V4Ch5: Part 2

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Translator: Soafp

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“…Ayana?”

“Su… su…”

As soon as I opened my eyes, I realized Ayana was right next to me. My head, still foggy from just waking up, turned to the side to see Ayana resting her head on the bed, fast asleep.

She was holding my hand tightly, making me certain that it was Ayana who had pulled me back from that other world.

“But who was that girl…?”

The junior girl who appeared in that world… She resembled Ayana so closely, but I had no memory of her from my previous life.

Not only did she look like Ayana, but her way of speaking and overall vibe were identical.

If that girl was just a figment of my imagination, or a manifestation of my desire to have someone like Ayana by my side, then it only made me prouder of how much I love Ayana.

“It’s already past noon, huh?”

My stomach was growling, and since it was past noon and Ayana was here, she must have left school early.

Although I was slightly exasperated, I had half-expected it and was more glad than anything else, so I decided not to scold her.

“She probably hasn’t had lunch yet, has she?”

She usually packs a bento, but should I wake her up and make sure she eats?

As I pondered this, I realized that the heaviness I felt this morning was gone, and my body felt surprisingly light.

There was still a bit of lingering fatigue, but I felt almost completely recovered.

“Mm… mmm?”

“Oh, you woke up? Troublemaker.”

I said with a laugh. Ayana rubbed her eyes and looked at me. As she understood that I was awake, her eyes gradually opened wider… and though she was about to jump at me, she stopped herself just in time, letting out a small huff.

“Ah, that was close… I almost hugged you without thinking, even though you’re still sick.”

“I wouldn’t mind, honestly. I feel strangely fine now… But it’s probably better you didn’t, just in case the cold is contagious.”

Ah… I felt relieved. The discomfort, anxiety, and loneliness were all gone… It was as if waking up from that dream had freed me from everything. And most importantly, I had something I wanted to say now that I felt so clear-headed.

“I’m back, Ayana.”

Saying “I’m back” in this situation would probably confuse her… But Ayana just smiled softly and replied.

“Welcome back, Towa-kun.”

Her words made me smile back at her.

“Are you hungry?”

“Very much so.”

“Then I’ll hurry and make something.”

“What about your bento?”

“No, I planned to come here, so I thought I’d make ours together.”

“Oh, I see.”

Well, that’s… I guess I’m pretty happy about that!

Afterwards, I ate the lunch Ayana prepared for me and took a shower to wash off the sweat while changing out of my pajamas. Unexpectedly, Ayana decided to take a shower too.

I actually ran all the way here from school… Even though the sweat has dried, I still feel like taking a shower.”

She was so worried about me that she ran all the way here. When I checked my temperature, it had completely returned to normal.

As I mentioned earlier, I felt perfectly fine, but I had already decided to take it easy for the rest of the day. So, I quickly returned to my room and became a permanent resident of my bed.

“As I lie here, all my classmates are probably in class. Around noon, it’s the time when you get the sleepiest.”

“That’s right. Oh, we’re so lucky, aren’t we?”

“If only you were here in bed with me, it would be perfect.”

That was the only thing I found regrettable.

A bed is meant for sleeping, and lying down on its soft surface is comforting. Having the girl you love next to you, holding her in your arms, makes it even more fulfilling… Really, it’s such a shame.

“……………”

“Ayana?”

Uh… Why is she staring at me like that? Ayana, with a serious expression, approached me and tried to pull the comforter over herself, but I quickly stopped her.

“What are you doing?”

“You said it would be perfect if I were in bed with you, right? So, I thought I would cuddle with you.”

“I was wrong, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t speak without thinking.”

I keep reminding myself that I have a cold. Despite her determination to crawl into bed with me, I managed to hold her off, and eventually, Ayana gave up.

Since I wasn’t feeling sleepy, I had Ayana keep me company, and it turned out to be a good opportunity to talk about things we hadn’t discussed yesterday.

“So, I talked to Shu. He had a really nice smile on his face.”

“Really? Fufu, Shu-kun huh.”

“He’s finally moving forward… He also said he’d like to talk to you sometime.”

“I wouldn’t mind talking to him now.”

“Well, even with me, he had to muster a lot of courage… It might take a bit longer with you.”

“That’s true… Let’s wait patiently.”

It was clear from Ayana’s expression that she welcomed Shu’s change. Even if we couldn’t go back to the way things were completely, it was a significant step forward, and now I felt more confident than ever that we’d be okay.

“It’s really thanks to you, Towa-kun. Because you’re here, we have such a happy future to look forward to… Are you some kind of wizard?”

“What are you talking about? I’m no wizard… I’m just someone who does everything they can for the person they love.”

“…I meant that as a compliment, you know.”

“Well, then you could say the same about yourself, couldn’t you?”

“I suppose so… Fufu.”

“Haha.”

