...
"Eh? Suzu-chan, that kind of joke isn't funny at all..." Special Week's voice gradually grew weaker, because Silence Suzuka's focused gaze was clearer than the moonlight on the floor.
So clear—it didn't look like she was lying at all!
But Trainer Lucian already belonged to her... She didn't want to give up Trainer Lucian, and she didn't want to give up Suzu-chan either!
Caught in the middle, Special Week felt suppressed to the extreme; the soreness in her eyes acted like a powerful catalyst.
Her heart felt as if it had been squeezed hard, the blood it pumped turning into tears that piled up in her eye sockets.
"Spe-chan? What's wrong? Why are you suddenly crying?" Silence Suzuka lifted the blanket and got out of bed.
She walked toward her on her own, piercing through the barrier formed by the moonlight, and the invisible divide seemed to shatter right then.
Silence Suzuka sat down beside Special Week. "Spe-chan, you look really sad."
"Because…. because..."
At first Special Week could still hold it in, but Silence Suzuka's concerned words made her heart ache unbearably, and the tears burst forth like a dam breaking.
"Because Spe-chan also likes Lucian-kun?" Silence Suzuka finished the choked, unspeakable words for her.
Special Week froze in place again; only the flowing tears proved she was still "alive."
She couldn't lie to Silence Suzuka at all. "Mm... I… I also like Trainer Lucian."
"I'm sorry, Suzu-chan… I didn't know..."
"Spe-chan, what does that mean? Are you saying that if you knew I liked Lucian-kun, you'd give him to me? But Lucian-kun isn't an object."
Silence Suzuka's calm words carried warm comfort, melting the frost that had formed over Special Week's heart. "If Spe-chan and I both like the same person, I'd actually be really happy."
"H-Happy? Why?"
Special Week didn't understand Silence Suzuka's words. In her heart, there was only sadness and guilt—she couldn't let go of either side, but because of her choice, she'd have to sever ties with one.
"There's no why. If the three of us were together, we'd definitely be really happy, right?"
Silence Suzuka's answer dropped like a huge stone into the calm lake of Special Week's heart, stirring up raging waves.
It was as if Columbus had discovered the New World—Special Week's mind was suddenly enlightened in an instant, excitement flashing in her eyes. "Th-Three… three people together?"
"Mm." Silence Suzuka recalled the line Lucian often said and repeated it. "Let's just live our days well; that's more important than anything."
"But... there's one more thing I haven't told Suzu-chan yet." Special Week looked at Silence Suzuka timidly.
"What is it?"
"I… I'm already together with Trainer Lucian." Special Week feared Silence Suzuka wouldn't accept it and that the beautiful picture she'd just painted would collapse in an instant.
So after saying it, she quickly added: "But it's okay. I think what Suzu-chan said is right—if it's three people together, then it's fine."
"Oh? Why is Spe-chan so sure Lucian-kun would accept me?"
"Because it's just a feeling... Because Suzu-chan and Trainer Lucian usually seem really close."
After quietly accepting it in her heart, Special Week's tears unknowingly stopped. Dew-like teardrops still hung on her eyelashes, and her moist eyes looked especially fresh.
"Actually, I noticed it a long time ago—ever since Spe-chan asked me about those books..." Silence Suzuka continued asking.
She felt she'd already gotten Special Week to accept it, but Seiun Sky probably hadn't yet.
"Was it that obvious..." Special Week shyly lowered her head, her hands awkwardly twisting together. "You were right, Suzu-chan. I already really liked Trainer Lucian back then."
"But the specific stuff started from the training camp."
Then, Special Week explained to Silence Suzuka how Lucian got drunk and mistook her for Seiun Sky.
After listening, Silence Suzuka blinked in surprise. So something like that had happened!?
Then hadn't she been worrying too much? Because Special Week had already accepted Seiun Sky's existence in her heart long ago.
"Spe-chan, have you told Lucian-kun about this?"
Special Week shook her head. "No, I didn't know how to bring it up, and I didn't see it with my own eyes either."
Silence Suzuka was silent for a moment. "Spe-chan, actually… I lied to you just now... I've already confirmed my relationship with Lucian-kun too, but Sky was the first one."
"Ah?" Special Week covered her mouth and froze again. "So you and Sky have already..."
The girl was already dazed; now she couldn't even tell which of Silence Suzuka's words were true and which were false.
"I'm sorry, Spe-chan. I was paying attention to you too, so that's why I asked like that today... I didn't want to ruin things with Spe-chan because of Lucian-kun, but I also really like Lucian-kun."
"Suzu-chan, you were thinking the same thing?"
"Mm... And also, Lucian-kun already told us about you. He was really troubled too."
"Trainer Lucian told you guys about me and him too!?"
"Mm, about..."
Silence Suzuka leaned close to Special Week's ear and softly breathed three words like a gentle breeze.
In an instant, Special Week's cheeks burned as if they'd just been taken out of a furnace, her back and shoulders scorching hot, as if sweat were about to squeeze out.
Silence Suzuka knew she couldn't stimulate Special Week any more—she was afraid she'd faint from embarrassment right there. "It's okay, Spe-chan. Actually, Sky and I have experienced those things a long time ago too."
She stopped there, saying just enough.
As for what Seiun Sky was like on the other side, and her other side—Special Week could discover that herself later.
"So, Spe-chan, what do you think now?"
"I…. I don't know." Special Week buried her face in the blanket. After a while, it got too hot, and she couldn't help coming out for air.
Silence Suzuka still sat quietly by the bed, waiting for her answer.
Special Week: "It feels so weird… so embarrassing. Then me, Sky, and Suzu-chan would be..."
Silence Suzuka: "A deeper friendship. What does Spe-chan think?"
"Mm... Mm-hmm."
...