Chapter 244 - 244: The Scumbag's Trial (9.6K)

The next morning dawned bright, the sunlight perfect, the birds in high spirits.

Tsushima Kagami sat at the dining table, his breakfast plate already scraped clean.

He propped his chin on his crossed hands, brows knotted tight.

His gaze had gone unfocused, fixed on some point on the tabletop that wasn't actually there.

Inside his skull, everything was running at full speed.

Today's schedule unfolded in front of him like a precision battle map.

Every timing checkpoint of every date, every possible emergency — he rehearsed them and reviewed them over and over.

So deep in his own war-gaming that he never noticed the minutes quietly slipping past.

The bedroom door eased open and Yukinoshita Shizuku stepped out.

Today she wore a cream-white knit dress, a slim light-brown belt cinched at the waist to trace the line of her figure.

The hem fell just below her knees, leaving her long, straight calves bare.

On her feet were a pair of low-cut white shoes.

Her makeup was light, the foundation thin and clear.

A faint stroke of liner at the outer corners of her eyes.

Peach-colored gloss on her lips.

Even her hair, usually left to fall wherever it liked, had been redone today, the ends curling gently inward.

A pearl clip held it back on the left side, revealing a sliver of pale ear.

She looked at Tsushima Kagami sitting there at the table with that grave expression, and pressed her lips together against a smile.

Stepping lightly over, she braced one hand on the table's edge and tilted her head at him.

"We're just going out to have fun today.

"Why do you look so serious? Like you're heading into an interview at some major corporation."

There was laughter in her voice, warm and lovely.

Kagami snapped back to himself, pupils refocusing.

Those beautiful almond eyes were brimming with amusement, watching him with such gentleness.

The first thought that surfaced in him was: she's gorgeous.

"Ah… it's nothing."

He straightened up in a hurry.

"I was just… thinking about how to arrange today so you get a perfect experience."

"Yeah. That's all."

By the end his voice had dropped without his meaning it to, and his eyes drifted away.

Yukinoshita Shizuku went still.

Those almond eyes widened a fraction, a flicker of surprise passing through them.

The old Kagami would never have said anything like that.

Every other time they'd gone out together, he'd been his usual lazy, half-asleep self.

He wouldn't spare a second glance at what she was wearing, and the itinerary was the last thing on his mind.

But today…

Shizuku let her eyes rest on his face for a few seconds, studying the boy in front of her.

His expression was too earnest to be a lie, and there was something in it she'd never seen before… nerves?

Could it be…

Had something genuinely shifted in Kagami?

Was he starting to actually look at her — not as his adoptive sister, but as…

A member of the opposite sex?

The moment the thought arrived, her cheeks went warm.

She bit down lightly on her lower lip and lowered her lashes, pretending to smooth a crease in her skirt to hide the sudden gallop of her heartbeat.

"Look at you. When did you get so smooth?"

There was a hint of playful complaint in her tone.

Kagami didn't answer, because only now had he really taken in what Shizuku was wearing.

"You…"

His mouth worked, and for a moment no words came.

Under his stare Shizuku grew self-conscious, and lifted a hand to touch her hair clip.

"What is it? Does it look strange?"

"No. You look really good today."

Shizuku blinked.

"You always look good, obviously. But today… you're even prettier," Kagami added.

She froze for a second, then let out a snort of laughter.

She swatted his shoulder lightly, two faint patches of pink rising on her cheeks.

"Your mouth's coated in honey today too."

"How did I never notice you were this good at compliments?"

Kagami scratched his head and gave a sheepish laugh instead of answering.

Shizuku glanced down at her watch.

"It's about time. Let's go."

"Yeah. Let's go."

He stood, grabbing the jacket off the back of the chair on his way up.

The two of them walked out of the apartment building side by side.

The weather outside was beautiful, a few thin wisps of cloud drifting across a deep blue sky, the sunlight warm without any glare.

Now and then a breeze passed, carrying the crisp scent that belongs only to early spring.

Here and there along the street, early cherry blossoms had begun to open.

It was about fifteen minutes by subway from the apartment to the mall where the cinema was.

The mall was busy when they arrived.

Mostly couples and families out shopping for the weekend.

