第52話 氷の令嬢と夕焼け空の下で
ウキウキルンルンといった様子の日菜美に連れて行かれたのは、見るからに怪しい寂れた廃病院だった。
もちろん、本当の病院ではなく、あくまで遊園地内の一施設であることは分かっている。
ただ、外装があまりにも作り込まれていて、冬の寒さと合わさることで不穏な空気を存分に漂わせていた。
「絶叫系ってそういうことね......」
「冬と言えば、そう! お化け屋敷!」
「聞いたことねえよ。夏だろそれ」
何でも、このアトラクションは二名一組で行動するらしい。
病院内は暗いために、懐中電灯を持っていくよう勧められた。
そして、どうしてもギブアップしたい方は各所にある非常口からと。
白衣を着た受付嬢からストーリーを含め、様々な注意事項を聞き終えた時には既に千昭と日菜美の姿はなく、隣で冬華が小さく震えていた。
「......朝陽くん、非常口はどこですか」
「だって、そこの角に絶対お化けいますよ!」
「まだ序盤も序盤だし大丈夫だって」
「もし、いたらどうするんですか!」
「どうするって......いたとしても実害ないから」
かれこれ十分はこうして、冬華は入口付近から動くことを躊躇っている。
珍しく言葉を強めて抵抗する姿は子供っぽく、喋る内容も随分幼くなっていた。
(そういや、冬華はこういうの苦手だったな......)
あれはいつの事だったか、冗談で言った幽霊の存在に本気で怯えていた冬華の姿が頭に浮かぶ。
学年一の才女ならば、そういったオカルトの類は否定しそうなものだが、どうやら怖いものは怖いらしい。
それは人工的なアトラクションでも同じようで、本気で怖がっているのがよく分かった。
「もう少しだけ、心の準備ができるまで待ってくれませんか」
「まあ、それくらいは全然良いけど......何なら、今から入口に戻るか?」
「......いえ、最初のステージくらいは頑張ります」
ここは、最初からギブアップするのではなく、勇気を振り絞って挑戦することを選んだ冬華を褒めるべきなのだろう。
ただ、どうしても後発のお客さんが――数人には既に抜かされた――待っているため、そろそろスタート地点から進む必要があるのも事実だ。
どうにか冬華の恐怖心を和らげることはできないか。
そう考えて、朝陽は父親の大きな背中を思い出す。
「冬華、ここ掴め」
「えっ......?」
「ほんの気晴らしだけど、何もないよりマシだろ」
「......ありがとうございます」
朝陽の洋服を後ろから冬華が控えめに掴む。
少々歩きづらいというデメリットはあるが、近くに人がいる、何か掴むものがある、というのは心理的に大きな安心感を生むはずだ。
「行けそうか?」
「......はい。大分落ち着きました」
「じゃあ、進むからな。しっかり掴んどけよ」
返事はなかったが、代わりにギュッと強い力が背中越しに加わった。
それを肯定と受け取った朝陽は懐中電灯をしっかりと片手に持ち、前方を照らしながらゆっくりと進む。
時々、後ろを振り返って冬華の様子を確認することも忘れない。
やはりまだ恐怖心が拭えないのか、薄っすらとしか目が開いていなかったが、先程に比べれば大分進歩した方だろう。
「今のところ、何も起きないな」
「......できれば、このまま終わってほしいです」
「案外そういうオチもあったりして」
もちろん、お化け屋敷で何も起こらないわけがない。
こうやって安心させておいて、いきなり驚かせるというのは常套手段だ。
それは、朝陽も重々承知しているが、冬華を怖がらせるだけなので黙っておく。
そうして、二人がようやく最初の長い直線通路を通り抜け、一つ目の角を曲がった時の事だった。
奇しくも、その場所は冬華が怪しんでいたポイント。
「うぁぁあああああああああああああああ」
血まみれの手術服を着た男が突如現れ、不気味なうめき声をあげる。
その大迫力の演技を目の前にして、薄暗い病棟に可愛らしい悲鳴が響き渡った。
「もう閉園まで残り十分か。時間的に遊べるのは後一つだな」
