Chapter 28 – Confession and Repentance

Back at the inn, after finishing our bath and dinner, the four of us were lounging around in total relaxation.

But I still had something I needed to do.

I had to talk to Yukimori properly—really talk.

“Yukimori, can I talk to you for a bit?”

“Ah, yes. What is it?”

“Well… not here. I thought maybe we could get some fresh air.”

“…All right. I’m sorry, Asuka-chan, Tomita-kun. I’ll be back in a bit.”

“Sure thing~”

“Take care, Shizuku.”

Yukimori quickly left the room.

Kazuki and Toudou gave me a big thumbs-up from behind her back. That smug face—cut it out.

After stepping outside, Yukimori and I slipped on our geta and headed into the garden.

Clack—clack—clack—clack.

The wooden sandals echoed pleasantly against the stone path.

Being far from the city, there was little artificial light. The sky was littered with stars.

Among them, a bright full moon swam gently overhead. Its soft light bathed us in a quiet glow.

“Hatsuse-kun, what’s this about?”

“Ah… well, uh, yeah.”

Now, how do I even start?

How do I talk about this without making it weird…? No clue. Dammit, I suck at this kind of thing.

I stopped in my tracks, staring up at the sky.

Maybe I should go cliché and say something like, The moon sure is pretty tonight. I mean, it is a moonlit night, after all.

…What the hell am I even thinking?

I let out a quiet sigh—and then—huh? Why does my lower half feel… cold? Wait—!?

“Wh-Wh-Wh-What are you doing, Yukimori!?”

Don’t—don’t open my yukata like that!!

Panicked, I backed away and held my yukata shut. Yukimori, still kneeling, tilted her head innocently.

“Eh? Was I wrong?”

“Yes!!”

“I thought maybe you were just too shy to say you wanted to do it outside.”

“I’m not that reckless!!”

Does she really think I’m the kind of guy who’d want to do it out here? That kinda hurts!

“Fufu… fufufu…”

“…Yukimori?”

“You’re back to your usual self, I see.”

“Huh? …Ah.”

Yeah, I was talking like I normally do.

Could she have done that on purpose to break the tension? It’s actually… possible. Yukimori would totally do something like that.

Damn it, she’s got me dancing in the palm of her hand.

Yukimori chuckled softly, then sat on the veranda, patting the spot beside her.

“Come on, sit down. We’ve got time—let’s talk slowly.”

“…Yeah.”

I sat next to her, and we both looked up at the sky.

A radiant full moon, a sky full of stars, and the gentle chirping of insects carried on the breeze.

It was so quiet, it felt like we were the only two people in the world.

“So, what did you want to talk about?”

“…Well, uh… about our relationship, I guess.”

“Our relationship?”

“…Do you think this will go on forever, Yukimori?”

She didn’t answer right away.

The silence stretched between the sound of our breaths and the rustling of clothes.

“…Who knows. If we wanted it to, I think it could.”

“Why?”

“Right now, we’re in an employment arrangement. As long as that doesn’t change—whether we become college students or working adults—I think it could continue.”

“But there’s a chance you’ll marry someone else, right? Especially someone your family chooses.”

“Yes… but even then, I would continue. Our relationship, I mean.”

…What the hell. Why would she go that far?

Normally, that’d be the point where you’d cut things off. No, should cut things off.

…No, that’s the wrong mindset. I have to move this forward.

“Don’t you ever want to relieve stress in other ways, Yukimori?”

“Eh? I do, by being with you, Hatsuse-kun.”

“No, I mean… if you could find ways to release stress little by little, maybe you wouldn’t need me anymore, I thought…”

Damn it. No. This makes it sound like I’m rejecting her.

As expected, Yukimori’s eyes filled with tears, and they began to spill down her cheeks.

“Do you… hate being with me, Hatsuse-kun…?”

“N-No! It’s not that! I’m glad we’re together! That’s not what I meant…”

“Then what did you mean?”

Looking into Yukimori’s tear-filled eyes, I tried to respond but stopped.

If I say this, everything will change between us.

Moving forward means change.

Especially changing from something impure… to something sincere. And there’s no guarantee that’s even the right path.

But even so, we have to change.

Now’s the time to move forward.

“…I like you.”

“…Eh…?”

Yukimori’s eyes widened.

Yeah. I said it.

I turned those feelings into words.

Spoke them out loud.

And now, there’s no taking them back.

“I like you, Yukimori.”

“…You… like me, Hatsuse-kun…?”

She stared in disbelief, repeating my words.

I couldn’t tell what she was thinking from her expression.

So I just kept talking—saying what was in my heart.

“I know it’s selfish. Falling for you after everything we’ve done physically—I’m scum. You can curse me. Hate me. I just… wanted you to know how I felt. I love you, Yukimori.”

Looking straight into her eyes, I said it all.

Seconds passed. Or maybe minutes? Time felt painfully slow.

And then, Yukimori’s tears spilled once more, her expression frozen in shock.

“…Yeah. I figured… You wouldn’t know how to respond to something like that…”

“…Ah…uh…”

“I know my feelings aren’t pure. I’m sorry, Yukimori.”

“Th-That’s not it…!”

“I ruined everything. What we had was based on trust. You believed in me, and I destroyed that. But… I wanted to move forward. I wanted more.”

There’s no way Yukimori would ever accept me.

Still, a tiny part of me hoped she might… and that makes me awful. Selfish to the core.

“Forget I said anything, Yukimori. Let’s end this—mmph…!?”

Wha….was that… a kiss?