White Album 2 Omake/Story03/Chapter 3

3

"Now then... Merry Christmas!"
"Merry, Christmas..."
"Merry... Christmas..."

The three began their Christmas party by raising their drinking glasses, each of them speaking in particularly different tones.

"Uwaah, this is good... isn't it nice to be eating sashima and tempura around a hot pot on Christmas?"
"Christmas pudding and chawanmushi are rather similar... ingredients-wise."
"There's also chicken amongst all this in this hot pot... "

Though with such a party, they had to have various delicacies in different colors all lined up, and they had to wear yukatas with the hot spring ryokan logo on them.

"Still though, it looks great out there... it's a White Christmas!"
"I guess."
"We did go out of our way for this."

This was all on one personSetsuna's selfishnessstrong insistence, who said things like "Let's go see the snow!", "There'll be some once the winter holidays start", and "I'd like to go to a hot spring".

"Speaking of which, it's amazing that it's a rotenburo! With no roof, the snow came falling in!"
"And it got colder and colder... and the moment it built up it felt like I was gonna freeze to death."
"Certainly it's cold, but it felt so great! You should have also come in too, Haruki-kun!"
"I don't have such willpower..."

After bringing up such non-feminine ambitions, she moved delicately but quickly, reserving the ryokan through a relative managing the place. Forcibly persuading both her parents, she came up with an itinerary for the three of them on her own, finally coming down to the long-awaited day.

"You're pretty useless if you're exhausted from just that."
"You guys sure are lively..."
"Because I live quite differently. Especially the part where I hadn't gotten any sleep for two months."
"November was certainly my fault, but you reap what you sow this month..."

Setsuna was really the only one who worked hard on this plan for the past several days.

The other two only said, "Hot springs...?", leaving the rest all up to her.

"Geez, there was so much to deal with this year when thinking about it. Come on, let's drink, drink!"
"Setsuna, you sure are into this year-end party."
"Of course it's a year-end party if it's like this. If you say it's a Christmas party, the Westerners here will get angry."

After all, neither of them were in any position to go with Kazusa's inch-by-inch approach.

Because they trusted that much in how Setsuna did things.

"I'm fine with it being a Christmas or year-end party. I'm with the people I want to be with, anyway."

And that was something the two... no, what the three understood.

"Yes, yes, Princess Setsuna. Everything is as your heart desires."
"... well, whatever. Merry Christmas."

It was "that sort of" feeling Setsuna had, that the two wouldn't be able to stop.

"Umm, welcome, everyone! I thank you so much for taking the time to come here!"

And, time happens to fly when you're having fun after all...

With her having said that, the three of them were so into it that they couldn't really stop it from ending.

"Today... umm, well we have a lot of things to toast to that we probably might not be able to cover it all so quickly. Well, we have a lot of time to kill, so that's fine, right?"

The real party began, with the waitress coming by to take plates from the table as the food had run out.

When the adults weren't around, Kazusa decided to pull out champagne from her bag at her discretion, while Setsuna brought out pastries. And like this, they began their second toast.

"Umm... first off, Merry Christmas, once again!"

The three's Christmas Eve was blessed by the sound of their glasses touching each other, actually sounding like a bell ringing.

"And, to our graduation!"
"Well, one of us sure is like a Christmas eve miracle."
"Go home. Walk all the way to Tokyo, right now."

This time, the three raised their glasses to slightly moderated voices.

At any rate, just as Setsuna's festive words displayed, their graduation was decided before the winter vacation, after having gone through the term exams and the supplementary exams the week after.

---

On the last day, and until the bitter end, the haggard Harukikagemusha who felt like he lost three years of his life span, survived to tell of the senseless battle. This was in stark contrast to Kazusathe person responsible, who overcame all obstacles while humming away.

"We barely made it through alive today, didn't we?"
"I'm not riding with you behind the wheel ever again."
"Oh, so you really did plan on walking all the way back to Tokyo. You're better than I thought."

