This is a continuation story appears in a short story novel of the author.

Entering April, the snow that had blanketed Sapporo had mostly begun to melt.

However, a lot of snow still remained, making the ratio of asphalt to snow about fifty-fifty.

As for me, the new school term was coming up next week.

The boundary between winter and spring.

The midpoint between being a second-year and a third-year student.

Everything about the world and myself was in a half-baked state, but I didn't hate that half-baked feeling at all. It was definitely a sign of change, and more than anything, the same applied to my relationship with her.

—Sunohara Chifuyu.

A woman who works as a music teacher at the Suzuran Girls' High School I attend.

And the person who has been my lover since last Christmas.

I had promised to go on a date with Chifuyu to wrap up spring break.

—The word "date" still doesn't feel right to me.

It's been about three and a half months since Chifuyu and I started dating, but what you can't get used to, you just can't. Perhaps it was the same for her, as we still hadn't shown any real progress.

We hadn't even kissed since Christmas.

...Well, considering we have a teacher-student relationship and who she is, I'm not in a rush.

But I wonder how far a normal couple progresses in three months.

Since my high school is an all-girls school, I rarely get the chance to hear raw love stories. Well, there are a few girls in my class dating boys from other schools, but they usually hang out in their own groups, so information almost never reaches someone like me. So, the only thing I can use as a reference is internet knowledge.

But internet knowledge is so diverse that it often ends up being useless.

...Especially between two women, and a teacher and student at that.

It felt similar to the sensation I had when I was searching for a way to help her pass on back when Chifuyu was still a ghost (which is the only way to describe it). It’s like scooping sand in a sandbox looking for something, but as you do, you lose track of what you were even looking for in the first place. It was a dizzying sensation like that. Therefore, with no role model to emulate, we had no choice but to find our own answers.

Toying with such time-killing thoughts, I checked the time and saw it was 10:08.

That meant it had been about twenty minutes since I arrived at the meeting place, Odori Station. By the way, the meeting time was exactly 10:00, and earlier I had received a LINE message from Chifuyu saying she would be "late."

It was the first time she had ever been late.

Because Chifuyu was the type of woman who would always be standing at the meeting place first, no matter how early I arrived.

So this time too, while I was worried, I wasn't angry and just kept waiting for her.

After waiting for about another five minutes, out-of-rhythm footsteps approached.

"Sorry, Miyuki! Did I keep you waiting...?!"

Drawn by the voice, I looked over and saw the figure of my lover.

I didn't know this until I started dating Chifuyu, but it seems the teaching profession is actually busier during long vacations, so it had been about two weeks since I last saw Chifuyu face-to-face like this.

We exchange LINE messages every day, and we have a phone call every two or three days.

But still, just seeing the figure of your lover is enough to make your heart dance. Moreover, now that it was April, and perhaps because today was warmer than usual, Chifuyu was also in spring attire. Chifuyu is extremely sensitive to the cold, and when the temperature drops below 5 degrees Celsius, she bundles up to the point where even a snowman would be put to shame. Because of that, she ends up looking like a child frolicking in the snow outside.

...She's over a head shorter than me, and I'm not even that tall.

But today, she was dressed in a khaki shirt dress and denim, giving off the impression of a stylish college student. Be that as it may, what was even more striking than her clothes was that she was wearing shoes with heels a few centimeters higher than usual. She's originally someone who only wears high heels, but today they were even higher. It made me worry if she could properly walk on such heels.

...Even though we're going to the zoo.

If our date destination was a cafe for chatting, or a movie theater, I wouldn't have said anything. But our destination was "Maruyama Zoo," which requires climbing a slight hill from the station, so I was worried.

However, Chifuyu, oblivious to my concern, was fidgeting restlessly.

How should I put it, she was meaningfully fluttering the hem of her dress.

...Because she stared at me intently and then just fell silent.

Since this side of Chifuyu is very easy to read, I decided to say the words I wanted to say to her. If I didn't, it felt like she would just start spinning around in circles right there.

More than anything, I loved spoiling my lover.

"You look kinda grown-up and cool today, Chifuyu."

"R-Really?"

Blushing faintly, Chifuyu let the end of her sentence bounce. Her endearing attitude and voice were overwhelmingly cuter than her grown-up appearance, making me want to just hug her tightly.

"You look beautiful too, Miyuki. You don't look like a high schooler."

