I am a teacher at a girls' school in Tokyo

"Answer me, will you?"

"……Alright alright."

Hirakawa Tetsufumi responded helplessly, then lowered his head to think seriously and began to answer.

"If I have to say... maybe I really don't care that much about the money, right?"

"Why?" Ye Yue Liya asked immediately.

"Don't be impatient." Hirakawa Tetsufumi asked her to be patient.

Then he thought about it and continued explaining.

"Of course, I don't mean to say that I don't feel bad about the money... To be honest, I definitely feel bad about it, it's such a huge sum..."

"I just think that, by comparison, a concrete, living person is more important, right? ... What this sentence means is that I think you are more important than this money."

“Importance is determined by comparison.”

"..."

In the silence of Reiya Hazuki, Tetsufumi Hirakawa explained at a leisurely pace.

"Of course, another very important point is...I think I am a capable person."

"Well... I wouldn't say I think so. You know I have that ability."

"It has a very terrifying ability."

Having said that, Tetsufumi Hirakawa stopped, and then, under the strange gaze of Reiya Hazuki, he faced Uji River and struck the posture he remembered.

"I can do anything... Remember?"

"I already have this ability, but now I have met someone."

"She's standing on the rooftop, because she doesn't have enough money for treatment and her family is facing the breakup, she's going to jump now."

"If you don't have the ability, then forget it. Even if it's me... to be honest, it's hard for me to generously decide to help without much hesitation."

"But I do."

"I already have such ability, claiming to be omnipotent, why should I hesitate?"

"You clearly want to help the other person, but why do you still hesitate?"

"No, I don't think it's necessary."

"If that's the case, it's too vulgar and petty. I don't want that."

"I have the ability and the capital, so I can do whatever I want."

“I can act according to my heart and not worry about the little things that don’t matter.”

"You can just pay it back if you don't want to... I don't care."

"the most important is."

Hirakawa Tetsufumi squinted his eyes in the wind, turned around and looked at the speechless Hazuki Reiya.

"Ye Yue, I know you."

"Knowing you means that, in my eyes, you are a concrete, living person."

“Not someone who lives in an abstract invisible fantasy, with vague concepts like the pricelessness of life.”

"I know you, I can see you, I can touch you."

"I know you're sad and I understand your pain. When I see you sad, broken down, and wanting to jump because of these terrible things, I feel bad for you. I want to hold you back and want to stand by you and help you."

Tetsufumi Hirakawa approached and stood in front of her.

Ye Yue Li Ya's eyes followed him blankly, following the soft face in his sight.

He spoke softly to her, his gentle voice sounding like drizzling rain.

"And I also said that I have this ability...right?"

"So there's nothing to worry about. I choose to help you according to my heart."

"Although it hurts to pay such a large sum of money at once...but I don't regret it."

"Also, don't worry about whether you can pay it back or not. You have to pay it back even if you can't... This is just a joke."

"You've worked hard, Yeyue."

“It’s been really hard.”

Ye Yue Li Ya saw Hirakawa Tetsufumi reach out his hand and gently touch her head...it was very warm.

He smiled warmly at her.

"It's already difficult enough for you to deal with this kind of thing, don't add more pressure to yourself."

"I held you back, but I didn't intend for you to live in debt that you couldn't pay off... This is too painful."

"Please live well in the days ahead... I know, even though you seem to be fine now."

"But your mother's story will always be on your mind, and you are very sad."

"I can't help you with this aspect alone. All I can do is stand by your side and help you solve other problems."

"So, don't worry about the medical expenses. It's okay. I will help you."

"Don't think too much about it, okay?"

"It's really okay."

"..."

Ye Yue Li Ya suddenly felt like crying.

"Alright, alright, it's alright, it's alright."

The figure in front of her gradually became blurred, and he gently brushed the corner of her eye with his fingers.

"Please live your life well from now on... Don't think about jumping off, okay? That's all I want to tell you."

Hazuki Reiya couldn't bear it any longer, and she slammed into his chest.

"Hiss... To be honest, it hurts a bit." His bitter smile rang in my ears.

But Ye Yue Li Ya no longer cared. She hugged him tightly, hugging this body that made her feel at ease, made her greedy, and made her not want to let go.

She could smell his scent, a pleasant scent, and she could hear his heartbeat, thumping... and her own heartbeat, which was now beating violently.

She remembered when he hugged her from behind and she looked up at the quiet night sky, and when she lay in the warm bed and he sat beside her, flipping through a book.

If he doesn't seize the opportunity now... he will leave, leave Kyoto and return to Tokyo.

She felt so sad when she thought about this.

She doesn't want this, she doesn't want this.

She wanted this man to be able to hug her tightly, run to her without hesitation and save her. She also wanted him to be able to accompany her gently, even if it was just staying beside him, watching him flipping through the books, and saying good night to him, that was fine, that was fine.

But it’s no use, he has to go back to Tokyo soon.

Ye Yue Li Ya choked up a little, and her voice became tearful.

"Hey...Hirakawa."

"I am here."

"I'll give you one more chance now, the last chance."

"Well, what chance?"

Hazuki Reiya sniffed and asked loudly.

"Will you support me?"

"..."

Tetsufumi Hirakawa paused with some confusion before answering.

"Ah... well... to be honest, I have no money left because of the medical expenses."

"It's free."

“There’s a saying that free things are the most expensive.”

"Don't you like high school girls the most?"

“…There’s no such thing, right?”

"You really don't want to? This is your last chance...it's really your last chance."

"……Feel sorry."

"..."

"..."

A warm body and a slightly cool breeze.

Hazuki Reiya's hands tightly grasped Hirakawa Tetsufumi's clothes and buried her face in his chest.

It was the answer I expected, the answer I knew the moment I asked the question, but... still, I'm so sad, so sad, really so sad.

Her voice trembled and became so unclear that it was unrecognizable.

"Then you...then you..."

She took a deep breath, loudly, to cover her crying.

"Then give me a reason, give me a reason not to like you."

"..."

The voice suddenly became low.

"Okay..."

"..."

Hirakawa Tetsufumi sighed softly.

The soft and tender girl in his arms had a light voice and couldn't stop the trembling.

He placed his hands on her equally shaking shoulders.

"Ye Yue..."

"Like I said, I'm glad I was able to find you in time, hold you, stand by your side and help you."

"I'm glad I didn't let you face this terrible thing alone."

"I help you, and I hope you can live a good life."

"If...if by chance I can be one of your motivations to live a good life from now on...I would be honored."

"Thank you too, thank you for your love."

"..."

"..."

"But...I already have Jasmine."

"..."

"So, sorry."

"..."

The freezing wind seemed to get even colder. In order to escape, Ye Yue Li Ya hugged him tighter, trying to melt into him. Her body trembled even more violently.

Tears also welled up.

"I know, I know..." She said tremblingly, like a frightened animal, "Then can you support me...can you? Can you?"

"..."

Hirakawa Tetsufumi didn't say anything else. He just touched Ye Yue Liya's head and rubbed her long hair.

Then, on the bank of the quietly flowing Uji River, the girl began to sob uncontrollably.

The wind started to blow.