Since that day when things didn’t go as planned, I started talking to Suzuka more often. She usually finishes her part-time job around six or seven in the evening, and afterward, we sometimes hang out in front of the convenience store eating ice cream, or she comes over to my place to cook dinner.
Watching Suzuka in the kitchen wearing an apron, I sometimes wonder if this is what it would be like to have a girlfriend.
“Here you go, sorry for the wait!”
“Wow, that looks delicious!”
Today, she made mapo tofu. I can’t even tell what seasonings she used in it. People who can cook are amazing.
By the way, I cover the cost of the ingredients. I get to enjoy a delicious meal, and Suzuka saves on food expenses—it’s a win-win situation.
“How have you been lately? Gaining any experience points?”
“Hmm, not really. There aren’t many good people around… Maybe I’d get stronger faster if I went dungeon diving, but it’s too dangerous to jump in without proper equipment…”
“I see…”
“Well, my mom’s condition is stable, so I guess I’ll just have to keep at it steadily.”
It seems things aren’t going too smoothly.
As if to cut through the gloomy topic, Suzuka turns on the TV.
“Now, let’s hear a song from Trinity Spark, performing ‘Houkiboshi’ (Comet).”
“Oh, it’s Torispa.”
Suzuka stops her chopsticks as she looks at the idols on the screen.
“Torispa?”
“Huh? You don’t know them? They’re idol divers who’ve suddenly become popular recently.”
“Idol divers?”
“Yeah. They’re idols who also dive into dungeons. You’re really out of touch with this stuff, Tatsuya. But you should check them out. They’ll change your idea of what idols are.”
I turn my attention to the TV, where three girls are performing—one with white hair, one with pink hair, and one with blue hair. The stage is dimly lit, and the three of them are standing with their heads down. As the short intro ends and the song picks up, they all lift their heads in unison.
“Whoa, that’s amazing!”
Suddenly, the three idols start to glow. No, I’m not speaking metaphorically—they are literally glowing. As they dance, trails of white, pink, and blue light follow their movements.
“As their levels increase, so does their aura. And when they release their aura, their bodies glow. Who would’ve thought to combine that with being an idol? It’s such a cool idea.”
These three idols are not just performers—they become part of the stage itself, singing and dancing. They use abilities that men could never achieve, sometimes even using magic and skills to captivate the audience.
The one who stands out the most is the girl in the center with white bob-cut hair. She has a somewhat reserved look, but her eyes show a strong determination. Even her sweat looks beautiful.
“Yurarin is so cute, right?”
“Yurarin?”
“Yeah, the girl with white hair in the center. Apparently, that’s her natural hair color.”
“Wow, it’s like she was born to be an idol. That’s a world far removed from mine.”
I look away from the TV and start eating the mapo tofu. The delicious food in front of me is more important than some distant world.
“Suzuka, your cooking is amazing! I can’t stop eating!”
As I say this and keep eating, Suzuka looks at me with a slightly exasperated but somewhat happy expression.
“You’re more interested in mapo tofu than the fact that idols are changing the world?”
“It’s just so good.”
“Alright then. Thanks.”
Suzuka gives a mischievous smile. A line like “Suzuka is cuter than any idol” pops into my head, but I swallow it along with the mapo tofu.
◇
Things changed on a chilly autumn day. As usual, I went to the convenience store and noticed Suzuka at the register, looking downcast.
“Ah, Tatsuya…”
“What’s wrong? You don’t look so good.”
“Yeah, well… Can I come over to your place today?”
“Sure. What about dinner?”
“I don’t need any. I’ll be off soon, so wait for me.”
It’s unusual to see Suzuka, who’s usually so cheerful, looking so down. With a bad feeling in my gut, I wait outside the convenience store until she comes out, still looking down.
We walk back to my apartment in silence. The only sound is the crunch of fallen leaves under our feet, disappearing into the high autumn sky.
Once inside, I make some coffee. Suzuka takes hers black, while I have mine with milk. It’s a little frustrating.
After taking a sip of coffee and letting out a sigh, Suzuka opens her dry lips.
“Remember how I told you about my mom?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, her petrification disease… it’s progressed…”
“…Yeah.”
“It’s spread… near her heart…”
“…”
Drip, drip. Tears fall from her blue eyes, landing on her crossed legs and then onto the carpet, leaving small, beautiful dots.
“She has… maybe a year left… or maybe not… sniff…”
She looks down, tears streaming down her face. As my heart aches for her, a small part of me thinks, “Ah, so that’s why her lips are so dry—she’s lost so much of that beautiful water.”
“Tatsuya… what should I do… I wasn’t fast enough, I wasn’t strong enough… I can’t even dive into dungeons…”
“Suzuka…”
“Thinking I could just find someone with a lot of experience points was such a stupid, irresponsible idea. If I hadn’t been working part-time and had just steadily gone into dungeons to get stronger, maybe I could’ve found the Soft Gold Peach… I’m an idiot, I made a mistake, and because of me, my mom is going to die!… Waaah!!”
Suzuka grabs onto my uniform and starts sobbing. All I can do is pat her back.
I don’t know how long she cried. Maybe about ten minutes.
Suzuka rubs her eyes and looks up. Her light makeup has smudged, and her eyes are red, but she still looks beautiful and cool.
“Sorry, Tatsuya. I’m calm now.”
“It’s fine, really.”
“Ah… one year left, huh? Maybe I should just take a chance and dive into a dungeon. Who knows, I might get really lucky and find the Soft Gold Peach.”
Her tone is half-joking, but her eyes are serious. She’s made up her mind—if she dies, so be it.
But I don’t want Suzuka to die.
So…
“Hey, Suzuka. I have a proposal. Will you hear me out? I think your choice wasn’t wrong.”
That’s why I decided to give her a choice.
A choice between diving into a dungeon and dying, or dying in pleasure.
