CH 55

“Mm. ……Was this one a bust?”

“Well, it’s considerably more challenging than the last one.”

We both discussed which attraction we would head for first. However, Nagi had “I want to go to the maze” written on her face, so we decided to attempt the maze first.

Unlike before, in addition to the maze, there are quiz and riddle solving elements mixed in. It does not require that much knowledge, but it is the type that requires flexible thinking.

Nagi groaned as she looked at the map and the paper with the problems on it. Her hands are full, so she does not show the habit of putting her hand on her chin like before, but her expression is serious.

Nagi’s mouth opens a little, and her eyes widen to a round stare.

“……Oh ! I understand ! It’s at the ♠ !”

Saying that, Nagi took my hand and started walking.

Nagi’s pure excitement was like a child’s, and it was fun to watch.

My heart was thumping at the feel of her soft hand, but I ignored it and followed Nagi.

Nagi returned to her original room and looked into the ♠ room.

“Probably a shelf here. At the bottom, second from the right….there it is.”

Nagi squatted down and peeled something off from it. It was a small key.

“Yay! I did it ! Souta kun !”

“Yeah. That’s great, Nagi.”

I couldn’t help but smile too.

I reached out my hand to her snow-white hair and stroked it gently, and she narrowed her eyes happily.

“Ehehe.”

I don’t usually do this kind of thing outside, but I guess it’s okay since there are no ones around.

……No. I wonder if this might be being watched by cameras.

It’s inside a building, so it must be necessary for security.

I stopped my hand without thinking, and Nagi looked at me a little sadly. However, she withdrew her body.

“I’ll do my best next time ! ……Ah, let’s solve it together this time ! I’ll do the same for you!”

“N-no. Um. I’ll be fine.”

“….You don’t like it?”

“It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s just……um.”

I’m not sure if I should tell her or not. But those sparkling eyes were staring at me.

I let out a small sigh.

“I understand. At that time…..I’ll leave it to you.”

“Yes ! Of course !”

I want Nagi to leave with happy memories.

Seeing Nagi nodding with a smile, we proceeded to the next area.

Hoping that no one was watching us on camera.

◆◆◆

“T-this……I wonder if this is okay. I feel like I’m being stared at more than usual.”

The white cat ears popped out of Nagi’s head. I can’t help but reach out my hand there, but I endure it.

Apparently, there was a reward for clearing the maze. I realized that after I cleared the maze, I decided to take it if I could get it.

……A cat ears headband.

“There are quite a few people wearing them, so it’s okay. ……Um. I think it’s cute.”

“……! I-Is that so?”

Even if it’s called a clearing reward, it’s the same kind of headband that you see in the souvenir store. …..The color variations are different from the ones in the store, but on their own they are not that noticeable.

Maybe because it’s Christmas, there are not many people around wearing it.

Well, if Nagi wore it, it would stand out. Because of calculation errors, that’s why she stands out from the beginning.

“E-ehehe. I’m glad to hear that. Then, Souta kun, too.”

“No thank you.”

There is only one problem.

There were two of these cat ears headbands.

“W-why?”

“Because it doesn’t look……good on me.”

Nagi looked puzzled, but I shook my head.

Unless you’re as beautiful as Nagi and have cuteness in it. In the first place, the demand for men’s cat ears headbands is too low.

“T-that’s not true ! It looks good on you! ! Absolutely !”

Nagi said this while holding out her cat ears with both hands. Her face is slightly red and looks somewhat desperate.

“N-no. But you know.”

“I’ll judge if it looks good on you or not ! Just try it on for now !”

Nagi handed me cat ears while saying so. I was hesitant, but there was no way I could refuse Nagi’s request.

“I-is this okay?”

In the end, I put on the cat ears.

Nagi looked at me. She gave me a very nice smile.

“Yes ! It looks great on you !”

Her hand reached out and touched my head, not my head, but my cat ears.

I was not directly touched, but I felt a tickle.

“Fufu. It reminds me of Lun chan.”

“So nostalgic. …..I wish I could go back to see her again.”

“Yes ! Let’s go next time !”

Nagi said so–and she didn’t finish her story. I thought it was time to go to the next place.

Nagi keeps touching my cat ears, as if they are tactile. But her blue eyes were staring at my face.

“I knew it looked cute on you.”

“……Eh?”

Nagi said and took out her phone from her pocket.

