The night in Arius is particularly dark. With not even common streetlights existing and buildings emitting no light, it was natural. But as dark as the city was, the sky that should be bright was filled only with darkness, as if breaking that rule. Opportunities to see the moon were few enough to count on one hand, and constellations could only be seen a few times a year.
That's the kind of place it was. A place filled only with strangeness, as if deliberately twisting the laws set by nature. A place as if a giant shadow had swallowed the entire world.
But tonight's night sky was slightly different from usual. The sky was still hazy, but the moon was revealing its form intact, and there were so many constellations they were hard to count.
It was a beautiful sight. Just as flowers blooming in a garbage dump are unusually beautiful, this place was the same. But the reason wasn't solely in the night sky.
Starlight from the night sky poured down like blazing sunlight. Atsuko's face was beautiful enough to feel that way. Her gaze, mixed with mischief and shyness, a bit of fear and affection, contained something that stimulated emotions enough that any man would feel protective and possessive urges.
Kenji was no exception. But the reason for this wasn't normal. He didn't say anything and just glared at Atsuko.
He didn't consider himself lacking in perception. No, honestly, he prided himself on having quite a lot. It was an essential social skill for surviving in modern times. Moreover, for someone who lived a hard life, 'perception' held greater value than for others. Because it was a very good tool for avoiding trash.
And that cultivated perception was also greatly helpful in understanding others' emotions. Now was such a time. Kenji looked into Atsuko's ruby-like eyes and swallowed back a sigh that had risen to his throat.
'Why?'
Why does she like me? Suddenly? I haven't done anything?
It was confusing. The question about how babies are made had long been erased from his mind.
I know it's impossible to precisely define human emotions. Among them, I know very well that the emotion called love is particularly troublesome. Haven't I already experienced it? Kenji first realized after falling to Kivotos that love quarrels could be that messy...
"......Oppa?"
His head was dizzy. Just those three were overwhelming enough, and now another girl? No way. Only a gloomy future is visible. Horrible scenes of someone taking an arm, someone taking a leg, someone taking a head while fighting kept flashing through his mind.
"Oppa."
It wouldn't be exactly wrong to say his ties with those three were cut off, but that's only for now, isn't it? If I regain my self-confidence and finish all preparations, I'd go meet them, but appearing with another girl then? I'd die on the spot. I could declare it. I'd be horribly murdered, torn limb from limb. Not me, but the girl who came with me.
"......Hmm, so you're not answering?"
Just imagining it was terrible. No matter how much he thought about it, it didn't seem like anyone could survive against those three armed with possessiveness, monopolizing power, and clingy affection. To the extent that even if a god came, they'd likely be torn apart, their love was heavy and simultaneously frightening—
"Hwup."
"Huh?!"
His thoughts snapped off at the hot sensation felt in his ear. Kenji jumped in surprise and pulled his head far back. Seeing his flustered expression, Atsuko flicked her tongue. A silvery line stretching from her tongue tip to Kenji's earlobe stretched out long before breaking.
"Bweh."
"Wh-what did you do?"
"Because you weren't answering. What were you thinking about?"
"......Nothing."
Kenji said while letting out a deep sigh. Atsuko snorted, but he paid no mind. Instead, he got up and put some distance between himself and Atsuko. Atsuko pouted her lips and approached, but when he moved to an even greater distance, she eventually stopped.
"Why are you teasing me?"
"You're the one teasing. Asking me to teach constellations, then suddenly doing what?"
Kenji grumbled while wiping his saliva-moistened ear. As his face frowned, Atsuko shrank back slightly.
"......Sorry. I didn't think you'd dislike it."
"No, that's not it...... Never mind. It's not like you did anything wrong."
The one who did wrong is me, chasing after women like a baby swallow. Kenji thought so and let out a deep sigh. As if it sounded like he was blaming himself, Atsuko said nothing and hung her head.
Seeing that, Kenji's guilt intensified. Cursing himself inwardly, he gestured toward Atsuko.
"Come here."
"......Is it really okay?"
"If you don't want to, don't."
"......I'll come."
Atsuko grumbled and approached Kenji. This time, Kenji didn't avoid her either.
The two didn't face each other. They just sat with their shoulders slightly touching. Awkward silence drifted around them like fog.
The formal relationship of teacher and student no longer existed. Under the night sky emitting an enchanting light, only a girl who had subtly confessed her feelings and a man worrying about how to reject those feelings remained.
"So."
The one who broke the silence first was Atsuko. She fiddled with her lavender hair and looked at Kenji. In her deep crimson pupils, only Kenji's figure was reflected.
"How are babies made?"
It wasn't that she asked because she was really curious. It was a joke thrown to alleviate the awkward atmosphere even a little. Kenji also noticed this and answered with a snorting laugh.
"Fertilization, implantation, birth."
"Seems like there's no middle process?"
"......You keep asking even though you know?"
"Ahaha."
Atsuko smiled brightly. Then the heavy air flowing around instantly lightened. Kenji roughly messed up Atsuko's hair and spoke.
"Sorry."
"Huh? What are you sorry for?"
