"Huh? Are you sure you want to ask me?"
Faced with Chihaya Tetsuya's sincere question, Hoshino Ai wore an expression of complete disbelief.
"A perfect score, of course! Did you really think I could give any other answer?"
"Even if it's a perfect score, there must be specific scoring categories, right? Like appearance, personality, that kind of thing..."
Tetsuya wasn't surprised by this answer, of course. The important thing was that he wanted to know if the reason Ai had fallen for him was really, as he had always thought, simply due to feelings developing over a long time—
"Oh, so that's what you wanted to hear! That's easy!"
Ai nodded in sudden understanding, then began to list things off.
"Let's start with your looks. Although you don't have the kind of face that's stunning at first sight, after spending just a little time with you, you realize its potential! Your face looks completely different from the front, the side, looking up, or looking down! Simply put, you're the type that really grows on you! Of course, if you had a little more muscle, you'd definitely be even more handsome than you are now!"
"Huh... is that so?"
Tetsuya, who had no awareness of his own looks, subconsciously touched his face.
"I see, so I have a face that even Ai finds good-looking..."
"That's right. Even though I've seen so many men in the entertainment industry, I still like your face the most!"
Ai said with a firm tone.
"As for your personality, you've probably gotten tired of hearing it without me having to say it. In short, you're one of a kind, to the point that I could never find another you in this world. Otherwise, our relationship from seven years ago would never have developed into what it is today."
"Mhm..."
It seemed that his innate thoughtfulness and gentleness were indeed significant plus points for girls.
But even if he were to discard his somewhat pathological way of thinking—his desire for others to depend on him—his personality probably wouldn't change drastically. At most, he would just control his sacrificial tendencies a little, becoming less selfless and extreme.
"As for your intelligence and ability, I don't really have a say in that. After all, I've never been very smart, so I don't know how smart you are or how amazing your talent as a designer is. But at least everyone around me praises you, and that performance outfit you made is truly the cutest piece of clothing I've ever seen, or even imagined."
"Do you know why you've never been confessed to before? It's because you seem too out of reach for people your age. That feeling of being so perfect that you don't need anyone to complete you, the kind that makes people feel inadequate just by standing next to you, is very heavy. That's why they subconsciously keep their distance from you. It's like how fans keep their distance from their favorite idol."
"..."
Although he could never quite figure out Ai's true thoughts, he could at least distinguish between a joke and seriousness.
At the very least, what she had just said had come from the heart.
"But you, Ai, you don't feel that kind of distance from me at all."
"We used to sleep in the same bed seven years ago, after all. I'm not going to treat you like an 'outsider' like everyone else."
Ai snorted lightly.
"Besides... I think I understand the truth behind your 'perfection.' So while I like you a lot, I don't deify you like they do... after all, I could never affirm the things that once hurt us."
"..."
Having shared the same experiences and watched over him silently all this time, Ai had clearly long since realized the origin of his way of thinking.
"Ai."
"Hm?"
"Then do you think... I should change this way of living?"
"...I don't know."
This time, Ai couldn't give a very definite answer.
"Although you're always so strong when facing external problems, you're actually quite fragile on the inside... I still remember the look on your face when we first met. That look, on the verge of collapse, like you could give up on everything at any moment. I don't want to see that again. So, I won't meddle with that part of you. Rather than changing you, I'm more inclined to love you just as I always have, no matter what you become."
"I see..."
Hearing Ai's answer, which carried a weight similar to Togawa Sakiko's but was completely different in content, Tetsuya couldn't help but marvel once again at the complexity of feelings.
"You... you really do like me a lot."
"Of course. I like you to the point where I genuinely want to have your children."
Ai said in a matter-of-fact tone.
"But considering a child would also take away the time we have together, we should probably use protection for a while first."
"Hey, watch what you're saying, you're only sixteen this year."
He couldn't help but retort.
"And why are you assuming it's a given that we'll do it..."
"That's because... of this!"
With that, Ai suddenly got up and pushed him down onto the sofa—
"You're just too bad at refusing and resisting, Tetsuya. Like right now. I didn't even use much force, but you're still unwilling to push me off."
"Because I might hurt you! There's a coffee table and a hot teacup right next to us!"
He explained, even twisting his body slightly away from the coffee table.
But Ai just shook her head helplessly.
"See? Regardless of the reason, you ultimately have no intention of refusing. Because to you, my safety and my feelings are more important than anything of your own... If you keep thinking like this, what do you think would happen if one day, I suddenly drank an aphrodisiac in front of you, and I'd be in agony if we didn't do it?"
"..."
The outrageous suggestion left him completely stunned.
What was even more terrifying, however, was that if the situation Ai described really did happen, then... he probably really would have to give in to her wishes.
"So, don't think you're safe, Tetsuya. Although I'm managing to restrain myself for the sake of your career and your dreams for now, my patience has its limits. Once your personal brand gets on track, who knows, one day I might really not be able to hold back... and by then, I might not be the only one who takes action."
Under his dumbfounded gaze, Ai said:
"While you're concentrating on the future, don't you dare forget the situation you're in right now."
With that, ignoring any objection from him, Ai leaned down and, just like that night, bit his neck again—
Even feelings of equal weight could be expressed in completely different ways.
This was the most precious lesson Chihaya Tetsuya had learned today.