千昭が時計を見て、そう呟いた頃には日が沈みかけ、辺りはすっかりオレンジ色に染まっていた。
一月末ということで、昼と夜の境目は大分短い。
青と紫、そして橙が交じる幻想的な夕焼けも、数分経てば黒で塗りつぶされるだろう。
冷たい風が吹き込み、冷え込む時間帯の中。
かなり疲れている様子の二人が口を開く。
「......私も遠慮します」
前者は絶叫マシン、後者は絶叫施設に心身共に疲弊させられたため、もうほとんど体力は残っていなかった。
最後はコーヒーカップやメリーゴーランドなど、落ち着いたアトラクションに乗りたい。
そんな朝陽と冬華の思いが通じたのか、日菜美が満面の笑みで空を指差す。
その先に視線を向ければ、巨大な鋼鉄の花が七色の光を放っていた。
「やっぱ、最後は観覧車でしょ!」
この提案に三人は満場一致で頷いたのだが。
「......四人で乗れば良くね?」
「きっと、恋人同士で話したいこともあるんですよ」
せっかく誘ってくれたので文句は全くないが、今日一日、冬華と二人でいる時間が多い気がする。
小さなゴンドラに四人は手狭だという考えもあったのだろうか。
いつの間にか、千昭と日菜美とは別のゴンドラに乗ることになっていた。
「それにしても、お化け屋敷は凄かったな」
「そうですね......思い出したくもありません」
「まさか、冬華があんな声を上げるとは......」
「なっ、わ、忘れてくださいって言ったじゃないですか!」
そう必死に懇願されても、第二ステージの途中から離脱した際の表情など忘れられるはずがない。
怖かった、とシンプルな感想と共に涙を浮かべる冬華はとても愛らしく、思わず手を伸ばして頭を撫でたくなった。
今も、羞恥心からか、頬を赤らめる冬華を素直に可愛いと思う気持ちが朝陽の中で疼いている。
ただ、そんな衝動を行動に移す度胸も勇気も資格も持ち合わせていない。
朝陽はまた、いつものように胸の騒めきとモヤモヤに自ら蓋をして、外の街並みを眺める友達に話しを振った。
「今日は楽しかったか?」
「それはもちろん。......最近は、朝陽くんのお陰で毎日がとても楽しいです」
「そりゃいい事だけど、俺のお陰ってのは言い過ぎだろ。遊園地だって日菜美の誘いだし」
「でも、相葉さんを紹介してくれたのは朝陽くんです」
お陰、と言われるほど何かをした覚えはやっぱりない。
クリスマスの時も同じようなことを伝えられたし、千昭にも言われたことがあるが、結局それが何のことかは分からず終いだ。
せっかくだし今ここで聞いてみようかと、朝陽は思い至って。
真っ直ぐ顔を向けた先に、冬華が淡い微笑みを浮かべているのを見た。
その笑顔は短いようで長い付き合いの中で関係を深め、やがて当たり前のものになっていたはずなのに。
それなのに、何故か今日は目を奪われて離すことができなかった。
ゆっくりとゴンドラが頂上に向かう中で、一瞬の静寂が訪れる。
そして――
「私、朝陽くんに出会えて良かったです」
ポツリ、と呟かれた言葉は朝陽の思考を止めるには十分だった。
暫く沈黙の時間が続き、やがて冬華が照れくさそうに再び言葉を紡ぐ。
「来週、お母さんに会いに行くんです。その時、朝陽くんの話をしてもいいですか?」
「別にいいけど......俺の話なんてしても面白くないだろ」
「面白いですよ。それに、沢山話すこともありますし」
沈む太陽に照らされた冬華の話を聞きながら、朝陽はその曇りない笑顔をぼんやりと眺めた。
綺麗で、美しくて、やっぱり可愛い。
そうして、冬華へ抱く感情を言語化していく先で。
たった二文字の言葉が一瞬浮かんだ。
綺麗なオレンジ色に染まる夕焼け空の下で、二人を乗せたゴンドラが丁度真上に到達して――今度はゆっくりと下っていった。
Ch 52
Hinami cheerfully took them to a place that looked suspiciously like an abandoned hospital.
