Part-2 Ch-05 Ep-01

One day in the middle of summer vacation.

It was around four in the afternoon, when the sunlight had begun to slant and soften.

Maki and I had traveled a little farther than usual to reach an amusement park located outside the city.

I had assumed that at this hour there would be few people entering, but contrary to my expectations, a sizable line of couples and groups of young people stretched out in front of the ticket booths.

That day, the park was extending its operating hours and planned to close with a fireworks display, so it made sense that so many young people had come for that.

We were here for the same reason.

At the same time, I could see families with small children here and there making their way home.

“It’s more crowded than I expected, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, it really is.”

As we said that, we bought our tickets and joined the line for the entrance gate. That was when my eyes caught sight of the couple standing in front of us, pressed close together with their arms linked.

Suddenly, Maki placed her hand on my arm.

“…Ah.”

I was about to say something, but the suddenness flustered me, and I missed my chance.

“It’s hooot…”

Even though the sun was starting to set, the intense western sunlight characteristic of midsummer still beat down on us. Maki fanned her face with her hand, as if trying to cool herself.

A faint sheen of sweat traced its way from her cheeks down to her neck. If it was hot, she could have just moved away. That was what I thought, yet the words refused to come out.

Instead, Maki pressed even closer, leaning her weight against my arm. I froze, doing nothing at all, silently praying that my face would not turn red as I stared up at the towering cumulonimbus clouds in the sky.

Should I shake her off and say it was hot? Should I pretend nothing was happening and change the subject? Or should I suddenly pull my arm away? But that somehow felt like a waste.

My thoughts spun endlessly in my head.

I could not help but become aware of the warmth faintly seeping through, and of our skin clinging together as if drawn by suction in the heavy humidity.

“……”

Since Maki made no comment either, I glanced sideways at her. At that moment, our eyes met. Maki was staring straight at me.

“…Huh? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Well, I was just thinking that normally, if I clung to you this much, Mari would complain. But lately, your reactions have been kind of strange. Did something happen?”

I was being tested.

Inside my head, I clutched at my temples. I wanted nothing more than to crouch down on the spot and hide my face. Maki really was cruel when she knew exactly what she was doing.

“…Could you move away a little? It’s hot.”

“Now? Hmm. If you really hate it, I’ll move. But do you hate it?”

“N-No, that’s not it, but…”

As I stammered, I felt heat rush to my face, so I turned away.

“Are you enjoying teasing me that much?”

“Why are you suddenly speaking so politely? And I’m not teasing you or being mean.”

I glared at Maki with half-lidded eyes, silently asking, then what is it?

As an extra effort, I tried to pull my arm free, but her grip was firm, and I could not escape.

“I’m observing you. You’ve been kind of strange lately, Mari.”

She smiled brightly as she said that, and I grimaced, thinking once again that Maki really did have a slightly sadistic side. After passing through the entrance gate and stepping into the park, a massive Ferris wheel immediately came into view.

Beyond that was a roller coaster tracing complex arcs around the park, and farther ahead were a merry-go-round, teacups, restaurants, and souvenir shops lined up in a row.

Everything was painted in the vivid colors typical of an amusement park, and just looking at it made my heart lift.

“Wow, I haven’t been to an amusement park in forever.”

“It makes me excited. Hey, hey, what should we ride first?”

Maki was happily scanning the pamphlet we had received at the entrance.

Incidentally, when we passed through the gate, she let go of my arm on her own, saying it would get in other people’s way. I had been bracing myself for that closeness to continue all day, so I felt deeply relieved.

“Whoops.”

Several children ran past our feet.

The adults who appeared to be their parents hurried after them, bowing apologetically to me with a quick nod before jogging past.

Even though it was a time when many people were leaving, there were still plenty of families in the park. I would need to watch where I stepped.

As I was looking around,

“Bam!”

“Uwoah!”

“Kyahahaha!”

I stumbled from a sudden impact to my back. Maki, who had body-checked me, burst into laughter. Her smiling face looked just like an angel’s. An angel whose excitement had risen a little too high, perhaps.

“Hey, that’s dangerous—”

I had barely gotten that much out when a certain image suddenly surfaced in my mind. It was like a still frame from memory. And once I realized that, it became clear.

This amusement park was actually—

“…Maki, who told you about the fireworks event happening here today?”

Not how she found out, but who told her.

I asked with that assumption in mind.

“Huh? It was Godaiin-kun.”

As expected, the name of the capture target, Goteiin Takumi-kun, came up. That was right. This amusement park was supposed to be a location for an event with a capture target.

If I remembered correctly, the scenario involved being invited by the capture target with the highest affection, going on an amusement park date together, watching the fireworks, and heading home afterward. A classic romantic memory event.

“Um, doesn’t that mean you were actually supposed to be invited by Godaiin-kun today?”

“Huh? No, it’s not like that. He always tells me about fun events and places like this.”

“…I see.”

Hearing that, I silently clasped my hands together in my mind, mourning Godaiin-kun’s fruitless efforts. At the same time, it was clear to me that he was genuinely serious about Maki.

Without a doubt, Maki was currently on the Goteiin route. And yet, for some reason, she had declined that invitation and asked me instead.

If this were a game, that choice would have been a bad move. But She was not merely a game heroine. This was Maki, acting on her own will.

“…Maki, you have quite a few close guy friends, but you never seem particularly interested in them, do you? Or rather, you’re kind of dense.”

“Dense? That’s the last thing I want to hear from you, Mari. Are you trying to pick a fight?”

“No, I don’t want to make you mad. But normally, if a guy tells you about something like this, wouldn’t it naturally lead to going together?”

At that, Maki tilted her head.

A question mark practically floated above it.

“Hm. Maybe it’s because I’m not interested in that kind of thing?”

“Why?”

“It’s not that I’m not interested in romance, you know.”

“Huh?”

The words slipped out of me in a very ungraceful voice.

“Hey, what’s with that reaction? Do you know what kind of face you’re making right now, Mari?”

She laughed, half exasperated, and tugged on my cheek. Apparently, I had made a truly strange expression. I brushed her hand away and rubbed my cheek myself.

“Huh, so you are interested in love talk, Maki?”

“Ah~~”

This time, Maki very obviously looked away.

But this mattered.

Now that she was a second-year high school student with no real progress made on any capture route, if I did not know where Maki’s own feelings were directed, or what kind of person she was interested in, I would not be able to support her properly.

—Whether or not the current me could actually handle that situation if it arose was another question entirely.

“Hey, Mari. Now’s not the time for that kind of conversation, right?”

Maki smiled and pressed a finger to her lips.

“Shh. We finally made it here, so let’s play as much as we can until the fireworks.”

She spread her arms wide and spun around.

Behind her, a roller coaster roared past with a thunderous sound.

“Alright, first we’re hitting the intense rides!”

She grabbed my hand and dragged me forward, running into the park. My heart pounded as I chased after her. Being with Maki often led to trouble, but in the end, it was still fun.

Lately, I had been thinking too much about everything. Maybe days like this, where I could empty my head and simply enjoy time with Maki, were necessary too.

With that thought, I decided to follow along with whatever Maki suggested.

After that, we rode the roller coaster three times, the flying carpet twice, and one intense, sky-bound attraction after another, until my heart felt as though it might burst.