18 Embrace.

Amakuji-san try to approaching me calmly, but I keep backward with a confusion. I still remember to what he said while walking with determined attitude.

"Since that day, I've always kept an eye on you. I notice that even if such an event occurs, there are still people who don't know and try to get close to you, but you tried to act like you were angry at them and chased them away even though you didn't hate them at all, because you were afraid that you would hurt them, so you chose to be alone, rather than hurting others..."

"S-Stop!! Don't come near me!!"

"You have to be lonely like today, it's because of something that was born with you. You can't do anything but accept it. Even though she tried to fight it many times, people will only remember when you made a mistake, and chose to be afraid of you...but from now on...you won't have to be alone anymore."

Amakuji-san stood before me, who still had confusion in mind. Then he opened his arms and embraced me... At that time I didn't even think of resisting, as I always yearned for hugs, because since I was born, I have never received a hug from human beings, even once.

The first time I touched it, it almost melted my heart. Amakuji-san's body was warmer than anything in the world, it had warmed my heart and body completely.

"W-What are you doing…G-Get out of me. I'm a dangerous person. Aren't you afraid of me?"

"Then punch me, punch me hard. You can do it, right? You can make a woman, a man or an adult afraid of you. Just punching me in the stomach is not a hard thing for you anyway. Now my stomach is unprotected, you can do it easily. Go ahead."

I did as he said. I clenched my fist and punched him in the stomach. But the force it sent was lighter than a feather. I didn't put any anger into it, but it was full of sensitivity, confusion and incomprehension.

"Why? Why did you come to me? You should go to them. They are much better than me. Why do you have to approach this dangerous creature that people are afraid of? Why me?!!"

I said as I lightly punched his stomach with tears streaming down, but Amakuji-san didn't do anything. He kept hugging me like that, and gently stroked my head.

"That's because they still have many people standing by their side, but you're not. No one will dare to approach you, so if I don't, who will do it?"

"But you will be hated by everyone. Do you really want that? You don't want to be friends with them?"

"Even though I can be friends with them, having to leave you wasn't what I wanted. Because it's like I'm abandoning myself, which was once lonely before."

"Are you not afraid of me causing trouble? I might hurt someone else, and you have to take responsibility for me."

"It's okay, we will fight together. And I will help you not to make the same mistakes you used to."

"But what if I make another mistake?"

"Then we have to start over, and try to do it better."

"Are you not tired of that?"

"Haha, I think it is more exciting."

"You won't… regret it later, right?"

"Actually, I observed you before that event happened. But at that time I still had some hesitation. So I didn't approach you in the first place. If I had been by your side sooner, maybe something like that wouldn't have happened. Because of that, it made me feel very regretful that I hesitated like that...I'm so sorry...Mise...Sorry for not hugging you sooner...Sorry for leaving you alone all this time...I won't hesitate anymore. I will be by your side and will not regret my choice for sure."

Amakuji-san's words were so soft and gentle that it made my frozen heart dissolve and turn into tears of joy.

"...Thank you..."

I hugged him like he hugged me. I tried to say no to him many times, but deep down inside my heart, I wanted him to choose to be by my side, help me and cheer me up. Because...I didn't want to be alone anymore.

Since that day, he has always been by my side. Even though he was abandoned by his friends, Amakuji-san didn't care at all. My life, since being by his side, has been filled with happiness. Amakuji-san, allowing me to meet many nice people, including Itsuka-san and Conversation Club members, which made me no longer alone.

...

"All of that is the story that led me to meet Amakuji-san and stay with him until now."

"Ugh! Such a touching story."

Izumi cried out in gratitude.

"Uh… I didn't think there was anything that was so profound."

"How could there be none! Amakuji-san lost his friends and his society just to stay by your side. When a man does something like that to a woman without expecting anything in return, it's enough to be a profound story. Who cares about the small details like what you used to do?"

"Uh… Maybe it's true. Because of that story, I began to respect Amakuji-san with all my heart."

Mise smiled with delight.

"And it made you fall in love with him with all your heart, right?"

Izumi spoke with a bright smile.

"..."

Mise didn't answer, just stared at Izumi with a troubled expression.

"...Right?"

Izumi felt something strange. So she asked again to be sure.

"Hmm… maybe?"

Mise replied with a straight face.

"Damn! Is there something more than that?"

"Don't know."

"Damn it! You have to tell me all."

"I have told you everything."

"No, no, there must be something else. I can feel it."

"Nope, don't know, don't see anything."

"Ah!! Why does it feel so unsettling?"

(Sorry, Izumi...there's one more story I can't tell you.)

Even though Mise still had a secret, the two continued to talk along the way, amidst the sunset with cheerfulness, as if both of them had become friends.

...

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