Volume 3 - CH 1.2

[Shiori PoV]

“Expressing gratitude…?”

“For all the help you’ve given me as well.” (Yuki)

The classroom buzzes with excitement upon hearing those words. Naturally, I’m included.

Yuki, who just finished serving his suspension, says he wants to thank us. It’s true that we worked hard to have his suspension lifted, but the ones at fault were Tojo-senpai and the school, not Yuki. He had done nothing wrong. If anything, he should be the one receiving apologies for the unjust punishment.

Yuki already has done so much for me and the others, more than we can ever repay.

There was never any obligation for Yuki to thank us.

However, those words are like a deadly poison to a maiden in love.

Because, because Yuki wants to thank me! How can I let this opportunity slip away!?

The self-questioning quickly reaches a conclusion. Being weak-willed, I immediately pounce on the bait right in front of me.

“A-Anything is fine!?”

“Impossible to do ‘anything.’ Saying ‘anything’ leads to disastrous outcomes. The other day, when I told my mom I would do anything, she asked if we could sleep together five days a week. It was terrifying.”

“Too much child affection?!”

“It was tough after that. I said I would do anything, but when I asked her to spare me just one day, she insisted on six days instead. I was completely cornered. What did I do wrong…”

“Because you said ‘anything’!”

Fortunately, Yuri-san was there, so it should be fine, but Yuki is truly loved by his family.

But still, this is a difficult task. What should I ask for?

I absentmindedly touch my wristwatch. It has become a habit without me realizing it. I feel hesitant about receiving gifts. Just recently, Yuki gave me a custom-made wristwatch of my own.

And it was made by Yuki himself. I don’t know the details, but I can tell it’s quite valuable.

More than anything, it’s my precious treasure filled with Yuki’s efforts and thoughts.

What should I ask for? I pondered, and suddenly, I remembered a video I saw on the internet last night.

A nearby aquarium was recommended as a great date spot. They even have dolphin shows. I haven’t been to an aquarium since elementary school.

A date with Yuki! I can’t help but smile. I’ve been chasing after Yuki for quite some time now. What lies ahead is unknown, and every day is a desperate struggle, just wanting to apologize.

But Yuki gave me a chance to start over. If that’s the case, I’ll show him that I can build everything from scratch once again—to fulfill this love.

I’ll reset everything and start from here.

“Hey, how about we go out and have fun together? I heard we can interact with the fish too. Want to go see them?”

“I see, fish. Fish, huh… Wait a minute? Yeah, lets check it out.”

[Shiori PoV]

The morning sun gradually illuminates the blackened surface of the water. A magnificent and fantastical scene unfolds before me.

I’m left speechless and mesmerized. The overwhelming scale gives me goosebumps.

As far as the eye can see, the vast ocean stretches out. The sun’s rays reflect off the shimmering blue surface of the sea, resembling precious jewels.

Seagulls gracefully dance through the sky, and fish leap from the water in the distance.

The fresh scent of the sea fills my nostrils. Everything feels like a first-time experience.

Indeed, I said I wanted to go see fish. I even mentioned being able to interact with them.

But isn’t this a bit too much? I’m at a loss.

Yuki’s actions were unexpected, but it seems I still lack a proper understanding of this enigmatic person named Yuki.

On the ship sailing through the Pacific, overwhelmed with emotion, I shout to release the frustration in my heart.

“Yuki, you idiooooooooooooooooot!

[Yuki PoV]

“Thank you very much, Boss. Shiori seems to be enjoying it too.”

Shiori shouts something loudly towards the sea. It seems she likes it.

“Bouzu, I’m sorry I didn’t check, but when she said she wanted to see the fish, she didn’t mean go fishing, she meant the aquarium, didn’t she?”

“The aquarium? That won’t do. We can’t eat fish there, can we?”

“…Bouzu, you need to learn some common sense. By the way, it seems like even after finding out we were going on a boat, she decided to come along. She must really like you, Bouzu. Take good care of her.”

To fulfill Shiori’s request to see fish, I asked the captain for permission and joined the fishing trip.

It was surprising to learn that Shiori had an interest in fishing and wanted to interact with fish. People can be quite different from what they appear to be. Shiori is skilled at swimming and seems to have a strong affinity with the sea.

It’s early in the morning, but the view from the deck dispels any drowsiness. The sea expands 360 degrees. The entire field of vision is dyed with the colors of the ocean, evoking a sense of loneliness as if I’ve been left behind by the sea.

A few days ago, when I told Shiori that we had obtained permission to board the ship, she started clapping her hands with joy. I wonder if she was that happy. I suppose there’s something gratifying about being able to fulfill someone’s request.

We, as rookie sailors, can’t disturb the fishermen. Of course, I can’t let Shiori do anything dangerous, so she’s wearing a life jacket borrowed from the captain.

Since I had ridden ferries before, but this was my first time on a fishing boat, I was unfamiliar with the process. While the captain skillfully began the fishing operation, we held fishing rods in hand for some fishing. I started teaching Shiori, who had no fishing experience, from scratch, starting with how to put bait on the hook.

“A small shrimp?”

“It looks like an amaebi, but it’s not actually a shrimp. It’s called scattered bait, and we use it to attract fish.”

“But it’s a shrimp, right?”

“Amaebi looks like shrimp, but it’s not shrimp. It’s called soramaki-yae, and it’s used to attract fish.”

