Episode 24: A Confession Springing Out of a Serious Moment Is Just Too Convenient!
Outside the window, the noise of the after-party and the red glow of the bonfire still seeped through like a blurry haze.
In the dimly lit classroom, Makina grabs my shoulder, hard.
“Hey, hold on, Yotsuka…! Explain, properly…!”
Her voice was clearly shaking.
She should be looking right at me, but her eyes seemed to drift, unable to settle anywhere.
“That part just kind of got swept past in the moment, but… first, did I— did I kiss you…? Yotsuka?”
“Um…”
I couldn’t answer.
The suddenness of having it laid bare froze something in my throat, and only strange, garbled sounds came out.
“O-on the cheek, or… something, right?”
“N-no, it wasn’t…”
“Then…”
“O-On the l-lips…”
“O-oh…”
Makina’s face turned red enough that even in the dim light, I could tell.
Probably my face looked exactly the same.
Heat all the way to my ears, my heart was pounding furiously, my head going completely blank, I genuinely couldn’t process what was even happening anymore.
“S-so, Yotsuka, you said, getting kissed made you… happy…?”
“…………”
“Um… Yotsuka…? What does that…”
Makina’s hand, still gripping my shoulder, kept tightening and loosening, over and over.
She probably didn’t even know herself what she was actually asking.
Of course, I had no idea how to answer either.
“Yotsuka?? Don’t go quiet on me?? Hey, hey!!”
Her hand shook my body, back and forth.
My vision swayed with it, and that shaking became the final trigger.
Something that had been stretched tight in my chest this whole time made a small snapping sound and gave way.
“AAAAAH!! Enough, just — enough already!!!”
Makina flinched, startled.
But I couldn’t stop anymore.
Everything I’d been holding back came pouring out all at once.
“I’m the one who wants to ask that, idiot!! You’re the one who kissed me, and then went on and on about how you liked my eyes, liked my nose, liked all of me — you said whatever you wanted!!!”
“Wh— wha?!”
I couldn’t catch my breath.
But my mouth wouldn’t stop either.
“Yeah, I felt happy! You got a problem with that?! I mean, to start with, your face is gorgeous, your eyes are beautiful, the way you talk is stupidly charming. Your hair’s black and long and silky. Your cheeks are soft. Your hands! They’re warm! Your smile should be illegal! Your voice is so gentle—!”
“—!”
Once it started, it was like I’d forgotten how to make it stop.
“You help me out when I’m in trouble! You stay beside me when I’m feeling down! You worry about me when I’m sick in bed with a cold! You laugh even at my stupid jokes! You’ve watched over me this whole time!!”
“—?!”
The tears started spilling out again, harder.
Like I was trying to cover for it, my voice just got louder.
“And on top of all that, you’re always right up close, always touching me, always all over me! With a girl like that beside me, all the time, every single day — who WOULDN’T fall for you?! If anything, are you doing this on purpose, knowing full well I already like you?! I like you! Of course I like you!!”
“Uh, um, I— I like you too!? Yotsuka!?”
“That’s not what I mean!”
My voice suddenly went quiet.
Even I was surprised — like all the heat just drained straight out of me at once.
“I’m in love with you… this whole time… Makina…! In a… different way…!”
Ahh. I finally said it.
◇◆◇◆◇
“Um… just to make sure I’m understanding this right — did I just get confessed to…?”
My head had gone completely, ice-cold clear.
The reality of it was slowly, slowly catching up.
I just confessed to Makina.
“AH, ENOUGH! I mean, yeah, I did! But that’s not — ugh!!”
Nothing was coming out right.
I knew that, and yet my mouth kept moving on its own, spinning its wheels uselessly.
“I’m the worst! Why would I pick a moment with zero sense of timing like this…! I’m literally the one being comforted, and I go and drop a full-blown serious confession out of nowhere — my timing is an absolute disaster…! I’m such an idiot…! The worst…!”
Of all times, of all moments, in a form like this.
Confessing like I was taking cheap advantage of Makina’s kindness.
“O-oh, I see…!”
Makina’s voice came out a little strained.
“…Were you freaked out? You were freaked out, right?! Definitely freaked out!! And this coming from the person who was just going on about whether she even had the right…!”
Unable to take it anymore, this time it was my turn to grab Makina’s shoulders and shake her.
Like payback for a second ago, with everything I had.
“Wh— wait, stop, Yotsuka…!”
Still being shaken, Makina placed both hands on my shoulders to stop me.
Then, seeming to collect herself, she steadied her breathing.
“Um, just let me ask one thing…?”
“What…”
“Are you… serious?”
At that question, it felt like no more excuses or dodging would be allowed.
“…Serious. This whole time… dead serious…”
“I see. Then I need to answer seriously too. Give me a second.”
Saying that, Makina covered her nose and mouth with both hands and suddenly went completely silent.
“U-um… Makina…?”
The seconds felt unnaturally long.
One second. Two seconds…
No matter how much time passed, not a sound came from behind her fingers.
How long had it been?
Then I noticed — Makina’s face, just visible through the gap in her fingers, was turning a red deep enough to worry me, just from looking at it.
All the way to the tips of her ears, spreading fast—