Eternal You (Premium)

by Yuri Kitayama

  She was extremely reluctant to wear the same pair of underwear twice, but she unfortunately didn’t have a change of underwear, so she endured it and put on a childish pair of shorts. She didn’t have a bra for reasons related to her growth, so she wore a camisole that was just as childish as her shorts.

  “Hmph... I wish I was a little more like Miharu,” Aki muttered to herself as she touched her flat body; she was at the age where she admired Miharu for her slender but feminine frame.

  Once she finished changing, she returned to the living room. A delicious-smelling scent was wafting throughout, and when she fearfully peered into the kitchen, she found Rio and Miharu intimately making dinner together.

  “...” Aki tried to call out to the two of them, but for some reason, her words wouldn’t come out. She felt a strange sense of déjà vu as she watched the two of them in a daze, but she shook her head from left to right and brushed it off.

  “You’re done, Aki? Were you able to unwind a little?” Rio noticed Aki and called out to her in a friendly voice.

  “Ah, yes. It was a very nice bath. Thank you for letting me use it first.” Aki bowed her head hesitantly.

  “I’m glad to hear that. Can you go tell Masato that it’s his turn to get in? He’s probably off exploring some part of the house.”

  “E-Exploring... I understand.” Aki nodded in exasperation at Masato’s childishness.

  “Also, there are cold drinks in that box over there that you can take as you wish. The glasses are in that shelf over there, so help yourself to whatever you want.”

  “T-Thank you very much. You’re so considerate of everything...” Aki bowed her head — Rio really left nothing to be desired.

  Afterward, Aki found Masato and told him to go take a bath, then sat down on the sofa in the living room to drink her iced tea.

  It sure smells nice.

  As she enjoyed the tropical scent of the iced tea and cool sensation of the metal mug, Aki absentmindedly watched what was going on in the kitchen. There, Rio and Miharu were chatting about something as they made the food.

  It was a space where only the two of them existed, and for some reason, it felt difficult to intrude on.

  What is this I’m feeling...

  Aki had a strange sense of déjà vu once again, but she couldn’t pinpoint the reason why, and was overcome with an indescribable feeling of vexation. Watching the two act intimately made her heart sting with pain.

  Aki didn’t know that the person who broke his promise — the person who she hated illogically from the depths of her heart — was the same person who had saved her from her crisis earlier. She didn’t know what Rio was feeling right now, as he lived in this moment with his memories of the life he led as Amakawa Haruto, after the current life he had been through.

  Not only Aki, but everyone else in this house, too. No one knew.

  Fate was a cruel mistress.

  ◇◇◇

  Masato finished his bath just as dinner was finished being prepared.

  “Dinner’s ready. Come over here, you two.”

  Rio invited Aki and Masato over to the dining table. The table was lined with rice and colorful side dishes like miso soup, karaage, steamed vegetables, chopped burdock root, boiled greens in soy sauce, and salad.

  “...Japanese style?” Aki froze at the sight of the dishes on the table. She never imagined she’d be able to eat a Japanese meal in a world that wasn’t Earth.

  “Whoa, that looks delicious!” Masato was the polar opposite of Aki, eyes sparkling with no doubts in his mind at all.

  “Let’s dig in. Sit wherever you like,” Rio prompted. Everyone made their way to their respective seats of preference. As a result, Rio sat next to Miharu and Masato sat next to Aki, the four of them facing each other across the table.

  “Thank you for the meal,” they all said together spontaneously, before beginning to eat.

  “Yum! Did you make this, Miharu?” Masato reached for the karaage without hesitation. The steaming-hot fried chicken burst open and released the juices of the meat in his mouth, making Masato beam with a broad smile.

  Miharu shook her head. “Nope, Haruto was the one who made it.”

  “Wow, Haruto’s amazing. These steamed veggies are delicious, too,” Masato hummed in admiration.

  “Miharu made the steamed vegetables. Even though you didn’t have much time to make it, the flavor soaked in perfectly. It’s very delicious,” Rio praised. It was his first time eating Miharu’s homemade cooking ever, so Rio had reached for her dish first without hesitation.

