Since then…
I’ve fallen in love with Yamato as more than just a friend, but I can’t find a way to convey my true feelings to him. Our time together as best friends passes both joyfully and somewhat painfully…
Even during the summer vacation, I called Shun to my house, who hadn’t done his homework properly, where, under the guidance of Yamato-sensei, we held a Spartan-style study session…
Yamato insisted on going to see a movie he really wanted to watch, so he dragged me to the cinema almost forcibly, making me watch a horror movie, which I absolutely hate…
One day, when Yamato stayed over at my house, he left his pajamas behind, saying he’d come back for them later. In return, I prepared a different blanket for him to use, collecting his scent…
And yet, Yamato still hasn’t returned my black-rimmed glasses… Why won’t he return them? This remains a mystery…
Our enjoyable high school life, including the final summer vacation, passed by in the blink of an eye, and the last two terms began.
And as time passed, before we knew it, it was October…
The town was already dressed in autumn colors, and our attire shifted from short sleeves to long-sleeved shirts, with days even coming where we wore blazers.
The chill of the outside world gradually seeped into our bodies on one particular day of the second term.
Today, Yamato and I rode our bikes to school together as usual, spending time together with Shun in class just like always.
Then, our homeroom teacher entered the classroom, and the morning homeroom began… Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but the teacher spun words indicating that a certain big event was approaching.
“At the midpoint of this month, we’re having a school trip in the woods~! It’s the last big event of our high school life! Make some wonderful memories, guys~!”
As October arrived, bringing a slight chill, our high school had scheduled a school trip to the woods.
And… October also happened to be the month when I hit puberty, entering my heat phase…
However, the timing of the school trip didn’t align with my cycle at all… I tucked away the thought that, as long as I managed properly when I got back, there probably wouldn’t be any issues.
Time flies… After this is over, the next big event is just graduation…
Yes, spending time with this group, there’s only about five months left… Just thinking about it made me feel lonely…
I want to create wonderful memories with everyone, with Yamato and Shun…
The teacher spun another important thread of conversation with those thoughts in mind.
“We’re nearing the end of high school life. While the parent-teacher meetings are over, those of you preparing for the entrance exams, don’t let your guard down! And for those who already have job offers, make sure you don’t do anything regrettable, okay?!”
Yes… Once we graduate high school, everyone will start walking their own paths…
Some already have their paths set, while others will be forging ahead… Everyone will be heading toward their own futures.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Come to think of it… I might not have asked Yamato and Shun about their plans after high school…
P kfca atgbeut atf wbgclcu mijrrfr klat atja atbeuta lc wlcv, jr P kjr qijcclcu ab jrx atfw veglcu iecmt.
* * *
Geglcu iecmt atja vjs.
P vfmlvfv ab jrx atf akb bo atfw jybea ktja P tjv yffc atlcxlcu lc atf wbgclcu.
“Lfs, ktja jgf sbe uesr qijcclcu ab vb joafg ugjvejalcu tlut rmtbbi? Megatfg raevlfr? Yg jgf sbe jlwlcu obg j pby?”
Shun immediately responded to my question.
“Huh? Well, obviously, a job! I’m so done with studying~!”
Haha! That’s so like Shun!
But even in the workforce, it’s all about continuous learning… I’ve heard that somewhere before… Is Shun going to be alright?
“But you know, there are things I really want to do… I mean, I love basketball, you know… So, I’ve been thinking it’d be nice if I could become a basketball coach or something someday!”
Shun has his own dreams, and it seems like he’s diligently planning his path and taking steps forward. With his love for basketball, he’s sure to make it happen!
“What about Yamato? What are you planning to do after high school?”
Will the genius Yamato go to a national university or something? He might end up going somewhere beyond our reach, right?
I don’t have the academic prowess to follow him, and there isn’t much time left anyway…
I’m curious about Yamato’s answer…
“As for me? I’m still undecided…”
“No way! With your grades, you can get into any university, right?”
“I probably could… but well, there are various factors to consider… So, what about you, Yuto?”
