Vol. 2 Chapter 102 – To Do It or Not (3)

“T-that means… me and Hikaru… right?” (Reiya)

At the overly obvious question, Hikaru just nodded slightly.

My heart was beating incredibly fast.

Blood was rushing through my whole body making whooshing sounds.

I want to.

Of course I want to.

I want to touch parts of Hikaru’s body I haven’t touched yet.

I want to know everything about my beloved that I don’t know yet.

Of course I have such instinctive male desires.

A situation where just saying one word—’I want to’—would make it happen.

My body had been promoting blood flow, demanding loudly that I act.

“What about Hikaru…? What do you think…?” (Reiya)

“M-me? Asking me is… unfair, isn’t it?” (Hikaru)

“No, but… that kind of thing requires both people’s consent…” (Reiya)

“Ugh…” (Hikaru)

At my words, Hikaru fidgeted with her free hand while restlessly moving her gaze.

“Of course… I’d want to do it with Reiya-kun…” (Hikaru)

And despite her bright red face, she clearly said that and I died.

“…So, what about Reiya-kun?” (Hikaru)

No, this isn’t the time to die.

“…Of course, I want to. I definitely want to do it with Hikaru too.” (Reiya)

I somehow maintained my connection to this world and conveyed my feelings directly to Hikaru.

“Mm… good to be honest…” (Hikaru)

Whether hiding embarrassment, Hikaru answered with slightly imperious phrasing.

Not just me—Hikaru felt the same way.

That was truly happy, but my answer had more to it.

“But I think it’s still different for now…” (Reiya)

Looking straight into Hikaru’s face, I voiced my other true feelings.

“Eh? W-well… I think doing it here with everyone around would be awkward too… next time, in Reiya-kun’s room would be…” (Hikaru)

“T-that’s true too, but… if we’re going to do it, there are various things to consider…” (Reiya)

“Things to consider…?” (Hikaru)

“You know, like… the possibility of pregnancy…? But Hikaru still has her career ahead… if that happened, we’d need major revisions to future plans…” (Reiya)

“Hmm… that’s true, but… wouldn’t it be okay if we’re careful? Like I said, I’m already on it…” (Hikaru)

“But that’s not 100% either, right…?” (Reiya)

With only knowledge from health class, I’d heard even properly protected acts leave small possibilities.

“Honestly, I want to do it like crazy…! I want to do it right now, as many times as possible…! But if there’s even a tiny risk that only Hikaru would bear… I think it’s still too early for us…” (Reiya)

I somehow held back raging instincts and made a rational decision.

Even if it was a one-in-a-million chance, I didn’t want to create flaws in my future with Hikaru.

Whether I was called a coward or chicken, that was hundreds of times more important to me than first experiences.

“So… if anything happens… could you wait until I can support Hikaru’s life too…?” (Reiya)

“Meaning, after graduating high school… going through four years of university, and getting a job…?” (Hikaru)

She looked at me like that was way too long.

But of course I wasn’t talking about such a distant future.

“No, actually I’m… making a game right now. With Taiju-san and others…” (Reiya)

Thinking this was the perfect timing, I told Hikaru what I’d been hiding.

“Eh!? A game!! Really!?” (Hikaru)

The moment she heard that word, completely different from the previous intimate atmosphere, Hikaru’s eyes began sparkling brilliantly.

“Y-yeah… seriously for a while now… I couldn’t tell Hikaru because there wasn’t a good timing…” (Reiya)

“What kind!? Action!? Shooting!? Or simulation!?” (Hikaru)

She pressed closer with even more interest than our previous conversation.

Even the stars floating in the summer night sky paled compared to these sparkling eyes.

“N-no… turn-based combat roguelike…” (Reiya)

“StS-type!? The kind you can play infinitely!!” (Hikaru)

With just that information, she immediately understood what kind of game it was.

She’s really been converted… I felt somewhat moved.

