The city gate of District 42.
I always think, "I've really made it.
You did a great job, didn't you?

'Well then, Masha-sama. If you need to move, please signal the gatekeeper, and I'll send someone to help you.
'Yes☆ Thank you~. Oh, tell Estella thank you too~'
'All right, sir. Then, I'll go back to work.

The young insectoid soldier saluted and went back to his post.
He looks so fresh! He seems to have been hired when this gate was first built, so he's still a novice.
Estella lent him to me to push my cart.

Now, I want to be alone for a while, so I asked him to leave me here.

...... I'm not really good at spending a lot of time with people I don't know.
Everyone says that I don't look like that, but I still take a lot of care.

That's why, when I'm alone like this,......, I feel relieved.

'Hmm, I'm sorry about the soldier, but...'

I watch the soldier go away, and then look at the people passing by.
I heard that until last year, this place was just a deserted field where no one would come.
I've never been to this place in those days either.

I'm not sure I've ever been to this place in my life, but I've changed it to this extent. ...... You're amazing, Yashiro.

I'm not sure I've ever been to this place before. And it's all for the better.


...... may have been changed, but...

'......I can't believe that Delia-chan, who was never interested in boys at all, has such a face. ......'

It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're doing.
It might eventually eat your memories and make you forget about us,.......

When you are told that, Delia-chan ...... looked as if it was the end of the world.
I'm not sure. It's not just Delia. Estella and everyone else.

I wonder if you understand, Yashiro?
Do you know how much you mean to me, how much you mean to so many people? ......

I also have a little ......


The water splashes .......

I change my position and turn over to look up at the city gate.
The Big Gate......

The gate is mainly used by the lumberjacks and hunters guilds to improve the lives of the forty-two districts, bringing benefits to both sides.

Yashiro is always thinking of his own interests.
He's a genius at it. Sometimes even devilishly so. .......

But he will never monopolize profits.

Yashiro's idea of making money has always been to help others.
You've turned someone's tears into smiles.

'You're amazing, aren't you ......'.

Turning my head to the west, I saw a large cliff rising between us and the 30th district.
Yashiro once said, 'There's a waterway leading to the sea under this cliff.
He said he figured it out from the return of salmon to the river in District 42.
I don't know where you learned this, but you know a lot about fish. I'd like to have a long talk with him sometime.

'If we cut down the cliff here, reinforce it, and secure the channel, ......' ......, right?

He once told me happily that if we did that, the ships of the Sea Fishing Guild would be able to come right underneath this 42nd district.
Of course, Yashiro was probably thinking of his own interests when he said that. ......

I'd be happy too if that happened.

If that happens, I'll be able to come here more often.
You can meet a lot more people.

And as I thought of Yashiro's face...

'Whoa, there you are.

--I heard him muttering.

Actually, you probably don't know this, but I have good hearing.
Maybe it's because I was born and raised in a big ocean?I was born and raised in a big ocean, and I can hear small noises in the distance.

That's why I can hear and understand voices murmuring in the distance.
That means Jashiro is walking toward me.

He flips his body from lying on his back in the tank and rests his body on the edge of the tank.

'Hey~☆ Yashiro-kun~!
'Oh!

He raises one hand and walks towards me with a light step.
Hmm... You look so innocent. ............ Oh, I just saw your breasts. I'm so sorry, Yashiro.

'Eeee!

As punishment for suddenly glancing at my breasts, I'm going to pour seawater from the tank up your nose.

'Whoops!What are you doing? ...... Ugh, you're so petty!
'ugh ☆ Are you sorry?


'What the hell, ...... I was just glancing at your tits?'
'You know what I'm talking about☆'

You know what I mean.
Yashiro-kun is a bit naughty, but he never does anything unpleasant.
He has the innocence of an adolescent child, and he's just a little bit cute. I don't like it when he's naughty, though.

'Ahh, even my clothes got wet. ...... Do you have any scallops to wipe wet clothes with?
'Hmm, I do, but I can't lend it to you...'
'...... Tsk.'

She makes jokes like this in an easy-to-understand way.
But she's still naughty, so I'm going to punish her a little.

