Chapter 17: chapter 16: Past Midnight

Naruki  was at the edge of my vision, and I was at the corner of hers, as I noticed then.

" Because you felt like it." 

As I laughingly said it, she answered with the smile of a girl that had just received some candy, "You're great."

As she had told me that night, 'feeling like it' was the only way to explain an action devoid of reason.

I had laughed because it was such a silly answer. Who would believe such a thing?

The only ones able to comprehend it were me and — Naruki Minami.

Suddenly, she drew closer.

"…if all you say is true that I'm fine as what I've become now, then does that mean I can become the girl who can make you fall?.." she whispered softly into my ear,

Then—the semi-transparent shawl she had worn floated to the ground.

"But it cannot be sure: there are some rare cases of people that are not bound to love. People who are not interested at that anym—"

I was taken aback. She had hopped on the fence without a moment's hesitation-causing it to slowly bend towards the abyss along with her.

"Satoro-kun. You promise! If ever I made you fall for me, remember to not waste the time and tell me."

Sitting on the fence, she did something unbelievable: she leaned backwards over the abyss. Her hair reached out toward the bottomless darkness. Only her white slender arms were sustaining her equally voluptuous body now. The smooth curve of her snow white neck was exposed right in front of my eyes.

"Should you judge that I am not qualified until I proven it… you understand, right?"

A slight push against her

chest would be enough to send her down the cliff.

"…Are you out of your mind? What are trying to do?"

I doubted her sanity.

"Who knows? I consider myself to be in my right mind. Well, it is true though that I might be a little off in the head for liking an oddball like you, hehehe."

As if enjoying the bath in the moonlight, she shut her eyes with a tranquil expression.

"I decided long ago to devote my all to my 'destined one'. You can believe me on that."

It appeared that "everything" included her life as well.

"…I absolutely fail to understand your current state of mind. What on earth is a destined person to you?"

Her reply was short and clear.

"My Knight in shining armor."

Her words were accompanied by a transcendentally blissful smile. Considering the utter absence of fear in her face, she was serious.

Suddenly, the final appearance of her, Kira, Shira, Natsumi and Toka flashed through my mind. A shiver ran down my spine. I had accidentally imagined a very special scene.

The stunningly beautiful scene of myself between them tearing them apart. What the hell?..

I gulped. I flushed from the core. Before I knew it, my fingers had reached out to her chest

My fingertips touched the bulge of her breasts. A short sigh escaped her and she stretched the toes of her white pumps.

My heart has started to throb and blood began to boil from the excitement that gripped me. Oh,what am I doing? One mere finger of mine had the right to kill her but...I don't want it.

Her neat snow-white dress looked like a burial shroud in my eyes at that moment.

She had no doubt that I wouldn't do anything.

…Naruki. I am sorry for belying your expectations, but I'm afraid I'm not a knight, not much of a Kinght in shining armor you were looking for. I am and will only ever be a Commoner or rather a bystander in a story. That's the role that suits me best.

My heart pounded against my chest. My wild breath urged me to run free. After taking a deep breath and firmly clenching my teeth, I slowly reached out for the girl in burial cloth — slid my arm around her delicate back and pulled her towards me with all my might.

The excessive momentum caused me to fall backward with her in my arms. While I still have some back pain from the fight, she sat up astride me.

"…please don't forget me," she began as she laid one hand on her chest, "Even if you're not the one who will be there for me, I'll always be here for you even if I am already not he..."

"…Idiot, just don't do anything stupid!" The way Naruki talks seemed like she was bidding a farewell. I don't want to think about it but I feel like the way she acted was a bit rush, As if she won't be here anymore tomorrow. 

"Don't worry, I am not gonna do any stupid thing, You still haven't fall in love and you haven't realized how great you are."

She optimistically clenched her fist in front of her. That almost provokingly lovely smile she showed me gave me the conviction that she had foreseen this turn of events from the very beginning.

I sneered.

"Sorry, but could you get off me now?"

She was boldly sitting on my pelvis For now, I just wanted to do something about her lack of manners.

