Chapter 17: The Ultimate Kyoto Plan
♥♥♥
Touno, Miyamae, me, Fukuda-kun, and Daidouji-san.
The five of us in Kyoto were back to normal. It might not be long before Morita becomes the sixth.
Miyamae and Morita seemed to be doing well. On days when her tutoring job ran late, Morita made sure to walk her back to Sakura Heights.
“I never needed you, Kirishima.”
Miyamae said, laughing.
The fish-grilling party on the private road resumed, and Touno and Miyamae patched things up. At first, Touno worried that Miyamae might be forcing herself.
“Sorry, I’ve probably been pretty awful lately.”
“That’s not true.”
It’s my fault, Miyamae apologized.
“I’ve got a tiny bit of a clingy side, you know. The first guy I got close to was Kirishima, so I got a bit confused.”
Let’s keep being friends, Miyamae said, reconciling with Touno.
“I’m happy now that I have a boyfriend.”
Miyamae happily talked about Morita. Places they went, things they ate. Since they’re at the same university and work the same job, they’re always together, and she said it’s fun.
I casually observed Miyamae, but she didn’t seem to be showering Morita with gifts.
Morita seemed like the ideal boyfriend for Miyamae.
“I’m glad you picked him, Kirishima.”
Miyamae said.
“Whenever I’m in trouble, I’ll just have you choose for me.”
“You’ve got Morita for that now, don’t you?”
“Oh, right.”
Miyamae would live her Kyoto campus life with Morita. Walking along the Kamogawa, going to Gion Matsuri or Aoi Matsuri—it’d be Morita by her side.
It feels a bit lonely, but this is fine.
This is things settling where they belong.
But it’s not just Miyamae.
The ending I envision, maybe not perfect, but one where everyone can move forward positively.
The final touch was still left.
♥♥♥
“It’s finally next week, huh?”
Hayasaka-san said.
“Tachibana-san’s last stage.”
That day, I was in a seaside town.
I took an early morning train and arrived around noon. When I went to the beach, Hayasaka-san was gazing at the sea. The late autumn coast felt a bit lonely.
“You’re performing too, right, Kirishima-kun? Playing the wadaiko, was it?”
“Just a side act, though.”
My university’s festival was happening next week. That stage would be Tachibana-san’s final one for the festival circuit. The program had Tachibana-san as the finale, with my wadaiko performance just before it.
“Tachibana-san’s doing it alone, I heard.”
Hayasaka-san was keeping in close contact with Tachibana-san.
“She said she won’t rely on anyone anymore.”
“Yeah. She told me not to come to the green room either.”
The wadaiko stage involves fifteen volunteers, so it wouldn’t be a big deal if I stepped out.
But Tachibana-san said I didn’t need to come at all. She even refused to have me watch from a distance as a safety net for her performance.
“I asked if I should stay with her, but she said she didn’t need that either.”
“I hope she can play properly……”
“She said she’d accept it even if she couldn’t. I think she’ll be fine, though.”
“You think so?”
“Yeah. Tachibana-san’s like a girl from a drama.”
Hayasaka-san gazed at the horizon. Her soft-looking cheeks. The sea breeze was already cold, and she wore a winter coat.
“Is winter harsh in this town?”
“Last year wasn’t too bad. There was a day when snow piled up, though. It gets quieter compared to summer since tourists disappear.”
But winter has its own charms, Hayasaka-san said.
“The fish get delicious. I eat hotpot in a kotatsu~”
Her room must have a warm vibe.
For a while, we silently watched the sea. The waves coming and going brought a calm feeling. Eventually, Hayasaka-san spoke slowly.
“Miyamae-san got a boyfriend, I heard.”
“Yeah. She’s having fun.”
“And next, Tachibana-san will stand on stage alone and play the piano. That’s what you’re trying to do, right, Kirishima-kun?”
“Yeah. I call it the Ultimate Kyoto Plan.”
“…………”
“What’s with that face?”
“You’ve got that side to you, don’t you, Kirishima-kun!”
Hayasaka-san had an indescribable expression.
“No, this is a plan to make everyone happy. Miyamae got a boyfriend, so she won’t fall for some weird guy, and she can stay friends with Touno. Tachibana-san will play the piano on stage, expanding her opportunities. Both of them will surely have wonderful lives.”
“Is that okay?”
“What?”
“Tachibana-san plans to never return to Kyoto after going back to Tokyo. Are you okay with that, Kirishima-kun?”
Hayasaka-san’s clear eyes stared at me. I looked up at the sky once, then said,
“……It’s fine. It’s okay.”
“I see.”
There was no need to say much more.
In the end, I’m Touno’s boyfriend, and that’s everything.
“Hey, Kirishima-kun.”
Hayasaka-san said.
“Let’s play a bit.”
“Doing what?”
“Hmm, how about collecting seashells?”
Since Hayasaka-san suggested it, we walked to the water’s edge.
“But is picking up seashells really fun?”
As I said that and crouched to look for shells, it happened.
“Bam!”
Hayasaka-san suddenly tackled me, and I fell butt-first into the shallow water.
“W-Wait, it’s cold!”
But Hayasaka-san mercilessly scooped up seawater and splashed me.
“You idiot, Kirishima-kun! Clueless jerk!”
Hayasaka-san was laughing.
“W-Wait, what’s with this vibe~!?”
In the end, Hayasaka-san completely soaked me.