'Eeeh*'
'Oh, no!Oh, my God!What the hell?
'You know why, don't you?
'Well, I'm not mad at you if you think of it as water that once touched your boobs.

'You',............, you really can't remember my name,.......
I'm sure you're aware of that, but when you're confronted with the reality, it's hard not to be impressed. ......

...... I also don't like the idea of ............ being forgotten by Yashiro-kun.

I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure I'll be able to do it.
'I asked Delia.'
'............ Oh, I see.'

I'm surprised.
'Delia' is the name ...... I remembered.
Good for you, Delia. You don't want to forget Delia, do you, Yashiro?

............ I envy you.

'............'
'What's up?'
'Hmm?I was just thinking.'
'You're thinking about your tits again, aren't you?
'That's you, isn't it, Yashiro?

Watch out.
When Yashiro-kun talks to you like this, he's trying to find out what you're thinking about.
I've seen a lot of Yashiro-kun, haven't I?
I know that much.

Yashiro never misses a sullen expression that someone unexpectedly shows.
He will pretend not to notice and try to find out the reason for it. ............ He will gently pull out the tiny little thorn that is stuck in the back of your heart.

...... But not now.

Because I don't want ...... anyone to know that I'm jealous of Delia.
So I'll fake it too.

'Aaah☆ Can't your boobs get any bigger?
'Oh come on. If they get any bigger, you'll have to wear a giant clam shell.

Heh. ......
Surprise.
I can't believe he even knows about giant clams, which are rarely seen at the bottom of the sea.

'Yashiro-kun's knowledge never ceases to amaze me~'
'Oh, come on!There's nothing I don't know about boobs!
'Oh, ......, is that you?

I wish you would have said 'knowledge of the sea'.

Well, Yashiro-kun is from the 42nd district.
It's not like you're going to be going out to sea. ............ I feel like I'm losing it. Let's change the subject.

'So, did Delia look good?
'Oh, ...... that's the thing. ............'

Yashiro scratches his cheek, looking unhappy.
I'm not sure.Did I do something wrong?

'It seems that he was very frustrated that he missed the river owner and cried.
'Oh, ...... Delia-chan, you cried?
'Oh ......, I had a hard time getting her to stop crying. I told her I'd treat her to something sweet next time, and she seemed happy to go home.

............ I'm sure that's not true, Yashiro.

It's not like you to not notice.

...... I see.
I like .............

............ Oh, no.
The bad me comes out in my mind. ......
The troubling feeling of envy and jealousy that makes you want to do things you know you shouldn't. ............ But don't let it come out now. ...... ......

I'm not sure what to say.

Don't say anything that might bother Yashiro right now ...... ......

'If I'm crying, will you comfort me?'
'I don't want to.'

............ Eh.


Quick answer: ......?

It's ...... indeed a bit ............ lonely, you know.

I'm not going to look at your crying face. But instead--'

While saying that, Yashiro stroked my hair like this ...... and crinkled ............ it.

'When you're happy, tell me lots of stories. About fish, about the sea, about anything. I'll keep you company as long as you like.'
'............ heh,...... I see. Yeah, yeah. Any amount you want.

............ I'm surprised.
...... Why?
Why am I so nervous?

"I want Masha to always be smiling.

I felt like someone said that to me.
The satisfaction of having ............ been told something that wasn't said makes ...... the muscles in my face relax.... ...

I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to do it.
'Give me some time to sleep. I'm working hard from morning till night, that diner.

...... "That diner"?

............ Don't tell me you've got a memory deficit ...... going on?

'Ya, Yashiroku......'
'But, yes.'

I think I had a dumb look on my face then.

'You should come stay with us sometime.'
'..................?'

I'm staying at ............ what?In Yashiro-kun's room............What, what, what, what is that............

'You've never been here when everyone else is staying over, have you? It's pretty fun, playing games and stuff.'
'Heh, ...... I see. Wow, that's nice. Maybe I'll join you next time.

I'm so surprised!
That's right!You're right!
There's no way Yashiro would say something like that.

I'm sure you're right.

............ You're so careless. You're so careless with your words.
If it weren't for me, you'd be looking at me in black and white and freaking out.
If you're not careful, you'll be misunderstood.

'For that reason, I'll definitely remember you, you know.
'............'

