Romantic Date (10)

HiMERU-san…?

(Aah, how loathsome. I want to wipe the composure off that face of his.)

(No, it would be even easier to get rid of it entirely. It doesn’t matter what the consequences are.)

(I’ll strangle him, disguise myself, make my escape, and then “I” will become “myself”—a nobody—again.)

(Today would be the last day that I’d be “HiMERU”.)

You look unwell. Here, please rest on my shoulder.

…

There, there. Ufufu, HiMERU-san is human too.

I’m guessing you didn’t want Kohaku-san seeing you in such a weak state. And that’s why you rushed to this alleyway…but I’m glad you allowed me to see this side of you.

I’ve always just wanted to be your friend.

Not a saint and his follower, not rivals at work…but the kind of relationship where we go out together during vacations, talk about simpler things, and laugh at each other.

(Just like always—)

(—You don’t understand anyone or their feelings, and all you spout is nonsense. You’ve always been like this—)

—Kazehaya Tatsumi.

Yes? What is it, HiMERU-san?

Kazehaya Tatsumi, Kazehaya Tatsumi KazehayaTatsumi_KazehayaTatsumi–_

Yes. You don’t need to keep calling for me, I’m right here.

…Marry “me”.

Eh? I don’t want to.

…

…

…HiMERU-san?

—Why did you refuse?!

Uggghghg?! Please don’t choke me! I’ll die!

Ah, was it because of my affinity? Because of the game you’re playing?

I’m so sorry, I gave a straightforward answer!

Do you hate HiMERU that much?!

A-absolutely not! I think of you as a very important friend!

But, because of the religious beliefs I grew up with as well as the laws of the country, I feel like I have to say no when a man asks me to marry him…?!

Maybe so! But you needed to say yes!

Oukawa’s affinity wouldn’t rise above a specific level for some reason, so Tatsumi you were the only option!

Your affinity is at 100—in other words, it’s at its “MAX”!

In “Ai-stars”, when you raise someone’s affinity to 100 you can ask to marry them, and if both parties are in agreement then you get married.

Then the game would be over! And by extension this ridiculous situation will be over too!

R-right! Is that so? I’ll do it then, I’ll marry you!

There! Even if you didn’t know anything, you should’ve assumed and did this from the beginning! Ahh, the game is cleared! It’s finally over!

C-congratulations?

Thank you! Actually, Tatsumi, it was good you were around!

Come again?

…We can never know what’s in someone else’s heart. For games this might be true, but this is reality.

Therefore, whatever affinity that was shown to HiMERU was only because of HiMERU’s perceptions. It was only a number based on HiMERU’s five senses and subconsciousness.

(Oukawa’s affinity didn’t exceed a certain point only because HiMERU judged it to be so subconsciously.)

(Oukawa is still innocent, and he loves easily. However, what Oukawa sees and loves is “HiMERU”—a false mask “I’ve” created. I don’t know how much he would love the real “me”.)

(And there’s no way to know that, because “I” never allow anyone to see the real “me”.)

(The real “me” has no idea how much Oukawa loves him, and so my subconscious acknowledged that and refused to raise his affinity above a certain point.)

(It doesn’t matter how well we may get along on a surface level, if “I” never reveal the true “me” to him, then we will never attain a higher level of friendship.)

(Fufu. Oukawa considered an online friend, someone he’d never seen before, as his best friend—)

(He could love “me” even if I were a scrap of paper.)

(Alas, that’s just a theory that my consciousness—my instincts—doesn’t seem to agree with. The guilt of deceiving Oukawa was reflected in his affinity.)

(But. If it were Tatsumi. If it were that saint bastard…)

(Surely, he would love “me” no matter who I was. He would indiscriminately love “me”, “HiMERU”, and anyone else.)

(That’s just the kind of person you are, Kazehaya Tatsumi. A winged saint. An absurd saint bastard who would never hold a grudge against anyone, no matter how much they’ve trampled on him.)

(For anyone, his affinity would stay high and strong.)

(Ahh, I can’t stand him for being so unpleasant!)

…HiMERU-san? I-I’ll ask you again, are you feeling alright? If it’s an extreme condition, should I call an ambulance?

—No. Everything…is fine. Thank you for the assistance, Tatsumi. Because of it, any visions of affinity have all disappeared. HiMERU was likely freed from the game’s influence.

Is that so! What a relief! Congratulations! So clearing the game really was the cure for your symptoms after all?

Probably…It could also be that the symptoms wore off with time naturally.

Even when wearing glasses that flip your vision upside down, your brain will correct your vision with time to the way it previously was.

That’s just how the human brain works. Over time it will adapt and perceive the world normally again.

A constant state of confusion and illusion simply doesn’t exist.

That’s right. If you’re ever seeing things that aren’t actually there, then that would just mean there’s an issue with part of your brain functions.

However, you will always be perfect, good, and righteous.

Hmph. What’s “normal” and what’s “right” or not is all dependent on personal beliefs.

If you keep treating others reverently like that you’ll only face failure again, Tatsumi.

I’ll keep that in mind.

Fufu. HiMERU is also adapting, albeit slowly, to this strange world. A rather dull world, where there’s nothing to love.

Yes. I’ll assist you as much as possible, anytime. As your reliable “husband”.

No. The game is over, so it’s fine to go back to the same relationship we had before. That is to say, as “strangers”.

Fufu. I was hoping to be at least “friends”…~