第69話 ペアルック
朝陽と冬華が観覧したイルカショーは本日ラストの公演だったようで、同時に閉館時間も近づいていた。
まだまだ泳ぎ足りない魚たちとは対照的に、一通り満足した客足はまばらになり、静まった館内には心地の良いBGMが響き渡る。
女性スタッフのアナウンスに急かされ、次々に出口へと向かう家族連れ、カップル、学生グループに老夫婦――そんな老若男女の流れに逆らうようにして、朝陽と冬華は別の目的地と急いで向かう。
二人はもう手を繋いでいない。
人が少なくなって迷子の心配がなくなった......からではなく、ようするに頭を冷やしたのだ。
それは、単なる例え話ではなく、物理的な話。
「まさか、レインコートの内側まで浸水するとはな......」
「イルカさん、張り切ってましたからね......お陰で服がびしょ濡れです」
一番前の席に座った時点でもっと気を付けるべきだった、と後悔しても時すでに遅し。
しっかり者の冬華も珍しくぼーっとしていたらしく、二人で仲良く水飛沫の餌食になってしまった。
まだ身体の内側がじんわりと熱いが、外側はべったりと冷たい。
このままでは体調を崩してしまう可能性があるし、濡れたまま帰宅するのもはばかられる。
そして何より、冬華の服が――
「冬華、これ着てろ」
「えっ......でも、それだと朝陽くんが......」
「......ありがとうございます」
多少強引に上着を押し付けた朝陽は、ぎこちない様子で袖を通す冬華から目を逸らし、無言で目的地へと急いだ。
(透けてるなんて言えないしな......)
本人は気付いていないようだし、行き交う人々も知る由はないだろう。
ほんの少し、目を凝らさなければ見えない程度のこと。
隣に居た朝陽だけが、薄っすらと透けた春物のワンピースの先に、可愛らしい柄の布地を捉えていた。
そんなこんなで、別々の理由から顔を赤くした二人は土産屋の扉を開く。
目的はもちろん、替えの服を買う為。
閉館時間まもない状況で、洋服コーナーを見つけ出した......までは良かったのだが。
「......これしかないのか?」
「みたいですね......」
朝陽と冬華は視線を合わせて、互いに何とも言えない表情を浮かべる。
元々販売されている種類が少ないのか、それとも他は全て売れてしまったのか。売れ残っているシャツは、たったの一種類のみだった。
時計の針に追われているとはいえ、朝陽は思考と行動が一瞬だけ停止する。
お土産用なら迷う必要がないが、二人が求めているのは着替えの服だ。
「......買うか?」
「......買います。お互い、びしょ濡れですし」
四の五の言ってられないので、さっさとお会計を済ませて二人は出口の門を抜ける。
そんな中で、朝陽の頭に浮かぶのは、今日何度かすれ違った仲睦まじいカップルの姿。
同じデザインの洋服に身を包んだ男女を見て、自分には到底出来ないと内心呆れる一方で、少し羨ましく思っていた。
(まさか、俺と冬華がペアルックを......)
不本意なことだと分かっていても、意識しない方が難しい。
仄かに頬を熱くした朝陽は、口数が少なくなった冬華と共に、着替えが出来る場所を探した。
「......楽しかったですね」
待ち合わせとは違って、帰り道は一緒にということになった。
電車を乗り継ぎ、やがて最寄り駅に着く。
その間、いつもより数段と続かない会話を必死に水族館の感想で繋いだ。
しかし、見慣れた一本道を歩く途中、いよいよ話のネタが尽きてしまう。
「......イルカ、凄かった」
どことなくぎこちなくて、隣を歩く距離感も遠い朝陽と冬華。
頭を冷やして冷静になった故に、今日の出来事が一気に押し寄せているのだろう。
初デート(?)で手を繋いで、カップルと間違えられた挙句、二人は同じデザインの洋服に身を包む。
互いの気持ちを知る由もないが、羞恥心でいっぱいであることは何となく伝わった。
無言の時間に居心地が悪くなった朝陽は、ふと当り障りのない事を口にした。
それに冬華も小さく反応を示したが、もう目の前に帰る家が見え、話は長く続かない。
「今日はありがとうございました」
「こちらこそ、楽しかった」
「......また、誘ってくれると嬉しいです」
「あ、ああ......もちろん」
別れ際に浮かんだ可愛らしい笑顔が眩しい。
何気ない表情と言葉にまた一つ、恋心が増していく。
そして――
「同じクラスになれたらいいですね」
そう言い残して、冬華は扉の向こうへと消えた。
朝陽もまた、自宅の鍵を回して「ただいま」と呟く。
もちろん、「おかえり」を呟く人は誰もいない。
それを寂しいとは思わないが、少し空虚に感じてしまうのは何故だろう。
さっきまで一緒に居たのに。
またすぐに学校で会えるのに。
もう会いたいと思ってしまうのはおかしいのだろうか。
「......俺もそう思ってるよ」
たった一人の空間で、朝陽はソファに身を投げ出して呟く。
冬華と繋いでいた手が。
冬華とお揃いのシャツに触れた肌が。
冬華の可愛いらしい姿が焼き付いた目が。
溢れそうになる恋心と共に熱を帯びる。
この抑えきれない気持ちをどうすればいいのか。
答えはどこまでもシンプルなのに、正解への道筋がとても難しく思えた。
Ch 69
The dolphin show that both of them watched was the last performance of the day, and it also meant that it was time to go home.