Of course, they knew that it was not a real hospital, but just a facility situated in an amusement park.
However, the exterior of the building was so well done, combined with the cold winter weather, it gave off an eerie feeling.
"So that's what you mean by 'screams'."
"Speaking of winter, yes! Haunted houses!"
"It's summer, idiot!"
Apparently, this attraction required two people to work in pairs.
Since it was dark in the hospital, they were advised to bring a flashlight.
And if anybody really wanted to give up, they could use the emergency exits at various places.
By the time they had finished listening to the receptionist explain the story and various other precautions, Chiaki and Hinami were already gone, and Fuyuka was shivering slightly next to Asahi.
"...Asahi-kun, where is the emergency exit?"
"But, I'm sure there's definitely a ghost in that corner!"
"It's still the start, so we'll be fine."
"What if he's there?"
"Even if he's there... It wouldn't do any real harm."
For the past ten minutes, Fuyuka had been hesitant to move ahead from the entrance area.
The way she resisted with unusually strong words was child-like, and the content of her speech was also childish.
'Oh yeah, Fuyuka was not good at this kind of thing.'
He can't remember when it was, but he can remember Fuyuka being seriously frightened by the existence of a ghost, when he joked around.
As the most talented girl in the school, Asahi thought that she would have rejected the occult, but apparently what seemed scary to her was still scary.
It seemed to be the same with the artificial attractions, and he could tell that she was really scared.
"Can you please wait a little longer, until I'm ready?"
"Well, that's totally fine, but... if you want, we can go back to the entrance now?"
"...No, I'll do my best, at least for the first stage."
Asahi was thinking whether he should praise Fuyuka for being brave enough to take on the challenge, instead of giving up from the beginning.
However, it was also true that they needed to move on from the starting point soon, as there were customers waiting and some had already passed them.
Asahi wondered if there was any way he could ease Fuyuka's fears.
Thinking about this, Asahi remembered his father's back.
"Fuyuka, grab here."
"Eh...?"
"It's just a distraction, but it's better than nothing."
"...Thank you very much."
Fuyuka discreetly grabbed Asahi's clothes from behind.
Although it was a little difficult to walk, the fact that there was someone nearby and something to hold onto should give her a great sense of security.
"Think you can go?"
"...Yes. I'm much calmer now."
"Then, we're moving on. Hold on tight."
There was no reply, but instead a strong squeezing force was applied over on his back.
Taking it as an affirmation, Asahi held the flashlight firmly in one hand and proceeded slowly, illuminating the road ahead.
From time to time, he would turn around and check on Fuyuka.
She was still afraid, and her eyes were only slightly open, but it was a lot better than before.
"So far, nothing's happened."
"...If possible, I'd like it to end like this."
"Maybe."
Of course, it was not possible for nothing to happen in a haunted house.
It was a trick used to reassure the people this way, and then suddenly surprising them.
Asahi was well aware of this, but he kept quiet because it would only scare Fuyuka.
And so, it was when they finally passed through the first long straight corridor and turned the first corner.
Coincidentally, that was the point where Fuyuka found suspicious.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"
A man in a bloody surgical suit suddenly appears and makes an eerie groaning sound.
A lovely scream echoed in the dimly lit ward as Asahi watched the powerful performance before him.
"There's only ten minutes left until the park closes. Time wise, that's only one more ride."
