The new year comes and goes, and while we meet Kazuaki at the shrine picking up a fortune, the encounter is entirely uneventful.
One of the first orders of the new term is, as always, Legumentine’s. We buy some country millet for Kazuaki, and set out to go catch him.
“Umm… today is Legumentine’s! So I wanted to give you beans…”
“You want to give them to me? Are you sure that’s okay? You don’t have someone else?”
“No, sir! I want to give them to you, sir! I don’t know what kind of things you like to eat, so I wasn’t sure which to get, but…”
“Aah, millet seeds… I like them very much. I’ve enjoyed them for a long time. They bring back good memories… mmm, such a nice, gentle smell…”
For a nice, gentle bird!
“… zzz.”
Maybe a little too gentle.
“S-sir! They do smell nice, but please don’t fall asleep!”
“Oh! Umm… are you really sure you want to give these to me?”
“Yes, sir! A hunter-gatherer never goes back on her word!”
“Thank you, then. Mmm… I wonder what I should give you in exchange… I’ll have to think about it.”
And so he wandered off towards the staff room, a gentle smile on his face. I’m glad he liked them!
As always, our preternatural hunter-gatherer senses know exactly what to get for Legumentine’s day. Another victory!
But there’s one thing I have left to do first. One thing I need to do.
“If it’s about your career plan, don’t worry, you’re still a sophomore. You don’t have to decide for a few months yet.”
“N-no, sir. I… wanted to ask you something.”
“Oh? Please, do.”
“Sir… I like you. Is that… is that all right?”
The professor offers a polite chuckle.
“You do say the strangest things, Thielle. I like you, too. You’re kind, smart, you work hard…”
“I-I didn’t mean it like that…!”
“Hmm…”
His face falls, a look of well-meaning concern clouding his cheerful expression.
“… listen. I’m no longer able to love another creature. It’s not your fault, Thielle… I’m sorry.”
No longer able to love another creature? What does he mean?
“You saw it, remember?”
“… saw what, sir?”
“The photo.”
“Yes, sir. I didn’t mean to…”
“Don’t worry about it. I knew you wouldn’t lie. I suppose I should tell you… That was a photo of the most important bird in my life.”
“… I’m sorry, sir, I didn’t mean to come between…”
“I thought we could live through anything, just the two of us. I think we meant more to each other than anybirdie else in the world…
But… one day I looked around, I was alone. Life changed, after that. I… stopped caring. About a lot of things. I can never forget. Never forget our life, our promises.
But… I’m not sure how to say this. As I looked at the photo every day, I… realized I couldn’t tell anymore. Couldn’t tell if I felt love when I saw that face, or if… if I felt hatred.”
“I… I think losing someone dear is painful for everyone…”
“After a while, I… I couldn’t stand to see it anymore.”
“So you…?”
“That’s right… But even as I tried to forget, some part of me didn’t want to. You see now, right? Why I don’t want to love again. By now, the love I felt has soured into resentment.
Rather than forcing all that hatred onto one person, I… I think it’s better to love everyone around you just enough that you won’t regret losing them.”
“That’s… too sad…!”
“You don’t agree, Thielle?”
“I love your kindness, sir… But when I see that kindness bringing you pain, I have to wonder if there isn’t a better way…”
“Ahaha, I wonder. By the way… there’s one more thing I should tell you.”
”?”
“That photo… It’s gone now. I burned it.”
“Eeh!?”
“When you saw it, it made me think about things again. I never would have shown it to anyone, so I was… rather shaken. We both knew that one of us would be gone one day, and… Neither of us would have wanted the other to mourn.
So, as I looked at the photo… I thought… it was better. Better to put it away. So I burned it. Sort of… as an apology for defacing it like that. I should remember the beautiful face I knew, not… a photo covered in scribbles.”
“Oh…”
“Thielle, just because I’m a teacher doesn’t mean you should always look up to me.”
“Th-that doesn’t have anything to do with it…! But… I understand that you don’t want to forget them, sir.”
“I have an idea, Thielle. I will be waiting here at this school, forever. If after you’ve grown up a little you still feel the same way… I’ll be here for you.”
“Sir, that’s…”
“I don’t like to make idle promises, but… I’m sure you’ll grow up into a wonderful person, Thielle. So let’s wait until then.”
“Yes, sir…!”
Tears shining in the protagonist’s eyes, the camera fades out.
Graduating, growing up, and then coming back here… That will be another story. I don’t know what he will say to me on that day. I don’t know what I will feel, or what he will feel. But right now, I am truly happy.
The credits roll.
Thank you, again, as ever, for joining me on another route of this heartwrenching bird journey. The LP will return soon with Ryouta’s route, the second to last of our prospective suitors. Until next time, everybirdie!