From the Bottom to the Top

Volume 3: Chapter 6

Alisa yawned as she sat up from her bed, rubbing her eyes before looking at the window. The sun was just starting to rise in the sky, but it felt like she had been awake for hours already.

“I need him…” she admitted to herself, hugging her knees to her chest. “I need Kuze-kun…”

The events of the previous day were still fresh in her mind because of the comfort and reassurance that she felt afterwards, to the point that she could vividly remember all of it.

Just when she thought that he had left her behind and cut off any kind of contact between them for good, Masachika suddenly showed up to prove that she was wrong and that he still cared for her.

Alisa thought that she had pushed him away because of her own actions, and only then did she realize how much he truly meant to her.

“I can’t be without him…”

.

While preparing breakfast, things were a little different wherein Masachika was the one in front of the stove, while Alisa prepared the necessary ingredients for him.

Masachika was surprised when the girl said that he can do the actual cooking this time around, which he then saw as a good sign of things to come.

Before this, Alisa wouldn’t even let him get near the stove, having thought that she’s the only one who bears the responsibility of preparing meals for the whole group.

On the other hand, he was nothing more than someone who’s struggling to pull his own weight… at least that’s how she used to think. 

“Alya, can you hand the ingredients over? I think the water’s good enough for us to start.”

She didn’t say anything. She simply did as she was told, handing over a tray with small bowls of chopped vegetables and ham slices to the young man, which he took with a grateful nod.

“If he’s not here with me… I have nothing. Without Kuze-kun, I’m useless. Я не могу жить без него…” ¹

The girl took a hidden glance at him while she walked away to wash the chopping board and knife that she just used.

“Kuze-kun… he’s been by my side ever since our first year and not once did he ask for anything in return… which makes me think if I’m even worthy of his friendship in the first place. What have I ever done for him?”

.

Mere words weren’t enough to describe the wave of relief and contentment that washed through Alya when Masachika chose to sit beside her instead of everyone else for dinner.

He and Chisaki were unable to join the rest of them for lunch, as they were still roaming the shallow waters on the raft to catch fish at the time. Even though she was hoping for it, there was no way for them to spend lunch together.

But dinner was a different story, because Masachika was now here and he chose to be with her… just like what he had done in the past several days.

“I want him to stay by my side… I want him to keep on supporting me… I want him to be here with me, giving me words of encouragement and helping me to be the best version of myself…”

Alya took an opportunity to steal another glance at him, and she couldn’t help but be flustered at her own thoughts regarding him.

“But I’m not the only one whom he looks after. Everyone here is counting on him, everyone here needs him. Everyone here… including me…”