"There are many women who like me. So accepting you is a bit... complicated."
"You mean Hiyori and Misaki?"
"......What?"
"No?"
Atsuko tilted her head. Kenji let out a hollow laugh and spat out.
"Why are their names coming up here...?"
"Ah, is this a secret?"
Mistake.
Atsuko mumbled that, then winked and stuck out her tongue. Kenji made an incredulous expression and gaped his mouth. To that extent, Atsuko's sudden remark was shocking.
What? Hiyori and Misaki? Why did those two names suddenly come up?
......I'm afraid to think about it. I didn't hear anything. Kenji thought so and nodded.
"But it's okay. I don't intend to compete with those girls."
Atsuko opened her mouth. She placed Kenji's hand between both of hers and grinned.
"We've lived since childhood sharing even the smallest things. The proverb about splitting a single bean to share wasn't just a proverb for us. We've actually split a single bean with a knife and eaten it?"
"......That's unfortunate."
"Right? So we, at least I, don't intend to compete over you. Can't we just live happily together like before, and like now? Does one person need to monopolize you?"
Kenji stared at Atsuko without saying anything. Atsuko giggled and lightly rested her head on Kenji's shoulder.
"I think about three kids would be nice."
"......Don't say strange things."
Kenji let out a deep sigh and tapped Atsuko's forehead with his finger. Perhaps because he tapped with a bit of force, her head tilted back slightly. Regardless, Atsuko smiled broadly and tightly hugged Kenji's arm.
Just as mint scent came from Misaki and hyacinth scent from Hiyori, a faint rose scent was felt from Atsuko. It was an enchanting fragrance. Feeling like his head would become strange if he kept smelling it, Kenji gave a fake cough and tried to gently free his arm held by Atsuko.
......It didn't come free. Because Atsuko was holding on too tightly.
"Heehee."
Atsuko snickered and rubbed her cheek against Kenji's arm. As if a cat was marking its territory. Kenji applied force to free his arm again, but Atsuko didn't easily let go. Instead, she glanced up at him and gave a sidelong smile.
Then she said.
"So Oppa, who are the other women who like you? Are they people I know?"
"......They're from Trinity. You probably don't know them."
"Hmm... Then at least tell me their names. Since they might become family later, wouldn't it be better to know?"
At her words, Kenji let out a hollow laugh.
"......Do you realize you're saying this knowing I rejected your confession?"
"Oppa. Love is something to be won. So even if you reject me now, you might accept me later. I don't intend to give up."
"Where did you learn such words......"
"From the magazine Hiyori reads."
"What kind of magazine is she reading......"
Kenji muttered quietly and swept back his hair. Seeing that, Atsuko let out a small laugh, huhu.
"Anyway, Oppa. So can you at least tell me their names?"
"......Sure, names are fine. I'll tell you a few characteristics too."
Atsuko nodded her head. Kenji cleared his throat once, then slowly began to speak.
"Yurizono Seia. She has blonde hair with fox ears on her head. She's short and likes to act spoiled. Among those things, she liked having her head stroked the most, but other people's touch was beyond dislike—she hated it to the point of disgust."
"Seems she liked you a lot."
"......Haha, maybe."
Kenji answered with a bitter smile and continued.
"Kirifuji Nagisa. She had bright brown hair and eyes. She unusually loved black tea, and despite being bad at chess, had strong pride so she often lost whenever she played with me. And...... she's really bad with alcohol. Just smelling alcohol would probably make her collapse."
"I want to try drinking too."
"If there's a chance."
Kenji laughed softly and stroked Atsuko's head.
"Lastly...... Misono Mika."
......The connection he most recently reunited with.
"Mika has pink hair and amber eyes. She had lots of laughter and played pranks without hesitation. She could be willful at times, but it wasn't hateful and was actually cute. She's a princess-like girl. Bright, energetic, strong. Full of positive energy, I should say."
Kenji said that much and let a self-mocking smile bloom on his face.
"That's all I can explain."
"Oppa, you know what?"
"......? What."
Kenji asked back with a puzzled expression. Atsuko smiled affectionately and placed her hand on Kenji's cheek.
"You looked really happy while explaining. I think it's the first time I've seen such a bright expression from you."
"......"
"They must be that precious to you?"
It wasn't a question worth pondering. Kenji snorted a laugh and nodded.
"They're girls I should protect even at the cost of everything."
"Hmm... Am I included in that?"
"Well. Shouldn't you try harder?"
Kenji chuckled. Atsuko also laughed back and buried her face in his chest. He could push her away, but Kenji deliberately didn't push her away. Instead, with closed eyes, he stroked the back of her head. Though less than Seia's, her hair was also quite soft.
"Mmm, it feels guud......"
A muffled voice came. Kenji let out a pik laugh and spat out.
"Is that so."
"Yeah, feels guud."
"Don't like it."
"Ehehe, I li-like it."
Atsuko, who mumbled like that, slowly raised her head. Then she held a bright smile like a fully bloomed flower.
It was a fairy-tale princess-like smile. Looking at that smile, Kenji spat out.
"......So when are you going to put your clothes on?"
"Ah."
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