Facing this critical question, Koutarou chose not to answer, instead squinting and pointing behind her. Answering with a solemn expression and tone, he'd already recovered from his initial shock.
"Huh...? Huhhhh?"
Unlike Koutarou, who had recovered his calm, Kiriha's feelings were as chaotic as ever. Desiring an answer from Koutarou, his response had come out of left field for her.
"Like this?"
Her confusion notwithstanding, she retreated a few steps as directed. The location indicated by Koutarou was a signboard for the roller coaster, to which she made her way.
"Yeah, that's fine."
Waiting until she'd finished moving, Koutarou followed.
"Ah..."
As Koutarou slowly neared, Kiriha grew ever more anxious, clutching the necklace and card in her hands ever more tightly. Such a reaction was only to be expected, though. Even if she had several pieces of what seemed like decisive evidence, it still wasn't a 100% probability. All she could do was await Koutarou's further actions with apprehension.
"Mm."
Overlooking Kiriha's anxiety, Koutarou smiled and nodded. His gaze lay not on her person, but rather on the signboard behind her. Turning to look behind her, she caught a glimpse of what he'd been looking at.
『Children under 140cm tall may not ride this attraction.』
Written on the signboard were a few points of notice, as well as this warning notice and an illustration depicting the height in question.
Those words filling him with bliss, Koutarou lay his hand atop her head.
"...You've really grown, Kii-chan."
Meeting her eyes, Koutarou's hand ever-so-gently patted the top of her head.
"Ah..."
With this, Kiriha realized that she had indeed been correct. A wave of emotion surged through her, leaving her speechless. Wordlessly, her mouth gaped open and shut, not a word forthcoming.
"This time it should be just fine, right?"
The line depicting a height of 140 cm reached only to Kiriha's shoulders.
——At the very least, they wouldn't see a repeat of last time, when a worker had prevented them from riding.
As he thought back on that awkward moment, an unwitting smile touched Koutarou's lips.
"Seriously, you've grown so much. I almost can't even recognize you."
"O-Onii-chan? You're really Onii-chan?"
Kiriha was once more moved beyond words. Her feelings of elation left her trembling with joy, feverish with excitement.
"Yeah, I am."
Koutarou nodded. Although the impossibility of what had just happened filled Koutarou with surprise, as far as he was concerned, this was but half a month removed. There was simply no way his feelings of shock could match Kiriha's, for whom it had been ten years. Moreover, the sight of Kii, no - Kiriha - sobbing, reminded him of that lovable young girl who had cried for his sake. Koutarou told himself he had to be strong, that he would keep his calm especially as she cried. For this reason, Koutarou was able to watch Kiriha with a gentle gaze.
"Ah..."
Suddenly Kiriha's knees gave way, and she lost her balance. Her raging feelings had left her powerless, and she looked ready to collapse in a heap.
"Careful."
Koutarou immediately reached out and caught her in his arms.
——Though she's grown so much, she's just as delicate as before.
Able to support the one who had supported him before, a feeling of immense gratitude ran through Koutarou. Kiriha wrapped her arms around Koutarou in turn, clutching him like a drowning person might a life preserver.
"...Onii-chan, it's really Onii-chan..."
Kiriha nestled herself within Koutarou's embrace, like a daughter might with her father. Koutarou righted himself, supporting her body with all his strength.
"...You were such a lively young girl back then. You certainly didn't act as spoiled as you are now, anyway."
With Kiriha wrapped in his embrace, Koutarou couldn't help but smile. The Kiriha before him was indeed far more childish.
——I still can't believe she's really Kii-chan...
The Kii hidden deep within Kiriha's heart had finally fully emerged. There had been times in the past when Kiriha had shown aspects of Kii's personality, but since Koutarou knew Kii as well, he'd never once felt it out of place. Although it was still as hard to believe as ever, it felt right. Within Koutarou's heart, the figures of Kiriha and Kii began to merge.
"Idiot. Although it's only been half a month for Onii-chan, it's been ten long years for me! What's wrong with spoiling me a little, geez..."
Kiriha's arms, draped around his body, gripped him tightly, as if to make up for ten years of feelings. Within her heart, she renewed her pledge.
She'd make sure Koutarou never felt lonely again. She'd warm his heart.
Koutarou had previously supported both Kii and Kiriha; this time, it was her turn to support him. Her feelings of friendship for her intimate friend Koutarou and her feelings of first love for her Onii-chan joined together. The desires of her two halves merged and sublimated, manifesting in a staunch oath.
