236 – Crossing (3)
#3
“Three things.”
Elena jumped up and stretched out three of her fingers at me with a very serious face.
“… Yes?”
“Give me three reasons why you should be here right now.”
Why are you suddenly like this?
I did as I said.
“… Yesterday I visited my senior, he stretched out after drinking, and I was tidying up my room while he was sleeping.”
I really did. She was cleaning up, wiping up bottles and broken glass with a towel.
But an hour had passed, and Elena, who had fallen asleep drunk, woke up with a flash.
“That’s just a list of facts.”
“The truth is the truth, so what can I do?”
“… ….”
Elena scratched her greasy hair.
“Why are you cleaning?”
“It’s uncomfortable to see. And when senior wakes up, shouldn’t the room be clean and tidy so that you can wake up refreshed?”
I put the swept glass fragments into a trash can. The glass rubbed and made a rattling sound. Something feels good
Originally, I wanted to prepare something for the hangover, but looking at it now, it seems like you’re sober. She didn’t seem to need anything to cure her hangover. Are you really an iron man?
“… Ha.”
Helena’s head tilted forward. The same goes for the upper body. Sitting up in her seat, she put her forehead on her bed and folded her body in half. After a while she mumbles and says something.
“… Are you done?”
“Not yet.”
“… Done. Go now.”
“Isn’t it still?”
“… ….”
Elena pulled out her trump card.
“Give me ten seconds. Ten….”
“Ah, senior. Are you here to drink again?”
“Go quickly before I vomit in your face.”
“No, what a dirty threat….”
“Seven, six, five, four, three-“
“Senior.”
She bent over and picked up one of her bottles. She tossed it into the trash without making a loud noise.
“I am not asking you to return quickly, and I am well aware that everyone has days when they do not want to work. I just came because I was genuinely worried about you. I don’t know if you’re going to say what it has to do with my subject, but….”
Those who like to walk alone are not willing to be intrusive and intrusive. Usually it is. Because I was like that in the past.
So, maybe my words and actions made a negative impression on Elena. I am definitely aware of that.
Anyway, even if Elena-senpai had been very friendly to me, there was a line she shouldn’t cross. I wonder if I’m stepping on that line right now. If you take one more step from here, you will fall.
Is this enough? I nodded my head in satisfaction when I saw that the room that had already been trashed was tidied up on the verge of being trashed, no, I said.
“When I see a senior who is more reliable than anyone else, I lose my energy. No matter what anyone says, aren’t you and I a community of destiny bound together by one destiny?”
“… ….”
“You care about me a lot, don’t you? Please save a little more of what you love. Give me some strength too.”
He tapped her right forearm. Then he bent her arm inward and bulged her forearm with force. Like the pose you take when you show off your muscles.
Immediately after, she lifted her face as Elena had buried her in her bed.
“Don’t overdo it, do your best.”
It’s a formal cheer, but that’s all I wanted to tell you, and it was sincere.
As I lowered her arm again, Elena suddenly let out a peek-a-bout and air escaping from her mouth.
“Asshole.”
“… No, I’m cheering you on to cheer you up, but why did you say it back with swear words? This is perfect….”
“Go, now. Don’t tell me twice.”
Elena was staggering on the bed. She lifted her bent body and stretched her out, and she got out of bed and she grabbed her handle of the bathroom door.
Sure, he looks back at me with eyes like a beast.
“What are you looking at? Are you going to steal it?”
It was a very ferocious fight. It seems like she’ll fold you in half if you really steal.
I just stroke the chin.
“Can I?”
“Crazy bastard.”
Elena growled her teeth. She clenched her fist and gestured as if she were about to hit me.
I shrugged her shoulders and raised her hands, and Elena shook her head pathetically and turned her body back toward the bathroom.
And….
“Go back and never come back. This place will be empty from tomorrow.”
In a short moment, it seemed like I could see a smile.
#4
“I’m back….”
Today was the last day of Taeshinje.
That’s what it used to be, and the Taeshin Festival hurriedly held a closing ceremony starting from yesterday.
In what atmosphere was the curtain call of the closing ceremony held? . No, did you usually hold a closing ceremony at a time like this? There would be a shortage of manpower and time. It’s very likely that it was eaten in an abbreviated way.
Originally, I was going to go back to the Epic class as soon as I woke up, but I ended up in the temple of District 1. Elena’s hotel was also located nearby. So, without wasting traffic lines, I stopped at Elena’s hotel first and went back like this.
So… It was yesterday that I lost my mind. And I came to my senses around this evening. It was now a dark night in the sky, and the surroundings were very quiet, no matter what had happened during the day.
There were not many people on the tram heading to Epic Class. Even if it’s natural because the time zone is the time zone… I have a strange feeling, should I? It was like a city where everyone but me had disappeared.
I just got caught up in that feeling, and as soon as I arrived at the Epic Class station, there was someone who greeted me.
“I’m back.”
A soft voice.
Someone who was lying neatly in a row of chairs at the station turned his head to the side and looked at me.
“Are you okay? I’ll come back because it’s okay.”
Yes, neither sitting nor standing, but lying down. Lying down, looking up at the sky beyond the transparent ceiling. A beautiful sky with twinkling stars.
“… Why are you doing that?”
“My back hurts from sitting all the time.”
“Isn’t that more difficult?”
“No? Are you comfortable? Would you like to lie down too? I’ll get out of the way.”
“…… Done.”
As expected, he’s a strange guy. More people should know this guy’s real face.
