Chapter 285 : Confession Over Drinks
Chapter 285: Confession Over Drinks
There was something truly mysterious about falling in love with someone.
It was only natural to love your family.
Because they were your parents.
Because they were your family.
From the very beginning, they had existed within your world.
In other words, their very existence was part of your world, and losing them meant the collapse of that world itself.
When a grandfather, grandmother, mother, or father died, the sadness one felt was no different from mourning the destruction of the once-complete world they had lived in.
But love was different.
It meant accepting into your own world a complete stranger—someone born in another world, under different parents, living a different life, eating different food, receiving a different education.
More than that, people even changed their own worlds for the sake of love.
They accepted another person's world and gradually combined the two into one.
Each influenced the other, refusing to reject change.
Yes.
Changing was important.
Airi felt that she herself had changed.
The world she had once lived in as a lone stray dog of the Fallen District had changed once because of her brother's death...
...and then changed once again after meeting Aaron.
Would the Airi from a year ago ever have imagined this?
That she'd wear a skirt reaching above her knees...
That she'd wear heeled shoes just to match the shoulder height of the tall man beside her...
That she'd lose sleep because she was too excited for today to arrive.
'I'm definitely smiling like an idiot right now.'
If her past self saw her now, she'd surely call her an idiot.
But that girl from back then would never understand.
She would never know that this "idiocy" brought with it indescribable fulfillment and happiness.
Airi looked across the table at Aaron, who was eating with his usual neat posture.
She'd worried the food might not suit his tastes.
Fortunately, he seemed reasonably satisfied.
'Good. The atmosphere's still nice.'
Her strategy for today's date had been "simplicity."
To be honest, it wasn't as though she'd never considered emptying her entire bank account to take him to the finest luxury restaurant imaginable.
She'd also worried whether she needed to prepare something worthy of someone of Aaron's status.
But then she'd thought about it another way.
Someone like her, born the way she was, would probably only make a fool of herself trying to imitate the wealthy.
Like a sparrow trying to walk like a stork until it split its legs apart.
If she wasted a fortune only to ruin everything...
That would be the worst possible outcome.
So she'd chosen the opposite approach.
Aaron belonged to the highest social class.
Perhaps, precisely because of that, he knew little about the lives of ordinary people.
If she couldn't compete in quality, then she'd entertain him by appealing to his curiosity instead.
'It didn't seem like Chairman disliked ordinary food in the first place.'
And above all...
She wanted to draw Aaron into her own world.
Just as she wanted to know more about him...
She wanted him to become curious about her world as well.
She wanted him to take an interest in it.
She wanted him to understand it.
“Chairman. How's the food?”
“It isn't bad once in a while.”
“I-I'm glad. If you're satisfied with the food, then you should look forward to dessert too. The ice cream here is really the best part! Chairman, you said you liked ice cream, didn't you?”
She still remembered what Aaron had casually mentioned last year, when only Miyu and Airi had been members of the Special Class.
Aaron smiled pleasantly before asking,
“Do you come here often?”
“I've been here a few times. A senior recommended it to me the first time. They said they always stop by whenever they get permission to leave the Academy.”
As she spoke, Airi naturally guided the conversation forward.
Normally she wasn't very talkative.
But perhaps because her spirits were unusually high today, she found herself chatting much more than usual.
“Come to think of it, how do you usually handle your meals, Chairman? Is there somewhere you visit regularly?”
“I usually eat during meetings.”
“M-Meetings?”
“Not the kind you're thinking of.”
“O-Of course not! What kind of person do you think I am?”
Airi pouted.
Aaron chuckled softly before continuing.
“As you know, the Stingray Foundation supports scholarship programs not only for Trinity Academy students, but also students from other universities, other corporations, corporate research institutes, mercenary groups from the underworld, and even people from the Fallen District. Recruiting talented individuals requires meeting many people.”
“I see.... I'd always wondered where you were whenever you weren't in your Academy office.”
“Exactly. Because of that, I don't really have a restaurant I'd call my regular place. Though there are a few restaurants already selected depending on the person I'm meeting, so the secretaries simply schedule whichever one is appropriate.”
