Editing Ghost Hunt:Volume 8 Chapter 15 (section)

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After a long while had passed, my breathing calmed and I was finally able to lift my head.

“At any rate...”

Hearing his voice nearby, I was surprised. Looking to the side, I found Naru standing right next to me. I thought he had left a long time ago, so I was a bit stunned.

“At any rate, you’ll meet him again whether or not you want to.”

He kept his pale face turned away.

“...After a hundred years or so...?”

“In your case, it might be close to two hundred years.”

“Hmph.”

Oddly, my strength deserted me, and I sat down on the ground.

“I’ll definitely live long. You’ll be amazed since I’m a stupid klutz.”

“Probably.”

“I wish you’d deny it instead.”

“Don’t you think it’s better to face the truth?”

Hmph.

“...You should have told me. If you had explained the situation properly from the beginning, I wouldn’t have made that mistake. I blame you.”

“It was stupid of you to jump to conclusions. Do I have that sort of meddlesome personality?”

“That’s true...”

When I laughed, tears spilled out again.

“It seems silly… Without knowing the truth, I let myself be easily affected by your actions.”

“Oh?”

In the forest at night, with the moonlight shining down, the insects were softly singing.

“It’s the perfect mood.”

“Huh?”

I looked upward and stuck out my tongue.

“Until just a while ago, it would have been an absolutely exciting situation.”

“It’d be a bother if you expected the same on my part.”

“I would have. A girl’s heart is like that.... And yet, when I think about it being a completely different person, it no longer holds the same value.”

After I said that, I chastised myself.

“...not good. That was an extremely rude thing to say, wasn’t it? Sorry.”

“It’s alright. I’m used to it.”

When I looked up at his indifferent voice, Naru raised his eyebrows a little.

“The same face and same level of talent. One has a good personality and the other a bad one. —Which would you choose?”

“The one with a good personality.”

“Exactly.”

...I see.

“You’re… a rather pitiful person, aren’t you?”

His brother probably always got all the girls.

“It was quiet, which I was glad of.”

“Idiot scientist.”

Naru looked at me, so I laughed.

“Gene said you were, ‘just an idiot scientist.’”

Naru sighed. I laughed at that and stood up.

“Your outward appearances are really similar, but you’re completely different on the inside.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t meet your expectations.”

“Yup. If your personality was even a little similar, I’d swoon.”

I’m saying a lot of rude things. I’m sorry. Forgive me. If I don’t do this right now, I won’t have the strength to stand.

“I already have enough.”

I laughed.

“Is there perhaps someone you like?”

When I asked, Naru seemed a bit surprised.

“Me?”

“I see… I guess there’s no one after all. For a moment, I thought there was someone in England you wanted to see.”

I’ll ask for Masako’s sake. I’m so kind.

“There’s a woman I’ve been chasing after for about five years now.”

“No way! Seriously?”

“...A woman in Wimbledon.”

“The Wimbledon of tennis?”

“Yes. Living in the attic of an old house.”

“How old is she? Is she a beautiful person?”

“I don’t know. Her age seems to be over eighty.”

...crestfallen.

“She is alive, right?”

Naru laughed a little.

“I can get exceptionally clear data from her. She only appears around this time of the year, so I’m thinking about going to see her first thing when I get back home.”

...Good grief. He seems genuinely happy about it. 

“...It would be nice to meet even once a year like that.”

I won’t say with whom.

“You should probably accept that you won’t be able to meet.”

“I know.”

His profile, exposed to the moon, was really similar. Enough to make me cry.

“I loved his beautiful smile.”

“I see.”

“It was really, really beautiful.”

“Yeah—”