Lying in bed, with Ayana sitting on the floor next to me, we kept a bit of distance between us to prevent the urge to hug each other or get closer. Yet, Ayana couldn’t resist and moved closer, saying she couldn’t hold back anymore.

“As long as we avoid mucous membrane contact, we should be fine. So, I’ll stay here.”

Ayana, really? Is that okay? She sat right next to the bed, staring at me.

“…The term ‘s*x’ sounds kind of inappropriate, doesn’t it?”

“Yes, it’s quite suggestive. Hey, Towa-kun, get better soon, okay? I’ll be blunt: I want to do naughty things with you.”

“You’re straightforward, aren’t you?”

“Of course. We’re past the point of being shy about these things, right?”

That was certainly true… I reached out from under the blanket to pat Ayana’s head, then gently touched her cheek in a flowing motion.

“I love being touched like this. Not thinking about anything, just wanting to touch the other person and being touched in return.”

“Yeah, it feels nice. Just being able to touch you like this makes me happy… I want to get better soon so I can do all sorts of things with you.”

“Let’s do that. So, please, get better quickly.”

I mentioned the intimate stuff partly to embarrass her a bit, but it seems we’ve moved past the point where such things would make either of us blush.

“Ayana.”

“Yes?”

“I… I was in a different world until just a little while ago.”

“A different world? That sounds fascinating. Please tell me more.”

Instead of reacting with confusion or disbelief, Ayana asked to hear more about my story.

Most people would probably be puzzled or dismissive if I suddenly mentioned another world, but she was genuinely interested.

I reflected on everything that happened until I woke up and continued speaking.

“In that world, I wasn’t Towa… and Ayana wasn’t there either. It was a world where none of the people I knew from this world existed. I lived normally in that world… but I realized something was missing.”

“…………”

“Well, yeah… obviously. That world was undoubtedly important to me, but Ayana wasn’t there.”

That world must have originally been the world I belonged to… Well, it’s probably best to classify it as something very similar.

“I wonder what’s missing… Who do I want to be with? I thought about that and remembered everything I had forgotten. And then I thought again—I realized that the world I want to live in, the world I should live in, is this world where Ayana is.”

“Towa-kun…”

I’m keeping a secret from Ayana… that I’m a reincarnated person. But I’m already Yuki Towa, and I’ve decided to live in this world as one human being.

I’m not saying it to convince myself, nor am I suggesting it to myself, because in this world where I live, there is no one else but me.

“……Fufu, hey Towa-kun.”

“Yeah?”

“I… I love the Towa-kun who guided me just now. Like you’ve changed, I’ve changed too—I love you. I love you for being by my side, for holding my hand and comforting me, and for always telling me you love me.”

This time, Ayana began to stroke my cheek in return.

I enjoyed the sensation of her hand, feeling her love and dedication through her palm… It tickled a little, but for now, I simply accepted it while listening closely to Ayana’s words.

“Towa-kun… Sometimes I noticed you feel guilty about something.”

“……”

“Well, of course, because it’s you, Towa-kun. There’s no way I wouldn’t notice how much I love you… It may sound odd, but it was just a minor discomfort for me.”

“I-I see…”

“But! I love you so much now that it doesn’t bother me. I love you—I love you as much as saying I adore you, Towa-kun. Hey, Towa-kun, do you love this world?”

When she asked that, I vigorously nodded my head.

“I can’t forget about this world anymore. That’s why I want to stay here… So, Ayana, will you continue to stay by my side?”

“Of course! ♪ Once again, nice to meet you, Towa-kun.”

“Yeah! Nice to meet you, Ayana.”

Ah… Just how much happiness does this girl give me, really?

You know, there have been a few times before when I felt like I was being released from something heavy, but right now, I feel overwhelmingly liberated.

That dream… perhaps it was a trial for me to remember things here, to realize what is most important to me. Maybe I’m overthinking it, but at least now… I truly felt like I’ve become a resident of this world in the truest sense.

“Hey, Towa-kun!”

“Yeah?”

“When I think back on our conversation just now! Aren’t we closer than any newlyweds around here?! This is definitely marriage in the future! We should get married right after high school graduation! Or even as college students! Right? Right?!”

“W-Woah, calm down, Ayana!”

Her excitement level was off the charts…! I desperately tried to restrain Ayana as she leaned forward with such fervor, and as a result, my condition worsened slightly.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

“Haha… Well, let’s calm down, okay?”

While Ayana repeatedly apologized, I chuckled wryly and thanked her once again.

“Thank you, Ayana… for meeting me.”

In response to those words, Ayana also said this:

“I should be the one thanking you. Thank you for meeting me, Towa-kun♪”

By the way, these are words we’ve said to each other many times.

No matter how many times we say them, I realize just how important Ayana is to me. And I believe she feels the same way… That truly brings me happiness.

(I… will live here)

I will live in this world… alongside her, who smiles beside me.