"My bad, my bad. Alright then, whatever you ask for today, I'll humor you. Will that do?"
"Whatever I ask?"
Kiriha looked up with a mischievous smile.
"Sure."
"You're not worried I'll ask for something crazy?"
"Nope. You're not that kind of person."
"Hehe~"
Kiriha laughed happily. Once more she snuggled within Koutarou's embraced, and quietly whispered in his ear.
"Onii-chan, you still haven't answered my question. Answer me first and then we'll talk."
What she wanted to know was: was he happy?
Truthfully, she already knew. Ten years ago, as Koutarou had begun his preparations to return home, he'd already given his answer. Having somewhere to return to, and people to whom to return, was a happy thing.
Nevertheless, Kiriha wanted to hear it from him. During these ten months, had she, Kiriha, protected him? Ever since those that two week period, had Kii been a warm memory for him? Had Kiriha and Kii given him anything, or had they been the sole benefactors of their meeting? She wanted to hear it clearly straight from the horse's mouth.
"That, huh."
With a wry smile, Koutarou gazed up at the sky as he gathered his thoughts. The ten months since he'd met Kiriha, as well as every day since his return - just what did they mean to him? As far as the current Koutarou was concerned, that was an easy question to answer.
"...The owner of that necklace isn't the sharpest tool in the shed. I mean, he wasn't even capable of recognizing who it was that was standing before him, not to mention he's always getting into fights with the friends around him."
Koutarou smiled at Kiriha. Whether his smile or his tone, both had changed, almost as if he was speaking to a young child now.
"But the second they were split up, he couldn't help but sorely miss his past life, and so he fought with all he had to return. So if I had to say... that guy's definitely a happy one, or at the very least, there's no way he's lonely."
Koutarou had intentionally opted to use the third person; for him to directly bare his feelings in the open was a little embarrassing, after all. Particularly since the person standing before him was one of the primary factors in his desire to return, it made it all the more embarrassing still.
"...I'm glad... I'm so glad..."
Kiriha didn't mind in the least. The second he'd uttered the word "happy," her heart had been flooded by a wave of bliss, and tears poured from her eyes unrestrained as she held him closely in a tight embrace.
It was now abundantly clear to Kiriha.
Facing this critical question, Koutarou chose not to answer, instead squinting and pointing behind her. Answering with a solemn expression and tone, he'd already recovered from his initial shock. "Huh...? Huhhhh?" Unlike Koutarou, who had recovered his calm, Kiriha's feelings were as chaotic as ever. Desiring an answer from Koutarou, his response had come out of left field for her. "Like this?" Her confusion notwithstanding, she retreated a few steps as directed. The location indicated by Koutarou was a signboard for the roller coaster, to which she made her way. "Yeah, that's fine." Waiting until she'd finished moving, Koutarou followed. "Ah..." As Koutarou slowly neared, Kiriha grew ever more anxious, clutching the necklace and card in her hands ever more tightly. Such a reaction was only to be expected, though. Even if she had several pieces of what seemed like decisive evidence, it still wasn't a 100% probability. All she could do was await Koutarou's further actions with apprehension. "Mm." Overlooking Kiriha's anxiety, Koutarou smiled and nodded. His gaze lay not on her person, but rather on the signboard behind her. Turning to look behind her, she caught a glimpse of what he'd been looking at. 『Children under 140cm tall may not ride this attraction.』 Written on the signboard were a few points of notice, as well as this warning notice and an illustration depicting the height in question. Those words filling him with bliss, Koutarou lay his hand atop her head. "...You've really grown, Kii-chan." Meeting her eyes, Koutarou's hand ever-so-gently patted the top of her head. "Ah..." With this, Kiriha realized that she had indeed been correct. A wave of emotion surged through her, leaving her speechless. Wordlessly, her mouth gaped open and shut, not a word forthcoming. "This time it should be just fine, right?" The line depicting a height of 140 cm reached only to Kiriha's shoulders. ——At the very least, they wouldn't see a repeat of last time, when a worker had prevented them from riding. As he thought back on that awkward moment, an unwitting smile touched Koutarou's lips. "Seriously, you've grown so much. I almost can't even recognize you." "O-Onii-chan? You're really Onii-chan?" Kiriha was once more moved beyond words. Her feelings of elation left her trembling with joy, feverish with excitement. "Yeah, I am." Koutarou nodded. Although the impossibility of what had just happened filled Koutarou with surprise, as far as he was concerned, this was but half a month removed. There was simply no way his feelings of shock could match Kiriha's, for whom it had been ten years. Moreover, the sight of Kii, no - Kiriha - sobbing, reminded him of that lovable young girl who had cried for his sake. Koutarou told himself he had to be strong, that he would keep his calm especially as she cried. For this reason, Koutarou was able to watch Kiriha with a gentle gaze.
