Chapter 29 – The Young Lady and the Ordinary Boy

“Um… are you calm now?”

“Y-Yes…!”

Yukimori had finally stopped crying.

But maybe she was still thinking about what happened. Her face was bright red as she sat a little distance away from me.

Well, I kinda wanted to cool off a bit too, so that was fine…

“Uh… Yukimori.”

“Hyah—Y-Yes!?”

Every time I tried talking to her, this was her reaction. She was still super tense, or maybe just really on guard around me?

If she acts this cautious, I don’t know what to do…

“So… about earlier. What I said wasn’t a lie. I meant it. I was serious…”

“I-I know that! I understand…!”

She nodded over and over like crazy.

O-Okay, so she gets it. Which means…

“Y-Yukimori saying she likes me too… that’s for real?”

“Y-Yes…”

“I-I see…”

So I didn’t mishear her.

I confessed, and she said she liked me too…

Um… wait, hold on—what?

Is this real? Seriously? I still can’t believe it.

“So then… d-do you want to, like, date?”

“I-I’d love to. I really would…”

Yukimori scooted a little closer. I did too.

We’ve already slept together so many times. I’ve seen her naked more than I’ve seen my own parents.

And yet, I’ve never felt this nervous before. Turns out, being emotionally close is even scarier than being physically close… but it makes me way happier too.

So this is what being mutually in love feels like.

Yukimori gently rested her hand on the veranda. I slowly reached out and touched it.

She intertwined her fingers with mine.

Time seemed to slow down. Everything felt calm, warm, and complete.

“Still… I didn’t realize you were worrying about the same thing.”

“O-Of course I was. Every time we slept together, my feelings kept growing, and I struggled so hard to keep them in check…”

“Yeah… falling for someone you’re just hooking up with—that gets real awkward.”

Especially for a girl. Being seen as ‘easy’ must be terrifying.

I was scared too, thinking Yukimori might shut me down…

So yeah, I get it.

But we overcame that fear—together.

I never expected things would end up like this.

“All that’s left is marriage now.”

“Yeah…”

…

“…eh?”

“Huh?”

We locked eyes, both blinking.

Wait… what did Yukimori just say?

“Um… did you just say… marriage?”

“Yes. Marriage.”

“…us?”

“Of course. Are you saying you won’t?”

“It’s not that I won’t, it’s just don’t you think you’re jumping the gun a bit!?”

Like—hello!? We just started dating five minutes ago! And you’re already talking about marriage!?

Yukimori giggled, the sound light like a bell, then smiled at me with the grace of a goddess.

“What, are you saying you’re dating the only daughter of the Yukimori family without that level of commitment?”

“T-That’s… uh…”

Yeah, okay, good point.

Getting involved with the Yukimori family’s daughter, then breaking up over some dumb fight—that’s not something you can just walk away from.

But still: marriage!? We’re only second-years in high school!

“Fufu, well, that’s fine. I won’t let you run away, though. We’ll get back to this later.”

“Eep…”

Correction. That wasn’t the smile of a goddess.

It was the smile of a predator in disguise.

“Besides, you dream of having a warm, happy family too, don’t you, Hatsuse-kun?”

“Ugh… yeah, I do…”

“It’s okay. I understand everything about you.”

Yukimori gently patted my head.

That’s right. She knows everything about my situation.

I don’t have parents. I’ve been passed around between relatives since I was born.

Even in middle school, the house I stayed at didn’t want me. They only let me go to high school because of the tuition support system, but I had to work and live on my own.

So I’ve never known what a warm family feels like. That’s why I probably long for one more than anyone.

And to build that with Yukimori…

“Are you really okay with this? I mean… marrying someone like me: a guy with nothing going for him?”

“What are you saying? It’s because it’s you, Hatsuse-kun.”

“…I see.”

Hearing that… it really does feel like she’s accepted me.

I scratched my cheek, suddenly feeling a little shy. Yukimori stood up with a “well then.”

“So, let’s have sex.”

“Don’t you think you’re being a little too abrupt today!?”

“Really? …Maybe I am. I’m more excited than I’ve ever been—it’s kind of scary, even for me.”

You don’t look like it, though.

Yukimori turned toward me under the moonlight, untied her sash, and opened her yukata.