That's ...... not fair.

Because that's ............ going to make a mistake, you know.

'..................Muh'
'Why are you sulking?
'......The truth is, Yashiro, you know a lot, don't you?About me.
'F-cups.'
'That's not what I meant.'

I'm not going to let you fool me today.
I'm not sure what to say. I've just decided that.

'Or do you mean you're really lonely?
'To ......'

I was at a loss for words.
I'm ...... not really lonely. ......

'You really wanted to play in the river during the hot season, or in a kamakura during the snowy season, didn't you?
'What, why ...... did you hear that from Delia?
'Oh, no. I can see that.

No, no, no.
No, no, no, no.
Because until now, no one knew what I was really thinking.

'Also, you're pretty jealous.'
'Wha......?
'I sometimes make my cheeks puff up when I hear other people talking happily.'
'I'm not making you do that!
I do. I'm not making you pucker your cheeks!
'I'm not!I'm not!
'Haha, you look pretty cute when you do that.'
'Mmm ......'

It's hard to be happy about being called cute in a place like that,.............

'It's amazing, isn't the world?


'The world?'
'No, you see. The ocean is big and deep, right?You can't see it all in a few decades.'
'No.'
''On the other hand, in a city surrounded by walls like this, in a small city called District 42, the world is changing rapidly. Things that didn't exist yesterday can be made today, and things that can't be done now can be done someday.
'Yes.
'It's hard to know where to look, isn't it?
'Yeah, yeah!Yeah!That's right!

Mermaids can't leave the sea.
At first, everyone said it was dangerous and reckless to go to a human city on land.
But I wanted to see it. A human city. Life on land.

And once I saw it, I was hooked.
There were so many interesting things on land.

I was so jealous and I wondered why I didn't have legs.
If I had legs, I could go to town whenever I wanted. ......
I envied and envied, but it wasn't enough. I wanted to see more of the city on land.

That's when I met Delia and Estella. ...... I went on a crazy tour of the city.

I got to know her well and saw a lot of fun things--I was beginning to think that I had seen ...... all there was to see in the small city of Riku, I met Mr. Yashiro.

I was shocked.
Constantion--I was astonished.

The city was growing by the minute.
Everyone in the city became brighter and more lively, and it became so beautiful that it was hard to believe it was the same city. ......

Yashiro was always at the center of these changes.

He is outlandish and fearless.
You can find a lot of things that you can do and say that are out of your mind.

But it's because of ...... that everyone fell in love with him.

You can find a lot of people who are looking for the best way to get the most out of their life. She always said, "Yashiro said this," "Yashiro did that," "Yashiro did that," "Yashiro did that," "Yashiro did that ......," with sparkling eyes.
Estella is the same.
Even though she doesn't say it out loud, she always cares about him.

And finally, even Lucia and Gilberta are ......

I love it ......
I'm so jealous ......

I wish I had legs too ...... so I could live on land ............ and then I would.
More ............, right?

There's no one else I admire as much as I do.
I wonder if you understand that.

I'm a little embarrassed that you know .......

Because it's shallow, you know.

'It's nice to be envious, isn't it?
'............?'

A good thing?
Envy, that's jealousy, isn't it?
That's,...... a good thing?

'Cause it's not. Because someone was jealous of something, this city was able to change so much, right?
'Yeah,......, is that right?
'Yes. If you don't envy something, who would do such a troublesome thing?

That's what ...... is for.
We're all jealous. ......

'That's why.'

Yashiro's finger quickly pointed towards the city gate.
No, ...... it's pointed at the cliffs that rise up between us and the thirtieth district.

'I'm going to make this happen, waterway.
'--Huh?
'Remember me?We talked about this before. You said you wanted to build a channel under that cliff so we could get the ships around here.

...... Yeah. I remember.

'I'll definitely make that happen in the near future.'

...... Really?

'That way, you'll be able to come to District 42 more easily.'

Will it be ............?

'...... Hey, Yashiro-kun. Why do you need that channel?

I know the answer.
I'm sure Yashiro will tell you. 'It's for my own good'.
But I'd like to hear ....... I want to hear the answer that isn't.

So I couldn't help but ask.

'Of course it's for my own good.



See? You say.

