When I Picked Up A Stunningly Gorgeous Downer-Type Beauty In Front Of The Entrance. - Chapter 74: High School Graduation Ceremony And Moving Preparations.

High School Graduation Ceremony And Moving Preparations.

I often wonder if things truly turned out for the best.

Something changed, I think, but I couldn’t quite grasp what it was.

On the last day of high school, graduation was an emotionless, straightforward affair for me. While others were hugging, crying, and promising to stay in touch, I watched it all with a detached eye. Maybe it was because I hadn’t formed close bonds or maybe I was just naturally indifferent.

I walked past groups of people, past the parents taking photos by the “Graduation Ceremony” sign at the school gate. Some were waiting for their turn, making it look like an amusement park attraction.

With my diploma tucked into my bag, I walked home alone, feeling neither lonely nor empty. It felt like just another day. But as I neared my apartment, my pulse quickened slightly. My hand stiffened as it touched the doorknob. “Well, it is what it is,” I thought, opening the door to be met with a mountain of cardboard boxes.

“…This never ends, does it?” I sighed, seeing the familiar black cat logo on the moving boxes.

After kicking off my shoes and stepping into the apartment, I heard the sound of slippers approaching from deeper inside.

“…Welcome back,” came Sajou-san’s voice as she peeked out from behind the boxes. She wore a black sleeveless top, her forehead glistening with sweat from the moving effort. Her slightly longer hair was tied back for practicality.

I found myself staring at her.

It had been about three years since we first met. We had spent almost all of high school living together. One might expect to grow accustomed to even the most beautiful person, but with Sajou-san, that was never the case. Her beauty only seemed to grow with time, often leaving me breathless with her mature allure.

When she asked, “What?” I shook my head, saying it was nothing. These interactions hadn’t changed in years.

But as I watched her, I realized that her presence could make my heart stop metaphorically, and I worried that it might literally happen someday. She was a terrifyingly captivating woman.

Lost in these thoughts, I suddenly found her face filling my vision.

Her beauty was mesmerizing, making me want to abandon everything just to keep looking at her.

“—”

Frozen in time, she leaned in and kissed me softly on the lips. As she pulled away, her face relaxed into a gentle smile.

“…Welcome back.”

“…Th-thanks,” I stammered, touching my lips, still feeling the soft pressure of hers. I averted my gaze, unable to get used to it.

She had started kissing me without any shyness or embarrassment, simply pressing her glossy lips against mine with a happy expression.

It all began in the fall of our first year in high school, after the day when Sajou-san and her mother had a three-way meeting with the teacher.

――I love you ――――I love you so very much.

She said these words and kissed me.

From that moment, Sajou-san no longer hid her affection and began to act sweetly towards me, like a lover. Kissing became a part of that. At first, I was flustered, panicked, and completely thrown off, but being kissed every day, even the most timid person would get used to it. Not that I’m a coward or anything.

However, even now, the unexpected kisses still make me blush, and every time her lips touch mine, a shiver runs down my spine.

“We still have a lot to unpack, so help me out.” 

“Yes.”

Despite her bold actions, Sajou-san showed no signs of embarrassment as she returned to the task of moving. Her demeanor remained as composed as ever. I wondered if she saw it as just another routine task. The idea of it being mechanical made me feel a bit lonely.

Well, I knew that wasn’t really the case.

I headed to my room to put down my bag. It was mostly untouched, with only one open cardboard box. I tossed my bag onto the bed, and it bounced lightly.

Despite the welcome-home kiss, Sajou-san and I were not officially lovers. Probably. Most likely. We hadn’t explicitly stated or asked to be in a relationship. Were we friends? Just neighbors? Our relationship remained ambiguous. The only thing that had changed today was that we were no longer classmates.

Since our first year of high school, we had been living together. Nothing had changed since then. We had spent all this time in a sort of prolonged continuation. While we both had grown and our activities had evolved, the fundamental aspects of our relationship remained the same.

“Is this really okay…?” I pondered. But then again, I didn’t want to label our relationship as a simple romantic one. I was satisfied with the way things were, and it seemed Sajou-san was too. If she wasn’t, she would have kicked my shins by now.

“What do you mean by that?” 

“…Don’t sneak up on me like that, you scared me.” 

“You’re not scared.”

She was right. I scratched my cheek, which had a band-aid on it.

Knowing it was just a monologue, I pushed her gently out of the room and headed to the living room. There, boxes and belongings were scattered everywhere, a chaotic scene of the moving process. I groaned at the mess.

“Today… do you think we can finish sorting everything out?”

“We have no choice but to tidy up.”

“I know, but…”

Sigh.

Today was our high school graduation ceremony, and also our last day in this house.

We packed our things and left the house.

Our new place was an apartment near the university we were going to attend. The university wasn’t so far that commuting from here would be impossible, but it would cost money for transportation and waste time.

So moving was the smarter choice… at least, that’s what we told ourselves.

In reality… I look at Sajou-san.

“?”

Maybe it’s a kind of formality.

The limited period of cohabitation in the apartment designated only for high school is ending. What’s about to begin is formal cohabitation that we discussed and decided on together.

Never did I imagine moving in with Sajou-san like this… I’ve been living with her for so long that it’s hard to feel anything special.

No sense of excitement.

If anything, since this was my first time moving from the place I’ve lived in, I had more expectations and anxieties about moving than about continuing to live with Sajou-san.

Even I’m amazed at how my mind works.

Because being together has become so natural, I don’t worry about anything. It makes me feel strange to think about it.

“…”

“…No, why?”

I was kissed while watching. “Was it different?” She tilted her head, and I stretched my lips sideways. It’s not that different at all, but I couldn’t bring myself to deny it, so I mumbled, “No, it’s nothing.”

There’s no sweet atmosphere. I feel like I’m being spoiled by a pet cat. I’ve never had a cat, though.

“I don’t need this, I’ll throw it away…”

Sajou-san continued with the moving preparations briskly, without showing any concern. It bothered me a little that more things were being stuffed into garbage bags rather than into boxes. Oh, that’s a cool-looking dragon sword I bought on a school trip. Let’s just… yes, we don’t need it.

Feeling bad about just watching, I started to help out.

Sorting out what’s needed and what’s not… Sajou-san was doing it, and if I intervened, she’d glare at me, so I started tying up the full garbage bags.

Even though it’s early spring, it’s hot to be wearing a uniform. The windows were open and the wind was blowing through, but the blazer was trapping heat.

I loosened my tie and hung my blazer on the chair. I took off the corsage from my chest and fiddled with it in my hand.

“Sajou-san…”

“What?”

“Do you really think it’s okay that you didn’t attend the graduation ceremony?”