{Author’s Notes}
Thank you for your patience. Actually, since this is the 777th chapter, I wanted to make an extra chapter…… but I couldn’t think of any particular topic, and was struggling about it.
In the end, I decided on the chapter’s topic by submitting a questionnaire on Twitter in the form of “where”, “with whom” and “what”.
As a result of the voting, the the was decided to be a story about “Illness” and “kissing” in “Modern Japan”, and thus, this chapter appeared.
By the way, the setting is that it’s a story of the future, which is actually the standard for the Extra Chapters, and the “events after Kaito and Illness beca lovers”.
This may be the first ti I’m writing a chapter about flirting with Illness.
Also, I feel like there hasn’t been enough sweetness lately, and with a mind filled with a mission to drown Senpai with sweetness, I decided to make the whole chapter into “a sugary rain of lemondrops and gumdrops”. They’ll be flirting all the ti.
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Feeling the dry winter air, I walked along a path that I have co to feel nostalgic about lately.
I’ve returned back to Japan after a long ti……. I guess you could say this is kind of a hocoming, and walking through the streets makes feel a little solemn.
[Kaito-samaaaa, for listening to my selfishness todaaaaay, thank youuuuu.]
[No, sothing like this is no problem.]
Moving my gaze to the voice I heard, there’s Illness-san whose hand is grasped in mine, looking up at with a smile.
Today, Illness-san is wearing a white turtleneck innerwear, a long black skirt, and brown short boots for shoes. Her outerwear is a light-colored…… I think the coat she’s wearing is called a duffle coat? Anyhow, she was dressed to match the outfits in my world.
Illness-san is quite petite, standing at about 120cm tall, but I think it’s amazing that she looks so mature with her dark, but not oppressive winter-colors, calm atmosphere and fine gestures.
The reason why I ca to Japan with Illness-san in the first place is…… to put it simply, it was because Illness-san wanted to.
When I was discussing the destination of my first few dates with Illness-san, I asked her where she’d like to go…… and she said that if it were possible, she’d like to go to the world I used to live in……
Not granting Illness-san’s wish, which was sothing she rarely does, not being a choice, I had co to Japan with her after obtaining permission from Eden-san, the God of this world.
[Illness-san, is there a place you’d like to go…… is what I’d like to say, but I guess Illness-san wouldn’t know about the establishnts here. Errr, do you have any place you would like to go? If not, I’ll take you to the most popular places.]
[Let’s seeeeee, the scenery heeeeere is so freeeeesh that it’s difficult to chooooose, but if I had to piiiiiiiick, there’s a place I’d like to take toooooooo.]
[Of course, I will take you anywhere. Please don’t hesitate to tell .]
[Thank youuuuu.]
I have plenty of money and we have ti to spare. As expected, it would be difficult if we’d suddenly go to far places like Hokkaido or a foreign country…… but I’ll do sothing about it.
However, contrary to my enthusiasm, the place Illness-san asked to go…… was sowhere slightly unexpected.
Holding hands with Illness-san, we walked through a nondescript residential area. It’s not a shopping district, and there are no unusual buildings or famous well-kept-secret shops.
If we walk a few distance further, we can find the big street, where karaokes or ga centers can be found, but we weren’t aiming for those places.
The place we were in was a path familiar to …… “the path I used to take to commute from my house to the university”, I walked leisurely with Illness-san.
The reason why we were walking in a place like this is because Illness-san asked to “bring her to the streets and places I used to go when I was living in this world”.
So, here we are, walking together from the house I used to live in to the university…… There was really nothing unusual, so I was worried that Illness-san might be bored.
However, from the emotions conveyed through my Sympathy Magic, Illness-san seed to be very happy.
[Ahh, it’s just around here sowhere. This is the area where I was summoned to Trinia.]
[Is that sooooo…… It’s this place huuuuuuuh~~]
Illness-san stopped in response to my words, and gazing at the empty road, she looked sowhat happy.
H- Hmmm. I don’t really know why, but I guess she’s enjoying the walk.
[……Errr, Illness-san?]
