Episode 64 – Repaint Everything

“I-I-It’s not what it look s like ! I-It’s ! Well, it’s true that I’m a pervert who enjoys Souta kun by lounging around in bed while Souta kun isn’t around ! B-but I’m definitely not a pervert who’s done a dubious thing !”

While Nagi was wondering how to explain this to my mother, she came and took me by the hand……and brought me into the room.

And. While her face was reddening, she kept talking on and on.

She’s really a pervert. I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Don’t worry. I didn’t misunderstand that. ……Ah. Well, you know. I knocked, but there was no answer…..and I had a kind of bad feeling about it, so I didn’t go in.”

I was just about to put my hand on the doorknob. I remembered that my mother had come earlier, so I didn’t enter.

“I thought it would be a bad idea to wake you up if you were asleep.”

“……I-is that so?”

“Yeah. ……Well. I don’t really care what you do in the room.”

Nagi’s face turned even redder, like an apple. It’s completely self-destructing.

“……Ugh.”

“I’ll tell you what. I don’t mind.”

I told Nagi, who covered her face with her hands, but it didn’t do much.

Then, Nagi quickly took her hand away――and opened her arms.

“Please hold me tight.”

She was so embarrassed that her face was bright red, and her eyes were moist.

Seeing that expression, which I don’t usually see, my heart skipped a beat.

“……”

Nagi stares at me. As if she didn’t doubt that I would hug her.

……No. I do it without even being told.

I spread my arms out like Nagi did, and Nagi jumped right in.

Just like that. She hugs me strongly.

It’s so strong that I’m a little surprised.

I tried not to mind the soft touch on my chest. I put my hand around Nagi’s back and patted her back.

Ten minutes passed.

“I-I lost my composure a little bit. I’m sorry.”

“I don’t mind.”

I laughed at Nagi, who was calmer than before, and took off the coat I was wearing.

Then, when I was hanging it on the hanger,

“Did something happen?”

With that said. I stopped moving.

“……Why did you think that?”

“No. I just thought you looked a little down.”

I couldn’t help but smile at those words.

I’m no match for Nagi.

Maybe Nagi will meet them too. It would be better to tell her.

“I met someone I know.”

“Someone you know? Not your friend?”

“I didn’t have any friends. …..Just my classmates.”

Hearing my words, Nagi frowned.

“They’re a little bit of a pain in the ass. ……Did I tell you that after the sports festival, the number of girls talking to me has increased?”

“……Yes.”

“At that time, I was being watched. Not like bullying, but I was teased.”

After entering high school, I had forgotten about it for a number of reasons. I met him just now and remembered.

“…..How about your parents?”

“I haven’t told them. ……I mean, I can’t tell them, I guess. I didn’t know what my father would do if I told him. Well, I don’t care that much……and I’m sure they’re aware of it.”

At best, they tease me about not having friends.

“……”

“Don’t worry about it. They haven’t really changed either. I didn’t think they would make fun of me for not having friends after all this time.”

Now, of course, I have Eiji and Nagi and the others.

“Souta kun.”

Nagi called my name. Then she sat down on the bed.

“Come here.”

Said Nagi. I sat down next to her.

Nagi–pulled me closer. I almost fell down and tried to support myself with my arms. She told me to relax, and I did as she said.

With a thud. My face was buried in Nagi’s chest

A nice smell, and Nagi’s body temperature that comes from it, and the softness. I was puzzled.

“N-Nagi?”

“I know how you feel, Souta kun. I didn’t want Papa and Mama to worry about me either.”

“……”

“When I was in middle school, I made a friend. ……No. I wouldn’t exactly call her a friend.”

Nagi’s words made me shush.

“I was happy that she talked to me. …..But she was unserious and…… she only after my notebooks and money.”

“Even money…….”

“I didn’t lend her any money, of course. After that, even when I tried to spoke to her…..I was ignored. I was a little shocked and that’s why I kept refusing to socialize with various people on the train.”

“So that was it.”

The black haze that covered her heart at that time.

“Fufu. I don’t care anymore, you know?　I’ve got Souta kun and Hayama san and the others.”

“……I see.”

In that case……it would have been nice to be able to switch like that. I couldn’t do that.

“I feel the same way as Souta kun right now.”

“……”

I couldn’t respond to Nagi’s words. We’re just staring at each other without saying anything. Nagi quickly looked away.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound a little mean.”

“No, it’s okay.”

“Because Souta kun told me about it.. I felt like I wanted to talk about it too.”

Nagi made eye contact with me again and smiled.

She laid her slender, beautiful fingers on my head.

“Souta kun.”

Nagi called my name.

Her eyes were very kind.

“If there’s anything you don’t like, please tell me. Whether it’s something like today or something else.”

Her hand slipped and tickled my ear.

“I’ll help you forget the bad memories. …..I’ll repaint everything.”

–Once I thought I was released.

–She kissed me on the forehead and hugged me again.

Ba-dump ba-dump.

I can feel Nagi’s heartbeat.

The sound, and Nagi’s body temperature were transmitted from her whole body. The black blur that had been swirling around me was rapidly dissipating.

“…..Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

I decided to take her word for it.

I wrapped my arms around Nagi’s back. And cuddled her.

“……I was a little frustrated.”

When I realized it. The words were spilling out.

“You can ignore it. If you don’t make waves, they will get tired of you and go away. I’ve known this for a long time. Today, I asked myself, [Is that really the right thing to do?]”

Instead of the black haze being gone. The fragility is exposed.

“I thought something like….. [Does Nagi, Eiji, and the others will think of anything if they saw me like this?]”

