Even With a Dagger, The Battlefield is Unsettling

◇ Saturday Morning, 7:15 AM

“I-I’m s-so sorry! I really didn’t mean it like that…”

“No, it’s fine… It’s true anyway… really, it’s okay.”

“No, no, that’s not what I meant at all… I was just talking about the shape… I wasn’t trying to make fun of you…”

“Uh, yeah…”

“What should I do…?”

“…I don’t know…”

Last night, we tried to make love for the first time. However, a certain remark from Marin-chan caused my… um, soldier to lose its spirit, leaving me in a state akin to the final scene of Ashita no Joe — unable to stand.

Any guy could probably guess what she said.

(Side note: That refers to being really exhausted and defeated, like bent.)

“It’s just…! The only ones I’ve seen were like that… really, I didn’t mean it like that… And by ‘seen,’ I mean… my dad’s… when I was younger… And this is my first time too, so… I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, really.”

I understood that Marin-chan didn’t mean any harm. But still… as a guy, it was a hit to my pride, striking at my most sensitive spot… yeah.

Even after that, Marin-chan kept apologizing over and over.

◇ Marin’s Perspective

“Well, I’m off.”

“Yeah… got it.”

“Seriously, you don’t need to worry about it anymore, okay?” Aoi-kun reassured me with a gentle smile.

“Yeah,” I responded, forcing a smile as I saw him off.

As soon as Aoi-kun left, I quickly turned to my PC and started searching frantically.

“ED… trauma… small…”

A few pages popped up.

“Failures during the first experience or being hurt by a partner’s words might cause strong anxiety during sexual activity.”

“This can occur only with a specific person. Example: Only with a spouse.”

It’s my fault, after all.

I never meant for this to happen…

If it’s only happening with me… does that mean we can’t be together anymore?

He can with someone else, but not with me?

I can’t bear that. But if this keeps happening, eventually…

I kept searching desperately for a solution.

(Tl/n: nuuuuuu, not that path…)

◇ Aoi’s Perspective

“Small…”

Yeah, I already knew that. I’d noticed it during the school trip when we went to the hot springs. I had always felt smaller compared to others. I tried to accept it, but hearing it said out loud… it really hurt. At the same time, I started worrying that I might not be able to satisfy her, that she might stop wanting to be with me. The pressure mounted, and I began to feel more and more down.

But this isn’t something I can talk to others about…

Talking to Kiyohito… he’s got quite the big one himself. No way I can bring this up to him. Impossible. He wouldn’t even understand how I feel.

Oh man… this is seriously the end…

“Aaree~,it’s  Aoi! What are you doing here?” a voice called out.

(TL: why do all images look JCs…)

I turned around to see Honjo-san standing there.

“Oh… good morning.”

“Hey, cheer up! What’s going on? You look troubled.”

“Well… yeah, kind of.”

“Don’t tell me… Marin-sama asked you for a divorce or something!?”

“Not exactly, but… close enough.”

“What!? A marriage crisis!? Okay, I’ll help you out!” she said, pulling my hand.

“Wait, where are we going!?”

“A café, of course. We can talk there.”

“Wait! This isn’t something I can talk about in a café!”

“What? Then where do you want to talk about it?”

“Somewhere private.”

“Wait, Aoi, are you in heat or something? lol”

“No, that’s not it!”

“Okay, okay, got it. How about my place, then?”

“Wait, I have plans to hang out with Kiyohito after this!”

“Got it. I’ll cancel it for you,” she said, taking it upon herself to contact Kiyohito and cancel our plans.

“Alright then, let’s go!”

And just like that, Honjo-san dragged me off to her place.