Chapter 66 Not just all of you tonight, I want it all.
Yukimura stood in the swaying glow of the lanterns, her yukata collar slightly open, carrying a bag containing all the snacks she had casually mentioned earlier, as well as the melon soda she had casually mentioned before.
He actually... bought them all.
Yukimura's gaze fell on the phone she was clutching tightly. "What's wrong?"
"No..." Risa put her phone back in her bag.
"You..." She opened her mouth, but something seemed to be stuck in her throat, and it took her a long time to find her voice, "...really went to queue up?"
Yukimura chuckled softly and sat down beside her: "Yes, the procession is moving faster than I expected."
That's a lie.
Risa stared at the thin layer of sweat beading on his forehead, a pang of sadness rising in her heart. The apple candy stall was clearly packed with people, and the takoyaki and yakisoba stalls were separated by more than half a festival distance.
He must have run there.
"Why..." she whispered, "why are you so good to me?"
Yukimura didn't answer. He picked up the candied apple, tore off the plastic wrap, and held it to her lips.
"Open your mouth."
Risa was slightly taken aback, but subconsciously did as she was told.
"Is it good?" he asked.
"Um."
The sweet, cloying coating melted on her tongue, the tartness of the apple balancing the sweetness, making her eyes inexplicably well up with tears. What was wrong with her today? Or was it because her body was going through puberty, making her sensitive and prone to crying?
“That’s good.” He smiled at her. “Seeing your satisfied expression makes me feel... even happier than winning the game.”
—Thump.
My heart skipped a beat.
Risa turned her face away in a panic and grabbed the rabbit doll's ears tightly.
"Yukimura..."
"Um?"
"...If you do this, you'll make me greedy."
Her voice was very soft, almost drowned out by the noise of the festival.
Yukimura heard it.
“Then be a little greedy,” he said. “It’s okay to ask more of me, to be a little willful.”
Risa froze, turned around, and looked up.
His gaze was so gentle it seemed to indulge.
A night breeze swept by, and the vermilion lanterns swayed gently, casting shadows between them.
The distant sounds of taiko drums, the merriment of a festival, and the tinkling of wind chimes from the eaves all seemed to be seen through frosted glass, becoming blurry and distant.
At this moment, he was all that remained in her world.
“…What if,” her voice trembled slightly, “what if I wanted more than just candied apples?”
Yukimura smiled again. That smile had lost its composure, carrying a touch of youthful innocence and passion, so gentle it was breathtaking.
"Then I'll give you more, until..."
Before she could finish speaking, dark clouds obscured the moonlight, and the two were enveloped in a dim, warm lantern light. Risa saw her reflection in his pupils, so small, yet so clear.
"...until you are satisfied."
Risa was stunned.
Fingertips curled up, and fine sweat seeped from the palms.
What if what I want... is for you to give up your obsession with victory?
I want you to be like an ordinary person, not necessarily always at the top, but simply and peacefully by my side forever...
Such greedy desires are ultimately too selfish.
She would never say it.
My limbs and bones felt like they were being burned, my reason was completely consumed, and my soul was pulled out of my body, looking down at me from above.
She saw herself standing on the edge of a cliff, with a bottomless abyss below and a safe house called "Friends" behind her.
You cannot move forward; one more step forward and you will fall into the abyss, never to recover.
She understood, she understood everything...
But the emotions surging in his chest had already reached their limit.
If she doesn't release those suppressed emotions, those longings that gnaw at her heart during sleepless nights, she'll be crushed and torn apart by this restless feeling.
"...Yukimura."
"Um?"
"Just for tonight only, consider it a festival magic... okay?"
In an instant, time stood still.
The wind chimes on the eaves hang in mid-air.
Yukimura was slightly taken aback. He lowered his eyelashes, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly at the end of his voice.
What...did you just say?
The festival's goldfish banners fluttered in the distance. Strands of her hair were blown onto the boy's shoulder, and the sound of wind chimes under the eaves broke the silence.
Risa didn't speak, but quietly moved closer. The moment her temples lightly touched his shoulder, she saw his knuckles unconsciously tighten as he gripped the candy apple, the veins on the back of his hand bulging.
"Is this... okay?" she asked tentatively.
Yukimura did not answer.
A flicker of surprise and doubt crossed his eyes, caught by his eyelashes, and fell into the shadows. The lamplight shimmered like stars in his purple eyes, then settled into a deep pool.
After a long silence, he finally uttered a syllable:
"......Um."
After receiving permission, Risa shifted slightly, finding a more comfortable position.
With her eyes closed, she heard the sound of two hearts resonating in unison in the night.
His body temperature and breath wafted through the yukata, bringing warmth and peace of mind.
"Something on your mind?" he asked softly.
"It's nothing," she said softly, her eyes closed, her voice barely audible.
"Maybe... I feel a little lonely when you're not around."
Yukimura's breathing became erratic.
"I would take such words seriously."
"Hmm... sure."
Reason and morality vanished the moment she approached him.
She nuzzled against his shoulder like a cat, saying, "Everything I told you tonight was true."
A cluster of fireworks exploded in the night sky, their brilliant light reflecting off the two of them.
Risa slowly opened her eyes, and in the fleeting light, she saw Yukimura's fingers, hanging by his side, curl slightly and then relax.