I feel sorry for myself.

I know there’s nothing I can do by saying this.

I knew it would only make Nagi feel bad.

“Souta kun.”

“After all…..I couldn’t say anything.”

That was what I regretted.

“Sotuta kun. Please don’t ignore me anymore.:

“Yeah. Sorry–“

Her kind eyes peered into me. interrupted my words—

Our lips overlapped.

Even though it was only for a moment.

……With just that, everything else becomes irrelevant.

My brain is filled with happiness.

“Fufu.”

Our lips parted. She holds me to her chest again. Nagi laughs.

“I’m so happy. I’m sure Souta kun wouldn’t have told me before.”

Just as she said. The corner of her eyes fell and the edge of her mouth lifted up. She looked very happy.

“Please talk to me properly about these things. trust me. …..I love you.”

To each of those words. It warms my heart. Gives me energy.

But. Nagi stopped her hand.

“If I meet those people. I’ll beat them.”

She said this with a smile, but her eyes were not smiling.

I felt the temperature in the room drop a little. I chuckled, remembering what happened at Nagi’s high school.

“…..Me too.”

As if I could speak. I pulled my face away a little and looked at Nagi.

“If anyone ever comes along to mess with Nagi again. …… I’ll beat them up.”

“Fufu. I’m looking forward to that.”

After saying that, I went back to my original place. I could hear Nagi’s heartbeat.

Nagi’s hand gently caresses my head. She stroked my head. The position is reversed from usual.

It was so good that I almost asked her to do it again.

We stayed like that until we were called to dinner.

◆◆◆

“I-I’m a little nervous.”

“……I guess so.”

We finished dinner and took baths…..separately, of course.

After that we went back to our rooms. The rest is just going to bed now, but strangely enough, I was nervous.

it’s not that I’m going to do it today. I couldn’t do it in the house with my parents.

So I’m just going to sleep. ……But. There are many things that are different from usual.

The biggest difference is that the bed is a single bed. The one I’ve been using since I was in elementary school. My father had asked me if I wanted to buy a new one, but I had refused because the days I use it are short.

Also, I was nervous when I thought that Nagi would be sleeping in the room where I had been sleeping since I was a little.

“Nagi is….you’re always in the back.”

“Y-yes.”

The bed is set up against the wall in the corner of the room. Nagi lay down on the bed first and covered herself with the blanket.

“I’m coming in.”

“Y-yes.”

I lay down next to her. And Nagi’s shoulders and hands were against me.

Nagi was wearing a pair of warm, peach-colored pajamas. The touch of it feels a little bit nice.

“……Souta kun, it looks narrow.”

“No. I’m fine like this.”

I laughed at Nagi’s words,……after Nagi pondered for a bit.

“Here.”

She hugged me.

My whole body was enveloped by the soft feeling of the soft and fluffy sensation.

“N-Nagi?”

“……If I do this, Souta kun won’t fall off the bed. You can also cover yourself with the futon.”

Just as Nagi said, the futon wouldn’t shift.

But.

“A-a lot of things going on.”

“….It’s too late for that.”

“That’s true…..I guess.”

I felt embarrassed and my face lit up.

Nagi’s head was about my neck. She was looking me up and down.

Thump, thump. The sound of Nagi’s heartbeat overlapped with mine.

“I’m worried whether I can sleep.”

“Fufu. Me too. I’m getting nervous.”

Nagi murmured. She buried her face in my neck and shoulder.

“But somewhat. I’m relieved.:

“……Let’s change our position a little.”

I was originally on my back. Nagi took her hands off me once and–

I turned to Nagi and hugged her body.

“…..!”

Nagi looked surprised for a moment. After a moment of surprise, Nagi’s face lit up and she hugged me back.

“When I was little. I’m talking about when I was really little.”

I felt the warmth of Nagi’s body in my arms. I whispered quietly.

“When I slept with my father and mother, they hugged me like this. ……That’s why I’m a little bit relieved.”

After a while in elementary school, I became embarrassed and stopped having them do it.

Nagi giggled.

“When I was little, I couldn’t sleep unless I was with my stuffed animals too.”

“…Even after I started sleeping alone, I couldn’t sleep without a pillow.”

“Fufu. We’re the same. ……Now I’m your body pillow.”

“Nagi has me, too.”

“Yes !”

Nagi hugged me tightly and strongly.

She hugged me and buried her face in my neck.

“…..Let’s go out together tomorrow.”

“I’d like to go to various places. Places where Souta kun used to go, and your school. I don’t think we can go inside, but I would like to see it.”

“Yeah. Let’s go there.”

There’s still time. ……We could go to a lot of places.

“…… Though I completely missed the timing to say that. Nagi, you did a great job today.”

“Yes ! I’m safely forgiven !”

“I really think you did a great job.”

I patted her head and Nagi smiled ticklingly.

And after that, we talked about a lot of things.

Nagi’s voice became gradually quieter. She must be sleepy.

“Good night, Nagi.”

“…..Good night.”

Soon I started to hear her sleeping voice. After watching her sleep for a while. I murmured quietly.

“I love you, Nagi.”

Beautiful, cute and…..lovely Nagi.

The kind and……strong Nagi.

I forgot all the bad things that happened today. All thanks to Nagi.

“……I love you too.”

I don’t know if she was talking in her sleep or if she could still hear me. But it doesn’t matter which one. ……Because I’m happy either way.

And when I came to my senses. I felt my consciousness fading away.

I wished that I could see Nagi even in my dream. I wished so. I fell into unconsciousness.