Chapter 21: Starry Sky
Barbecue is just about cutting and grilling meat, right? — That’s a common misconception that beginners often fall into. But let’s not dwell on the details here.
This time, given the circumstances and the need for quick cooking, I simply cut the meat into bite-sized pieces and poked small holes in it with skewers to help the marinade soak in.
“Look, it’s done!”
I tossed the perfectly grilled meat onto Sena’s plate one after another. She eagerly took a bite.
“Make sure to eat your vegetables too!”
I piled a generous serving of vegetables onto her plate. Sena munched on the veggies as well.
“I like vegetables too!”
“You’re so great for not being picky!”
Though she was a meat lover, she made sure to eat her greens. At my praise, she puffed out her cheeks in pride and let out a satisfied “Mufu.”
Once I noticed Sena slowing down as she filled her belly, I took the opportunity to serve myself some meat.
“Delicious!”
I know it sounds like self-praise, but please forgive me. The freshness of the meat was excellent, and the marbling was just right, not to mention the seasoning was fantastic.
“Come on, eat up!”
As I brought food to my mouth, I made sure to add more meat to Sena’s plate before it ran out.
“Then, Anon grabbed my shoulder from behind, right? The vibe was kind of scary.”
I shared my thoughts with Sena, who listened intently.
She didn’t burst out laughing, but I could feel her mood brighten depending on the story. Although we were just eating and chatting without much emotion, that was perfectly fine for us. With her by my side, the world was always vibrant and colorful.
“Then Ash, out of nowhere, grabbed my shoulder from behind too. It felt like a vise grip!”
“Ichiro, using a vise grip on a girl is a no-go.”
“Come on—”
I talked with Sena about many things.
The Holy Knight who had his precious things stolen.
The Information Broker who wanted to become a hero.
The brother who was willing to give up everything to pray for his younger brother’s recovery.
The younger brother who, despite being cursed and barely able to breathe, showed the way to his brother.
The leader of a rough, sweat-stained mercenary band and his incredibly handsome son.
I got so caught up in the stories that I didn’t realize the sun had long set, and a magnificent moon was visible beyond the particles of light that Sena had released.
“By the way, Ichiro,”
“What is it?”
“You’re really a strange person.”
Suddenly, Sena covered her face with her sleeve.
“Because, you know—”
I prompted her, “Because what?”
“Your stories were so enjoyable. The Holy Knight, the Information Broker, all of them felt so alive.”
“Yeah.”
“It’s as if all their serious troubles just melted away.”
She set her plate down and approached me, her face smeared with sauce.
“What are you doing?”
“Mmm!”
Though it wasn’t the most refined act, I wiped her mouth with my sleeve. Sena’s face, illuminated by the soft light, seemed to be blushing. Wait, wait, wait! We’ve shared mouth-to-mouth medicine and even slept next to each other, but just wiping her mouth makes her this flustered? Am I wrong here? Is wiping someone’s mouth embarrassing?
“Ichiro, stop treating me like a child.”
“Okay.”
There was no point in arguing here.
“I’m not angry. Don’t be so stiff.
Look at me.”
Sena gestured to herself.
“I’m having fun with you, Ichiro.
I never felt this way before meeting you.
I was just passing the same scenery every day, wasting time.”
A strong gust of wind blew through.
“You changed that, Ichiro. You.”
The rustling of the leaves sounded like waves pushing back.
“The Holy Knight’s daughter has gained companions worthy of solving her problems.
And the Information Broker has found his ideals in you, Ichiro.
The brother leading the Clan will be freed from his curse, and they will walk towards a bright future.”
I wanted to hear everything she had to say until the end.
The ticklishness, the embarrassment, the restlessness.
I had to sincerely accept Sena’s words, encompassing all of those feelings.
“Hey, Ichiro, you often say, ‘I haven’t done anything.’”
She waved her sleeve again.
The particles that had illuminated us vanished all at once.
“Look.”
Sena spread her arms wide in the wind.
“I turned off the lights, but how about it, Ichiro?”
“Ah, this is—”
What she pointed to—the night sky was filled with countless twinkling stars.
“—Amazing.”
I was at a loss for words, simply because I couldn’t find any. When one sees something beautiful, words escape them. Sensations leave behind all thoughts and reason.
“Isn’t it?”
She said that and took my hand, pulling me along.
“Wait! Where are we going?”
“There’s no destination.”
“What do you mean?”
She twirled around while still holding my hand.
“Under the starry sky, I want to enjoy everything with you to my heart’s content.”
Not to be outdone, I took her other hand and spun around with her.
Like waves that rush in and recede.
Like cherry blossoms fluttering in the wind.
We both ran and danced, throwing logic and everything else aside, acting like fools in the night.
“I started looking at the starry sky after meeting you.”
We lay on the grass, facing Sena as I replied.
“I feel the same way.”
When I was with the Hero Party, I was tormented by loneliness.
Seeing the bonds between the Ryuguin and the others only deepened that loneliness. So, the fact that I could live healthily now—
“Ichiro, just as I learned to look at the starry sky because of you, they too, thanks to you, will surely notice the brilliance that’s right there.”
“I hope so.”
I managed to respond while suppressing the overflowing emotions within me. Instead of words, I held Sena’s delicate, small hand tightly. In return, her small hand gripped mine firmly.
We gazed at each other under the starry sky, gradually—
“WOOOOOOOOOAH! I’m back, everyone!!”
With an incredibly loud shout, a mysterious figure barged into our moment (for the second time).
What the heck is this?!
Can’t you just let us have a moment? (half-annoyed)
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