Beginning her first experience on the freeway, going around the mountains, driving on snow-covered roads, getting lost, and then an accident...

The unconcerned, whistling Kazusadriver and the haggard-looking Harukinavigator had remained in the car since the test, even as the ryokan's car towed them out of the snow embankment to their destination.

"To Kazusa... and reconciling with her mother."
"H-Hey..."
"I also wanted to see that moment too..."
"Yup yup, I'm sure Kazusa was in tears at that time..."
"......... hey..."

Touma Youko, Kazusa's mother hadn't contacted her for about half a year. She called her immediately following the culture festival stage performance.

By the way, this call also happened just after Kazusa got a boyfriend...

This delicious story was something Youko would not overlook, as a world-famous pianist in many love affairs. Apparently, it turned into a furious quarrel between a parent and her child, with Kazusa running a commotion on her cellphone, turning shy, outspoken, and hiding things.

... yes, turning eighteen, it was the first time Kazusa had ever gotten into a serious argument with her mother.

When Kazusa told the two, no one held back the smiles on their faces. To Haruki and Setsuna, it was the happiest moment of their lives.

"And to the revival of the pianist prodigy, Touma Kazusa."
"You're making a big fuss over me going not having gone to a competition in so long."
"But, you said so yourself that you'd definitely win, yeah?"
"Oh, oh, and to the hopes Kazusa will go on to a music university!"
"I'll just be recommended to whatever I pick, so it'll be easy."
"Yup, just like that."

The fortunes of Kazusa as well as everyone else didn't stop there.

One of which was when Youko, not being one to give up on her daughter's ability, seemed to be deeply moved by Kazusa's performance at a simple culture festival, and she proposed a chance for her to revive herself as a pianist.

She'd be recommended into a music college and gain support for all her music activities, if she does well at the piano competition in the beginning of next year... though somehow this seemed like cheat that would transform a NEET who's only good at the piano into a young and hopeful Japanese classic pianist...

"E-Enough about me... this time, to you guys going into Houjou University."
"Thank you, Kazusa..."

Kazusa was blushing even though she hadn't taken a sip of alcohol yet. She followed Setsuna's lead, raising her glass against the others...

"Well, it's pretty obvious for us, so we're just doing what's obvious."
"Correction... to Setsuna getting into Houjou University."

Only Haruki's glass slumped over from that feint.

"And umm, finally... though this is just a wish I want to make..."

It would seem this was the last toast, as Setsuna again took the lead, raising her glass much higher than all the others.

"To a reunion of the School of Houjou University's light music club, on this day..."

But compared to how high she raised her cup, her words gradually lost its strength.

"Umm, like maybe.... next year, the year after..."
"........."
"........."
"So we can again see the snow like this, go into the baths, and talk all night long..."

It wasn't just her tone of voice that lowered from what seemed like a bell that was ringing. Her confidence and her gaze fell to the table.

"Maybe, maybe I'm saying something a bit painful. Maybe it's just something that I'd like."
"Maybe, it might get into he way of you two..."
"Setsuna..."

Haruki had seen this expression of hers twice.

"But, but you know... I'm, fine with the three of us."

"I don't want to lose Kazusa or Haruki-kun."

The first time was the first day of the school festival, before the day of the stage performance.

Not able to bring out her voice during the rehearsal, he came to pick her up at the classroom where she had lost her confidence. She seemed as if she would cry, but had a fleeting smile as a somewhat happy waitress.

"Oh no, what am I saying now... maybe I'm really being thoughtless."

And then the second time...

The second time was after the festival, in the evening at the second music room.

Gently waking up Haruki who had fallen asleep, she had come to tell him something important...

"Even so, even so... I, I...!"
"Ah, geez!"
"Ow!?"
"K-Kazusa?"

To Setsuna it was a knuckle on top of her head that came out of nowhere.

"What are you so hesitant about!? Setsuna, you were the one who scolded me about that kind of attitude! You were the one who gave me support!"