[Yeeees?]
[Illness-san is…… Ahh, no, I’m sorry. It’s nothing.]
Illness-san doesn’t really like noisy places, so I thought she’d chosen the quietest place possible, but was this kind of place really alright? I was curious and tried to ask her, but I couldn’t think of a good way to ask her. For , this was just a scenery I had seen enough of, but for Illness-san, a resident of another world, even a normal residential area like this may look unusual.
If she wants to know about the scenes of the life of people in this world, it makes sense why Illness-san seems to be enjoying herself. However, when it cos to the question of where to take her after this…… and that is sothing I’m having a hard ti thinking about.
When I lived in this world, the place I went to most often…… would definitely be Tokikaze Cetery, where Mom and Dad’s graves were located, but there’s no way I could take her to a cetery far from the urban city for our date.
I also couldn’t bring her into the university because I’ve already voluntarily withdrawn, and other than there, I can’t rember a place I’m familiar with…… The only place left that cos to my mind would be the convenience stores and restaurant chains.
As I was thinking about this, Illness-san turned to and spoke with a faint smile on her face.
[Are you curiouuuuuuus about the reason I asked for thiiiiiis?]
[Eh? Ahh, errr…… Yes.]
Hearing Illness-san’s question whether I was curious about why she asked such a thing or not…… I nodded my head, since I really am unsure of her actual intentions.
[It might be a selfiiiiish and inconsiderate wiiiiish…… but I wanted to see iiiiiiit.]
[Unnn?]
[The you before we eeeeeet, the you before we got acquainteeeeeed. The scenery you look at back then tooooooo, those were things I’d like to seeeeeeee.]
[…………………..]
[The fact thaaaaaat I didn’t et Kaito-sama back in the paaaaaast was sothing I regreeeeeet. Being together with Kaito-sama like thiiiiiis makes really happyyyyyy. I wonder if that’s whyyyyy? I wanted to seeeeeeeee the scenery of Kaito-sama looking at this world sooooooo much, that I oculdn’t help but be selfiiiiiiiish.]
Illness-san looked sowhat apologetic when she said that but…… I don’t think what she said was selfishness at all.
If I had to describe it, Illness-san was just indirectly telling “I want to know more about you”, and how should I say this…… I was just happy.
[You’re not being selfish at all, and in fact, hearing you tell that makes happy…… Incidentally, errr, when I was in this world, the place I visited the most was the cetery where my parents’ graves were…… So I guess that’s where we’ll go next?]
[Yeeeees, If Kaito-sama allows iiiiiiit, definitelyyyyyyy.]
Tokikaze Cetery, where Mom and Dad’s graves were buried, is located in the sa prefecture, just a little far from the urban city. It’s more of a commuter town than a rural area, and the area around the nearest train station seems a bit deserted when I visit at noon.
The cetery was a bit far from the cetery, a distance where you would take a bus or a cab, but I always walked from the station to visit my parents’ graves, so I walked with Illness-san this ti as well.
On the way there, there was a slightly large supermarket, and I always bought flowers for offerings at the flower shop in the supermarket. The supermarket and florist were still in business as before, and since I’m passing them by, I decided to check it out.
It’s not like I’m visiting a grave today…… I an, Mom and Dad are alive and well in Trinia. So, as I was looking at the various flowers, the kinds that weren’t used for grave offerings, I saw Illness-san’s gaze move to a certain flower.
[……Speaking of which, do you like roses, Illness-san?]
As I asked that, I looked at the scarf I was wearing around my neck…… the scarf that Illness-san once gave for Valentine’s Day and touched it.
There are three red roses embroidered on the lining of this scarf. No, not only this muffler, as the cape and lap blanket that Illness-san hand-knitted and gave to also had three red roses embroidered on its lining, and I thought about asking her about it soday.
After hearing my words, still staring at the roses, Illness-san calmly told .
[I guess sooooo, if asked what my favorite flower currently iiiiiis, it would definitely be roseeeeees.]
[I see…… Since we’re at it, how about we buy so?]