Unfortunately though, she apparently didn't intend to get off. She went on her knees, bent over me while putting her hands left and right of my head and started talking from right above me, with her eyed staring in mine. "What are you going to do? What do you want to do? Do you want to do it?"

As her charming lips formed words, my hair was softly stroked by her ticklish breath.

"I won't stop you if that is what you want to do..."

Apparently,she was not specifically provoking me; while her expression was good as always, her voice is a bit void.

"What are you saying?"

I scowled at her from below.

"You want to Do it? I mean, s*x."

The hair that fell down from right above swayed in a nightly breeze and tickled the tip of my nose.

"…of course not!" What is she saying? Sigh.

Because Naruki maintained perfect composure, I hesitated for a moment.

"I was right. You still don't see me as a woman, so I'll make it sure for you to realize that I'm really a woman now."

The next moment, she formed a soft smile, accompanied by dancing feathers in my imagination.

"But...please remember that you have to take responsibility."

What the hell are we talking about now, why did it become like this?

I honestly did not know.

"Besides, you are the one I chose. So there should be nothing strange about respecting your decision, even if it differs from the answer I would wish for."

"Chose?" I repeated suspiciously.

The sound was different from the "destined one" sort of "chose" that she had used before. I estimated the nuance to be something along the lines of "entrusted".

"There is one thing you have gotten wrong, Satoro-kun."

"What do you mean?"

"It is not just because you were annoyed at the bullies that you help me before but it was because you are kind ."

"...…eh?"

I raised a voice of surprise.

"Please recall the day when you save me from the bullies."

It was still vividly in my mind. It had happened because that's our first day talking to each other.

She suddenly giggled.

"I am a very capable person, if I say so myself, am I not? Do you think that someone like me--" The face she showed me then was going to remain clear in my memory for a long time. Her face looked staggeringly not cute and yet so beautiful.

"—would be bullied in the first place?"

Huh? 

Don't tell me... That's right, After that fight from those bullies, Naruki and I became friends and as we become familiarize with each other, I noticed that she's strong and can even fight back at some goons before, All I thought is that she's lucky because that goons are small fry but I've seen her take down an old man who tried to hurt me when we were walking around the town, so back then I thought he work hard and become stronger after that day when we become friends just like me but... Don't tell me he's already strong before then?..

"On that day back I had participated in a meeting — the regular meeting of the class officers. The male class assistant officer of our class was too you, right? Satoro-kun? So, guess who was the female one?"

It was the person before my very eyes.

Now that I think about it, she hurried back right after the meeting had finished. I figure that she did that because she's not sociable.

How could I overlook such a basic thing? Ah, right. I never looked at the girl's face when it's not necessary.

 Not a groan could be heard from me in this shocked state.

Naruki got off me while giggling.

"Well, I just tried to become a girl for the very first time back then. When I saw you, I fell in love, something that I could'nt explain engulf my body and I-I think it's a love at first sight. I was a bit shy back then and I couldn't mustered up any courage to actually become close to you, I have short hair and I am acting like a guy, I was getting mock for having a girly face despite being a guy. I was really happy that they've thought I have a feminine side. Though, they bullied me and continued, I can take them on but then I noticed that when I am getting bullied, you were looking at me, I was really happy that I finally got your attention back then, hehehe..an- and eventually, you helped me."

She smiled.

"You exceeded all my expectations. Talking with you turned out to be exciting, Satoro-kun. Every day became thrilling as soon as you entered my life. My heart throbbed more than in anyone else's company. I realized right away that you were my 'destined one'. Thus, it was easy to become crazy about you."

With heavy steps I walked back to the fence as if drawn to it. By the sound of her steps I noticed that she hurried after me.

"…Ah!"

The fence creaked. She had strongly gripped it and was looking down the black clear space right at my side, leaning over. She quickly realized that there was nothing she could do about it anymore, straightened up again and turned to me.

"…"

My right arm was fully stretched out over the fence.

