第89話 追い風
朝陽の隣に千昭が移動し、後から来た日菜美と明日香が対面に座る。
「それで、ふゆちゃんとなにがあったの?」
「まさか喧嘩したとかじゃないよね?」
「もしかして怒らせちゃったとか」
「そうそう、かがみん素直じゃないから」
メニューを開くなりドリンクバーとスイーツを頼んだ女子組は、興味津々とばかりに前のめりになり、朝陽は思わず身体を逸らした。
明日香のなかですっかり定着したあだ名はスルーして、隣の千昭へと目を向ける。
「なんでこいつら呼んだんだよ」
「言ったろ、強力な助っ人だ」
「どこがどう強力なんだ。大体、助っ人なんて求めてねえ」
「本当か? 俺に相談したってことはそういうことだろ」
千昭に図星を突かれ、朝陽は押し黙る。
「なーにコソコソ話してんだ!」
「そうだそうだ! 私たちにも教えろー!」
やんややんやと騒がしい女子二人だが、茶化すような真似はしないだろう。
真面目に話を聞いてくれるはずだし、真剣に相談に乗ってくれるはずだ。
聞かれたことは千昭と変わらなかったので、先程と同じように答えていると、見る見るうちに日菜美と明日香の顔が曇っていく。顔が強張るとか不機嫌そうだとか、そういった類の表情ではなく、驚き呆れたような反応だ。
「あーちゃん、わかる?」
「うーん、ちょっとだけなら。ひなっぺは?」
「全くわからーん!」
「まあ、ひなっぺは考えるな感じろ系だもんね」
「そうそう、押せ押せゴーゴーだよ」
よくわからない会話の応酬に、今度は朝陽が怪訝な顔をする。
「でも私、氷室さんの気持ちは理解できるかも」
「えーっ、そっちも私はちんぷんかんぷん」
「おいおい、恋愛相談は任せろって張り切ってただろ」
「だってー、二人とも難しく考えすぎなんだもん」
ぼんやりと耳を傾けつつポテトを頬張っていると、どうやら一通り話は終わったらしい。
代表して明日香が、コホンと咳ばらいをしたのち朝陽に問いかける。
「さて問題です。氷室さんはどうしてかがみんを避けているでしょーか」
「わからないから悩んでる」
「じゃあ考えてみた?」
ここまでは千昭に聞かれ、話した通りだ。
朝陽自身に思い当たる節はない。
だとすれば冬華側の問題と考えるしかないが、それは具体的に捉えることはできず、もしかすると朝陽が知らぬうちに傷つけてしまった可能性も否定できない。
結局は、なにもわからないままだ。
「凄く申し訳なさそうに俺から遠ざかるんだよ。小さな子供みたいに弱々しくて、触れたら怯えてしまいそうで」
俯き沈んだ表情で、朝陽は声のトーンを落とす。
「俺、嫌われたのかな」
いつもなら弱音を吐かない朝陽だが、抑えきれずに言葉がこぼれ落ちる。
その一言は自分で否定していて、それでもどこか心の底で考えていたことだった。
だから避けられている。
そうじゃないと信じたい気持ちと、そうなんじゃないかと疑う気持ちがせめぎ合う。
いつからこんなにも弱くなったのだろうか。
「そんなことない!!」
煮えを切らしたように、日菜美の大きな声が響いた。
一瞬、店内が静まり返り、周囲の視線が集まったが、すぐに喧騒を取り戻す。
ただ朝陽を中心とする四人のテーブルだけは、張りつめたような静寂を保っていた。
静かに日菜美が口を開く。
その瞳は僅かに潤んでいて、声は少しだけ震えていた。
「朝陽とふゆちゃんは友達でしょ? それも大の仲良しの、いつも一緒にいるくらい大好きな友達でしょ? 簡単には離れられないよ、そんなにすぐ嫌いになれない」
日菜美にしては珍しい、落ち着いた語り掛けるような声音。そこには確かな、熱い思いが込められている。
涙ぐむ瞳を拭い、日菜美は朝陽を真っ直ぐ捉える。
「朝陽とふゆちゃんがこのままなんて嫌だよ。また一緒に、みんなでお昼ご飯食べたい」
明日香が席を譲り、そこに千昭が移動する。
俯き黙ってしまった日菜美の頭を、千昭は優しく包み込むように撫でた。
「さーてとっ、私からは少しだけヒントをあげる」
千昭と入れ替わりで朝陽の隣に座った明日香が、ニコリと小さく微笑む。
「前に二人で恋バナしたの覚えてる?」
「宮本が俺の質問に答えてくれただけだろ」
「細かいことは置いといて! あの時、私は私の幸せと同じくらい好きな人の幸せを願ってるって言ったよね」
それは校外学習の際、強く印象に残っている出来事だ。
明日香が恋をしている龍馬は冬華に恋をしていて。
一方通行の恋愛感情に辛くはないかと、朝陽は問いかけた。
その答えが今、明日香が口にした言葉。
好きな人の幸せを願うから、好きな人の恋を邪魔したくない。
そうして明日香は好意を伝え続け、決して好意を踏みにじろうとはしなかった。
「きっとかがみんは優しいから、私みたいに待ってたんだよね」
そう明日香は言ってくれるが、実際は少し違う。
ただ、臆病だっただけだ。
強い覚悟と想いを持つ龍馬を前にして、道を譲ってしまった。
そうして龍馬が振られて、安心してしまう自分に嫌悪感を抱き、先へと進めない現状に苛立ちを覚える。