The cinema was on the fourth floor. Instead of the elevator, they took the escalators up one level at a time.

On every floor, Kagami's eyes flicked automatically to the directory board.

Silently confirming where each exit was.

The fourth floor.

The escalator let out directly across from the cinema's ticketing hall.

Under the bright lights, an enormous electronic screen scrolled through the day's showtimes.

People stood around in twos and threes waiting to be let in, and the sweet smell of popcorn hung in the air.

It was about time.

Kagami and Yukinoshita Shizuku pulled out the tickets he'd bought in advance and headed for the ticket check together.

Inside, the theater lights had already dimmed, the big screen running trailers.

They found their seats and sat down.

Kagami checked his watch.

9:58.

Seventeen minutes until 10:15.

His pulse started to pick up.

The film began.

A mystery thriller. It opened on a murder committed on a rainy night.

The color palette ran cold, the score low and oppressive, building a heavy sense of suspense.

Shizuku watched intently, leaning slightly forward, eyes locked on the screen.

Every so often a jump scare made her draw in a small breath.

Kagami couldn't take in a single frame of it.

All of his attention was on his watch.

Every minute or two he glanced at the time.

With the start of Sayuri's showing bearing down on him, he couldn't sit still.

Shizuku noticed something was off and turned her head to whisper.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling sick?"

Kagami knew he couldn't wait any longer.

The scumbag's trial started right here, right now.

Taking her question as his cue, he clutched his stomach, screwed his brows together, and let his face twist into an expression of pure agony.

"Ngh…"

"What's the matter?" Shizuku asked quickly.

"My stomach hurts a bit."

Kagami doubled over, resting his forehead against the back of the seat in front of him.

His voice came out thin and weak. "Maybe I ate something bad."

"How could that be?"

Shizuku reached over to steady his shoulder, her voice full of worry.

"I made breakfast this morning with fresh ingredients, and you didn't eat anything else on the way here."

"Should we go to a hospital?"

"No, no need," Kagami said quickly.

"I probably just caught a chill last night. A trip to the bathroom and I'll be fine."

Shizuku looked at how much pain he seemed to be in and nodded.

"Then hurry and go."

"Mm."

Kagami rose bent at the waist, one hand pressed to his stomach, the other braced on the seat backs, shuffling slowly out.

Once he reached the aisle he even staggered deliberately, as if fighting through a stab of pain.

Shizuku watched his retreating back, a small crease forming between her brows.

Something about it didn't sit right.

She just couldn't say what.

The instant Kagami cleared the theater doors, his spine snapped straight.

He strode down the corridor and pushed open the soundproof door.

Noise came rushing in at him.

The clamor of voices in the lobby, the hum of the popcorn machine, the bright bounce of the background music.

He pulled in a deep breath and quickened his pace toward the lobby.

The moment he stepped out of the entrance, his eyes began sweeping the crowd.

In the seating area at the center of the lobby, a girl stood in front of the electronic board, looking left and right.

She'd changed her style completely today.

The hair she always tied into twin tails hung loose.

Smooth black hair fell straight to her waist, catching a healthy sheen under the lights.

A milk-tea colored beret sat on her head, brim tilted just slightly, giving her a playful edge.

She wore an off-white oversized sweater on top, and a caramel high-waisted A-line skirt that reached mid-calf.

Light brown ankle boots on her feet.

The whole effect was sweet and demure.

Practically a different person from the Sayuri who normally bounced around and yelped at everything.

Kagami stopped short.

Was that really Sayuri?

He walked over quickly, and before he'd covered half the distance she spotted him.

The moment she saw him coming, her eyes lit up.

Like fireworks bursting open in a night sky — her whole face went radiant.

She threw up a hand and waved hard, her voice ringing out clear and loud across the entire lobby.

"Kagami! Over here, over here!"

Loud enough that heads turned all around them.

Kagami nearly jumped out of his skin and closed the last stretch in two long strides, clapping a hand over her mouth.

"Stop shouting!"

He kept his voice low, face tense. "There are people everywhere."

With his hand over her mouth, only a pair of big round eyes showed, blinking at him in wounded protest.