But, to Kazusa it was something that she could no longer stand.

"So we'll promise you, Setsuna... it'll always be the three of us."
"A-Aah..."

Faint of heart as she reached her limit, Kazusa's benefactor couldn't hold in her worries or her tears.

"We'll meet again next year, and the year after... I'm sure, it'll continue. Right, Haruki?"
"That's... no matter what reasons you give me for skipping out, you know?"
"Kazusaaa... Haruki-kun...!"
"Geez~ this is embarrassing, it really is. I wanna just drink and forget it all now!"

However, Kazusa couldn't help but egg on Setsunathe thoughtless girl, blushing even more as she raised her cup hidden in her yukata sleeve.

"With that said... this time is the last one Setsuna... so we're gonna wrap this up, okay?"
"Y-Yup... yup!"

Being reassured by her best friend, Setsuna's face was red even though she hadn't taken any alcohol yet. No longer being able to hold it in, her voice came out like a broken bell, with tears rolling over her face.

"Well then... well then, to the three of us."
"Cheers..."

---

"Hey."
"Hmm?"

It was around 4 AM, with the lights turned off in the room and only the light of the snow coming from the window.

"Thanks."
"For?"

They'd fooled around with the champagne, went all in together in the rotenburo, and now causing a ruckus where they slept.

"The toast from earlier."
"That was... because it was tiring to hold my glass."
"Of course I felt the same way, but that's not it."
"Then, what?"

When it seemed everyone had finally gone to sleep, Setsuna had gone over to the other room without letting Haruki notice, bothering Kazusa in the the futon right beside him.

"I'm glad you said that us three would always be together..."
"Being so grateful about something so obvious... umm, is worrying."

Of course she went to wake up Kazusa... in addition, while making sure Haruki was asleep.

"I'm glad I have you as a friend, Kazusa."
"Setsuna..."

Because this was something that she had to tell Kazusa.

"I was so happy when you said you'd be my best friend..."

And it was something that she had to make sure Haruki wouldn't hear.

"Heh, heheh... ng, gg, mmph... ahaha..."
"Ugh, enough already..."

Setsuna was still dragging herself along for the past couple of hours.

It was quite a ridiculous scene of hers, expressing all of her emotions over being happy from just one sentiment.

Setsuna's face, voice, words, and tears were all jumbled together. This feeling of hers that was so confusing it didn't have any kind of shape, sound or color, and because it was confusing she spoke directly about it. It caused Kazusa to unconsciously turn her back towards her while lying in the futon.

Because just a few months ago, Kazusa would cut herself off from other people's emotions, and she was really bad with dealing with such unreasonable, direct feelings coming from her.

"Hey, Setsuna."
"Mm, mmm?"
"Why me?"
"Fueh?"

It was the only question Kazusa could ask while trying to avoid Setsuna.

"Why not Misuzawa or any of the others? Why am I your best friend?"

Because, not liking someone is not the same thing as hating them.

"Why someone like me, who's so anti-social, has a bad mouth, bad personality, hates pretty much everyone? Why did you feel like getting along with someone who was the worst as a human being?"
"Kazusa..."
"Plus, I'm not smart, I'm only good at the piano, and I had stopped playing the piano for so long, and I could have ended up becoming a shut-in, you know?"
"........."
"And, and you know... y-you're..."
"Let's see..."

And then, Setsuna returned to a rather calm tone she hadn't had in a while. Was it because she got tired of Kazusa hating herself? Or was it because she had to speak up first?

"Because, you're cute..."
"Nghaa!?"

A weight dropped in from behind Kazusa's back.

... at some point, Setsuna happened to slip into Kazusa's futon.

"Heheh... Kazusaaa..."
"Wa-Wait a second Setsuna... are you still drunk!?"
"Of course not~, I've been sober for some time now~!"
"That'd be more of a reason to worry!"

A soft and warm feeling spread behind Kazusa's back.

She sensed a faint, beautiful aroma coming from Setsuna's skin that was mixed with that of hot spring water and soap.