A white paper plane was drawing circles in the air as it slowly descended into the bottomless darkness. The plane was probably going to get caught somewhere on the cliff, be exposed to weather for months and finally return to dust.

 She waved her hands. "Hahaha, you don't have to make that face, Satoro-kun." She exclaimed.

Naruki kept smiling like always.

My gaze fell on my watch.

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"Already past midnight?"

When I whispered so, she turned around with vim and vigor, spinning the skirt-part of her dress like a parasol. The clock hand had long since passed midnight

"I'm shocked. How could I have miss-timed such an important event?"

Something rare happened: she was discouraged.

"Actually, today is my birthday! Oh what happened to my plan of for all kinds of things as soon as the hour would strike twelve…"

"Congratulations," I wished her before she could blurt out any bothersome things.

After she had polished her look, arranging her hair and adjusting her dress, she turned around to me with a smile all over her face. "Satoro-kun, you know, the date has changed, so it's my birthday…"

"I just offered you my congratulations. Didn't you listen?"

"I did listen, so I'll give you some belated thanks

But you see, personally I would prefer it if it was not just words, but—"

"No."

"I'm not done yet, Satoro-kun. You should hear out what others have to say."

"Remember one thing, Naruki. I'm not as good-natured as to hear out something that I know won't be any good."

"Don't worry! I am not going to plead for any expensive present. Well, it is a present, but it's more like a memory or a memento," she said and while doing so, she took out a mobile phone from her dress and thrust it before my nose. "I want a photograph of us."

"…you ask for that while knowing that I don't like photos?"

"You don't?"

She heedlessly feigned ignorance. Before, Youko had once asked for a photograph of me. There was no way Naruki didn't know that.

"Please. I won't ask for anything else if you grant me just that one wish. This day is only once in a year, so please!"

In contrast to the begging tone in her voice, she constrained me by grabbing my wrist with both her hands. She was going to have it her way.

"…Okay! But only one, hear me?"

I gave in quickly because I had already learned that the labor required to break through her obstinacy wasn't worth it.

"Thank you so much!" she rejoiced while clapping her hands. "Let's take it in front of the statue!" she said and walked off right away, pulling my arm along.

The statue was three times our size and thickly coated in bronze

"Mh, which place works best…?" she couldn't decide where she should take the photograph. When I said that it didn't matter, she rebuked me, saying she had only one chance.

As she then asked whether I would let her take several photographs in that case, I had to seal my mouth, leaned against the wall and had no choice but to wait until she decided on a spot.

I don't have the slightest idea how that place was different from any other, but she claimed contentedly, "Yes, here it is. It looks like this is the best place for it after all."

"Come here," she waved me over. I positioned myself next to her.

Then she drew close to me like never before. Along with the material of her thin dress, I also felt other, different things that had nothing to do with her clothes.

"If I don't do this, we won't fit in the frame," she claimed with the arm in which she held her mobile phone fully stretched out, before I could object. Thinking that I was supposed to take the photograph because my arm was longer than hers, I snatched her phone. When I confirmed which button I had to press, she told me to wait for a second and took her shawl from her shoulders.

I gazed at her with my arm stretched out, asking myself what she was doing, while she was pulling it over her head and pinning it with a yellow flower that she had been using as an hair ornament.

"Alright," she said and, probably because I was looking suspiciously at her, added, "Isn't it cute and kind of princess-like?"

Indeed, it suited her so well I forgot to deny it.

I pushed the button on her signal, whereupon a mechanical shutter sound resounded from the phone. Unable to wait, she snatched the mobile phone away from me to take a look at the photo.

While viewing the picture with a satisfied expression, she nodded slightly, "Yes, exactly as I have pictured it."

From time to time she even giggled out. Good for her that the present was to her liking

"Thank you for letting me take this photograph. I'll treasure it."

"Yeah, treasure it so much that nobody will ever see it and I'll keep my peace of mind."

I didn't even want to imagine what would others would say if they saw that photo, it feels like a photo of a princess and his apprentice.

"What a pity. I already planned on using this valuable picture of you to brag in front of everyone on the internet…"

Thank god I forbade her to do so.

