Chapter 114
A Moonlit Birthday (9)
We were enjoying the star‑filled night sky together.
Tsukiyo stood beside me… leaning gently against my shoulder.
Her breath brushed against it, and the closeness felt unbearably precious. I wished this moment could last forever.
“Ah-choo.”
“Are you cold?”
“Y‑Yes, a little.”
We were both still wearing our yukata. We couldn’t stay out here too long.
And if I was going to give it to her, now was the only chance.
I took a paper bag from inside my clothes and tore open the wrapping. I unfolded what was inside and gently draped it over Tsukiyo’s shoulders.
“A scarf…”
“I thought you’d be cold. It’s my birthday present to you. I’m sorry it’s not handmade—I couldn’t manage that…”
“I’m happy…”
Her expression softened, completely different from the tense look she’d had earlier. She looked gentle, affectionate, as if savoring the warmth with great care.
That loving smile captivated me all over again.
She’s so beautiful. The night sky is beautiful… but so is Tsukiyo.
The light yellow‑green scarf I gave her fluttered in the breeze. Without thinking, I lifted the camera hanging around my neck, framed Tsukiyo in the viewfinder, and pressed the shutter.
Tsukiyo then took a box out of the paper bag she’d been holding all this time.
When she opened it, the cake Seiya had made earlier was inside, along with two disposable forks.
She brought it all the way here.
“You still haven’t granted today’s wish.”
Ah… I lost that last race at the ski resort, didn’t I?
So that promise still counts.
Tsukiyo handed me a fork.
“Please feed me.”
I sighed. Guess I had no choice.
I stabbed the cake with the fork, lifted it, and placed it into her open mouth.
“Happy birthday.”
“So good~!”
She’d already eaten so much earlier… and yet she smiled blissfully as she chewed.
She really does eat with such delight.
As I watched her happily, Tsukiyo picked up the fork this time.
“Happy birthday to you.”
“Ah—thank you.”
So she was going to feed me now?
That was… a little embarrassing.
She lifted the cake.
“Wait—Isn’t that too big!? There’s no way that’ll fit in my mouth!”
“You’re a boy, so you’ll be fine!”
That’s not how it works.
I opened my mouth as wide as I could, almost to the point my jaw might dislocate, and she shoved the huge piece of cake in.
Of course it stuck out. I somehow managed to chew and swallow it.
cough …That was rough.
“It’s good, but… that was way too big.”
“Oh, Taiyou‑san, you’ve got cake on your mouth.”
“Huh? Where?”
Before I could wipe it myself, Tsukiyo dropped the bag she was holding and grabbed my shoulder.
Then—her beautiful face drew impossibly close.
Her lips brushed just a few centimeters to the left of mine… wiping away the cake crumb along with my skin.
“Huh…?”
Not my cheek. Not my lips.
Somewhere in between.
The soft sensation left me completely flustered.
Still holding my shoulder, Tsukiyo raised her voice, her face flushed red.
“Cake is delicious, isn’t it!”
That was it. I couldn’t take it anymore.
Friends—but not lovers.
A relationship paused just one step before dating.
Enough already.
After everything Tsukiyo had done for me, being unable to give anything back felt unbearable.
Everyone—our group, even strangers—was already celebrating us, seeing us as a couple.
Worrying over something so trivial had to be wrong.
Here. Now.
I had to tell her how I felt.
“Tsukiyo!”
I shouted without thinking.
“I— I love—”
“No!!”
Her loud voice stopped my words cold.
“You can’t just go along with the flow. Have you resolved the knot in your heart, Taiyou‑san?”
“Th‑That’s…”
“That’s not enough. If we move forward like this, you’ll just hold yourself back again. I don’t want that.”
I fell silent.
What we talked about at Christmas… at New Year’s…
It was still smoldering inside me. And Tsukiyo had seen straight through it.
I always suppress my own feelings and adapt to others.
I can’t change that easily.
But my feelings for Tsukiyo are real.
She looked straight at me with her double‑lidded eyes.
“I haven’t prepared your present yet.”
“Huh?”
Tsukiyo took a deep breath.
“So next week, February 14th—Valentine’s Day… I’ll prepare chocolate. That’s my final move.”
Her final move.
Her eyes showed resolve.
“I’m not asking for an answer right away. Even if we stay like this, I’m fine. My feelings won’t change… I just want you to listen.”
Her expression softened.
“So I’ll put all of these feelings into words—and tell you everything.”
