Episode- 25

　The sounds of two people's footsteps echoed softly through the sparsely populated city at night.

　The white streetlights illuminated our faces, making them appear clearly.

　I swallowed hard and nodded, "Yes...!"

"Ready, set, go!"

　--Crunchy.

　The pleasant sound of ice breaking.

　At the same time, an unknown sensation spreads in my mouth.

"...Wow, this is really good curry. Wow, amazing."

　If the first thing you say when you eat food is that it's delicious, it usually just doesn't taste that great.

　In other words, that's the case this time as well.

　However, next to me, the girl was chewing, gently moving her soft cheeks...

"Delicious...! What is this? It's delicious! It's curry, but it's cold!"

"Just like Souma, your perspective is a little off..."

　Also, food preferences.

"What about you, Fujita? I'd like to hear your honest opinion."

"So let me say this. If you wrap it in sugar, it won't taste good. If you remove the sugar, it's bad."

"If you're going to take it off, you don't need to wrap it in the first place, it's a waste... but I see, it didn't get stuck."

"Well, if you think of it as another experience, it wasn't a bad challenge. It's the same as those weird things you often find in markets in Southeast Asia."

"Then I'll become the kind of person who eats weird food and says it's delicious."

"nice!"

"suitable!!!"

　I ended up saying something mean, but it wasn't that bad.

　I just don't think I'd want to eat it again.

"Fufu, ahahahaha."

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　Suddenly, Tohsaka begins laughing.

"Wh-what's wrong? Was it so delicious that it made you want to laugh?"

"That's not it. I just thought it was strange."

"strange?"

"Well, now that I think about it, I'm walking around with a boy at night, eating weird tasting ice cream. And you're the one paying for it."

"...Isn't the only thing that's strange so far the ice cream?"

"It's all so funny. It's so funny, so entertaining, and I think it's so cool."

　It's impossible to understand everything Tohsaka is feeling.

　But I felt as if we shared, just a little, a sensory thing that I can't put into words.

"Oh, this park."

　As she happened to be passing by a park, Tohsaka stopped in front of it.

　There are swings, a slide, and small animal ornaments.

　The small playground equipment was lit by a dim street lamp.

"I used to play here a lot."

　Tohsaka looks nostalgically at the park.

　Suddenly curious, I ask.

"What was Tohsaka like as a child?"

"That's true... I don't think it's much different from now. I think it was a bit more active though."

"So Tohsaka has always been cute."

"Huh? That's... I don't know."

　Tohsaka looks away in a sulky manner.

　And then, she smiled gently.

"Back in the day, I wasn't much more feminine than I am now. Not that I'm still feminine now, but I was more."

　She clasps her hands behind her back and walks away slowly as she continues.

"When I was in the fourth grade, we had to make aprons in home economics class. We were given a catalogue and had to choose a pattern. I wanted to choose a floral pattern, but everyone around me was very against it."

　I can picture the scene in my head.

"I've always had short hair and was taller than anyone else, and I had a boyish face, so people told me it didn't suit me. So I had no choice but to choose the star pattern, which is the most popular for boys."

　The image of Tohsaka, a fourth-grader, holding a star-patterned cloth with a slightly dissatisfied look on her face comes to mind.

"After that, when I was given more girly options, I thought they would reject me again, so I stopped choosing them. Then, before I knew it, I was too embarrassed to own anything girly."

"Is that so?"

"Exactly. That's why I always wore trousers and kept my hair short. It was also more comfortable."

　Tohsaka looks up at the sky and lets out a sigh.

　Shining in the moonlight, she was beautiful, and from the very start, I could only see her as "her."

"...Hey, Tohsaka. Then why did you start wearing skirts? For you, wearing a skirt is an option you have no choice in, right?"

　I ask.

"Ahaha, that's true. --But."

　Tohsaka turned around like a fluttering petal and looked at me.

"It's your fault, you know?"

　Tohsaka gives an elegant smile.

　My chest leaps with excitement.

"...What does that mean?"

"Because Fujita-kun says I'm cute, and he doesn't object to me wearing skirts; in fact, he encourages me to. So this option is no longer a no-no for me."

"I, I see. So it's my fault then... No, thanks to me?"

"It all depends on how you say it."

　Tohsaka chuckled again.

"...Well, that's not all though."

　Tohsaka muttered quietly.

　However, the words came to me like a small mass of voices and I couldn't hear them.

　I wanted to ask again, but as Tohsaka started to walk away, I felt like she had told me "I won't say it twice," so I followed her in silence.

"Ah, I had a strange feeling and ended up talking too much. I guess this is what late-night excitement is like."

"It's not even late at night. If anything, you're the one who ate the weird tasting ice cream."

"Ahaha, maybe."

　I caught up with Tohsaka and took a step in lockstep.

　This everyday life feels like a dream, and it brings a smile to my face.

　As the moon shone on the horizon, I felt like I'd accomplished something great from this small adventure.

　　　　　♦♦♦

　As usual, I took off my shoes at the entrance and went straight upstairs to my room.

　Of course, once I closed the door and turned on the light, I took a deep breath, as if adjusting something...

"What am I doingeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!"

　I was in agony.

　There's something wrong with me. There must be something wrong with me.

"Why are you suddenly talking about my past? And, and..."

　-It's your fault, you know?

"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat!"

　My face feels burning hot.

　I am plagued with regret. That is not me. That is not me.

"Ahh... this is the worst."

　Fortunately, Fujita-kun didn't seem to have any problems, but even so.

　I couldn't help but get excited. It was fun.

　I never thought I would be the kind of person who would be so easily influenced by the atmosphere.

　Or maybe I was just more excited than I've ever been.

"Ugh..."

　However, calm analysis is completely ineffective at this point.

　Embarrassment burns my face and makes my chest flutter.

　It was like a dream.

　That time walking with Fujita-kun and eating ice cream.

"Please, let it be a dream."

　Even though I prayed for this, the heat in my cheeks keenly reminded me of the reality.

　I can't escape.

　Still, gradually I began to feel like it was fun.

　With my heart in two halves, I screamed into my pillow once more.