Embracing Kindness

"Wait, let me explain first."

I called out to the girl who was tugging me along at a brisk pace.

"What is it?"

Ichinose turned her head and asked.

"Well..."

After a moment's hesitation, I decided to explain the reason.

"For personal reasons, I've used up all my Personal Points, so for now, I can't afford any expenses that require them."

I couldn't bring myself to look Ichinose in the eye. I crouched down and curled into a ball.

"So there's no need to take me shopping. I can't pay for anything."

Was she going to laugh at me?

"Pfft..."

Of course... she was laughing at me.

I'd just earnestly advised her that morning to manage her Personal Points responsibly, and now, in the afternoon, I was telling her I'd used all of mine and would even have to rely on the school's relief.

It was pretty embarrassing. Would she think I was a hypocrite?

Strict with others, lenient with myself.

"I never said you had to pay."

Ichinose bent down, slightly bending her knees.

She rested one hand on her knee and used the other to sweep aside the bangs that had fallen forward.

Th-this was too close. I could even feel her warm breath brushing against my face.

"You don't need me to pay? But isn't it wrong to take things without paying?"

"Huh? You can't take things without paying."

The corners of Ichinose's mouth curved into a sweet smile.

"But I can cover the cost for you for now."

"We're close friends who sit beside each other, aren't we? Whatever difficulties we run into, we'll face them together and find a solution."

She held out her small hand to me, palm open.

"Friends are precious treasures in everyone's life. If something happens, I won't just stand by and do nothing, no matter what."

The kind girl reached out to help me. I gazed into her clear eyes.

"Please don't keep staring at me. It's... it's making me a little uncomfortable."

After I'd looked at her for a long time, she shifted her gaze away, seeming a little uneasy.

But she never pulled back her outstretched hand.

My fingertips touched her palm, and a warm sensation spread through my entire body.

But I'd been trying to hide something, hadn't I?

Still, I couldn't withstand Ichinose's sincere approach.

But I didn't think this was the right time to tell her.

Things that might bring unforeseen changes, things I couldn't control.

I didn't want that to happen to me.

It wasn't that I didn't trust anyone. I simply disliked it when events slipped out of my control.

Yet she hadn't even asked what I was thinking. She'd simply acted according to her principles, as always.

Anyone Ichinose considered a friend was lucky.

Actually, her very existence was a blessing to this world.

I rarely experienced emotional ups and downs.

What did sadness feel like?

A dull ache in the heart? Tears that wouldn't stop flowing?

But although I felt as if tears were about to well up, this clearly wasn't sadness.

A burning sensation rose inexplicably inside me. I didn't know how to describe what I was feeling.

It was unfamiliar, but I couldn't bring myself to reject it.

Human emotions were truly complicated. If I hadn't experienced them firsthand, I might never have understood them.

If I had to describe it in detail...

No, I had something more important to do right now.

Her pure warmth had reached me. I couldn't ignore that feeling, no matter what.

I parted my lips, but it was as if something were caught in my throat, and no sound came out.

Before language existed, humans had mostly expressed themselves through their actions and expressions.

Almost instinctively, I reached out and gently hugged Ichinose.

For an instant, I felt her body stiffen, but I truly hadn't done it to take advantage of her.

I simply didn't know how to put my feelings into words.

But that was my problem. Making such a gesture without warning was really rude of me.

"I'm sorry..."

!?

Just as I was about to let go of Ichinose, who was in my arms, her slender arms wrapped around me in return.

"This is my first time hugging a boy. I'm a little... a little nervous."

I heard a soft hum against my shoulder.

"Honestly, Hajima-kun, you're the most emotionally sensitive and expressive boy I've ever met."

"In most cases, when someone accepts another person's kindness so naturally, that's where things end."

"But you're really different, Hajima-kun. You should be gentle to the core, yet you never let anyone see it."

"You put real thought into every little detail. That's a huge plus."

I gently loosened my embrace and looked Ichinose in the eye.

"Then aren't you a kind girl too, Ichinose? I simply wanted to respond to your straightforward warmth."

"No one owes anyone anything. No one has to be kind to anyone. Kindness should always go both ways. If only one person keeps giving, it won't last, and it isn't right."

"The first person to show kindness bears a pressure most people never notice. Most people have tried to help someone, only to be treated as if they were meddling, or simply ignored. Over time, it's only natural to develop the urge to protect yourself—to stop caring about things that don't concern you."

I raised my hand and gently patted Ichinose's head.

"But for someone like you, Ichinose, someone who radiates friendliness, isn't it all the more heartbreaking? Even when you've done everything you can, things you regret may still happen. Even if you're willing to reach out, there are many things no one can achieve alone. Surely people have ignored you or responded with cold words, too. And yet, to this day, the girl named Ichinose Honami still holds on to her kindness and sincerity."

"I want to hug you, to embrace that kindness of yours. You've never been fighting alone."

"I sincerely hope that every kind person is treated with kindness."

The length of time we'd known each other could never measure the depth of our connection. People could spend every day together and still feel like strangers, while one brief encounter could leave them wishing they'd met sooner.

Maybe tomorrow, we'd never mention any of this again.

But the connection between our hearts wouldn't stop for even a moment.

She swept back her bangs, and a ripple of feeling seemed to pass through her eyes.

"I'm glad I met you, Hajima-kun."

"And what an honor it is for me."