He let go, and she mumbled, "What's the big deal? Can't I be happy?"

"You can be happy without being that loud," Kagami said helplessly. "The whole lobby heard you."

Sayuri stuck her tongue out, then tipped her face up at him, eyes shining.

Only then did Kagami take a proper look at what she was wearing.

From the beret to the sweater to the skirt to the boots, every piece was chosen just right, the colors soft and harmonious, the whole look sweet without being cloying.

And her hair.

He'd never once seen Sayuri wear it down.

The long black fall of it framed both sides of her face, making her features look smaller, more delicate.

Her earlobes, normally hidden by the twin tails, held a pair of tiny cherry-blossom studs that glinted in and out of view.

Her whole presence had changed.

From the lively, mischievous ball of energy she usually was into a gentle, well-behaved girl.

Kagami found himself staring.

Sayuri caught his gaze, and something in her chest started hopping around like a rabbit, thumping wildly.

She'd gotten up a little after five that morning.

Nearly two hours picking clothes, five or six outfits tried on before she settled on this one.

Then over an hour on makeup — she'd redone the eyeliner three times before she was satisfied.

Her hair had taken almost an hour of fussing, and in the end she'd decided to leave it down.

Because as far as she'd observed, Kagami seemed to prefer long straight black hair…

All that thought, all that effort, was for this exact moment.

For the way he was looking at her right now.

"Why are you just staring and not saying anything?"

Sayuri ducked her head, pretending to adjust the cuff of her sweater.

Her voice was almost too small to hear, but the tips of her ears had quietly gone red.

Kagami came back to himself and cleared his throat twice.

"It's just… it doesn't look like you."

Sayuri lifted her head, pouting. "What's not like me about it?"

Kagami weighed his words. "It's like normal Sayuri turned into a rare shiny Sayuri."

She blanked for a beat, then covered her mouth and burst out laughing.

She gave him a light punch. "Nobody talks about people like that!"

When the laughter faded she lowered her eyes, her voice shrinking. "So… does it look good or not?"

As she finished, her lashes trembled faintly, like a butterfly testing its wings.

Watching her, something in Kagami's chest pulled tight.

"It looks great," he said honestly.

The corners of Sayuri's mouth crept up, higher and higher, until her whole face was flooded with a joy she couldn't hide.

She latched onto his arm and leaned into him the way she always did.

"The movie's already started, come on, let's get in there."

They went inside and found their seats.

Sayuri had picked seats in the middle row toward the aisle, with a clear view.

This screening wasn't full — people scattered thinly through the rows, mostly couples nestled together in twos and threes.

The film had been running a few minutes; on screen was a scene in the rain, the male and female leads meeting by chance at a bus stop, the mood warm and full of unspoken things.

The first thing Kagami did after sitting down wasn't watch the movie. It was check his watch.

Five minutes until 10:30.

He was going to be late for Seika again…

But… how was he supposed to get away?

He was still turning it over when Sayuri leaned in and whispered, "Why do you keep staring at your watch? You're not even watching the movie."

His stomach dropped. He put his hand down fast and forced a laugh.

"I'm not. I just… check the time out of habit."

"Really?"

Sayuri tilted her head at him, a thread of suspicion in her eyes.

"Of course it's true."

He rushed to change the subject. "Look, isn't the lead guy pretty handsome?"

Sayuri gave the screen a glance, then turned back to him and said, perfectly serious, "Not as handsome as you."

Kagami: "…"

There was no answer to that.

Seeing him stuck for words, Sayuri covered her mouth and laughed to herself.

The film went on. The leads on screen had struck up a conversation.

The dialogue was witty, and soft laughter rippled through the theater now and then.

But Kagami couldn't laugh.

He kept watching the time.

He couldn't wait any longer.

He drew a deep breath and turned to her. "Sayuri, there's something I need to tell you."

"Hmm?" She was engrossed, but she turned. "What is it?"

"That, uh…"

Kagami scratched his head, letting difficulty show on his face. "There's a figure going on sale today. That limited edition I've wanted forever."

"I forgot today was the release date…"

Sayuri stared blankly for a second.

Then she said, "If it's a figure you want that badly, let's go get it together. We can see the movie another time."