In contrast to the fishes who were still swimming, the crowd of satisfied customers had thinned out, and the quiet interior was filled with pleasant background music.
A female staff member announced the closure. Families, couples, groups of students, and elderly couples hurried toward the exit one after another, while Asahi and Fuyuka hurried toward another destination.
They were no longer holding hands.
It wasn't because there were fewer people to worry about getting lost, but in short, they cooled down.
In both metaphorical and literal sense.
"I didn't expect to get this wet even with a raincoat..."
"Mr. Dolphin was really into it... Thanks to that, we're soaking wet."
Asahi regretted that he should have been more careful when they took the front seat, but it was already too late.
Fuyuka, who was level-headed, seemed to be unusually absent-minded, and the two of them fell prey to the splashing water together.
The inside of his body was still warm, but the outside was sticky cold.
If he stayed like this, he might get sick but he also didn't want to go home wet.
And most importantly, Fuyuka's clothes--
"Fuyuka, put this on."
"Eh...but what about you, Asahi-kun...?"
"...Thank you very much."
After somewhat forcibly handing the jacket to her, Asahi turned away from Fuyuka, who was awkwardly pulling the sleeves through, and silently hurried to their destination.
'I can't tell that her clothes are see-through...'
She didn't seem to be aware of it, and the people passing by would have no way of knowing.
It was only a little, and one would have to strain their eyes to see it.
Only Asahi, who was standing next to her, caught the lovely patterned fabric through her thin, transparent spring dress.
While blushing for different reasons, they opened the door to the souvenir shop.
The purpose, of course, was to buy replacement clothes.
It was fine that they found the clothing section just before closing time but...
"...Is this all they have?"
"...It appears so."
Asahi and Fuyuka looked at each other and made indescribable expressions at each other.
He wondered if there were only a few of them available, or if all the others had been sold. There was only one type of shirt left unsold.
Even though he was running out of time, Asahi's thoughts and actions stopped for a moment.
If it was souvenirs, there was no need to hesitate, but what they were looking for was a change of clothes.
"...Should we?"
"...Yes. Since, we're both soaking wet."
They quickly paid the bill and walked through the exit gate.
In the midst of all this, Asahi's mind drifted to the image of a friendly couple who had passed him several times today.
He looked at the couple dressed in the same design of clothing, and while he was inwardly dismayed thinking he could never do that, but also a little envious.
'I didn't expect to do it with Fuyuka...'
Although he knew it was an accident, it was difficult not to be conscious of it.
Asahi, with his cheeks faintly burning, looked for a place where he could change his clothes with Fuyuka, who had become less talkative.
"...It was quite fun."
Unlike their rendezvous, they decided to make their way back together.
They took the train and eventually arrived at the nearest station.
In the meantime, he tried his best to keep the conversation going with his impressions of the aquarium.
However, while walking along the familiar single track road, he finally ran out of things to talk about.
"...The dolphins were amazing."
Asahi and Fuyuka were somewhat awkward, and the distance between them seemed distant.
It might be because they had calmed down and they were taking all in what they did today.
On their first date(?), they held hands. Although mistaken for a couple, they wore matching outfits.
They had no way of knowing how they felt about each other, but both of them could somehow tell that they were filled with shame.
Feeling uncomfortable with the silence, Asahi suddenly said something bland.
Fuyuka also responded in the same manner, but the conversation didn't last long as they could already see the apartment in front.
"Thank you for today."
"Likewise, it was fun."
"I hope you'll invite me again."
"Y-yeah... Of course."
He was dazzled by the cute smile that appeared on her face when they parted.
Her casual expression and words made him fall in love with her all over again.
And then--
"It would be nice if we were to be in the same class."
After saying that, Fuyuka disappeared behind the door.
Asahi also turned the key to his house and muttered, "I'm home."
Of course, no one replied "welcome back" to him.
He didn't particularly feel lonely about that, but he wondered why he felt a little empty.
'We were together a moment ago, yet.'
'We'll meet at school, and yet.'
'Is it strange that I want to see her already?'
"...I think so too."
In the lone space, Asahi threw himself down on the sofa and muttered.
The hand that he held Fuyuka with.
His skin that touched the matching shirt he bought with Fuyuka.
Fuyuka's adorable figure that was burned into his eyes.
The heat rising along with his overflowing love.
'What should I do with this uncontrollable feeling?'
The answer was simple in every way, but the path to the correct answer seemed very difficult.
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