“Phew.”
Hayasaka-san, looking satisfied, took a breath. Then, with a refreshing expression, she said,
“I’m going to the festival too. Not to see you, Kirishima-kun, okay?”
“I know.”
Hayasaka-san was coming for Tachibana-san.
“Even from the audience, I want to cheer for Tachibana-san.”
♥♥♥
A week passed quickly. Attending lectures, fishing, cycling through food court shops with Touno, listening to Miyamae gush about her boyfriend—it all flew by.
And then, the day of the festival stage arrived.
Just past noon, Tachibana-san, as usual, came out of Sakura Heights, pulling her wheeled suitcase with her costume inside.
I watched her from my window. This would be the last time.
A little later, Touno came to my room.
“Let’s go!”
“You’re fired up~”
“Of course! It’s your big day, Kirishima-san!”
Touno was excited for my wadaiko stage and had promised to listen to Tachibana-san’s performance afterward.
We left Yamame-sou and biked to the university.
On a sunny afternoon, the festival was packed with people.
“What do you think of our university?”
“How do I put it…… It feels pretty eccentric……”
“Does it?”
“Why is there an ostrich!?”
For some reason, an ostrich was in front of the auditorium. A signboard announced a handshake event.
“How do you even shake hands with it!?”
“Probably around the wing area?”
Touno found a lot of things baffling. A mysterious napping zone, a daruma-throwing contest, incomprehensible student films, a grand debate between Kinoko no Yama and Takenoko no Sato factions based on “scientific evidence.” The debate was settled by arm-wrestling.
“What is everyone even aiming for?”
“I don’t know either. But I’m used to it.”
The field was crowded with food stalls, which Touno loved.
“The curry club is great! It’s so delicious!”
“If you weren’t in the volleyball club, you’d be in the curry club, Touno.”
“…………”
By the time we’d made the rounds, the sun was starting to set. Some stalls were beginning to pack up.
Today was the festival’s final day.
The finale featured various performances on a special stage in the field, ending with a big bonfire. My wadaiko and Tachibana-san’s piano were part of the program.
“Isn’t it about time to get ready?”
“Yeah.”
I headed to the wadaiko team’s green room. Since Touno wanted to see Hamanami, she came along.
Opening the classroom door, I saw festival committee member Hamanami handing out drumsticks to the volunteers.
“Kirishima-senpai, hurry up and change.”
“W-Wait, whoa!”
Seeing the group of volunteers, Touno shyly covered her eyes with both hands.
“Um, everyone, this outfit is—”
“I told you we’d wear happi coats, right?”
“Yeah, but there’s something else stealing the show!”
That’s right—we were playing wadaiko in traditional style: fundoshi and happi coats.
“Hamanami-san, are you sure about this plan? It’s pretty out there!”
Festival committee member Hamanami tilted her head, puzzled.
“It’s just a festival, isn’t it?”
“You’ve completely been dyed by the university’s colors……”
I guess it’s fine, Touno said, blushing and looking away.
“I know you practiced late into the night, Kirishima-san. No matter the outfit, I hope it goes well! I’ll be cheering from below the stage!”
“Thanks.”
“See you!”
Touno dashed off with a whoosh.
“What’s that about?”
Hamanami said, looking at the men in fundoshi and happi coats.
“Is she saying we need to bulk up? From the perspective of athletic Touno-san, are we all too scrawny to pull off the fundoshi look?”
“Probably something like that~”
Joking around, I changed into my fundoshi and happi coat.
The outfit was playful, but since we were playing wadaiko on the final day’s stage, we had to deliver bold, rousing rhythms to hype up the finale. That was our role.
I gripped the drumsticks tightly, recalling the practiced rhythms, and rehearsed the motions of striking the drum in the air.
As showtime approached and I was about to move to the stage wings, Hamanami spoke to me.
“I ran into Hayasaka-san.”
Apparently, she was at the food stalls.
“And she asked me about Tachibana-san.”
“I see.”
“Are you sure about this? Leaving her alone. I know it’s not my place to say, but this stage has quite a crowd……”
Tachibana-san’s stage is solo. So, Hamanami was suggesting I could go support her instead. But—
“It’s fine. Tachibana-san doesn’t need my help. Not this time.”
And—
“Not ever again.”
Hamanami nodded solemnly and said, “Understood.”
“Let’s head to the stage.”
♥♥♥
It was completely dark outside.
Under the spotlight illuminating the stage, I faced the wadaiko, holding my right hand with the drumstick raised to the night sky, standing still.
At the edge of the stage, Hamanami held a mic, delivering the opening remarks.
Hamanami checked on us, confirming we were ready. After a deliberate pause, she gave the signal to start.
In that instant, I swung the raised drumstick down.
The wadaiko’s sound reverberated. I struck the drum, feeling the recoil return, sensing the contours and energy of my own body. A perfectly synchronized wave of sound.
Don dodon don, Don dodon don.
Don dodon don, Don dodon don.
The tempo quickly picked up.
The wave of sound became a powerful torrent, shaking the air. My arms grew tired, but my body moved, carried by the rhythm I created. Sweat dripped from my forehead.
It was dark below the stage, and I couldn’t see anyone’s faces. But Touno was probably watching me.
And Hayasaka-san was there too. Daidouji-san, Fukuda-kun, and Miyamae, who said she’d come with her boyfriend—they were probably there as well.