"No, no." Kagami waved both hands quickly.

"No need to go to all that trouble, I'll be faster on my own."

"You wait here for me, all right?"

Sayuri looked at how urgent he seemed, hesitated, and finally nodded obediently.

"Okay then."

"Mm, don't worry, I'll be right back."

Kagami stood and hurried out of the theater in a crouch.

At the door he looked back once.

Sayuri was sitting quietly in her seat, her eyes following him out, a small reluctance in them.

When she saw him turn, she smiled and waved.

Something clenched inside him. He whipped his head around and walked out fast.

Out the mall's main doors, Kagami sucked in a lungful of fresh air, then broke into a run.

It was roughly two hundred meters from the mall to the live house.

He sprinted flat out along the sidewalk, past a convenience store, a flower shop, a bus stop.

Finally he pulled up in front of an unremarkable building.

Three stories, old, its exterior painted dark gray.

Above the ground-floor entrance hung a neon sign, unlit in the daytime.

All you could make out was the outline of the letters: "LIVESPACE".

The doorway was plastered with posters for band shows, layer upon layer, bright and chaotic.

Kagami bent over, hands on his knees, dragging in huge gulps of air.

He'd run too hard. His lungs burned like they were on fire, every breath scorching.

The early spring wind still carried a chill, but fine beads of sweat had already broken out across his forehead and were sliding down past his temples.

"Haah…"

Then a familiar voice came from beside him.

"Kagami?"

He lifted his head.

Only then did he notice Seika Ijichi standing right there.

She was wearing a pink school sweater today, the collar of a blouse showing beneath it with a pink ribbon tied at the throat.

Below that, a gray pleated miniskirt, her legs sheathed in black tights.

The school's autumn uniform jacket was knotted around her waist like a skirt.

Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail, the ends slightly curled, swinging softly with every movement.

She'd done her makeup — liner flicked up at the corners, lips a vivid berry red.

Cool and hot at the same time. Nothing like the bare-faced Seika Ijichi he knew.

The one who lived in her school uniform, or a jacket, T-shirt and jeans.

Kagami just stared.

"Are you okay?"

Seika Ijichi stepped in front of him, tipping her head back to look at his face.

"Why are you panting like that? And drenched in sweat?"

As she spoke she fished a handkerchief out of her pocket.

Rising onto her toes, she dabbed gently at the sweat on his forehead.

The handkerchief was pale blue and carried a faint lavender scent.

The soft cloth brushed lightly over his skin.

Breathing in that clean fragrance, Kagami looked down at the girl in front of him.

Up close, her makeup was even more striking.

Her features had always had strong definition; done up like this, they were exquisite.

Especially her eyes — the upward sweep of the liner was pitched exactly right, at once sultry and sharp.

"Th… thanks."

Seika Ijichi put the handkerchief away and noticed that his gaze hadn't left her.

Her expression shifted from puzzlement to discomfort.

She turned her face aside.

But the strip of skin from her neck to the base of her ear was slowly flushing pink, like cherry blossoms just opening on an early spring branch.

"Wh… why do you keep staring at me?"

"I just didn't expect you'd dress like this today."

Her ears went redder.

She bit her lip, eyes wandering off somewhere else.

"It's not like I wanted to dress like this…"

"Didn't I say last time that I'd wear it for you? There just was never a chance."

"And you've been so busy lately… so I thought I'd let you see it today."

By the end her voice had shrunk down to almost nothing, nearly carried off by the spring wind.

Only then did Kagami remember that promise.

"So? How is it?"

Seika Ijichi turned back, a trace of nerves in her eyes.

"Doesn't it suit me?"

For once, a flash of girlish shyness showed on her face.

Kagami gave her a thumbs-up, his tone sincere.

"Absolutely killer. I love gyaru."

She blinked once, and then her face went scarlet all at once.

"Wh — what are you even saying!"

Face burning, she shot him a glare and turned around.

Then she caught his sleeve and tugged him toward the live house entrance.

"Enough talking, get inside, the show's about to start."

Kagami let himself be hauled in.

Inside was a completely different world from outside.

The lights were dim, only a few colored spotlights flickering over the stage.

The air was a thick blend of smoke, perfume and alcohol.