“Then what about when you don't have meetings?”
“That depends. Sometimes I skip meals entirely. Other times I return to the mansion. And occasionally... someone brings me a homemade lunch.”
“Then... this must be your first time coming somewhere like this with me?”
“I did go to a family restaurant once with Evangeline.... Aside from that, yes.”
“I-I see.... Hehe....”
Airi let out a silly laugh.
Only afterward did she realize just how foolish she'd looked.
“Ahem!”
She cleared her throat before speaking again.
“Come to think of it, I think this is the first time you've ever talked about your daily life. You rarely talk about yourself, after all.”
“Do I?”
“You do. Honestly, it's kind of unfair.”
“What do you mean?”
“You know all sorts of things about me. But I don't know anything about you.”
“Most information about my capabilities falls under confidential Stingray Group information—”
“N-No, no! Who asked about that!? There are plenty of other things you could tell me! Like... your favorite food besides ice cream... your favorite movies... your hobbies.... O-Or....”
Her voice gradually shrank.
“Y-your ideal type....”
I said it...!
I actually said it...!
She'd never dreamed she'd be capable of flirting like this.
No...
This wasn't even flirting anymore.
Wasn't that practically a confession!?
Wasn't she moving far too fast!?
“My ideal type....”
“N-No! Forget that! That was a joke! Let's talk about something else!”
Suddenly overwhelmed by embarrassment, Airi hurriedly waved both hands before Aaron could answer.
She hadn't actually confessed.
But she wasn't ready to hear his answer either.
If Aaron described someone whose image was the complete opposite of hers...
She felt certain her heart wouldn't survive it.
Let's leave that for another day.
She'd worked so hard just to earn this opportunity.
She didn't want to ruin the entire date by getting hurt too early.
“I just... want to know what kind of person you are. You're my benefactor.”
“My benefactor....”
Aaron murmured with a strange smile.
“If anything... you're the one who saved me.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“No... it's nothing.”
“A slip of the tongue.”
After saying that, Aaron simply scooped up another spoonful of the dessert ice cream as though nothing had happened.
“Mm. It's quite good.”
“R-Right...? The ice cream here really is delicious....”
It felt as though he didn't want to continue that topic.
So Airi pretended she hadn't heard it.
Yet one sentence remained deeply engraved in her mind.
—If anything... you're the one who saved me.
'What did he mean?'
Had she ever done something truly significant for Aaron?
No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't find an answer.
As far as she remembered, she'd only ever been the one receiving help from him.
The only thing she could think of was helping stop Aaron when he'd lost control.
'Was he lying?'
'Just saying it to be polite?'
But her instincts told her otherwise.
He'd been completely sincere.
Meaning...
There really had been a time when Aaron himself believed she'd saved him.
'When?'
'How?'
After entering the Academy?
Or before that?
Thinking back...
Aaron had treated her with unusual kindness from the very first day she'd enrolled.
She'd vaguely assumed it was because of her brother, Peter Jones.
But looking at it objectively...
That didn't quite make sense.
Peter Jones had tried to kill Aaron.
Aaron had defeated him.
If anything, Aaron should've disliked Airi for being Peter Jones's younger sister.
The most generous feeling he could possibly have had toward her would've been pity.
As in—
'I feel sorry for her, so I'll be kind.'
But Aaron had done far more than simple sympathy could explain.
For a long time, she hadn't been able to think about it because remembering Peter Jones always brought tears to her eyes.
But now...
Looking back...
Something definitely felt strange.
'I want to know.'
I want to know everything about you.
What you like.
What you hate.
What you think.
How I can make you see me as a woman.
And if you have any weaknesses...
Whether there's any way I can help shoulder them.
Holding those thoughts inside, Airi continued smiling brightly as she chatted with Aaron.
They finished their dessert.
Walked through the park and around the city.
Stopped by a café for light snacks.
All the while, she tried over and over to dig into Aaron's past and his secrets...
But in the end...
She failed.
No matter how subtly she steered the conversation toward those topics...