  “Thank you very much.” Miharu grinned with embarrassment.

  The peaceful atmosphere remained throughout the whole meal.

  ◇◇◇

  Aki and Masato must have been mentally exhausted, as they were immediately overcome with sleepiness once they finished their meals and were able to relax. Rio had been cleaning up the plates with Miharu, but stopped to lead the two to their bedrooms and put them to bed.

  Afterward, he immediately returned to finish cleaning. After convincing a reluctant Miharu that he didn’t mind bathing last, he sat down on the sofa in the now-quiet living room.

  Sipping at his hot tea, Rio sighed and vacantly reviewed the events that happened that day.

  It sure is quiet... When it’s this quiet, it almost feels like everything that happened today was just a dream.

  It really was just like a dream — the girl he loved and the little sister he was separated from in his previous life had appeared before him once again. However, it was by no means a dream — Rio had definitely met them in this world; especially Miharu, whom he had wanted to see again more than anything. Even Aki, Haruto’s little sister, was here.

  In the bathroom, beyond the door to the changing room, was the girl he loved so much, taking a bath, alone.

  Do they... trust me? Or are they simply just unguarded? Rio smiled wryly.

  Captured by a man whose language they didn’t understand, they had nearly been made into slaves.

  While Rio had no intention of assaulting Miharu, she had no way of knowing that for sure. She showed no outward signs of wariness toward Rio, but perhaps she was feeling uneasy on the inside.

  Either way, they’ve been thrown into a completely unknown world, out of the blue. I wouldn’t be surprised if the stress has left any of them feeling mentally unstable... I’ll have to prepare an environment where they can relax, to ease the burden on their minds...

  A sorrowful expression appeared on Rio’s face, and he covered it with his right hand in torment. The memories of his past life suddenly resurfaced.

  ...I wonder if I should tell them the truth... That I have Amakawa Haruto’s memories, Rio pondered to himself.

  While it was clear as day that telling them would only cause confusion, Rio wondered if he even wanted to do so to begin with.

  Amakawa Haruto was dead, after all — that was why Rio had cultivated a sense of finality with his previous self, despite feeling a strong and lingering attachment of his love for Miharu. That is... he was almost able to let Haruto go, until Miharu appeared before him — in the same form as the last time Haruto had seen her.

  Honestly, there was no denying that he had nearly succumbed to his inclinations, that perhaps the idle youth he had spent as Amakawa Haruto could be done all over again.

  There was a part of him that felt happiness in his reunion with Miharu, looking forward to spending time together even for a short while.

  However, it was suffocating at the same time, because Rio considered himself to be a person that could never turn back. He couldn’t turn back.

  He had said goodbye to his weakened self, the one that kept running away from a painful reality, in his parents’ homeland. He had decided that he would get his own hands dirty, if necessary, and search for someone that might not even be alive anymore. If he was alive, he’d kill him.

  Rio had changed. Amakawa Haruto’s naivety was gone — as a matter of fact, he didn’t even know
if he really was Amakawa Haruto anymore. The fact that he had vague memories in his mind was the only proof he had that he still was Haruto.

  Today, he had killed someone for the first time in his life. Even at that very moment, with the sensation of killing someone and the warmth of their body still lingering on him, he felt no particular sense of guilt — most likely because the man he had killed deserved it.

  At this point, what could he reveal about himself to his three guests? Would he tell Miharu that he had the memories of Amakawa Haruto, then confess his undying love to her?

  What if Miharu had someone she loved, and therefore rejected him? Or, even worse — it was possible she might jump to her own conclusions, considering the current situation they had been placed in.

  It’s no good. Even if I told them now, Mii-cha... No, Miharu and the others would only be distraught. I only just decided not to place a burden on them anymore, and yet it took me so long to realize what should have been obvious. I guess I still haven’t regained my composure yet... Rio sighed shamefully.

