Artist's commentary
"What a sad sight, Miyako..."
"I can't believe it... I lost?"
Impossible. I am a woman of steel, solitary and unswayed by anyone.
"H-Hey, Miyako!"
I forcefully snatched my phone away from Maru-kun, shaking him off as he tried to stop me.
Then I dashed out of my home.
Why must I be so weak and insignificant? When she's so firm, beautiful and graceful... yet still delicate. With her eyes sparkling like stars, bright enough to pierce straight into my heart. Uttering those sweet words with her lips, so soft and plump that you'd think nectar would spill out the moment you gently bite into them. Her long and flowing hair, brimming with a white floral fragrance. Her pale, slender fingers. So cold to the touch, yet soft and warm enough to envelop my heart—
"May I take your order?"
Hearing that voice pulled me back to reality. Flustered, I look around only to see a menu placed right in front of me. It's filled with names of desserts adorned with seasonal fruits. It seems like I made my way to that one parfait shop without realizing it.
"Ah, umm... I'll have one strawberry parfait, please."
"One strawberry parfait... Right away."
Once I saw the waiter disappear back to the kitchen in the corner of my eye, I let out a frustrated sigh and clutched my head. I should be reasserting my devotion and chivalric spirit. Why did I choose now, of all times, to go back to the place where my heart can't help being restless? I try to close my eyes to no avail, her face is still the only thing in my mind.
The way she smiled back when we first met. When she eloquently told me how happy she was to meet me and all the feelings she had for me. I felt that it was only polite that I properly respond to her.
And then there's also that look of surprise on her face when we, by some stroke of fate, unexpectedly ran into each other again soon after. As a manga artist, my hands are the tool of my trade. When she gently clasped them, as if gently tracing my finger bones, I felt the existence of some kind of a fourth dimension, a higher plane of existence. It was as if I was struck by an electric shock from the back of my brain. Not a normal stimulus, but something that I felt deep within my soul.
Living in this world where we are all limited by our physical forms, I thought it was impossible to ever truly connect with others. But then I realized that was simply my own preconceived notion, born from only staying inside my small bubble. We exist because of the existence of those limits, those boundaries. And it is precisely because boundaries exist that two beings can overcome them and melt into each other.
It is only through living and encountering one another in this limiting three-dimensional world that one can discover the form of the soul that resides within our vessels. Like the taste of parfait melting into my tongue from residual cream on the spoon she had sweetly licked with her strawberry pink tongue. If that isn't intimacy, then what is?
"...Still, how can someone as weak and puny as me possibly protect her?"
Right now, I am but a battered knight without so much as a suit of armor. I cannot possibly face her like this. I yearn to soothe someone like her. Someone suffering, blinded by the dazzling sparkles. Were she here in front of me, I would want to reach out to her. I want to hold her hands. I want to give her an embrace.
"...My, what a coincidence""
The voice I longed to hear was coming from behind me. I hadn't even managed to lift my face before I could feel the source of that voice gently sliding their hands against my cheeks.
"Vi... Viola-san...?"
"Correct♡ And now, here's a reward for my clever little Yako-sensei..."
Viola smiles. In my daze, I felt she turned me around in her direction. Her face was then right in front of me, so close that I couldn't even focus my eyes on it.
"Wai—! You're... so close...!"
"I'd say we're too far apart. If we were to melt into each other, that is..."
"...?!"
Her long eyelashes sway as she slowly closes her eyes. At this rate, she will keep inching towards me until there's no more distance between us. Is it really okay for me to always be on the receiving side of her kindness? The last semblance of my pride whispered to me that warning, but I no longer have the strength to resist. Steel yourself, Fuji Miyako—
"Thank you for waiting, Here's your strawberry parfait."
"Huh?!"
Bam!
My smartphone slipped out of my grip before falling and hitting the floor.
"My apologies for disturbing your rest. But please do enjoy this before it melts."
"O-Okay! Sorry about that!"
I gaze at the waiter as she walks away before looking behind me. There is no one there.
The 'it was all a dream' kind of ending...?! How dare you call yourself a professional writer, Fuji Miyako!
I suppose I have been swamped with manuscript-related work lately. But I never thought l'd actually doze off in public like this. To top it off, I even dreamed of...
If I keep this up, Maru-kun will get tired of dealing with me again...!
The strawberry on top of the ice cream glistens, smiling at me with the same radiance as the one from that day.
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