Don dodon don, Don dodon don.
Don dodon don, Don dodon don.
The people dear to me were watching this stage from the field.
I want them to be happy.
Expressing that feeling so directly is embarrassing, so I’ve been doing it as Kirishima Erich. And I’ll probably keep doing it that way.
But—
Don dodon don, Don dodon don.
Don dodon don, Don dodon don.
Tonight, I’m not Kirishima Erich. This sound isn’t for everyone.
Right now, I’m playing this drum as Kirishima Shirou, for just one person.
I’m playing for Tachibana-san.
I’m playing for Tachibana-san, who’s trembling in the green room right now. For her, who’s being crushed by anxiety. Not for everyone—just for one person’s sound.
Tachibana-san might be hitting her hands against her knees again. She might be crying.
I can’t be by her side. I can’t support her from close by.
So, I make this sound.
I want it to reach Tachibana-san.
Keep going, keep going.
This is a sound to encourage and inspire Tachibana-san. A fight song to give courage to her, standing alone on stage.
This is all I can do, but I still want it to reach her.
Gripping the drumsticks, striking the drum, shaking the air—I want my feelings to ride those vibrations and reach Tachibana-san right now.
Keep going, don’t lose.
Keep going, don’t lose.
I toss the drumsticks aside.
And I throw off my happi coat.
In just a fundoshi, I leap to the center of the stage. A massive taiko drum is set up there, and I grab the huge drumsticks placed beside it.
A taiko drum bigger than my body.
Raising both hands above my head, bracing my feet, I strike with my whole body.
Don dodon don Don dodon don.
Don dodon don, Don dodon don.
Sweat pours from my entire body. My back, my arms—they’re burning. It’s definitely my physical limit, but the sound I create keeps my body moving. I’m nothing but a mass of feelings now.
Hey, Tachibana-san, can you hear this?
I’m speaking to you, Tachibana-san. Only to you.
Don dodon don, Don dodon don.
Don dodon don, Don dodon don.
Tachibana-san, it’s obvious, but I really wanted to stay by your side. But time has passed, and we can’t go back to those days. So you have to stand on stage alone.
And you’ll be fine, Tachibana-san.
I know it.
You’re a special girl. You don’t need to stay trapped in frozen time. You played so many sounds for me in that old school music room.
There’s no need to stop those sounds. They’re still inside you.
If you take even one step forward, they’ll come rushing back. Everything will come back.
Sure, a lot has happened since then. You lost your voice. But you worked hard, got into university, and succeeded with your videos.
You thought you’d passed through the tunnel to a bright future, but then you couldn’t stand on stage.
Just when you thought you’d overcome one thing, another problem arose. It must’ve been tough.
But I know. You’ll overcome this too and move toward the future.
Once you can stand on stage, you’ll be free. With your sensitivity and piano skills, you’ll soar anywhere. What awaits is an infinite future.
You might not know it yet.
But you can do it.
I know. I just know.
If you want it, Tachibana-san, you can do anything.
This is a prayer.
I’m an adult now; I don’t think feelings or prayers alone can change anything. The taiko I’m playing might just be a meaningless string of sounds. But even so, if it can push someone’s back just a little, I want it to.
It’s not about moving the world. I just want to give courage to one girl, just one.
I prayed. I kept praying.
♥♥♥
Before I knew it, our performance was over.
Applause spread like ripples.
I took a towel from Hamanami, wiped my sweat, and hurried back to the green room to put on my kimono and haori. Returning to the field, I saw them dismantling the wadaiko and setting up an upright piano on stage.
Standing side by side with Touno, I waited for Tachibana-san to take the stage.
Fifteen minutes past the scheduled time, Tachibana-san still hadn’t appeared. As the intermission dragged on and the crowd grew restless, it happened.
Dressed in a chic one-piece dress, Tachibana-san walked slowly onto the stage. Her cool expression gave no hint of her emotions.
She sat quietly, touched a key with her index finger, and played a single note.
Then, without a word, she froze.
A wave of confusion rippled through the audience.
But then, Tachibana-san played another note. She stopped again. She repeated this several times.
To others, it might’ve looked like she was checking the piano’s feel or tuning.
But I knew.
Tachibana-san was searching for her sound. Or maybe gathering it piece by piece.
She was facing it alone.
Gradually, the intervals between notes shortened. They began to connect, forming a melody.
It was as if a spark had ignited in Tachibana-san’s delicate frame. The stage was a bit far, but I could vividly imagine her white hands moving smoothly.
The music started slowly.
Like a wildfire spreading, it gained speed, becoming a full piece.
Hayasaka-san was right.
Tachibana-san was a girl who never missed a climax, and there was no problem. From a slow intro, she flawlessly played a piano arrangement of a popular song to the end.
After one piece, she took a breath and looked toward the audience.
The audience was dark from the stage, so she couldn’t possibly see faces. But I felt like she looked at me.
From there, she played a few popular songs from her videos.
I could tell Tachibana-san had taken off. She was free now.
Eventually, she played songs she didn’t perform in her videos—piano pieces by George Gershwin and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
It was a transition from a video creator to Tachibana Hikari.
From popular songs to piano pieces. And then—
The final piece was classical piano.
I knew the song.
Liszt’s Un Sospiro.
Back in high school, I said I loved it, and Tachibana-san always played it for me.
I listened to her performance quietly, like back then.
