When his sight was taken away, Ritsu finally fell completely silent.
He could no longer see the other person’s expressionor know what would happen next.
Still, he never asked for the blindfold to be removed.
Perhaps he was still clinging to the same reasoning.
He had accepted the penalty.He had made a promise.
But by then, there was probably another reason as well.
When he could not see, he no longer had to pretend to be confident.
Believing that his expression could not be readallowed him to become honest at last.
It was the first time the usually composed Ritsuhad entrusted everything to someone else.
Later, when the room had grown quiet,the blindfold was removed.
Ritsu stared at the ceiling for several moments before turning his flushed face away.
“…I kept my promise.”
The words sounded accusatory, but his voice was weak.
After a short pause, he continued.
“Next time, I’m winning. And I’ll be the one choosing the penalty.”
His competitive streak survived until the very end.
But somehow, the words also sounded like Ritsu’s awkward wayof asking to come back here together.
***
視界を塞がれると、律は初めて完全に黙った。
相手の顔も、次に何が起こるのかも見えない。
それでも彼は、ほどいてくれとは言わなかった。
自分で受け入れた罰ゲームだから。約束したから。
そんな理屈をまだ守っているのかもしれない。
けれど本当は、もう少し別の理由も混ざっていたのだと思う。
見えないからこそ、強がらなくていい。表情を読まれないと思えば、素直になれる。
いつもは余裕を装う律が、初めて誰かにすべてを預けた瞬間だった。
やがて静かになった部屋で、目隠しを外された律は、しばらく天井を見つめていた。
それから、赤くなった顔を背けたまま言う。
「……約束は守ったからな」
責めるような口調なのに、声は弱い。
少し間を置いて、律は続けた。
「次は俺が勝つ。今度は、俺が罰ゲームを決める」
負けず嫌いは、最後まで治らない。
でもその言葉は、もう一度ここへ来たいという彼なりの誘いにも聞こえた。