[Sad News] Living Together with the Unattainable Beauty—Her Overwhelming Affection Is Way Too Calculated - 64-65

Chapter 64: In the Park at Dusk

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On the walk from the movie theater to the park, my heart had been ringing loud like an alarm the whole time.

When should I say it? At what moment should I bring it up?

There had been chances in the café and the theater, but each time I’d chickened out and swallowed the words that had been stuck in my throat. There wasn’t much time left. The sun had nearly set; the sky was shifting from blazing orange to a deep, deep indigo. It was now or never. If I didn’t say it here, I would regret it for the rest of my life.

We sat down together on a small bench at the very back of the park where hardly anyone came. An awkward silence spread between us. I desperately searched for words, but my mind went blank. All I could hear was the thunderous beating of my own heart.

“…A-actually, uh, Fujigaya-san—”

The voice I finally forced out trembled pitifully even to my own ears.

“What is it?”

She was staring at me steadily. Her gaze was so earnest and so consuming that I wanted to run away from it. But I didn’t run. I clenched my fist tightly over my knee.

“Today, um… It was really fun.”

“Yeah, I had a lot of fun. It was really fun.”

“And, um… Today isn’t just about hanging out… I have something I want to tell you…”

My voice faltered. My throat was parched and no sound came out properly. I told myself.

Come on. Say it now. If I didn’t, nothing would ever start.

I closed my eyes hard once, and condensed every ounce of courage from the past fifteen years of my life into that single moment. I shot up from the bench. Then I stood in front of her and looked straight into her big eyes.

“Fujigaya-san.”

I said it. My voice shook, but I spoke clearly.

“I like you.”

The moment those words left my mouth, it felt as if the sound itself had vanished from the world.

“From the first time I saw you, I’ve liked you. I always thought someone like me could never match you, so I kept giving up. But I can’t hide it anymore. I like you, Fujigaya-san. I don’t want to give you to anyone.”

Once I had started speaking, the words flowed strangely easily—every feeling I had buried deep inside came pouring out.

“Please go out with me.”

I finished the sentence. The bravest thing I had ever done in my life. I held my breath and waited for her answer. My heart felt like it would burst; maybe it already had. If she said “I’m sorry,” I didn’t know if I could survive. Terrible scenarios gnawed at my nerves, stretching the silence into what felt like an eternity.

At last, a single clean tear slipped from her large eyes.

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Chapter 65: Tears and the Best Kiss

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“I love you. Please go out with me.”

The moment his trembling voice reached my ears and the deepest part of my heart,

time in my world stopped dead. And then, the next moment, my vision blurred with warm tears, and the twilight park scenery sparkled and distorted.

I’m so happy. I’m so, so, so happy.

How long, how desperately, I had waited for those simple words. That day in elementary school, when I was lost and crying, a little hero appeared before me. Since that day, I had dreamed of this moment, over and over. My long, clumsy, one-sided love was finally about to be rewarded.

Well, I used some unfair tactics, but that doesn’t matter anymore, right?

Emotions flooded out like a dam breaking, unstoppable. Tears streamed down my cheeks one after another. I couldn’t speak. I wanted to nod with the cutest smile in the world and say “Yes,” but my body was frozen with joy.

“…You’re late.”

The words I finally squeezed out were sulky, far from charming. My voice was a mess, choked with tears.

“…You’re late, Gen-chan.”

For the first time in front of him, I spoke the special nickname I’d only ever used in my heart.

He looked at me, momentarily puzzled, but as the meaning dawned on him, his anxious face lit up like the dawn sky.

“…So…”

“…Yeah.”

Without wiping my tears, I nodded over and over.

“Yes, gladly.”

The moment I said it, he looked so relieved he nearly collapsed on the spot. His utterly pathetic demeanor was irresistibly endearing. I ran to him, grabbed his large, slightly trembling hands with both of mine, and pulled him close with all my strength.

He stumbled, surprised, but I held him tightly in my arms. I gently kissed his lips. A small, pecking kiss. Savoring the perfect moment, I slowly pulled my face away.

“Don’t ever let me go, okay?”

“…Of course!”

He said it firmly, and this time, he hugged me tightly with his clumsy warmth. That warmth made tears well up again. We gazed at each other for a while. The evening dusk wrapped the park in a gentle indigo. Having regained a bit of calm, I suddenly felt a mischievous urge.

We’re lovers now. We finally became lovers today. If I fulfill one more of my long-held secret dreams tonight, surely I won’t be punished, right?

I tugged his hand firmly.

“Hey, Gen-chan.”

“Yes?”

“Let’s go home quick~♡”

With the most devilish smile I could muster, I whispered to him.

“Eh… Huh?”

“We have to get back to our home~♡”

He stood there, mouth agape, not grasping my meaning. That innocent expression was too much. Without waiting for his reply, I yanked his hand and started walking through the park.

“W-Wait, Fujigaya-san!? K-Kanoko-san!? W-What’s going on!?”

“It’s okay, it’s okay~ Just follow me~♡”

Without looking back, I gripped his hand tightly. No more holding back. No more waiting. Tonight, I would finally make my deepest wish come true. 

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