"Ah..."
Suddenly Kiriha's knees gave way, and she lost her balance. Her raging feelings had left her powerless, and she looked ready to collapse in a heap.
"Careful."
Koutarou immediately reached out and caught her in his arms.
——Though she's grown so much, she's just as delicate as before.
Able to support the one who had supported him before, a feeling of immense gratitude ran through Koutarou. Kiriha wrapped her arms around Koutarou in turn, clutching him like a drowning person might a life preserver.
"...Onii-chan, it's really Onii-chan..."
Kiriha nestled herself within Koutarou's embrace, like a daughter might with her father. Koutarou righted himself, supporting her body with all his strength.
"...You were such a lively young girl back then. You certainly didn't act as spoiled as you are now, anyway."
With Kiriha wrapped in his embrace, Koutarou couldn't help but smile. The Kiriha before him was indeed far more childish.
——I still can't believe she's really Kii-chan...
The Kii hidden deep within Kiriha's heart had finally fully emerged. There had been times in the past when Kiriha had shown aspects of Kii's personality, but since Koutarou knew Kii as well, he'd never once felt it out of place. Although it was still as hard to believe as ever, it felt right. Within Koutarou's heart, the figures of Kiriha and Kii began to merge.
"Idiot. Although it's only been half a month for Onii-chan, it's been ten long years for me! What's wrong with spoiling me a little, geez..."
Kiriha's arms, draped around his body, gripped him tightly, as if to make up for ten years of feelings. Within her heart, she renewed her pledge.
She'd make sure Koutarou never felt lonely again. She'd warm his heart.
Koutarou had previously supported both Kii and Kiriha; this time, it was her turn to support him. Her feelings of friendship for her intimate friend Koutarou and her feelings of first love for her Onii-chan joined together. The desires of her two halves merged and sublimated, manifesting in a staunch oath.
"My bad, my bad. Alright then, whatever you ask for today, I'll humor you. Will that do?"
"Whatever I ask?"
Kiriha looked up with a mischievous smile.
"Sure."
"You're not worried I'll ask for something crazy?"
"Nope. You're not that kind of person."
"Hehe~"
Kiriha laughed happily. Once more she snuggled within Koutarou's embraced, and quietly whispered in his ear.
"Onii-chan, you still haven't answered my question. Answer me first and then we'll talk."
What she wanted to know was: was he happy?
Truthfully, she already knew. Ten years ago, as Koutarou had begun his preparations to return home, he'd already given his answer. Having somewhere to return to, and people to whom to return, was a happy thing.
Nevertheless, Kiriha wanted to hear it from him. During these ten months, had she, Kiriha, protected him? Ever since those that two week period, had Kii been a warm memory for him? Had Kiriha and Kii given him anything, or had they been the sole benefactors of their meeting? She wanted to hear it clearly straight from the horse's mouth.
"That, huh."
With a wry smile, Koutarou gazed up at the sky as he gathered his thoughts. The ten months since he'd met Kiriha, as well as every day since his return - just what did they mean to him? As far as the current Koutarou was concerned, that was an easy question to answer.
"...The owner of that necklace isn't the sharpest tool in the shed. I mean, he wasn't even capable of recognizing who it was that was standing before him, not to mention he's always getting into fights with the friends around him."
Koutarou smiled at Kiriha. Whether his smile or his tone, both had changed, almost as if he was speaking to a young child now.
"But the second they were split up, he couldn't help but sorely miss his past life, and so he fought with all he had to return. So if I had to say... that guy's definitely a happy one, or at the very least, there's no way he's lonely."
Koutarou had intentionally opted to use the third person; for him to directly bare his feelings in the open was a little embarrassing, after all. Particularly since the person standing before him was one of the primary factors in his desire to return, it made it all the more embarrassing still.
"...I'm glad... I'm so glad..."
Kiriha didn't mind in the least. The second he'd uttered the word "happy," her heart had been flooded by a wave of bliss, and tears poured from her eyes unrestrained as she held him closely in a tight embrace.
It was now abundantly clear to Kiriha.
การแปล กรุณารอสักครู่..