Chapter 165: Forever and ever.

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Translator: Soafp

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“Morning… Fua”

“Morning, Nina. Breakfast is ready.”

“You’re eating curry in the morning?”

“It’s healthy, you know. That baseball player… oh yeah, I◯ro said so.”

“An Indian guy…?”

“Well, he’d probably say it too.” (Sounds convincing.)

She's still half-asleep.

Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she slumps into a chair. It's such a familiar scene. Nina's always been bad at mornings.

“Go wash your face.”

“Ah… I forgot.”

“I'm heading to school. Just leave your dishes in the sink when you’re done.”

“Okay…”

“By the way, did you bring the house key?”

“I borrowed Mom's…”

“Then we’re good. See you later, Nina.”

“…Yeah. I’ll lock up properly when I leave…”

“Thanks.”

Bang.

Her unusually meek voice stuck with me, as did the faint traces of tears under her eyes.

“Oh, hello. I'd like to make a reservation for tonight…?”

It's something I decided yesterday. The sooner, the better.

“Alright, so tonight at 8 p.m.”

After hanging up, I felt strangely clear-headed as I made my way to school.

---

“Hey, morning.”

“Morning☆”

“Ou.”

I got to school early. As I sat down and started doing some self-study, they arrived, like always. Unlike me, they have an undeniable aura.

I can sense them coming from a distance. If it were me, I'd probably go unnoticed even if I were right next to someone.

Instead of an aura, I've got a “shadow.” (Classic chuuni vibes.)

“…Did something happen?”

“Today's curry, man… I swear it's the best I've ever made in this life, or the last.”

“That's so lame☆”

“”

“Oi, Rio…”

“That's exactly the kind of thing Hiiragi-san would say (arms crossed in satisfaction).”

“Oh, come on, don't act like you know me that well☆”

“…Indeed, you are right.”

“Eh?”

“Toumachi?”

“Eh, ah, sorry! I didn't sleep much last night. Got too hyped up reading research papers on spices, couldn't calm down. Got a little too heated—curry pun intended (Hilarious, right? ← because of the curry joke).”

“Otakus really do talk fast☆”

“(Cause of death: shock from being hit by the truth).”

“You still alive?”

It was only two months ago that I'd share exchanges like this. Looking back, they were the first to comment on my “rainbow” hair.

It feels nostalgic. Honestly, if it weren't for this hair, we probably wouldn't have become friends.

“…Hey.”

“”?””

“…Could I take a picture with you guys?”

---

“Alright, let's go☆”

“Ou.”

“Hai.”

And just like that, I find myself hanging out with them after school.

So why am I spending my afternoon with these two, you ask?

“Wait, Toumachi, you're a purikura virgin☆”

“D-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-don't call me that!! (But yes, I am).”

“Y'all are too much… have some decency.”

With one of them on either side, I'm dragged into Shibuya's trendiest streets (Recommended job class: Extrovert).

Oh, I think I've been here before, when I was playing that dance game.

“Are we seriously taking purikura? I thought if introverts did that, their souls would get sucked out or something.”

“You sound like someone from the distant past☆”

“We must uphold the wisdom of our ancestors (sniff).”

“If that were true, today might be your last day on earth.”

“”

“Fuahaha!”

Their laughter echoed (high-level dimensional magic). Someone, save me.

At this rate, the demon queen and her sidekick are gonna take my soul!

…Actually, maybe that wouldn't be such a bad way to go…

“My soul is yours, to give… (tragic protagonist energy).”

“Oh, we're here.”

“Let's go in.”

“(Cause of death: being ignored).”

I've been to arcades a few times, but this “no entry for men alone” zone? First time.

“What is this… If I go in, won't I be violating the constitution?”

“Come on☆ Get over here.”

“Just give in, it’ll be easier that way.”

They both grab my hands, pulling me into the dazzling purikura area, far too bright for an introvert like me to handle.

“Fuahahaha! Look, Ichigo! Toumachi’s hair got edited and looks crazy beautiful!”

