That night

Shishio and Rita walked out to enjoy the scenery of the night.

The hotel was massive, and there was a path that led them to the top of the hill.

The geography of this hotel was quite unique, but at the same time, it was also normal since there were many mountains in this country.

While it caused trouble to the people since it made them unable to plant rice and other plants, it gave them beautiful scenery, which they would never forget in their lives.

"Be careful with your legs. It is rather dark here."

Shishio held Rita's hand gently as he led her on the path which led them to the top of the hill. The path was made with natural stones, giving an aesthetic beauty as if it had merged with nature. Yet, the stairs were rather steep. There might be several lights on the path, but they were relatively dim.

However, while they might be dim, this gave them the opportunity to see the beauty of the night sky more clearly.

If the light was bright, they might not be able to see this.

It was said that when you wanted something, you needed to sacrifice something.

This architecture design might be the best way to explain that sentence.

However, this also gave him a chance to take advantage of her.

"Th-Thanks..."

Rita blushed as she held his hand timidly. She was happy, and her face was so hot. She was sure that her face was so red at that moment. Fortunately, the light was dim, so he shouldn't have seen the blush on her face.

At that moment, she realized that those dim lights were a good thing since they also gave her a chance to do something like this.

As they walked while holding hands, she glanced at him secretly from time to time.

Unlike his previous attires, this time, he wore a yukata. The dark blue yukata fit on his body, and it gave him an elegant yet manly temperament. She might not have seen a samurai, but somehow, she could imagine it should be like him.

Yet, when she glanced at him, she also happened to see he was looking in her direction in a trace.

"Wh-What? Is there something wrong with my attire?" Rita asked nervously while trying to hold her hair. Similar to him, she also changed her overall appearance since she tied her hair in a bun, showing her beautiful nape. She also changed her attire into a color similar to a yukata.

She might be coming from England, but even so, when she dressed in these clothes, he almost couldn't take his eyes off her. She was just beautiful.

"You might have often heard this from many guys, but you're so beautiful now," he said sincerely.

"......."

Rita's face was so red as she blinked her eyes several times, but she couldn't hide her smile and shyly answered, "Th-Thank you. It's my first time wearing this, and it is quite good."

"So, it's not perfect?"

"Um..." She looked at her chest and sighed. "My chest is on the bigger side, so it is rather hard to wear it. Do you know of it? It's like wearing a corset."

"...I am a man. How do I know how to feel wearing a corset?" His lips twitched, but he knew that a yukata was suitable for those who had slender bodies.

As for those who had bombastic bodies like Ayaka Sunohara or Nana Sunohara, they had trouble wearing them.

Still, were Rita's breasts on the bigger side?

He might need to confirm in the future.

"Do you want to try it?"

"Sorry, no."

"Eh? Why not? You should try it!" Rita laughed.

As they exchanged their useless banters, they kept walking toward the top. Their conversation might not have a meaning, and it was all over the place, but even so, it was so much fun.

Rita also had never thought the guy who made her so frustrated would be someone irreplaceable in her heart. Their meeting might not be that long, but even so, he was already inside her heart, and she might not be able to forget him even if she returned to England.

'Return...'

Unlike Shiina, who was going to stay in this country, Rita had to return, and the thought of parting from him made her sad and also frustrated since if she really returned to her country without being able to say what she felt in her heart, then... she... she...

"We have arrived."

"Eh?"

She looked up and saw a minimalistic gazebo carefully crafted along with wooden guardrails, which were placed around the top of the hill.

"Come on."

"Ah, um."

As she was pulled by him, they walked to the edge of the hill, watching the scenery from the highest point. The sound of the waves, the bright stars, and his existence on her side. Everything was so beautiful that she couldn't find words to describe all of this, but more importantly, having him by his side... she had never thought much of this before, but she had never felt so complete, which caused her to hold his hand tighter.

It felt like the missing puzzle in her life was found, giving them indescribable happiness, yet also worry since she didn't dare to convey the feelings in her heart.

After all, she was afraid when those words were uttered; everything would change.

"I am glad."

"Eh?"

"I am glad I can see this scenery with you before you return to England." Shishio turned and smiled at Rita.