It might’ve been Tachibana-san’s parting gift to me.
After the performance, she picked up the mic and, in a hoarse voice, said,
It was the first time in three years I’d heard Tachibana-san’s voice.
“Thank you.”
♥♥♥
After the festival’s finale bonfire in the field, I walked alone along the Kamogawa at night.
After Tachibana-san’s performance, I saw Hayasaka-san run to her as she left the stage. I wanted to do the same, but I couldn’t. Tachibana-san’s time had started moving again, and I no longer belonged by her side.
I’d cool off from the festival’s heat by the Kamogawa, then join the wadaiko team’s afterparty.
Tomorrow, Touno would throw a “good job” party for me.
That’s where I belong now.
The Ultimate Kyoto Plan worked out.
I walked, lost in that thought.
The sound of the river and my geta.
I don’t know if I made everyone happy.
But I must’ve at least helped them move forward.
That sense of accomplishment and fulfillment vanished in an instant.
The Kamogawa is popular with couples. It’s a great spot to relax and talk after a day in the city.
Even now, some sat by the river, others walked together. Among them, a man and woman stood arguing.
Not exactly arguing—the man was yelling at the woman one-sidedly.
The man got heated, and eventually, he hit her. It was a shocking, full-force blow.
The man hitting was Morita, and the woman being hit was Miyamae.
At first, I couldn’t process what was happening. Miyamae being hit by someone was unthinkable, impossible.
But as I stood frozen, Morita hit Miyamae’s face again.
Miyamae started crying like a child.
I have no memory of the next few minutes.
When I came to, I was holding a broken kokyu in one hand, stepping on Morita with my geta.
“Stop it! That’s enough!”
Miyamae hugged me from behind, trying to stop me.
Apparently, I’d hit Morita with the kokyu and kicked him repeatedly with my geta. Coming to my senses, I didn’t know how to handle the situation, so I turned to Morita.
“Don’t ever come near Miyamae again.”
I don’t know if I had the right to say that. But I couldn’t forgive anyone who raised a hand to Miyamae, no matter who they were.
Morita stood up, stumbling, and left the scene.
“I’m sorry.”
I turned to Miyamae.
“Really, I’m so sorry. I picked a terrible guy.”
Miyamae’s right cheek, where she’d been hit, was red.
“Has he been doing this to you the whole time?”
“Getting hit in the face was the first time…… but……”
Apparently, soon after they started dating, Morita began raising his hand to her.
Things were fine when they agreed. But Morita was the type to force compliance through strength when Miyamae didn’t do as he said.
“The first time he hit me was when he told me to delete all the guys’ contacts.”
Back then, Miyamae still thought Morita was a kind guy, so she laughed and said, “No way~.” The next moment, she was punched in the stomach.
“When I hurriedly deleted them, he put on a kind face.”
“That happened……?”
Miyamae tried to convince herself it was a one-time thing. Even without contacts, she could visit Yamame-sou to see us anytime, or connect through Touno if needed.
As for Morita, she tried to interpret it positively: his love was so strong that he didn’t want her involved with other guys, so he wanted her to delete contacts and lashed out in the heat of the moment.
But she was wrong.
The next time she was hit was during a date. Morita suggested bowling, but Miyamae wanted to see a movie. Their opinions clashed, and Miyamae, in the same playful tone she used with me, insisted on the movie. Morita’s expression turned cold, and he slapped her head.
Morita believed a girlfriend should obey him.
Miyamae shrank and gradually stopped resisting. But when she timidly said no to something she didn’t like, she’d get hit every time.
“Why did he hit you today?”
“He said we should go to a hotel…… and I refused……”
From what she said, Miyamae had been enduring abuse the whole time.
While I was naively thinking I’d made Miyamae happy too, she was suffering all along.
“Why, why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because, because……”
Miyamae, crying with a bue~ sound, said,
“If I had a boyfriend and wasn’t happy, it’d trouble you, right, Kirishima? If I wasn’t getting along with Touno, you’d hate that, right? So, so—”
I’m such a fool.
What Ultimate Kyoto Plan?
What Kirishima Erich?
In the end, I was just chasing a situation that was safe for me.
Since I’m dating Touno, I couldn’t hurt her. With that as a premise, I was trying to realize an ideal where everyone around me settled nicely. Like, “This way, everyone’s happy, right?” I was just imposing that on them.
And I pushed a terrible boyfriend onto Miyamae, yet she kept pretending to be happy for the sake of my relationship with Touno.
I was just running away.
I turned my back on the emotions of Miyamae, crying while clutching a trash bag as she entered Sakura Heights. Because I had Touno as my girlfriend, I naively thought it’d be great if Miyamae got a boyfriend and we could all be happy friends.
But Miyamae was serious.
And this is the result.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”
I wiped Miyamae’s tears and hugged her.
I kept holding her until she stopped crying.
“Is there anything I can do for you now? I’ll do anything for you, Miyamae.”
“Anything?”
“Yeah……”
But a bad feeling crept in, and I tried to stop her.
“Wait, hold on.”
But Miyamae had stopped crying completely and was looking at me with expectant eyes.
The phrase the crow that was crying is already laughing. fit perfectly.
“Then I want to do it.”
Miyamae, fully regaining her energy, said,
“I want to do that with you, Kirishima!”
♥♥♥
I was in a love hotel bed with Miyamae. We’d both showered, were in our underwear, and were ready for that kind of thing.