The place was packed to the walls.

Mostly young people, dressed in every style imaginable.

Punk, gothic, Harajuku, and plenty going the gyaru route like Seika Ijichi.

Though those were all the deep-tanned, eye-searing Shibuya-type gyaru.

Which made a stark contrast with Ijichi, whose look matched Kagami's mental image of the wholesome schoolgirl gyaru perfectly.

The two of them squeezed through the crowd and claimed a small patch of space near the side of the stage.

All around them people were talking excitedly, the buzz like a swarm of bees circling his ears.

"This band is insanely good."

Seika Ijichi leaned in to his ear, having to raise her voice to carry over the noise.

"The vocalist's voice really cuts through everything. You'll hear it in a minute."

Her lips were almost touching his ear, her warm breath spilling over the shell of it.

That small patch of skin itched, as if ants were crawling across it.

"Mm."

He nodded, but his eyes drifted back to her without permission.

It took him a while to come back to himself.

All at once he remembered that Shizuku and Sayuri were both still waiting on him.

And at eleven there was Hiratsuka Shizuka!

He checked his watch.

10:48.

Right then the stage lights blazed on and deafening music crashed down over the room.

The band had started.

The first song was fast-tempo rock, the drums falling as thick as a downpour.

Distorted electric guitar tore the whole space open.

The vocalist was a girl with pink-dyed hair.

Her voice was exactly what Seika Ijichi had promised — piercing enough to stay crystal clear even through all that noise.

The room ignited in an instant.

The crowd began to jump with the beat, arms shooting up like a forest.

Screams and whistles rose and fell in waves.

Kagami got jostled from side to side, and the temperature around him seemed to climb several degrees at once.

Seika Ijichi was completely lost in the music.

She raised both hands and clapped along, her body moving to the rhythm, her ponytail whipping back and forth behind her.

Watching her, a fierce surge of guilt rose in him.

He pulled in a deep breath and forced himself calm.

This was no time to go soft.

He took out his phone, pretended to glance at the screen, then leaned close to her ear.

"I've got a call, I'm going out to take it."

Seika Ijichi was deep in the music.

She didn't catch the words, but from the look of him he was saying he had to take a call.

She nodded without thinking twice.

Relief loosened something in his chest, along with a thread of loss he couldn't name.

He shouldered out through the crowd and pushed open the live house door.

Cold air hit him head-on, stripping away the heat and the smell of sweat.

He stood at the entrance and looked up at the sky.

He felt like he was about to come apart at the seams.

Kagami ran back to the mall as fast as his legs would carry him, checking his watch the whole way, calculating.

Too long.

The gap between reality and his planned timeline was widening.

Panic crept in, and his stride lengthened.

By the time he reached the theater door he had no breath left.

The shirt under his jacket was soaked through in a wide patch, plastered cold and sticky to his back.

He inhaled deeply, worked to steady his breathing, and pushed through the door.

Inside, the film was half over.

On screen a detective was laying out the case, the score tight and urgent.

Yukinoshita Shizuku still sat upright in her seat.

She turned her head when he came back, brows drawing together.

"What took you so long?" she whispered.

"And you're soaked in sweat."

Kagami dropped into his seat, still breathing hard. "You know how my gut is."

"Either there's no problem at all, or I'm… squatting there until the end of time."

Shizuku thought about it.

At the after-party for the last comic convention, his stomach had gone haywire like this too.

He'd nearly failed to make it out of the bathroom.

"Ugh, stop, don't tell me any more."

Shizuku pinched her nose and laughed, then asked with concern, "Are you feeling better now?"

"Much better."

"It's just that there's still a little…"

Halfway through the sentence his face changed and his hand went back to his stomach.

Shizuku tensed. "It hurts again?"

"Mm…"

Kagami screwed up his face in pain. "I think… I have to go again."

Shizuku sighed and waved him off.

"Go, go. Don't hold it in."

Like a prisoner granted amnesty, Kagami stood and hunched his way out again.

Out of the theater, he headed straight for Sayuri's.

Her movie was still running; the leads on screen were together now.

They were walking along a beach at sunset, the shot gorgeous and romantic.

