Star Town, 7:00PM
Ichinose Arashi was supposedly unconscious the last time she saw him. When Atushi sent her a message saying they would walk around the festival together, she was speechless. But sure enough, she found him waiting for her.
They didn't say anything as they left the station. Atushi suggested it would be better for them to see the fireworks in a quieter area, so they headed to the riverbank.
Now that she thought about it the last time they saw each other, there was that thing about past memories. It was a strange mission, and Arashi sensed something was weird. Even though he was not a member of the Holy Knights, he still came along with her.
It was then where they learned of their memories of their past life. Rus' condition worsened after that job, so she did not think too deeply about it. But now that they are alone together, surely he will mention something?
"You don't have to be that nervous. I'm not going to attack you, and I just wanted to take a relaxing walk with you."
No, she is sure that this isn't relaxing for both of them. Whenever she is near Arashi, her heart starts beating unconsciously. Perhaps it's due to the feelings from back then. They can't walk side by side like before, but as long as she can follow him from the back, it should be fine.
She wants to tell him that, yet her voice can't come out. Even if the others provide them with this opportunity, she can't help but feel sad around him. Earlier because she thought of Ru, she could face him properly. But the situation differs now.
"When your sad, stupid stories help." Arashi trails off. "Like on the first day of school, you find out all the students in the schools are pandas except yourself, and the world has turned upside down without you changing. Thinking about it that way, though, it might end up as a horror movie. "
What on earth is he doing projecting his fantasies so the whole world can hear them? What a weirdo.
Arashi continues. "Oh, there was another one, a classic summer example. Someone wanting something exciting happening on the beach trip and thus their friend helps them out and asks the guys to swim to the furthest ends, and she secretly takes off all their swimsuits - and then the person who wanted it all to be interesting finds the swimsuits and gives it back to them. But the method she used involved throwing it, and thus the current blew it away."
After he said those words, Sumire remembered something. It was years ago, her second year in light middle school. 'That's because they are your stories, Arashi. Your stories for me, I'll never forget them.'
Arashi, he always thought of her so very fondly. Earlier even though he's clumsy at it, he tried to comfort her.
From the start, this person has never held a grudge against her. No matter what she does, he always thought fondly of her; and unconsciously, she may have done the same.
Whenever she had a hard time in TOKYO, the one she had been thinking about so very dearly was always Arashi. She came to TOKYO for Yuhi's sake, that's indeed true. She came there so she could confirm it. But that year she spent with Arashi in middle school, that single year in Tsukuhara high school, has always been equally as precious to her.
Sumire reaches over and grabbed hold of his hand.
"Rei?"
She wants to convey it properly again. Even when things get tough, it's better to bring forward the happy memories between them. Because indeed, there have been more happy memories rather than sad ones.
"I won't let my thoughts merge with my past life again. I'm aware that's what we need the most for this upcoming fight. But still, I won't do that. That girl will remain a part of me, and it was because of that I could meet everyone once again. But I will not let her soul mix with mine. Because right now I'm Ibuki Sumire. Right now, I'm the girl you fell in love with, and it was the same back then. But this time it's different. "
She took a deep breath and chose her next words carefully. "I loved you back then, Arashi. Once again, let me say these selfish words. You were so very important and dear to me. Even now, I feel as though my feelings for you may not have completely gone away. This is selfish of me, but you know me by now. I still want to stay by your side. Can I do that?"
Arashi did not reply right away, and she understood why.
He is silent; of course, he is. Forget being selfish, and this is pure greed now. But strangely, that silence and suffocating atmosphere did not last long.
Her thoughts broke off when he reached over and touched his cheek with his hand.
"I know. I know those feelings of yours quite well. You know Rei I've always pondered about it since we both got our memories back. Won't she hate me? It's only natural for you to dislike me, and yet you still called out my name so cheerfully all the time. Despite remembering, you never treated me differently. And it made me think about a lot of things. I, too, would rather live out my life now as Ichinose Arashi."
Ah, they're the same. Once again, their thoughts line up with each other.
Arashi continues. "Besides, I've never let my past life's memories influence my way of thinking now. The reason I'm in love with you now has nothing to do with the past. The one I'm in love with is the present you."
This person is unbelievable.
When she saw his cheeks go redder and redder by the minute, her gaze softened. "You're embarrassed?"
"O-f course I would be. Dammn, those guys didn't tell me anything. I didn't think I'd be left alone with you so soon."
Ah-! Although she intended to go through this talk calmly. Why is it every time she's around Arashi, it ends up like this? But she's somewhat glad that the tension between them disappeared just like that.
"You're nervous."
"Of course I am!" Sumire exclaimed. Or rather, since when did he get so good at this? He used to be so clumsy. Ah perhaps. "You've been seeing other girls haven't you?" Despite her present embarrassment, she could say those words clearly.
His sweatdropped, "What other girls would want to see me?"
"Clearly quite a few," Sumire said suspiciously.
Arashi sweatdropped. "You and your theories . . I told you already that the only girl I've ever fallen in love with is you. There hasn't been anyone else."
She half expects this to turn into her usual teasing of him. However, it's bad for her heart if they remain like this. Her thoughts broke off when she heard the exploding sound of fireworks.
Sumire looked up at the sky and saw different-colored fireworks.
"It reminds me of that time." Sumire mumbled.
Arashi smiled at her. "Yeah, that's true."
Ah, come to think of it. .'I liked it, the times where we could laugh, cry, get angry together. Although you two often clashed, you both still protected and paid attention to someone like me. You both treated me as a normal girl. When I get back, I want to talk to the two of you properly. About the past, the three of us never really settled it. '
She still needs to settle it properly with that person also. Because she really did treasure those times so very deeply in her heart. To her, that was her starting point.
"Tokyo is a lot of fun. At first, I was worried I wouldn't be able to fit in. I escaped there for several reasons, and I wanted to get away from this place where I have memories of Ru."
But, instead of living an isolated life. She ended up finding the most precious thing to her. The feelings she has for Terashima Yuhi.