“It's like he turned into an anime character.”

“Even his eyebrows are rainbow-colored…”

The two of them pose with ease, likely out of habit. And me? Well, I'm a dancer, so naturally, my pose should be perfect, right?

…Not a chance.

Instead of standing confidently, I strike a stiff, awkward pose, like a robot that forgot to oil its joints.

Even through the purikura filters, though, my rainbow hair still looks stunning. A little too dazzling, maybe. It's really beautiful… isn't it?

“……”

It really is beautiful. Almost too much to let go of.

“Toumachi?”

“You alright?”

“Eh? Ah, yeah, sorry.”

I tuck the printed purikura photo into my bag and respond to them.

“Oh, you can save that to your phone too☆ I'll send it to you, Toumachi.”

“! Thanks… Wow, technology these days is amazing.”

“If it's just paper, you might lose it☆”

“I still prefer the paper ones though. You can slip them into things, you know?”

As she says this, Yumesaki slips the purikura photo into her pass holder.

That’s so embarrassing!

Where should I keep mine…? Maybe I'll slip it into an album or something?

“Don't lose it, Toumachi.”

“Eh, of course I won't.”

My first purikura photo.

When I was in elementary school, Nina and her friends invited me to take one, but I turned them down.

I’m sure I'm smiling better now than I was back then. After all, these two are my friends.

“I won't lose it. Not for the rest of my life.”

“”!!””

The two of them stand in front of me, with my rainbow-colored bangs framing the moment. A memory this beautiful—just for now, I'll treasure it forever.

“Hey, Toumachi.”

“Hmm?”

“Are you going to change your hair back?”

She asks, her gaze serious. Matching her intensity, I open my mouth to answer.

---

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[Rio and Ichigo Side]

“Well, thanks for today. I've got something to do, so I'll be heading out.”

“Bye-bye☆”

“Later.”

He turned his back, smiling like usual—just as if nothing had changed.

“Wow, that was surprising. I thought he hated taking photos☆”

“Yeah…”

“But, I guess this was the last time we'll see Toumachi with rainbow hair…”

“……”

“Don't make that face, Ichigo.”

“I'm just wondering if I should have stopped him.”

They spoke as they watched his back fade into the distance.

“It's a family matter. And no matter what we said, I doubt it would've changed anything. You could tell by the look in his eyes—he's serious this time.”

“I know, but still…”

“Haha, it's just a hair color change, right? You're being way too dramatic☆”

“Do you really believe that, Rio?”

“…”

“That's not it, is it? Changing his hair color… for Toumachi, it's like severing ties.”

Her expression darkened. It was something she couldn't show him.

“Severing ties? That's way too much☆ You're such a delinquent☆”

“Don't brush it off. I bet he'll stop going to the club too. He joked about it, but what his family told him… it's weighing heavily on him.”

“…”

“We know we're outsiders in this. All we can do is treat him the same, no matter what happens to him.”

“Of course we will… it's only natural.”

The two of them were uncharacteristically subdued.

Unlike during their dance battles, there wasn't a clear “enemy” to confront this time.

It was a matter between Toumachi and his family, a deeply personal conflict.

Both sides were in the right. No, in fact, it was the “family” that was probably more right.

“…Isn't it for the best?”

“What is?”

“Going ‘black' will only bring good things. His reputation at school will improve. He's been overlooked so far because his behavior's always been good, but… it was always a ticking time bomb, waiting for someone to call him out.”

“…”

“And there won't be any more issues like there were with dancing. His hair will be normal, his class behavior will be perfect. He'll top the exams, be the best in PE from all the effort he puts in… From ‘weirdo' to a straight-up model student.”

It sounded almost like he was trying to convince themselves of that.

“…Yeah, you're right.”

“Of course.”

“Do you really believe that?”

“No matter what happens to Toumachi, he's still our friend.”

“That's not an answer.”

“Shut up.”

Their eyes followed his back as he walked away. Even after he disappeared from sight, they continued to stare, as if they could still see him.

Always, always――