Her eyelashes trembled.
She mustered her courage and placed her hand over it.
Yukimura's fingertips trembled, but he did not dodge.
“...Matsuno-kun.”
"Um?"
Do you know what this means?
Risa remained silent, but simply intertwined her fingers with his, their fingers linked together.
"...Is this only for tonight?" he asked again, his voice deepening.
Risa looked up, meeting his downcast gaze. The fireworks flickered in his eyes, like starlight in the deep sea.
She traced his features, from his straight nose to his slightly pursed lips; every contour made her heart race.
She just stared straight at him, as if trying to etch this moment into her memory.
"Yes, only tonight. I'll grant you whatever you want to do until the festival magic ends."
Her voice was soft and gentle, like a feather tickling the tip of your heart. The hand she held in her palm stiffened slightly.
As the fireworks burst, the light reflected in his suddenly darkened eyes, causing his usually composed purple pupils to contract for a moment. The gentle smile that usually graced his lips faded, and his Adam's apple bobbed almost imperceptibly.
"...I see."
His voice was very soft, and you couldn't detect any emotion in it.
He released her hand from his grasp and gently stroked the top of her head. The candied apple was set aside; his fingertips ran through the strands of hair beside her ear as he cupped her face.
Fireworks exploded in the distance, illuminating his suddenly approaching face. In the blinding light, Risa instinctively closed her eyes—
A warm touch landed on my forehead, then immediately left.
Her eyelashes fluttered slightly as she opened her eyes.
The purple eyes so close to her made her feel hot all over.
“I want everything, not just a handout of ‘tongue only’.”
As he stepped back, his eyes held a fierceness she had never seen before. But the next second, he returned to his usual gentle demeanor, as if his gaze had been merely an illusion created by fireworks.
“So, until then, Matsuno-san, you don’t need to force yourself.” He gently tidied her wind-blown hair, his eyes tender and gentle. “I’m willing to wait, until you’re no longer afraid, no longer hesitant, until you can say it with confidence—”
"Not just tonight, but every day from now on, I want to be with you."
Risa stared at him, her lips slightly parted, in a daze.
Too cunning...
To say such things in such a gentle way...
My heart was pounding painfully, and my eardrums were throbbing with the sound of blood rushing through them.
(Say it... say it now...)
(Tell him you want it all too—)
His lips opened and closed several times, but he couldn't make a sound; it felt like something was blocking his throat.
Utterly despicable...
She was captivated by his tenderness... but didn't want to make any promises.
Using "tonight only" as an excuse, they are clearly greedy but pretend to be generous.
The joyous sounds of the festival in the distance seemed to come and go, and her world consisted only of the warmth gradually fading between their clasped hands.
As Yukimura turned around, she instinctively reached out to grab something, but froze in mid-air.
if......
It would be great if I could tell him everything frankly and without reservation.
"Give."
Yukimura opened the melon soda and handed it to her.
"......Thanks."
She took the can and held it with both hands.
Yukimura opened his own can and took a sip.
The two sat side by side under the eaves, while the festival lights flickered in the distance.
“Can you tell me,” he suddenly began, “what was ‘me’ like in your previous world?”
Risa's fingertips tightened on the soda can.
After a moment of hesitation, she placed the soda on the floor beside her and spoke softly.
"In that world, you are the 'Child of God' that countless people admire, powerful, gentle, and full of charisma... Sometimes you make harmless jokes... Occasionally you are also cunning and will use strange jokes to tease your juniors."
Yukimura's lips curled up slightly, but froze when he heard the next sentence.
“But you in that state…” Risa lowered her eyes, “You were so lonely, it was heartbreaking.”
Yukimura's fingers unconsciously tightened, and the can made a soft, strained sound as it struggled to break free.
“My younger brother… used to be your biggest fan. During his hospitalization, he would watch anime and read comics about you every day. He said that you were suffering from the same illness as him, but you overcame death. You are strong and are his idol.”
“I can only visit him in the hospital every two months. He is especially happy when I bring him merchandise related to you. He said the comic updates were too slow, so I learned to draw and drew all the scenes he wanted to see.”
A brief silence.
"And then what?"
"He left on a cold, windy winter night."
The night breeze stopped, and all the lanterns seemed to dim for a moment at the same time.
"Counting the time in this world, many years should have passed. But I remember every detail clearly, as if it just happened recently."
"I remember when I was cleaning the ward, the nurse gave me a diary he had left behind. One page read..."
Her voice choked slightly: "The Son of God is so strong. Even though he is suffering from illness himself, he never shows weakness in front of his teammates. He always... shoulders everything alone. I want to learn from him and not let my sister worry about me anymore."
Risa spoke casually, yet her words struck Yukimura's heart like a thunderbolt. His Adam's apple bobbed, as if he were trying to swallow something stuck in his throat.
“…Thank you.” After a long silence, he finally spoke.
Risa looked up. "What are you thanking me for?"
"Thank you for telling me all this." Yukimura looked at her profile, warmed by the lantern light. "And thank you... for coming into my world—"
Before he could finish speaking, fireworks suddenly exploded in the night sky, swallowing the rest of his words. She only saw his lips move, but she didn't know what he said.
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