Sayuri sat alone in her seat, a half-finished cola and a tub of popcorn beside her.

She looked bored, listlessly stirring the ice in her cup with the straw.

When she saw Kagami come back, her eyes lit right up.

"You're back!"

There was no hiding the delight in her voice.

"Did you get the figure? I want to see what you've been pining after."

Kagami sat down, disappointment written across his face.

"Don't even ask. There were way too many people."

"They were sold out by the time I got there."

"Huh?" Sayuri's eyes went wide. "Gone that fast?"

"It's a limited edition. That's how it always goes."

Kagami sighed.

"Though I know one other store that might still have stock. It's kind of far, though."

"So I thought about it and decided to come back and watch the movie with you."

Sayuri's expression shifted from surprise to something moved.

"How can you just give up on something that important to you?"

She looked at him, completely earnest.

"You might still get one if you go now. I'll wait right here, it's fine."

Looking at that face, so sincerely thinking of his interests before her own, Kagami felt like someone had driven a knife into him.

She was this earnest, this genuine, this willing to put him first.

And he was exploiting her kindness.

"Sayuri…"

"You really are a good girl."

At those words, a brilliant smile bloomed across her face.

"Obviously."

She lifted her chin smugly.

"I'm the most considerate Sayuri in the whole world."

Kagami laughed and stood up. "I'm off, then. Be good and wait here for me."

"Mm!" Sayuri nodded hard.

"I'll be good and wait right here!"

Kagami turned and walked out of the theater.

He leaned against the corridor wall, shut his eyes and dragged in a long breath.

His head was a tangled mess.

Sayuri's eyes. Shizuku's gaze. Seika Ijichi's profile as she lost herself in the music.

And Hiratsuka…

Hiratsuka Shizuka!

His eyes flew open and he checked his watch.

Nearly eleven.

A taxi from here to the amusement park was about ten minutes. He'd just make it.

But what about Shizuku and Sayuri?

He gritted his teeth, pulled out his phone to check the time, and ran the math at top speed.

He had to be back before their two films let out and the two of them ran into each other.

If he could reach the park before eleven, spend a little time with Hiratsuka Shizuka, and get back before eleven thirty…

Was there time?

He didn't have a choice.

Kagami charged downstairs and flagged a taxi outside the mall entrance.

He gave the amusement park's address, then sank back into the seat and closed his eyes.

The car pulled away, the scenery outside the window streaming backward.

His phone buzzed. A message from Yukinoshita Shizuku.

"Are you all right? Should I come look for you?"

He typed back fast.

"No, no, I'm much better, just let me stay in here a bit longer."

"All right then."

Kagami let out a breath and backed out of the chat.

Then he saw a message from Seika Ijichi.

"That was a long call. Everything okay?"

His finger hovered over the screen for a few seconds.

Then he replied.

"It's fine, something urgent came up. I'll be back with you soon."

"Take care of it first, then."

Kagami stared at the messages, then tipped his head back against the seat and blew out a long breath at the car's ceiling.

"Sir, we're here."

The driver's voice came from the front seat.

Kagami paid and pushed the door open.

His foot had barely touched the ground when a wave of perfume swept over him.

Before he could react, a warm, soft body threw itself into his arms.

A pair of arms locked tight around his waist.

"You're here!"

Hiratsuka Shizuka's voice sounded right by his ear, delight in it that she made no effort to hide.

Kagami went rigid from head to toe.

Hiratsuka Shizuka looked nothing like her usual self today.

Today she looked like a model who'd stepped straight out of a magazine.

She wore a long white dress.

The hem swayed lightly with every movement, like drifting cloud.

Over it she had a pink cardigan, the knit soft to the eye.

A gentle cherry-blossom pink that made her skin look even fairer, more luminous.

The woman who normally let her long black hair hang loose over her shoulders had actually put a curling iron to it today, coaxing in soft waves that caught the sunlight with a mellow shine.

She'd swept it all over her right shoulder, baring the long line of her left neck and a glimpse of delicate collarbone.

Her makeup was carefully done.

Lashes long and curled, lips in a rosy gloss — gentle rather than showy.

A pair of small pearl earrings, and a fine silver bracelet at her wrist.

