episode_0060

I don’t even know how I slept the night before.

Chirp- chirp-

When Vita woke up, the faint sound of birds was already being heard.

It’s still early in the morning.

My body is weak. My mind is also confused.

But the warmth of Carlyle’s embrace surrounding her was so strange that Vita held her breath.

Knock knock knock-

My heart is beating fast.

Is it because women have smaller hearts than men?

You’re running so fast, it’s embarrassing.

-Bianca, you are very timid. You are weak both physically and mentally.

There is no other reason why such words of Carlyle come to mind.

Because maybe that’s definitely true.

If that weren’t the case, there’s no way his heart would be beating like a broken clock right now.

A ticking feeling.

Vita’s face turned red, her eyes widened, and she briefly wondered if she really was broken.

I want to be at peace in the arms I’m currently holding, but at the same time, I also think that this is strange.

A somewhat ambiguous relationship.

It’s a strange feeling that I can’t say is bad, but I can’t say it’s good either.

‘It’s because my body temporarily changed into a woman’s, into a woman’s.’

That’s what I thought. It was just an illusion.

But yesterday Vita.

I came to realize that there was an error in my perception in those thoughts.

Maybe it’s not that you’re broken right now, but that you’ve just corrected your broken perception.

It was unintentionally through the other person’s confession.

-I feel okay as long as you are by my side.

The truest words Carlyle ever spoke.

It started with those words.

Vita also thought that she was okay when her opponent, that guy Carlyle Schultz, was by her side.

Of course it gives me confidence. In fact, it gives me a lot of relief.

‘… It was the same last night.’

Don’t act childishly, like a child.

I feel frustrated with my own unfortunate situation and I don’t understand it.

In the meantime, my body is tired, the weather is cold for no reason, and I feel sad for no reason.

In that situation, Vita had to collapse. Tears welled up. But then, when Carlyle appeared in front of her, everything became okay.

-Okay, now.

When the other person said that.

Vita felt relieved. She was just dazed, held in his wide arms.

And when I got to the cabin, I thought it was lucky that Carlyle was by my side.

‘If only you were by my side…’

The same goes for Vita herself.

I realized my true feelings that I had unconsciously kept.

-So, I don’t know.

Carlyle’s words also penetrated something in Vita.

That clear statement that he didn’t know why he liked her. But that made it all the more convincing.

***

Because even Vita herself doesn’t know my mind at all.

I used to think that being swayed by someone else was an illusion and meaningless.

But if Carlyle is right, that might not be the case.

-When I’m with you, something is always fun. My mind just feels at ease. It’s like a feeling of stability.

In fact, I am like that too.

Hearing those words, Vita finally came to a realization.

‘Maybe, I…’

So, the recent confusion, the constant feeling of being strange, and the sincere confession of the other person, almost like a confession, are all overlapping.

-Should I take Carlyle?

When Emily said that one word to herself.

The feeling of my heart pounding at that time, the mess I was in afterwards.

-Okay, now.

The moment I was held by Carlyle in the dark and cold forest.

The momentary surprise and confusion he felt at that moment.

I don’t want to define what color those feelings turned into right away. I think you know that even without me having to.

Maybe I really am-

So I realized it.

‘Nonsense, that’s impossible…’

This is absolutely ridiculous.

My face was so hot. Even my breath was really hot.

I want to mess up that innocent hair, and I can’t believe what the hell is going on.

‘Me, this guy…?’

In short, it seems like something really big is going on.

No, no. Absolutely not.

‘There’s no way I would…’

But now, it’s not convincing at all. I’ve already realized it myself once.

My mind is so complicated. I don’t know the exact reason, but I feel suffocated for some reason.

“Haa… ”

Vita let out a deep sigh.

Swish- swish-

And at the same time, I felt my head being stroked.

“What, what is it… ”

“… Why are you sighing?”

Carlyle, who had just woken up, kisses her on the forehead.

A deep, low voice. A unique, low laugh is heard right in my ear, and my body is hugged.

Vita’s face quickly turned red like a carrot. She was completely embarrassed.

“No, just… ”

It felt like lightning was striking my whole body.

Carlyle, who had woken up in the meantime, checks the view outside the window.

“I guess I should go now.”

Vita nodded.

The rain has stopped now, and my clothes are definitely dry.

“… Yeah, yeah. We have to go quickly.”

Because everyone will be worried.

