Chapter 96: Under the starry night sky, our first kiss

Due to the lingering nausea and motion sickness, I immediately collapsed onto the bed in the guest room upon arrival.

As I lay there with my eyes closed, taking deep breaths, I sensed a quiet presence beside me.
I opened my eyes slightly to see Sena-senpai lying on the adjacent bed, gazing out the window.

“You look quite unwell for someone who doesn’t seem sick.”

Sena-senpai smiled as our eyes met.
It was a beautiful smile, as if practiced countless times.

“I’m a little nauseous.”
“Are you alright?”
“Are you alright, senpai? I heard you coughing at the airport…”

Sena-senpai smiled faintly.
“Being sick is a normal part of life for me.”
“Since when?”
“Hmm… Since nine years ago.”

How much pain must someone endure for their voice to carry such depth?
It was a voice that made even the listener’s heart ache.

“You said you were taking medicine… Is there no improvement?”
“Me? This year will probably be the end.”

Sena-senpai spoke of her impending end with surprising calmness.
It was this very composure that made her words feel even heavier.

Her expression seemed almost otherworldly, and it made my heart ache.

“No… You’ll overcome your illness and live a long life, senpai. I’m sure of it…”
“I hope so. The future I know is constantly changing.”

The future…?

Muttering something cryptic, Sena-senpai gazed at the sky outside the window and then closed her eyes with a peaceful expression.
Soon, I could hear her quiet, regular breathing.

Someone so close to death…
Reina-senpai’s friend, who never appeared in the novel…
This senpai, who seemed to have transcended worldly desires like a true angel, created a strangely calming atmosphere simply by being present.

Then it happened.

Drip

“Ah…”

The paranormal activity (which was actually just a natural phenomenon) from the novel.
The sound of water dripping from a leaky pipe in the wall, amplified by the resonance within the wall cavity.

In the novel, someone screamed and made a fuss when they first heard this sound.

“Ugh…”

Clutching my stomach, I slowly got up and walked towards the wall where the sound was coming from.
Recalling the familiar scene from the novel, I tapped the wall as I walked, and I could feel the characteristic hollowness.

I picked up a loose wooden plank nearby and used it as a lever to pry open a crack in the wall. Rotten, stagnant water gurgled out.
The dripping sound immediately stopped.

“Phew…”

Even solving this small problem made me feel tired.

I went back to bed and lay down.

As I lay there with my eyes closed, I could faintly hear Mizuki’s cheerful voice and Aya’s soft laughter from another room, along with the sound of them running down the hallway.

Reina-senpai’s voice was absent, probably because she wasn’t feeling well and was resting somewhere.
The distant sounds brought a smile to my face, but my stomach still ached, and I didn’t have the energy to care.

‘I’ll rest for a bit and then go out…’

Thinking that, I closed my eyes.

How long did I sleep?

When I opened my eyes, the evening sun had painted the room in a warm, reddish hue.
The nap had helped, and the nausea had subsided considerably.

I sat up slightly and saw that Sena-senpai was no longer in the bed next to me.

‘I should probably go out now.’

I got out of bed and headed towards the living room, where I heard Mizuki’s energetic chatter and Aya’s soft laughter.

“Oh, Rina-tan, you’re awake~? Are you feeling better?”
“Yeah, I feel much better after sleeping.”

Mizuki grinned and patted my shoulder, and Aya approached with a gentle smile.

“That’s good. We’ve prepared dinner, so let’s eat together.”
“Did you make it yourself, Aya?”
“Yes, I made it with my sister and Mizuki.”

A home-cooked Japanese meal was laid out on the living room table, and Reina-senpai and Sena-senpai were already seated.

“Rina-chan, are you feeling better now?”
“Yes! I’m fine now, Sena-senpai. Sorry for worrying you…”
“It’s okay. Everyone, sit down and let’s eat.”

At Reina-senpai’s words, I sat down at the table.

I was a little nervous about having dinner with just the girls, but everyone here was so kind and considerate that, contrary to my worries, there were no arguments or disagreements.
Mizuki’s cheerful laughter, Reina-senpai’s gentle smile, and Sena-senpai’s quiet but kind voice… all blended together to create a warm atmosphere, even more so than what I’d read in the novel.