Miyamae, shyly wrapped in the sheets, was rolling around on the bed.
But—
“How do I put this…… isn’t there something else we should do instead?”
“I was hit by Morita! Hit!”
“When you say that, I’ve got no comeback……”
It’s true I’m responsible for choosing Morita.
I imposed an image of a happy Miyamae with a boyfriend and ended up causing her to be abused. So I want to do whatever Miyamae wishes, but—
“Is this really okay?”
I tried saying.
But seeing Miyamae’s shoulders peeking from the sheets, I couldn’t help wanting to do as she said. Her beautiful white skin was marred with bruises.
She acted happy in front of me, but behind that, Morita was hitting her.
Right now, Miyamae was acting like a sly girl, being cheerful. Since I said I’d do anything, she’s taking advantage with a mischievous vibe, leading us here. But it’s clear she’s acting lighthearted to avoid being too serious for my sake.
Besides, Miyamae’s request to do this had a real reason.
By the Kamogawa, she voiced that reason.
I want you to overwrite it.
Apparently, Morita had been rough with her in bed.
He was my boyfriend, after all…… It’s my fault for being stupid…… but……
She timidly tugged my sleeve, saying she wanted to do it with me to erase those bad memories.
It was undeniably my fault that Miyamae chose Morita as her boyfriend and ended up with those bad memories.
That’s why we ended up in a love hotel.
“Hey, Kirishima, don’t you want to do it with me?”
Miyamae, wrapped in the sheets, said. Her eyes wavered with anxiety.
“It’s not like that……”
“Am I…… dirty after what Morita did to me?”
Miyamae curled up smaller.
“No, no way.”
Miyamae is always a wonderful girl.
“Hey, Kirishima, can you kiss me?”
“Yeah. You’re beautiful, Miyamae, and I’d want to. Anyone would.”
Miyamae looked down, embarrassed.
“Then……”
Miyamae cast off the sheets around her body.
Twisting shyly, she said,
“……What about my body?”
“It’s attractive—”
Wanting to encourage her, I said,
“It’s really beautiful…… and your underwear’s cute.”
“I bought it thinking of you, Kirishima. Stupid, right…… since you’re not my boyfriend.”
Miyamae looked downward.
More than that, my heart ached seeing the bruises all over her body, now visible without the sheets. Noticing my gaze, Miyamae said,
“Kirishima, don’t make that face.”
“Sorry, Miyamae.”
“No, it’s not your fault, Kirishima. It’s because I’m stupid.”
We fell silent for a while. Eventually, Miyamae leaned closer to me.
“If you do it with me…… I can forget everything he did……”
That’s how Miyamae was.
“So, just once…… I want you to do it……”
I touched Miyamae’s bruises. Miyamae, hit in places I didn’t know. Yet she acted happy for my sake.
I don’t know if this would atone for it. But if Miyamae wanted it—
With that thought, I made up my mind and said,
“……Okay.”
“Thank you, Kirishima.”
I hugged Miyamae. But I couldn’t help wondering if doing it like this was right. Miyamae seemed hesitant too, her embrace awkward.
Then she said,
“Hey, Kirishima.”
“What?”
“Why don’t we pretend to be lovers just for now?”
Just this once, Miyamae said.
“Forget everything else for a bit. I’ll be held as your lover, and you’ll hold me as your lover. Then there’s no problem, right?”
“True.”
In terms of focusing on the moment, switching our mindset like that might be better.
“You don’t have to feel guilty about doing something bad to me, Kirishima. We’re just lovers doing this. So there’s no need to hesitate, and…… I think it’s okay to enjoy my body……”
Miyamae said, avoiding my eyes.
“If you do it selfishly, I won’t feel awkward…… and I’d be happier that way……”
“……Okay.”
I’d be Miyamae’s lover just this once, just for this moment.
Thinking that way made it easier for me to accept, and doing it properly would leave no regrets. With that, I said,
“I’ll think of you as my lover, Miyamae.”
“……Yeah.”
“I’m gonna enjoy your body, Miyamae.”
“…………Yeah.”
Thinking that, the girl in my arms was a beautiful, alluring woman in her underwear.
I hugged Miyamae and kissed her. In just our underwear, I felt her smooth skin with my whole body. When our lips parted, Miyamae, with a teary face, said, “Fueeee.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I got to kiss you, Kirishima……”
She hugged me tightly, pressing her lips to mine again. Being inexperienced, Miyamae didn’t deepen the kiss, so I slipped my tongue between her lips.
That alone melted her.
“Kirihimaa…… Kirihimaa……”
She clumsily moved her tongue into my mouth, eagerly sucking on mine. When we parted, a thread of saliva lingered.
Miyamae, blushing, stood with her thighs pressed together.
The beautiful curves of her white body. I touched her contours.
Collarbone, shoulders, waist, thighs, and the smooth satin of her underwear.
I touched her soft inner thighs, intending to go further. But the moment my fingers brushed her underwear, Miyamae closed her legs.
“I-It’s embarrassing……”
She said, tensing up. But after waiting quietly, she clung to me, hiding her face, and slowly parted her legs.
I traced over her underwear. The already damp fabric grew wetter, changing color.
“It’s because I like you, Kirishima.”
“Yeah. Thank you.”