By the time Chiaki looked at his watch and muttered to himself, the sun was setting and the area was completely tinged with orange.
As it was the end of January, the border between day and night was much shorter.
The fantastic sunset, a mixture of blue, purple and orange, would be covered in black in a few minutes.
In the midst of a cold wind and chilly time of the day.
The two, looking quite tired, open their mouths.
"...I'll excuse myself, too."
Having been exhausted both physically and mentally by the attractions, they had very little energy left.
At the end of the day, one might want to ride a calm attraction such as a coffee cup or a merry-go-round.
As if the thoughts of Asahi and Fuyuka were understood, Hinami pointed to the sky with a big smile on her face.
Looking ahead, they saw a huge steel flower glowing with seven colors of light.
"Yep, the last thing should be a Ferris wheel."
The three of them nodded unanimously at this suggestion.
"...Why don't we just ride with four of us?"
"Asahi-kun, I'm sure there are things that lovers want to talk about."
Asahi was not complaining at all since she took the trouble to invite him, but he felt like he had spent a lot of time alone with Fuyuka today.
'Did they think that four people in a small gondola would be too small?'
Before he knew it, Asahi was riding in a different gondola from Chiaki and Hinami.
"Nevertheless, the haunted house was great."
"Yes, but I don't want to remember it."
"I didn't expect you to raise your voice like that."
"Wha- I told you to forget about it!"
Even though she was desperately pleading, there was no way Asahi could forget the look on her face when they left half-way through the second stage.
"I was so scared." Fuyuka's comment along with her tears were so adorable that Asahi almost wanted to reach out and pat her head.
Even now, Fuyuka's blushing cheeks were still tingling with shame, and her honest  adorableness invoked a feeling which was tingling inside Asahi.
However, he didn't have the guts, courage, or qualifications to act on such impulses.
As usual, Asahi covered the noise and bewilderment inside his chest and talked to his friend who was looking out at the city.
"Did you have fun today?"
"Of course... Recently, thanks to you, I'm really enjoying every day."
"Well, that's great, but it's too much to say that it's because of me. Hinami was the one who invited you to the amusement park."
"But it was you who introduced me to Aiba-san."
Asahi didn't remember doing anything that would result in a thanks.
He was told the same thing at Christmas, and Chiaki once told him the same thing, but in the end he never knew what it was about.
'Since we're here, why don't we ask her now?' Asahi thought to himself.
He turned his head straight and saw Fuyuka smiling faintly at him.
That smile was supposed to be a part of the short relationship they had, but eventually it had become a norm.
Yet, for some reason, today he couldn't take his eyes off it and couldn't let it go.
There was a moment of silence as the gondola slowly made its way to the top.
And then--
"I'm glad that I met you, Asahi-kun."
The muttered words were enough to stop Asahi from thinking.
A moment of silence followed, and then Fuyuka spoke again, looking embarrassed.
"I'm going to see my mother next week. Can I talk to her about you, Asahi-kun?"
"It's not really a problem, but... there's nothing interesting to talk about me."
"It is. Besides, we have a lot to talk about."
As he listened to Fuyuka's story, illuminated by the sunset, Asahi looked blankly at her unclouded smile.
It was beautiful, and for sure adorable.
And so, he was able to verbalize the feelings he had for Fuyuka.
A word came to mind for a moment.
Under the beautiful orange twilight sky, the gondola carrying the two of them reached just above - and now it was slowly descending.
How To Melt the Ice Lady
【コミカライズ連載中】氷の令嬢の溶かし方　～クールで素っ気ないお隣さんがデレるとめちゃくちゃ可愛い件～
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/how-to-melt-the-ice-lady/
Comedy Romance School Life Slice of Life
Adapted to Manga Beautiful Female Lead Caring Protagonist Cooking Cute Story Famous Parents Kind Love Interests Kuudere Male Protagonist Modern Day Popular Love Interests
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2567fv/
高峰 翔