Gulp-

For a moment, a cute sound escapes from Vita’s hungry stomach.

“You, belly… ”

“… Won’t you please not say anything?!”

Covering her face, Vita spoke with difficulty.

‘Somehow, this…’

Somehow I felt even more embarrassed than before. My face turned red like a tomato.

***

After resting a little longer, the two left the cabin together.

Put on some dry clothes and tidy up the mat again.

“I don’t know why, but I feel sad to leave.”

“Huh, why…?”

Vita was puzzled by Carlyle’s words and asked back.

“Because I was alone with you.”

For some reason I can’t just shoot back like before when the nonsense starts again.

“Dog, dog noise… ”

Even while saying that.

She turned her head immediately, and Carlyle could see her face turning bright red.

Now, there are really only a few days left until the match.

‘… Was it maybe ten days?’

That’s probably all that’s left. So Carlyle continues to reveal his feelings, and it certainly seems to be having some effect.

Because she is a transparent and innocent woman, like the white snow of winter, like the clear sky without any dust. Everything is visible.

Carlyle is already convinced that his honest confession last night had definitely had an effect.

‘Just a little more…’

Just a little more.

I feel like I might fall, but at times like these, I try to take it easy.

‘The most urgent task is to go back first.’

So Carlyle turns his back and speaks to Vita.

“Get up, Bianca.”

Vita hesitated for a moment, but soon agreed.

“Ah, yeah… ”

Because it can’t be helped. Because I hurt my ankle.

So, Vita had no choice but to rationalize and carry on, but for some reason, even this behavior felt a little different.

That you like the other person.

No, not exactly.

Once you realize that you might like it, it feels like you’ve become conscious of it.

“Should I sit up straighter?”

“Oh, yeah.”

Vita moved slightly away from Carlyle’s back, then moved her body closer.

Now, just like yesterday, they are completely stuck together.

But I’m saying this again. It’s just a little bit of talk.

Vita’s body was shrinking for no reason.

‘Oh, what is it…’

Actions that were done very naturally and without meaning in the past.

But now, somehow, I feel like I’ve stopped.

I’ve been in denial all along, but now I think I understand a little.

‘When I came into contact with this guy before. I didn’t feel much of aversion to him…’

Although the type is a little different. It’s similar to how he was swept away by Carlyle before. Maybe it’s similar to how he’s stopped now.

After all, if you had feelings for the other person, then or now.

Was it unconscious before and now it’s conscious?

When that thought occurred to me-

‘I’ve finally gone crazy…!’

Vita thought to herself that she was going crazy.

When Vita was lost in her own complicated thoughts.

After it rains, the mountain feels surprisingly refreshing.

A landscape that makes it hard to believe that it rained that much yesterday.

Under the blue sky, a damp dirt road.

The scent of the forest becomes stronger, giving a sense of autumn.

The sound of the water flowing in the valley nearby, and the watercolor-like scenery.

Thump- thump-

In that scene, Vita, wearing a yukata, is being carried by Carlyle. Her face is slightly red and she is holding her breath.

Because it felt somehow awkward, Vita kept thinking about it and opened her mouth.

“You know the way…?”

“Of course, that’s right. There was a map in the cabin.”

“Oh, really?”

Was there really such a thing?

Vita was a little surprised though.

“You’re a bit of a slacker, so you probably didn’t notice.”

“Oh, no…?!”

I felt a little bad when I heard that it was dangling.

I’ve heard this a lot before. It seems like that’s his nature, so there’s nothing he can do about it.

“Really, no?”

A chuckle that is funny because it is teasing.

“You did great, really… ”

Vita was acting all pouty and upset for no reason, but at the same time, she definitely felt relieved.

Because it’s none other than Carlyle’s words, because he’s a trustworthy guy.

If the other person knows the way, then it’s just like that.

Vita felt relieved that at this moment, her slightly red face was not visible to the other person.

It’s difficult, like this.

Biting her lips slightly.

To be honest, right now, I feel a little bit sad, and I have a strange feeling that I can’t explain.

But I still don’t have a clue what it is. At the same time, I feel like this moment is precious.

A feeling of suffocation and anxiety, even though it seems like something good.

At that time, Vita still did not know what the cause was.

***

Later, when Vita and Carlyle returned to the inn.

“You, you…!”

There was a huge uproar.

