Eternal Melody

Jun kept staring at him, thinking he would change his mind and say it was a joke. But there was nothing but a serious look in his eyes.

“There is no man out there who will be happy when the girl they like has the child of another man.”

Indeed, he thought that Terashima would play the supportive boyfriend role and pretend to be okay with it. So far, the man has not shown any signs of displeasure regarding the child.

“But this isn’t her fault, and the fault is mine for leaving her alone for so long. I should have stayed by her side instead of returning to Tokyo. No, I should have come to see her much sooner.”

Jun could sense the regret in his tone as sadness appeared in his eyes, and for a moment, Jun froze. So this person can also make that kind of expression? Whenever he watched the man on Tv, all he saw was a brave and confident person. That look in his eyes is very familiar, and it resembles the look on Sumire-san’s eyes.

For the first time, he understood something immediately without much analysis. 

This person and Sumire-san are the same.

“So you see, I have no right to judge her for falling in love with another man.”

Indeed this person is genuinely different.

There is another reason why he came to Tokyo, half his reason was Ibuki Sumire, but the other half was because of this person. Jun wanted to see with his own eyes regarding the man named Terashima Yuhi. 

When he heard word that Sumire-san was changing because of him and getting better, Jun did not believe it. How can that be? When he last saw her, she was in a terrible state. But when that news article came about regarding her school festival and even the videos, Jun noticed. 

Indeed there is something different about her now. The main catalyst for that change, Jun wanted to meet Terashima in person. Before he could get another word out, Sumire appeared with a large bag in her hands.

“I was only going to buy drinks, but I saw some sales and bought other stuff too.”

“Gee, don’t run; you will drop it.”

Sumire paused for a moment before she extended the bag out. “Then half.”

There was something about how the girl said that, but Jun could swear that he saw flowers around her again.

“Kira, do you have some water?”

Jun pulled out a bottle from his bag and passed it to him. Yuhi immediately tipped the bottle over his head.

“Wah-wait Yuhi-san?”

“Damn, I still feel hot.”

At that comment, Jun watched as her face slowly turned red. “Wah- I didn’t do anything. Are you stupid?”

Yuhi flicked her forehead. “You carry everything.”

“How mean!”

“Kira, join us for a meal.”

“Ah, right? Jun-kun, come with us.”

‘That smile is different.’ But what is this strange feeling? She seems so happy, and yet why does he get this bad feeling? Perhaps he is wrong. 

….

At the akagaumi bar.

Hamano Atushi was there waiting alongside a man called Jae. The latter did not have much data, but Jun intended to start collecting information. After all, this man is one of the rare few that Terashima Yuhi calls a friend. Currently, Sumire-san was finishing the final preparations for the meal.

“So what do you think of our King and Princess?” Atushi asked as he placed a drink in front of him.

“They get along, and they have mutual feelings.”

There were a lot of things he wanted to say, but this is the best way to simplify everything he saw. Just watching them interact briefly, Jun understood. 

“They also stuff you with PDA.” Atushi sighed.

The definition for PDA is public display of affection. He knew what it was, of course. Jun thought of how they greeted each other. Even though a bunch of people blocked his way, he could guess what they did. To think they would do something like that in public?

“King, didn’t you have work with that pretty lady?”

At that comment, a menacing aura wrapped around the brunette haired girl. “I noticed that you were a bit more dressed up than usual but what is that about a girl?”

If looks could kill then, Terashima would be dead now. It did not help how Sumire-san was polishing the knife in her hands with a cloth.

“Hey, listen.” Yuhi calmly took the knife from her hands and hugged her. “The reason I finished so quickly is because I refused.”

“Refused?” She eyed him with suspicion, but Jun noticed that she was playing with Terashimas hands.

“Well, such things involve getting close, right? Female models have a bad habit of going overboard. I don’t want you to get upset, and I hate the idea of getting near another woman.”

At that, Sumire clung to Terashima. “Then Yuhi-san, I will have to reward you later.”

Sumire-san still has a bad habit of teasing people, but this is different. Indeed it seems like he was right to listen to that person.

“Right, what should I ask you for?”

“Uh.” She laughed awkwardly. “On second thoughts, maybe I am too tired.”

“Sumire-chan, I think we are missing something.”

“Oh, your right!” Sumire quickly took her apron off. “Then I will go out quickly.”

“I will-” Yuhi trailed off. “Rather Kira go with her.”

Sumire’s gaze softened as she leaned forward and lightly kissed Terashima. “I will be quick.”

….

It was quite cold when they exited the bar. But Sumire wore several layers thanks to Terashima and Hamanos fussing. He wondered if the latter still had feelings for Sumire. Since they left the bar, though, the girl got into several accidents.

Still, isn’t she quite reckless?

The issue earlier added by her almost getting run over and tripping over too. Jun sweat drops, he knew she was clumsy, but it is something else to this extent. Even so, whenever he is with her, a warmth seems to spread from his heart. A warm light that he doesn’t understand.

But he wants to see more and more of it. He wants to see more of that light.

 ‘Thank you for being by my side.’

That time he understood full well what those words meant in the script. However, he knew he wouldn’t have come to a decision had it not been for her.

“You will fall…”

The brown-haired girl was currently standing on the wall area, the vast ocean on the other side.

Sumire chuckles. “Don’t worry, and I do this all the time.”

Jun doesn’t say anything. She does like doing everything at her own pace. But this person, out of the rest of them, is undoubtedly experiencing the most sadness.