Following that, the disturbance in her mind due to Hajime’s changes had dissipated. To begin with, Hajime had returned to the dungeon for the sake of relieving Kaori by informing her his survival. And just like his words, he had returned to the dungeon only for Kaori, but he didn’t cast the others away. He saved Meld who received mortal wounds and told his companion to protect Kouki’s party.
Kaori noticed it. The reason Hajime unhesitatingly displayed such violence and mercilessness towards his enemy was for the sake of protecting his important people. Of course Kaori herself might also be included inside, but it was a fact that Hajime was thinking for the others’ sake. The proof was the smiles from the girls surrounding Hajime.
Kaori guessed it. Hajime had lost his hair color, right eye and left arm, surely because of the severe environment he had lived through. He certainly almost broken down mentally and physically many times. No, it was possible… it was possible that he had already broken which resulted in his changes. Even so, Hajime walked on his path surrounded by those smiles.
That fact made the fog inside Kaori’s mind disperse. She could hear the sound of puzzle pieces being rightfully placed. Just what I was hesitating about. There’s “Hajime” before her. There’s the boy that her heart always thought of. The one who was called “incompetent,” but crawled from the abyss, gained enormous power, and came to save her.
There were parts that had changed, but there was also unchanged parts. However, that’s something natural. After all, people would always change with time, experiences, and meetings. That’s why, there was no need for her to feel fear. There’s no need for her to lose her confidence. There’s no need for her to back away from him.
If there’s something I don’t know, then it’ll okay if I come to know it while being by his side. Up until now, just like the time we were inside the class. There’s no way the strength of my feelings will lose! There’s nothing wrong with me joining the circle that surrounds Hajime! I won’t let anyone laugh at my feelings anymore!
Resolution and determination were born inside Kaori’s eyes. Shizuku, by her side, was smiling at her best friend’s change. Following that, she silently pushed Kaori’s back. Kaori , with eyes radiating more “strength” than before, nodded to thank Shizuku and moved towards her next battlefield. That’s right, toward her fight as a woman!
Hajime’s party noticed that Kaori was walking towards them. Hajime thought she came to see them off, while Yue by his side, “Muh?,” became wary as she frowned. “Arara?,” Shia was looking at Kaori as her interest deepened, and Tio murmured, “Looks like it’ll be a bloodbath huh~.” Because she was apparently not coming to see them off, Hajime was looking at Kaori, frowning due at the ominous feeling.
“Hajime-kun, can I come with you, too? … No, that’s not it, I will absolutely come with you, so please take care of me, okay?”
“… Hah?”
From the first words spoken, with neither preface nor wish-washing, it became a development where everything was decided and made Hajime’s eyes turn into dots. Inadvertently, he leaked such a stupefied voice. In place of Hajime, who could not immediately regain his composure due to being dumbfounded, Yue moved out.
“… You are not qualified for that.”
“What qualification? Is it to always think of Hajime? Then, I won’t lose to anyone, you know?”
Kaori calmly replied Yue’s words. Yue, “Mmhmp,” made her mouth into ^.
Kaori matched her gaze to Yue’s, then she abruptly moved her unshakable gaze towards Hajime. Following that, she united her hand before her chest with blushing cheeks, took a deep breath, then with desperate and trembling voice, she spoke to him… thus she conveyed it.
“I love you.”
“… Shirasaki.”
Kaori’s expression was mix of embarrassment, worrying while she was expecting Hajime’s answer, and happiness coming from being able to convey her feelings to him. Thus, with those mixed feeling, she didn’t back away, displaying her determination.
That gaze, filled with determination and sincerity made Hajime answered her with serious eyes.
“I have a woman I am in love with. So I can’t answer Shirasaki’s feelings. Therefore, I can’t take you with me.”
Hajime’s clear answer made Kaori immediately bite her lip as if she wanted to cry, but in the next moment, power was born inside the eyes that were about to spill tears and she raised her face. Thus she nodded to tell him she understood. Behind Kaori, Kouki and the others were in blank surprise, agape, and in a pandemonium-like situation, but not minding them, Kaori spun her desired words.