Everything about her gave off a soft, alluring elegance.

Practically a different person from the blunt, unfussy Hiratsuka Shizuka he was used to.

Kagami looked at her and forgot how to speak.

"What is it?"

Hiratsuka Shizuka had noticed his stare.

Her voice was much softer than usual too, with a touch of girlish shyness in it.

Kagami came back to himself and worked his jaw.

"You… why are you all dressed up like this today?"

"And it's such a different style from usual."

"I almost didn't recognize you."

Hiratsuka Shizuka pressed her lips together, her eyes drifting away.

"You don't like it?"

"No — it's just… it has a lot of charm."

"Charm?"

She repeated the word, one eyebrow arching.

"Is that a compliment or an insult?"

"A compliment, obviously."

Kagami gave her a thumbs-up.

"You really do look beautiful."

She studied him a moment, confirming he wasn't joking.

Only then did the corners of her mouth curve up into a satisfied smile.

"Good."

As she said it, she took his hand as naturally as breathing.

"Come on, let's go in."

Her hand was warm, her fingers slender and long.

Her nails were painted a pale nude pink.

Being led toward the park gates, Kagami's eyes went back to her without permission.

The white dress stirring in the breeze.

The pink cardigan swaying gently with her steps.

The curls bouncing at her shoulder, every stride carrying an elegance he couldn't put into words.

"What do you want to ride?"

Her voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

Kagami looked around, his eyes sweeping over the attractions.

The park was huge, divided into several themed zones.

Roller coasters, drop towers, the giant pendulum, the carousel, the Ferris wheel…

His gaze snagged on the roller coaster, then moved off in a hurry.

"Anything's fine."

"What do you want to ride?"

Hiratsuka Shizuka raised her arm and pointed into the distance.

Kagami followed her finger, and his pupils shrank.

The roller coaster.

A track that wound and spiraled, its highest point a good twenty or thirty meters up by the look of it. A train was plunging down from the peak at brutal speed, and the riders' screams carried all the way over to them.

Kagami's legs gave an involuntary tremor.

He was afraid of heights.

Forget riding a coaster — just standing somewhere high and looking down turned his knees to water.

"What?"

She caught the change in his face.

"You don't like these?"

"No, no."

He shook his head quickly.

"It's just… looks like a lot of people."

Hiratsuka Shizuka glanced at him and nodded thoughtfully.

"Then let's do something else. There's a carousel over there with no line."

Kagami looked where she was pointing. Sure enough, the carousel was practically empty.

Only a few parents with small children queued up.

But he couldn't go there.

The carousel — and any other ride with no line — meant that once he went, he'd have no easy excuse to slip away right afterward.

Whereas the roller coaster, with that long snaking line, would take at least thirty or forty minutes.

Thirty or forty minutes.

Enough to handle everything else and get back.

"No."

Kagami drew a deep breath.

"Let's do the roller coaster. I love these things."

She looked at him, surprised.

"Are you sure? Didn't you just say you didn't want to wait in line?"

Kagami dragged up a smile.

"Besides, we hardly ever come to an amusement park. Coming here and not riding the coaster is basically wasting the trip."

Hiratsuka Shizuka considered that, decided it made sense, and nodded.

"All right then. Let's go line up."

The two of them walked to the coaster's queue area.

The line was indeed long, snaking back and forth through several loops — a hundred or two hundred people at a rough count.

Hiratsuka Shizuka looked at it, then turned to him.

"Go sit over there and wait. I'll hold our place."

"Huh?"

Kagami blinked.

"One person in line is enough anyway."

He looked at her, and the guilt came surging back up.

She was thinking of him. And he was thinking of how to get away.

"Then… then I'll go buy something. You wait in line here."

"Go on, hurry."

She pushed him off to fetch whatever he wanted, then smiled and waved.

"Come back quick and keep me company. Waiting alone is boring, you know."

"I… I'll be back fast!"

Kagami didn't dare look at her any longer. He spun around and sprinted for the park gates.

He checked his watch as he ran.

Shizuku's movie was almost over!

____

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🔥 New history: Mushoku tensei: Speed Run to kill Hitogami — posted on The_Mikudayo