I Will Do Everything In My Power To Bring Happiness To The Enchanting Beauty Who Can No Longer Smile. - Chapter 28: A World In Color.

A World In Color.

“H-How is it? It’s been a while since you last had stew.”

“It’s delicious.”

“Really!?”

“Yeah. It has a nostalgic taste.”

Tsubame eagerly scooped up spoonfuls of stew and brought them to her mouth. We had shared meals together before, but her pace this time was completely different. That alone was enough to tell me—her sense of taste had returned.

“You don’t have to rush. The stew isn’t going anywhere.”

“…Mm.”

“I’m sorry if it tastes a little bland. Please bear with it for a while.”

“I don’t mind. It’s delicious.”

It wasn’t that the stew itself was lacking in flavor. Rather, Tsubame’s taste buds hadn’t fully recovered yet. The doctor had advised against overly strong seasoning, but seeing how enthusiastically she was eating, there didn’t seem to be any issue.

“Be careful not to choke.”

Tsubame nodded firmly. Just watching her filled my heart with warmth.

I was truly relieved. But… how long is this going to continue?

Right now, I was sitting beside Tsubame, eating stew as well. But it was incredibly difficult to eat.

The reason—Tsubame was way too close.

Ever since that little incident earlier, she hadn’t moved away at all. Compared to when she was hugging me before the stew was ready, I suppose this was some progress, but… her mother’s gaze felt rather warm. In an unsettling way.

Well, as long as Tsubame was enjoying herself, I supposed it was fine. It was just a little hard to eat—not impossible, after all.

***

After finishing our meal, we sat in the living room, flipping through Tsubame’s photo album.

“This flower field was so beautiful. It smelled amazing, too. The shoot was really fun.”

“I see… That sounds nice. This hair accessory you’re wearing here looks great, too.”

“It’s cute, isn’t it? The manager made it using flowers meant as souvenirs. I also bought a separate hair clip. Here, this one.”

“You just pulled it out like it’s a cooking show reveal.”

Tsubame retrieved a delicate pink flower-shaped hair accessory from her pocket.

Then, without hesitation, she clipped back her bangs with it.

“How does it look? Does something like this suit me?”

“…It changes your whole look. It suits you really well.”

“I’m glad.”

Her forehead, usually hidden, was now visible, and the shift in appearance made my heart skip a beat. And—though only slightly—her expression had softened.

She wasn’t smiling yet. But she wasn’t expressionless either.

For the past few days, her face had been completely devoid of emotion. This change was just as significant as regaining her sense of taste.

“…? Shigure-kun, is something wrong? Does it suit me that much?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. It really suits you… but more than that, I’m just happy. Your expression has changed.”

Since there was no reason to hide it, I answered honestly. Tsubame blinked in surprise.

“Was I… smiling?”

“Not exactly. It’s more like… you look happy or excited.”

Her dark eyes stared at me intently. Pitch black, yet filled with a rekindled light.

“That makes me happy. Seeing you enjoy yourself.”

“Then…”

Tsubame hesitated, trailing off mid-sentence.

I didn’t want to pressure her, so I simply waited, wondering what she wanted to say.

“…Can you…”

She averted her gaze for just a moment.

“If you call me cute, I think I’ll be even happier.”

“—”

A faint blush tinged her cheeks—so faint that you’d miss it if you weren’t paying close attention.

The sight of it rendered me speechless. For a brief moment, I even forgot to breathe.

“C-c…”

My words caught in my throat. I cleared it once, then looked at her again.

“…You’re cute.”

“……I see.”

Her blush deepened—probably not just my imagination.

“Sorry. I’m not used to saying things like that.”

“But you call me beautiful all the time, don’t you?”

“…‘Beautiful’ is easier to say, for some reason. Even though I mean both.”

It was probably because people on social media always used beautiful.

Come to think of it, the word cute wasn’t often used to describe Tsubame. Maybe because her initial impression leaned more toward elegance.

“…You’re really not used to saying things like this, huh, Shigure-kun?”

“I haven’t had many close female friends. The only ones I ever talked to were my friends’ girlfriends.”

“I see.”

Obviously, I couldn’t go around calling a friend’s girlfriend cute or beautiful. Not that I would have, even if I could.

“I wouldn’t say this to anyone but you, Tsubame.”

“…I’m glad.”

She whispered softly.

Softly—but loud enough that I heard every word.

“Then, from now on… say it to me. Only me. A lot. I’m the kind of person who thrives on praise.”

