Tokyo Rebirth: Start From Picking Up Sayu

After that, the two started chatting about their off-campus teaching experiences.

"...There was a mountain climbing activity in the afternoon of the first day of off-campus teaching. We originally formed a team together at the beginning, but Yamaguchi and Takei were very playful and immersed in the fun of cosplaying with tree branches, so the team dispersed."

"Um."

"For some reason, Yingli suddenly had a fever while climbing, so I sent her back to the camp, and Megumi took care of her later."

"Um."

Kato Yusuke organizes his experiences into spoken words.

Shiyu listened quietly, and responded with nods and hums from time to time.

Those corresponding harmonies each carry different emotions, but they don’t say anything extra and just focus on listening.

"The next day during the picnic, we had to collect ingredients by ourselves. Kano-chan and I met unexpectedly and caught a lot of fish together. Together with the wild vegetables and mushrooms collected by the students, the cooking team made a very delicious mushroom hot pot. We used lunch boxes The cooked rice is also delicious.”

"Um."

"There is a wooden dining table and a pair of benches near the cooking area, where you can sit and enjoy the scenery while eating. The golden and red maple leaves are scattered all over the ground, which is very autumnal."

"Um."

"There is a large bathhouse in the main building where we stay. The bathing times for boys and girls will be staggered and they will be used in groups. If you exceed the prescribed usage time, you will have to use the small bathroom in the management building at the risk of being lectured by the teacher. "

"Um."

"I later went to Kano-chan's appointment, and we drank black tea together on the rooftop and spent some time."

"..."

"On the third day, Kato's team went to prepare a bonfire together. Megumi showed me the photos you sent to her, senior. We all participated in the barbecue party and group folk dance in the evening."

"Um."

"Finally, today is the day of return..."

Kato Yusuke stopped here for a moment, opened and closed his mouth several times, and the volume unconsciously lowered a few degrees. While suppressing the ups and downs of his heart, he continued talking as if nothing had happened.

"...On the day of the return trip, the bus stopped at the service area. We bought some local specialties and then ended the off-campus teaching. That's basically it."

For a short period of time after the words were settled, the room remained quiet.

The girl held the mug in both hands, sipped the cold coffee, and then let out a shallow breath.

"Sure enough -" Shiyu lowered his eyes slightly and said softly: "I hate myself for not being able to appear on such an occasion."

Kato Yusuke looked at her face and considered the true meaning of her words.

Shiyu first showed a fierce look, and then smiled slightly sadly for some reason.

"Can I ask a question?"

"Um."

Kato Yusuke imitated the way she listened just now and nodded in affirmation, making a frank decision in his heart.

A slender little finger then stood up.

"First of all, have you and another Kato-san developed a relationship that is more than just friends?"

There were many people named Kato, including a boy in the class, but he did not use this to act stupid or change the topic, which would be equivalent to an insult to the girl in front of him.

He was silent for a moment, then answered truthfully.

"No."

If there was a faint sound of relief, it was like the sound of wind blowing into the room unintentionally.

Next to the little finger, the delicate and delicate ring finger stood up.

"Secondly, did you eat Hasumi-sensei?"

Not a question, but a statement.

"Um."

Shiyu took another sip of coffee, glanced at him somewhat elusively, and then extended his slender middle finger.

"...Finally, in the past few days, have you ever thought about me or anything related to me, even once."

"have."

Kato Yusuke nodded carefully.

"Yeah……"

The girl murmured to herself, retracted all three fingers, and remained silent for a moment.

after awhile.

"To be honest, I hate myself for not being able to appear on such an occasion." Shiyu repeated it self-deprecatingly.

Why was she born before him.

Why can't she be his classmate.

Such thoughts kept popping up in my mind, growing like vines and occupying my brain.

As long as she holds that ticket, she can become a character.

Like Megumi Kato, she stays with him every day and spends time with him during school and after school. Or, like Eri Sawamura, she can appear next to him during group activities and dance folk dances together.

——But she is not even qualified to make these choices.

Envy, jealousy and hatred are mixed together, making the heart ugly and turbid.

It's great to be a classmate, Shiyu couldn't help but think.

As a senior, she had fewer opportunities to get along with him in school.