It felt somewhat criminal for a working adult to say that to their high schooler lover, but I kept that to myself. Because Chifuyu was very enthusiastic today, and I didn't want to throw a wet blanket on her feelings.

And more than anything, I was just as happy to be praised by Chifuyu.

...Well, she should be used to heels, so I guess it'll be fine.

I, too, was elated by my first date with Chifuyu in a while, so I decided not to worry about the small details. We naturally held hands and boarded the subway to head to the zoo.

The subway on a holiday was moderately crowded, and since it didn't look like we could sit, I held onto a strap.

Smoothly, Chifuyu held onto my elbow, the arm holding the strap.

...Cute as always.

If I said that, she'd sulk for a solid hour, so I'll definitely never say it.

The "figure of Chifuyu holding onto my elbow" reflected in the window glass in front of me was cuter than any living creature I had ever encountered. When we first started dating, she tried to hold onto the strap even if it was a stretch, but when I pointed out that it actually made her look more childish, she settled into this current form. Basically, no matter what she does, it ends up being cute because of her size. However, since that cuteness is directly linked to the "difficulty of living Chifuyu felt," I couldn't just be unconditionally happy about it.

"Miyuki, how is your novel going?"

Looking up at my profile as I was thinking such things, Chifuyu asked.

"It's going okay, I guess. Neither good nor bad. But I'm still continuing it."

"I see. I've been playing the piano every day too. I'm still agonizing over what to do with myself, though."

"I mentioned this before, but why don't you try posting a video or something? I think it would be pretty popular."

"A child playing the piano?"

At my suggestion, Chifuyu retorted bitterly.

That spoonful of hatred was by no means directed at me, so I continued without holding back.

"It might be received that way too. But I think you should use whatever you can. It's a fact that you're burdened with the handicap of a small body. It's not a bad thing to utilize it."

More than anything, I love Chifuyu's small body.

I wanted her to love that body herself, rather than putting it down. Well, I know it's not as easy as it sounds to make peace with a complex she's lived with for over ten years.

It must be especially difficult for Chifuyu, who has lived her life resisting the smallness of her body.

"After you mentioned it, Miyuki, I looked at various performers. From the highly skilled, to those resembling comedians, to those who seem to survive purely on song choice and timing. It was a world with a different flavor than the professional one. It seemed quite common for people with skills that put professionals to shame to only have a few hundred views."

"That's true. The difficulty of being evaluated remains the same whether it's on the internet or in reality."

Whether it's a novel, an illustration, or music, it's difficult to be evaluated on the internet.

Yes.

Being evaluated itself is difficult.

I used to post novels on internet submission sites in the past, but I couldn't even get a low rating; just a merciless double-digit view count lying there. That's how I learned that even "getting a low rating" is a form of talent. I didn't know which was better, "not catching anyone's eye" or "getting a low rating," but the number 0 still hit me pretty hard. That's exactly why I just hope to continue my activities thinly and steadily, together with Chifuyu.

...Well, the problem Chifuyu is facing is completely different in direction from mine, though.

Even so, since we managed to get together, I want us to be a support for each other.

While exchanging such conversations, we arrived at our destination, Maruyama Koen Station.

From here, the zoo was about a fifteen-minute walk, slightly up a hill.

"Chifuyu, are your feet okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine. I was worried about the snow, but it seems there's hardly any left on the sidewalks."

Just as she said, there was hardly any snow left on the sidewalks where many people pass by.

However, those places tend to turn into puddles, so I was worried either way.

"O-Oh..."

And sure enough, as we approached the mountain path, the amount of unmelted snow increased compared to in front of the station. Perhaps because she was too caught up in being stylish to think that far ahead, Chifuyu also seemed to be struggling a little bit.

So Chifuyu wouldn't realize, I gently took her hand and walked, supporting her small body.

I feel like it would be easier to just carry her in my arms or on my back at this point, though.

—But, that would defeat the purpose.

It's a special date, so I want us to walk in the same direction, on our own two feet.

That was surely an extension of the vow we made that day, and my own small obsession.

Above all, I didn't think Chifuyu would accept being carried on my back at this timing.

Taking about thirty minutes to traverse a path that would normally take fifteen, we finally reached the entrance of the zoo. Since opening time was 9:30 AM, there were only two or three groups lined up at each ticket window. We just lined up at the back of the closest line.

The line moved along without incident, and it was our turn.

