Chapter 81: Sunset from the mountain

Reading Settings

Translator: Soafp

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“I’m sorry, I’ll be right back…”

Suddenly, she burst into tears.

While wiping her wet face with a towel, she went to the restroom.

…I made a girl cry, but it surely wasn't for a negative reason (my vocabulary is at a modern literature score of 98).

“…………”

I sat down on the chair that Momiji-san had set up for me.

The warm sunlight filtered through the trees, bathing me in warmth.

I was definitely not being beaten (that's obvious).

“……This feels nice.”

Taking a deep breath, I settled into the chair.

Fresh air filled my lungs.

The scent of greenery.

The smell of earth.

It was soothing, as if I were wrapped in nature.

“……”

Drowsy, drowsy.

The pleasant coolness almost lured my consciousness away, but then—

“……! Did I wake you up…?”

“Wha!? Sorry, sorry. I was just dozing off.”

I noticed her peering in at me.

Once again, Momiji-san’s stealthy gear (just me saying it) was impressive.

Maybe I should wear it too (suspicious).

“Should we just enjoy the forest bath here?”

“Eh?”

A forest bath? Is that like a bath?

I do enjoy half-body baths as one of my hobbies (forcing it a bit).

“I just felt like… it's like being wrapped up, don't you think?”

“Haha, I see what you mean.”

In this great nature, feeling it all with my body right now could be described as a “bath.”

It’s the best!

“That sounds great (instant decision).”

“Okay! I'll lay out the air bed!”

“Eh?”

She began to inflate something that looked like a bed with a whooshing sound.

It quickly swelled up into a bed-like shape.

…Momiji-san is amazing (not a deep insight).

“You pull out everything, from canoes to beds (in awe).”

“…Kuku. Sorry if there's a hole in it.”

“Haha, in that case, I'll just sleep on the ground.”

She laid out two air beds.

They looked like big rectangular inner tubes.

While they didn't wrap around me like a sleeping bag would, this would be perfect for a forest bath.

“Alright, excuse me.”

“Y-Yes.”

“Uwa, it's more of a bed than I expected. This is amazing.”

As I lay down, the scent of the forest became even stronger.

Maybe it was because the ground was so close.

It was beyond aromatherapy.

The soothing effect was incredible.

Ah.

I'm going to “fall asleep” in an instant—

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[Momiji PoV]

“…”

“…Ah…”

Just seconds after laying out that air bed, he fell into dreamland almost immediately.

But wait—

“…It has increased to two colours, huh?”

His hair color gave off a warmer impression than before.

It suited him perfectly.

…It was a soft hue mixed with red and white, with a little more white added.

If I had to compare it, it was like peach blossoms.

And one more thing.

This was—if I wasn't mistaken.

“Maple leaves …”

The leaves of the maple tree change from summer to autumn.

His hair color illuminated the beautiful scenery before the leaves fell.

“…It's just my imagination, right?”

No way.

He couldn't have taken that from my last name. (Momiji = Maple leaves).

There's no way something so delightful could happen.

“…Maybe I'll read a book.”

My heart raced.

It took me quite a while to finally pull my gaze away from him.

I quietly took out the book I had been reading from my bag, making sure not to wake him.

As usual, I immersed myself in the world of words.

I did my best to drown out that excitement.

---

“…Ah”

When I looked up suddenly, I was blinded by the setting sun and quickly turned away.

It seemed quite a bit of time had passed.

“…”

That moment.

During the middle school camp, when I was completely useless.

Washing dishes alone and spending a lonely night.

There was a difficult-looking book in the lodge at the camp.

It was like a balm for my loneliness.

I read it cover to cover, even though there were kanji I couldn't understand.

I forced myself to read, simply and relentlessly.

And deep down in my heart, I wished someone would talk to me.

“Hey, what are you reading?”—something like that.

That passive desire would never be fulfilled.

That was the reason I started reading books.

It wasn't something anyone would praise.

[——“I think it's okay to take a bit of pride in it. We—who ran away in the past.”——]

“…!”

But.

His words echoed in my mind.

…He was right.

The reason I fell into the world of books was undoubtedly that “escape.”

But now, if someone told me to let go of the stories in my hands, I would absolutely refuse.

