Thank You to s.e.kwan for Commissioning this Translation ♥
Disclaimer：I cannot guarantee the complete accuracy of this translation
柴 景斗
CASE 4 Shiba Keito
It’s been a year since then… The snow has melted and spring has come once again. It’s now our much-loved cherry blossom season.
“Oh, they’re starting to bloom already.”
I looked up at the sound of her voice, and up there, was cherry blossoms tenderly and quietly in bloom.
A fresh breeze blew past and they swayed gently.
“Will they be in full bloom by this weekend?”
Seeing her from the side, looking up, and speaking cheerfully once again filled me with happiness.
After spending months and years developing a new drug with her……my body was finally no longer that of a test subject but back to that of a normal person.
To me right now, these normal, uneventful days are momentously happy.
“Hmm…”
“Kei-chan, is something wrong?”
“No, nothing… I was just thinking about how happy I am.”
Eating delicious food, gazing at fond scenery, taking warm baths, sleeping in a soft bed at night… I was surrounded by joys in life.
Moving my body freely at my own will, why is it so wonderful?
And then…
“Kei-chan, can we…hold hands?”
The precious existence that had always been by me; the girl whom I love from the bottom of my heart.
And the times I spend with that girl are the happiest times in the world.
“Of course.”
Ever so pleasant is the heat transmitted between our palms that I wish we could hold hands forever. I never knew that someone’s warmth could be this comforting.
“I’m happy every day too. I’m together with Kei-chan, after all.”
“Yes. Me too. But… I do feel a little anxious.”
“Why?”
“Because, is it alright for me to be this happy? …I’m always hogging you. I feel like I’m going to be punished for it one day.”
“Hehe, no you won’t.”
“But……”
“It’s fine. Kei-chan has the right to be happier than anyone else.”
She tightly squeezed the hand she held. And that strength made me so happy that it nearly brought tears to my eyes…… I’m a man, so this is a bit uncool, isn’t it…?
In order to be a man who can match someone as firm as her, I need to be more manly.
“Kei-chan.”
“W-What?”
“Why don’t we go on a cherry blossom-viewing date this weekend?”
“Cherry blossom-viewing, date?”
“Uh-huh, I want to go back and see those cherry blossom trees again.”
That row of cherry blossom trees… For us, it’s a place that holds precious memories. I can’t believe I’d be able to gaze at those cherry blossoms with her again.
“I’ll go, I want to go!”
“Hehe, then it’s a promise.”
“Yes, a promise.”
We locked our pinky fingers. And after making a “pinky promise” face-to-face with each other, we were left with a fuzzy feeling.
“It’s this wayー!”
On the day of the cherry blossom-viewing date, the weather was warm and sunny, and the smell of spring, mixed with the scent of flowers, trees, and soiling, was super exhilarating.
“Kei-chan, I’m glad the weather turned out to be nice.”
“Yeah. It’s supposed to rain a lot next week, but luckily, it happened to be sunny today.”
“I see, so rain next week.”
“Do you dislike the rain?”
“I don’t, but the thought that these beautiful blooming flowers will end up scattering away next week hit me.”
“Oh, I see…”
Most of these beautiful full-blown cherry blossoms will scatter away during next week’s rain……
“But, that is precisely why they are beautiful.”
“Eh?”
“It is why cherry blossoms look so fragile and serene.”
Cherry blossom trees produce flower buds as soon as the summer ends and bides its time during the bitter winter cold.
And when spring finally arrives, they all bloom at once.
“Then, today, we better make most of the cherry blossoms!”
“Yeah, we are on a cherry blossom-viewing date, after all.”
“Just keep your head up while walking today, okay?”
“Oh…”
That reminds me……I remember her getting upset with me because I always walked with my head down and her telling me to put my chin up.
Hehe, it’s so nostalgic…
Just like those days, she and I walked through the rows of cherry blossom trees side by side. Each time a fresh breeze blew, the cherry blossom petals turned into a flurry and danced beautifully.
“It’s beautiful……”
I looked at her profile and saw that she still had the same dignified beauty as in the past……
“Kei-chan, is something wrong?”
“Eh, ah, uhh, it’s nothing…”
Unable to say that it was a random glance, I looked away in embarrassment.
“You’re acting strange, Kei-chan”
She sparkled radiantly as she covered her mouth with her hand and smiled.
“You truly are…beautiful.”
“Eh!?”
Recently, she has become more sensual and mature, and even more captivating than before.
I also have to work harder and harder. I must become a man who can match her.
With my mind set, I clenched my fists tightlyーー
“Kei-chan, you’re very dashing, aren’t you?”
I heard words I never thought I’d hear.
“Eh?”
“Every time I see you, my mind thinks that. …So! I have to put in the effort too!”
“Wait, wait. You’re talking about me?
“Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I?
“I-I mean, I am…not in the slightest bit cool.”
“Not at all. You’ve become more and more dashing lately.”
“N-No, I’m not!”
“I’m not lying.”
“After all, I, I……”
I’ve always been uncool and pathetic……
“That’s only because you think that of yourself. For me, Kei-chan has always been…kind, warm, and the coolest person out there.”
She smiled at me sweetly and my vision started to blur a little.
A girl this lovely and cute is now……my girlfriend, and it fills my heart with great warmth.
“I’m so glad the person I fell in love with…is you.”
I did my best to hold back the tears that threatened to trickle down my eyes and held her gently.
She is so small that she can fit into my body. She is usually so strong and firm, yet her body is so small and fragile.
I’ll protect this girl. No matter what happens, no matter what the future has to hold, I’ll always…cherish her.
“I love you. I’ll always protect you.”
“Kei-chan…”
“You’re my precious girlfriend, after all.”
The spring breeze brushed against us and cherry blossoms fluttered in the air.
Amidst the rain of cherry blossom flowers, we hugged.
“K-Kei-chan.”
“What is it?”
“As I thought, Kei-chan is…”
“Yes?”
“Very dashing……”
She was still ever so loveable with her cheeks blushing in embarrassment as she spoke.
“Thank you.”
I was so, so happy that I brought my arms in closer.
“I’ll work hard.”
“What for?”
“So you’ll continue to feel that way.”
.”Oh, no, you don’t have to do anything special… You’re fine the way you are.”
“I’m not. After all, I……”
In a surprise move, I gently laid my lip on hers.
“……!”
“Mgh……”
Her mouth closed up tightly from the shock.
“Hgn…”
However, as I repeatedly pecked and pulled away and gently stroked her cheeks, I could see her lips loosening at the soft gesture.
I kissed her ever so deeply as if I had been waiting for this moment.
Her body fell back as if it had lost its strength as I kissed her so deeply that she couldn’t even breathe,
I quickly put my hands around her waist and supported her slender body.
“Haahhh…”
“Are you okay?”
“K-Kei-chan, we’re outside…”
“Yes, I know.”
“S-So why?”
“Because I wanted to make your heart race too.”
Since you’re always making my heart race, I can’t let myself lose to you. I’d like to surprise you like this from time to time.
“Hey…”
“Hehe. Now, why don’t we go?”
I walked away, leaving her with her face still red. Then quickly, she came to her senses and rushed after me.
“K-Kei-channn!!”
“Ahaha! You look cute even when you’re angry.”
“No, that’s not what I-!”
“Hahaha.”
Something like this is nice once in a while, right?
The two of us started walking along the rows of cherry blossom trees hand in hand again.
I wish we could see these beautiful cherry blossoms again. Next year, the year after that, and…the many other years to come.
“I love you.”
Forever together with my beloved, till time immemorial……
Criy's Forgotten Memories 