Chapter 84: Halfway

Reading Settings

Translator: Soafp

---

When I proposed a courtship with marriage in mind to Mari-san,

The response that came back wasn’t a yes or a no,

“…Is it okay with me?”

Those were the words.

I don’t understand their true meaning. But, I’m sure she wasn’t rejecting it outright.

Indecisive, though.

Despite making up my mind to break with the past and saying so with a big decision.

It threw me off, her indecisiveness, just.

In such a state of mind, on that night, Mari-san’s older brother, Katsuragi, called me out.

Most likely about Mari-san. I prepared myself and went to the meeting place.

“…Long time no see. Well, let’s drink tonight.”

“…Yeah, sure. Excuse me, for now, a draft beer.”

“……”

“……”

Somehow, Katsuragi’s attitude is also indecisive.

Even after toasting, we exchange few words, only an awkward atmosphere lingers.

Can’t be helped.

From myself, let’s turn things around.

“…How is Mizuki?”

But from the start, I’ve stumbled. My weak point might be this.

Well, there are things I have to ask. Easy to ask, because it’s not directly involving me.

“Ah, yeah. Well, I think she’s okay now, except for the emotional scars.”

“Well, that’s true…”

Mizuki’s emotional scars — I only think of Naoki’s death as the cause, but it seems like a straightforward tale is not the case.

“Yeah. Mizuki herself is trying to become more positive in various ways. But, you know, she’s lost everything — her first love, her best friend, everything she’s built up, even her pride. That’s not something that’s going to be easy.”

“Is that so? And what about you, Katsuragi?”

That’s why, Katsuragi’s current feelings — what are they, I want to know.

Not just because my path overlaps.

Asked by me, Katsuragi, with a slightly awkward expression, emptied the medium-sized glass in front of him, sighed deeply, then answered without looking at me.

“I just… want to have a trivial argument with her again.”

“…Is that so.”

“…Is it strange?”

“No… somehow, I understand your feelings.”

The past, unable to return even if wanting to return. The choice of paths gone wrong, no way to fix it.

So, me, I — do I have the right to say something to Katsuragi?

Thinking about it. In my case, what went wrong, I wonder, and.

“…So, Kazunari. You told Mari properly, huh?”

“! Ah, yeah.”

As if he saw through the shady thoughts I was having, Katsuragi, who had been avoiding the topic all day, brought up today’s main topic, and I got a little flustered.

“Well, I’d say this, but if it’s you, Kazunari, I think you’ll make Mari happy.”

“……”

“But… are you sure?”

“…What do you mean?”

“……”

When I asked back, Katsuragi fell silent.

I sensed a will not to say ‘difficult to say,’ but rather a will not to say it.