“…W-why not on the lips…?”
Luna says to him, who’s looking away embarrassedly.
Because it wasn’t how the book’s development went.
“Because you said so, Luna. When we first went around the shopping district together, you said, ‘Kissing is for after coming of age.’ You were trembling, so I thought you might be scared.”
“…”
“Don’t force yourself and take care of yourself. After all, you’re… becoming my lover…”
He says, scratching his head, as if treading carefully.
(Th-this is why he…)
She does remember saying something like that. She’s happy that he’s being considerate. She’s not dissatisfied with just a kiss on the cheek.
However, she said it that way because she wanted it on the lips.
Her body was trembling just because she was nervous. She wasn’t reluctant or forcing herself at all.
She was just really inexperienced.
“I can say this because we’re alone… I love you, Luna.”
“!”
Her breath catches, and her face instantly heats up. She reveals an expression she usually doesn’t show.
She never thought he would say something like this.
Indescribable emotions welled up, and she felt as if the restraints on her heart had been released.
She was at her limit.
“Byleth-Saintford. Please lower your waist a bit…”
“M-my waist? You mean like half-squatting?”
“Yes.”
Because he’s oblivious, because he’s kind, it makes it easier.
With him lowering his waist, the significant height difference disappears.
To her lover, who moves obediently with a question mark floating above his head, she…
“I love you too…”
“!”
She wraps her arms around his neck and presses her lips against his. Pressing strongly.
“Mm…”
No matter how long it lasts, it’s never enough. So long that it becomes hard to breathe…
“I-I’m not pushing myself too hard… Please, just understand that.”
“O-Okay…”
Watching her respond while covering her mouth, Byleth recall what he’s done. Enveloped by a feeling of happiness, Byleth feel my body relax.
But Byleth can’t show such a pathetic sight.
To cover it up a little, Byleth turn my gaze towards the view from the balcony.
“Huh…?”
Luna’s eyes catch something unexpected.
The Perenmel family’s coachman, with his eyes bulging out and jaw dropped wide open.
The downside of a balcony with a good view had finally shown itself.
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“Hey, You, what on earth did you do to Luna? She ran down the hallway with her face bright red…”
“Well, um…”
“Hmm. Something you can’t say, huh? Well, I can pretty much guess from the way Luna was covering her mouth.”
“Ah, haha…”
Right after feeling something soft touch his lips, before he could even savor the moment, the situation changed dramatically.
When he made eye contact with the Perenmel family’s coachman who had come to pick up Luna.
The last words she left were, “I-I’ll go explain. Let’s meet again at the academy.”
It was right after that. Elena came out to the balcony to check on the situation.
“Well, I won’t pry any further. For Luna’s sake.”
“What about for my sake?”
“You’re the exception.”
“How harsh…”
“You’ll need to become stronger in various ways from now on. After all, you’re going to be in a leadership position in the future.”
Even though the relationship has changed, Elena remains as strict as ever.
As if sensing Byleth feelings, she tilts her head with furrowed brows.
“…Please don’t come to dislike me, okay? I still haven’t quite grasped how to handle this distance between us…”
“It’s alright. If anything, I’m the one who needs to work hard not to be overwhelmed by love.”
“Mm.”
Elena responds with narrowed eyes, as if biting down on her words, then changes to a brighter tone to shift the topic.
“Oh, right. Belated congratulations. It seems you’ve managed to start dating Luna as well.”
“Ah, thank you. You can tell, huh?”
“Luna was so flustered she could only manage a brief goodbye, but I could tell from the atmosphere.”
“I see… It feels a bit strange to be congratulated by you, Elena, on getting another girlfriend.”
“Are you saying you never thought you’d get so many lovers, being the feared person you are?”
“S-Something like that…?”
The “strange feeling” stems from having memories of a past life, but I keep this to myself.
“…Still, things progressed so quickly in just one day.”
“It really did.”
“I hate to bring up my own story, but I never thought I’d get an OK so easily.”
“Eh!? That’s underestimating yourself too much. I was just trying not to be too conscious of it, but I was really drawn to you.”
“If that’s the case, you should have confessed your feelings earlier. Really…”
The topic of the recent confession.
Perhaps Elena feels embarrassed too, as she avoids looking at Byleth.
She turns her back to Byleth, gazing out at the garden from the balcony.