自分の幸せと同じくらい好きな人の幸せを願えない。
「好きな人の幸せと同じくらい自分の幸せも願っていいんだよ」
朝陽の心情を見抜いたかのように、明日香が優しく呟く。
「相手の気持ちを考えるのも大事だけどさ。一番は自分の気持ちじゃない? 好きなら好きって伝えないと、相手に伝わらないでしょ? まずはそこからなんじゃないかな」
日菜美の訴えに、明日香の助言。
心の奥底に、小さな火が灯る。
どんよりと漂う靄が晴れたような気がした。
「仲直りしてこいよ」
ふと目が合った千昭は、ニヤリと笑って朝陽を促した。
正面にいるのに背中を蹴られたようでくすぐったい。
「......そうだな。仲直り、しなくちゃだな」
悩みに悩んで辿り着いた結論は、至極単純で直球な方法だ。
それでも確かな一歩として、朝陽は先に進む決意をする。
冬華に聞きたいこと、そして伝えたいことがある。
「さっ、空気がしんみりしちゃったし別の話しようぜ!」
「はいはいっ! かがみんが氷室さんに惚れたきっかけ知りたい!」
「......は?」
「今さら隠しても無駄だから。ふゆちゃん好きなことバレバレだよ」
つい先程までの空気が一変し、騒がしい日常が戻る気配がした。
外はまだ雨模様だが、いつかは必ず晴れると決まっている。
Ch 89
Chiaki moved next to Asahi, Hinami and Asuka, who arrived, sat facing each other.
"So, what happened with Fuyu-chan?"
"You didn't get into a fight or anything, did you?"
"Did you make her angry by any chance?"
"I know right? Kagamin is not very straightforward."
As soon as they opened the menu, the girls ordered drinks and sweets, and Asahi couldn't help but turn his body away as they leaned forward.
He ignored the nickname that had taken root and turned his attention to Chiaki.
"Why'd you call these guys?"
"Like I said, I called in some powerful helpers."
"How are they powerful? Besides, I'm not looking for any helpers."
"You sure? If you're talking to me, I think that's probably the case."
Chiaki pointed out the obvious, and Asahi fell silent.
"What are you two whispering about?"
"Yeah, yeah! Let us in too!"
The two girls were noisy, but they wouldn't do anything dumb.
'They would listen and give advice in a serious manner, probably.'
The question was the same as Chiaki's, so Asahi answered in the same way as before, and as he did so, Hinami and Asuka's faces became cloudy. They didn't look stiff or unhappy, but rather surprised and dismayed.
"A-chan, do you get it?"
"Hmm, maybe a little bit. How about you, Hinappe?"
"I have no idea!"
"Well, you ought to feel more than think."
"Yep, yep. LIke, push it, go, go!"
Asahi looked at them suspiciously as they exchanged a nonsensical conversation.
"But I might be able to understand her feelings."
"Eh? How? I'm blank on that one."
"Hey, hey! I thought you could handle relationship advice."
