Compare
ResetI had just heard the proposal of marriage from the prince.
That same night, I received a message from Kasai Ichika.
"Okaya-kun, are you done with work? If you're free, how about grabbing a drink?" she wrote.
Since I had no particular plans, I agreed to the invitation from my (provisional) girlfriend.
We arranged to meet in front of the JR station.
Instead of her usual suit, Ichika was wearing a cute outfit.
Black tights with a long skirt and a white down jacket. She had also let her hair down, straight instead of tied up as usual.
She came right over to me as soon as I stepped out of the ticket gates.
Perhaps because she was wearing heels, she clattered toward me with each step. "Sorry, I kept you waiting."
"No! It's fine, I just got here too. Don't worry about it."
...Even if she said that, Ichika's tip of her nose was turning red. It was December after all.
I felt sorry for making Ichika wait, who was both a friend and my provisional girlfriend.
I looped the scarf I was wearing around Ichika's neck. It was the least I could do as an apology for keeping her waiting.
Ichika looked at my gesture with a daze, then broke into a delighted smile and buried her face in my scarf.
"It smells so nice... like you know, Oka-chan's scent," she said, trailing off into a nervous giggle. "Sorry for being weird about it at my age..."
"What are you talking about? Age doesn't matter to us, does it?" "Y-You're right..." She offered a slightly dry smile.
Had she felt some hesitation regarding our age gap? "Let's go." "Yeah."
We exited the JR station gates and headed past the bus terminal. We slipped into a small, local izakaya and sat down at a table.
Ichika casually hung the scarf she had removed on the hanger inside her coat pocket. Well... if she wanted to keep it, I figured she was welcome to.
While ordering drinks and appetizers, I sent Akari a message letting her know we'd be back late. A reply came in immediately.
"Aren't you going out drinking with Ichika?"
"Ichika, did you tell Akari you were going out for drinks?" "No."
...So how did she know?
I must be missing some kind of female sensor that men just don't have.
"More importantly, Okaya-kun, did you hear? About Hakuba-kun."
Ichi pushed himself forward all at once and said.
Ah, so about the Prince thing. Did she tell Ichi too? Of course she did. The two of them have been friends since college.
"Ah. I heard they're getting married. It's a wonderful thing." I genuinely meant it.
That guy has always had a hard life. To see his efforts rewarded... it's good, truly good. "So, that's..."
Ichi leaned in even further with another lunge. "W-what do you think about it?"
...Ichi's voice was slightly trembling. What is it? What kind of 'think' are we talking about...?
"I thought it was great that his past hard work paid off." "So, really..."
Deflated, Ichi shrank her shoulders. Was she expecting something out of my statement? Disappointed that it wasn't what she hoped for? "What's wrong?"
"No... didn't you feel a bit jealous or anything...?" "…………" Jealous? Hmm, is that so?
"Ah, sorry! It's not meant in a bad way, and I'm not trying to blame Okaya-kun for anything..."
The sake Ichi had ordered arrived hastily, and she downed it in one bold gulp. Blame me...? "What do you mean?"
"A, no... it doesn't mean anything deep. Just..."
Ichika said in a small, fading voice.
"...You know, of course I was happy for you getting married and finding happiness, Shirou-kun. But at the same time... I felt envious." "............"
"I'm almost thirty myself, too. Everyone around me—my classmates and such—are married or have kids. So when I thought that even you, Shirou-kun, had gone over to [that side]... I just felt lonely. Like I was being left behind." ...So that's it.
That's how Ichika sees it. Thirty. Thirties. I'm not young anymore either.
The number of people deciding the path their lives should take is increasing.
In the midst of that, I'm just treading water in the same spot. The feeling of being left behind.
I understood what Ichika was trying to say.
She remembers the sense of emptiness I'm feeling right now. 【★Author's Note】
The book version of the famous VTuber's older brother is finally going on sale! Released by GA Bunko! A manga adaptation has also been decided! Please look forward to it!