Behind us, another two or three groups of families and couples seemed to be lined up. Perhaps because of that, the lady at the window looked back and forth between me and Chifuyu, and opened her mouth in a somewhat panicked tone.

"One student and one chi—"

"One student and one adult, please."

I was the one who interrupted her, paying the fee all together, driven solely by the desire to leave this spot.

...That was close.

Remembering an event from just the other day, I breathed a sigh of relief in my heart. During a previous date, there was an incident where Chifuyu was treated like a child. No, it might be more accurate to call it an event. At the time, I took the incident with a "well, that happens sometimes" kind of attitude, but Chifuyu's mood that day was absolutely terrible.

But if I think about it carefully, I think it can't be helped.

Chifuyu has lived her whole life fighting against that physique. Getting used to being treated like a child, and accepting it, would surely have been synonymous with "admitting defeat" for her.

That's exactly why I wanted her to accept it positively by being with me.

...Well, Chifuyu sulking after being treated like a child is cute in its own way, though.

That's that, and this is this, kind of thing.

Despite a minor scuffle, we managed to buy the tickets, so we passed through the gates and entered the zoo together.

"Phew..."

At the moment we completely finished entering the park, Chifuyu let out a deep, long breath. It was nothing more than a deep breath to calm herself down, and I sensed the turbulence in Chifuyu's emotions.

"Chifuyu, are you okay?"

As expected, she noticed... I smiled wryly at my own naive assumption. Even I was able to guess what the receptionist was going to say, so there was no way Chifuyu wouldn't have guessed it. Me covering for her might have also been humiliating for her. Thinking that, I gently peeked into Chifuyu's face.

Chifuyu, on the other hand, had a wry smile on her face in response to my reaction.

"Well, there's no use dragging around such a trivial comment forever."

Don't worry, I won't make a mistake like last time, Chifuyu stated in a quiet voice, taking my hand and starting to walk.

From her palm, I only felt a slight emotional disturbance, and as she said, I didn't feel anything like anger. Perhaps she, too, was trying to change.

Just as I had agonized over my relationship with Chifuyu.

She, too.

And so, we headed toward the park's guide map. Even though it's a guide map, it's not like the paths are finely branched; if you secure a proper route, you can thoroughly tour the facilities round-trip. So we finished our staring contest with the guide map moderately quickly and started touring the facilities.

...Now, what will happen on today's date?

I had been worried like that, but those fears proved to be unfounded. Because,

"Oh! It's a red panda! Miyuki! It's a red panda!"

"Yeah. We're looking at it together, so you don't have to shout for me to see it."

Chifuyu was making a much bigger fuss over the animals than I had thought.

...Well, I guess so.

As Chifuyu herself had said, she lived a life devoid of friends, so she probably only ever yearned for the space of a zoo and never actually had the chance to visit with someone. Thinking that her past frustrations were exploding here, I could understand her high spirits.

"Ohh!"

It was funny how the red panda threatened Chifuyu as she was cheering, though.

"Y-You, what, you wanna go?!"

In response, Chifuyu, for some reason, was trying to fight the red panda while also being scared of it. Not knowing what she'd do if I left her alone, I pulled her hand and left the facility. Chifuyu looked dissatisfied, but I'd like her to put herself in the shoes of someone forced to watch their lover and a red panda threaten each other.

"If it's animals, what do you like, Chifuyu?"

Relieved that Chifuyu was enjoying herself more than expected, I decided to try making some small talk. Between facilities, out of the corner of my eye, I saw one of those cutout panels that lets you become an orangutan—which I don't know who benefits from—as Chifuyu groaned, "Hmm..." Chifuyu is the kind of woman who will easily spend an hour agonizing over small talk. She can't compromise on anything, or rather, she's terribly bad at finding a middle ground.

"Hmm... red pandas, or maybe seals."

But maybe because the answer was clear this time, Chifuyu answered without agonizing too much.

"Animals with a moderate size and big, round eyes."

I vaguely had a feeling, but I think she likes animals that have a "small and cute feeling even if I'm holding them" vibe. Was it a small resistance that she didn't name hamsters or chipmunks?

...No, this is just my own delusion running wild.

Chifuyu does have that side to her, so I felt like I wasn't entirely wrong.

"What about you, Miyuki?"

As I was deepening my analysis of Chifuyu, she returned the question this time.

"Hmm... giraffes, or elephants, or lions... maybe."