Even outside the school, it is difficult for the two people to get together often as they each have their own jobs.

On this basis, the relationship is what she longs to create, the only ticket closest to him.

She longed to be his one and only, to be his special one, but she could never do it.

Some are just placed on the throne of "girlfriend" and have a false relationship in name only.

However, as I said when I met Kato Megumi in private that day:

——This is the closest she can get to him.

On this stage, everyone is helping themselves to the spotlight, shouting that I am here, asserting their own existence.

They each have a happy ending in their hearts and live in their own stories.

Even at this moment, it must be the same.

'If I could have known you earlier...'

I couldn't help but feel sad emotions in my heart, but my face always remained as lazy as usual.

Immediately afterwards, Shiyu spoke again. .

"Also, what I just said about the return journey is a bit unclear, and Yu-chan, you don't seem to be in a good state today.

I thought you were frightened by that kiss, but now it seems it was more than that... So did you encounter anything? "

Facing the question she raised, Kato Yusuke's eyes flickered for a moment, then fell silent again, unconsciously saying no.

"Yeah……"

Shiyu half-closed his eyes, looked at his face carefully, as if trying to figure out his thoughts, and then tilted his head slightly.

"It seems like it has something to do with someone else or the opposite sex, right? It's neither Kato-san nor that Sawamura... is it Shinjo and Hasumi-sensei? It doesn't seem right. I don't believe they can make you sway like this. situation."

The keen eyes looked over, easily seeing through his heart, and discerning the truth that he tried to hide.

Kato Yusuke moved his lips, but remained silent.

In fact, due to the large number of witnesses, the conflict in the service area could not be buried at all. As long as Shiyu bothered to inquire, she would immediately know what happened.

Even so, he still chose to tell a simple lie.

Seeing that he remained silent, Shiyu moved to his side, put his hands on the ground, and peeked at his face from a lower angle.

Kato Yusuke twitched the corners of his lips and gave her a forced smile, "What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"

Shiyu pondered, staring at him intently, until he saw that his expression was stiff, then he smiled meaningfully.

"Sure enough, I have thought so since before. Yu-chan has beautiful eyes. There is nothing on your face, but..."

After a pause, she said: "——You have me in your eyes."

The familiar style made Kato Yusuke feel relieved, but before he could take a breath, the girl continued.

"So, are you willing to tell eldest sister what happened today? Is it related to the secret of Hokkaido?"

"——!"

"After all, your wavering doesn't seem to be hypocrisy, but ah, I have been watching you. Although you concealed it well, the feeling exuding from your body is exactly the same as the day I brought you back from Hokkaido."

Kato Yusuke rubbed his face and pretended to be relaxed, "I don't think so."

Shiyu smiled softly, showing a very tolerant smile of an older character,

"Obviously you look so sad? It would be easier to tell you?"

"..."

Kato Yusuke's smile froze on his face, and then shrank little by little, like the wrinkles of a shirt being smoothed out.

The clock hanging on the wall "tick-tick", going step by step, the wind blew in from the balcony outside the window, and the honking of vehicles came from afar, but it made the room even quieter.

After waiting for a long time.

"...I'm sorry, but I have nothing to say about this."

"……Yeah?"

The hand, whose body temperature was lower than his, gently brushed his hair away.

"Since Yu-chan is so insistent, I won't force you."

Shiyu's voice was very soft.

"Although I may never have that opportunity, I still want to say it. Whenever you want to, I will listen to you.

No matter how unhappy, sad or uncomfortable those things are, I will take them all and you can talk to me like a trash can or a tree hole.

...Although this kind of role is a bit disadvantageous, I am older than you after all, so you are always welcome to fall into the arms of a big sister~? "

Under the gentle gaze, Kato Yusuke unconsciously pursed his lips, as if he was about to tremble accidentally.

"I won't do that kind of thing. Just like my senior sister, I don't like the roles of senior students."

"It's too late. From now on, you will always have such a troublesome character by your side."

"..."

"Hey, can you touch me?"

The girl said in a whisper-like tone, passed her fingers through his, and took his hand.

"Forehead, cheeks, lips, shoulders, upper arms and belly... though a little shy, thighs, calves, knees and toes too."

