Chapter 37: Because You Were Beside Me

Because You Were Beside Me

“I’ve never once regretted helping someone.”

Ever since I was young, I’ve had a nature that just couldn’t leave things alone.

“Helping someone isn’t easy. There were times I tried to help but couldn’t, and times I was betrayed by the very people I saved.”

To save someone requires ability, and demands both resolve and responsibility.

Sometimes you suffer unexpected wounds. I certainly have.

The face of a woman with long black hair rises to mind.

It’s probably impossible to completely forget her, the one who left me.

“Even so, I don’t think I’ll ever stop helping others. No, I can’t stop, because that’s what happened today.”

Today, after saving that child, I understood it all over again.

Akishima Kengorou is simply the kind of person who can only live that way.

“Why do you do things like that? Even knowing you’ll get hurt, why would you?”

Haruki asks me the question.

It’s surely a heartfelt one, one that doesn’t allow for lies or dodging.

So I answered it honestly, straight from the heart.

“Up to now, I’ve been helped by so many people. By my parents, by my friends, and by someone very important to me.”

I didn’t use the word “lover.”

That term just didn’t suit our current relationship or my current feelings.

Because the person I care about most is… this girl right in front of me.

“The reason I could spend time today with my friends, and with you, is because you saved me that day.”

“…It’s not like I…”

Haruki’s blue eyes began to glisten as she trailed off.

“Because so many people helped me, I wanted to help someone too. I think it’s probably just like what you felt when you saw me.”

“If anything, I’m the one who’s just like you, Onii-san.”

Haruki gives a wry smile.

“When you helped me and I was finally able to get home, I remember feeling so incredibly relieved. Since that day, you’ve always been my hero, and that’s why I…”

“Haruki-chan.”

I called out the name of the person who’s important to me.

Because I had to say it, and I wanted to say it.

“For the past month or so, you’ve been supporting me this whole time. That’s not the only reason, but I think you’re the person I care about most.”

“Fueh… ah.”

“When I was betrayed by Fuyumi, it felt like my whole life had been meaningless.”

I spent three days looking for something Fuyumi had lost, and I remember the way she smiled when she was happy about it.

Everything else started to look faded and dull.

“But you affirmed the value of my life. I was glad that I could help someone like you, and that it became the reason for you to want to help others.”

You told me I had saved you.

You stayed by my side.

You even said that it was because of me that you want to become a doctor.

You gave meaning back to someone like me, whose life should have been over.

“That’s why, to me, who you are now… it might be embarrassing to say it this way, but you’re my whole life.”

“Th-That’s… I…”

Haruki’s face suddenly turned beet red with a pop, and she started to flail.

She’s adorable.

I feel like I said something ridiculously heavy, but I’m glad she didn’t recoil.

“On our next date…”

I paused for a moment.

Haruki caught her breath and looked straight at me.

“I want to talk about something important, and if you could accept it then, that would really help.”

“Okay… I’ll be looking forward to it, Onii-san.”

Haruki smiled, like a flower softly blooming.

Just looking at that made my heart feel warm, like spring had arrived.

“Um, sorry about earlier. For crying and everything.”

“No, not at all. It’s totally fine.”

“By the way, Onii-san, what do you prefer? My speaking style, I mean.”

“Your speaking style? Ah, you mean like polite speech or gyaru-talk?”

Originally, the reason Haruki had started talking to me in gyaru-speak was to help me not think of Fuyumi when I looked at her.

If she completely became a gyaru in both speech and appearance, then no one would associate her with Fuyumi.

It was a kind and thoughtful gesture that was just so like her, but…

“I just realized I never asked which one you actually like better, Onii-san.”

“Hmm.”

Folding my arms, I started thinking about how to answer.

It must be at least a little burdensome to keep speaking in a way that’s different from your natural tone.

“If possible… I think I like the gyaru-speak more.”

“Oh? And why’s that?”

Tilting her head, Haruki asked me again.

“I just feel like… that’s probably closer to the real you, Haruki-chan.”

“Ah…”

Haruki grinned from ear to ear.

“So that means you like the real me, huh, Onii-san?”

“Yeah, I guess I do.”

“O-Oh…”

Haruki looked away with her face turning bright red. She was just too cute, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

Warmth, joy, happiness.

The train carried all of it as it rolled along.

After that, Onii-san walked me home.

Even after we reached my house, I kept waving to him the whole time.

He would turn around every now and then and wave back.

Once he was completely out of sight, I finally went inside.

My mother teased me, and I didn’t know whether to be happy or embarrassed, so I just locked myself in my room and flopped onto my bed.

“Fuaaahhh…”

Kicking my legs around, I buried my face in the pillow.

My face was burning.

It wasn’t just because my mother had teased me.

I cried in front of Onii-san, and he told me I was the most important to him.

“Geez… Onii-san really says the weirdest things.”

A smile spilled out of me before I could stop it.

To be honest, I was so happy I cried.

Just hearing him say I had saved him… that alone made me happy already.

“Well, I wouldn’t mind if he were just a little more proactive, though.”

Honestly, I’d kind of been hoping he’d confess.

Of course, I know there must be a reason.

He’s not the kind of guy who keeps girls on the hook.

But that doesn’t mean he’s passive either.

I’m sure he’s still sorting out his own feelings in his own way.

And besides, for the two of us…

“Well, from here on out, I’m going to start making my move too.”

If he thinks I’m just going to keep waiting around, he’s dead wrong.

I opened up RINE.

Technically, we’re not lovers.

And Onii-san just broke up with that woman.

That’s why I kept some distance while supporting him.

The way I used RINE was one way of doing that.

I’d message him when necessary, but never just to chat, and it seemed like he was doing the same.

But after what he said today, there’s no more room for doubt.

“All right. If I’m going to make this work, I’d better prepare properly.”

As I was thinking about what message to send to Onii-san… to Kengorou-san…

[Thanks for today. I really appreciated it. About our next date, though…]

“Nfufu…”

Just then, I got a message from him, and a weird little sound slipped out of my mouth.

After that, we exchanged messages for hours before I fell asleep hugging my phone.