NOVEL NEXT chapter 20
20. Precognition 4
The video ended with my face pale with despair. I can’t imagine what happened after this, what happened before. But one thing is for sure: there’s no way anyone could call that a happy future.
“…Sora-kun?”
The doctor also looks at my face with an awkward expression. That’s right, judging from the conversation in the video, Himawari killed the doctor and the others. Probably because of my careless words or misunderstandings. The doctor, who learned of his own future death , may be more shocked than I am.
“Doctor, are you okay? …That is”
He was killed, but I can’t say that lightly. Even though I was worried about Dr. Gentana earlier, I’m so shocked myself that I don’t have the brainpower to follow up properly.
“Kukukuku, if you have the Yuyuyuyuyuyu to worry about me, then that’s good.”
The doctor, who was surprisingly calm, smiled wryly as he watched me mumbling and stammering, choosing my words carefully.
“Don’t worry about me. I had a general idea of what would happen, given Himawari’s nature.”
I don’t feel any unreasonable in his brave behavior. The doctor seems to understand Himawari and the others more than I thought, and he seems to be prepared to deal with their relationship with the heroes.
“Rather, it’s you who must be having a hard time. I shouldn’t have shown you that after all…”
The doctor focuses on the present, but I’m getting more and more anxious.
“…Did I ask Akane-san and the others to kill me?”
I wanted to believe that I wasn’t such a bad person, and that Himawari wouldn’t do such a thing. My feelings were all mixed up, and I asked Dr. Gentana a meaningless question that I couldn’t answer.
“Well, I don’t know about the prophecy. But I don’t think you’re such a weak person that you’d genuinely wish for someone’s death.”
I can’t imagine it either, hating someone enough to want them dead.
“But maybe I wished they were dead out of spite for being dumped. I don’t know, since I’ve never experienced it.”
“Even if you did say something like that by accident, it’s not a sin. It’s not uncommon for young people to talk about death or murder when they’re upset about love. Almost no one actually thinks about doing anything about it.”
“That may be true, but Himawari believed my words…”
“Even so, that doesn’t make your words wrong. Well, if I had to blame you for anything, it would be for accepting Himawari, which made her the strongest hero and caused the incident. She’s still young and mentally unstable. It’s no wonder that she’s been influenced by you since she was a child and can’t control it herself.”
I can tell that she’s choosing her words carefully so that I don’t feel guilty. The doctor brings his now-empty mug to his mouth with a slightly troubled expression, then gives me his usual carefree smile.
“Basically, you don’t need to worry about your own talent.”
It’s probably not a lie. The doctor truly thinks that.
“If anything happens, the responsibility is mine. I used you to strengthen the heroes’ abilities, and I intentionally brought you close to them even though I knew it was dangerous.”
The doctor’s expression is hard to describe, but it looks like he’s carrying a lot of different kinds of “helplessness.” Maybe it’s an adult expression that I, who don’t know about society, can’t understand.
“…I understand. I’ll stop moping about Himawari. It didn’t even happen in reality, anyway.”
No matter how much I worry about it here, it won’t solve anything. For now, I should just focus on getting information that will help me interact with them in the future.
“I’m glad you said that. So, as a reward, how about you watch my new married life?”
“Huh!?”
Her sudden suggestion makes me blurt out a silly sound.
“It’ll be fine. It probably won’t be anything too bloody.”
That’s true, but is the doctor really okay with that? It might not be appropriate for all ages in a way that has nothing to do with blood, and wouldn’t it bother a woman to have another man see her in her private life, even if it is just a vision of the future?
“If Sora-kun doesn’t want to see it, we can stop.”
“…Then, just a little bit.”
There are a lot of reasons why I want to refuse, but I’m a little mentally exhausted from seeing such a terrible married life, so I’d like to see a happy future for once. Of course, it’s not just because of my baser instincts. If I keep going like this, I’ll start to think that I’m some kind of jinx who can’t ever date a woman, and I’ll become depressed of relationships.
“Just so you know, if you do anything lewd, I’ll stop the playback, okay?”
“I, I won’t!”
Or rather, I can’t say that for sure.
*
The projector shows a rather large house. The nameplate reads “Ryuutan.” Judging from the flow of events so far, this must be the doctor’s and my house, but did I become an adopted son-in-law or something?
“I’m home, Sora-kun.”
“Ah, welcome back, Doctor.”
Ryuutan-hakase appears in a suit, and I’m wearing an apron. Could this be…a stay-at-home husband?
“Come on, Doctor, stop it. We’re married now.”
“Oh, right. I’m still not used to it. …Um, Sumire-san.”
“Kukukuku, this is nice. A home where someone you love is waiting for you. It makes all the tiredness from work just melt away.”
As he says that, the doctor loosens the buttons on his shirt and sits down on an expensive-looking large sofa. I’m diligently taking off the doctor’s jacket and hanging it up, and picking up the bag that’s been thrown on the floor. I feel like I’m being bossed around a little, but I look happy taking care of the doctor.
“You always spoil me, Sora-kun.”
“It’s actually pretty fun taking care of Sumire-san. But please at least wash your hands before dinner.”
I’m starting to act like a mother, taking care of him a little too much.
“When you say such cute things, it makes it hard for me to refuse…”
I don’t know what exactly struck a chord with him, but the doctor’s face turns slightly red. Without his lab coat, his bodyline is more emphasized in his dress shirt and pantsuit. The three buttons he’s undone on his chest because it’s too stuffy are so unguarded that it feels like I shouldn’t be looking at them if we’re not married, and I can’t help but glance at the face of the real doctor sitting next to me.
Before the doctor notices my gaze, I hurriedly turn my attention back to the screen.
“Sumire-san. Are you happy you married me?”
I’m sitting next to the doctor, who still hasn’t washed his hands, and I’m grinning. It’s a more idiotic smile than I could have ever imagined.
“Of course. I want to be with you forever.”
The doctor gently places his right hand on my goofy face and whispers. Even through the screen, his deep, beautiful voice gives me a little shiver.
“Sumire-san…”
“Sora-kun…”
Then, we start kissing passionately.
“W-Wait a moment, Doctor!”
The video froze with the two of us in the middle of a kiss.
“What is it, Sora-kun? Did you stop the video just to watch our kiss scene? I suppose it can’t be helped. Go ahead and stare at it as much as you want.”
“Th-That’s not it!”
That was close. I’m glad I stopped it when I did. I could sense a strange, newlywed-like mood in the air. If I had kept watching, things might have gotten out of hand. Besides, it’s awkward to watch myself kissing an acquaintance—someone I’m not even dating—in a private room like this.
“It’s okay now. You don’t have to play the rest of this!”
“Is that so?”
The doctor turned off the video with a disappointed expression. Why is she disappointed? What would she have done if I had gotten weird thoughts in a private room where no other hero could find me?
“Kukuku. Well, it seems like we’re surprisingly compatible.”
“W-Well, yes…”
It’s true that I, a stay-at-home husband, looked happy, and Dr. Gentian in her suit looked quite erotic and attractive. A newlywed life led by a beautiful, older career woman—it’s like a high school boy’s fantasy. like heaven, to say the least.
“How about we try dating?”
“Don’t tease me.”
“I’m not teasing.”
I feel like I’ve been dancing in the palm of the doctor’s hand all day.