[Nooo~~ I’ll have to refuse heeeeeeere. It would just be extra burdeeeeeen, and alsoooo, “it wouldn’t be enough”.]
After smiling at , Illness-san moved her gaze to another flower. How should I say this…… It sounded a little strange, but seeing how happy Illness-san looked, I didn’t feel like asking her any more questions.
After looking at the flowers for a while, Illness-san and I moved towards the supermarket.
[Illness-san, there aren’t many restaurants around here, so how about we buy so bentos?]
[I’ve prepared a bento for uuuuuuus, would you like to have luuuuuunch?]
[Eh? You made bento for us?]
[Yeeeees.]
Thankfully, it seems that Illness-san has prepared bentos for us. To be honest, I’m quite happy about this. Illness-san’s ho-cooked als are actually a bit valuable after all.
This is because, although Illness-san is a good housekeeper and a professional cook, she basically leaves the cooking back ho to the head chef, and aside from cookies, cakes and other sweets, there are surprisingly few opportunities to taste her homade cooking.
Also, more than anything, it’s nice to know that my girlfriend has prepared a homade lunch for .
[Thank you. I’m very happy. Then, I think we should at least buy so drinks…… There’s a large park a short walk away from here, so we can eat there.]
[Yeeeees.]
After buying a bottle of tea at the supermarket, I went to the park with Illness-san and sat down on a bench. This park was like a nature park, with hardly any play equipnt, but instead lots of greenery and nice scenery.
[I hope it’s to your tasteeee.]
The bento that Illness-san took out for wasn’t that so-called picnic bento with rice balls and sandwiches…… and was more like a side dishes and rice separately packed in a small, two-tiered bento box. How should I say this…… It was like a homade bento.
Since Illness-san is a well-prepared person, she may have consulted Aoi-chan and Hina-chan beforehand and prepared bento in the style of our world.
[Thank you! They looks really delicious.]
[If you’re happy with theeeeem, I’m happy toooooo.]
It’s not sothing I’ve ever dared to say, but as soone who lost both parents early on and was left alone in middle school and high school, I’ve always had a bit of a yearning for these holy bentos.
Moreover, when it was handmade by my lovely girlfriend, I couldn’t help but get excited.
Egg rolls, atballs, potato salad…… Ahh, there are also wieners cut into the shape of octopi. They looked so delicious that eating them felt like a waste.
With that in mind, I turned to Illness-san and saw that she had elegantly laid a handkerchief on her thigh and then, pulled out a bento box that was slightly smaller than mine.
Hmmm, I really think it’s amazing how even her smallest gestures give out a mature vibe around her.
[Thank you for the food.]
[Yeeeees. Please enjoy your eeeeeal.]
Putting my hands together for a mont, I ate my lunch using the chopsticks provided…… Unnn, it’s insanely delicious. Not only is Illness-san a really good cook, but how should I say this…… It’s like the foods were exquisitely tailored to my taste.
The sweet egg rolls are cooked in a way that they’re only slightly solidified, the atballs are a little deeply seasoned, and the potato salad is a little lightly seasoned…… They’re the best.
They were also homade by my lovely girlfriend, and having our lunch side by side in a scenic spot like this…… It was so great that it couldn’t be helped if so unknown voice scread at to go explode. It’s a situation that I’m really longing for…… This is happiness.
It would be even more wonderful if we could exchange feeding each other at a ti like this, but I guess that would be too greedy of . No, perhaps, no, definitely, if I ask her, she would do it…… but as expected, I was more than a little embarrassed to ask for it.
As I was thinking about that, Illness-san glanced at , and leaking out a smile, she spoke.
[Kaito-samaaaa.]
[Yes?]
[It seems like I prepared a bit too much for eee~~ so if you don’t miiiiind, could you eat a biiiiiit?]
[Eh? Ahh, yes.]
When I nodded my head, Illness-san dexterously picked up a piece of egg roll from her bento with her chopsticks and held it to , supporting it with her other hand to keep it from falling.
[Ahhn.]