Miyamae’s affection was unstoppable. Slipping my fingers under her underwear, I found it hot, and as I touched her, wet sounds emerged, soaking her thighs and dripping onto the sheets. It flowed endlessly, truly unstoppable.
“U…… Uu……”
Miyamae trembled, looking at me pleadingly. I kissed her, exploring her mouth with my tongue while moving my fingers. The next moment—
“Ah…… No…… Kirishima…… I’m…… coming!”
Miyamae arched her back, thrusting her white stomach toward the ceiling as she climaxed.
Exhausted, she wore an ecstatic expression.
“Kirishima, I love youu…… I love youu……”
She murmured dreamily.
Her whole body was hot, soft, and completely ready.
“Moree…… Kirishima, moree……”
At her urging, I removed her upper underwear. Her large breasts were exposed, and I touched them, kissing her while slipping my fingers back into her wet underwear.
Miyamae, completely surrendering her heart and body, was utterly undone.
Clutching the sheets, lifting her hips, stretching her legs tight, she climaxed repeatedly, pressing her face into the pillow to muffle her moans.
Breathing heavily, Miyamae collapsed.
I thought it was about time.
But Miyamae told me to lie down.
“I want to make you feel good too, Kirishima…… I want you to feel good.”
When I lay on my back, Miyamae climbed on top. Her hot skin. She pressed her lower body against me, exploring my mouth with her tongue. Exchanging saliva, I touched her body freely—her breasts, back, waist.
Then Miyamae began kissing my body. Her tongue licked my neck, chest, stomach. Her kisses were full of love and sensuality. Each time she moved, her large breasts brushed against my skin.
After kissing my entire body, Miyamae, blushing, reached for my underwear. She pulled it down, exposing me, and brought her mouth closer.
“You don’t have to go that far……”
“No, I will. This is my only chance. I’m going to do everything to make you feel good, Kirishima.”
Saying that, she gently grasped it with her hand. The touch of her slender, delicate fingers. Miyamae began licking slowly with the tip of her tongue, treating it like something precious.
Having her beautiful face do such a thing felt profoundly immoral.
Licked by her tongue, touched by her fingers, I was stimulated. Naturally, I soon wanted to go further. My hips started to lift.
“Miyamae……”
When I said her name, Miyamae looked happy. But she didn’t move forward. She kept teasing with the tip of her tongue, prolonging the torment.
When my hips nearly lifted, Miyamae pulled her mouth away. She pressed her breasts against my thighs or did provocative things, smiling mischievously.
“You can’t move, Kirishima, okay?”
Saying that, she kissed my body again, then returned to it, stimulating me with her fingers and tongue.
The pleasure mixed with teasing drove me nearly insane. I wanted to go further, deeper, for her to stop tormenting me.
I thought that, but every time I showed that expression, Miyamae happily hugged me, kissed me, and kept me at bay with shallow stimulation.
As this repeated, my rationality was about to snap.
“Okay…… I’ll do it now……”
Miyamae brought her face closer, her warm breath brushing against it.
The moment she took it into her mouth, the overwhelming pleasure made my hips buck involuntarily.
“N, nmm~~ !”
Miyamae looked pained but also somehow happy.
“Kirihima, feelsh good?”
“Y-Yeah……”
“Then I’ll do it a lot.”
Her mouth was hot and slick. It felt so good that my hips lifted repeatedly. Each time, Miyamae eagerly accepted it.
Matching my movements, she moved her tongue inside her mouth. The pleasure was incredible. Her saliva dripped, wetting my lower abdomen.
I was violating her small mouth. I lifted my hips. Miyamae moved her face up and down.
Soon, the pleasure surged. Miyamae sucked harder, making wet sounds. But then—
“Not yet.”
Miyamae pulled her mouth away.
“I want you to feel even better, Kirishima.”
She kissed my body again, rubbed her skin against mine, and gave shallow pleasure. When I calmed down, she lovingly took it back into her mouth.
Miyamae might have a natural talent for this. She pulled away just as I neared my limit, repeating it over and over.
The mix of pleasure and restraint felt like it was frying my brain.
I was driven by the urge to take her and do it myself. The desire to pin her beautiful body down, enter her, and release inside her surged, becoming nearly uncontrollable. That’s when Miyamae said,
“……Shall we do it?”
She straddled me, sliding her underwear aside with her fingers.
Miyamae was soaking wet, her fluids dripping, forming threads as they fell onto me.
“Miyamae……”
It’s okay, she said.
“I’m on medication for health reasons…… so you don’t need to use anything……”
Miyamae slowly lowered her hips. Guided by her slender white fingers, I gradually entered her.
Her heat, tightness, and overwhelming wetness sent shivers of pleasure through me, nearly making my hips give out.
“Kirishima’s…… all inside…… I’m…… completely filled with you……”
Miyamae said with an overwhelmed expression.
“You can do whatever you want, Kirishima. You held back so much, right? It’s okay to feel good. Use my body however you like.”
Driven by the reaction to her teasing, I was at my limit. Grasping her supple waist with both hands, I thrust upward.
“Uah…… so intense…… ah……”
Her tightness gripped me like waves. Soaked, the loud wet sounds echoed in the room.
“No…… it’s embarrassing……”
But I kept moving, driven by desire, savoring her body.
Miyamae, writhing atop me, was provocative. Her skin flushed lightly, her large breasts swaying. I grabbed them.
“Ah…… no……!”
