Chapter 6: Warmth
TL: Akabane
***
The sun was still high in the sky, so the wait was long enough.
The attendant led us to the gondola, and we both boarded the gondola together. When the door was closed, Minagi sat down next to me.
"That one's open too, but......"
"I like it here."
"I see."
I can feel Minagi's warmth, so I appreciate it more this way. I can also smell her scent because she's so close to me. What am I thinking?
I shake my head and blow away my evil thoughts, and look outside for a distraction. I look down at the people walking below me, and the cityscape beyond.
As the gondola climbed higher and higher, she blurted out, "It's kind of nice to be doing this."
"I feel like we're all alone together now."
"Oh, yeah, I guess so. You don't have to worry about the noise around you, or the shadows."
"......I've been really lonely."
"What?"
When I turned my gaze to her wondering what the hell was going on, it seemed that Minagi's expression was overshadowed.
She was shivering a little, as if she was feeling the cold.
"Do you know that everyone says I'm a woman like ice, Nukumori-kun?"
"Yeah, well, you know......."
"I'm not like this because I want to be."
"Really?"
I asked, and she gave a small nod.
She rested her head on my shoulder as she continued.
"I, you know, I don't really understand what warmth is."
"What? Why?"
"My mother was gone before I can remember, and my father is always at work and never home. I'm always alone in a cold house."
"I see. ......"
"I'm always with my teacher at events, and I've never had a meal cooked for me."
"Oh, but the bento ......"
"That's something I made myself."
That's right. ...... No, wait, what?
You were saying earlier that you want to eat food that you can feel the warmth of others because you've never had it made for you?
Then, because of the environment you were born into, Minagi is .......
"I've been alone all my life. I have to do everything by myself. They don't take me anywhere. Do you think such a person would have a warm personality?"
"That's ......."
"The people who say they like me only think of themselves. They only think of me as a status. Their superficial words would never reach my cold heart."
"......!"
"But you are different."
"What?"
I looked up and met Minagi's eyes.
"Only you, who were serious, and bumped into me. At first, I was uncomfortable."
"Well, I'm sorry about that section ......."
"But when I realized that your feelings were genuine, I was thrilled for the first time. I thought that maybe this man could love me passionately."
"So..."
"Yes, I felt bad, but I was testing you. I did all kinds of things that normally would have made you hate me, but Nuumori-kun didn't leave me."
Minagi's voice was shaky and she sounded kind of cold.
I reached out and hugged her.
"It's natural. Because I love you, Reina."
"......!"
"It's no exaggeration to say that I like you the best in Japan, or even the world, and even though you can be a pain in the ass, I like you even more now that I know a side of you that I didn't know existed."
"I'm not a pain in the ass."
"Yeah, sorry. I was going to say you're very sweet and very cute."
"That's not what you meant at all."
Minagi put her hand on my back and wouldn't let go, even though she was saying it angrily.
She is a lonely and pampered girl, and I couldn't help but relax my cheeks.
"What I want to say is that I will always be by your side."
"--?"
"I'll be by your side for a long time to come, and if I hear you say you miss me, I'll come running to you right away."
"Really ......?"
"Of course. I'm not going to let anyone tell you you're an icy girl."
"......Yes."
Minagi nodded a little on my chest and started shaking again.
But I'm sure it's important, so I can spit it all out.
I decided to gently stroke her back.
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