If I hadn't grown to love books, I surely wouldn't be the person I am now.

“…”

I hated the sunset visible from the mountains.

Though it should be beautiful, it reminded me of the past at the camp.

I was grateful to my former self, but those memories were still painful.

It made me want to run away.

—But.

“…!”

Listening to his words made me somehow feel like I didn't want to run away.

So I shifted my gaze back, just a little.

The sunset. It should be beautiful, yet—

[——“What the hell is she doing over there?”——]

[——“What are you reading a book for in a place like this?”——]

[——“Are you a nerd or something?”——]

Those voices brought back memories.

…It hurt. It was painful.

But surely, I had to swallow this.

[——“That was fun!”——]

[——“Is it already over…?”——]

The voices of those around me enjoying themselves.

While I stood there, unable to do anything, all alone.

…That past.

Those painful memories.

If they exist for the sake of the present—

“…Ah…”

This time, I lifted my face properly.

What I had seen earlier was now completely different.

In the center, a brilliant gold glimmered.

Surrounding it was a fiery crimson spreading out.

The two colors enveloped me, as if they were wrapping around me.

Such a scene.

A scene I had never known before.

It was intense, fleeting, and mesmerizing—

“—What are you reading, Momiji-san?”

At that moment.

Next to me, the familiar voice chimed in.

“I was just… watching the sunset.”

“Wow! It's really beautiful.”

“Yes, I didn't know… the sunset from the mountains was this gorgeous.”

“Wait, is this your first time seeing it?”

He looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“…Something like that.”

I smiled as I said it.

“I see. That's a waste of a moment.”

“Kuku… That's true.”

Before I knew it, the unpleasant voices from the past had vanished.

All I could feel was the “now” of the scenery and the voices around me.

“What do you want to do? We'll be heading back soon, right?”

“Yes. Let's clean up in a little while.”

“…Then, I guess I'll read a book for a bit too.”

“What book is it?”

“Romeo and Juliet. You know it?”

“…?”

“Kuku, it's that one by Shakespeare.”

“! Oh, I see… That's how you abbreviate it.”

“Yeah. So…”

I opened the book alongside him, bathed in the evening light.

Toumachi-kun continued to read with enthusiasm.

The version of me that had vanished long ago—just for a moment, it appeared and then faded away again.

“—Ah…”

There it was—the scenery that the past me had longed for.

[——“What are you reading, Momiji-san?”——]

Just a moment ago, it was his voice.

I realized that my wish from the camp had just come true.

Three years later, the sunset viewed from the mountains was—

The present was—replacing the past.

“…Toumachi-kun.”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“When we come back next time—what should we do?”

I found myself saying that without hesitation. Just like that, thoughts of the future emerged naturally.

“Oh, there are various things, but I definitely want to try mountain coffee!”

“…Kuku, that's something I've never done either.”

“That's great. I still have some unopened beans.”

Before I knew it, the past version of me had completely disappeared.

Perhaps the dazzling sunset had taken it away somewhere.

Just a joke.

“…Let's come back again.”

As I gazed at the beautiful scenery, I whispered a thank you to my former self in my heart.

---

【I think I'll change according to >>5 Pert 13】

920: Username: 1

Thank you! It was a great camp.

921: Username: Anonymous in Love

How was it? Were you able to make curry?

922: Username: 1

Of course! I put my all into it.

923: Username: Anonymous in Love

You’re like a craftsman!

924: Username: 1

In exchange, I had my friend prepare everything for the camp, canoeing, forest bathing, bonfires, and cooking with a rice cooker.

925: Username: Anonymous in Love

Your workload distribution is off, lol.

926: Username: Anonymous in Love

Wait, with one friend? It's tough to do a two-person camp by yourself, especially with canoeing.

927: Username: 1

Yeah.

928: Username: Anonymous in Love

…A gorilla?

929: Username: Anonymous in Love

…A native?

930: Username: 1

Just ordinary classmates.

931: Username: Anonymous in Love

I can’t keep track of your friends anymore!

932: Username: Anonymous in Love

So far, I have a gorilla and a yankee (with 20 subordinates) in my mind.

933: Username: 1

Please retract that immediately…