“I-I got it.”

“I’ll make sure to praise you a lot too, Shigure-kun.”

“You don’t have to force yourself to, you know?”

“Are you forcing yourself to praise me?”

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

“Then it’s the same for me.”

Tsubame’s hand lightly touches mine—just a gentle brush of her fingertips.

“Shigure-kun, you’re amazing. Both in looks and in heart. And also…”

Her words send a shiver down my spine. Of course, there’s no way I wouldn’t be happy hearing them.

I almost turn my gaze away—until her next words stop me.

“Look at me, Shigure-kun.”

“…”

“Good. You’re looking at me properly.”

With her other hand, Tsubame gently touches my cheek, making sure I can’t avert my gaze.

“Your eyes, Shigure-kun, they sparkle so beautifully.”

“R-Really? No one’s ever told me that before.”

“They’re so beautiful that I could keep looking at them forever.”

True to her words, she doesn’t look away. She gazes at me, unwavering, her eyes slightly narrowing—as if she’s smiling with them.

So this is what they mean when they say eyes speak louder than words.

“—T-Tsubame, this is getting a little embarrassing.”

“And what if I say no?”

“…That would be a problem.”

“Then I guess I have no choice. I’ll do it again later.”

Only after she pulls her hand away from my cheek am I finally able to break eye contact. …My heart is pounding.

“S-Speaking of which, Tsubame, what are your plans for tomorrow?”

“Oh, right. I forgot to tell you, Shigure-kun.”

I had been grasping for a change of topic, and it seems like I succeeded. I exhale in relief, waiting for her to continue.

“My schedule got packed tomorrow to make up for today. The photographer has another shoot lined up, so they’ll fit mine in at the studio as well.”

“That’s pretty flexible of them.”

“I got lucky. Since a veteran will be handling the shoot, it should wrap up quickly.”

“Got it.”

It doesn’t seem like things always go this smoothly… well, that makes sense. I hardly know anything about this line of work.

And there was something else on my mind.

“What should I do tomorrow? Want me to come with you?”

“Yes, please.”

“Alright. I’ll go with you.”

This was already decided last night. And of course, I meant what I said.

“They also gave the okay for you to accompany me. But… it might be a bit difficult for you to enter the studio while we’re shooting. The director is a bit strict.”

“That makes sense. …Will you be alright with that?”

“As long as I know I’ll get to see you afterward, I won’t feel lonely. But… there’s one thing I wanted to ask.”

“What is it?”

She pauses for a moment before speaking again.

“Because of the schedule, I’ll have to stay overnight tomorrow. About the hotel room… I was wondering if we could just book one. Let’s stay together.”

“That’s…”

How should I respond?

I ask myself again. I mean, sure, there’s a lot to consider. A guy and a girl staying in the same room… normally, I’d hesitate. But then again, last night, we already slept in the same room.

“If you’re fine with it, then I don’t mind either.”

“Great, I’ll let the manager know.”

“…Alright.”

It’ll be fine. It’s probably something that will happen more often from now on.

…Wait. Is that really fine?

Without thinking, I glance at Tsubame. She tilts her head slightly—a rare gesture from her. She never used to do things like this before.

Maybe this means she’s opened up to me more.

Just as I come to that realization, Tsubame seems to misunderstand my gaze. She slightly spreads her arms, as if inviting me into an embrace.

For a brief moment, my thoughts came to a halt.

…It was a stance I had seen before—a silent invitation for a hug. But now, with the added tilt of her head, the impact was overwhelming.

Still, correcting her misunderstanding at this moment felt unnecessary. It wasn’t as though I didn’t want to embrace her.

“…Mm.”

As I wrapped my arms around Tsubame, she let out a small sound. Then, like a child clinging to a parent, she tightened her grip, holding me with all her strength.

…She could probably hear it. The way my heart was pounding.

The Tsubame who had begun to open her heart was far closer, far more endearing than I had ever imagined. And honestly, I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep my composure.

For that matter—what exactly was the nature of our relationship now?

“Shigure-kun.”

“What is it?”

“I want you to pat my head.”

“…Yeah, of course.”

I heard the heavy thump of my heartbeat at her words, but I ignored it and gently ran my hand over her head.

…Maybe there was no need to put a name to this relationship. At least not yet—not until the day Tsubame could truly smile from the bottom of her heart, just like she once did.

With that thought settled in my mind, I held her close once more—careful to suppress any impure intentions.