”
“……I see?”
“Yeah. I’d already fallen off …… while spending time with Kazuki.”

If so, I can’t help but feel that I’ve made you wait. ……
Kasumi pulled away from me and looked at me, not hiding her slightly moist eyes.

“Kazuki, please take care of me from now on. Please don’t let me go.”
“Of course. I’ll never let you go. …… I’ll never let you go again.”

When I hugged her again tightly as if to express such determination, Kasumi happily put her arms around my back. In this way, we were perfectly attached and did not move apart, as if to make up for the two years we had lost for a while.

“…… what should I do with Kazuki?”
“What’s that?”
“Two months earlier than I expected. …… I’m off schedule.”
“Then that means we can spend time together as lovers sooner, right?”
“I see. ……, Kazuki is a genius.”

……I knew Kasumi was a bit of a natural.
Well, for now, I’m glad it all came together in a good way.

It’s up to me and Kasumi to decide what happens next. ……

Thus, an important woman named Kasumi became my girlfriend.

(TL/N : Oh my….The glucose levels….)