  He had no idea why the Miharu that disappeared years before Amakawa Haruto died had appeared in this world as a high school student; he was rather bewildered by it, actually. But he knew what his priority needed to be, for now and for the future: he had to protect Miharu, Aki, and Masato. That much was certain.

  I’ll need to teach them the language and the customs... It looks like I’ll be constantly with them for a while. My trip to see Professor Celia will have to be put off until later. Rio decided to sit back and observe the situation for a while.

  Just then, the sound of the door to the changing room opening echoed in the living room. Rio directed his gaze to the changing room to see Miharu, fresh from her bath.

  Miharu closed the door politely before looking around the living room. She was still in her school uniform, but looked strangely attractive after having just finished her bath.

  When Miharu laid her eyes on Rio sitting on the sofa, she approached him with brisk footsteps and bowed her head. “Ah, Haruto. That was a great bath... Thank you for letting me use it first.”

  Miharu’s long black hair, so glossy that it shone like varnish, swayed. It tickled Rio’s nostrils with the scent of soap. Rio felt his heart leap in his chest, then shook his head as though dismissing it as a figment of his imagination. “Don’t worry about it. Do you have a moment to talk right now?”

  “Yes. I wanted to talk to you too...” Miharu nodded hesitantly.

  “Here you go, then.” Rio poured ice tea into an empty mug and offered it to Miharu.

  Miharu was feeling thirsty after her bath, so she brought the mug to her mouth softly and smiled happily. “Thank you... It’s delicious.”

  Rio immediately refilled Miharu’s mug with more ice tea. “Would you like to go shopping tomorrow?” he asked.

  “Shopping... you say?” Miharu cocked her head, her expression blank.

  “Yes. I thought we could pick up some necessities for your everyday needs... and... Well, you can’t stay in your uniform forever, so...” Rio said, seemingly reluctant about bringing it up.

  “Yes, you’re right,” Miharu said, nodding uncomfortably. Then, her expression shifted, and she gasped. “Ah... W-Was it weird to wear this again after all?! U-Umm, do I stink of sweat or something?” she asked in embarrassment.

  Now that she was able to reflect on it, she had worn this outfit while she had prepared dinner and subsequently ate. She had also walked around endlessly in this uniform throughout the day; fearing that the smell of her sweat had soaked through, she sniffed her uniform in a panic to check.

  Rio shook his head in shock. “N-No, not at all! You smell really nice! I could breathe in your scent forever.” In his rush to deny her statement, he spoke in a way that could have been taken the wrong way.

  “Huh...? Ah... Umm, t-thank you... very much?” Miharu tilted her head; she was rather taken aback. She seemed to interpret the meaning of his words in a positive way, at least.

  Rio belatedly realized he had made a remark that could be misunderstood and corrected himself in a hurry. “Ah, I-I didn’t mean it in a weird way! I just meant that it wasn’t a bad smell. I’m sorry!” he said, and bowed his head.

  “I-It’s okay, I understand. I-I’m sorry, too.” Miharu bowed her head thankfully in return.

  The air between them grew awkward, and for a while, their expressions were of an embarrassed sort. They averted their gazes, looking apologetic.

  After the awkward silence between them continued for a few more seconds...

  “...And so, I was thinking it’d be a bit difficult to move around with all of us, so would it be okay for you to shop on the behalf of the other two tomorrow? Although it would mean that Aki and Masato have to stay back here alone...” Rio said in a slightly high-pitched voice, returning to their derailed conversation.

  “Y-Yes. It’ll be okay.” Miharu nodded willingly. She knew that if the three of them had followed Rio into the city, they would only be a burden with their lack of understanding of the language.

  “Then we’ll leave sometime in the morning after breakfast, so please write down a list of the things you need. There’s no need to worry about money, so write down everything you can think of,” Rio said, trying to encourage Miharu to show no restraint in what she wanted.

  However, Miharu’s expression clouded apologetically. “Umm... We don’t have anything that would be worth any money, but I swear... One day I will repay you for looking after us like this. Thank you so much. If you ever have any housework or chores you need me to do, just say the word,” she said, bowing her head deeply at Rio.