When I touched the hardened tips, Miyamae let out a cry, arching her back and gripping me even tighter.
I wanted to stay connected with her more. That feeling was there. But having been teased so much, the pleasure surged quickly.
Miyamae seemed to sense it keenly.
“It’s okay, like this, it’s okay.”
She said. But—
Right before, I noticed something and stopped moving.
“This……”
It was soaked with her saliva and fluids. And—
There was blood mixed in.
“Ehehe.”
Miyamae made a face like a kid caught pulling a prank.
“Sorry, I lied to you about one thing, Kirishima.”
It wasn’t about overwriting.
It was Miyamae’s first time.
“I never let Morita kiss me or do this. That’s why he hit me even more.”
“Miyamae……”
I’d moved purely out of my own desire.
“……It must’ve hurt.”
“No. You’re gentle, Kirishima. Even if it hurts, I’m happy.”
Saying that, she started moving her hips on top of me. It seemed to hurt a bit, her movements hesitant.
“Don’t push yourself.”
“No way, I’m going all the way with you……”
Stubbornly, she tried to move back and forth.
I sat up, hugged her, and flipped us so I was on top.
“I’ll go slow, okay?”
“……Yeah.”
Miyamae nodded, blushing.
I moved as slowly as possible to minimize her pain.
But tears welled in her eyes.
“Sorry, after all……”
“No, I’m happy. Because I got to give my first time to the person I love.”
Wiping her tears, Miyamae hugged me tightly.
“Kirishimaa…… I love youu…… I love youu……”
Saying that, she started moving her hips from below. Repeating I love you, her excitement grew.
“Hey, Kirishima, say you love me too. You’re my boyfriend, right?”
“I love you, Miyamae.”
“Uaah…… Kirishimaa…… I love youu…… I love youu……”
Miyamae moved her hips more intensely, gripping me tightly. Unable to hold back, I moved too. The joy of her first time seemed to outweigh the pain completely.
Our movements synced, an overwhelming wave of pleasure surging.
“Kirishimaa, it’s amaazing…… I’ve become Kirishima’s girll…… because you’re so deep insiide……”
Her tightness pulsed, gripping me, making loud wet sounds.
Soon, an uncontrollable wave of pleasure rose.
“It’s okay. Come, all of it. All of you, inside me.”
Miyamae clung to me tightly.
The next moment, I released deep inside her.
The pleasure was so intense it felt like my hips gave out. To avoid being swept away, I hugged her tightly, trembling.
We rested in bed, holding each other for a while.
Miyamae stopped looking at my face but stayed close. When I tried to shower, she hugged me silently from behind. We ended up bathing together. Even when dressing or getting ready to leave, she clung to me from every angle, not speaking but clearly wanting to stay in contact.
Is this okay? I wondered.
As expected, or rather inevitably, Miyamae started fussing right after we left the love hotel.
Stepping out of the building onto the night street, she clung to my arm and said,
“I want to be your girlfriend, Kirishima.”
“Hey~”
“I won’t cause trouble, I won’t~!”
“That’s not the issue!”
“I have a nice idea~!”
Miyamae bumped her head against me repeatedly.
“Nice idea?”
“Yup.”
With a sparkling expression, I had a bad feeling. But at this point, I had to hear her out. So I said,
“So, what kind of idea is it?”
Miyamae, looking slightly embarrassed, leaned into me fully and said it.
The way to become my girlfriend without causing trouble. That was—
“I’m fine with being the second girlfriend.”
♥♥♥
A couple having a dramatic showdown in front of a love hotel seemed plausible yet unlikely, and since I’d never been to one, it remained unclear. But it actually happened.
Me and Miyamae.
“Being second isn’t okay! Don’t sell yourself short!”
“But I want to be your girlfriend, Kirishima!”
We pushed and pulled intensely.
“It was a one-time deal, right~?”
“It was my first time! After giving you my first, I’m done for! I can only love you, Kirishima!”
I tried to peel her off, but she wouldn’t budge.
“It has to be you, Kirishima! No way, no way! If you don’t make me your girlfriend, I’ll die! I’ll definitely die!”
“Hey~! You’re totally acting like that kind of girl! The bad kind, the bad kind!”
Miyamae clung to my leg like a clam.
“I’m not moving until you make me your girlfriend!”
“Ehh~”
“I’m already your girl, Kirishima!”
Standing in front of a love hotel, a girl clinging to my leg.
It’s a terrible scene, I thought.
“Miyamae, let’s go home for now.”
I tried to move my leg, but Miyamae seemed serious, hugging it tightly and not letting go.
“What do I do with this~?”
I was at a loss when it happened.
Two girls were watching us from behind a utility pole.
“Huh? Why are you here?”
It was, unbelievably—
Hayasaka-san and Tachibana-san. Their glassy eyes suggested—
“Were you drinking? Celebrating the end of Tachibana-san’s festival circuit with a party just the two of you?”
They nodded, yup, yup.
“Got tipsy, and since Tachibana-san’s already moving out of her apartment, you were wandering around Kyoto at night for one last hurrah?”
Yup, yup, they nodded again.
“And you found the love hotel street, got excited, and were having fun?”
Already flushed, they blushed harder, looking down sheepishly.
“As usual, nothing good comes from you two drinking~”
“T-The one doing bad things is you, Kirishima-kun!”
