69 - How to Say 'I Love You'②

RAW

Thanks to the high altitude, the temperature drops considerably at night, even in the height of summer.

The gentle night breeze feels pleasant.

Ayaka, standing beside Haruto, reflects thoughtfully.

"Without unnecessary lights, you can see so many stars."

"Yeah. It kind of feels like the night sky is closer when there are this many stars."

"I know what you mean! It messes with your sense of distance."

Ayaka happily agrees with Haruto’s observation.

In the dark night, with only the soft moonlight faintly illuminating their surroundings, the starry sky above them seems almost within reach—so beautiful and fantastical that it feels like the stars are pressing closer.

"Stars are mysterious, aren’t they?"

Haruto's quiet remark draws Ayaka's gaze away from the sky, and she looks at him sideways.

"Thinking that each of those shining dots is a star like our sun, it makes you realize how vast the universe is."

"You mean stars that emit their own light?"

"Yeah, just like the sun."

After nodding at Ayaka's explanation, Haruto's eyes sparkle like a young boy’s as he gazes up at the sky.

"Each of those countless stars likely has planets around them, and on one of those planets, there might be someone looking at the stars just like us, thinking how beautiful they are. Isn’t that exciting?"

"Haruto-kun, you’re quite the romantic, aren’t you?"

Ayaka smiles teasingly, but Haruto replies earnestly, with a hint of enthusiasm.

"No, it’s just science."

"Really?"

"There’s actually an equation that estimates the possibility of intelligent life beyond Earth."

"An equation...?"

"Yeah, it involves various factors. Until recently, we hadn’t even proven that planets exist around other stars."

"Oh... I see."

A little overwhelmed by Haruto's sudden deep dive into astrophysics, Ayaka listens as he continues to passionately discuss the topic.

"Recently, we discovered that stars wobble slightly because of the gravitational pull of planets orbiting them. This proved that many stars have planetary systems, which means the possibility of extraterrestrial civilizations has significantly increased."

"Is that so...?"

Ayaka, initially expecting a romantic conversation, now smiles awkwardly at the unexpectedly scientific turn.

"There's a big difference between zero and one. If you multiply anything by zero, it stays zero."

Haruto’s remark about the stars is both analytical and dreamy. Ayaka looks a bit disappointed.

"Hey, Haruto-kun..."

"Yeah?"

"Don't you have a more romantic story? Like, do you know any myths about constellations?"

Haruto tilts his head thoughtfully.

"Not really... Oh, but..."

Ayaka, inspired by the softly glowing moon, turns to Haruto.

"Did you know that saying 'The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?' is a way of confessing love?"

"Oh, yeah. That’s from Natsume Sōseki."

"What? Really?"

Trying to steer the conversation toward romance, Ayaka is surprised by the mention of a classic literary figure. Amused by her reaction, Haruto explains.

"When Sōseki was teaching English, a student translated 'I love you' directly into Japanese. Sōseki told them that Japanese people don’t express love so directly. He suggested translating it as 'The moon is beautiful, isn’t it?'"

"Wow, I didn’t know that. You’re so knowledgeable, Haruto-kun."

Embarrassed, Haruto scratches his cheek.

"It’s a pretty famous story."

"Why does 'I love you' translate to 'The moon is beautiful'?"

Looking up at the sky, Ayaka ponders this. Haruto glances at her and replies softly.

"Sharing the beauty of the same moon together is enough to express love. That’s the explanation I remember."

"That’s so romantic and beautiful."

"Well, you don’t see many people confessing like that nowadays."

As Haruto thinks about the improbability of such a romantic gesture in real life, Ayaka looks at him intently.

"Haruto-kun, how would you translate 'I love you'?"

"Uh... that’s a tough one."

Ayaka’s expectant gaze doesn’t waver, making it clear she won’t settle for no answer. Haruto looks up at the night sky, searching for inspiration. Ayaka watches him with a delighted expression.

A gentle summer breeze carries Ayaka’s faintly sweet scent to him, reminding him of the subtle fragrance from earlier. Lost in thought, he murmurs,

"The night breeze under the stars feels pleasant... maybe?"

Ayaka says nothing, simply watching him. Embarrassed, Haruto quickly adds,

"No, forget that! That was terrible!"

"I thought it was perfect, Haruto-kun."

"Stop, it’s embarrassing."

Ayaka smiles warmly. Then, she suggests,

"Haruto-kun, want to practice being a couple?"

"Right now?"

"Yeah. Watching the stars together feels like something couples would do."

They sit closer, and Haruto, feeling his heart race, wonders aloud,

"What should we practice?"

"Maybe... holding hands and quietly watching the stars?"

When they do, Ayaka whispers,

"Haruto-kun... I feel the breeze is pleasant too."

As their eyes meet, the stars fade in comparison to the girl beside him. Haruto realizes he can’t hide his feelings anymore.