And with those few words…… I wondered if she’s actually the Holy Mother everyone should worship.
It seems that Illness-san knew exactly what I was thinking earlier. I felt embarrassed, but more than that, I was filled with happiness.
The egg roll that Illness-san fed seed to be strangely much sweeter than the one I had just eaten.
After finishing my lunch, I took a short break while sipping my tea. It was winter, but the weather was fine and there was almost no wind, so it was warm and comfortable.
The only thing I have planned for the rest of the day is to go to Tokikaze Cetery, so I still have plenty of ti to relax here.
[Fuaaahhh———— Ahh, excuse .]
[Kuhihi, it’s a beautiful day after aaaaaall, you can’t help but get sleepyyyyyy.]
Now that my stomach is full, I felt a little sleepy and let out a yawn, but Illness-san didn’t seem to mind and looked like she was having fun.
After smiling at her peculiar smile, which I now found adorable, Illness-san lightly patted her skirt with her hand before she gently spoke.
[If you waaaaaant, how about getting so reeeeest? I don’t know if it’s comfortable to sleep ooooon, but I can prepare a simple pillow for youuuuu.]
[That would be……]
[Yeeeeees. That is, if Kaito-san is okay with iiiiiiit.]
Apparently, if I wanted, Illness-san would give a lap pillow. What a tempting proposal this is…… It’s too difficult to resist. Rather, I don’t see any reason to resist.
The park was empty, with just the two of us, and the benches were large enough for one to lie down. The weather is fine and beside is my gentle, motherly lover…… You could say that the situation is perfect.
[Errr…… Then, do you mind if I took you up on your offer?]
[Yeeees, go oooooon.]
In the end, I decided to accept her suggestion and brought my head on her thigh, even though I’m a bit nervous. Her lap has a pleasant aroma and a happy softness to it.
This was a suprely comfortable lap pillow that would make let go of my consciousness in an instant if I’m not careful…… What a luxurious mont this is.
As I laid down, Illness-san gently reached out her hand and softly stroked my head. Well, I’ve really been thinking about this for a while, but Illness-san feels accepting, or more like, she’s quite motherly…… As expected, she is the Holy Mother, right?
As I was thinking about this, the pleasantness started making doze off…… when I heard Illness-san’s voice.
[Kaito-samaaaa, back in the Six Kings Festivaaaaaal, do you rembeeeer the song I sung back theeeeeen?]
[……It was “A Small Story”, right?]
Her voice was so gentle that I wanted to listen to it forever, accelerating my sleepiness, but I managed to hold it in as I asked back.
Without stopping her hand from stroking my head, Illness-san continued.
[It didn’t go as well as the song huuuuuh.]
[Unnn? What do you an……]
[It seems that I, toooooo, have beco very greedyyyyy. I thought it would be fine if I could just read your storiiiiiiiiies…… but it seed like it wasn’t good enough for . Right nooooow, I’m thinking that I want to be drawn into your story as weeeeeell, making you smiiiiiile, together with youuuuu.]
[……………….]
She slightly sounded sowhat self-mocking, but I couldn’t find regret in her voice…… as if she was enjoying the change, despite the bewildernt she felt, Illness-san spun her words, as if she were singing.
[Compared to the back theeeeen, I’ve beco selfiiiiiish and greedyyyy…… but you still be alright with iiiiiiit?]
[……Isn’t that obvious? I an, I don’t know how many tis I told you this, but you’re not being selfish or greedy at all, Illness-san. In fact, I think you should request of a bit more.]
[Kuhihi, a bit more huuuuuh…… That would be troubliiiiiing. When I’m together with Kaito-samaaaaa, I’m imdiately filled with happineeeeess, so I can’t think of anything else to ask foooooor.]
[Ahaha, when you say it like that, it also makes happy. But really, you can ask of more, okay?]
[Yeeeeeees. Theeeeen, when I think of sothiiiiing, I’ll let you knoooooow.]
[Yes.]
[Kuhihi.]