"Heheh, no need to be so afraid... I just wanted to hug and kiss you, you know!"
"I'd be freaked out by that!"

With a warm breath, Setsuna spoke alluring words close to her ear.

With a warm breath, Setsuna spoke alluring words close to her ear.

Her hands reached from Kazusa's back to her stomach and chest. She fondled a soft and smooth skin not unlike hers, as if she were violating her.

"Ah~, I do mean it as a joke, but it's so soft and smells so good, it feels kinda nice... well, whatever, it is Kazusa after all, so I'll..."
"It's not good in my case!"
"You sure you're fine with speaking so loud...? Haruki-kun might wake up..."
"Uu... n-no, sto...!"
"......... well, it is cute hearing such a quiet voice..."
"......... eh?"

And then, Setsuna pulled away her arms in an instant, and the soft feeling of her chest on Kazusa's back disappeared.

"We're even now, Kazusa."
"W-What do you..."
"I'm talking about that What are you so hesitant about!? thing."
"Ah..."

In return, Setsuna faintly touched Kazusa's head from the back with a fist.

"So, promise me, Kazusa......... we'll always be best friends."
"S-Setsuna... you know!"
"Heheh, were you scared?"
"Do you know how much your actions would make others feel so helpless!?"

This time, Kazusa was so shaken up that she spoke up in a high-pitched voice, perhaps to hide that she was seriously about to cry.

"Eh~? I don't think that at all~"
"It does! Just now, as a woman, I felt my heart racing so fast!"
"Heheh, really? I'm happy that you felt that way, Kazusa..."
"That's what I'm saying, there's no man or woman who wouldn't get close to you."
"Hmm~ I think you're overestimating me~"

Maybe she was so unreasonably shaken up.

Or perhaps Setsuna displayed far too much emotion?

"That's why at first, I felt I wasn't good with you. I was scared. I was paranoid."
"Eh... why?"
"........."

Kazusa carelessly spoke of those dark feelings she planned to carry with her to her grave.

"Hey... how come?"
"Well because... don't tell him, okay?"
"... okay."
"I thought... I thought you'd take him."
"... ah~"
"I thought... I'd lose if it was you."

"Touma-san, right?"

"Ogiso... Setsuna..."

Because it was the first time Setsuna had called her by her name.

Because it was the first time Setsuna looked into her eyes.

"I guess I really am the worst as a person."
"........."

Kazusa realized her feelings were going in the same direction as Setsuna.

"Hey, Setsuna... look, are you really fine with me as your best friend...?"
"That part about you's also cute~"
"W-Wha?"

But it wasn't that it all went in the same direction as Kazusa.

"How you're desperately trying to hide things that people'll find out."

Because it was the first time she called out to Kazusa.

Because it was the first time Kazusa saw eyes looking at her that swayed her.

"Isn't it a girlish train of thought to think the way you look, talk, and act all don't match up?"

Setsuna noticed that Kazusa's feelings were far more intense than hers.

"S-Setsuna...?"

"Hehe... heheheh, ahahaha!"
"D-Don't laugh, hey..."
"B-But you, but you know... oh god, Kazusa... Kazusa, you know..."
"Is it okay for you to be laughing...?"
"Eh, why?"

Yes, the two knew from the start.

That the two of them were conscious of the same guy.

"Is it okay for you to be laughing now? Would it really end with you laughing?"
"Well, that's..."
"I... I betrayed you, you know?"

But that was something the two had confirmed of one another before the festival.

"The guy I like most is Kitahara Haruki-kun of class 3-E! ... is that good enough?"

"The guy, I like... is......... is umm, no one."

At that moment, Kazusa had once stepped away from that face-off.

She hadn't responded to Setsuna's declaration.

"Am I... really your best friend? Is it really okay...?"

Even so, right now the one beside Haruki is...

The one who hadn't fought, and yet won...

"Why... why'd you do such a thing?"
"Umm... to make up for being nosy?"
"You're kidding me..."