“Did you know I was coming?”
I went to the chair next to Stella’s head and sat down. Stella’s eyes, which had been looking up at the ceiling, went up a bit.
“No, I haven’t seen such a future.”
“… Then? What were you doing here?”
“I was waiting for someone who abandoned us without any loyalty and jumped alone.”
“… ….”
I have nothing to say.
“But you kept your promise, right?”
“Ah-“
You said you would come back.
I did come back in the end.
… A bit late though
“Should I say that I kept it? Shouldn’t The Supreme Court Justice in my heart says no.”
I was stabbed by my conscience, but I answered firmly.
“I just didn’t want anyone to get hurt.”
Stella opened her eyes.
“Is that so? Is that so… Hmmm.”
“… Come on. Are you mad?”
“No? You came back alive, and like you said, no one gets hurt… Even if they didn’t lose, no one was seriously injured. Is there any reason to be angry?”
“You look very upset.”
“Does it look like that?”
“Uh, looks like it.”
“I got caught.”
After saying that, I closed my eyelids. After a while, a singing voice came from Stella’s lips.
“The festival is over. A lot of professors have been away, and the atmosphere at the frontier won’t be good for a while.”
“Yeah, what….”
“The other kids are resting in their room right now. A strange monster appeared after you jumped in alone, and you got some injuries.”
“… What? Where it hurts-“
“Not really? I’m fine. I was hurt too, but I don’t remember well at the time. There is nothing wrong with the body. The priest did it.”
I’m glad then….
“I didn’t hear the answer earlier.”
Stella said.
“Is your body okay?”
“… As you can see.”
“I can’t see because my eyes are closed. Give me your hand.”
“Huh?”
Stella moved her arm and fumbled for my hand. What are you trying to do? I gave it as I was told. A cold, chilly hand rested on my palm.
“I have a lot of calluses….”
A small murmur.
“You really are alive. Here.”
“… ….”
The act of skin-to-skin closes the psychological distance between each other. Sharing body temperature with body temperature, you can get a comfortable sense of security. Perhaps because of that, Stella’s words felt more emotional than usual.
“It was reckless.”
“… Sorry.”
Isn’t it because the results are good? I didn’t mean to say the same thing.
“They were very worried and angry.”
“… Mmm. What to do.”
“What can I do?”
Stella pinched the middle of my palm with her middle finger. She wasn’t very sick.
“I have to apologize.”
“… That is natural.”
“I need to be comforted.”
“… Should I?”
“Of course.”
She definitely felt it while dealing with the devil. It was good that I came alone. Rather, it seemed that they would not be able to avoid great damage if they fought a subjugation war. If only I had used up all the young guardian magic on my bracelet.
… There is one thing that came to my mind while I was wearing a bracelet.
This bracelet, originally, was meant to be destroyed after consuming all of its inherent magic. Because it said so in the description.
But the bracelet was still on my wrist. Even though I’ve already used up all my magic.
The reason… I don’t know. Why?
“Ezio? Are you listening to me?”
“No, think about something else for a second.”
“… Hmm.”
“Sorry. What did you say?”
Stella’s eyes opened slightly.
“I told you to comfort me.”
“That’s what I said earlier.”
“Yes. Then how can I comfort you?”
“… ?”
I just keep frowning.
“I apologized, but you haven’t comforted me yet. I’m not angry yet? So please try to comfort me in your own way.”
At this point, I strongly felt that he was trying to make fun of me.
“If you are in trouble, I will give you a choice. First. Serve me like a master for a day. Second. Hug me tight here. Third. Um, what to do with it? The most embarrassing thing for you…. Ah, kiss me loudly on my forehead-“
“You are talking nonsense.”
“Kyaa-“
I let go of her hand and gently placed the honey balm on Stella’s forehead. If I really hit him, I thought it would only stir up more anger, so I put a very fine amount of force as if I didn’t hit him.
“It hurts! What are you doing!”
Not sick.
“Let’s go, now. Late. I am tired too.”
“No… !”
When I lifted my butt off the chair and got up, Stella jerked her upper body up in an aggrieved manner. Looking at it, I said.
“Everyone should know that you really are such a teasing person.”
“… I’m not kidding.”
Stella stroked her forehead.
“But you… Seeing you do this casually outside, doesn’t it really matter if your true face is found out? Why don’t you just be like this normally? I like it better and more comfortable this way.”
“It must be because you are.”
When I first moved her feet in front of her, Stella grumbled as she walked behind me.
“I am what other people expect and want me to be, the noble princess Stella de Feltline. Of course, my family’s history isn’t deep, nor is it legitimacy enough… Rather, that’s why my adoptive father expects a lot from me. From the beginning, to solidify the prestige of the family-“
Stella stopped her talking and stopped her feet. Because he was following me, when I stopped, he had no choice but to stop too.
I cast my eyes here and there and say.
“Can I speak in a place like this?”
Stella nodded her head.
“… No, i made a mistake yes. Thanks.”
I’ve been thinking about it lately….
Stella sometimes looks dangerous.
“Right, Ezio.”
Contrary to my thoughts, Stella returned to me with a soft face as usual.
“Huh?”
“There is one thing I want to do when you come back.”
“… What?”
I’m too tired to do anything….
Since there was something wrong, I couldn’t just cut it off and reject it.
Passing by the flower bed, Stella smiled.
“I’m going to call the kids, so why don’t you wait here for a while? I’ll be right back.”