"…oh well, I'll enjoy it all alone then. Viewing it as the wallpaper of my mobile phone during classes with a broad smile on my face. Giving it a good-night kiss before going to sleep."

W-what?!

"Should I delete that picture right now?" 

"I'm joking, really," she laughed mischievously.

That's how it feels when someone has the better of you.

"Do you want to take a look, too?"

"With pleasure."

As it was the photo of me, she was going to hold on to from now on, I felt obliged to check how I looked on it.

I approached my face to the screen of her phone, which she held before her chest, while bending my knees a little. Her next words reached me just when my ear was somewhere near her lips

After waiting that I had seen the picture, she whispered,

"Did you see? We look like bride and bridegroom at a private wedding à deux in, don't we?"

 I stared at the screen. Depicted was a black-dressed man and a white-dressed woman who happily clung to each other.

With only a little imagination, the shawl on the head of the woman looked like a bride's wedding veil. And mysteriously, as soon as I viewed the woman like that, the man, too, looked as though he wore a dress suit.

 I noticed that the statue looked like part of a hall. If the bride had held a bouquet, it would have been a wedding ceremony no matter the way you looked at it.

I reflexively reached out to steal it out of her hands, but she evaded me, turning around like a dancing petal.

"Give me that phone."

"No! I am sure you would delete the picture if I gave it to you."

"Of course I would!"

I reached out to her again. However, she sped away like a tiny, winged fairy dancing with her toes over a fence , so that the distance between us grew and grew. She then climbed on a slide.

"Satoro-kun, I am here!" she waved innocently from above, almost like a child.

Naruki Minami was wild and free when she revealed her true colors. Way too much to handle for a person like me.

"I'm leaving."

This night had tired me.

"Wait!" she shouted from above when I went past the slide to leave the park. I only turned my head and looked up at her.

"Why did we have to meet tonight

tonight?" If she wanted a date, isn't it much more good at day?

Lit by the moonlight and shrouded in a veil, snow-white Naruki looked majestic as if she was a queen.

"Why didn't you tell me that you have a girlfriend now?"

she asked in a slightly gloomy voice.

The only thing that was in her eyes as she looked down at me in the pointed silence without moving a muscle was I.

I accidentally bent over and was a bit shocked, How did she know?

"Ah.. That's.."

She raised her brow at the edge of my field of vision.

"It will probably end soon—" I spoke towards the night sky.

"The end of our relationship is near—."

At last, the cold night wind carried a heated whisper to me.

"…Mm, That's fine, I'll just steal you from her."

My eyes must have been wide open when I turned them to the slide that was lit by the silver spotlight.

She was smiling with tears in her eyes, almost weeping with sadness and joy.

As I didn't know what I should reply, I closed my mouth and burned the appearance of an unknown Naruki Minami into my memory.

Suddenly, she cowered down. Then she slid down without even caring about her clothes or exposition of her skirt, started to run and jumped straight onto my back, upon which she wrapped her arms tightly around me.

While burying her face in my back, she said with a somewhat muffled voice,

"—I like you..I will still like you even if you've already love someone, I will still love you and make you fall for me, Don't forget that."

She sounded serious.

I am not so tolerant as to let someone cling to me without permission, but her arms were so tight around me that I couldn't shake her off. She was like a shackle chaining me, which represented our current relationship ridiculously well.

I gave up resisting and looked up at the night sky along with a sigh.

The fine silver light from the moon shone down on the earth like silk threads, which were absorbed by the earth. Without a break, as if the moon was trying to dye all creatures on earth in its white light.

Compared to the moonlight, any other type of light seemed ever so weak. No matter how bright the stars twinkled, no matter how much light the streets of the town emitted, nothing could match the all-enveloping moonlight.

Without noticing, I reached out for the moon—while knowing that I would definitely not reach it.

I don't know what is this feeling but tonight I had come to know Naruki Minami more.

I closed my eyes without moving my head away.

The moon that night was very soft and warm despite how fold the night is

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