After the festival... two weeks after the school festival stage performance.

The two in the support band who gave it their all for the idol headed to the second music room as a substitute for the change room in the evening. And it was there that the two confirmed their feelings for one another.

... but in actuality, this embarrassing romance story had another hidden angle to it.

"I'm sorry, Kazusa. I'd embarrassed you at the time."
"Why are you apologizing... didn't you also like this guy?"

In actuality, only one side had conveyed their feelings to the other at the second music room being used as a locker room.

A girl kissing a sleeping guy as if to wake him using magic, only to run away embarrassed.

"Because you know... I believe the way we are now is the most important to us."
"Setsuna..."

Which was why right then and there, in order to correct such a story that wouldn't have an ending, there was another person there.

This nosy girl presented the guy who just awoke with a glass shoe, so that he would search for the girl with the other matching shoe.

"Because I believe the best thing is for the person you like best to be liked the best."
"... seems like you're using "best" quite a lot there."
"Haruki-kun might get mad with me using such messy Japanese."

And that is how these two girls, who were given the roles of the princess and the palace guard, could meet like this in the same futon...

"Why is it the two of us have to be with this kind of guy anyway...?"
"Heheh, you're right... why two girls as go~od as us, anyway~?"
"Why someone like this who'll only get a desk job?"
"Not at all, Haruki-kun will definitely move up! I'm sure he'll become a managerhave a greater purpose!"
"... whichever it is, it doesn't sound so manly."
"Heheh, you're right."
"Well, I guess he's just the way he is, isn't he?"

And the two of them giggled, having forgotten where they were.

"Hey, Kazusa."
"Hmm?"
"Is it okay if I sleep here like this?"
"Hmm, I guess... sleeping alone is a bit cold."
"Ah, then, what about I also call over Haruki-kun?"
"... don't get too carried away, Setsuna."
"Is that because I'm messing around, or is it because I'm messing with your boyfriend?"
"......... good night!"

This was a dream.

This was a dream that Setsuna continued to wish for.

A dream that she would always wish for, never wanting to awaken from it.

Where the two be best friends and have nothing to hide from one another, worrying over a middle-school love.

As comrades who shared the same dream, forever swearing to be friends.

And surely, even more happier things would continue to build up...

"Good night."

But Setsuna knew the reality of it.

That this dream would not continue forever.

That this dream was far too ideal, that there was no such thing as never awakening from it.

---

"We're here."
"Yeah."

Those fun times passed in an instant.

... though one could say that, though the trip was an overnight stay, in the end it had to be finished in about 48 hours.

Driving an expensive foreign car that had more dents than before they started, Kazusa reached the house where Haruki lived.

"You're tired, aren't you?"
"Yeah."
"I also want to get home, take a shower, and get some sleep."
"Guess I'll get one too... though I really liked such a big bath."
"What are you remembering, you pervert?"
"... don't try to make me remember."

Setsuna had already parted ways with them at her house about ten minutes ago.

She continued to wave her hand until they couldn't see her from the car.

As if she was an idiot who had so much fun on the trip.

... or perhaps, to resist the fact that she had gone from a dreamthree people to realityone person.

"See you, then."
"Yeah..."

And now, Haruki would get out of the car, ending it with such a short farewell.

"........."
"........."

Taking his traveling bag from the trunk, slowly carrying it on his back.

"........."
"........."

Waving lightly to the driver's seat, Kazusa would also lightly waved back, and depart.

"........."
"........."

The engine sound would gradually fade away, and the three's Christmas party would come to a close.

"... hurry up and go."
"You're, right."

Or it should have.

"........."
"........."

Haruki hadn't moved to step out of the car, failing to dissolve this group of two.

"Hey..."
"Yeah..."

No, in reality, that wasn't the first thing on his mind.

"It's fine, you don't have to worry."
"So you say."
"Just wave goodbye and go, it's not that big of a deal."
"So you have no other decisions other than that?"
"Don't joke around, why do I have to decide?"
"You know..."