We scattered the Amaebi from the boat onto the sea surface. Shiori’s question was reasonable. After all, it definitely looked like a shrimp. Although it appears to be a shrimp, Amaebi is a type of plankton. Living creatures are mysterious. I also prepared some Okiami. Once Shiori gets used to fishing, she can try using them.

There are also isome (lugworms) and gokai (sandworms), but they won’t be needed since Shiori was on the verge of tears just seeing them. As far as I know, there are only a few girls who excel in handling insects. Shakado may look like a small animal, but she might be the most reliable one. Truly, appearances can be deceiving.

“Wawa! Yuki, how do I attach this?”

I took over from Shiori, who was struggling to put the Amaebi on the hook. Although it was my first time fishing from a boat, I had some fishing experience. I had studied various things to be prepared in case I was ever kicked out of home. With basic survival skills like fire-starting and fishing, I could at least survive on a deserted island if I happened to drift there. Depending only on fish would result in a nutritionally unbalanced diet.

“After attaching the bait, swing the rod like this and cast it.”

With a strong swing of the rod, the weight at the tip of the hook would pull it away and fly into the distance.

Once I confirmed it splashed into the water, all that was left was to wait for a bite.

“So this is how you fish. At one point I wondered what would happen, but I’m thrilled!”

I felt sorry for Shiori, who was excited, but fishing sometimes requires patience. When they’re not biting, they really won’t bite. Even if you change your location, there are times when you don’t get any bites.

In the first place, if there are no fish in that area, you won’t catch any. However, today we were fishing from a boat. The boat was equipped with a fish finder, so it was unlikely that we wouldn’t catch anything.

“Yuki! I got a bite! Does this mean I caught something? What should I do from here?”

Was this beginner’s luck too? Shiori was already reeling in a catch as she said that.

…It seems like we’ll have some fun after all.

“Yay! I caught one! Yuki, I caught a fish!”

“Congratulations. It’s a horse mackerel.”

After a struggle, Shiori finally reels in the fish. Although I helped, it’s the first fish Shiori has ever caught.

“Huh?… It’s surprisingly small? It felt so heavy!”

She seems a bit disappointed. For Shiori, it seemed to have enough weight. I remember having the same impression when I caught my first fish. It’s quite a nostalgic memory.

“That’s the weight of life. Fish desperately resist being caught because they don’t want to be caught.”

“Uh… I see, I get it now. So this is the weight of life… I took the life of this fish.”

Strictly speaking, the fish is still alive, but Shiori gazes at the fish she caught with deep emotion.

“Are you scared?”

“N-no. But I have to understand. That we take lives to survive and eat. We buy fish at department stores, but they’re always processed, and even when we eat sushi, I’ve never really thought about it.”

That’s why we Japanese say “itadakimasu” before meals, right?

“…I almost killed you, Yuki. I took your life…”

She starts trembling and having a flashback, so I gently stroke her back to calm her down.

“I’m here, living like this, and back then, I didn’t want you to feel guilty. I helped you because I wanted you to keep living. So don’t take life for granted.”

“Yeah.”

“Come on, we’re just getting started. I want to fish too.”

I give Shiori a push on her back. Knowing the weight of life, she will grow from this experience.

“Yuki, I’ll do my best!”

She’s fine now. I feel relieved. Perhaps I didn’t need to worry in the first place.

“Oh, right. Bouzu, how about we clean them here?”

As the captain pulls up the net with the winch, it reveals a variety of colorful fish.

There are octopuses and such, but we release anything unnecessary. According to the captain, this catch is enough.

“Sure thing, Boss. Fumu, let’s start with the horse mackerel Shiori caught.”

“If you’re going to eat it as filets, be careful of parasites. You can tell by looking at them.”

I efficiently filet the horse mackerel, just as Boss taught me. Shiori is attentively watching the process.

“It’s gross, you know. You don’t have to watch.”

“No, if we’re going to eat it, I don’t think I should look away. Besides, I want to learn how to cook… even though I’m not confident.”

I see her looking uncertain. It seems like she has a long way to go.

Anyway, I wash the cut mackerel, place it in a small dish, and dip it in soy sauce.

“So, Bouzu, how is it?”

“It’s completely different just because it’s fresh. Shiori, do you want to try it too?”

Shiori timidly puts a piece of fillet in her mouth.

“It’s the fish I caught. It’s my responsibility to eat it, right? Itadakimasu… It’s so juicy!”

Shiori’s eyes widened. It’s the fish she caught. The taste must be extraordinary. Just like a horse mackerel.

“You’re enjoying your meal. When we get back to the port, I’ll treat you to something nice. By the way, Lady, you actually wanted to go to the aquarium, didn’t you? Did you have fun today?”

“Hahaha… You saw through me. I never imagined I would be on a boat like this. But I had a great time and had a valuable experience. Thank you so much for today!”

“It seems like Bouzu didn’t notice, but he really lacks common sense. You’ll have a hard time, but next time, clearly tell him it’s a proper date to the aquarium.”

“Yes!”

“Wait a minute. Shiori never said anything about an aquarium—“

“All right, let’s head back.”

—-Unbelievable!? Is this good-looking mature man’s communicative ability? In such a short time, he understands Shiori better than I do. I unintentionally caught a glimpse of why charming older men are popular.

“Yuki, thank you for today too. This kind of experience couldn’t be had at the aquarium, right?”

Shiori’s satisfied smile shines as brilliantly as the sun reflecting on the sea’s surface.