Having no particular reason to lie, I answered honestly while looking at Chifuyu's profile. Then, for some reason, she was also looking up at me while slightly pouting her lips.

When she noticed my gaze, she immediately looked back forward, though.

...What's with that face.

Not understanding why she was making a sulky face at this timing, I was slightly bewildered.

"...So you do like big things."

Then, Chifuyu muttered that, looking displeased.

...No, isn't that phrase usually used for height or breast size?

Why is she competing with the size of animals?

Compared to the animals I just named, even I'm small. Chifuyu's complex about her height—and by extension, her hand size—had swelled so much that it sometimes burst in strange places.

For some reason, at that timing, I remembered the red panda threatening Chifuyu earlier.

Maybe because the image of it desperately threatening Chifuyu overlapped with the image of the current Chifuyu trying to pick a fight with giant animals. Imagining Chifuyu throwing both hands up to make her body look as big as possible like a red panda, I chuckled to myself. Then,

"Wh-What are you laughing at? Did I say something weird?"

Chifuyu asked worriedly in a panicked voice.

I think it was a reaction unique to her, someone who is unusually sensitive to the ridicule of others. However,

"No, you did say something weird. What's the point of competing with elephants and giraffes?"

Or is she thinking that I'm "a woman who will abandon Chifuyu because she's attracted to the size of elephants and giraffes"? If so, that's a terrible dishonor, so I decided to name other animals for the time being.

"I like guinea pigs and long-tailed tits too. Palm-sized ones."

"I-I'm not that small!"

"No... like I said, what are you talking about, Chifuyu?"

It seemed impossible to separate whatever I said from herself for the current her, so I gave up on dialogue and decided to head to the next facility. Chifuyu, who was almost left behind, panicked, "W-Wait a minute!" but I hoped that would cool her head a little.

Engaging in such silly yet endearing exchanges, we rushed through the zoo.

Thanks to that, we managed to see all the facilities just barely before closing time. We ended up just skimming past the Ezo deer and wolves near the end, but running through the park on pure momentum suited my laid-back nature, and I think it was much better than being bored. There was just one miscalculation—or rather, a problem I had completely forgotten about—and it reared its head on the downhill path on our way back.

"Ugh... woah!"

My right hand, which was holding Chifuyu's, was suddenly yanked downward, making me almost lose my balance. However, instantly grasping the situation, I tried to pull Chifuyu's left hand up, resisting that downward force.

But Chifuyu herself didn't have enough composure left to deal with the situation.

Because of that, she slipped and crumbled to the ground.

"Ouch... ow..."

"Chifuyu, are you okay?!"

Guided by her faint moan of pain, I hurriedly crouched down beside her.

It seemed she had simply sprained her ankle, and it was turning a purplish-red.

"Ngh... it's probably just a light sprain, so it's nothing to worry so much about..."

Chifuyu tried to stand up while borrowing my hand, but she succumbed to the pain and collapsed again.

"Even if it's a light sprain, you're in no condition to walk! It's not even secured with a bandage or anything. Above all, it'd be one thing if you were barefoot, but I can't let you walk in such high heels."

Chifuyu is the kind of woman who will push herself unreasonably if left alone, so I decided to take drastic measures.

Drastic measures—while crouching, I presented my broad back to Chifuyu.

I could tell that Chifuyu, seemingly instantly realizing the meaning of my pose, was flustered behind me.

"N-No, Miyuki. A piggyback ride is a bit much... I'm not a child."

"I'm offering to carry you because you're my girlfriend, Chifuyu. Not because you're small. Because if I were in the same situation, I believe you would definitely carry me on your back. Even if you were two meters tall, I think I would still carry you the exact same way."

When we were heading to the zoo, I thought I wanted to walk side-by-side with Chifuyu. But I think being able to support each other like this when one of us can't move is just as important.

Though resting close to each other is important sometimes too.

That's just a metaphor anyway; for now, we have to get home.

"...Do you feel differently, Chifuyu?"

After a beat, I asked her that, and...

"Ugh... a-alright... if you insist that much, Miyuki..."

Chifuyu answered while flustered. And then,

"W-Well then, excuse me. T-Tell me if I'm heavy!"

Along with such a polite line, Chifuyu rested her weight on my back. Guh... Even with her entire weight on me, I didn't feel much heaviness, and I was able to stand up with almost no resistance.

"Oh, ohhh...!"