Kazusa had stopped the car at this place about a minute ago.

Driving to the curb, holding down the brakes, releasing the clutch, switching the gear to neutral, pulling the side-brake, releasing her feet from both the clutch and brake pedals. And then...

Soon after releasing her right hand from the side brake, Haruki's left hand immediately grabbed it, entangling itself with it.

"Don't joke around..."
"Kazusa..."

The pianist remained tightly gripped with Haruki's hands, despite what she said.

Kazusa's hand was smooth, hard, warm, sweating, and faintly shivering, doing the exact opposite of what it was she asked.

"Then, then... if you don't plan on letting go..."
"... hmm?"
"Then come, here."

Haruki knew.

"If you don't plan on letting go... then come here."

That although Kazusa's words and actions didn't match up, they represented the real her.

He learned this when they crossed each other over the course of half a year. And within a month of being together.

"... why aren't you so independent, anyway? Can't even move yourself?"
"Then I might wave goodbye? And go home myself?"
"And... why are you such a cold-hearted guy?"
"I'm not at all... it's just..."
"Just...?"
"I'm that kind of hopeless guy who wants to see how you would react to whatever it is I do to you."
"Mmm..."

And the low odds that Haruki ran with had so easily struck jackpot, it was boring.

"Kazusa..."
"'shaddup."

Kazusa got out of the driver's seat, and sat in the mantle of Haruki within the passenger seat.

Burying her head in his chest, the shivering from her body broke through from her skin through her sweater, and she remained that way, breathing heavily.

She was a like a dog who had been waiting for its prize for two days, only making sure of her master's scent, and as if it were leaving its scent on him.

"Kazusa... you smell good..."

Which was why she acted in earnest, though a bit like an animal, embracing him. Haruki acted like a human the entire way through... or rather, like the owner of a shepherd.

"... you're disgusting, Haruki."
"Well, I won't deny that."

... she acted in such a way that, no matter how much he gnawed on her hands to hide her embarrassment, she wouldn't be able to stop.

"Well, maybe to you it's disgusting. Maybe I look like a nerd."
"Come on... that's what I'm saying is really disgusting."
"That's why I'm not denying it."
"You thought there'd be a girl who'd be glad you'd say something like that?"
"No, not really..."
"That there'd be someone, other than me?"

And of course, it'd be habitual for her to be licking her own wounds shortly afterward.

"It's just me... I'm the only kind of girl who would..."
"Kazusa..."

To further impart her scent upon him, she put both her arms behind his neck and laid her hands on his shoulders, and his face pushed against her black hair.

"The way you're disgusting, strange, and miserable... despite it being all so revolting, I'm the only one who can understand you."
"Mmm..."
"So I'm the only one you can be with."
"Mmm...!"

Haruki also accepted Kazusa's intimacy, taking a deep whiff of the aroma from her hair.

Though the smell of soap from the bath last night had long faded away, the faint aura coming from Kazusa herself directly stimulated his brain, melting him away in such a pleasant feeling.

Because, he loved this scent of hers ever since meeting her in the spring.

"Ah~ geez, it's nauseating to be saying nothing but disgusting words."
"But even you're..."
"Both of us are so disgusting, it gives me the chills."
"Really, now..."

Their cheeks rubbed against one another as she continued to complain.

"I've got the chills..."
"Really?"
"Not just really... I'm telling you, I'm cold...!"
"So... don't be so spoiled like that."

Throwing unreasonable abuses at one another, they were face to face.

"I'm not!"
"Right, right, I get it, I get it. Then, I'm going home."
"You! ... nggh, nnggg!?"

He forcibly stole a kiss from the violent Kazusa right at the end, even though she shouldn't be resisting.

"Mmm, mmm..."
"Fuaa... a, angg.........mmmm, mwaa..."

And Kazusa felt this was the happiest she could be, closing her eyes and abandoning herself to him.

"A-Ahh... Haruki, h, ha, aah..."

