CH 35

Unlike school classes, the good times go by very quickly.

The sun was already beginning to set and the blue sky was gradually turning orange.

Fortunately, I was able to ride all the attractions I had planned to ride.

Just as I got off the indoor roller coaster, Ageha was stretching lightly in front of me, saying, “Mmm~.”

“I guess I should be heading home.”

After she finished stretching, Ageha turned around and sputtered a regretful farewell.

The setting sun shone down on her.

“Yeah, I guess so. We have to leave before dark.”

If we were a little more mature, would we still be able to play together a little more?

When I think about it, I can’t wait to grow up.

With our mutual agreement, we decided where our feet would take us.

At the suggestion of Ageha, we decided to go into a store near the gate and buy some souvenirs.

“Hmm, which one should I choose? Haru-kun, which one do you think is good?”

“Huh? Yeah, that’s right…”

I vaguely answer Ageha’s question while glaring at the key holder.

To be honest, I didn’t have much time to worry about that right now.

I had far more important matters to think about than picking out a souvenir.

–How should I start?

I’m going to confess. Today, I’m going to confess my feelings for her.

I love her.

Not tomorrow, not the day after tomorrow, but today.

It would have been better to plan more carefully for this kind of thing, but I have kept putting it off, and the result is what we have now.

I can’t make the same mistake again.

… Above all, I couldn’t stand it anymore.

I want to go out with Ageha.

I want to keep seeing her smile next to me as her boyfriend.

I want to be with her as a boyfriend and girlfriend, not just as a childhood friend.

“Oh, it hurts, Ageha.”

Suddenly I was slightly pinched on the cheek.

When I protested to Ageha, who looked up at me with dissatisfaction, she opened her mouth without showing any sign of offence.

“I mean, you’ve been in a daze since a while ago, Haru-kun. Is something wrong?”

“… No, I had fun today.”

“What is it, are you perhaps regretting it~? Don’t you want to go home~?”

“Much ado about nothing.”

I jokingly respond to her provocative smile.

Strangely enough, I find her agitation, which I used to find somewhat irritating or troublesome, rather endearing now.

While I was thinking that I was being transformed by her, she suddenly changed the type of smile she was wearing.

It went from an agitated smile to a carefree, innocent smile.

“Let’s come again!”

“Eh…?”

“We can come to the amusement park anytime we want… Well, it will cost more this time, but I’ll do my best to save up my allowance to go with you, Haru-kun!

“…Yeah, let’s come again. Let’s go to various places, not just amusement parks.”

“Yes!”

I couldn’t help but relax my cheeks at the sight of her big smile.

At the same time, a strange idea popped into my mind.

…It might be a pretty good atmosphere now.

This is the flow of confession as it is–.

“Thank you very much!”

Just as my heart began to race, I heard the voice of the clerk who was selling the cash register.

All at once, I am jolted back to reality.

… Yeah, there’s no confession in the store.

◆

“I’m sorry I kept you waiting.”

“I had a good time too.”

I ended up spending about 30 minutes picking out souvenirs.

There seemed to be more people heading home than before we entered the store.

… Now all that’s left to do is to really go home.

Every minute, the time limit looms.

I was frustrated and looked around for no particular reason.

Half-reflexively, I opened my mouth.

“… Ageha, do you want to ride that one last time?”

“Hmm?”

Following my voice, she looked up at the direction I pointed.

There is a Ferris wheel there.

It’s not big enough to claim to be the largest in Japan, but it’s more than large enough to offer a panoramic view of the surrounding area.

It was completely out of my mind because it was near the entrance, but I thought that there was no better situation for a confession.

It’s just too much of a cliché for a guy who has never confessed his feelings to anyone before.

Of course, Yang-Hwa had no idea of my intentions, so she immediately said, “Yeah, sure.”

We got in line.

Fortunately, it wasn’t too crowded, and our turn came in a few minutes.

“Wow, how long has it been since I rode a Ferris wheel?”

Inside the Ferris wheel, which has started to move, Ageha, sitting opposite me, looks a little excited as she gazes out the window, as if she is sticking to it.

Perhaps because there are no tall buildings from the station to this amusement park, we can see rather far even though we are still at a low position.

With less tremors than I had expected, I vaguely responded to Ageha’s words by saying, “I don’t know.”

To be honest, I don’t have time to look at the scenery much.

Should I confess my feelings when the Ferris wheel reached the top?

How should I start the conversation?

These questions and anxieties kept coming up one after another.

As I was about to confess my feelings, I realized once again just how amazing Ageha is.

I think back to the first confession I received from a girl on Christmas Eve.

I can still vividly recall in my mind’s eye the embarrassed look on Ageha’s face at that time.

What should I… say?

I couldn’t help but to squeeze my trousers.

All I had to do was say one word, just one word, but that one word wouldn’t come out of my throat.

“Haru-kun, are you tired by any chance?”

“–“

It seems I was once again buried in a world of thoughts.

Before I knew it, Ageha was leaning forward and looking at me.

I gulped down some spit and hurried to make up for it.

“I’ve been walking most of the day. Are you okay too?”

“Of course! Just being with Haru-kun gives me energy.”

I turned my head away, embarrassed by the way she said it with her chest outstretched.

Finally, the scenery outside came into view.

The sky was approaching dusk, the mountains spread out in the distance, and the waves of people constantly moving below me.

As I gazed at them, I thought absentmindedly.

How can I express my feelings without shyness and without hesitation, as I am doing now?

To find out the answer, I cut my gaze from the scenery outside the window and look back at her.

“… Ah.”

Ageha was also looking out the window, as was I.

Her cheeks were redder than the setting sun.

My heart was pounding. The urge inside me accelerates uncontrollably.

“Ageha.”

With a slip, my mouth opened.

Ageha, who was called by name, turned to me.

All the things I had been thinking about earlier disappeared from my mind.

There was only one word. The one word that had been filling my mind, and I said it.

“–I love you.”