The other party gently guided his hand to touch the above-mentioned parts.

Directly or indirectly, the distinct body temperature that was touched through the thin cloth surged through the fingertips, and the touch felt soft and smooth.

"I am here."

Shiyu held his hand tightly again, and gently poked his forehead with her fingertips with neatly manicured nails.

"-Your light does shine on someone, I can always attest to that. Maybe to others you are a nuisance, but to me, you mean the world."

"...!"

Kato Yusuke lowered his gaze speechlessly.

The thirsty mouth was sticky, and bitterness spread inside.

The gentle and firm declaration lingered in his ears, making him feel a heart-wrenching pain in his chest.

In fact, the longer he spends time with Shiyu, the more he can feel the talent and charm of him.

Whether it was persistence in things, dedication after the softening of pride, or tenderness at this moment, these all moved him very much.

Kato Yusuke also thought about whether to stay with her like this and develop like an ordinary couple.

But after hesitating, he felt that his feelings were not 100% pure, so he rationally stood outside the circle and decided not to take that step.

Including the reply he had agreed to give before, he had originally planned to refuse it.

But now, it seems like something is shattering silently and falling apart.

The excuses I had in mind became unutterable.

He slowly raised his gaze, looked directly into those bright wine-red eyes, took a deep breath, and then forced out a smile.

"...Although now may not be the time, can you listen to me? Regarding the answer to our appointment."

"...I've said it before, it doesn't matter if you reject me, it doesn't matter if you don't have a status, so you don't need to say anything."

"This is what was agreed upon, and it should be fulfilled to senior sister."

"Why...? Am I your first experience partner?"

Shiyu's eyes dodge, and his face has lost the calmness just now. He just keeps making jokes, intentionally or unintentionally not wanting the conversation to continue, as if he is afraid of something.

"…Listen carefully to what I have to say."

Kato Yusuke took a shallow breath, stretched out a hand and gently locked her beautiful chin, forcing her to look at him.

"Yu...Yu-chan...I don't want to hear it...it doesn't matter if you don't listen..."

The girl's body was stiff, her expression was a bit anxious, and she seemed very resistant.

The red lips were pouting, trembling slightly like two willow leaves, as if they were too anxious to speak.

Ignoring her reaction, the boy continued speaking forcefully.

"Senior sister, you said you wanted to be with me, right? Several times...I've given you several chances to regret it. As long as you want to leave, I won't stop you."

"……I know."

"——But, because of your own lack of appreciation, that only ends today."

"……Eh?"

Facing Shiyu's confused gaze, Kato Yusuke pretended to be fierce and said word by word:

"I have already given you a chance, so even if you regret it and want to leave me in the future, I will never let you go. Remember this."

As he spoke, he slowly lowered his head, and at the same time raised her chin with a little force on his hand, and kissed those delicate petal-like lips.

"——!"

The girl remained motionless for a moment, as if the pause button had been pressed.

Bingbing's cool lips are soft and slippery, small and flexible, and you can taste a little bit of lip balm, coffee and pizza.

Kato Yusuke couldn't help but probe in a little, gently rolled her up while she was still, and gave her a passionate kiss like an adult.

From her close face, you can see her gently trembling eyelashes, and a shallow layer of water appears in her crystal bright eyes, shining gently.

"...Yu-chan."

Shiyu murmured, hugging his neck tightly and leaning against him.

After a long time, the two pairs of lips parted with a pop, like suckers being pulled off the wall.

Stopping the girl who wanted to get closer, Kato Yusuke asked in a low voice but clearly:

"...This is my answer. Since you didn't resist just now, you no longer have that chance. Remember?"

"...Yeah! I remember."

Shiyu's eyes were extremely serious, gentle and ethereal, and he was about to burst into tears.

He couldn't help but smile when he saw this, and his voice became softer, "It doesn't matter even if you want to resist and regret, because I will take you back again and again, Kasumigaoka Shiyu."

"...Oh...Yu-chan..."

A voice that was muffled by the nasal sound and slightly trembling responded to him.

The girl covered her mouth hard, her eyes couldn't stop shaking, tears flashed in the corners of her red eyes, and she burst into tears.

…