After she said that with a happy smile on her face, Illness-san didn’t continue to say anything else and just continued to sofly stroke my head. And I, too, wrapped up her comfortable warmth of happiness, didn’t say anything else and let my consciousness sink into slumber.
After taking a short nap, I headed to the Tokikaze Cetery again with Illness-san. Walking up the stairs to the cetery on top of a small hill, we entered the cetery.
Probably because it was a weekday, there were no people at all, and we soon reached our destination after a short walk.
[……This is where Mom and Dad’s graves used to be.]
[I seeeeeee.]
[Well, this really wasn’t the case anymore…… but this is the place I visited the most before I went to Trinia…… and this is the view I saw the most.]
Actually, Mom and Dad’s graves are no longer here. They themselves asked for them to be removed…… They said they felt bad asking Uncle and Aunt to take care of their graves when they had already co back to life, so I asked Eden-san to do sothing about it after I explained the situation to Uncle and Aunt.
I don’t really know the details, but since Eden-san is an omniscient and omnipotent God, she was able to adjust the situation easily and quickly, and the place where Mom and Dad’s graves used to be is now vacant. I think soone’s grave will be built here soon.
That’s not a bad thing. Mom and Dad are living with in another world, and I don’t have any good mories of this place.
[……Embarrassing it may be to say this, but I’ve spent an astounding amount of ti in this place. Looking back on it now, I realize that in the end, I couldn’t accept the death of my parents and was just looking for a reminder of them. I didn’t realize it for a long ti though.]
[………………..]
[Well, now that I have…… I realized the kindness of the important people around , and even though I might have walked through an indirect path, I’m glad that it happened.]
Crouching in the empty lot, I lightly clasped my hands together just like back then. I wonder what this feeling is? It’s not loneliness, nor is it sadness. It’s not that I don’t like the fact that my parents’ graves were gone either.
But even so, perhaps, I may be feeling a little lancholic at the fact that the scenery I have seen so many tis has changed.
As I was staring at the empty space with this inexplicable feeling budding within my heart, a shadow suddenly appeared. When I looked up, I saw Illness-san standing right in front of , walking nearby before I knew it.
Thereupon, Illness-san bent down a bit and crouching down, she held my head closer…… and gently embraced .
[Illness-san?]
[I’m not trying to be sympathetiiiiiic. I’m also not trying to comfort youuuuu.]
Feeling her soft and comforting touch, her gentle scent tickles my nostrils and her warmth that envelops …… I felt helplessly reassured.
[All I wanted was just to hug youuuuu. You could saaaay that it’s just my selfishneeeeess.]
[……I see.]
[Since you’ve given permission to ask of you moooooore, can we stay like this for a whiiiiile?]
[……Yes.]
This is a very unfair selfishness. I couldn’t fully explain the emotions I was feeling within . I wasn’t feeling lonely, nor am I feeling sad…… However, I may just be feeling slightly hungry for human warmth.
Illness-san must have sensed that. That must be why she told that she wasn’t being sympathetic or trying to comfort . Asking to go along with her selfishness, she held within her warmth.
This kind of gentle selfishness is really unfair…… and of course, I wouldn’t have any choice but let myself be spoiled by her.
How much ti had passed? When Illness-san gently let go of my head, the fuzzy feeling in my chest from earlier had completely disappeared.
In fact, when I thought about it after I cald down, that feeling of security I felt earlier was quite dangerous. Since Illness-san’s motherly nature is trendous, I feel that if I’m not careful, I might get into the habit of getting spoiled by her.
Feeling a little embarrassed, I left the cetery holding hands with Illness-san again. It was winter now, and even though it isn’t night yet, the sky started getting dyed in the reddish tinge of sunset.
The cetery is located on a hill, so we could see the view of the city just before it changed from day to evening. Seeing such a scene, I couldn’t help but stop in the middle of the stairs from the cetery and take in the view.
I’ve been to this cetery countless tis before…… but I never thought that the scenery here would be so beautiful. No, I wasn’t able to notice it.
Just by having a different mindset, the scenery that I was used to seeing looks different. I feel like being able to notice it…… was sothing I consider really fortunate.
