Episode 41 - “The Hormone That Takes You Back in Time” — Part Two

After working until closing time, Shota hurried onto the train.

Outside the window, fully bloomed cherry blossoms lined the riverside. A soft sunset tinted the petals with warm hues, and the spring breeze gently stirred them.

“The weather’s perfect. Tonight’s cherry blossoms will be beautiful.”

Feeling a gentle warmth in his chest, Shota got off at his usual station and made his way home at a brisk pace.

“I’m home, Ryoko-senpai!”

He opened the front door and stepped into the living room—

There she was, waiting with a smile, dressed in a breathtaking irotomesode kimono.

“Welcome home, my dear husband♡”

“Whoa… You look amazing, Senpai! If the foreign guys at work saw you like this, they’d definitely start a full-on photo shoot!”

Shota was left breathless. The soft luster of her kimono only heightened her natural grace and elegance.

“Shota-kun… your invitation to view the cherry blossoms today… really meant the world to me.”

Ryoko met his eyes gently, her voice trembling just a little as she continued.

“Before I met you, I was always alone. I couldn’t tell anyone about my abilities… and when people did find out, they looked at me like I was some kind of monster. They avoided me… treated me like I didn’t belong. Sometimes, I even wondered what the point of living was anymore.”

Shota felt his chest tighten.

“But then, you appeared in my life. Even after learning about my powers, you didn’t run away. You accepted me. You spoiled me. You were kind to me. That’s why… I’m not alone anymore. As long as I’m with you, I can go on living anywhere.”

“Ryoko-senpai…”

“Hehe… I got a little too sentimental, huh? Come on, let’s go see the night blossoms. I’ve packed us a bento(Japanese style packed meal).”

Ryoko took Shota’s hand softly and smiled. The warmth in her touch seemed to speak all the feelings she couldn’t put into words.

The two of them walked through the twilight streets, heading toward the riverside lined with cherry trees.

Even as the streetlights flickered on and dusk began to fall, Ryoko in her irotomesode kimono drew every eye around her.

“So beautiful…”

“She looks like a real geisha…”

“Maybe she’s a traditional model? I’d love a photo, but that might be rude…”

Passersby whispered in awe, unable to help themselves. But Ryoko paid them no mind, her serene smile unchanged as she gently slipped her hand through Shota’s arm.

“Shota-kun, everyone’s staring.”

“Well, of course they are. You’re stunning tonight, Senpai.”

Eventually, they laid out a vinyl sheet beneath a grand cherry tree with branches stretching wide. Ryoko opened the bento she had prepared.

Under the quiet fall of petals, they sat together with sake in hand, gazing up at the blossoms.

“Shota-kun… there’s something I want you to know—about my past.”

“…Ryoko-senpai?”

“You’ve always accepted me without asking anything. But from now on, I want you to know everything. Will you listen to my story?”

“Of course I will. I’m yours for life, remember? I vowed that when we got engaged.”

Moved by his words, Ryoko wrapped him tightly in a tearful embrace.

“Thank you… Shota-kun. Actually, I’ve been saving a very special hormone just for this day.”

“Wait… a new one?”

“With this, you’ll be able to experience my past… as if it were your own.”

Shota blinked in surprise, sensing the weight in her voice.

“…You mean, like some kind of magic?”

“Do you believe me? Are you ready, Shota-kun? Because now… I’m going to activate the curse.”

“…Wait—did you just say ‘curse’? Why is it always a curse!?”

“Well… because the first thought you sent me when I tried to read your feelings was ‘hostess club’♡”

Ryoko giggled softly and pulled him close.

“Good night, Shota-kun.”

With those words, Shota fell into a deep, deep sleep in her arms.

Next time—Ryoko’s past is revealed.

A story of loneliness, from a time when Shota didn’t yet exist in her world—