Chapter 132 – I Quit the Going-Home Club for a Girl with a Venomous Tongue

 

When I woke up, every part of my body ached. The pain made me remember that I fell asleep in Arina’s place.

 

It was currently eight in the morning and Arina was still sleeping under the covers. She was still in the same clothes as yesterday and she didn’t seem to have thrown up or peed herself. I left a note on a piece of paper by her computer saying, ‘I’m going, I had a good time last night’ and left the apartment. I knew that she would definitely take a shower first thing in the morning, so if I were to wait for her to wake up, I would only disturb her.

 

Her apartment was near the Hirose River and the view here was amazing. She probably wrote her book while gazing at the same scene I am currently seeing.

 

As I walked, I thought back to last night’s party.

 

I felt stupid for acting gloomy all by myself. Everyone else was enjoying their lives while trying their best to live for the future. Hearing their stories gave me the push I needed. Arina was right, the fact that I was alive was a blessing. I still had time to make up for the last three years.

 

If possible, I wanted to protect Arina’s smile. This feeling rose from the bottom of my heart after seeing her sleeping face.

 

I couldn’t let her spoil me rotten without giving anything back to her. I had to give her my answer properly.

 

*   *   *

 

At first, I thought that she was a pain in the a*s to deal with.

 

Whenever she opened her mouth, only abuses and complaints would come out. She was quick to use violence. I always cursed my own fate because I had to take care of a problem child like her.

 

It turned out that she was an interesting girl.

 

She had her own view about everything and strictly followed it. She wasn’t an ordinary problem child who bared her fangs to everyone just for the sake of it. She was something more.

 

A revelation made me feel sorry for her.

 

She was afflicted with dual personality disorder and amnesia, both caused by domestic violence, of all things. She was unfortunate enough to live a miserable life like that. Her beauty seemed so painful to look at.

 

Then, I began to think that we were kindred spirits.

 

Both of us were outcasts, weirdos in the eyes of society. She, with her venomous tongue, me with my unending jokes. The things that came out of our mouths were different, but I believed that we were the same kind of people.

 

I began to fall for her beauty.

 

Everyone would agree that her appearance was beautiful and I was no different. But, the more I knew about her, the more I realized that her appearance wasn’t the only beautiful thing about her.

 

She became someone dear to me.

 

There wasn’t any particular event that triggered it. I just felt that way before I knew it. I found myself often gazing out into the space while thinking about her.

 

She had a really nice voice.

 

I never forgot the feeling when she called my name for the first time. I almost mistook her for a goddess. I mean, how could a person have such a soothing and charming voice?

 

I started to believe that meeting her was fate.

 

It was truly a miracle that I could meet someone like her.

 

It was a one time miracle that would never occur again for the rest of my life.

 

But, that miracle came with a price.

 

The more we tried to get close to each other, the more we drifted apart. When I thought I became closer to her, she lost all her memories about me. And when she thought she became closer to me, I left her side without even saying a goodbye.

 

But, that was the past. From now on, nothing could come between us. We had overcome every obstacle that came our way. We could finally run on that last straight line to the end line.

 

*   *   *

 

One day in December. I asked Arina out on a date.

 

“Wanna go on a date?”

“Yes!”

 

She was surprised by the suggestion, but it was soon replaced by joy.

 

On the appointed day, we met at Sendai Station.

 

“How do I look?”

 

She spun around to show off her clothes. There was a mature air around her when she did that.

 

“I used to think that Ugin is the prettiest girl in the world. Now, I think that you’re the best.”

“That’s rude to Ugin-san.”

 

I took her hand and held it. We were on a date, so doing this much should be a given.

 

We went to the aquarium, the same aquarium we went to when we were high school students. I chose this place because it was the place where we had our first date and we both had pleasant memories of this place.

 

Since today was a holiday, the place was quite crowded with families and couples alike. If we let our hands go for a moment, we would be separated quickly. Noticing this, Arina boldly took my arm and embraced it. She giggled after seeing my surprised face.

 

“It’s a date, this much is a given, no?~”

 

We passed through the entrance and emerged into a huge aquarium tunnel. There were fish with bright scales swimming everywhere as the sunlight reflected off the glass panel from above.

 

“This place still looks as pretty as back then, huh?”

 

She looked up at me, her eyes shone brightly like a pair of gems. In that instance, I lost my words and ended up staring at her wordlessly.

 

“Finally, you’re taking a good look at my face.”

“Now I understand why everyone confessed to you when we were in high school… Jeez…”

“You can stare as much as you want. Rather, please do it, that’ll make me happy.”

“Are you becoming a pervert, Arina-san?”

“I’m not– Ah, it’s a sea turtle! Look, it’s so big!”

 

A sea turtle passed over our heads and scattered the school of small fish around it.

 

As we walked around the aquarium, I reminisced about many things that happened back in the day. From our first meeting to the events that led to our date today. About both the joy and the pain we shared. Looking back, there was a time when I wished I had never met her. But now, I think that meeting her was the best thing that ever happened in my life.

 

What if back then I didn’t accept Akakusa-sensei’s request and didn’t go to the library?

 

What if back then I didn’t give in to Tsuru’s plea and ended up giving up on Arina who had lost her memory?

 

Maybe, the hand I was currently holding wouldn’t be Arina’s. It could be Shirona’s or someone else.

 

But that possibility didn’t exist in this world. It was Arina who stayed with me until now and I didn’t want that to change.

 

I wanted to cherish this moment and draw a future where we could be happy together.

 

We stopped in front of a large tank. I was overwhelmed by its grandeur.

 

It made me realize how small we were compared to the rest of the world. The whales and sharks, gracefully swimming inside the blue world stole all my attention.

 

“Seeing them up close like this feels amazing, doesn’t it?”

“I’m just jealous of them. They look so free when they’re swimming… Arina, tell me the truth. Are you secretly a mermaid and you can swim as well as them?”

“Good question, let’s find out shall we? We’ll go to a swimming pool next. Ah, I’ll have to buy a swimsuit first, though.”

“I’ll probably die if I see you in a swimsuit.”

“Hehe, before you die though, can you realize one of my dreams? Give me a princess carry. I’ve always dreamed of it, you know? Being carried by a tall prince like a princess~”

“I can if you don’t mind me launching you to space by accident.”

“Going to space is that easy nowadays, huh? Anyway, I’m looking forward to our pool date, okay?”

 

Before I knew it, our hands were intertwined. It was as if the boundary that kept us apart had shattered without me knowing. The warmth of her hand became one with mine. It was at that time that I once again realized that she was the one that I wanted to be with.

 

Pool date or whatever, I honestly didn’t care about the place, I just wanted to be with her. The only reason why I came here in the first place was because I had fond memories with her here. But it was time to move on. It was time to make new memories with her, to fill the gap from all the years that we lost.

 

The girl with a venomous tongue and the going home club member were no longer there.

 

Instead, in their place, there was a  man and a woman who confirmed their love for each other silently.