“…Hey, come over here since we have the chance. It feels empty not standing side by side.”
“Oh, okay.”
This invitation can’t be refused. There’s no reason to refuse it.
Byleth moves next to Elena, first cautiously checking below.
— The coachman was no longer there in the time Byleth had looked away. He had probably read the atmosphere and returned to the main gate.
“Byleth. When is your ride coming?”
“Probably soon, I think. I told them to come ‘later,’ but it’s already getting late.”
“Oh, is that so? That’s a shame. Even this familiar scenery would be enjoyable to look at with you.”
“Y-You’re teasing me again so quickly…”
“Fufu, but it’s the truth. Want me to show you proof?”
“Can you show proof for words?”
“Yes. …This is the proof.”
The moment Elena finishes speaking.
Elena intertwines her fingers with Byleth on the stone wall.
As if to say, “The familiar scenery is enjoyable because my lover is beside me.”
It was indeed something that could be called proof.
“…Was that a bit too bold?”
“Aren’t you embarrassed, Elena?”
“Of course I’m embarrassed. But… this is what I wanted to do, and I can’t have you only adoring one specific person.”
“Even though Elena gets so many marriage proposals, you still have such insecurities?”
“Well, you’re my first boyfriend… I want to make more wonderful memories than unpleasant ones.”
“I-I see.”
Perhaps because they’ve become a special relationship, Byleth keep hearing exchanges that make his face turn red.
Byleth really glad this balcony isn’t as bright as the hallway.
“Besides, you’re surrounded by wonderful girls, aren’t you? Luna, Sia… and there might be more in the future. So it’s only natural to feel anxious. You’re not very skilled, so I doubt you can think about balancing things.”
“I feel like I heard an insult there. At the end.”
“Then, will you try to treat everyone equally? In the extreme case, if you were to have a physical relationship with someone…”
“I-Isn’t that a bit too soon to think about?”
“T-That’s why I said it’s an extreme case… I’m just asking you to try to treat everyone equally to this extent.”
“O-Okay. I understand. Then, when that time comes…”
“Y-Yes. It’s not anything strange, so please tell me honestly.”
“…”
“…”
As the conversation turns deeper, it naturally comes to a stop.
However, a scene that breaks this atmosphere happens to unfold.
“…Ah, I can see Luna down there.”
“Oh! She’ll probably look up here.”
“Then… shall we let go of our hands? It might not be good to flaunt it, and it might upset her.”
“You’re really kind, Elena.”
“This much is only natural.”
The moment Elena removes her hand from the back of mine, Luna looks up with perfect timing.
“Luna, let’s meet again at the academy.”
“Take care on your way home.”
“Y-Yes. Thank you very much for today.”
We exchange words between the first and third floors, raising our voices.
Luna nods her head in response to Elena and Byleth’s words, then quickly walks past the garden.
“…Hey, Byleth. Shall we hold hands now? We’ll go back to the venue a little later.”
“I was thinking of saying that too.”
“Is that really true? It felt like an afterthought.”
“I wouldn’t lie about something like this.”
Byleth intertwines his fingers with Elena’s outstretched, translucent white hand, with a shy smile.
“We’ll probably have trivial arguments in the future, but I hope we can always maintain a relationship like this.”
“When we argue, it’ll probably only be when I’ve done something wrong… I can’t imagine any other scenario.”
“Despite saying you’ll ‘try to treat everyone equally,’ you haven’t kissed me yet.”
“T-That’s…”
“It’s okay. Knowing you, you were probably waiting for the right timing.”
She smiles knowingly, as if seeing right through me.
“But this time, I’ll say ‘don’t kiss me.'”
“Somehow… I feel rejected.”
“Oh, come on… I’m just saying ‘not today’… You should understand at least that much.”
Elena’s eyebrows twitch in exasperation as she squeezes Byleth hand that’s intertwined with hers.
“This time is special. Luna tried her best, didn’t she? Out of respect for her efforts, I don’t want to overwrite that right now. After all, I was the ‘first’ to become your girlfriend, so I should show at least this much composure.”
She still emphasizes one part strongly, as if there are things she won’t compromise on.
“…But you tried hard too, Elena.”
“Oh? Do you want to kiss me that badly?”
“I wouldn’t become lovers with someone I don’t want to kiss. And I wouldn’t become lovers if I didn’t like you, Elena.”
“Fufu, thank you.”
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