Aaron evaded every attempt like a slippery snake, as though he could read her thoughts perfectly.
'He's seriously impossible to catch off guard....'
That was one of the things she liked about him...
But at the same time...
It was also frustrating.
By nature, Airi always wanted to do something even more whenever someone told her not to.
Even so...
She didn't want to cross the line and genuinely upset Aaron.
'But what do I do...? It's already getting late....'
The sun was beginning to set.
She'd genuinely enjoyed spending time with Aaron.
But if she were honest...
It felt as though she'd been the only one enjoying herself.
She hadn't gained his affection.
Nor had she discovered any new side of him.
'I can't let it end like this.'
She had to do something before they parted.
But as things stood now, Aaron's heart was protected by walls too solid to break through.
She needed to create even the slightest opening.
'Huh...?'
At that moment...
A certain establishment caught Airi's eye.
“Airi, it's getting late, so....”
“Wait, Chairman. Today isn't over yet. We agreed we'd spend the whole day on our date, didn't we?”
“I don't believe we did....”
“We did! There's still plenty of time left today! Over there! Let's go there!”
The place Airi pointed toward...
Was a bar.
More specifically, one that proudly advertised serving extremely strong liquor specifically for Adaptees.
Yes.
Alcohol.
Once people drank...
They relaxed.
If she wanted even the slightest glimpse into Aaron's true feelings...
Getting him drunk was her only option.
“Airi....”
“Let's make a bet!”
“A bet?”
“We both remove all our modules! Pure specs only! Let's see who can drink more! The winner gets one wish granted! Anything, as long as it's reasonable!”
“...Ha.”
Aaron let out a quiet sigh.
Seeing his reaction, Airi's confidence instantly crumbled.
“D-Do you... hate the idea that much...?”
Had she chosen the wrong approach?
Had she upset him?
Had she made a fool of herself?
Would he start disliking her now?
Those thoughts flooded her mind.
Frightened, Airi carefully watched Aaron's expression.
He smiled awkwardly...
Then, as though resigned to it...
He led her into the establishment.
[Welcome!]
Aaron casually ignored the robot bartender greeting them from across the counter and sat down at a table for two.
Then he spoke to Airi in a serious voice.
“Airi.”
“...Yes?”
“Do you like me as a man?”
“......!”
Aaron struck first with a direct question.
But this time...
She didn't want to run away out of embarrassment.
After all, she'd already made her feelings obvious enough.
At this point, it would've been stranger if he hadn't noticed.
There was nothing left to be embarrassed about.
So...
Airi answered proudly.
“Yes.”
Fortunately...
Aside from the two of them, the bar was completely empty.
Perhaps that was what gave her the courage to say it.
“I like you, Chairman... no, Aaron.”
“I respect you.”
“And I love you.”
“You understand that, given my position, I can't simply respond to those feelings.”
“...Yes. I know.”
“I'm one of the students you sponsor.”
“And you're still fine with that?”
“Yes.”
Airi slowly nodded.
She felt as though tears might spill from her eyes.
But forcing them back, she continued softly.
“Even so... I'm fine with it.”
“I already knew you were a tree too tall for me to ever reach.”
“But still...”
“I want to help you.”
“I want to know more about you.”
“And if there's any way I can help you... even just a little... that would make me happy.”
“...Very well.”
Aaron nodded.
He raised a hand and called over the waiter, ordering a bottle of liquor with an unfamiliar name.
A short while later...
An elegant-looking bottle of whiskey, an ice bucket, and two rocks glasses were placed on the table.
“Let's have our contest.”
“Huh?”
“I don't think I could speak honestly while sober either.”
“If you truly want to know about me....”
Aaron placed ice into his glass before slowly pouring in the whiskey.
Despite the alcohol content clearly being over forty percent...
He drank it as casually as though it were water.
Then he spoke again.
“...Defeat me.”
“......”
Airi stared blankly at him for several seconds.
Then she came back to her senses.
She poured herself a glass exactly as Aaron had done.
After emptying it in one go...
She smiled.
“I absolutely won't lose.”