The dinner party had pa.s.sed peacefully, and we moved to a separate room.
The music room inside the Royal Palace. In the back of the room a grand piano is installed, there"s also a stage.
On the wall in the back a painting with a motive of a famous opera was painted on a grand scale.
Next to this perfectly soundproofed room musical instruments are stored, in ordinary times their management is entrusted to the leader of the Royal Court Orchestra, who"s also the conductor.
In front of the stage seats for a number of people had already been prepared, we"re eagerly waiting for the appearance of the singer.

"I and Lidi will sit here"

The seat Freed presented was in the best location in front of the middle of the stage.
Since it"s a seat that naturally should be presented to the King and Queen, I looked up at Freed.

"Here?"
"Right. This event is a request from the singer to Esteemed Father under the pretense of a reward. Since he wishes for me and Lidi to hear the song, it"s Esteemed Father"s consideration to offer us the best seats"
"I, I see"

If the King says so, I have no right to refuse.
I nervously sat on the special seat.
A splendidly comfortable two-person coach made of wood painted gold with an embroidered velvet cover.
When everybody took a seat, snacks and drinks were brought to side tables.
My heart beats fast thinking that I can at last meet the singer.
What sort of person is he? Because I reincarnated I look like a normal person of this world, but based on what I"ve heard it might be different for him.
I wonder what kind of person is the first j.a.panese I"ll meet in a long time, I fixed my eyes filled with antic.i.p.ation at the entrance.
Freed gazed at such me with a wry smile.

"Lidi, you"re too excited"
"Eh, it"s because I"m looking forward to it"
"You"re like a child… Cute. It makes me want to eat you"

My held-out hand was grasped. Being stared at with pa.s.sionate eyes, I lost my cool from embarra.s.sment.

"I, idiot. What are you saying in such a place"

I softly muttered to hide my embarra.s.sment, but Freed declared, without changing his att.i.tude in the slightest.

"The location doesn"t matter. No matter where I am, if Lidi is cute I"ll say that? Because I love you"
"…. I, I  s e e"

Somebody, please help. I"m happy, but there"s a little, no, quite embarra.s.sing person here.
When I hung my head, Freed whispered into my ear.

"You turned red, cute. I"ll love you the whole night today"
"Idiot… Let me sleep properly"

I"m okay doing it, but I dislike lacking sleep.
Even though I had succeeded in reducing the number of times through my efforts, I feel like the amount of times has been increasing recently. It"s because I"m too indulgent, still, I hate going to sleep before dawn.

"Because, Lidi is so cute I can"t help it"
"… At least finish when the day changes"
"It"ll be difficult, but I"ll try"
"Jeez…"
"Fufu… Still, I love Lidi, who doesn"t say she can"t anymore, very much"
"Hey…!"

As soon as he pressed lips against my ear with a smooch, Freed separated.
I tried scowling at him, but it had zero effect.
He looked to be cheerfully smiling.
When I realized he would only be pleased by whatever I say now, I gave up.
I took a gla.s.s placed next to tea in my hand. It"s filled with my recently favorite lemon water.
It seems it was expressly prepared knowing I like it.
While I was relieved by the refres.h.i.+ng taste, I grasped that a royal guard opened the door and a young man confidently walked inside the music room.
When I raised my face now that he"d finally come - my eyes met his.

The surprise was so much I couldn"t get my voice out.
My hand that was still holding the gla.s.s trembled.
I could only watch him with my eyes wide open.

"Lidi? What"s the matter, Lidi"

I couldn"t reply to Freed.
I could do nothing but be dumbfounded.
Who entered was an adult man who looked to be in the latter half of his twenties.
He"s tall… What"s he is wearing is a three-b.u.t.ton single-breasted suit.
Black hair and black-rimmed gla.s.ses.
Not many people know, but the eyes looking here that seem black are as a matter of fact dark brown.
The finely refined looks with a straight nose are still in my memory.
No, he"s a few years older than when I last saw him which gives him a stoic appeal, it looks like his manliness considerably increased from before.
While I was still staring at him, rendered speechless by the situation, his eyebrows knit a little and he nimby removed his gaze.
He went up the stage, and bowed with neat movements.

"I am glad to meet you. Your Highness the Crown Prince and Princess Consort. I am a travelling singer called Sion. I am deeply grateful for Your Majesties for granting my selfish request to present my song to them today"

―――― Sion.
As soon as I heard that name, I received a shock as if my head was. .h.i.t with a blunt weapon.
Having what I didn"t want to believe thrust at me, I continued staring at him, unable to take my eyes off.
Like that, I recalled when I caught sight of his figure at the end of that date.
At that time I considered it an accidental resemblance, convinced it"s my mind playing tricks on me.
But looking at him like this, I can"t think of him as another person.
Even the voice is the same as in my memories.
A slightly low, calm voice that"s easy to listen to.

I remember that voice.
After all, it"s him, huh.
He"s slightly older than when I knew him, but it"s still him.

Sion…
Nanaoogi s.h.i.+on… senpai.

My first love who I had been going out with in my previous life. Senpai at the same university.
The person I had spent a year and a half with.
The person who hadn"t said he loves me even once despite that.
The person who hadn"t loved me until the end.
Unable to stand it I broke up with him, however I have no doubt… At that time, he was the person I loved the most.

Author"s note

Thank you very much.

I came up with the plot in November, unable to endure I released a short story in March (in my mind I called it Lidi"s Past Arc). Then after half a year of efforts, he finally appeared.
I believe those who read it have long realized, but Sion is the same person as s.h.i.+on who appeared in "First Love × First Love". [TN: translated ]

Ah, just in case. There won"t be a love triangle in this story.
There"s n.o.body who can force their way between those love birds this late…

The color ill.u.s.tration corresponding to this chapter.