However, I'm not exactly used to giving piggyback rides either, so I staggered unsteadily for a moment. But thanks to that, Chifuyu clung tightly to my body, so I guess all's well that ends well.

...No, I mean it's unstable and dangerous if she doesn't hold on properly, okay?

It's not like I'm just happy to have our bodies pressed close together or anything... wait, who am I making excuses to?

"Am I not heavy...? Are you sure you're okay...?"

I couldn't tell if she was worried about my body or her own weight, but Chifuyu was excessively concerned about being heavy. Needless to say, Chifuyu's body was almost too light, so it wasn't a problem at all.

"It's fine. I can walk all the way to the station like this."

Even to my answer, Chifuyu just let out a small groan, "Urgh..."

After leaving the zoo, Chifuyu remained silent for a while. Thinking she might actually be feeling down about this incident... I didn't force a conversation either, and we silently descended the hill. The sun had completely set, and dimness and silence dominated the area. By the time we finished descending the mountain path, the surrounding scenery had shifted to a residential area, but there didn't seem to be many people around here.

Only Chifuyu's breathing and body heat transmitted through my back.

No matter how light Chifuyu's body was, fatigue was starting to seep into me too. But just having her there made me feel like I could walk forever; it was a strange feeling.

"I'm sorry, Miyuki."

So when Chifuyu apologized, I was startled, feeling as if she had seen right through my inner thoughts.

"...For what?"

I spoke up trying not to let my agitation show, but a lower and stiffer voice than usual slipped out.

I don't know how she interpreted that voice, but Chifuyu flinched for a moment before opening her mouth again.

"Today... um, it seems I got a little too carried away."

"You getting a little too carried away is the usual for you, Chifuyu."

While the degree varied, Chifuyu caused problems big and small on every single date. Since that was purely due to her lack of experience socializing with people, I ultimately only felt endearment toward it.

But for this time specifically, she seemed to want to reflect on it.

In that case, I decided to say what had been on my mind, too.

"I'm happy that you get excited and enthusiastic about our dates, Chifuyu. However—"

I paused there to choose my words.

As if unable to bear the silence, Chifuyu squeezed my body tightly. She seemed so anxious that she forgot her feelings were being transmitted directly to me. Since it wasn't my intention to make her anxious, I quickly picked my words.

"You don't really have to force yourself to stretch beyond your limits, you know."

"I-Is that... about these... shoes?"

Because I picked my words without agonizing over them, I ended up causing Chifuyu an unnecessary misunderstanding again.

...No, maybe it's not exactly a misunderstanding.

Because those shoes were the very symbol of "Sunohara Chifuyu stretching beyond her limits."

So I took over from her words and continued.

"Well, of course it's about the shoes too. But it's not just that; it's about a lot of things. You're a working adult, Chifuyu, and I'm a student. But... you don't really feel like an 'adult', Chifuyu."

"Ugh..."

Chifuyu groaned at my blunt remark.

But if I took too long here, I felt like I'd hurt her even more, so I continued.

"You want to show me an adult, reliable side of yourself, don't you? I like the Chifuyu who studies up on all sorts of things and tries to be considerate like that, but I love the way you truly are even more."

"The way I truly am...?"

As Chifuyu repeated my words like a child, I nodded, "Yeah."

"I love your small body, Chifuyu. More than anyone, more than anything, I think you're adorable, and it was thanks to that body that I was able to meet you. So I want you to come to love yourself too. Because thanks to meeting you, Chifuyu, I was able to come to love myself."

Voicing that fact felt like exposing my shameful parts, and it made me feel itchy.

But I had already completely shown the inside of my heart to Chifuyu.

That embarrassment was too little too late, and it was an absolutely necessary process.

"Well, saying 'I came to love myself' might be an exaggeration. Still, unlike before, I stopped denying myself... and the things I want to do. That's because you accepted me, Chifuyu. It's because you told me that you loved the things I love, and the results of my efforts."

"...I see."

After a brief silence, offering only that short acknowledgment, Chifuyu fell silent again. However, I could tell from the atmosphere that she was chewing on my words and thinking about them, so I decided to wait for her to come up with an answer. As time passed, her breathing began to turn ragged, reflecting the wavering in her heart.

That emotional wavering was brought to the surface the moment we got caught at a red light and stopped walking.

"I want to love myself too, you know."

However, the words Chifuyu squeezed out were drowned out by her own "But..." Still, just from those words, I could understand what she was trying to say.