Thereupon, at that mont, Illness-san suddenly let go of my hand, and before I could turn around, she walked up the stairs again.
[Illness-san?]
[Speaking of whiiiiich~~ There’s sothing impooooooortant I forgot to tell Kaito-samaaaa.]
[Sothing important?]
As she moved to a position directly in front of , Illness-san nodded her head. The difference in height between Illness-san and is almost 50 cm, so even after she went up the stairs, she was still looking up at .
[Didn’t Kaito-samaaaa ask earlier if I like roseeeees?]
[Eh? Ah, yes. I did ask you that.]
[I do like roseeeees. Especially red roseeeees…… Did you knooooow? Roses have different words depending on their coloooooor, and red roses, in particulaaaaaar, have different anings depending on the number of roses you give to sooneeeee.]
[So that’s how it is. I didn’t know that.]
Talking about the conversation we had at the flower shop before coming here, Illness-san gently held out her hand towards …… and saying “Excuse ”, she unwrapped the scarf off my neck.
Slowly showing the three red roses embroidered on the scarf’s lining, she calmly explained.
[One rose ans “love at first siiiiiight”. Two roses ans that “there’s only you two people in their wooooorld”. When you give them to sooneeeeee, depending on the number of pieceeeees, the anings would chaaaaaange.]
[I see…… Err, then, what about three roses?]
The first thing that ca to mind when I heard Illness-san’s explanation was what giving three roses an in the flower language. This is because many of the gifts I have received from Illness-san have had three roses embroidered on them……
When I asked her about it, she gently smiled and her eyes clearly focusing on , she spoke.
[When you give three red roseeeees, in the flower languaaaaaage……]
[Eh? Ahh……]
[……Hnnn.]
Thereupon, Illness-san lightly pulled on my scarf that she was still holding on. She didn’t do it very forcefully, but a gentle enough pull that I could resist if I wanted to……
Led by the sensation of being pulled downward and slightly bent over, Illness-san reached closer almost at the sa ti.
Then, as if drawn together, my lips and Illness-san’s overlapped.
The first thing I felt was the amazing softness of her lips and the faint warmth of her body, and the next thing I felt was the strangely sweet taste…… and great affection.
In an instant, my head beca numb and I couldn’t think of anything else. Our kiss continued gently, but deeply.
I don’t know how long we had been kissing, but when Illness-san slowly pulled her face away, I thought I could see the silver thread connecting our lips, as if to hold dear upon the last vestige of our connection, illuminated by the setting sun.
As my head gradually regained its composure with a faint feeling of loneliness, wishing that I could have tasted more of that happiness, Illness-san told with a dazzling smile.
[……”I love you.”]
It was the aning held by three roses in the flower language, and at the sa ti, they were words filled with the feelings that my reserved girlfriend was conveying to in a roundabout way.
The expression on Illness-san’s face, illuminated by the reddish hue of the setting sun…… among the expressions I had seen after being together with her, I think this was the most beautiful I’ve ever seen.
[……Illness-san, do you mind if I ask sothing?]
[Yeeees?]
[Why did you say earlier that the flower shop doesn’t have enough? I think they had more than three red roses though……]
Hearing my words, with a heartfelt smile on her face, Illness-san responded.
[Until Kaito-sama and I beca loveeeeers, three roses would have been enouuuuugh…… but nooooow, I feel like I want to give Kaito-sama “101 roses”, so they didn’t have enough.]
[……101 huh…… What does that an in the flower language?]
[……”I couldn’t love you mooooore”.]
[I see…… In that case, I’d like to give Illness-san 101 roses too.]
[Kuhihi, in that case, shall we exchange roses soday?]
[That sounds great, let’s do that.]
When I saw Illness-san looking straight at and smiling adorably, I felt as if we were sharing happiness with each other…… and I felt like I understood why she asked to co here, and the feeling of “wanting to see the sa scenery”.
That’s why, it might have been inevitable.
After the both of us chuckled…… I bent down again, and Illness-san reached closer once more……
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