Hayasaka-san stormed out from behind the pole, puffing angrily. Tachibana-san followed, nodding, yup, yup.
“Getting into this mess with Miyamae-san!”
“Well, I can’t exactly make excuses for that……”
“You came out of the hotel, right?”
“Yeah……”
“So…… you did it, didn’t you?”
Hayasaka-san smiled brightly.
“Kirishima-kun, you’re quick to do it with girls other than me, huh?”
“That’s, uh……”
“Whatever.”
That’s not what I want to talk about, Hayasaka-san said.
Miyamae was still silently clinging to my leg like a clam.
“It kinda makes us feel stupid for holding back, you know.”
Hayasaka-san said, exchanging glances with Tachibana-san.
“Doing this with Miyamae-san, of all things.”
Tachibana-san held up a whiteboard.
You did it!
“Come on, Tachibana-san, you can use your voice now.”
“……It’s still a bit hard.”
Her voice was indeed hoarse.
But as a university student, I knew the cause of that hoarseness all too well.
“That’s from drinking too much. You went hard, didn’t you?”
“……I only drank a little.”
Tachibana-san’s eyes were glassy.
“You’re totally drunk~”
“More importantly,”
Hayasaka-san, equally glassy-eyed, said.
“I thought you were going for that vibe, Kirishima-kun. Starting a new life in Kyoto, overcoming the past, living in the moment—a nice, clean story.”
Tachibana-san nodded, yup, yup.
“I thought so too. Shirou-kun, you’ve been pretending not to see your own feelings. But maybe that’s what growing up means—adjusting to those around you. So I thought I had to do the same.”
“Wait, what? This vibe feels like you two weren’t okay with what I was trying to do!?”
“Kirishima-kun, you were trying to turn us into pretty memories, doing all sorts of things, right?”
“You were.”
Tachibana-san said.
“You even played the taiko to encourage me or something.”
“How’d that feel for you, Tachibana-san?”
“Getting emotional over a guy in a fundoshi playing taiko is impossible. I didn’t need the taiko.”
“Right?”
Their brutal girls’ talk exploded.
Huh, what, whoa!? I wanted my feelings and prayers back. But my feelings and prayers never reached them in the first place—they’d flown off somewhere from the start.
“What I really wanted from you, Shirou-kun, wasn’t taiko.”
Tachibana-san said something completely reasonable.
“Kirishima-kun’s got that side, doesn’t he~”
Hayasaka-san said.
“All that ‘this is for everyone’s sake~’ stuff, when it’s not what we wanted.”
“About that—”
I had nothing to say.
“But, well, you were desperately trying in your own way, Kirishima-kun, and there’s Touno-san, so we held back. But seeing this?”
Hayasaka-san looked between the love hotel and Miyamae, flashing a forceful smile.
“What was I to you, Kirishima-kun?”
“No, this is……”
“I don’t need to hold back anymore, right?”
“Wait, hold—”
Tachibana-san nodded, yup, yup.
“I thought you wanted a clean Kyoto life, Shirou-kun, turning us into memories. But you’re sleeping around with other girls in that Kyoto.”
“Don’t just blurt that out now that you can talk~ And I’m not sleeping around!”
“I don’t need to hold back either.”
No need to hold back, no need to restrain, Hayasaka-san and Tachibana-san were getting fired up.
“Wait, both of you, calm down—”
“You’ve got no credibility.”
Hayasaka-san said, leaning close and deliberately pressing her large chest against me.
“Look, your face is red.”
“No, that’s—”
“You still like me, don’t you, Kirishima-kun?”
The grown-up Hayasaka-san knew these things.
“You want me to keep liking you, right? You want to do things with me, right? It feels good to be liked by me, doesn’t it?”
Hayasaka-san pressed her small but soft body against me. Her gentle vibe now carried a sensuality she’d gained in university. Despite wearing a fluffy knit top, her white thighs peeked out between her shorts and knee-high socks. The contrast was powerful, and being pressed against made me want to hug and kiss her.
But then, Tachibana-san leaned into me too.
“You still like me too, right, Shirou-kun?”
She rested her head on my chest.
“I knew what you were thinking. Even if I left you, even if you got another girlfriend, you wanted me to keep loving you, right? That’s exactly how it is. I’m still the same as when I first fell for you. I’d be happy no matter what you did to me.”
Tachibana-san leaned against me, her soft body pressing close.
The sensation of holding a frail Tachibana-san in pajamas on a bed flashed back.
Honestly, back then, I wanted more than just holding her. I wanted to drown in the pleasure in degeneracy that lay beyond.
But—
“Wait, hold on, both of you.”
This situation is seriously bad.
In front of a love hotel, Hayasaka-san and Tachibana-san clinging to me, Miyamae latched onto my leg.
Sure, I had plenty of unspoken feelings for both of them.
I’d been avoiding looking at what was in my heart, trying to make it all feel emotional and neat.
But what else could I have done?
And what do I do now?
I tried to think—
“No more waiting, right?”
“Yeah. No more holding back.”
Hayasaka-san and Tachibana-san leaned in closer.
“Hey, wait—”
“You don’t need to panic, Kirishima-kun.”
“Because this is what you secretly wanted, right, Shirou-kun?”
The only way to maintain Kyoto’s relationships while facing the feelings I’d ignored.
Hayasaka-san and Tachibana-san said in unison:
“We’re fine with being the second girlfriend.”
To be continued.
