Chapter 41 - A Sign of Turmoil
Heat waves rise from the asphalt under the summer sun, and the sound of cicadas echoes all around.
Sweating profusely, I head home.
As usual, Mashiro is clinging to my arm.
Honestly, being so close in this scorching heat is pretty exhausting.
But since we promised before leaving school that we'd walk home like this, we’ve ended up in a kind of endurance contest.
As a result, both of us are sweating like waterfalls.
Before leaving school, we were both pretty confident...
“I’m not letting go, okay? I’ll never let go! We’ll stay like this until I say so!”
“Yeah, I’ve made up my mind too. I’ll walk you all the way to your apartment like this.”
...or so we said. But now, we’re both about to give in at the same time.
“Ry-Ryusuke… it’s too hot. I-I might be reaching my limit...”
“Y-you idiot… you’re the one who suggested this...”
“I know, but—oh, look! There’s a park! Let’s call a truce and rest for a bit!”
“Hm, a park... Fine, let’s take a short break.”
Barely able to catch our breath, we decided to escape the midsummer heat and rest at the park.
We headed for the gazebo in the park, surrounded by trees.
Thanks to the shade, it felt relatively cool there, with a refreshing breeze. It was the perfect spot for a break.
Mashiro and I sat down together at a table.
“Phew, it’s so hot, right, Ryusuke?”
Sitting next to me, Mashiro fanned herself with her hand, and the sight of her sweating gave her an unexpectedly alluring look.
Looking more closely, I realized her blouse had become see-through from the sweat, revealing the cute underwear she was wearing underneath.
Her black hair fluttered in the gentle breeze, and the thin fabric of her blouse clung to her pale skin. Beneath that, her light-blue bra with its innocent design was visible, combining into a rather seductive image that drew my eyes without me even noticing.
Mashiro didn’t make any effort to hide it, either. In fact, she kept fanning her blouse, trying to get some cool air in. The way her large chest moved with the motion was hard not to notice.
Her casual behavior was likely because she trusted me completely, showing she had no reason to feel on guard. But still, I’m a healthy high school boy. Seeing Mashiro, who is undeniably cute, in such an unguarded state naturally stirs all sorts of thoughts.
Ever since I came into this world of Fusekoi, Mashiro has kept making my heart race. She really is someone special to me.
“Hm? What’s wrong, Ryusuke?”
Noticing my gaze, Mashiro tilted her head and looked at me.
I quickly averted my eyes, trying not to let her sense what I was thinking, and pulled a towel out of my bag.
“N-no, I was just thinking you look hot… Here, wipe your sweat with this.”
“Thanks! Ah, this feels so good.”
Mashiro, seemingly unaware of my flustered state, smiled as she took the towel and pressed it against her face. Watching her sigh in relief, I tried to calm the thoughts racing through my mind, placing a hand over my chest and taking a deep breath.
“Thanks, Ryusuke. Just walking outside in this heat makes me sweat so much. It’s really starting to feel like summer, huh?”
“No kidding. And on top of that, walking home stuck together like this was a pretty reckless challenge.”
“Hehe... I just got so excited about the idea of spending lots of time with you over summer break that I couldn’t help but be a little selfish.”
“Well, let’s call it a practice run. I’m sure we’ll have plenty of hot days like this when we go out during summer break.”
“Does that mean… you’ll walk close like this again when we go out during summer break?”
“Of course, Mashiro. You’re a clingy girl after all, so I’m already prepared. But… based on today’s experience, maybe we should skip it when it’s too hot.”
“Haha… yeah, days like today are definitely a bit too much. I’m happy, but I don’t want us getting heatstroke.”
“Oh, speaking of that—Mashiro, don’t forget to stay hydrated. Want some iced barley tea? I brought a thermos with ice, so it’s still cold.”
“Wow, you’re always so prepared, Ryusuke. I’ll gladly take some!”
“Here, drink as much as you like.”
I poured some barley tea into the lid of the thermos and handed it to Mashiro. She took it with both hands and started drinking, her throat moving with each sip. Even just watching her drink was so graceful that I found myself mesmerized.
“It’s so cold and refreshing. Thanks, Ryusuke.”
“You’re welcome. As long as you’re happy, I’m satisfied.”
Sitting in the shade with the cool breeze and sipping cold barley tea seemed to have relaxed Mashiro. She snuggled closer to me, resting her head gently on my shoulder, and smiled up at me with soft eyes.
“Being outside like this makes it feel like we’re getting an early start on summer break, don’t you think?”
“Yeah, you’re right. We don’t often get to relax together in a park, so it does feel kind of special.”
“I’m already so excited! When summer break comes, we’ll be able to do even more special things together.”
“Yeah, I’m looking forward to it too. We can go to the beach, summer festivals, camping… and maybe even see fireworks under the night sky.”
“Wow, Ryusuke, that’s so romantic. You’re really into this, huh?”
“Don’t tease me. I just listed all the classic summer events a high school guy dreams of. I want to do them all.”
“Me too. I want to spend as much time with you as possible, creating fun memories, taking pictures, watching fireworks and saying how beautiful they are. I want this summer to be unforgettable.”
Before coming to this world...
In my first life, these things were all out of reach—things I could never achieve.
I’ve always dreamed of being the protagonist in a romantic comedy. I want to experience the youth they enjoyed.
And now, I can live those dreams together with Mashiro, the person who’s most important to me. What could be more wonderful than that?
This summer, I want to make sure Mashiro smiles even more. I want to enjoy every moment with her.
But the world we live in, with us playing the role of villains, had already started to move, intent on preventing us from living out these rom-com days…