When I Told the Most Beautiful Girl in the School That My Confession Had Failed, She Suddenly Started Coming at Me With Unbearably Heavy Feelings - Chapter 41.1: Time and Sharing

Chapter 41.1: Time and Sharing

August 11th.

It was the height of summer. The sunlight scorched the surroundings so fiercely that I felt like protesting whether it intended to kill us off today as well.

On such a sweltering summer day that made me want to melt like mud inside an air-conditioned room, I stood in front of the station.

My purpose was to meet Rinne Kisaragi. It was to fulfill our promise from the ball sports tournament to go on a date.

Before long, Rinne Kisaragi arrived. At her chest hung the same dazzling dolphin necklace as mine.

“Hinate-kun! Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“No, I haven’t been waiting. …Actually, it’s still an hour early, isn’t it?”

“That’s my line. Who meets up an hour ahead on a day this hot in summer? Are we both trying to die or something?”

We shared a laugh and decided to start our date early.

Today, we were going on a movie date at the theater attached to the building in front of the station. It was in response to Rinne Kisaragi’s request.

At the entrance ticket machine, we bought our tickets and, on the way, some drinks and popcorn.

The film we were seeing today was Escape from the Devil. It was a revival screening of an old horror movie. This, too, was Rinne Kisaragi’s request.

Perhaps because it was still early, no one else was in the theater besides us.

This situation of being alone with Rinne Kisaragi. The vast space only accelerated the pounding in my chest.

“I wouldn’t have guessed you’d want to see a movie, Kisaragi. And a horror one at that.”

“You said you liked them, Hinate-kun, so I wanted to know more about the things you like. Plus, with a horror movie, I can legally cling to you.”

I could not help but laugh, sensing that the main reason lay in the latter half.

I did indeed like movies. This had been the cause of that tragedy, but I still loved them enough to remain unchanged.

However, if asked whether I was a movie buff, I felt it was a bit different. I could name favorite films off the top of my head, but when pressed for favorite scenes or directors, I found myself at a loss for words.

It would be more accurate to say I liked theaters.

As a child, Dad would often take me to the movies on his rare days off.

Dad was a true movie enthusiast, and he would even sit through the children’s films I wanted to see.

I loved being in this space with Dad.

It was quiet and dimly lit, yet vast, and it calmed my heart. The popcorn tasted better here than anywhere else, and the white grape cider in the drinks was the most delicious liquid in the world, yet I had never seen it outside this place.

For me, the theater was a place to confront myself and to share time with the people I loved.

I was glad to be in such a place with Rinne Kisaragi now.

In this past month, many things had happened, and many things had changed.

Rinne Kisaragi had proposed to me, Nonoka Hoshiumi had betrayed me, I had gained new friends at the ball sports tournament. It had been a dense month, encompassing both joys and pains.

I suspected that my school life from here on would be just as full. I had no basis for it, but if I had to name one, it would be the girl sitting beside me.

People gradually gathered, and the screening began.

I had a relatively high tolerance for horror. This time’s Escape from the Devil did not seem all that scary, so I figured I could watch it without issue.

(This grainy old footage adds to the creepiness, doesn’t it… Huh?)

My gaze slid toward the sensation of being tugged sharply, and there was Rinne Kisaragi, trembling as she clutched my clothes.

With her free hand—the one not gripping my shirt—she covered her eyes, barely managing to watch the film while still shaking in terror.

(Could it be… she has no tolerance for horror!?)

“Eek…”

“K-Kisaragi? It’s oka—”

“Eek!?”

As I tried to speak softly, Rinne Kisaragi leaped at me. Fortunately, it was a loud scene, so the people around us did not seem to notice.

“I-It’s fine. It’s okay, so… Eek.”

Rinne Kisaragi, who was always so poised and unflappable, trembled like a newborn fawn. The fact struck me as amusing, and her appearance struck me as endearing, so I decided to leave her be for a bit.

▼▽

After that, we watched one more film, and now we sat in our usual café inside the station.

“I never would have thought you were bad with horror, Kisaragi…”

“I-It’s not my fault. That was unfair…”

“…Then why did you suggest seeing one if you’re bad with them?”

“There’s no other reason than that you said you liked them, Hinate-kun. I want to know even a little more about what you like. I want to share more of your likes and more time with you.”

It was an answer so typical of Rinne Kisaragi. I had half-expected something wild like her groping my lower half during the clingy moments, so it left me a bit deflated.

But I was glad.

It reaffirmed that she was the one I needed to protect.

It reaffirmed that she loved me.

It seemed I would spend stimulating days with Rinne Kisaragi for a while. They would surely not be bad days.

“…Well then, now’s the time to give you this.”

After we finished the cake, Rinne Kisaragi took out a small box adorned with a ribbon.

“Happy birthday, Hinate-kun. This is a present from me.”

“Can I open it?”

“Yes.”

Inside the box was a watch.

Its deep indigo decoration, reminiscent of a night sky, evoked Rinne Kisaragi’s hair, and the hands glittered like stars, ticking steadily.

“It’s a beautiful watch… It must have been expensive.”

“Not to brag, but I do have money to spare.”

After seeing that mansion, I could not dismiss it as a joke.

“I want to share ‘time’ with you… That’s why a watch. Whenever you look at this watch, I want you to think of me. Even when we’re apart, the bond connecting us won’t break.”

“You’re as heavy as ever…”

“Oh? Isn’t it a bit late to say that now? Or did you dislike it?”

“…No, I like it like this. The Kisaragi I know doesn’t hesitate to create faits accomplis.”

Rinne Kisaragi smiled in satisfaction.

At this point, I knew about thirty percent of Rinne Kisaragi. This expression meant “I’m glad you understand.”

“More time, huh… All right, let’s go then.”

“…Huh? Go where…?”

“To share some fun time.”

▼▽

“This place is…”

“Let’s go in. …You’ll see soon enough.”