“A picture ! Let’s take a picture ! As a souvenir !”

“Y-yeah. That’s fine.”

Nagi was a little more forceful than usual. We took a picture as I was led along by Nagi.

“Well, then, let’s take a picture, shall we? ……Say cheese !”

The process was a little awkward, but we finished taking the picture safely.

I was a little worried about whether or not I was smiling well, but I guess it was all right because her face broke into a smile when she saw the picture.

When I was relieved to see that, Nagi smiled at me.

“Thank you ! Souta kun !”

“I also wanted to take at least one photo. Could you send it to me later?”

“Yes ! Of course ! Can I set it as my wallpaper?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“……Yay.”

Nagi is operating her phone happily with a small murmur. Watching her, my cheeks naturally relaxed as well.

“……Okay, I’m done !Where shall we go next?”

“Right. The roller coaster…..we have to take this again. Shall we think about it as we go around?”

“Yes ! Let’s do that ! There are some attractions we couldn’t do before !”

Nagi took my hand. Our fingers are intertwined and I can directly feel Nagi’s body warmth.

“Fufu. Let’s go, Souta kun.

“Yeah.”

Nagi is moving forward with very light steps.

I could feel that she was enjoying herself from the bottom of her heart, which made me happy too.

◆◆◆

“Whoa.”

“Are you okay?”

I put my hand on Nagi’s back, who was about to lose her balance, and brought her body back to the original position. Nagi smiled a little shyly.

“E-ehehe. Thank you.”

Nagi said, and held my hand tightly.

Now we are about to ride on the merry-go-round. It was one of the attractions we couldn’t ride last time.

The merry-go-round was very nicely decorated and most of the people riding it were couples or parents and children.

I was a little embarrassed to ride the merry-go-round last time because there were so many children.

But this time, there seemed to be a lot of people of the same age, so I invited her , and she nodded vigorously with sparkling eyes.

“……Actually, I’ve always wanted to ride before.”

“Is that so?”

Nagi scratched her cheek with her other hand and nodded, her cheeks turning red.

“Yes. But, you know. I was thinking about what I should do if Souta kun refuses.”

“I won’t refuse. If Nagi asked me to.”I’m “But, that might not be fun for Souta kun.”

Nagi muttered anxiously. I smiled when I heard that.

It’s a needless fear.

“I’m happy only when I’m with Nagi. If Nagi is happy, I’ll be happy too. So you don’t have to think too much.”

Nagi smiled. It was a soft and warm smile.

“….Fufu. So we’re the same.”

The grip on her hand became even stronger. From her expression, from her words, from the palm of her hand. Nagi’s warmth can be felt.

“Well then, Souta kun too. If there are any attractions you want to ride or anything you want to do, please don’t hesitate to tell me, okay?”

“Yeah, of course.”

As soon as I nodded, the merry-go-round started moving.

“Wow. It moves a lot.”

“Yes ! …..Ah, and if you’re almost falling over, I’ll hold you up this time !”

“Yeah, thank you.”

The horse that Nagi and I are riding is the same speed. We sway up and down a little, but not so much that we lose our hands grip. There is also a pole on the horse’s head that is easy to grip so that we don’t lose our balance and fall off.

But–I had not had much experience riding such a thing. Of course, it was completely different from a roller coaster, bus, or train.

It was a little fresh and fun.

“Fufu. It’s fun, isn’t it, Souta kun?”

“Yeah. It’s fun.”

Nagi and I locked gazes, and her blue eyes lit up with a soft light.

Nagi seemed to have a lot of fun in this attraction.

By the way, while we were on the merry-go-round, the staff was taking pictures of all the groups. I was told that I could get a photo if I asked for one, and I got one for both Nagi and me.

◆◆◆

As before, I ate lunch with Nagi in a special space.

Then we rode some attractions and had fun.

We naturally looked at each other. We seemed to be communicating with each other about what we were going to ride next.

I noticed that we were there.

“–There are more people in line than before.”

“Yeah. You’re right.”

I was right to come a little early.

“Souta kun.”

“What is it?”

Nagi gently leaned closer to me. The strength of her hand becomes stronger.

“—I love you. I have always loved you and I will always love you. I will never leave you again, Souta kun.

Short and small words. Still, Nagi’s feelings came through.

“Yeah. I know. I love you too.”

We squeezed each other’s hands tightly and got in line to ride the Ferris wheel.