Well, it was an incident where a student from the academy went missing. The atmosphere was chaotic as even the search could not be conducted properly due to the heavy rain.

So just now, as soon as it was daylight again, the two of them came back to resume their search.

“Yes. Yes-! I found it. Fortunately.”

A teacher contacting someone with an urgent expression.

“Are you hurt anywhere?!”

“Where were you two?”

Other teachers also come and ask various questions.

Let’s say he wasn’t seriously hurt and luckily there was a hut to shelter from the rain.

“Where is that?”

“Oh, no way… ”

“Emergency Disaster Shelter. It was here.”

Everyone sighed.

“Thank goodness. Amazing.”

“I guess I’m lucky.”

Then the nurses and even the police came to check on the two people.

It looks like there was quite a bit of chaos last night.

“Bianca, are you okay-?!”

Friends who heard the news came flocking to me, but they were stopped by the adults and could not talk to me.

Because there were more important things left to do.

“Take this, Bianca.”

[Are you out of your mind-!]

Oh, surprise!

Vita’s ears almost fell off when she picked up the phone, but she managed to keep the receiver in her hand.

“Ah, father… ”

I felt like I was sweating coldly. Fortunately, the more I explained the situation, the more his attitude softened. That was really fortunate.

“Anyway, there really isn’t much of a hurt part.”

In fact, this may be the most decisive factor.

[Well, that would be good… Haa, really…]

[Your father and mother barely slept a wink!]

I can also hear my mother’s voice.

[The distance is so far, I’m only halfway there. This guy, really…!]

I can tell how worried you were just from your voice.

“I’m sorry, I.”

Vita had nothing else to say. She had really caused trouble to everyone in so many ways.

Anyway, this is how the disappearance of Vita and Bianca Shamal turned out in the most positive way.

However, the ending ends with Bianca Shamal’s safe return.

“Ah, ah… ”

I had to get my wounds treated in the morning.

Even if there are no major injuries, there are bruises.

“Stay still, kid.”

“It’s pretty, but it’s a shame if it’s ugly.”

“Yes, yes… ”

I continued to get ointment applied by the two nurses and also got massages.

It felt tingly and ticklish, and my body trembled throughout the treatment.

“But, you know.”

A gentle voice is heard.

“I’m a little curious about my sisters.”

“That kid is my boyfriend…?”

“Yes, yes heh… ?!”

Of course, Vita was embarrassed and immediately denied it.

“Oh, no.”

“Oh my, really…?”

It’s not a look of trust.

“They say that kid ran alone to save the student?”

“Wow, romantic. It feels like youth-!”

No, not like that.

That’s true, though.

Vita’s face turns red.

“At least we have a good relationship?”

“Hey, tell me.”

“I am not… ”

But now, what should I say? I definitely can’t deny it like I used to.

‘It’s not like I’m positive about it, because there’s Emily too. She’s the original unrequited love interest.

I don’t even know Vita anymore.

So which one do you like more as a romantic partner, or do you like more sincerely?

Until then, I can’t say that I don’t like Carlyle Schultz at all.

You can’t fool yourself.

So Vita lowered her head, her face becoming very familiar.

“Ugh… That’s… ”

The nurses are whispering to each other.

-See, that’s right!

-You’re not dating yet.

‘I can hear everything…’

Vita tried hard to pretend not to know.

It’s already the last day of the 3 nights and 4 days long school trip, which wasn’t that short.

However, Vita had to spend the entire morning receiving treatment, and in the afternoon, she was advised to rest, so she had to lie down in her room alone and rest.

Understanding is a necessary step.

Well, I did get hurt and almost got into big trouble. But still, in many ways, I feel a bit sorry for Vita.

‘I wonder if everyone is having fun at the beach right now?’

Because the other kids are at the beach right now.

‘Obviously, Emily too…’

Emily’s swimsuit. I thought it would be a shame not to see it, but now I feel like I’m worried about something else.

-Should I take Carlyle?

When I think of Emily at that time, I think of my own reaction.

And then there was that guy Carlyle who came looking for her.

At this point, even if Vita isn’t an idiot, he should be able to sense a fairly subtle atmosphere.

‘… What kind of face should I make? Ugh, really.’

I keep thinking about it, but I can’t find an answer.

In the meantime, I fell asleep for a while, and when Vita woke up again.

“Bianca, you… ”

Emily was right in front of me, her eyes wide open.