  “No, there’s no need for you to repay me in that way...” Rio scratched at his head, his expression troubled. If he put himself in Miharu’s shoes, he could understand her feelings, but just thinking about it left him feeling conflicted.

  “I cannot allow that.” Miharu shook her head resolutely. She seemed to have quite the upright and earnest personality.

  “...All right. Then, you can do some of the housework around here, and we’ll call it even between us with that. I will also pay you an allowance for your work.” Rio nodded and smiled faintly.

  “Thank you very much. I’ll work hard.” Miharu’s expression continued to remain apologetic.

  “Yes, please do. Also, there was something that I had to give you, Miharu. This...” Rio said, taking out the small pouch tightly packed with gold coins.

  “Umm... What’s this?” Miharu asked hesitantly, peeking at the glint of gold from the opening of the pouch.

  “The compensation money received from the slave merchant that tried to kidnap you and the others.”

  “These are gold coins, right? It looks very valuable...”

  “Well, to an extent. But, he had nearly ruined your entire lives. This is in no way too high of a price to be considered compensation money. You might not be too happy to accept this money, but please save it in case you need it as backup funds one day,” Rio said slowly to ensure Miharu understood his point.

  “...Won’t you take this money instead, Haruto? We were the ones rescued by you, so I couldn’t possibly accept it,” Miharu declared after a pause of consideration, showing no sign of regret in front of such a huge amount of money.

  “No, no. This is compensation money, so it has to go to the victims that suffered the crime. That’s how it is.” Rio shook his head, slightly taken aback.

  “But we’ve only ever been on the receiving end of your kindness, and won’t have any way to use the money for a while... I would be much happier if you would accept this instead, Haruto,” Miharu emphasized. She chose to stick to her guns rather than receive what was being offered to her. Her stubborn will was clearly obvious.

  “...Then we can use this money tomorrow for shopping and buying the living necessities that you’ll need in the near future.” Rio had originally intended to loan them the finances they needed, but he figured he could make a compromise instead.

  �
��But then wouldn’t that end up being money used on us anyway...?”

  “And that’s how it should be, since this was the compensation money that was meant for you,” Rio stated clearly.

  “Is it really okay?” Miharu asked.

  “It’s really okay,” Rio said a bit lightheartedly.

  Miharu stared in wonder. “Okay. Thank you very much, Haruto.” She thanked him — for the umpteenth time that day — with a giggle.

  Chapter 5: Meeting Who In This World?

  The refreshing morning sun cast its rays through a small skylight in the ceiling as Rio opened his eyes a bit, gradually waking up in his bed.

  The custom-made bed crafted by Dominic, the elder dwarf, was big enough to fit several people on it, while still offering the greatest level of comfort possible.

  Despite the unexpected turn of events that occurred yesterday, Rio had still been able to sleep soundly through the night and woke up feeling wonderfully rested.

  That’s right... Miharu, Aki, and Masato are here. I have to make breakfast... Rio thought sleepily, moving his hand sluggishly to grab the blankets and peel them away.

  ...Hm?

  His hand suddenly squeezed around something soft. It definitely wasn’t his blanket or bedcover, and it wasn’t the mattress, either; it had a strange elasticity and springiness to it.

  It fit into the palm of his hand snugly, its warmth comforting. When Rio tried to move his hand to confirm the sensation, he could feel a wonderful response in his hands.

  ...What is it? Rio wondered, his mind still half-asleep. Thinking it was strange, he gently tried to move his hand once more.

  “Mm...”

  This time, he thought he heard the seductive sigh of a woman — and with it, the sound of rustling fabric too. Rio gently removed his hand from the soft sensation and, with his eyes fearfully fixed on the ceiling, peeled back the covers and peeked under the blanket.

  “Zz... z...”

  He heard the peaceful breathing of someone sleeping next to him. Cautiously, Rio turned his head to the side.