"........"

Unfair!

How unfair!

How could you say something like that so easily?!

She was so frustrated since her heart was beating so fast, and she was unable to calm down.

She also felt that it was unfair since her heart had been thumping and her mind was constantly thinking about him, yet what about him?

It was so easy for him to make her feel like this, and he had always been so calm.

She didn't know what he meant by those words.

'What does he feel about me?'

'Does he like me?'

She kept thinking about those questions in her heart again and again.

"You know?"

"Hmm?"

"Sometimes, I wonder why we have to convey everything with words." Shishio looked into the distance and let out a sigh. "But I also know that if we don't convey it with words, we might not understand each other, so I will say this.

"You annoy me."

"......." Rita.

"This was my first impression of you, and I am sure you think the same as me, right?"

"Well..." Rita didn't deny it since this was her first impression of him.

"However, as we meet, communicate, and be together, I also understand many things about you. You have your own problems, worries, difficulties, and many others, which lead you to how you are. In the beginning, I just wanted to help you since you are Mashiro's best friend.

You're one of the most important people in her life, so I am helping you."

"Um..." Rita nodded, trying to hold back her tears. "I know... I know that you love Mashiro so much." She bit her lower lip, thinking that everything he did for her was nothing but for Shiina.

As for her?

It was by now that she realized everything was an illusion. It was only a beautiful dream.

Once she woke up, everything would disappear like a bubble.

"But... I have realized that along the way, my thoughts have started to change."

"Eh?"

"You might annoy me."

"Hey!"

"But I can't deny those are good memories, and I will be sure to treasure them."

"Shishio..."

She looked at him in disbelief.

He turned his gaze to her before gently wiping the tears from her eyes with his thumb. "From how you sulk, your shy expression, laugh, and awkward seduction. I will remember all of them."

"You don't need to remember the last one!" Rita was mad.

"Sorry, that's impossible."

"...." Rita.

"However, I also know that you will leave. You won't stay in this country forever, and you will go home soon."

"Shishio, I...." Rita wanted to confess since, as he had said before, she wouldn't be here forever, and she would return soon. As for when she was going to return to Japan? She wasn't sure, but it would take a while for her to return.

"Don't interrupt me. Let me finish my words first. As a man, let me be cool, okay?"

Rita pursed her lips, but she didn't complain and waited for him to finish.

"Our days might not always be happy, but they're irreplaceable for me. I am going to treasure all of them, and at the same time, I—"

He couldn't finish his words since his lips were kissed.

"......" Shishio.

"I love you."

As their lips parted, she hugged him tightly. "I love you! I love you! I love you!" She couldn't hold her feelings anymore, and they just gushed out from her heart. She loved him so much that she always wanted to be with him.

"I know."

Shishio patted her back gently.

"......."

Rita was speechless and then angrily asked, "Don't say that! What did you think about me?"

"Are you not clear already?"

"Didn't you say you wouldn't understand if you didn't convey it?"

"But you understand, right?"

"No! Tell me! Tell me!"

She was being unreasonable. She rubbed her face against his chest as she made a fuss like a little kid who asked her mother to buy her a snack.

"Geez, it can't be helped."

Her chin was suddenly lifted, which caused her to be stunned since his face was just so close.

"Rita, I love you."

She was in a daze, blushed, and shy before she burst into a beautiful smile. "I love you too, Shishio." She hugged him tightly and didn't let him go since, with this limited amount of time they shared; she wanted to imprint his existence into her as much as possible.

Their feelings were conveyed, and they didn't have any more regrets in their hearts.

As they sat on the bench, they watched the last scenery they shared together. She might be gone, but it didn't mean they would part away forever.

She will definitely return!

No, she was going to give him a surprise!

However, she could think about all of that later.

As she leaned her head on his shoulder, she held his hand tightly as she watched everything which they shared in this place, and as he had said before, all of this would become a treasure in her heart.

"Shishio."

"Hmm?"

"Nothing~!"

"You're so annoying."

"How cruel! Is that something you say to the girl that you love?"

As they bickered with each other, they thought that everything was just beautiful.