Love Unseen Beneath the Clear Night Sky (透明な夜に駆ける君と、目に見えない恋をした。)

LOVE UNSEEN BENEATH THE CLEAR NIGHT SKY

When the festival fireworks show was canceled due to rain,

I realized I had two options.

One was to keep taking cover here

and the other was to walk Fuyutsuki home in the rain.

Of course, I realized that taking Fuyutsuki home was the right thing to do,

but in my heart, I wanted to spend more time with her.

Achoo!

Let's stop by my dorm.

Huh?

Oh.

You'll catch cold.

Thank you very much.

Is it okay if we hold hands?

We don't have an umbrella, and I don't want you to slip.

Okay.

Sorry. It's kinda small.

If you want, there's a bed on the right you can sit on.

Here. It's a towel.

Oh. Thank you very much.

Wow, we got pretty wet.

Were you able to dry off with that?

Yes, I'll be fine.

Um, I hate to ask you this, but can you see through anywhere it got wet?

My blouse, I mean.

Did she really want me looking at her blouse instead of the nape of her neck?

It would probably come as a shock if I told her I could see through it.

You're good. I can't see a thing.

But you look cold, so you should probably leave this towel on your shoulders.

This is awkward.

I've never been alone like this with a girl before.

I know I'm the one who invited her in, but I'm still pretty nervous.

So this is your room, Kakeru-kun?

Y-Yeah. I share it with Narumi.

Is this your bed, then?

Yeah, yeah.

Ah!

Um, I can almost...

see your underwear.

Oh!

Did you see anything?

No, I warned you before I could.

Pervert.

I told you I couldn't see anything!

Perhaps I will trust you, then.

Too bad, huh?

Honestly, I didn't see a thing!

Oh. I meant the fireworks.

Uh...

I spoke too soon and my face went bright red.

I'm so embarrassed I could just die!

They'll do it again next year. It is a festival tradition.

I wish I could join that club.

Fireworks at a school festival is such a classic youth experience!

But I wonder if they'd let me in.

Want to join together, then?

Huh? Are you sure?

Yeah, it's fine with me.

It's a promise, then.

What's the matter?

Doesn't it sound like the rain is letting up?

You're right. It's only a sprinkle now.

I guess I should walk you to your apartment, then.

Okay.

Mixed in with the smell of the rain, I could smell Fuyutsuki's shampoo.

I tried to take my mind off it by reciting Buddhist chants to myself.

Namu Amida Butsu, Namu Amida Butsu...

Three point one four one five...

But that was too short, so I tried reciting pi instead,

Three point one four one five...

but I could only remember eight places after the decimal point.

nine two six five...

Didn't last five seconds.

Oh. What should we do about the fireworks we bought?

Maybe we can all set them off this summer.

But are you able to go out at night?

Yes, of course I can.

We did meet at a nighttime social, after all.

Oh, I guess you're right.

Wanna invite Narumi and Hayase too, then?

Yes, let's.

Kakeru-kun, do...

Hmm?

K-Kakeru-kun, do you have a girlfriend or anything?

A girlfriend?

Yes.

Uh, no, I don't.

What a relief.

What do you mean?

Huh?

Uh... Huh? W-Well, I was just...

You always go out of your way for me,

so if you had a girlfriend, I'd feel bad for her.

I mean, you even let me hold on to your arm like this.

Oh well.

Oh well... what?

Huh?

Uh, well, yeah, I mean, come on,

I-I thought maybe it meant you had the hots for me.

Huh? Huh?!

Oh, I guess you can't take that kind of joke.

You're so mean.

That hurts.

Yes, I do think it should hurt a bit.

We made it.

Here goes.

What's up?

Did you know there's a way to see someone's face even if you're blind?

See someone's face?

Yes, their face. If you touch their face, you can see what they look like.

So you're saying you want to try it?

Is that all right?

Mm-hmm. Sure.

Could you crouch down a little for me?

Like this?

Kakeru-kun, can you take this kind of joke?

Good night.

Good night.

The lip balm Fuyutsuki was wearing

left a sweet smell on my mouth.

Since yesterday's kiss was my first, and I wasn't sure how to process it,

I decided to ask Narumi for advice.

Tsukishima

Komachi

Wanna try this place?

Hold on. I thought that people from Kansai didn't eat monjayaki.

Don't you go for okonomiyaki instead?

My mom was from Gunma, so I'm mixed. Half Kansai, half Kanto.

What do you mean mixed?

Wait a minute, does Gunma even count as Kanto?

You just turned half the country against you, man.

Forget that, just make the monja.

Oh, that looks good!

I made it all the time at home.

Oh.

Huh?

Come on in.

Over here, over here!

Oh.

Eh?

Sorry, were you waiting?

One oolong tea, please.

Coming up.

Why is Hayase here? I require an explanation!

Hold on a sec.

This is the important part.

Wait three minutes, then start poking at it with the little spatula.

You really know what you're doing.

But I thought Kansai folks didn't eat monja.

We already covered that.

My mom was from Gunma, so I'm mixed. Half Kansai, half Kanto.

What do you mean mixed?

Wait, does Gunma really count as Kanto?

We already covered that, too.

Mom's old house was way out in uncharted territory.

Now you're turning half of the country against you?

Oh, come on!

Here you go.

Cheers!

Cheers!

Should be about ready.

Yay! Thanks for the food!

Mmm! This is good!

This is kinda great!

I know, right?

Where were you from again, Sorano-kun?

The westernmost point of Honshu.

You don't eat a lot of monja in Shimonoseki, do ya?

Wasn't it soba on roof tiles instead?

What are you talking about?

Roof tile soba.

When he showed me a picture, it totally cracked me up.

They grill green tea soba on roof tiles.

Roof tile soba (kawara soba) is a regional dish said to have come from Shimonoseki in Yamaguchi Prefecture

Next >

Oh, you're right.

But why grill soba on a roof tile?

They conduct heat really well.

And every house in my neighborhood had at least one roof tile of their own.

So, like the donabe clay pots that everyone has?