Yamato smoothly diverted the conversation to me as if trying to evade his own answer.
I’m the only one who knows about his struggles because of his brilliance… However, this time, it felt like that wasn’t the issue, but I also sensed he probably didn’t want to talk about it…
And now that the question had shifted to me, it was my turn.
“I’m thinking of continuing my current part-time job for a while and then figuring things out… I still haven’t found what I really want to do…”
“Huh? Yuto, you’re in the same boat, huh?”
“Even though I haven’t found what I want to do yet, I don’t feel like forcing myself to work or go to college… I’m having a lot of fun with my current job, and I believe I’ll find what I want to do eventually!”
Once again, I found myself weaving half-truths and half-lies…
The Beta have a long life ahead of them.
So, even if they encounter various obstacles, they’ll still have plenty of opportunities to start over, and they’ll continue to meet new people…
But what about me, an Omega?
…I knew that the side effects of suppressants were gradually eating away at my body.
The severity of my anemia was increasing slowly with each cycle, and that was also due to the suppressants…
While they suppressed my heat cycles, the damage to my body was significant. I had learned from my parents and school that Omegas’ lives typically ended around the age of 30 due to these factors…
And here I am, already 18…
How many more years can I live… and what do I want to do?
Compared to me, Yamato and Shun, as Betas, have a lifespan of over double mine… Unlike them, I, as an Omega, can hide my status, work, live a mundane life, and just wait for this existence to end sooner.
That’s all I could think about, but… Deep down, I didn’t want to think about it. I’d be happy if the rumors I’d heard turned out to be true… That desire only grew stronger with each passing year…
Those rumors… Yes, about “mates”…
When two destined Alpha and Omega individuals meet, are drawn to each other, and form a bond, they become mates. This bond suppresses the Omega’s heat cycles, and they no longer need suppressants…
Yes, they can live freely without hiding their Omega status, and their lifespan isn’t shortened…
However, I wonder how many Omega individuals actually find a mate and live happily ever after…
The reality is that there seem to be very few…
For Omegas like us, it’s an incredibly cruel fate…
In that case, I want to enjoy the time I have right now… I want to live a life where I can confidently say that I am happy and content…
That was an undeniable truth…
That’s why… I can’t devote my short life to Yamato, a Beta… Even if he were to love me back… I would end my life before him…
I don’t want to see Yamato’s sad face…
So, I’ve decided to continue hiding my feelings of love and the fact that I’m an Omega…
“Everyone’s different, huh!! Well then! Let’s continue to enjoy the little time we have left, okay?”
Both Yamato and I returned smiles with Shun’s cheerful words, and another enjoyable day passed by.
* * *
And so, on the day of the forest school trip…
The forest school trip was scheduled for one night and two days, with camping in the mountains.
On this day, we didn’t need our school uniforms. We were advised to wear comfortable clothes suitable for activities and to prepare for the cold weather.
I had prepared everything the day before and packed my backpack, so I was all set.
On the first day, we boarded the bus at school and headed to the trailhead, which took over an hour.
The bus seats were arranged according to our attendance numbers, which is typical of our school.
Wait a minute…
Arranged by attendance number means…??
Yes, Yamashita (me) and Yamagiyama (Yamato) were seated next to each other at the back, in the last row…
Seats were arranged from the furthest attendance numbers to the back, and the last row had seats only on one side… The other side was like a small storage space for items.
The last row effectively became seats just for me and Yamato…
It should have been a happy situation, but I felt a bit embarrassed…
Even though we cycled to and from school together every day, we had never sat so closely next to each other before, which made it even more awkward.
By order, I was supposed to sit by the window.
But Yamato was sitting by the window… Why is that…??
“Hey, Yamato? I was supposed to sit by the window, you know?”
“Huh? Oh, because your seat is actually mine, right?”
Whaaat!!
Your belongings are not mine, but even the seat is yours!!
Alright, I get it!!
Well… Even if it’s not by the window, sitting next to Yamato is still the same, so it’s okay…
We waited for Shun with those thoughts in mind and for the other students to finish boarding the bus.