—Even so, I didn't know what the correct answer to reply to those feelings was.

Those feelings and worries belonged solely to Chifuyu, and I couldn't completely understand them. If that was the case, what I should say wasn't cheap words of comfort, but perhaps words from a different angle entirely. In other words, to admit that "trying to fix it overnight" was itself a mistake.

"Then, until you can come to love yourself, Chifuyu, I'll tell you I love you as many times as it takes."

Perhaps unable to understand the answer I gave, Chifuyu let out a half-hearted "Huh?" against the nape of my neck.

"I love you."

Since I had no obligation to explain it to her carefully and politely, I decided to quickly put it into practice.

"Ehh?!"

Perhaps never expecting me to suddenly whisper sweet nothings to her, Chifuyu trembled on my back. Chifuyu tended to overreact every time I confessed my affection, so I often held back from putting it into words. But if my words could improve her self-esteem and help her accept herself, there was no reason to hold back. So, seizing the opportunity, I tried weaving more words.

"I love you, Chifuyu. I love your small body. I love how stubborn you are—"

"W-W-Wait, doing this so suddenly is foul play! M-My heart isn't ready for this!"

Perhaps out of protest, Chifuyu started lightly drumming on my back.

Because she was gripping my shoulder with one hand, it didn't have much force behind it.

"If you prepare your heart, it defeats the purpose. I love you so much. I love you, Chifuyu."

Ignoring her words and telling her straight out, Chifuyu groaned, "Urrgghh..." Not satisfied with just that, she began to grind her face into my shoulder blades. I could somewhat understand that she wanted to hide her reddened face... but who exactly was she trying to hide it from? If anything, it only made me more curious about what kind of face she was making.

"Y-You... you're surprisingly sadistic in that regard."

And then, keeping her face pressed into my back, Chifuyu mumbled something like that.

"If you think this level of talking is extremely sadistic, you're not going to survive what's coming."

Whether it's my friend Emiri or Madoka, they lean ten times more toward the sadistic side.

I was supposed to have said it with that meaning, but I don't know what Chifuyu misunderstood:

"W-What do you mean 'what's coming'?! What are you planning to do to me, Miyuki?! A-Are you planning to tie me up?!"

She raised her voice in a panic.

—Planning to tie me up.

Because such a completely outrageous phrase popped out, I couldn't stay calm either.

"Hah?! No one said anything like that! Or rather, tie you up? Are you..."

Tying someone up implies using rope or something similar.

...No, this person wouldn't suit that look at all.

I suppose bondage isn't something you do based on whether it suits someone or not. Since Chifuyu's body type is like a child's, if I were to tie her up seriously with rope, I felt like it would result in a highly criminal-looking scene. But the fact that the idea of "tying up" popped out so smoothly meant that maybe Chifuyu actually harbored such desires. Come to think of it, Chifuyu is undeniably masochistic.

In that case, restraining her with something lighter like handcuffs or ribbons might—

...Wait, why am I seriously imagining this?

I told myself that if I went along with Chifuyu's crazy remarks, I wouldn't have enough bodies to last.

"B-But, I mean... if that's what you want, Miyuki... I'll properly accept it..."

However, before I could continue, I took a follow-up attack from Chifuyu.

...What kind of mental preparation is this person making right now?

If I said, "I'm going to tie you up," would this person just solemnly let herself be tied up?

...She definitely would, wouldn't she.

Having somehow vividly imagined it, I let out a heavy sigh and expelled the image from my mind.

Because if I didn't, my head felt like it would become completely filled with suggestive imaginations involving Chifuyu.

"You do not need to accept it."

Having taken a mysterious, airheaded counter-punch, I was completely knocked out. Lacking the energy and courage to keep telling Chifuyu I loved her while dragging this mood along, I decided to end this conversation.

"Just little by little is fine. I want you to come to love the Chifuyu that I love."

"If you say it like that, Miyuki... I'll try my best, too."

Hearing Chifuyu answer so reluctantly, I felt an overwhelming endearment toward her.

In the end, I think I love the Chifuyu who can't love herself, too.

Even so, if she feels that life is difficult, I want her to come to love that self.

—The day I can tie Chifuyu up—Wait, no.

I wonder if the day will ever come when Chifuyu can accept her own inferiority complex.

Picturing such a day in my mind, I carried Chifuyu on my back and walked the short remaining distance.