Closing away her eyes and ears, with Haruki taking her lips...

She thought of nothing else, her mind blank, paying full attention on the harmony of their romance.

While praying that, in particular, she would not remember what that "girl" talked with her about last night.

To chase away that bitterness deep within her throat, this continued with the two tasting with the tip of their tongues...

"Mm, mm..."
"Mmph... a, haa..."

And eventually, their lips parted, as saliva drooped down.

"You're not cold anymore, are you?"
"No... I am."
"... Kazusa?"

Even though the two were in contact, even though their lips, cheeks, breaths, and even though they traded tongues with one another, the heat inside her should have built up.

"I'm cold, Haruki..."
"Why's that...?"
"Why, I wonder...?"

Even so, Kazusa was still not going to let go of him.

"Even though I'm this happy, even though it feels this good..."

Not only were her lips soaked, but so were her eyes.

"Even though, I should feel warm deep inside..."

Not only were her lips shivering, but so was her body.

"You're not cold, Haruki? You're not cold at all?"
"Well, I'm... feeling rather hot..."

His bewilderment even reached to her.

She was in such a hurry that she didn't fill in the gaps within her feelings.

Just now, she noticed that she was the only one who sought that "conclusion".

"I see, so you're feeling hot, Haruki..."

――Why am I okay with this kind of guy?

Why do I end up feeling like not giving him up?

How could anyone else want this guy, this guy, this guy...

Kazusa reasoned with herself in her mind over and over.

To cool down this coldness burdening her mind that could burn away at her.

"Not at all, Haruki-kun will definitely move up! I'm sure he'll have a greater purpose!"

"...!"

Even so, no matter how much she struggled to slow herself down...

――Why would that kind of girl like him?

Why would her of all people, like him, you know...?

Those words that yearn, yet carry no maliciousness.

A transparent voice, mischievous from its lack of sincerity.

They would continue to lead her mind around and around...

"Ah..."

Which was why in the end, she strongly hung herself around him, more than before.

"I'm cold... or rather, the exact opposite."

However, Haruki could feel the weight of her body more and more.

He could feel how childish her lies were, the tantrum she has as a child.

He could feel, what it was that she sought.

"S-So you see..."
"Kazusa..."

She was at ease reaching this far.

She would have been better saying it was "the two of them within the group of three".

However, this was where things split apart.

"It'll always be the three of us."

Even though she could protect the oath she made a day ago by not stepping backward like she was right now...

"But, but you know... I'm, fine with the three of us."

"I want you to cool down this heat within me..."

Her instinct awakened, being someone else to say those words having the same meaning.

Did she whisper this to abide by her own lust?

Or was it a warning of the danger she faced?

Or rather, that both of them...

"And in return, I'll cool you down as well... Haruki..."
"Kazu, sa..."

――I'm the worst.

Because, just like that...

Kazusa had easily broken the vow she made with Setsuna.

Even though the two had been so close a day ago. Even though the two had fooled around that much a day ago.

――But... being the worst is fine.

... no, that was precisely why.

She could sense a charm coming from Setsuna as a girl far so much, that she had to betray her.

Because, she could end up liking Setsuna that much.

She could feel that charm of hers so much.

It made her want to be with Setsuna that much...

And it was because she feared that the three of them would remain that way.

"I'll just warn you, I'm not as straight on as you think I am."
"It's because you refuse things like that well in advance that you're so straight on..."

And, as Kazusa expected...

At the end of it all, Haruki would listen to her selfishness as a "lover".

While doing so, he'd certainly think hard of how the three of them can remain together.

――He's mine.

He's only mine, he won't go anywhere else...

"Even if you say it hurts, I won't stop..."
"Like I will..."

Which was why, she let Haruki handle everything else.

All she had to do was let him do whatever it is that he pleased...

――This is fine, right Setsuna...?

You've already recognized what the two of us are, right?

So, you won't have a problem with this, right...?

"It hurts, Haruki..."

Notes

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