'You can get fish from the sea cheaply, eggs taste good if you get good shells, and seaweed entangled in nets is pretty popular right now.Nori's tsukudani is a big hit. It's a good idea to get acquainted with the Sea Fishing Guild......., right?
'...... Yeah. That's right.

Yeah.
That's right.

It's not gonna happen. Not yet.
If I lived in the 42nd district, I wouldn't know.
I'm not. ......

If I'd had a little more time to ...... get to know Yashiro so well that I was able to get him to change his mind, ......

I'm not sure if I could have gotten more out of it.


I wonder if he would have remembered my name properly like Delia did. ......

I love ...... you, Delia. I envy you. ......


And--'


It's like a light--a blinding light that shines into the deep, deep, deep sea. ......

'Because then we'll be able to see each other more.'

Like a sunbeam that shines down on me, even when I was shut up in the depths of the dark sea, hugging my knees and sulking: ......


'I want to talk to you about more things, Masha. I am.'


She pulls me out of the dark depths of the ocean, where I've been tormented by the idea that I'm unfair because I'm on the outside.
There's no difference.
There's no need to be envious.

I too was being seen by .............

It makes it clear to me. He smiles like a blinding light.


Oh ...... you're still amazing, Yashiro.
I thought there was nothing that could change, but--

'Yashiro, do you have a minute?Come here for a minute.'
'Hmm?'

--I never thought that I would be changed too.

The moment when you are changed is a little ticklish, a strange elation, a ...... little daring.

You'll be able to be a little more daring.
I put my hands on his shoulders and chest, and leaned out of the tank with a giggle. ......

'......What?'

...... I gently kissed her cheek.

'......I was thinking the same thing, too☆'

I wanted to come here more, be with you more, and talk to you more.
I've been thinking the same thing.

I'm thanking you for remembering my name.

I tried to hold back my blushing with such excuses.

'It's ....... You'll be surprised by the suddenness, right?
'Yashiro, you're so cute~'

Because I can never do it unless it's sudden.
It can't be helped, can it?

'Ah, ......'

Muttering, Yashiro put his hand into the hem of his dress.
And in the hand that he pulled out, he held a small seed.

...... You got the seed. Good.
Now you won't forget me, will you?
If you forget, ...... I'll kiss you somewhere else this time.

'What?

...... What am I thinking, I...?
I've put up with you for so long. ...... Your face is all red.

Yashiro-kun. Are you sure it's time to go?
'Hmm?Yeah, I guess so. I wanted to talk to you slowly, but we should go now.'
'Yeah. Let's talk again sometime.
'Okay. I'm off then.
'See you later!

I waved him off as he walked away.

............ It's impossible.
If I stay with you any longer, I'm sure I'll say something strange.
Something that might annoy you.

You can't do that now, not at all.

I'll just stare at his back as he moves away.
That alone warms my heart.
A truly mysterious person: ......



'............ Huh?'

About 200 meters away, Yashiro glanced back at me.
Then ......

'I'll never forget you, so don't make that sad face again.

He murmured.
Then he smiled and started walking again.


...... Ah.


'............ No, you can't. That's not fair.'

He flips his body around and dives into the water with a thud.
My face is hot. ...... I can't breathe. ............ I'm so embarrassed.

Everyone knew.
I've been jealous of you, Delia.
And that I've been lonely.
They knew that my ears were actually very good. ......They knew everything. ............

'Blub blub ......'.

My exhaled breath turned into air bubbles and shook the water.

Yashiro-kun is a ......Yashiro-kun is a ............Yashiro-kun is a ............Yashiro-kun is a ............Yashiro-kun is a ............Yashiro-kun is a ............Yashiro-kun is a ............Yashiro-kun is a ............Yashiro-kun is a ......Yashiro-kun is a ............Yashiro-kun is a ............Yashiro-kun is a ............Yashiro-kun
You don't need to be envious at all.

'Pfft!

I peeked out of the water and waved my hand at the gate.

'Gatekeeper!Take me to Delia-chan right now!

My heart hurts like it's about to burst. And yet, I can't stop the smirk on my face.
That's why I want to see Delia right now.

Meet her and show her off.
Make her jealous.
We'll talk a lot.


Tell her about my first love.