ALL NOVEL chapter 41
41. A Sense of Turmoil
Heat haze rose from the asphalt under the summer sun, and the sound of cicadas echoed from all around.
I was heading home, beads of sweat streaming down my face.
As always, Mashiro was clinging to my arm.
To be honest, being so close in this sweltering heat was quite exhausting.
However, since we had promised to stick together like this until we got home, we found ourselves in a sort of endurance contest.
As a result, both Mashiro and I were sweating like waterfalls.
Before leaving school, we had both been quite bold—
“I won’t let go, okay? I absolutely won’t let go! We’ll stay like this until I say it’s fine, okay?”
“Yeah, I’ve made up my mind too. Let’s stay like this until I get you back to your apartment.”
—We had exchanged such words, but now we were both gasping for breath.
“Ryu, Ryuusuke… it’s hot. I-I might be reaching my limit soon…”
“You idiot… what are you saying when you were the one who suggested this…”
“Ugh, that’s true, but—oh, look! There’s a park over there! Let’s call a temporary truce and take a break!”
“Hmm, a park… I guess we have no choice. Let’s rest for a bit.”
Barely able to breathe, we decided to take a break in the park, unable to withstand the summer heat.
We headed to a gazebo nestled among the trees at the back of the park.
Thanks to the surrounding trees, we could avoid the sunlight, and it felt relatively cool. A pleasant breeze was blowing, making it the perfect spot to relax.
I sat down at a table there with Mashiro.
“Phew~. It’s way too hot, right, Ryuusuke?”
Sitting next to me, Mashiro fanned herself with her hand, and the sweat glistening on her skin looked incredibly alluring.
Upon closer inspection, I noticed that her blouse was damp and slightly transparent, revealing the cute underwear she wore underneath.
Her black hair danced in the refreshing breeze, the thin fabric of her blouse clung to her fair skin. And there was the charming light blue bra that exuded a pure vibe. All of these elements combined created a captivating sight that naturally drew my gaze.
Mashiro didn’t try to hide any of it. On the contrary, she tugged at her blouse to fan herself, trying to let in even a little cooler air. The way her ample chest bounced was almost too much for me to handle.
That gesture stemmed from her deep trust in me, a sign that she was completely unguarded. But even so, I was still a healthy high school boy. When the irresistibly cute Mashiro showed me her defenseless side, all sorts of inappropriate thoughts began to bubble up.
Ever since I came into the world of “Fusekoi,” I had been constantly flustered by Mashiro. It made me realize just how special she was to me.
“Hmm, what’s wrong? Ryuusuke?”
Noticing my gaze, Mashiro tilted her head and stared at me.
I quickly averted my eyes, trying to hide my thoughts, and pulled a towel out of my bag.
“I’m, um, just thinking it looks hot… Here, use this to wipe your sweat.”
“Thanks! Ahh, that feels nice.”
Masiro seemed unaware of my flustered state, accepting the towel with a smile and burying her face in it. Watching her take a deep, contented breath, I placed my hand on my heart and took a deep breath to shake off my desires.
“Thanks, Ryusuke. Really, just walking outside makes me sweat. It really feels like summer.”
“Absolutely. Plus, on top of that, we’re foolishly challenging ourselves by walking home together today.”
“Hehe… I got so excited thinking about all the places I can go with Ryusuke during summer break that I ended up being a bit selfish.”
“Well, think of it as a sort of rehearsal. If we’re going out together during summer break, there will be plenty of hot days like today.”
“So, does that mean when we go out during summer break, you’ll walk close to me like this again?”
“Of course, it’s Masiro-chan who loves to stick close. I’m already prepared for that, but… based on today’s experience, I think it’s better to skip it if it gets too hot.”
“Ahaha… Yeah, today is definitely too hot… I’m happy, but I might get heatstroke.”
“Oh, speaking of heatstroke, Masiro, don’t forget to stay hydrated. Here, do you want some barley tea? I brought some with ice, so it’s still cold.”
“Wow, I can’t believe you even prepared barley tea, Ryusuke. I guess I’ll indulge in your offer.”
“Go ahead, don’t hold back.”
I poured the barley tea into the cap of my water bottle and offered it to Masiro. She took it with both hands and started to drink, moving her throat as she gulped it down. Just watching her drink the barley tea was enough to make her look beautiful, and I couldn’t help but get lost in admiration.
“It’s cold and delicious. Thank you, Ryusuke.”
“You’re welcome. If Masiro is happy, then I’m satisfied too.”
With the refreshing breeze under the shade and the cool barley tea, Masiro seemed to relax a bit more.
She snuggled up to me, resting her head on my shoulder. Looking up at me with her big eyes, she smiled gently.
“When we’re outside like this, it really feels like we’re getting a head start on summer vacation.”
“That might be true. It’s not often that the two of us get to relax in the park, so it does feel special.”
“I can’t stop feeling excited right now. Because when summer vacation comes, we’ll get to do even more special things together with Ryusuke!”
“I’m looking forward to it. Going to the beach, attending summer festivals, and camping. Plus, watching fireworks under the beautiful night sky.”
“Ahaha, Ryusuke, you’re so romantic. You’re really getting into it!”
“Don’t tease me. This is just a lineup of events that any high school boy dreams about. I want to experience them all.”
“Yeah, me too. I want to create fun memories with you, Ryusuke. Let’s play around a lot, take pictures, and say how beautiful the fireworks are. I want to have such a wonderful summer vacation.”
Before coming into this world.
In my first life, I was completely unrelated to all of these things, unable to fulfill any of them.
The protagonist of a romantic comedy I’ve always admired. I want to enjoy the youthful days they experienced, too.
And I get to experience that with Masiro, who is the most important person to me. Could there be anything happier than this?
This summer, I want to spend enjoyable times with Masiro. I want to see her smile even more.
However, the world had already begun to move to prevent us, the villains, from enjoying our youthful days that resembled a romantic comedy――.