"I mean, both of you are thinking too hard."
As he listened absentmindedly and chewed on his fries, it seemed that the conversation was over.
As a representative, Asuka coughed and asked Asahi.
"Now, here's the question. Why is Himuro-san avoiding Kagamin?"
"I don't know, that's why I'm troubled."
"Have you thought about it then?"
So far, it was as Chiaki had asked and he told him.
Asahi couldn't think of anything.
If that was the case, he could only assume that the problem was on Fuyuka's side, but they weren't able to capture it concretely, and he couldn't deny the possibility that he might have hurt her without his knowledge.
In the end, he still didn't know anything.
"She'll avoid me in a very apologetic manner. Like a little child, if I touch her, she'll get scared."
With a downcast look on his face, Asahi lowered the tone of his voice.
"I wonder if she hates me."
Normally, Asahi wouldn't show any weakness, but he couldn't help but let the words spill out.
He himself denied the phrase, but deep down he couldn't help but think about it.
'That's why she's avoiding me.'
He was torn between wanting to believe that it wasn't, and suspecting that it was.
'When did I become so weak?'
"That's not true!"
As if out of control, Hinami's loud voice rang out.
For a moment, the store was quiet, and the eyes of the people focused on them, but it soon regained its bustle.
The table of four, led by Asahi, was the only one that maintained a tense silence.
Hinami quietly opened her mouth.
Her eyes were slightly moist, and her voice was slightly shaking.
"Asahi and Fuyu are friends, right? Not to mention, you're very close, and you like each other so much that you're always together. You can't hate a person that easily."
Her voice sounded very calm, which was unusual for Hinami. There was a certain passion in her voice.
Wiping her teary eyes, Hinami looked straight at Asahi.
"I don't want Asahi and Fuyu-chan to stay like this. I want to have lunch with you guys again."
Asuka gave up her seat and Chiaki moved to it.
Chiaki gently stroked Hinami's head as if he were wrapping around her.
"Well, I'll give you a little hint."
Asuka, who replaced Chiaki and sat next to Asahi, gave a small smile.
"Do you remember the last time we had a little love talk?"
"You just answered my question back then, didn't you?"
"Leave the details alone! I said back then that I want the happiness of the person I love as much as I want mine, didn't I?"
It was an event that left a strong impression on him during a field trip.
Ryoma, whom Asuka was in love with, was in love with Fuyuka.
Asahi asked if it was painful to have unrequited love.
The answer to that question was what Asuka just said.
I wish for the happiness of the person I love. So, I don't want to interfere with their affair.
So Asuka continued to express her fondness and never tried to step on their affair.
"I'm sure you're kind and waited like I did."
That was what Asuka told him, but the reality was a little different.
He was just a coward.
He gave way in the face of Ryoma, who had strong resolve and feelings.
Then Ryoma was rejected, and he felt disgusted with himself for being relieved, and frustrated with his current inability to act.
'I can't wish for my own happiness as much for the happiness of the person I love.'
"It's okay to wish for your own happiness as much as for the happiness of the people you love, you know?"
Asuka murmured softly, as if she had seen through Asahi's feelings.
"It's important to think about the other person's feelings. But don't you think the most important thing is your own feelings? If you like someone, you have to tell them that you like them, otherwise you can't get it across, right? I think that's the first step."
Hinami's complaint and Asuka's advice.
A small fire was lit deep in his heart.
He felt as if the haze that had been hanging over him had disappeared.
"Go make up with her."
Suddenly their eyes met, and Chiaki grinned and urged Asahi on.
'Even though he's right in front of me, it feels like I've been kicked in the back. It's not a bad feeling though.'
"...Yeah. We have to make up, right?"
The conclusion he arrived at after much worrying was a very simple and direct method.
Still, as a solid step forward, Asahi decided to move on.
There was something he wanted to ask Fuyuka, and something he wanted to tell her.
"Now then, let's talk about something else since the mood is so gloomy!"
"Here, here! I want to know how Kagamin fell in love with Himuro-san!"
"...Ha?"
"There's no point in hiding it now. It's obvious that you like Fuyu-chan."
The atmosphere that had been there just a few moments ago changed completely, and there was a sense that the bustling routine was returning.
It was still raining outside, but it was bound to clear up at some point.
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