“Something like that… not deck-building but a game where you build parties based on classic RPGs…” (Reiya)

“Eh~! Sounds super interesting…! When can I play it!?” (Hikaru)

“The specific date isn’t decided yet… but we’re talking about making it playable by year-end and releasing it as early access to gauge player reactions.” (Reiya)

“Eh!? It’ll be distributed on Stream and such by year-end!?” (Hikaru)

“Yeah, distributed as a product… people will pay money to play it.” (Reiya)

“Eh~, amazing~! I’m looking forward to it~! It’s like I got another reason to live~!” (Hikaru)

“So, back to what we were talking about…” (Reiya)

I told Hikaru again as she sparkled like a child.

“When that’s released and sells properly as a product… and people who buy it enjoy it, I’m thinking of deciding my future path. Taiju-san and others are pretty eager, saying let’s keep working together…” (Reiya)

A dream I’d had since long ago but had nearly given up on thinking it was impossible.

I told her that thanks to Hikaru, it was now taking realistic shape.

“Yeah! That’s the best! I think Reiya-kun can definitely do it!” (Hikaru)

Her eyes sparkled even more as she gripped my hands tightly with both of hers.

Without any basis, when Hikaru said that, it seemed certain to work out.

“So, at that time… how about it? Doing it…” (Reiya)

“At that time… doing it…? Ah…!” (Hikaru)

Finally remembering our earlier conversation, Hikaru’s face turned bright red as she shrank.

“At that time, if anything happens… I think I’d have confidence I could support Hikaru too… is thinking like this too heavy?” (Reiya)

“Yeah… that’s super heavy…” (Hikaru)

At my question, Hikaru narrowed her eyes and answered.

“Ugh… y-yeah… it is heavy…” (Reiya)

Of course it is.

Normally in high school romance, thinking this far ahead would make anyone recoil.

Even sex should normally happen by giving in to desire and circumstances.

The direct response stabbed painfully into my chest, but—

“But that’s why I like you even more now.” (Hikaru)

Hikaru continued with a beaming smile.

“M-more… eh? W-what do you mean…?” (Reiya)

“Because that was almost like a proposal.” (Hikaru)

“Eh!? W-was it…?” (Reiya)

A strange voice came out as she pointed out the hidden intent in my words.

“Yeah. Because you meant when Reiya-kun can support me… right?” (Hikaru)

“N-no… I hadn’t put that much meaning into it yet…” (Reiya)

“No good~! I already received it as a proposal so you can’t take it back now~!” (Hikaru)

She struck a pose like carefully holding something precious.

“Eh… well… if Hikaru received it that way, that’s fine…” (Reiya)

“Yeah! I will! But Reiya-kun, you did something regrettable~…” (Hikaru)

“R-regrettable…?” (Reiya)

“Because if you’d said you wanted to have sex now, I would have let you.” (Hikaru)

Hikaru wore a mischievous smile.

That slightly more alluring expression than usual made desire surge up again.

Whenever she found an opening to attack, she’d always launch fierce assaults.

“Ugh… when you put it that way, I do feel like I did something regrettable…” (Reiya)

“Really. It’s like missing a once-only time-limited event in a long RPG.” (Hikaru)

“But Hikaru’s future is much more important to me than that…” (Reiya)

As my best counterattack to such an assault, I stated my true feelings once more.

“…Really unfair… that’s definitely a proposal…” (Hikaru)

“Eh…? D-did you say something…?” (Reiya)

She averted her gaze embarrassedly and muttered something I couldn’t catch well.

“Nothing! I mean, can you really endure until then~?” (Hikaru)

“W-well… I have to endure…” (Reiya)

“But if you make me wait too long, I might change my mind and say never mind~…” (Hikaru)

“Eh!? That would be… quite problematic…” (Reiya)

“Then you’d better work hard to finish it quickly.” (Hikaru)

“Yes… I’ll do my best to fulfill the promise as soon as possible…” (Reiya)

“Reiya-kun’s perverted…” (Hikaru)

“Eh!? W-why does it become that!?” (Reiya)

Holding hands with Hikaru under the sky watched only by the moon, we playfully bantered with slightly more boldness than usual.

That night, needless to say, I lay awake agonizing, thinking ‘Did I maybe make a far more incredible promise than just going with the flow…?’

— Author’s Note —
I’ll declare this here again.

I will write it properly!! When the time comes, no matter what happens or who gets angry, I’ll write it thoroughly!! So please support me so I don’t give up before reaching that point!! Please buy the book too!! Thank you!!