Embracing Tenderness

"Wait a moment, listen to me first."

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

"What is it?"

Ichinose turned her head and asked.

"It's like this..."

I deliberated for a moment, deciding it was best to explain the reason to her.

"Due to some personal reasons, I've used up all my Personal Points, so I can't afford any expenses involving Personal Points for the time being."

I didn't dare look Ichinose in the eye, crouching down and curling into a ball.

"So you don't need to take me shopping; I can't pay for anything."

I'm going to be laughed at, aren't I?

"Pfft..."

As expected... I was laughed at.

I had just solemnly advised her to plan her Personal Points reasonably this morning, and now, in the afternoon, I was telling her I'd spent them all and was even relying on school relief to survive.

It felt quite embarrassing; would she think I was a hypocrite?

Someone who is strict with others but lenient with himself.

"I never said I wanted you to pay, did I?"

Ichinose leaned down, her knees slightly bent.

One hand rested on her knee, while the other tucked back the bangs that had fallen forward as she leaned in.

Too... too close. I could even feel her warm breath hitting my face.

"I don't need to pay? But isn't it bad to take things without paying..."

"Eh? You can't just take things without paying, silly."

The corners of Ichinose's mouth curved into a cute arc.

"But, I can temporarily cover the cost for you."

"We're very close desk-mates, aren't we? No matter what kind of trouble we encounter, we'll face it and solve it together."

A small palm reached out in front of me, held open and flat.

"Friends are a very important treasure in everyone's life. If something happens, no matter what, I won't just sit by and watch."

The girl kindly reached out a helping hand to me, and I gazed into her clear eyes.

"Please don't stare at me like that; it... it makes me a little flustered."

After being watched by me for a long time, she averted her gaze, looking somewhat unnatural.

Yet, the hand she had extended did not retract.

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

But I was clearly hiding something, wasn't I?

Yet, facing Ichinose's offensive of pure sincerity, I simply couldn't hold my ground.

However, I didn't think it was the right time to tell her yet.

Things that could lead to variables, things I couldn't control.

I didn't want such situations to happen to me.

It wasn't that I didn't trust anyone; it was simply that I didn't like the feeling of events spiraling out of my control.

But she didn't even press me for my thoughts; she was just following her own principles as usual.

Everyone she considers a friend must be very lucky.

Or rather, her very existence is a stroke of luck for this world.

In the past, I rarely experienced emotional fluctuations.

What does it feel like to be sad?

A dull ache in the heart? Unstoppable tears welling up?

Even though I felt the urge for tears to spill out right now, this was clearly not sadness.

A fierce, inexplicable feeling rose from the bottom of my heart, and I didn't know how to describe what I was feeling.

It was unfamiliar, yet I couldn't muster a single thought of rejection toward it.

Human emotions are truly complex; if I hadn't experienced it firsthand, I might have found it very difficult to understand.

If I had to describe it carefully...

No, I have more important things to do right now.

Her pure enthusiasm was being transmitted to me, and no matter what, I couldn't bring myself to ignore such an emotion.

I opened my mouth, but it felt as if I were choked, unable to make a sound.

Before language was ever born, human expression was based far more on actions and demeanor.

Instinctively, I reached out and gently pulled Ichinose into an embrace.

For a fleeting moment, I felt her body stiffen, but there was truly no intention of taking advantage of her in this gesture.

It was simply that I did not know how to express my emotions with words.

But that was my own failing; to act so presumptuously was truly rude, wasn't it?

"I'm sorry..."

!?

Just as I prepared to release Ichinose from my arms, I found myself encircled by her slender arms in return.

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

A soft hum came from my shoulder.

"Honestly, Hajima-kun is the most emotionally sensitive and rich boy I have ever met."

"In a normal situation, once someone accepts another's kindness as a matter of course, there wouldn't be any follow-up to speak of."

"But Hajima-kun is really different. You are clearly a boy who is kind to the bone, yet you never want to show it."

"Thinking carefully about every little detail—that is a very high-level bonus point, you know."

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

"And isn't Ichinose just as kind a girl? I was merely trying to respond to your straightforward warmth."

"In this world, no one owes anyone anything, and no one is obligated to be good to another. Things like this are always mutual; if it is always just one person giving unilaterally, it will not last, nor is it reasonable."

"The person who first radiates goodwill bears a pressure that most people never notice. Most people have experienced the feeling of offering help only to be treated as a busybody or met with indifference. Over time, a natural desire to protect oneself forms—to stop caring about things outside of one's own sphere."

I raised my hand and patted Ichinose on the head.

"But for a girl like you, Ichinose, who radiates friendliness from every pore, isn't that even more heartbreaking? Even if you have given your all, there must be things you regret not being able to change. Even if you are willing to lend a hand, there are many things that cannot be accomplished by individual strength alone. It's impossible that you haven't been ignored or met with cold words. Yet, even today, the girl named Ichinose Honami still holds onto her kindness and sincerity just as she always has."

"I wanted to hug you, to embrace this touch of kindness in you. You have never been fighting this battle alone."

"For anyone who is kind, I sincerely wish that they are treated with kindness in return."

The length of time can never measure the dimensions of the spirit; people can live together day and night and remain strangers, while a single glance can make one feel as though they have known each other for a lifetime.

Perhaps tomorrow, we will never speak of this again.

But the exchange between our spirits will never cease for a single moment.

She tucked back her bangs, a ripple of emotion flowing through her eyes.

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

"And that is my honor as well."