Chapter Five: “The Princess Wants to Seize the Chance” — Part Seven (Iori’s perspective)
“That was fun…”
Lying on my bed, I scrolled through my camera roll. I’d saved the photos Himena-chan took too, though most of what was there were photos of just me.
I tapped one from in front of the jellyfish tank, the one we’d taken together. A good photo, but Himena-chan’s eyes in it weren’t on the camera. They were on me.
She really was looking at nothing but me the whole time, wasn’t she.
So many beautiful, unusual fish around us, and Himena-chan spent the whole time looking only at me.
She confessed to me today. It didn’t surprise me.
She’d already told me how she felt before this, and there had even been the kiss. And after all that, I still took her on a date without being able to answer her feelings properly.
“This is on me, however I look at it.”
If I asked a hundred people on the street, all hundred would probably agree. Looking back, my own behaviour toward someone who’d already told me she loved me was unreasonably suggestive of something I hadn’t actually decided.
I don’t dislike Himena-chan. If anything, I like her. I just don’t know what kind of liking it is yet.
Love, friendship, or something else entirely.
Giving her an answer while I was still unsure felt dishonest.
I’ve never fallen in love with anyone in my entire life. Being consumed by one specific person, fixating on someone — those feelings have always been foreign to me.
I’d always turned confessions down. I knew the feeling wasn’t mutual, and I’d never wanted to spend the time building a new kind of relationship with someone just because they wanted it.
But today, for the first time, I didn’t turn one down.
However I look at that, it can only mean Himena-chan is something different to me.
“If this is love…”
If what I feel toward Himena-chan turns out to be the same thing she feels toward me.
That would probably be something wonderful. Something happy.
☆★☆★☆★☆★
I set an alarm every day, but I always wake before it goes off. Today was no different.
I got out of bed and went to wash my face. Years of morning practice since primary school have made me sharp in the mornings.
Back in my room to change into uniform, a LINE message arrived from Himena-chan.
Good morning, Iori-senpai! I love you so much today too!
The morning greeting was nothing new. But the wording was a little different from usual.
Has she already started her campaign as my girlfriend?
“…She doesn’t need to be up this early.”
Unlike me, Himena-chan isn’t in any clubs, so she leaves for school about two hours later than I do. Even accounting for how long she takes getting ready, there’s no real reason for her to be up this early.
And yet, every single day, she messages me at this hour.
Is she getting up early just to say good morning to me?
My finger moved on its own, and before I knew it I’d pressed the call button. Himena-chan picked up before the first ring even finished.
Senpai, is something wrong?!
“No, nothing’s wrong.”
Really?
Even just from her voice, I could tell she was confused. So was I, honestly.
Why did I call her?
Whatever the reason, I’m so happy to hear your voice this early, Senpai!
Ah. That’s right. I wanted to hear Himena-chan’s voice.
Bright, cute, always so full of energy. At some point, without my noticing, her voice had settled into my ears, completely natural.
“Himena-chan.”
Yes?
“Want to have lunch together every day from now on?”
What?! Is, is that all right?!
“Yes.”
Yay! I’m so happy. Getting to spend every lunch break with you is too much happiness for one person!
“You’re so dramatic.”
It’s the opposite, actually! Even this much isn’t enough to fully get across how happy I am!
“I think it’s getting across plenty.”
Not nearly enough! I like you so much more, so, so much more than you think, Senpai!
Himena-chan always tells me her feelings with an intensity that surprises me. If even that isn’t enough to fully convey it, just how large is her love supposed to be?
Why does she like me this much.
She told me what it is about me that she likes. But the sheer size of the love I’m receiving still leaves me a little bewildered.
But.
If Himena-chan said the same thing to someone else, I would absolutely hate it.
“Thanks for picking up. I should go now.”
Yes! I was so happy you called.
“Me too.”
What?
“I was happy I got to talk to you this morning.”
See you, I said, one-sided, and hung up. My face in the mirror was strangely red, and I let out a slow breath.
Could I be flustered? Words like that never used to embarrass me before.
“…A trial period, huh.”
If Himena-chan ever decides she doesn’t want this, she should have every right to end the trial too.
I don’t want her disappointed in me. I don’t want her thinking she’d have been better off with someone else.
I want her looking only at me. Always.
I’m aware that’s an arrogant thing to think, given I don’t even know what kind of feeling I have for her yet. But it’s the honest truth.
I really am special to her. And she’s become something special to me too.