“Oh~ I just saw a perfect spot for sunbathing while I was taking a walk~”
“Ooh, sunbathing sounds nice. Should I apply some sunscreen on you tomorrow, Aya?”
“Ugh… Onee-chan!”

It seemed Aya and Reina-senpai had definitely reconciled and become closer.

“Reina~ Me too~”
“Of course, I’ll apply some on you too, Sena-chan.”
“Ehehe~”

Sena-senpai made a sound that reminded me of an old man… and the relationship between the senpais…

“Rina-tan~! I’ll ask you to apply some on me.”
“Mizuki…”
“I’ll apply it on Mizuki.”

Mizuki’s playfulness and Aya’s slight jealousy…
It felt like a cozy gathering of close friends.
And most importantly, Aya was by my side, as always.

“So, are you two actually dating?”
“Sena-senpai…!”
“Ehehe, you two look good together. Should I expect a wedding invitation?”
“Senpai…!”

Marriage, wedding invitation.
Even though Sena-senpai said it jokingly, hearing those words made my heart flutter…
Also, it seemed Sena-senpai was quite open-minded…

It felt like I was the only one at the table worried about the implications of two girls being in love.

“I’ll send you an invitation, so promise me you’ll live a long life, senpai.”

I couldn’t just let her tease me, so I spoke boldly.
Sena-senpai’s eyes widened in surprise, and she murmured something almost inaudible.

“[If only I could.]”

I was slightly startled to hear clear Korean.
Wait, her, and my cousin too… Were they both of Korean descent?

But… I pretended not to understand.

Reina-senpai playfully nudged Sena-senpai and asked,

“What did you say?”
“Ah, I said I’ll live long and make sure to attend!”

Hmm…
She seemed to have a lot on her mind.
I had to ask her about it sometime when we were alone. I couldn’t stand not knowing.

****

Late that night, after dinner, everyone went back to their rooms.

Aya took my hand and led me outside.
Mizuki had excused herself earlier, saying she was tired.
She’d probably sensed the mood and left us alone on purpose.

We strolled along the beach under the gentle summer night breeze.

“The night sky is so beautiful.”

I looked up at the sky.
A breathtaking Milky Way stretched across the deep indigo canvas.
And the full moon, like a pearl floating on water, gently bathed the sea in its silvery light.

And… Aya was there, under the moonlight.

Aya’s radiant silver hair shimmered, and her long, beautiful strands danced in the sea breeze.
It might sound cliché, but she looked like a painting, breathtakingly beautiful.

“Rina, are you feeling okay? You looked a little unwell earlier. You didn’t force yourself to eat dinner, did you?”
“Huh? No! I feel much better after eating.”
“That’s good.”
Aya’s smile was warm and comforting, as always.
And I think I understood why she was always so worried about me. Both Reina-senpai and Sena-senpai, whom she’d known for a long time, had been ill, so she probably worried excessively whenever I showed even the slightest sign of discomfort.

To reassure her that I was fine, I gently took her hand.
I was nervous at first, but Aya naturally intertwined her fingers with mine.

And just as naturally, we gazed into each other’s eyes.
I wished this moment could last forever.

Aya looked up at the sky and softly said,

“Rina, the moon is so beautiful tonight, isn’t it?”

Of all the things she could have said…
Knowing the meaning of those words in Japan, my face flushed crimson.

“Yeah… It’s beautiful… The moon, and you, Aya…”

I lowered my head, embarrassed by my own words.
But Aya was gazing at me tenderly.

“Rina, look at me.”

At her quiet request, I raised my head and met her gaze. Aya’s eyes sparkled under the soft moonlight.

Clear, transparent, and so incredibly blue.
My brown eyes were reflected in hers.

As we drew closer, our breaths mingling, Aya’s face slowly tilted towards mine.

“Rina… I like you.”

With a soft whisper, her lips gently pressed against mine.
A soft, sweet sensation.

All my senses heightened, and the world around me seemed to fade away.

It was my first kiss, both in this life and my past one.
A first kiss with someone I’d longed for, someone so precious to me.

Aya’s lips parted from mine, and we smiled at each other.
“I like you too, Aya.”

I whispered, snuggling into her embrace.
Aya gently wrapped her arms around me, holding me close as if I were a precious treasure.

Under the silvery moonlight reflecting on the ocean, nestled in Aya’s arms, I closed my eyes.