Chapter 20: First Date

Under Shigure's guidance, I found myself at Hakumei Temple on the outskirts of town.

When I wondered where she was taking me, it's a temple of all places.

As I walked along, inwardly frightened that I might be recruited for some religious conversion, Shigure picked up a ladle and bucket from the facilities. Seeing this, I somewhat understood the reason for coming here.

「I'll carry them.」

「Oh my, is that okay? You're kind.」

「I'm your boyfriend after all.」

Together with Shigure, I climb the stone steps, pass through a narrow pathway, and stop in front of a certain grave.

Looking at the character for "Shigure" carved on the gravestone, I realize my guess wasn't wrong. A single pudding was placed in front of the gravestone.

「...What is this place?」

「The grave of my twin sister I told you about before. I come to visit like this on weekends.」

Shigure takes the ladle, sprinkles some water lightly, and begins cleaning the surroundings. I helped her, and after we cleaned it all up, we both pressed our hands together.

「Never thought our first date would be a grave visit.」

「...We used to talk together a lot. She said if I got a boyfriend, I'd definitely have to introduce him.」

「It's fake, but is that okay?」

「You're still my boyfriend. I would have preferred it to be real though.」

Looking at her with a gentle expression, different from the dignified Shigure at school, I think she really can't lie to her younger sister.

Surely her younger sister's existence was significant to Shigure. Therefore, the sadness of losing her is immeasurable.

I can't voice generic consoling words. Vague words sometimes cut sharper than clear ones.

「...Minato, I got a boyfriend. Just fake though. But he's a really good person. Even though I selfishly dragged him into this, he keeps devoted to me without getting tired. He even has the courage to stand up to someone above his level. You'd definitely like him too.」

「I'm relieved my evaluation is surprisingly high.」

「I wouldn't have brought you here otherwise. …Sorry.」

I opened my eyes wide at the four characters "sorry" that came at the end.

It was shocking to me that a sincere apology came from Shigure's mouth.

Those four characters, close to Shigure's true feelings, shown to me by her who has maintained such a strong-willed and sometimes unreasonable attitude. I felt like the emotional distance between us, which had been somewhat open, closed just a little.

「What's with the sudden change?」

「I realized I'd never said it. …Honestly, I thought it would last three days at best. At that time, I was just thinking about how to escape from Minazuki-senpai, so Tsukishiro-kun was my only hope.」

「I kind of sensed that. I was hesitant about continuing this far too.」

「Fufu, we're surprisingly compatible. …I'm grateful. For devoting yourself to me this far, for fighting for my sake, I've never had anyone like that before.」

Being told this face-to-face made my chest area feel itchy somehow.

I'm surprised at myself for doing this much. As Sena said the other day, I wasn't the type of person who could devote myself to someone this much.

But when I look at Shigure, my body moves on its own. It might simply be that I'm attracted to her charm. But more than that, the fact that something inside me is trying to change greatly is probably bigger.

「...This is kind embarrassing.」

「That's fine, it feels like a couple thing. …Let me say it again. Thank you.」

「Ou. …I-It's still too early to let our guard down, though. The Minazuki-senpai situation hasn't been resolved.」

「I'd like to wrap it up quickly. We can't stay together forever...」

Her expression was smiling, but Shigure's eyes dropped to the ground pensively.

Seeing that profile, my mouth moved before I could think.

「I want to stay by your side for even one second longer.」

...Ha? Wait, what did I just...?

「...Fufu, was that comfort? Your face is bright red.」

「...That was, well.」

「I know. …My boyfriend really is a worrywart. How troubling.」

Shigure smiled at the gravestone as if speaking to it.

It was that moment.

A murkiness I shouldn't be feeling.

An unpleasant feeling I shouldn't feel here.

Despite having no proof, this feeling of my brain momentarily stopping.

There was no mistake. My sensor is reacting. A big discomfort unlike anything before.

Shigure Ren is telling a big lie.

「...What's wrong? Is there something on my face?」

「Ahh, no, it's nothing...」

「What a weirdo. …Come on, let's go home. It's getting late, should we stop somewhere on the way?」

I left the cemetery carrying a big sense of discomfort.

At parting, the discomfort I felt when looking at the Shigure family gravestone was probably something that shouldn't be hidden.